# 154 Day grind Day 126. squirrel #10



## SELFBOW (Aug 17, 2014)

I hunt all year long but this section here(8-15 thru 1-15) is the hardest.(its easy to see why Im burnt out by mid Oct.) I spend most everyday doing something whether its scouting, hunting squirrel, deer or pigs or checking cams. Im gonna do an online journal, last one I did was in 2010 and it went Jan-Dec. 



Aug 15th 
   Day 1 Hunted SC seen one spike missed at 7 yds SE wind 2 hrs
   Day 2 Hunted Ga for pigs seen 2 squirrels winded by one deer SW wind 3 hrs
   Day 3 Pulled card on SC cam .5 hrs SW  wind
            Ga Squirrel miss #1. In a tree sun in my eyes is my excuse....3 stalks one shot.
   Day 4  Ga yard squirrel miss #2. Side of tree.
               Headed north 1 hr to my lease to put out a cam and scouted a new to me WMA as well.
               2 hrs in the woods.... 


Day 5 back in a tree in SC. Hot and quiet 2 hrs w a WSW wind.. Time for a rest day so yard squirrels for a couple days...
Day 6. Missed one squirrel so far. Just not getting a gimme shot yet.....


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## dm/wolfskin (Aug 17, 2014)

I have to pace myself now days or I'll burn out before the good part of deer season gets here.


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## SELFBOW (Aug 17, 2014)

dm/wolfskin said:


> I have to pace myself now days or I'll burn out before the good part of deer season gets here.


Yep last year I really got burned out of sitting in a tree early and you know how much fun I had mid Oct on from on the ground 1 deer 1 pig 4 squirrels a opposum and a coon. This yr I do want to sit more..


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## deast1988 (Aug 17, 2014)

Between doves in Early September to ducks in late January. Everything starts our organized and by the end it's all scrambled. I've taken a lot of time off for chasing deer this fall. So ducks will be a weekend adventure for January. I'm in the crowd that by middle of December it only gets harder to get up. But I've always told family and friends you can't kill them at home. I'm home by 4:15 so till time changes I can be at it most everyday.


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## jerry russell (Aug 18, 2014)

So I am not the only one....  I hunt hard 12 months out of the year and this includes a ton of hunting at night for fish and big hogs. I average 5-6 days per week for something hunting or fishing related. Following my bear camp and a hunt to Africa I have to shut down for 1-2 weeks or I hit a massive wall in September. Mid-October and the changing of the seasons gets me going again. I simply lose my mind in the rut and end up having to strap myself to a tree to keep from getting killed.  I guess one day I will burn out when I am about 90.


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## SELFBOW (Aug 28, 2014)

I've only gotten in 2 sits so far but have missed 12 shots at squirrels. Went to pull my cam in SC today and I haven't missed much. 800+ pics all does and fawns.  We found this doe walking in , my guess is yesterday or last night. No bullet holes couple hundred yards off highway no apparent broken bones so idk. Also not near water looked healthy .....


We worked our Ga lease the weekend no pics yet there.....but I'm starting to get in another gear.......


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## Chris Horsman (Aug 29, 2014)

Martin, why call it a grind. I look forward to this time of year all year. The moment I feel its a grind I`ll hang it up. Well, that and I don`t miss. Dirty dozen done dirt cheap


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## SELFBOW (Sep 6, 2014)

SC has been disappointing so far. Still no buck pics not even the little one I missed opening day and he walked within 20 yds of my cam then. Did make one sit this week, had a doe at 25 yds. Ga is looking great , lots of buck pics already. Today I am headed to plant plots, hang stands and maybe shoot a dove later on. The grind hasn't been bad just yet....


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## dm/wolfskin (Sep 6, 2014)

I'm being a little lazy again. I won't be here for opening day. Going to Columbia, S.C. to my Moms. You and RC have some fine looking bucks on camera. I'll get in the mood before long.


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## Hammer Spank (Sep 6, 2014)

Bear season starts saturday, and once again all will be right with the world.


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## JBranch (Sep 6, 2014)

Hey, Martin, that camera hog with the short tines sure looks like an old guy. Good luck with him.


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## Stump Shooter (Sep 7, 2014)

Hope your luck is better than mine Martin and maybe these deer will lose their calendar and show up.


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## SELFBOW (Sep 8, 2014)

Spent the weekend hard at preparing for the season. This am rain allowed me a break from work so I took some feathers of a dove.......


This pm I decided to go back to the club and hang 3 more stands in the rain.......



Met up w Aaron to scout some more land and he shot his first dillo w his recurve. It was one of the best shots I've witnessed. No flopping and didn't go anywhere.....



We planted 15 spots over the weekend and rain started as we left Sunday.  Today is was bad, you can see from pic above.  At dark we left I followed Aaron and seen one spot he slid out the road and a little further as I  hit a down hill spot I lost it and ended up in the ditch. No fun unloading a golf cart , getting trailer out of ditch and then a truck.....it was a fun afternoon.......


Some of the finds as well. 4 broken points.


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## robert carter (Sep 8, 2014)

Good stuff. Arrow heads often take over my hunt. I find myself looking for flint instead of critters.RC


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## 2wheelfoster (Sep 9, 2014)

I was in a ditch like that a couple of weeks ago... Found out those 250's don't like that slick red Georgia clay and they sink real fast!


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## Poynor (Sep 9, 2014)

Looks like a good time to me.  Hard work will pay off.


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## dm/wolfskin (Sep 9, 2014)

Drilled two trees yesterday and man did it feel good to be up in a tree looking down. Just hanging there without my loc-on stand. I've gotten get some more trees drill while its cool outside. I've got a dillo of film from Friday night and boy did that sucker do a lot of bending and flopping around so much that my arrow finally passed through and the dillo made his escape to a hole.  He really looked like a rodeo bull out of a chute with an arrow as the rider.  Tuff rascals.


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## SELFBOW (Sep 14, 2014)

Day 35. In a tree at 920. Winded by a deer at 10:40. Wind has been perfect North Northeast but this deer was in the wrong spot SW of me on my path in....
Day 34. Good steady ne e wind but woods were quiet....
Day 33 we ended up getting out of stands an hour before dark as storms were on us...
Day 31 wind kept switching from se to sw to ne and I got winded.....
Day 29 No deer for me but Nolan got his. This was Day 4 in a tree. The wife played w the photo a little....


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## Barry Duggan (Sep 15, 2014)

Finally, the picture that counts. Good job Nolan on a fine deer.

Just kidding Martin. I enjoy all the pictures and hearing about the grinding.


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## SELFBOW (Sep 21, 2014)

Day 36 Nolan has 4 bucks inside 20 but gets busted. I have a 6 pt at 22 walk away and miss a doe at 14.

Day 37 Nolan stayed home I met up w NavyDave and my hunt ended in 5 mins. Story later.....


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## SELFBOW (Oct 5, 2014)

This week starts the grind within the grind Mid Oct thru Mid Nov....



Friday was day 49. Seen one deer on the ground walking the islands.

Day 48 seen two deer 4 pigs on the islands. Missed a pig 
Day 47 was a great day seen 6 pigs, a gator and had a few shots .
Day 44 seen 2 deer walking to stand and helped Marty get his out. 
Day 41-43 spent in N Ga mountains. A grand time seen 11 deer total closest were 2 does at 60.
Day 39 I seen two fawns from my tree in SC .


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## Todd Cook (Oct 6, 2014)

I wish I got to hunt as much as you


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## SELFBOW (Oct 6, 2014)

Todd Cook said:


> I wish I got to hunt as much as you



Not hunting as much as in years past right now but Im thinking almost everyday next 2-4 weeks.

SC hasn't been real good so far. Very few pics only 2 bucks so far. In the past Id be at 12-15 by now but not one young buck and the spike I seen opening day still no pics of. A very weird year for sure.
These are my only hopefuls so far...



This little fella left 5 mins before I climbed in today. He may be a candidate for a stone point...


Day 52 Hunted what I call the "Triple tree". first time in 2 weeks. Tomorrow back to my islands....
My Ga leases are covered in Deer, just getting some weekends on it now...


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## SELFBOW (Oct 8, 2014)

Day 62 was fun. 9 Days in a row now in the woods. Wanted to sit my "triple tree" in SC but the wind I didn't like so I drove away and decided to check my islands. on #3 I see a pig out at 40 yards. He saw me first . Made me realize I needed to slow down.. Took this one pic.


made it to the backside and just waited about 30 mins before slipping back out really slow, maybe to slow as I hear em and see them 40 yds ahead. I make it over near a tree I seen em them under last week...The tree is right on the edge, half thick palmettos, half rivercane. I make it there and see a pig 10yds ahead on edge of palmettos but it goes in. Im now at the edge and can hear em crunching away within 10 yds but cannot see anything. I only have one choice, to back off, circle, and approach thru the rivercane. About 10 mins later Im 10 yds from them again. I see one and hear 2 more. Im at 10 yards w the one pig broadside but just too much thick between us. As that one feeds off a little I move again and have another w in 10 yds to my left but in the palmettos. Finally they wind me and Im able to leave. I enjoyed every second of that last 30 mins in there though. pigs 3 times at 10 yds. The crunching was so loud that close it was awesome!

Day 61. Broke out the flintlock. My 1st gun hunt since early Jan..

Day 60 had an early visitor, a spike and seen 3 does on the pm hunt...




Day 56 Squirrel in the am...

Day 55 hunted SC no sightings
Day 54 island walk. One pig down...the buck sign is crazy. Hard for me to climb a tree here though.

Day 53 misses 3 squirrels


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## SELFBOW (Oct 15, 2014)

Day 64. Missed yesterday as the rains moved in but I really wanted to check the islands this am once it stopped. Made my rounds and soon as I stepped onto #4 I hear crunching right where I left em on Monday. I creep into position like I was playing Twister w the palmettos. I see 2 pigs at 10 yds. Its open my side the tree but they are feeding on other side w palmettos. I called Marty, told him to stay on the phone and listen. I like messing w him like that.

Anyways one turns and walks by at 12 and I'm waiting on #2 to follow but it takes a different path. They make it to another tree about 25 yds away and start crunching. I ease into position and have one at 12 yds facing me . I can see his face and ears. No shots just to thick. Well actually I had numerous opts just not a 100% perfect one as I wanted.  

Again they start to walk off and head elsewhere and the wind picks up somewhat. I've lost sight of them and cannot hear anymore feeding so I decided to just back out. May go back this pm undecided at moment but it was another great one . I've had pigs at 10-12 yds 5 times last two hunts ...


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## SELFBOW (Oct 15, 2014)

Day 65 chased squirrels mostly on the island but weren't too many out....

I was there again this pm standing almost same spot pig feeding next tree over. Inside 15 again. No chance .   Had two different ones earlier in separate spots I didn't even go after . Too thick.....

Pigs are keeping me out my deer stand again this yr.  Its too much fun!


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## SELFBOW (Oct 17, 2014)

Day 66.  Check island on my way home. Pigs tore it up last night.   At my lease the pm . Missed a few squirrels. 

This is night #15 I've been able to camp this year.
Got a few more left in me as well....


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## snook24 (Oct 17, 2014)

Man that looks good....back to the fridge I go


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## SELFBOW (Oct 21, 2014)

Day 77 0-5 on squirrels
Day 76 went squirrel hunting and looked for pigs. no shots.
Day 75 was a good day 10 deer seen 4 bucks one was mature but put the sneak on me...
Day 74 am no sightings, pm seen a doe and a young buck
Day 73 Seen two small bucks.
Day 72 Checked an area for pigs ....
Squirrel #4

Day 71 squirrel hunting in am  had 1 miss.  Made it to my "triple tree" in SC for a pm hunt. Had 2 does and a bttn buck come in and walk behind my tree @7 yds. Lead doe needed two more steps for a shot opt but she didn't like something and off they ran...


Day 70 checked my islands, soon as I stepped on #4 I heard crunching under same tree as three times last week. Made a slow move over til I got this blow down. 



Twice last week they were right off the end of it and today I could hear em close so I climbed up on it and slipped over....
My look back where I came from....



I can hear them lose but not see them even w the added height. I wait a bit and decide that's not getting it done so I step off and take three steps and see a pig 10 yds out....


I wait w more patience then ever keeping myself from coming to full draw half a dozen times as the pigs continues towards me. At 4 yds it sees me and the game is over. I've had some close ones in the last two weeks. It will happen soon
Day 68 back w copperhead. Had a doe at 12 Sunday am w no shot as she walked by.
Day 67 took a broomstick. Seen 3 bucks and 2 does. 2 of them at 5 yards..


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## SELFBOW (Nov 3, 2014)

Day 94 Back after squirrels in am, nothing. Drilled my first tree over a very active scrape....
Day 91 w a boom stick only turkeys seen. I took day 92&93 off roasted oysters and honeydews.
Day 90 chased squirrelss
Day 87 seen 1 doe in am nothing the pm. Did some midday scouting in a great looking spot.
Day 86 seen 1 doe in am nothing the pm.
Day 85 seen 6 does n fawns in am , Nothing the pm.
Day 83 Walked 2 islands no shots at squirrels, no pig sign but plenty of fresh scrapes last few days. Walking out Im 60 yds from my truck and see a nice 8 pt 30 yds away. I see him one second before he see me and its too late. He runs off.

Day 82 #5 and a raccoon








Day 79. Headed to Horse Creek. Made a walk w Jason to a spot we have checked every year. Not much sign.

Day 80 made a walk w Jason. He shot a doe on the ground and we seen several more deer, helped Allen drag his as well.

The pm Nolan arrived and him, Jason and I set up alongside a duck pond. 3 gobblers all I saw. Helped Mike find his doe that night. Being able to share successful hunts w others made this day special.

Day 81 high winds kept us on the ground. Had pigs at 12 yds couldn't get a shot. That pm seen numerous deer again walking. Had a small buck walk by at 30 yds and I gave an armadillo a headache. A fun weekend.


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## SELFBOW (Nov 18, 2014)

Day 100 slept in w the rain seen a doe wlaking in late to stand.
Day 99 10 Deer seen in the am, nothing the pm
Day 98 Raccoon #2
And see 2 deer in the pm


Day 97 Squirrel #8


Day 96 squirrel #7 and a dillo.



Day 95. Squirrel #6


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## dm/wolfskin (Nov 19, 2014)

Well I guess that means I need to get back at it.


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## SELFBOW (Dec 1, 2014)

Day 117. Same buck I saw Monday. Got to close tonight. Freezer filling week in SC!


Day 116 Same spot At 4 I had another big buck come thru and I rushed a shot when I couldn't get him stopped and missed. 

Made me so mad I came out and drove to my squirrel spot. Seen a pig I've seen 4 times now he's just spotted me first 3 of those times. Black and white spotted, a beauty.....

Anyways I only saw two squirrels and couldn't get em to cooperate. All the leaves that's fallen in last week and a half makes it real tough over there.....

 Day 115 45 min hunt in SC paid off. Same spot....

Day 114 passed opt on small buck in SC then got winded once i decided to take the shot.
Day 112-113 after squirrels again seen very few. One miss.
Day 111 took a doe in SC w boomstick.
Day 109-110 after squirrels. Seen several 2 misses.
Day 108 Squirrel #9 in the pm. Changing gears a little, gonna hunt SC a little more.



Day 101-103 Missed 10 shots at squirrels in the rain at home.

Day 104 Thanksgiving headed back to club for the weekend. No deer seen
Day 105 No am seen. Doe and fawn in pm.
Day 106 Shot a doe w boom stick in am.
Day 107 Doe seen  in am. Gave it a pass.


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## Bucky T (Dec 13, 2014)

You've been hunting 107 days straight?


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## SELFBOW (Dec 13, 2014)

Bucky T said:


> You've been hunting 107 days straight?


Day 122 ducks in am squirrels in pm.
Day 121 after squirrels in pm.
As of today 79 days since Aug 15.
Day 119 duck blind in am 25 yds was as close as they came. Squirrels midday didn't see any.

Day 118. Sat in blind in am for ducks. Had one male Woodie at 10 but no shot. No deer seen in pm.


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## SELFBOW (Dec 18, 2014)

Somewhere along this road i missed 2 days. 28 days left...
Day 126 after squirrels in pm. #10



Day 123. After squirrels in pm. Missed 2


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