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Hortontoters 2013/14 Journal..The Saga Continues

Trying to catch up with my updates. Seems I'm spending more time trying to keep up with congratulating all the guys on the site for the bucks they have taken than I am hunting. Not really, but the bucks have been falling lately.

Hunted four consecutive days last week. By Tuesday evening I was pretty well shot. Had my good friend Jeff come down and spend a couple days at the cabin to hunt with me. He is a hunter with the same mind set as myself "Let em walk...Watch em grow". He should think like me I took him on his first deer hunt when he was 14, nearly 40 years ago. We've shared many good hunts over the years. Seems weird to see us both with bald heads and wrinkles here and there.

Well Nov. 10 was a milestone this season, I finally saw an antlered deer. I find this so hard to believe, but it is what it is. Here is a recap of my hunts earlier in the week.

Nov. 9, 2013 PM
Temp 44* Wind - W/SW
TRACTOR TO BIG ROCK
Hunted the outhouse from 2:30 til dark. Pleasant afternoon, but no sightings Norma saw a
small antlered buck walk through the creek bottom while watching out the cabin window
at about 4:35.

Nov. 10, 2013 PM
Temp 51* Wind - S/SW
TRACTOR TO BIG ROCK
Hunted the outhouse from 1:15 til dark. FINALLY saw an antlered deer. A small racked
buck crossed just west of the barricade at 4:40.

Nov. 11, 2013 AM
Temp 35* Wind - S/SW Calm
WALKED IN
Hunted the outhouse til 10:00. Nothing showed. Jeff hunted the food plot and saw two
bucks, a six point and a nine point.

Nov. 11, 2013 PM
Temp 38* Wind - W
TRACTOR TO BIG ROCK
Hunted the outhouse from 1:00 til dark. No Sightings. Jeff hunted the food plot after
putting up a pop up blind over the existing box blind. Nothing sighted.

Nov. 12, 2013 AM
Temp 30* Wind - NW
WALKED IN
Woke up at 5:15 to see the ground covered with 2” of fresh snow. Hunted the creek bottom til
9:30. Had a six point come from the north at 6:45. He appeared in the shooting window with no
time to get off a shot if I had wanted to. Note to self, add a porthole window to north side of
stand soon. If this had been a shooter I would have not had time to react for a shot. Jeff hunted the food plot til 10:30 but saw nothing.

Nov. 12, 2013 PM
Temp 28* Wind - N/NW
WALKED IN
Hunted the creek bottom from 3:00 til dark. Bad wind for this stand, but tractor was snowed
under. No Sightings. Jeff hunted the food plot. Nothing sighted.
 
My patience has been tried this season. I had planned to hunt Friday evening and stay at my cabin and hunt all day Saturday. My dad called me Thursday morning and asked if he could borrow my .410 for his great grandson to use for fall turkey hunting. He is 8 years old and had already missed two this fall with the crossbow. I use this .410 single shot with a 4X scope for turkey hunting and as my deer slug gun. After letting him test fire the gun I knew he had a chance to score on his first turkey if he got a shot at one.

Thursday evening I decided I needed a change of pace. I grabbed my FoxPro game call and chased coons all day Friday. Called a few out of the dens, but didn't get any good shots. Was a fun day though and a chance to unwind. The wife and I drove to the property on Saturday and I made an evening sit. No action from the outhouse and she saw nothing move through the creek bottom.

Got in last night about 8:45 and had a message on the phone. Davey, had scored on an adult hen with the .410. Made my day.

Nov. 16, 2013 PM
Temp 52* Wind - SW
TRACTOR TO BRIERS
Hunted the outhouse 2:15 til dark. Nothing showed. Nothing moving not even the squirrels.
Norma saw nothing from the cabin window.
 

brock ratcliff

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
24,834
247
Congratulations on the boy's bird. Good of you to allow him to use your gun. Good luck on your next sit!
 

finelyshedded

You know what!!!
Supporting Member
31,855
260
SW Ohio
Congrats on the young fellers bird Dick. Just keep on hunting buddy. This later part of the rut brings the big boys out more and acting more stupid. Hope Splitter comes through when you're waiting on him! Good luck!
 
Didn't plan to hunt in the high winds yesterday. My phone rang at about 9:30 and my mind was changed. My dad called wanting to hunt. How do you turn down your 86 year old father that introduced you to hunting, regardless of the weather. By 10:15 we were headed to Carroll county. I was in my outhouse by noon and my dad hunted his favorite farm 1 1/2 miles to the east. I try to make him hunt at my property, but he insists on going to the other farm. I offered to go with him, but he insisted I hunt the buck I really want. Another fruitless 5 1/2 hours on stand. Dad didn't see a deer either.

Nov. 18, 2013 PM
Temp 40* Wind - W/NW Very Windy
TRACTOR TO BIG ROCK
Wanted to hunt the creek bottom today, but the lady to the south was running the leaf blower
when I arrived. Hunted the outhouse noon til dark. Nothing showed. Dad hunted his farm and
saw nothing. His first hunt there. The corn was picked on the perimeter of the back field. Both
front fields were completely picked.
 
Decided with the light rainy weather I'd hunt on Friday. Hit the road at 4:15 AM for a morning and afternoon hunt.

Nov. 22, 2013 AM
Temp 50* Wind - S/SW Light Rain
WALKED IN
Drove down this morning for an early morning hunt Hunted the creek bottom from
daylight til 9:30. Nothing showed.

Nov. 22, 2013 PM
Temp 44* Wind - W/NW Light Mist
TRACTOR TO BRIARS
Hunted the outhouse 2:15 til dark. Nothing showed.
 
Had a tough gun season. Only hunted Monday and Tuesday. Monday found my stepson Greg, my buddy Jeff, and myself hunting my 10 acres. This day proved how much can go on around you without being aware of it. Greg, saw three does hunting in the fairly open creek bottom. I saw five does and two bucks, all by 7:45, hunting just behind my OH stand. Jeff hunted a stand my dad built near the very back of my property. This stand is in fairly thick cover. Jeff saw 30+ deer, only two of which were does. Tuesday, none of us saw a deer. I came home Tuesday for a shower and a good nights sleep. Planned to go back Wednesday around noon. Tuesday evening I had a reaction to one of my meds and nearly passed out. I haven't felt quite normal since. I've had this happen before and it takes a while to get my confidence back that everything is OK. I just didn't feel safe hunting the rest of the week.

The highlight of gun week was a main frame 8 with a few kickers that my dad took Tuesday evening in his backyard in Portage county. I've not had a chance to see the rack yet. I'll get a photo of the rack and post it when I get a chance.
 
Boy Dick I was wondering how things were going for you. I'm glad you are OK after your medication reaction like that!! Hopefully things are all straightened out for you and you can get after them again the rest of the season. That's great news that your dad got what sounds like a dandy of a buck! Cannot wait to see a picture or two. You two guys seem to be the most deserving when it comes to bucks, with all the hard work you have put in and all, and with him getting his.....well it only means you are next. Take care and good luck to you!!
 

"J"

Git Off My Lawn
Supporting Member
56,741
274
North Carolina
Congrats on your dads buck Dick, sorry too hear your season got interrupted..... Still plenty of time left too drop a good one.... Good luck....
 

brock ratcliff

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
24,834
247
Congratulations to your dad! Hope you are feeling up to getting after 'em in the near future, HT! Lots of season left!
 

hickslawns

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
39,721
248
Ohio
Been wondering how things were going for you. Hope they got the meds straightened out for you for good. I am with Chuck. Medicinal reactions can really bugger you up. Hang in there. Your persistence deserves reward.
 

finelyshedded

You know what!!!
Supporting Member
31,855
260
SW Ohio
Sorry to hear your health kept you from doing any hunting during the latter part of the week Dick! Hope they got your meds adjusted for you so you can get back out after em!

That's awesome news about your dad getting a good buck! Congrats to him and good luck on your next hunt!