Up until yesterday, I had a pretty positive outlook on hunting late season. I had been focusing all of my time hunting around behind my parents chasing Big E, but now things are going to have to change. My Aunt contacted me last week stating the timber behing my parents had been sold, and that they would be in there as soon as the ground froze to start timbering. I was thinking I still had a month or so to get it done, but I got another call yesterday from my Mom saying they had began cutting. They aren't clear cutting, just doing some selective timbering, but it still ruins my chances at killing Big E. Through the last week of October and all of November, I had seen him a half a dozen times, and felt it was only a matter of time before I got my shot. Now, I'm just not sure it's possible. The 30 acre lot behind my parents is a great late season draw, due to the abundance of acorns and undergrowth to browse on, and the lack of pressure and cover it provides to gun-shy deer. I was really looking forward to spending the end of December and January in there playing chess with the big boy, but now I must scramble to find a new challenger. Though my spirits have been shaken, I am still confident that I can get it done this year. It has now been over four years since I have killed a buck, but my confidence in my ablilities is at an all-time high. I have had encounters with four different shooters this year, including my wife's buck, and I know it's only a matter of time.
Beginning this weekend, I will be shifting my focus to a 270 acre farm that for the most part this year has remain untouched. There is roughly 70 acres of corn still planted on the farm, and I feel confident that there is a shooter hiding in it somewhere. On Monday, I will get out and set up four Spypoints on this farm, and start trying to locate a new shooter. I've been running cameras over there off and on all season, but have yet to hunt this farm. I'm hoping the lack of pressure during the early bow season up to this point has drawn deer from neighboring properties to this farm and will make for some great hunting once the corn comes down. Only time will tell, but for now, I remain optimistic that I can get it done.
Beginning this weekend, I will be shifting my focus to a 270 acre farm that for the most part this year has remain untouched. There is roughly 70 acres of corn still planted on the farm, and I feel confident that there is a shooter hiding in it somewhere. On Monday, I will get out and set up four Spypoints on this farm, and start trying to locate a new shooter. I've been running cameras over there off and on all season, but have yet to hunt this farm. I'm hoping the lack of pressure during the early bow season up to this point has drawn deer from neighboring properties to this farm and will make for some great hunting once the corn comes down. Only time will tell, but for now, I remain optimistic that I can get it done.