Got my hunting license!

[WeldonHunter]

Speaking of hunting. I just did some. I was just about to respond to this thread when the guineakeets started flipping out. I knew the sound. Fox! If you've never heard a guineakeet in full alarm mode it's a sound you won't want to hear again real soon. It's a shrill, ear piercing sound.
It's just getting to be dusk and I only let them out near the end of the day watch them like a hawk since this little basturd got 3 of my birds a few months ago. I tracked the kills and found the telltale piles of feathers off in the brush in three different places ranging hundreds of yards apart. He's coming from all different directions at all times of the day. I'm on constant alert anytime the birds are out. I know there's a pair of fox stalking the fields at night. I've had the dog go after them. I don't know if this is them or a coyote.

At dark my chickens and turkeys put themselves away in the coup but for some reason the three guineas (only three because a now deceased fox killed the other 20 or so.) want to sit out front of the coup until I go out and shu them in and close it up. It's two males and one hen, she twisted her foot a few years ago and is really limited with walking. She does ok though. I've only had a fox try to get them at dark like this once 5 years ago. I'm also surprised he didn't get the female but if I hadn't chased her from the back of the coup earlier she'd be dead now I'm sure of it.

Well I grabbed the 22 and the Maglite and started over to the coup. I saw one of the guineas out front and headed to the back field. When I got to the barn I found one of the males in the grass next to the haybarn. He looked as if he'd landed there or was dropped but he looked stunned and had his wing splayed out beside him. When I got up to him a shued him towards the house and started scanning the field for eyeshine. I had only seen two of the birds so far and am thinking he might have one so I need to find him quick before he kills it. I walked around for a while checking places I know he's killed them before and no good. I'm sending the dog off looking in the brush. She's looked but because it's now raining on us any scent is being washed away. I decided to go back and see how the others were and close the coup up then continue looking. I get to the coup and find the female and one of the males. He's a brown one like the female and I could have sworn the one I shued back to the coup was the darker, gray one. So I close it up and go looking for him. I figured instead of going back to the coup he'd just gone back halfway and decided he was going to just hide. I can't say as I blame him. He just had the crap scared out of him. I looked all over and couldn't find him and being soaked with rain decided to go put the rifle away and keep looking.

Well I went back out and there he was. Pacing back and forth in front of the door to the coup. I went to open the door and of course he went around the coup but I know how this trick and head him off and herd him back. Once he was in I go in and close the door. I looked at all three of them and he was definitely in something's mouth. Feathers ruffled and bent back. He was ok though. Then I counted the hens, rooster and turkeys. All there. Since I'd put all the bantams away earlier they were not a concern. They go in early. Hunting a predator is a lot different than hunting deer. You just have to outsmart them.

I hunt deer to eat. It's just another chore for the most part. That's why I hunt from a stand. Anything to make it easier is fine by me. I have enough to do around here without tiring myself out walking around looking for them. This place doesn't lend itself to stalking anyway. There's thick pines planted on most of it like rows of corn and what's not planted in pines is either fields or thick brush with greenbrier vines and other stickers. I just about ruined a really nice wool hunting jacket trying to do it. It's to hard to navigate through let alone do it quiet enough to walk up on a whitetail. That's almost impossible under the best conditions. I've come close but it's a losing proposition. They hear everything and smell you coming if you're down wind from them. I got one deer walking and it was on my way to the stand. It was a young buck that ran across the field right in front of me. Other than that I rarely see them in the open here during the day. I've seen up to 25 of them at night in the fields here but rarely during the day.

I put mineral licks around to help keep them healthy and not as a lure. It doesn't really work as a lure anyway. Not for me anyway. The seem to visit the licks at night mostly. I have one about 1/4 mile from where I hunt and one is up the trail from the stand I use but it's rarely used and I don't hunt over it. They're mainly to provide minerals for them. I keep them refreshed all year. They need more during certain times of the year. Like when the does are nursing. It gives the fawns a better start. During the rut then really don't use them much but some bucks might guard them if does decide to visit them but I haven't really seen that. I do see scrapes near them sometimes made by bucks. The deer here have a fair amount of pressure on them especially the bucks which results in an over abundance of does. We're allowed 6 deer per season here, three antlered and three antlerless which includes does. Most people here are looking for that big rack though. They have huge big buck contests at a few of the hunting stores. Last year they gave away a brand new pickup. I'm content with filling the freezer. Bottom line is ask questions either here or of your friends. Take it easy and remember it's not the end of the world if you don't get one the first time out or that season. In time with practice it'll come to you and when you least expect it a buck will walk out in front of you. Just be sure you're ready for it and only take the good shot. Clean kill is the goal.

[desdem12]

I would like to hunt from a stand once jsut to see what it is like. I am not knocking it, it is just not plauseable out here. I would like the 6 deer rule too. I could get away with 3 or so but jerky is always nice.I think you need a nice pair of fox slippers Mike!

[Fred_G]

Mike invited me to hunt at Weldon Acres this year. I might take him up on his offer. But, if he is hunting with his Mosin Sniper, and I am hunting with my Mauser, do I have to shoot the Russian deer, and he has to shoot the German deer?

[desdem12]

I would shoot any deer that didn't answer the halt who goes there command or doesn't know the password of the day. Good luck you guys. I have to take a one year hiatus from hunting and i will likely die from it.

[WeldonHunter]

I would like to hunt from a stand once jsut to see what it is like. I am not knocking it, it is just not plauseable out here. I would like the 6 deer rule too. I could get away with 3 or so but jerky is always nice.I think you need a nice pair of fox slippers Mike!

Why is it not plausable? Don't get me wrong there's some that do stalk here but they use dogs. Oh and ATVs. We have 4 seasons here that basically overlap. The bow season goes from Oct. 1 to Jan. 31st, then there's primitive arms which is Oct. 20 to Oct. 26th and Jan. 14 to Jan. 26th, then there's Still Hunt (no dogs) Oct. 27 to Dec. 5th, then With or Without Dogs Dec. 6 to Jan. 13th. Those last two are when I hunt and I have 79 days. I considered doing the primitive arms but it only allows an extra week which I really don't need and I'm not ready to get into another caliber rifle just yet. Bow and arrow, no way. I really couldn't be bothered. If I can't get at least one deer in 79 days I need to stick to target shooting. I didn't think you were knocking it either Brad but it looked like you just didn't understand how great it is to hunt from a deer stand. Either that or you're just jealous. How could you not be once you see my super modern, plush and just downright cool stand with all it's amenities and convienences. Here's a picture of my deer stand in all it's glory.

[desdem12]

Sweet stand. Ya there is not to many white tails here and if you tried to stand hunt muleys on public land you are asking for a real boring time and you would never see any deer. You have to go find em and then hope they don't see or smell you before you get a shot off. I have had no to bad of luck lately but the elk i am having to much fun and no spikes.

[Fred_G]

Weldon, I don't see a satellite dish on that stand. And where is the hot tub? And where are the Sherpas ?

[WeldonHunter]

Sweet stand. Ya there is not to many white tails here and if you tried to stand hunt muleys on public land you are asking for a real boring time and you would never see any deer. You have to go find em and then hope they don't see or smell you before you get a shot off. I have had no to bad of luck lately but the elk i am having to much fun and no spikes.

Yeah whitetails very weary. They have great hearing and smell you a day before you come near them. It's almost impossible to sneak up on one too. That's an old broken down, hand-me-down stand that was basically abandoned by my neighbors and was about to fall over three or four years ago. It was termite eaten and I fixed it up but it's tired for sure. I leveled it out replaced the rotten wood. Put carpet on the rails. It's still pretty sad but has a nice view. The first picture is the view from inside. I still need to cut the brush out in front of it. I've been here for 5 years and it's was old looking then. I have no idea how old it is. They had another stand out at the edge of the field that fell over and the replacement for it lasted a year but because they didn't put the correct bracing on the legs it started to tilt to one side so they took it down. It's the second picture below. The husband was busy so his wife put it up and didn't understand about crossbracing. The one below that is in another field further east and was one they bought and we put up last year. It's a lot nicer. Only problem with that one is it's out in the open and the only time you see deer is at night when they come of the woods. I don't do late day hunting because I hate fooling with butchering a deer late into the night.

[ponycarman]

Looks like a hunting dream to me

[Fred_G]

Looks like a hunting dream to me

I need Sherpas if it is a hunting dream.

[WeldonHunter]

Looks like a hunting dream to me

I need Sherpas if it is a hunting dream.

LMAO!!! You ain't gettin no sherpas here. Carry yer own damn gun, lol. Besides they mess with the livestock.

[Fred_G]

So, you are saying there are no Mimosas served before the hunt, and I have to help clean any deer that are killed?


No way, I want my Sherpas.

[desdem12]

You don't age the deer any? I like to let them hang if it is cool enough. But it is hard to gut in the dark and i had a sherpa most of the time, My boy. If i had to haul anything out it would never get done and then they would have to haul me out too. Taint no meemoosas where i go. It is a cup o coffee and maybe a candy bar until after the morn hunt, then you can have the pancakes eggs and sausage. I like the camping. No walk from home here either. My camp is 2 hours north of here.

[WeldonHunter]

You don't age the deer any? I like to let them hang if it is cool enough. But it is hard to gut in the dark and i had a sherpa most of the time, My boy. If i had to haul anything out it would never get done and then they would have to haul me out too. Taint no meemoosas where i go. It is a cup o coffee and maybe a candy bar until after the morn hunt, then you can have the pancakes eggs and sausage. I like the camping. No walk from home here either. My camp is 2 hours north of here.

They age the deer up north. Those guys hang them on the side of the barn or out building for up to a week but it's refrigerator temps. out. They do it to age it but also to show it off. Down here it does get fairly cold at night during the season with frost on the ground but it's not cold enough to leave it hang. Sometimes I soak it in salt before I cook it but most times I cut it up and freeze it just to get it done. Yeah no alkiehall here especially while using firearms. It's nice walking to the stand but getting the deer out of the woods is another story. Everyone here has ATVs. That is except me. I just go home and get the wheelbarrow to get it to the egde of the field. This year my buddy told me to call him and he'll send his kid over with the four wheeler. I told him I didn't want to be bothering him with that and his wife said "You kiddin'? these guys love excitement"

[ponycarman]

How much property do you have weldon?

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[WeldonHunter]

How much property do you have weldon?

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I own 4.5 acres which has the house, a pond and some out buildings including the milking parlor that were part of a 180 acre dairy at one time. The previous owner of my place that still owns the property behind me told me I can use the place in the back and do what I want. It's a bit more complicated than that though. The neighbors across the road pay the property tax on it and for that they get to cut the hay. I coorinate anything I do with them which isn't a problem because I can pretty much do anything I want but you still have to show respect. We all maintian it together. Besides they're friends of mine too.

[ponycarman]

Well thats cool. Im hoping that when my wife and I can afford to start looking at houses that we can get one with some property. Its always been my dream. I would like to get as much as we can afford. Would be great to have my own private range/ hunting grounds . I dont know if it will work out but I can dream haha

[Fred_G]

It is a hell of a lot more fun shooting at Weldon's place than it is at the local range... Plus we shoot stuff that blows up sometimes. Don't think that would go over very well at the Parish range.

[WeldonHunter]

It is a hell of a lot more fun shooting at Weldon's place than it is at the local range... Plus we shoot stuff that blows up sometimes. Don't think that would go over very well at the Parish range.

I guess that all depends on what Parish you're in and who's there. It is a police range range you shoot at after all. We really need to break out some splosives next time we shoot too. They are fun.

[ponycarman]

I've never been able to shoot any of the explosive targets. I've seen them shot before and they make quiet a thump haha. A person we worked for was shooting them about a half mile off in a field and they were still quite loud. The last one he shot maybe 20-40yrd's from us . That was quite a thud