The following is a chronological summary of my 2013 deer season to date. So far it's been a great season with lots of time in the bush and a moderate amount of success. If anything changes I may update the post one more time before the end of the year. Also for all you purists I apologize in advance as 2 of the 4 deer were taken by rifle during the gun hunt.
October 1, 2013:
Went up to the hunt camp in 82a on the Saugeen River on the night of the 30th. Left the cabin at 5:45am headed for a ground blind in the cedar swamp along the river. Blind is about 35 yards from a river crossing on a run that connects to a white clover food-plot. Arrived at the food plot about 6:00 am and heard several deer run off. I stopped and waited 15 minutes before continuing. As soon as I took 3 steps I heard multiple deer blowing their horns at me. Continued to the blind and was settled by about 6:30 am.
Stayed in the blind until 11:00 am and did not see anything. Returned to the cabin and took a snooze until 1:30 pm and then headed back down. Settled in the blind by about 2:30 pm - did not see anything. Pulled the chip on the camera and checked it back at the cabin. At 12:15pm while I was sleeping 3 nice does came in for about 15 minutes - figures.
October 4, 2013
Hunted the same location as the the opener. Saw and bumped those same 3 does close to the blind on my way in. Sat in the blind from 4:30 pm until close - did not see anymore deer.
October 5, 2013
Hunted the same location again. Arrived at the blind at 4:00 pm. At 5:20 pm the same 3 does came in from the NE. At about 45 yards they scented me (no noticeable wind at the time, but in the river bottom the wind does strange swirls - especially when the wind is light). All 3 ran about 80 yards stopped and blew their horns. Did not see anything else. At this point I decided to give the river bottom at least a one week break as I think I have probably spooked them one too many times.
October 7, 2013
Hunted a 100 acre farm in 81b that has 70 acres of beans that backs onto 30 acres of hardwood that in turn backs onto the south side of the Boyne River Provincial Park (The park is a no-hunting zone). Arrived at the farm at 5:30 pm (later than I wanted). Started walking the edge of the bush and spotted 2 does about 200 yards away on the edge of the bush. They saw me at about the same moment I saw them. I froze and after 5 minutes they went back to eating. I slipped into the woods and then was able to stalk to within 20 yards over the next 25 minutes. The last 50 yards was on my stomach moving sticks out of the way as I went. The leaves were wet enough from the recent rain that they did not make any noise. Unfortunately I could not get a clean shot without exposing myself so I just watched until they moved off and called it a day.
October 8, 2013
Arrived at the same farm as above at 4:30 pm. Made my way to a section of knocked down fence on the edge of the beans/bush. Set up in spot that I thought was downwind. At 7:05 pm a spike buck, a large doe and an average doe with a fawn came through the opening and immediately blew their horns and ran off.
October 9, 2013
Essentially the same as the previous day but adjusted for the wind factor. Did not matter as nothing showed up. Saw and spooked 2 does on the walk back to the truck.
October 12, 2013
Did a walk and stalk on the ridge in the hardwoods in the afternoon. Saw 2 does north of me but was not able to get close enough.
October 14, 2013
Did a walk and stalk along the river in 82a. Saw 3 does about 15 minutes before last light but they busted me.
October 18, 2013
Ground hunted the farm in 81b on a ridge in the hardwoods in the afternoon. Saw 2 different bucks across a ravine but they were not interested in my grunts and bleats.
October 19, 2013
I went party hunting on a farm owned by a friend of one of my employees. Farm is in WMU 80 just south of Mount Forest. Being the newbie on this property I took the stand they directed me to. At about 5:15pm my employee texted me that he had put a nice 6 pointer down and that they would need my additional seal for zone 80 as the three of us were hunting on my additional tag. Both of them had already tagged out earlier in the season. Sorry no pics as I was not the one with the camera.
October 20th 2013
Hunted the farm in 81b. Ground hunted a section of knocked down fence on the edge of the beans/bush. Did not see anything. Spooked a doe on the way back to the truck
October 22nd 2013
Ground hunted the same ridge mentioned earlier. Left 30 minutes early so I could hunt the field edge on the walk back to the truck. Managed to stalk to within 30 yards of a nice doe but she never presented an acceptable shot and I ran out of time.
October 26, 2013
Waked the river edge in 82a in the morning but did not see anything.
October 28, 2013
Arrived at the farm in 81b late. Tried a walk and stalk along the field edge. Got busted by the same doe I saw on the 22nd.
Nov 1, 2013
Went out for a walk and stalk hunt in the hardwood bush on the farm in 81b. Suited up with my hardwood ghille suit and started to scout for fresh sign. Found some fresh scrapes so I parked my butt on the ground about 35 yards downwind.
At 5:15pm I thought I heard something off to my left so I was concentrating my vision in that direction. Nothing appeared so I turned back to the scrape line and if there isn't a 6 point buck staring at me. Unfortunately my xbow was not in position and if I moved with him looking at me I'd be busted so I waited. The buck starts to circle and I realize that in about 5 seconds he is going to be downwind and I'll be busted for sure.
I stomped my foot on large branch to make an audible crack. He blows his horn and runs 70 yards back the direction he came from, stops turns around and stares at me. While he was running I used the opportunity to get my xbow aimed back at the nearest scrape. After about 30 seconds he starts heading back towards the scrape line and presents broadside at 40 yards. Took him down with a textbook double lung. Recovery took about an hour.
Nov 04, 2013
Actually it started on November 03, as this is when myself, my brother-in-law and a friend headed up to camp on the Saugeen River.
Woke up at 5:20 am had a quick breakfast and coffee and headed to spots. BIL was in a blind on a white clover and turnip food plot, friend was on a different food plot and I headed for some scrapes down closer to the river. I arrived at about 6:15 and got myself settled. At 6:35 legal shooting arrived so I unpacked the gun and loaded 3 rounds. My instrument of choice was a .270 winchester loaded with 150 grain nosler partitions.
As the light conditions improved I relocated twice to take advantage of better shooting lanes (I was ground/still hunting). I ended up on the edge of the river with the river at my back. This provided the best options for the south wind. At 7:45 am I heard something southeast of me. Glancing slowly to my left I see a heavy bodied 7 point headed my way. I was hiding behind some cedar brush and he passed within 7 yards of me with no notice.
I did not have a clear shot until he was about 50 yards to my right. He stepped broadside into the open and I put a round into his boiler room. It was like someone tipped him over. He never moved after hitting the ground. Texted my pal to bring his tag down as I only had antlerless additionals. Recovery took about an hour as we had to drag him about 400 yards before I could reach him with the loader.
That afternoon my BIL shot his twin brother - they were virtually identical. He was hunting the food plot. Recovery was easier as I could drive right to the animal.
November 16, 2013
Headed up to the camp in 82a on the Saugeen with my son. My son had a buck tag and I still had an additional anterless for 82a. Left home at 5:00 am and arrived at camp gate at 6:01 am. Suited up and started the walk to the river at 6:15 am. The river is about 5/8 of mile as the crow flies from our cabin and a little over a mile of walking is required if you want to get there without bumping anything. My son set up closer to the cabin in a stand overlooking one of our food plots.
I set up with the river at my back facing south at about 6:45 am. Wind was light at first but picked up steadily from the south all morning (thanks windfinder - forecast was correct). I was set up behind some windfall cedar trunks about 25 yards north of an active scrape line. Between the river running high and the wind there was a decent amount of background noise to cover any small sounds I might have made.
At 9:00 am I was starting to get cold and decided to stretch my legs and get some blood flowing in an attempt to warm up. Not sure what the temperature was but it was -1 when I left the cabin. While moving around I caught a glimpse of movement about 80 or 90 yards SW of my position. I got back into position and remained still. a few minutes later I caught another flash and confirmed there was a deer headed my way. At about 50 yards I was able to see that it was a medium bodied 8 point (small rack). He came into the scrape I was facing and had no clue I was there. He presented a perfect broadside shot at about 25 yards a minute later.
I let fly with the crossbow (at this point it was 9:20 am). He did one of the most impressive donkey kicks I have seen in while and set off running SE. He ran about 50 yards and then stopped for 2 or 3 seconds. He then did a 180 and ran about 15 yards back towards me before he went down with an audible crash. I texted my son to go get the loader and to bring his tag down. I waited 30 minutes to be sure and then went in to have a look. This is exactly how I found him (except for the Xbow).
I realize the previous photo does not have a tag (took my son awhile to get the loader started - battery was dead and he had to scrounge for the cables) so here is the photo with the tag for posterity - I had already started to drag him towards the trail.
So I still have one additional antlerless for 82a left - but I want my son to use it. So the rest of the season will be based on times when both our schedules coincide (probably the last 2 weeks of December). I’ll be there to keep things legal, but won’t hunt too hard (read and/or sleep in the blind with the phone on waiting for him to call).
