I had a pretty good year that started October 4th with this 2.5 year old small rack 8 point taken with the Micro. He was a challenge to recover but i won't go into details as the story was already posted here:
![Image](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48845288296_2517f19308_k.jpg)
https://www.excaliburcrossbow.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=70657
He used up my primary tag as my additional was bow only and anterless (doe) only. Only went out a few times between then and the rifle opener and did not see too much other than grouse and turkeys. On the opener of the rifle I had a group of 6 does come into range and decided to take this fawn as I was party hunting and the group had 3 doe tags to use up. Figured I would leave the older does as buck bait.
![Image](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49081933208_4107a6c5a2_k.jpg)
After that I spent the next 2 days grouse hunting at the camp as the pressure was off and the other 3 guys wanted the opportunity to fill the remaining 2 tags. Grouse hunt went well and ended up with 6 birds over 2 days. This was the take from the Tuesday:
![Image](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49082448561_c2fe6b2a09_k.jpg)
After end of day Wednesday I left camp to return to work for the balance of the week. The remainder of the hunt week was occupied at camp by a few of my employees (their time off was one of the reasons I had to head back). One large 8 point was seen a few minutes after legal, a spike was missed clean by another of the group and a 10 point busted another group member from behind. Other than that the remainder of the camp hunt was quiet.
I went back up to camp to poke around on Thursday and the amount of fresh track was crazy. Areas under apple trees still holding looked like barnyards. I checked the wind forecast for Friday and it looked ideal for the tree that had the most sign. I decided to return on the Friday afternoon. Was settled in about 230 pm on Friday in a climber. At roughly 3 pm a group of 26 turkeys showed up and started picking at the frozen ground apples. They stayed about 15 minutes and than moved on. I decided not to take a picture as I was sure one of those 26 sets of eyes would have seen the movement and you never know how close a deer might be and if it might get spooked by 26 spooked turkeys. Between 4 and 5 pm 6 grouse wandered by and picked at the apples for a minute or two before moving on. At 5 pm I saw movement in the trees north of the apple tree and watched as 7 does silently moved from to west to east in a semi circle about 30 yards out from and around the apple tree. At 510 pm the first one popped out onto the frozen ground apples and immediately gave me a broadside opportunity. I obliged her with the Micro as I was not gonna wait until 7 sets of eyes and ears were in the mix. She jumped and I lost sight of her in the pines about 30 yards from where i hit her. I gave her 40 minutes and started to track. The snow made it easy with a simple blood trail right to her. Shot looks a little low and back but she was quartering slight towards and this is the exit wound. Entrance was mid body right behind the shoulder.
![Image](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49081921893_1ea5410257_k.jpg)
So now it's time to switch to ice fishing prep. Speaking of which we went up to our place close to Restoule and there is 8 to 10 inches of snow on the ground and the lake is completely frozen with 4 to 6 inches of ice on the back bays. Had to use the chainsaw to get water (water system is winterized already) for dishes. Driveway which is a mile long was only passable by truck for the first 3/8 mile. After that bent/downed trees were an issue (about 25 of them spread out over the last 5/8 mile. Fortunately I decided to bring the sleds just in case and they were able to snake around or under all of them. I went back out Saturday afternoon and cleared them all out but I am sure there will be more. A few pics from the weekend:
Cutting holes for water. Ice in close was mostly grey but transitioned to clear the further out you went.
![Image](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49081911788_b982bfa039_k.jpg)
As far as we made it with the truck:
![Image](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49082644517_9ac01300fe_k.jpg)
About every 100 feet or so after the first 3/8 mile was like this:
![Image](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49081912098_dea3c5287e_b.jpg)
Sunrise this morning. Looks like open water further out but it's not. Hard, clear ice.
![Image](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49082433846_3dd4779ec9_h.jpg)