# Early, Miller and Seminole counties Ga



## Son

Well, it finally happened, we got a good rain. I'm with the rest of ya'll about radars accuracy. Actually it's probably time delayed to some degree. But i've watched red/yellow on radar cover our hunting woods for a time. Then go up and find there was no rain. Better than not having radar, but it can fool us. We also had a good rain here at Lake Seminole, Cypress Pond area for sure. Lots of lightening too. 

Maybe this ol gobbler got wet


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## Nicodemus

I haven`t been to our cabin in a while. Hope my Satsumas that I planted back in the early spring are doin` okay. Last time I was there they had put on some growth.


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## Havana Dude

Just checkin in so I can keep up. Spent the morning and early afternoon getting Dad out of re-hab. Glad he is home, but he is far from out of the woods. In his excitement to get out, he may have over did it just a bit. His left leg got weak on him before I left. Never met a more stubborn man in my life, but I reckon his stubborness is what has gotten him this far.  Hopefully he will take it easy the rest of the day, and not try and get around like the house is on fire. It's back to the doc on Friday to see where his blood levels are. What a nightmare it is to get all his meds sorted out for the week. It took 3 of us 30 minutes to get it all sorted out in his pill containers, and figure out what needed to be re-filled etc etc.


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## Rhyno Footer

Where abouts are you guys hunting? Im just outside of Blakeley, and over the last 2 weeks, we have been getting GOOD rains.. 3 days after we planted, it rained so hard, some of our stuff got washed out


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## Son

Those orange trees should be ok.

My hunt club is just south of Lucille. The rains been missing us. But we got one yesterday. Planted plots twice and the drought got us.
Our wildlife won't suffer though, the farms around us have been irrigating 24/7. We're between 39 and 3 notch roads.


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## Havana Dude

Dang, just got a surprise shower here at the house. Short lived but we'll take it.


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## Son

It would take a tropical storm to recharge our aquafier. The thunderstorms are good, but not enough water. Lets hope it gets us by until we can have some serious rains. Not asking for bad weather, just rain.

You know, enough rain to wash out more of these


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## Ronnie T

Quite right Son.
Honestly, we need a serious storm that can give us several days of decent rain.  And we need them often.  It would help clean out the lake also.


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## Son

I agree, the lake's a mess with hydrilla, pond weed etc.. Wish somebody would mow Spooner Field.  lol


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## Ronnie T

Some of the place I use to fish for bedding fish (sandy bottom) now has 4 feet of muck on top of the sand.  We need some high, fast water.


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## Son

Just experienced a strong storm at Lake Seminole from 6:15 til 7:20, electricity was out the entire time.


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## Havana Dude

It was pretty nasty when I left for work at 5:30. Got a good soaking.


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## miller

1.5 inches just NW of Quincy, much needed as most the last 2 weeks have passed us by. Quincy probably got 3 inches this afternoon. Either you are under them or not, and if you are, you get a good soaking; wish it was a little more widspead!


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## Son

Hard rains here at the lake just run off into the lake. Need a slow soaking rain for a few days. I know, it makes for gloomy moods, but we need it. It will help our next deer season.

Maybe it will make these two bigger if they get more water and good browse


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## Son

Gave a new member a tour of the woods today, we saw four deer and a  turkey hen. It has rained on the Miller/Early county line area below Lucile, but not much. There's been some good winds as evidenced by the trees and limbs we found down.


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## Havana Dude

Got a nice little 15 minute shower a while ago. Perfect timing after mowing the grass and weed eating about 10 miles of ditch and fence lines. Ok maybe not 10 miles, but enough to burn a tank of gas in the weed eater.


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## Son

All we've been getting in our hunting woods are small, light showers. We really need a washing, pouring downpour to fill the swamps back up.
The drought really hit our plots hard. Planted em twice in hopes of rain, but it didn't happen. Best thing we have growing is watermelons and canalope, with a few peanuts surviving in some plots. Bet the deer, coyotes and coons get the melons before we do. lol


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## Swamprat

At least you will know the melons are ripe when the critters get on to em.

We got a real good rain today, just checked radar and maybe the lease will get some rain.


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## Son

Makes me think of a sugarcane patch i had planted several years ago. It was ripe for the picking just about the time deer season opened. I was in no hurry though, it was far behind locked gate. That is until I went up one day, found the gate open and logging trucks going in and out. Went straight to my cane patch, and somebody had already gotten every stick. Pure theft if ya ask me cause the logging activity hadn't gotten to that area yet. I rode around but found no truck with my cane in it. Guess that was a good thing cause i was sort of mad at the time.


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## Son

Good rain at Lake Seminole this afternoon, came from the north.


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## Son

Up to the woods yesterday and didn't like what i saw. Our original lease recently sold. Before it sold almost 400 acres was clearcut and replanted. It hasn't had time to grow up into a good cover yet. This left wooded area on the ends, east and west ends of approximately 300 on each end. Now i see the new company has marked the wet areas in those wooded areas. Just in time to be in there cutting during bowseason. Thinning, select cut, clearcut? Who knows, but it will leave us in a pickle. That's the way it goes with leasing timberland, like it or not. But it would be nice to have some warning though. Was fixin to put the cameras back out, aborted that plan for now.


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## Son

Friday afternoon, and we're experience a good rain at Lake Seminole. Radar shows the same in Early and Miller counties.


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## Havana Dude

Hayvanner getting hit pretty good now for the third or fourth day in a row now I believe.


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## Son

We had a good'un this afternoon too. Looks like there may be more coming.


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## Son

I've been watching radar and am amazed how the thunderstorms are missing our hunting woods. Pouring before, and after passing our area. All we get is a slight shower, no water for the ponds. No rain so far at Lake Seminole yesterday, or none so far today. Rains around, just going around us for now.


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## Son

Rains continue to dodge us in the hunting woods Miller/Early county line, and at Lake Seminole.


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## Havana Dude

*I hit that field again this morning*

Found a little bird point???? and some pottery, and a bunch of flakes, one egg sinker and a bullet(modern).


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## Son

Pinellas point, late and one of the last types made before metal was introduced.


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## Son

Spent most of yesterday in our hunting woods and mowing camp. Didn't take long to notice, the farms have pumped the area dry. Our deepest waterhole (full is about 8 feet) has gone dry. It had almost a full pond two weeks ago. The Mayhaw area had one inch of rain in the last week. I actually drove my truck in areas where in years past, you wouldn't dare. Along side fence lines thru swamps where in past years, you would have to wade. Saw one nice coopers hawk, two food plots that made it, and one four foot rattlesnake crawling across a dirt road going into a yard where i always see kids playing. Wonder if they ever think about snakes?
Today, we have thundershowers all around the area, One at Cypress pond already. But from the looks of radar, none have hit our woods yet.


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## Son

Raining at the Cypress Pond area of Lake Seminole right now. 1:44 PM. Hope it gets up to our woods in Miller/Early counties.


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## Son

The rain continued from yesterday until about an hour ago,2 oclock Pm. Maybe it will come back.


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## Son

Poured out 3.50 inches from the guage here at Lake Seminole this morning.
Hunting woods up above Mayhaw has gotten some good rains in the last couple days, and is storming there now. We need it, maybe it will put some water back in our ponds and swamps. I had rather hunt wet woods than dry anyday.

Like this suits me.


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## Son

We received more rain in Seminole, Miller and Early counties today. It's been a rainy day in Georgia.


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## Son

Had light rain in NW Miller Co. Nothing with much water in it though. No real rain today at Lake Seminole in the Cypress Pond area.


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## hortonhunter22

Son said:


> Poured out 3.50 inches from the guage here at Lake Seminole this morning.
> Hunting woods up above Mayhaw has gotten some good rains in the last couple days, and is storming there now. We need it, maybe it will put some water back in our ponds and swamps. I had rather hunt wet woods than dry anyday.
> 
> Like this suits me.



i agree that  the wet woods are better...seems to get deer moving in miller county...and helps that ya can nap and here em coming before ya can see them


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## Son

Light rain this morning at Seminole, looks like the same in Miller and Early counties according to radar.


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## Son

It's tuesday, and looks like rain heading our way again. We need it, our swamps are not holding water yet. Even with the heavy rains we've recently got, it all went down through those crawdad holes to the aquafier. Ponds and swamps are not going to hold water unless the aquafier gets recharged. It didn't rain for two days in our woods, and the roads were already dusty yesterday.


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## HIGH COUNTRY

*Twin fawns*

I saw twin fawns saturday am, not sure how old - they ran away pretty quickly, but not very old.  I was guessing three to four weeks but not sure.

Spring Creek has some water in it above Colquitt, actually was running a little.

Are you getting any pics of any fawns???


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## Son

Does and small bucks but no big bucks or fawns have gotten in front of my cameras yet. I've not seen any fawn tracks either. Lots of rain, so most tracks have been washed out soon after being made. Have two cameras out will check em in a day of two.


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## Son

Rain missed us today.


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## Havana Dude

Got a good rain last 2 days. Saw my first fawn of the season a couple days ago near the house. Mama had it tucked away right beside the hard road that runs in front of the house. Spooked em up when I went on my walk. Walked that field again yesterday afternoon. Slim pickins now. Did find several more pieces of pottery, and plenty of skeeters. Also some good size gator tracks walking in the newly planted pines near a small pond. I figured one would be in it, just have not seen it.


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## Son

Rains missed us here at Lake Seminole for two days now. Not counting a slight shower we had. Saw two does and two yearlings run across the road here in front of the house this morning.


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## Son

Rained today, from 5 PM til after dark.


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## Son

It's a rainy morning in SW Ga, Aug 19th. We'll take it.


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## Son

Hate to pass this on to my club members, but i really believe this is what is fixing to happen. Due to the marks i see around the wet lands in the area, and a cut boundry mark just west of our road 6. Here's a map to show what might be coming soon. Always in hunting season. paid dearly to hunt these woods, but looks like we wont have much more than 300 acres on this tract. What is in yellow is what we will have left. 650 acres included to the north is the other adjoining lease. Hopefully they wont come in and decide to cut this year too.  Plan accordingly, to be safe, make you choices within the yellow area. Or within the area marked with green, the cutover they cut a year ago. It's growing up in weeds, so might be ok because there's lots of drains and ponds there too.
Remember, there's 40 acres north of the dirt road that's not on the map. You can see where i marked part of it.


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## Son

Not good for a hunt club, but when you rent timberlands, it's to be expected. They're in the wood business first and foremost. Actually, it wont hurt my hunting success because i'm very flexable and can go with the flow. Will also try to help everyone in the club if they want the help.


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## Rhyno Footer

Had a few on camera. Over the last couple weeks we have good rain.. Might have them moving


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## Son

Harvesting the corn is helping put more bucks back in the woods. More will show up when the cotton is cut. Friend who crop dust says he sees bucks laying out in the cotton fields up around our woods. Looks like you have some nice one's coming along. Good luck with em.


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## stealthman52

Just hope none of the membs wants a rebate,since its less acreage, lol.


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## Son

Riding thru the woods this afternoon, Gloria and i saw two nice ones running across the old cutover. The weeds have gotten so high all we could see was glimps here and there. Picked some corn and melons. Then we checked camp before coming home. Two guys in camp mowing and cleaning up.


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## Havana Dude

I want my money back now!!!!!!..........................oh yea, thats right, I'm not a member That 40 acre spot ya'll got there............thats all I ever get to hunt!!! Sounds like ya'll may be in for a little bit of what I had to endure last year. You all will be fine. Even as bad as it was for us, we managed to take 3 -8's, a 6 and a doe. Just have to change up your plans some. I could't even do that!! There is no way to change a plan on 40 acres!! I know for me, it just plain sucks to look at the carnage left behind from all the logging. I am no tree hugger, but I do enjoy looking at  a beautiful stand of woods. Progress is all it is.


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## Son

We're very fortunate to have the entire area full or drains and ponds. They can't cut in there because it's wet areas. This leaves us some sizeable thick areas even in a cutover.
Latest news, our 650 adjoining lease was slated for a thinning. The land owner has changed his mind and will not cut this year. He didn't like the way the cruiser was marking the trees to be cut. And i had said that all along, even to the guy marking the trees. I told him, there's not pattern to your marking, and he agreed. If the landowner had decided to cut all trees marked, he wouldn't have much left. It would almost be a clearcut. Anyway, not thinning the 650 is a relief, i will put my stands back in asap and be ready for bowseason. This will give us approximately 1100 acres with cover, that we can hunt. In past years, it was rare to have more than four people on any given weekend, so we will not be crowded. Actually, even if over half our members showed up, there will be plenty of room, and stands already in place to accomadate em.
It's looking good for this season, better than we thought it was going to turn out.


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## Son

It's dry in our woods, only found a couple mudholes holding water. All swamps and ponds are bone dry.  Here's looking up one road in last years cutover.
And a small buck that comes by often, the camera is slow and never gets a good picture of his head. No matter which way he's going.


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## Son

This cutover was planted last Feb, it's growing up. If we get rain from the coming storm, it should grow a little more before gun season.


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## HIGH COUNTRY

*Oaks*

Looks like dead oaks, did they spray the clearcut?

We had some helicopter spray get about six really huge oaks a couple of years ago that they were suppose to avoid...

Last year, they sprayed opening day of gun season - had to book it out of the woods to keep from getting sprayed.

RLS


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## Son

Yes, a helocoptor sprayed those oaks while we were putting in food plots this spring. We had to take to the woods to keep from being sprayed. The spray got most of the liveoaks. They didn't spray any trees within the wetland areas though. That's a plus, with all the wet areas we have, we still have plenty of oaks. And the wateroaks are heavy with akerns this year.


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## Swamprat

Yep good thing the chop has gotten up and we still have some large low areas in it to hold deer.

Gonna spend the weekend doing hurricane prep as it appears it is heading straight for us.

Got these pics off another site, taken at a golf course in Seminole County, Fl. Them bucks are living the country club life it seems.


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## Son

One of our new members was staying in camp for a couple days, to put up stands and learn his way around. Said he installed a motion light in front of his trailer, and it came on during the night. Looked out and there was an 8 point walking through the camp. Proves, you never know where they might be.


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## Swamprat

Yep, you never know where a deer will pop up.

Is it me or does the back left leg of the first buck appear to have a healed wound just above the tarsal....possibly an arrow from last season or being gored by another buck during a fight.

Could explain his funky right antler. Otherwise he appears healthier body wise than the second bigger antlered buck. Second one looks old.

Got propane, extra mantles for a couple of Coleman lanterns, extra batteries, water, some canned goods, etc.

Figure we will eat the venison and such out of the freezer first but hopefully it won't come to that.


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## Son

Some kind of spot on that leg. Bet that wierd rack scares the other bucks. Maybe he got hit with a golf ball. Those things need to be outlawed.


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## Cole Henry

Anybody have an idea to when the bucks usually shed their velvet around Early county?


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## Swamprat

I would say around late April, have seen racked bucks during turkey season.


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## Buck killers Wife

The next 2 weeks they will shed! or most of them will! Only the bucks where S/R hunts shed in april! That explains why he can't kill a biggen they done dropped there horns come fall!................... LOLs


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## Swamprat

Buck killers Wife said:


> The next 2 weeks they will shed! or most of them will! Only the bucks where S/R hunts shed in april! That explains why he can't kill a biggen they done dropped there horns come fall!................... LOLs



Dang it read it wrong, thought he was talking about shedding antlers not velvet.

BKW is right next 2-3 weeks they will be rubbing it off.

I promise to not read every other word from now on so I don't look like a bigger idiot than what I already am.


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## Buck killers Wife




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## Son

Usually during the second week of ga bowseason, the velvet comes off in Seminole, Early, And Seminole. Then they go nocturnal.


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## talisman

*buck pics*

heres a couple early cty good uns


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## Son

Yep, those would do. Set your time and date.
Hope we get some rain from the storm heading to La.


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## talisman

Camera display is gone out


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## Buck killers Wife

Go get a battery clock from wally world and put it in  the pics to tell the time.


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## talisman

I replaced the cakera with a new one


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## Son

I have one with no display. Still works but i can't change anything. It's a Moultrie IR.
Big storm went west, we still havn't had any measurable rain here at Lake Seminole, nor at our hunting woods up above Mayhaw. Dry as a bone, I'm having to water my plants and trees.


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## Son

So far today, at Lake Seminole. We've had three 10 minute rains. The sun comes back out and takes the moisture back.


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## Son

latest storm news, going farther west. We've missed out on rain again.


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## Son

Fooled me, it's rained off and on all day today. And several came through last night. Looks like more coming. Best part of this news is. It goes on up across our hunting woods.


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## dixie706

Darn son i think i got 2 stands in that red area of ur map, ha. Pullin my camper    up monday morning may reconsider spots.from sound of it may put it in camp,haha


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## Son

We received more rain in our woods today. Have lots of mud holes now. Several of us had a fishfry in camp this afternoon. Fresh bream, taters, beans and sweet iced tea for me.


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## Havana Dude

Dad is now under Hospice care. Doc suspended his treatments Friday due to his extreme weakness. He is at home, with meds to control pain. He is pretty much out of it. Unless the good Lord steps in, I have had my last conversation with him. Tough watching your hero slip away, and feeling so helpless. I am at peace with him going on to receive his new body. I will miss him, but, I already do, and I know he does not want to hang around like this. I'll likely not be around here much for a while, so ya'll keep it together, be safe and have fun chasin critters!!!


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## Ronnie T

Havana Dude said:


> Dad is now under Hospice care. Doc suspended his treatments Friday due to his extreme weakness. He is at home, with meds to control pain. He is pretty much out of it. Unless the good Lord steps in, I have had my last conversation with him. Tough watching your hero slip away, and feeling so helpless. I am at peace with him going on to receive his new body. I will miss him, but, I already do, and I know he does not want to hang around like this. I'll likely not be around here much for a while, so ya'll keep it together, be safe and have fun chasin critters!!!



My prayer is that during these days you'll be able to celebrate the many days and years you've shared with your loving daddy.
There are those with whom the departure is the most exciting event of their life.
I pray that is so with him.


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## Son

Been there, my sympathies are with you and your family.


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## Son

Checked one camera today. There's been a group of four nice bucks going by this camera, but they've always been too far out to get a good picture. And there's not trees out there. But finally, one came in close for his portriat. Looks like a decent 8 that i had a couple pictures of last. I'm guess he's 3.5 now. His antler configuration shows him to be a 2.5 years 8 we knew last season. I see the eye of another one out in the dark.

He'll lose that velvet in about two or three weeks from now.


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## florida boy

should be a good one in a few years


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## Swamprat

Looks like the one I had within 15-20 yards of me last season out in the chop.

There is some a whole lot bigger that I will be waiting on though.


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## pacecars

Havana Dude said:


> Dad is now under Hospice care. Doc suspended his treatments Friday due to his extreme weakness. He is at home, with meds to control pain. He is pretty much out of it. Unless the good Lord steps in, I have had my last conversation with him. Tough watching your hero slip away, and feeling so helpless. I am at peace with him going on to receive his new body. I will miss him, but, I already do, and I know he does not want to hang around like this. I'll likely not be around here much for a while, so ya'll keep it together, be safe and have fun chasin critters!!!



Our prayers are with you and the family. Your dad is one of the good ones.


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## Son

The last buck pictured was a regular at one of my stands last season.  That may change this season as the area will be cutover. But i know where he goes from there.


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## talisman

prayers for Hd and his family


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## pacecars

Everyone please keep Havana Dude and his family in your prayers. His father passed away this morning. He is no longer in pain but it will be tough on the family. He was greatly loved by many and will be missed.


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## 12pointer

Prayers sent your way Havana Dude. I didnt get to hunt with my dad any ,  but I do hunt with my son its a special thing , hang in there and try to thank of al the good times.


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## Son

Amen, there's no replacement for those kind of people.


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## 12pointer

Hey Son I was just wondering what do you thank about the new camera that Gloria bought you ? I was thanking about buying me one of those blackouts.


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## Nicodemus

My regrets, Havana.


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## kmckinnie

I hugged my dad this weekend in the woods after reading this! Our thought are with you H/D


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## stealthman52

Kmac, spend as much time as you can with your dad, if it wasn't for them we would not be here, I miss mine, he passed in 2007,
loved to hunt deer, I can remember when he took me first time, I was 8, I am now 57. 
HD, if you are reading this, prayers to you and the family


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## Swamprat

HD....sorry for your loss, your dad is in a better place now looking down and thanking you for what you have done.

I lost my dad several years back and hunt camp was never the same. Even when I moved away he and my brother would take a week to come hunt with me in NW Florida and I would do the same and hunt with them in SE Georgia.

Every opening weekend I still miss him and the good times we had as a family. He started me out at 4 years old and I have never looked back, learned alot, taught him some stuff and had great times with family and friends.

Our prayers are with you and your family.


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## Havana Dude

Thank You all so very much. And thanks PC for posting this, and I promise I will get to where we can talk on the phone. Thanks for the call today. 

The last 4 days have been the worst of my life. I have never experienced anything like this in my life. Friday evening was the beginning of controlling his pain, that was so severe he was unable to speak. It took until 3 a.m. to get the liquid morphine built up in his system, so he could rest. Got him to the point of .5 cc every 4 hours and that held good until Sunday afternoon. We had to work it down slowly to .5cc every hour, until it basically knocked him out. By Sunday evening we backed off to same dose every 2 hours and he held good at that until he passed away about noon today. I have had about 3 hours sleep since last Thursday, and none of it restful. We worked under the orders of the Hospice doctors, so that he could pass at home. The details of his last 24 hours I will spare you. I will just say that I sincerely hope none of you ever have to endure what our family has been through the last 4 days. He is in a better place now, pain free, and I am at peace with his passing into a pain free world. RIP Dad, my hero, friend and unwavering example of what a man should be. 

The pics are a few months before he was diagnosed. Ne never wore a life jacket, and on this day he wore it the entire time. I knew something wasn't right.


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## talisman

Sorry for your loss Joe i lost my dad when he was 54 and i know its a tough thing


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## Havana Dude

talisman said:


> Sorry for your loss Joe i lost my dad when he was 54 and i know its a tough thing



I remember that Kenny. I never knew the hurt one has in their heart until yesterday. Many, many  years too late bud, but I am sorry for your loss too, and I mean it.


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## Son

Lost mine in 1969. The memories will stay with you. And to think, our children will go through the same. Can't beat a shellcracker fisherman.


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## Son

To answer 12 pointers question about the camera.

I bought a Primos blackout. Don't like where they put the SD jack. Almost have to lay on the ground to get it in and out.

Deer still notice the camera, blackout or not.  When and if i buy another camera i will check several things to make sure i like em.

Where the batteries go, and how many does it take.
Where the SD card jack is, it's got to be easy accessable. Like open the door and everything is right there, visible and easy to operate.
Programming has to be simple, just don't have time to try and set up a camera with mosquitos eating me for lunch.
Some cameras eat batteries like candy, that gets expensive. So check out what they say about battery longivity.

Some cameras are slow to wake up, usually missing the first half of a deer or the first deer completely. I have one of those.


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## Son

The one thing i don't like about the commercial trail cameras i've seen is. They're all made in China. As is much of the outdoor equipment folks are buying.


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## Havana Dude

Joseph Boyd Mitchell

Joseph Boyd Mitchell 74, of Tallahassee, FL, passed away September 4, 2012 at home after a two and a half year battle with multiple myeloma. Joe retired from The Florida Department of Law Enforcement after 33 years of distinguished service. He then was employed by Champion Chevrolet for 19 years. Joe served in the U.S. Army Reserve for 34 years; being part of the first reserve unit to be deployed to Saudi Arabia for six months service in Desert Storm.
As a Deacon of North Florida Baptist Church, Joe was known for his benevolent assistance to widows and friends (Psalm 28:7).He is survived by his wife of 52 years Alfretta, son Joseph K. Mitchell (Wendy) of Havana, FL, daughter Kelli Kilcullen (Tim) of Tallahassee, FL, grandson Collin Mitchell and granddaughter Ashley Mitchell both of Havana, FL, granddaughter McKenzie Kilcullen of Tallahassee, FL, brother Bryant Mitchell (Judy) of Atlanta, GA, sister Faye Clements of Tuscaloosa, AL, several nephews and nieces, sisters-in-law LaVerne Kellar of Jacksonville, AR, and Louise Stover of Hartley, DE, and a host of friends.
A visitation will be held on Thursday, September 6th from 5:00pm to 8:00pm at North Florida Baptist Church - 3000 N. Meridian Rd. A celebration of his life will be held on Friday, September 7th at 1:00 pm at North Florida Baptist Church. Memorial contributions may be made to Big Bend Hospice - 1723 Mahan Center Blvd, Tallahassee, FL 32308, or Courage Through Cancer - PO Box 4067, Tallahassee, FL 32315


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## florida boy

Sorry to hear about your loss buddy . Prayers sent to you and your family


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## Swamprat

Sorry for your loss HD, prayers for all.


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## Ronnie T

Hey Joe,

After reading his obit. it's obvious to me that your Dad didn't die,,,,  he got taken home!  Amen.

God bless you and your mother.


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## Son

Hey Ya'll, who will be in the woods saturday bowhunting? Do you have your lovebug spray ... lol


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## Swamprat

Son, as far as I know will be up Sunday early afternoon to get my ladder out and possibly put up a hang on stand.

Can't make Saturday, my oldest daughter has a volleyball tourney that day which I will be attending. Least it is in town but it is several other high schools competing.

I hate these lovebugs, I switch to wheatbread this time of year cause they are attracted to white and I don't like lovebugs intermingling with my white bread ham sammich for lunch.


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## billy336

Sorry for your loss HD, been there just a few years ago. Prayers for you and your family


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## 12pointer

Nice family pic in the paper this week Son ! Take them grandyunguns hunting !!!


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## Havana Dude

Thank you all for the kind words.


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## Son

Hot and humid. Not hunting, but thinking about going to camp to clean up our cook room, bug bomb my little home etc.. 
If i were hunting, it would be right next to an oak, akerns are falling under some. Would love to take the grandkids hunting, but they live way down in Fl.


----------



## Son

First time in 25 years in this Ga club, nobody showed up to bowhunt the first weekend. It was hot and humid on saturday, but the humidity lifted on Sunday.
Couple of us did show up to move stands and blinds from an area to be cut by the timber company. Saturday i spent the day cleaning up camp. Pressure washed the inside of our cookroom, and the outside of my camper. Cleaned the camper inside good and bug bombed it. In the cook room, plugged in the refrigerator and stocked it with some food. Our hunting will get better when all the surrounding crops are harvested. So far, all that's been harvested is the corn. We continue to have large cotton fields along our fences, some of it is shoulder high. Peanuts should be coming up soon. Closer to those fields we go, the more tracks we see. The deer should be fat this season with all the food they've had available. Hope the whole month doesn't go by with no bowhunters, especially those who like to cook.


----------



## maxwell42583

Havana Dude said:


> Joseph Boyd Mitchell
> 
> Joseph Boyd Mitchell 74, of Tallahassee, FL, passed away September 4, 2012 at home after a two and a half year battle with multiple myeloma. Joe retired from The Florida Department of Law Enforcement after 33 years of distinguished service. He then was employed by Champion Chevrolet for 19 years. Joe served in the U.S. Army Reserve for 34 years; being part of the first reserve unit to be deployed to Saudi Arabia for six months service in Desert Storm.
> As a Deacon of North Florida Baptist Church, Joe was known for his benevolent assistance to widows and friends (Psalm 28:7).He is survived by his wife of 52 years Alfretta, son Joseph K. Mitchell (Wendy) of Havana, FL, daughter Kelli Kilcullen (Tim) of Tallahassee, FL, grandson Collin Mitchell and granddaughter Ashley Mitchell both of Havana, FL, granddaughter McKenzie Kilcullen of Tallahassee, FL, brother Bryant Mitchell (Judy) of Atlanta, GA, sister Faye Clements of Tuscaloosa, AL, several nephews and nieces, sisters-in-law LaVerne Kellar of Jacksonville, AR, and Louise Stover of Hartley, DE, and a host of friends.
> A visitation will be held on Thursday, September 6th from 5:00pm to 8:00pm at North Florida Baptist Church - 3000 N. Meridian Rd. A celebration of his life will be held on Friday, September 7th at 1:00 pm at North Florida Baptist Church. Memorial contributions may be made to Big Bend Hospice - 1723 Mahan Center Blvd, Tallahassee, FL 32308, or Courage Through Cancer - PO Box 4067, Tallahassee, FL 32315



Sorry for your loss, I am a member of North Florida Baptist and I work at FDLE also. I knew him, but I dont think he knew me. He was a great man from what I have been told. My prayers are with you and your family.


----------



## sunshine boy

HD sorry for your loss, and prayers for family. Just to let you know that good comes from everything.......after reading your post, I took my Dad to breakfast last Sunday. He is 83 and we both enjoyed it.


----------



## Havana Dude

sunshine boy said:


> HD sorry for your loss, and prayers for family. Just to let you know that good comes from everything.......after reading your post, I took my Dad to breakfast last Sunday. He is 83 and we both enjoyed it.



Awesome!!!!! Keep it up. It is really starting to sink that he is really gone. He and I both were usually always too busy to do much together except work, doing whatever needed doing. I am taking my daughter fishing on one of his buddies dock this afternoon. Sure to bring back memories.


----------



## Nicodemus

HD, my deepest regrets on your loss. My thoughts and prayers go out to you and your family.


----------



## Son

Not much on the camera today, bunch of does and some small bucks. This three point came out in daylight.


----------



## Havana Dude

Nicodemus said:


> HD, my deepest regrets on your loss. My thoughts and prayers go out to you and your family.



Nic, Thanks for the kind words. We caught some bream this evening in honor of Dad. I'm sure he was smiling down on us. 

She caught this huge bass also. Had to have a pic of it.


----------



## Ronnie T

She's a great looking daughter.
Makes me wish mine was still a teen.
Great picture.


----------



## Son

Great fishing picture, reminds me of years past.


----------



## Son

Finally, we have someone bowhunting on our club this weekend.  Nice and cool this morning, hope it stays comfortable all day.


----------



## Son

Trophy three point. He's a regular at the gate. Hope the guys only shoot him with cameras.


----------



## Son

Hmmm, here's a good tree for a bowhunter.


----------



## Son

One man hunting this morning. Said he saw plenty deer, but nothing he wanted to shoot.  Another came in just before noon, will be hunting thru Sunday morning. Lots of sign, they should have some luck.
Seeing some big rattlers killed on the dirt road that goes to our camp. Local traffic must have killed em.


----------



## Son

The lemonade blind. Head em up, move em out. Having to relocate many stands and blinds. One of our properties sold yesterday and they've given us two weeks to remove all property. It's been a tough day.

Amazing all timber cutting and property sales happen during deer season. Been here 25 years and that's always been the case.


----------



## Havana Dude

Cause they don't give a toot about deer hunters. We are on the bottom of the seniority list. I watched from one of our stands last season as they planted a field next to us before deer season was even out.


----------



## hortonhunter22

yea definately check out the story...theres just to much money talks business goin on with the leasing market in past years.  And double leasing even, that ive heard stories about.  good luck with yalls place...hope it works out for yall


----------



## stealthman52

Obamanomics just keeps rolling on...............


----------



## oldways

Son sorry to hear about your lease Your welcome to come to deer camp and hunt with us, we'll be at Mayhaw WMA most weekends....


----------



## oldways

Ok well if you want to come the campfire is always open..


----------



## Son

10-4, Thanks, I could probably bore ya'll with my old hunting and fishing stories.


----------



## oldways

Na, we always can use some new stories I think we tell the same ones every year the younger guys enjoy them but we all have heard them or told them (are were there) every year..


----------



## Son

Love these cool mornings. But we could use some rain to get the food plots going. For those who love to fish in Seminole. There's reports of specks moving into some of the smaller ponds. Catfish are biting great out near the river channels.


----------



## Havana Dude

Water levels worse I have ever seen. Hung out on a sand bar Saturday below Bristol. Ran aground in the middle of the river twice, and had to get out in ankle deep water and push us off.


----------



## 12pointer

Im glad to hear thar Son I know you have put alot of time in that place over the yrs. , I reckon it takes all kinds of people to make the world go around,some are just not the kind we all like.


----------



## kmckinnie

Son said:


> My hunt club members can rest easy. We've uncovered a scam, we don't have to leave our second leased tract.
> Local fellows who used to hunt the property tried to take the property away, but it isn't going to work.
> The property hasn't been sold, we've already run down the proper owners, and checked with the courthouse.
> The tide has turned in our favor.


----------



## Havana Dude

I am glad for ya'll that ya got all that worked out. One less thing to worry about for now.


----------



## Son

A learning experience for sure. We learned other things we never knew. On commercial properties, you have 90 days to vacate. So, even if it did sell, we would make it through deer season pretty much. The clerks in the courthouse were a big help, and very knowledgable. Makes me want to take em a box of candy.


----------



## Son

Spent yesterday cleaning up roads and plowing food plots, it was  dusty in some areas.
Going back to do more today. We like to keep our roads mowed and in good order. Dress up the sides, two reasons. Provides a fire break, and allows us to see deer tracks. Keeping up with deer activity is the key.
May mow some of the trails to the permanent blinds so we can see where we're stepping. We're seeing more snakes this year than usual. Big rattlers and cottonmouths, it's that time of year.


----------



## Son

More food plot, and road work today, it got hot. Fox squirrels were everywhere today. Boy can they run. Need rain before we can plant, it's dusty dry.


----------



## Buckfever

Glad to see things worked out in your favor!!! It's sad to see what some will do for a couple extra bucks.


----------



## Son

Timber cutting has always happened to us during hunting season. Each season we wonder if we're going to make it through the season without interuption.  First 12 to 15 years of timber growth, it's not a problem. But when the trees get up there, look out, it's coming. Seems like it's been every couple years here lately. A club can work around a thinning operation. But a clearcut, not so. And all the while, the price keeps going up. It's a real challenge for those of us who lease.


----------



## Son

I've been unable to bowhunt this season due to a shoulder problem. Just as well, it would have been a lonely season so far because we have only one or two who have hunted any at all. And they havn't hunted much. Hope farmers get that cotton before blackpowder week. Too many deer are remaining in the cotton fields at present. Cotton next to peanuts gives em all they need. Cover, water and food. A few are hitting the akerns in the woods, but only at select trees. Mostly young bucks and does. Seeing lots of fawn pictures on the cameras. It's still hot and not very favorable to hunting.

I was surprised to find a puddle back in the swamp. There were several in a short stretch of this road.


----------



## Son

5:30 PM, began pouring rain at Lake Seminole. Radar shows more coming from the west.


----------



## dixie706

Sat eve got decent rain, seen some does 
and fawns


----------



## Son

Even thought the moon isn't the best right now, rain should help the hunting. 
I know it's going to fix the dusty conditions for awhile. Hope it puts water back into our ponds. Wet woods are quieter woods, for going in and out of the stand.
Weather channel says more coming this evening. Maybe it'll wash out an arrowhead. Found this one during turkey season.


----------



## Son

We've had over two inches of rain. Temps are suppose to go down a bit too. Bound to help the hunting. I might go if it stays cool.
Japanese persimmons and satsuma oranges are beginning to ripen, so i'll have some woods snacks in the back of the truck. There's several friends who always check to see if i have fruit in the truck.


----------



## Son

Worked all day in our hunting woods. Pooped. Sure hope those who live far away appreciate all the work the two of us do. The two oldest members in the club, both over 70. But that's what keeps us going. Don't use it, you lose it as the old saying goes.
Saw a couple bucks, one cottonmouth, one brown ratsnake, one big coon, and a gopher. Beautiful day.


----------



## Son

We're just about finished. Got all our roads cleaned up, food plots prepared. Some turnips and mustard planted in one plot. Put up stands, checked out others to make sure they were secure. Placed blinds in good spots and all this tractor work is bout got me tired. Mainly because the last three days have been hot and very humid.
Saw a couple scrapes. They're not serious yet, just something they do right after they come out of velvet.


----------



## Son

Too hot to hunt in our opinion. Nobody hunting in our club, but they do come and put up stands, setup their camps etc. We've had some good eating. Need rain.


----------



## Son

Tried to do some work in the woods today. Too dry for tractor work for this old guy. Sneezing, coughing etc.. had to give it up.
Plus, two planes were spraying cotton on our south side. Phew....


----------



## Son

Went up to the woods yesterday to put up a stand, and check cameras. Got the stand up, nothing on cameras except a bunch of darn old deer. Anyway, was parking my utility trailer at an intersection back in the woods when the cellphone rang. While kicking around behind the truck talking on the phone, I spotted this. A Nice S Ga Kirk point. Second one that's found me in the last week.


----------



## Son

Getting our food plots in. Tractor work done last week, planting this afternoon. This is how they'll look if we get some rain.


----------



## Son

Food plots finished, come on rain.

First day this week i didn't wear snakeboots, and walked up on a rattler. Back to the boots tomorrow.


----------



## stealthman52

Better get outside and draw you a rain turtle in the dirt........


----------



## Son

Remained home, letting the weekend guys have some peace.  lol

I believe hunting will be better after a rain, the dust is getting to me.


----------



## Ronnie T

Son said:


> Remained home, letting the weekend guys have some peace.  lol
> 
> I believe hunting will be better after a rain, the dust is getting to me.



Rain on Monday hopefully.


----------



## Son

Checked with our camp, only found one guy hunting. Lowest turnout i've known for opening muzzleloader. Past years, there's been three or four show up. Need more than one or two for a fishfry. Guess everyone is waiting on cooler weather or regular gun season.Rain sure would help Ronnie T, i had rather hunt wet woods, than dry. Food plots are planted, they need the moisture for sure. Not to mention my turnip and mustard patch. Gotta have some greens to eat. Should have gone fishing, bet the catfish and shellcrackers are biting. Seminole is down some right now, and noticed they've been spraying the bonnets in some of the ponds connecting to Seminole. That sure will help our little lake here next to Cypress Pond. Bonnets were taking over out past the flag lillies.


----------



## Havana Dude

Hung a couple feeders this afternoon. Our woods are pretty wet considering we haven't had much rain, and none in the last couple weeks. It should stay wet throughout deer season as well. Saw a few deer tracks, and got the card from the TC. We are ate up with coons, turkeys, and a few does. Got a small spike on camera, and a little 4 pt. I swear one of the does looks to be pregnant as of the end of September. Belly sag, and concave just under backbone where the ham meets the belly. Same way our goats look before they drop. Almost 700 pics and I think it maxed out the card, as it stopped about Sept 29. I need to get it back in there and see if she dropped. Found what looks to be a tip of a point, about the size of a finger nail, in the road leading in. At least it looks like the edges were worked. Oh, and not the first sign of any hogs!!! no wallered out spots, nothing. They are around there somewhere, just have not found all the gold acorns yet


----------



## Ronnie T

Son, those fish smell good.
Yep, lots of pads this years.
Crappie sure do like to spawn in the pad stalks.


----------



## Son

Old neck and shoulder problem has flared up recently. Pinched nerve in the T1 T2 area. Really don't feel like doing much until i get that relieved. Friend who is in the club is having the same problem, he's been thru some test and will have an MRI friday. He was suppose to have come this weekend. But like the Doc says, Old age ain't for sissies. Told Dan, i've been dealing with the problem since 1990, so i can give him some pointers about how to get by. The medical profession is making money off him right now with all those test. I went through the same thing, and it didn't fix anything. End result, they recommended Traction, tylenol, muscle relaxers and said not to be looking down and to the left much. Wear that hot neck collar when you're working on any laborous job. Yeah, right, nobody will do all that. I do some traction when needed, wear the collar when it's absolutely necessary, but i don't like to take pills, so i skip em.
I need more members to come hunting to drag my deer out  ... lol


----------



## talisman

Well deer moved decent this weekend . we saw several does and a bunch of fawns and a few small bucks but we need rain and cool weather


----------



## Son

Just checked radar, line of showers coming from the west. What ya want to bet, it drys up before we get any. That's the way it's been going. I will be surprised if it rains any amount worth a toot.


----------



## Havana Dude

I wouldn't touch that bet. It splits Hayvanner all the time.


----------



## Son

Yep, the rain missed, broke up and went on Southeast. Not a drop.
Went to the chiropractor, then went to the woods to check cameras.
Nothing worth mentioning came by either. The Moultrie flash camera eats batteries like candy. One week and it's down to 15 percent. Sometimes i think the batteries are old when i get em.
Moved the Primos camera to a different location. Took the moultrie out, it's in the truck. Thought about checking a stand, to make sure it's secure, but it's too hot for that in the afternoon. Saw a large cottonmouth go into weeds off the road at camp. Hate em.
When the weather cools a bit, i hope to be hunting. Will be looking for two bucks, 8's or better. And an ol boar hog if he comes by.


----------



## Son

Another day at home. Leaving the woods to those who love dust. If it stays cool, might be able to take a little dust. Havn't heard any news from the one guy in camp. He probably naps more than he hunts.


----------



## Havana Dude

Stumbled into a little part time side job for a few days. Doing some vinyl/metal fascia. Take what I can get when I get it. I think our archery starts Saturday, but really could not care less. Need a new bow, and the funds for said bow, so no archery for me.


----------



## Son

I hear ya. Economy is down, property taxes keep going up here. Something don't add up. Shucks, everything has gone up in price, our buying power went to the dogs. Bet i've stayed home more in the last three years, than i ever have. After paying the bills, food etc, there isn't much left for running around. The price of fuel alone has cut my fishing trips down to almost none. Hunting arrowheads, nope not doing much of that either unless i just happend to be up in the woods. Taking trips to see family, nope, not doing that either. Buying a new vehicle, nope, don't want to get bridled with a payment not knowing how the economy will go in the next four years. I've always gone hunting opening day of archery, blackpowder, and regular gun. I've sat in a stand once this season so far, and that was i had to go up anyway to do some work. I enjoy preparing for the season, and that's about all i've done so far. Three plastic bags of groceries monday cost 100 bucks. Can goods, cereal, bread, milk, spagetti, and a 14 dollar bag of catfish fillets. Cheaper to buy em, than it is to go catch em these days. I've heard some claim they still have a job, making the same money so the economy isn't hurting them. They better wake up, it is hurting em, their money isn't buying as much. Food stamps don't purchase as much. Nobody is safe from a bad economy except those who cause it.


----------



## Son

Com'on rain, radar is looking good this morning. Red and yellow coming Southeast. Should get our hunting woods and my place at Seminole as well. Peanut picking might not want it, but it's too darn dry to hunt.


----------



## Son

Proud of the rain we just received. Bet our food plots will jump now. Might start hunting now that the dust has been settled. Maybe more or our club members will begin to show up too. I'll keep the back of my truck loaded with some satsuma oranges and Japanese persimmons. I know a few members who always check my truck for these treats. I have the non astringent persimmons, so they don't need to worry about puckering up if they eat em.
My smallest satsuma tree, look what i had to do to keep the fruit off the ground.


----------



## Son

When i go to the stand, i will smell like oranges and persimmons. This is one of my Japanese persimmon trees. Could be why deer search me out.


----------



## Nicodemus

That satsuma is loaded! Nice pics!


----------



## Son

During our coldest months, i protect my orange trees by putting Christmas lights on em. Using the lights with the big bulbs that give off heat.


----------



## Son

Report from the hunt camp. Says we got a decent rain, but not over an inch. Settled the dust so to speak. I was hoping for some mud puddles, but didn't happen.


----------



## Son

Went hunting today, couldn't mess up a perfect attendance for opening day of many years. I sat where the big bucks should have been. Were they there? No, they didn't show. Nothing moved this evening. We did see a few does and small bucks this morning. One day of sun, and we're back to dry as a bone.


----------



## HIGH COUNTRY

*slow opening day*

Four of us hunted Sat am, not a single deer seen.

Did not even hear a shot in the area of miller county where we were hunting...  Kinda of odd for the opening day.

I hunted two more ams in last week of archery season and nothing sighted, four does (a mature with three smaller ones on Thursday am).

Seems to be alot of acorns this year.


----------



## Rhyno Footer

I guess its not just us that havent been seeing anything.. A few guys were up this weekend, and 1 of the 3 saw deer each hunt on a peanut field (ours were just turned over). Mostly does but a couple small bucks. And he shot a coyote.


----------



## talisman

We saw some does and looks like we had a great crop of fawns they are with almost every doe were seeing


----------



## Son

I'm seeing too many of these this year. 5 feet plus the 13 rattles.
Saw two bucks yesterday evening. One at 7 and one at 7:15, the second one was too late to tell much about his rack. Also saw one cottontail yesterday evening.

Didn't hunt today, had other things calling me. Darn it, but it's too hot and dusty anyway.


----------



## Son

Warmed up, locked up the daytime deer action. Sure would love some rain, it's dry and dusty.


----------



## Son

Thursday morning. Saw two does, one fawn and a long horn spike. Then the truck tore up again. Made it home so i could play mechanic this morning.


----------



## brianmorales189

Broke the ice on the new lease. Heres a before and after of a 9pt my dad shot during the muzzleloader season a couple weeks ago.


----------



## Son

That's a good'un. Looks like a fight got one ear sometime during his rutting years.
There's been several nice bucks seen on our lease, but while driving in and out. None from the stand yet.


----------



## Son

Hunted today, nothing this morning, but saw five big does this afternoon. They came out at 6:30 and i got to watch em till dark. The wind is picking up, and cooling down.


----------



## Son

Wind is up to 20 kts and it's getting cold. About 50 outside right now. Looks like the next good hunting day will be thursday or Friday.
I'll save stay home until then. Saving gas money by staying home on the bad days appears to be a good plan.
It will be some time before the big bucks start wandering around anyway. They're still not kicking up much sign in our area yet. Seeing a few small scrapes here and there done by young bucks who are trying to figure out what they're suppose to be doing. It's getting cool enough to hang up a big doe for some meat, i'm out.
Maybe this cold snap will put the snakes in holes for a spell. Hope so, i'm tired of walking up on em. Found a couple big pines rubbed. Checked em for hair, mud or any dirt. Found none. Plus the rubbed bark is too high for a hog unless he's on stilts. Couple of us believe it was done by a buck as the rubbed area goes around the tree on both sides. There's mudholes within 20 yards, and no hog sign. I'm saying Megabuck did this.


----------



## Son

Hey, hows that wind working out for ya?  Cool and much too windy for me to go to the woods. Would have been there 20 years ago, but this kind of weather isn't kind to the old bones these days. One in camp, and he's seen nothing since saturday. Appears i havn't missed much. Our rut usually doesn't begin until the first of Dec, so i doubt many bucks were moving in this wind.


----------



## kmckinnie

Windy buck


----------



## Son

Ya got'er done, nice.  I've been staying home. But getting cabin fever. Might go tomorrow for a spell.


----------



## kmckinnie

thanks.


----------



## florida boy

Kenny thats a stud ! congrats buddy !


----------



## talisman

kmckinnie said:


> Windy buck



Congrats on fine buck


----------



## stealthman52

Kmc, you got a fine one, congrats


----------



## southwestslayer

kmc nice buck


----------



## Havana Dude

Nice buck K!!!!


----------



## Son

Passed on three does and a small rack buck today. It was a nice day to be in the woods.


----------



## kmckinnie

Its was a nice day!
Thanks yall, that will be a hard one to top.


----------



## Havana Dude

Did a little work in the woods today. Cleaned up around camp, cut a little firewood, cleaned a few trails. Go figure, right by my self, just like always. Filled a couple feeders, cleaned 3 stands out. Checked trail camera. Ya'll check out this fawn pic. Biggest fawn I have seen in a while with this many spots left. Plus, a monster buck. Ya'll don't be trying to get in on my bucks now, I know you will be jealous


----------



## Son

It's been slow, and dusty. Seeing lots of does and young bucks. Big bucks have not kicked in yet in our woods. But one of our lucky hunters did see one this morning. Old 7 point, i guessed him at 4.5 of 5 years old. 215 pounds with a wide spread of about 20 inches. His neck was huge, swelled to about 22 inches at the throat. So he had rut in mind even if the rest don't yet.
This picture really doesn't show this bucks size.
Way to go Kevin.


----------



## Son

It warmed up, we went from seeing plenty deer to seeing no deer.  Maybe they got too dusty to move, we need rain in the worse way.


----------



## Son

We had a good rain at Lake Seminole last night, SW Ga.


----------



## kmckinnie

Saturday was another red letter day for Chad. He killed his 4th deer ever that day,second good buck in a row. He also killed a doe that afternoon. He was on cloud 9. He was very excited about 2 in one day. Here is a pic of the buck.


----------



## kmckinnie

Chad is my grandson.


----------



## Havana Dude

Congrats to Chad on a fine buck. Way to go young man!!!!!!!


----------



## Son

Chad is hooked for sure now. Great job.


----------



## florida boy

kmckinnie said:


> Saturday was another red letter day for Chad. He killed his 4th deer ever that day,second good buck in a row. He also killed a doe that afternoon. He was on cloud 9. He was very excited about 2 in one day. Here is a pic of the buck.



That boy is on a roll ! Congrats to you both !


----------



## maxwell42583

Congrats, Chad! It is great to see young men and women out there, in God's creation, learning about life!


----------



## kmckinnie

Chad want to thank everyone for the congrads!  Hes ready for this weekend.


----------



## Son

Our deer have been on lockdown for two days now.  Went up yesterday to check roads for tracks after the slight showers we had. Not many. Hunted morning and afternoon today, didn't even see a squirrel. Two of us were hunting. It was cool and windy. Already dusty again too. A buck did put a scrape in front of my stand last night. Coward, bet he wouldn't do that during daylight.


----------



## Son

Hunted the last four days, 8 sittings without seeing a deer. Walking at night according to the camera and tracks seen.
Lots of scrapes and rubs are showing up this week. It's fixin to get interesting.


----------



## twtabb

Deer were moving Saturday in my neck of the woods (MIller). Saw eight deer saturday evening one was young buck. Everything was feeeding on acorns which are every where right.


----------



## southwestslayer

Mornings for us this weekend 2 does shot couple small bucks seen.. thanksgiving should be very good if we can get a cold front.


----------



## Son

If our club members don't start hunting, our deer are going to get a pass this season.


----------



## Thereelmccoy

*Football/Deer Hunting*

If my sons team will quit wining football games we could focus on thinning the herd.


----------



## Son

I hope to be back in the woods in a couple days. We had a close family member pass away this morning. 81 years old and had lots of health problems so we were expecting it. May she RIP.


----------



## Son

I remember, we always have poor deer activity just before the prerut. Most memorable is, the year all heck broke out one morning and three good bucks fell within a matter of 30 minutes. Each buck killed was in a different location of our woods, about a mile apart.


----------



## Son

That was in 97, but it's happened several times since.

There's not a block on this map, that i havn't killed a mature buck.


----------



## dblnranch

Thereelmccoy said:


> If my sons team will quit wining football games we could focus on thinning the herd.



I hear ya on that one.. My oldest has his Super Bowl this Saturday morning.  Win or lose, the season will finally be over.   The truck will already be packed and we will be headed north for the week to Clay county.


----------



## Son

After today, make that 10 stand periods without seeing a deer. But almost hit 4 on the way home after dark.
Camera is getting all pictures after dark, small rack bucks and lots of does.


----------



## Son

Waiting on him to show up.


----------



## Son

After ten sits without seeing a deer, it was like someone flipped a switch this morning. Saw 6 deer this morning, and three does this afternoon.

Got this nice 8 at 8:45 this morning


----------



## Son

Here's the picture, been having trouble loading picts. Monday morning this ol boy made his mistake.


----------



## stealthman52

Like I said, "I don't care who you are", that is a good buck.


----------



## Boondocks

Good buck Son.Where is your scent lock como,as everyone here knows you can"t kill one like that without it.LOL!!!Doing it like we did it in the old days.


----------



## Havana Dude

One lone doe at 9:30 this morning. Also saw 5 turkeys, and the skeeters came out in full force about 10.


----------



## dixie706

Nice buck son,, im heading that way in morning but after seeing that picture i might get a turkey dinner to go and head that way haha..


----------



## Son

Scent lock camo,,, LOL....  I wear whatever is comfortable, washed with the familys clothes too. Footwear, sneakers that's about to come apart. The majority of the camo i have was given to me, Christmas etc. And over half of it's about worn out. (taking donations) lol.
I always set my stands up where the wind will be in my favor. Knowing most times, the breeze will come out of the North, NW, NE or W during deer season. If that's not the case, i have a couple backups for E and Southerly winds.


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## Ronnie T

That's a great deer Son.
Great picture.


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## bulldawg96

just wondering if anyone knows of any leases coming available for next year. i have two boys who hunt with me and looking for family friendly club or small acreage to lease. inbox me if anyone knows of anything. thanks


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## Son

Don't know of any right off. There's lots of clearcutting going on. So, be careful about what you do lease. You can tie up a piece of land, and find it being cut come hunting season. Can't understand it with the price of wood being low as it is.

Our deer movement has slowed again, maybe this cold snap will get em moving again. All we can do is be there and wait for the rut rush. Amazing how Georgia deer all rut at different times, ours are always late in the season. Years ago, our rut was usually around the first or second week of Dec. Now, we never know when it will begin. Sometimes, it's sparadic at best. Several weeks to go, and i still have one bullet left.


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## bulldawg96

that's what happened to me last year. leased beautiful spot and about a month before deer season, not a tree left in sight.


_Posted from  Gon.com  App for Android_


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## Havana Dude

Wrapped my 4 day season, now waiting on Dec. 8th for it to open back up. Thursday and Friday, we all saw a few deer. I saw one rack buck about 10:30 Friday morning. Looked to be a 6 or 7, I think I have him on TC. Been dead since then. Not a deer seen Friday evening till today. Time to go back to work.


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## kmckinnie

WTG SON thats a fine SWGA buck, you got er done.


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## Son

The old buck hanging in camp


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## Son

had to put a url up for that last picture. It wouldn't load here.

Evidently our hunt club has turned into a trophy group. Most of the members are opting to pass on anything less than 3.5 years old. Notice i said most. As there will always be a couple who will shoot whatever shows up that's legal. And that's fine, but they must remember. Two bucks is all they can shoot, Ga law. And our club has a two doe rule for each paying membership. That has been working for our club for years now. We like the ten doe limit the state has imposed for management purposes. But until we see the need to reduce doe numbers, we will stay at two does per season, per paid membership. Anyone who can't understand that, just do the math. Not many areas could stand for everyone to take ten does. A neighboring club tried that for a couple years, and we all ran out of deer. They then gave up the property and went somewhere else to destroy deer numbers. That group needs get into coyote hunting. Glad they moved on, but bet whoever they landed next to isn't.
I've passed up 9 bucks so far. Largest was an 8 point. Couple other members have passed on several nice 2.5 year old bucks too.


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## Havana Dude

Getting a slight shower now here at the house. Maybe it will settle the dust for a day or 2, that's about all the good I see coming of this one. Our woods are very dry. We do best when we have to dodge standing water to get to our stands. Has not been that way now for the third year. Year before that, we could not get to our stands on Thanksgiving because the water was so high, and we were not prepared with waders. Not so good when it is that high, but somewhere in between is nice. 

Had a lot of time to think in the stand over Thanksgiving. Alot has changed for me in the last couple years. Hunting is just not the same for me anymore. It has a different feel to it. We don't see near the deer we used to. Thanksgiving afternoon, some moron in the block of woods adjacent to us shot no less than 250 times between 4 and 6 pm. And another mental midget rode his 4 wheeler all after noon with his rifle up and down the main log road adjacent to our woods. He belongs to the club that surrounds us. All of them are well within their rights to do these things. I just see it as having no consideration for others. I had dang near the whole month of December off, but cancelled most of my vacation due to this kind of crap. More stressful for me to endure idiots in the woods than it is to go on calls. I'm going to make the best of the regular time I have off and see what happens.

Similar things happened to some friends of mine on Seminole over the weekend as well. They said they have never seen so many posers in all their years of duck hunting Seminole. They give credit to Phil Robertson and his gang for virtually destroying duck hunting. So many boats, they said you could almost walk boat to boat(sarcasm of course) but you get the idea. Mostly young kids, faces painted black, driving jacked up trucks, etc. . They had one fellow paddle right through their decoys right after daybreak.  People just have no respect for others these days. I'm all for getting people involved in our sport. However, it should be done in a responsible manner. I taught my kids how to respect others and to have some humility, giving in to others needs when necessary. I'll get off my soap box now. I'm not whining, it's just the way I see things.


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## Son

Times have certainly changed. Back when i was a young'in, we didn't see teenagers riding around in new fourwheel drive trucks. If they had any type of transportation, it was a bike or used car. Some of todays parents must be rich, dumb, or both. My Dad believe in letting his son earn what he got. Consequently, i bought my own first vehicle after getting out of the Navy with money i had saved. Pretty good when you consider, i made a whopping 7 bucks a day as an E-5 Petty Officer. Bet that hard for some of todays young folks to comprehend. 7 bucks a day when i had five job titles, and was over 74 men. Before the Navy I had chores to do while living at home and we never had time to just hang around anywhere. And some wonder why our country votes like it does. I don't wonder, i know why.


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## Son

Deer hunting has been tough to say the least. Dry conditions hasn't helped. We thought the rain would help, but four hunting today didn't see a deer. Full moon makes the night look like a cloudy day. Not good, but we go anyway. Never know when one might decide ot move, or something might kick him up. The way it's been going for our hunt club is like this. Four or five days of nothing, the a day of seeing lots of deer. Another week of nothing, then another day of lots of deer. Really strange behavior if ya ask me. We certainly havn't had any pressure, so that's not the problem. When it was dry it was difficult to tell a fresh track from old ones. But yesterdays rain, proved, they are moving at night right now. Our roads were full of fresh tracks made after the rain. Even saw where a buck had been chasing does around a food plot. Might have been a young buck who hasn't figured the game out yet.
Here's the view i currently am enjoying, will give it a few more sittings.


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## Son

We received just over an inch of rain, then it warmed up. Deer movement has been at a standstill, with just a few does and young bucks being seen. Trail camera shows they are feeding on akerns at night. Not seeing any mature bucks hovering around the does feeding tells me, they are not even thinking of a rut yet. We need some cooler weather, it's too hot to enjoy the afternoons. The full moon hasn't helped either. So, i came home for a few.


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## Jim lawrence

*New to the forum*

Was wondering if any of y'all hunt around the Jakin, early county area. I'm from central florida and haven't hunted up there in a few weeks and was wondering how the Deer hunting was going. I have a lease in that area and headed up in a couple of weeks. Thanks for any info


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## Son

Jim, it warmed up, and the deer have gone nocturnal.  Several hunting on our club, and we go days at a time without seeing a deer. But, we continue to hope they will break loose anyday now, it's time for the prerut to begin. Checked the weather, and it's going to be warm for at least another week.  All you can do is be there and hope they start moving. As the moon wanes, it should get better. Good luck.


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## Jim lawrence

Thanks for the info. I will be headed up on dec 15 I will post on how the hunting is going, thanks again.


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## Son

Our deer hunting has been slow. A few small bucks and some does. No big bucks have shown up yet, not even on camera.
Some days, four of us saw nothing, then yesterday we saw eleven. Today, nothing until this afternoon. One fellow killed a small 8 point just before dark. Trail camera continues to show em feeding at night. Saw a huge non typical on my way home after dark, just down the road from the house. Next week shows promise with rain and cold weather. I've been hunting in shirtsleeves. The joke today was. Do you have your sunscreen on? Reply, no but im down to my skivies trying to stay cool.


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## Son

This past week was slow, not much daylight deer movement. Although, two members managed to get a couple 2.5 year old 8 point bucks. One had a broken rack from fighting.
No sign of a hard rut yet, hoping cooler weather will make hunting more comfortable. it's been hot.
Deer not moving? Hearing the same from other clubs and private land hunters in this area. Everyone is waiting for a rut to break loose. Remembering last year. Most rut activity was at night in our woods. Only saw bucks chasing does one day in late Dec. Saw over twenty does and three rack bucks that day. Took a nine point. Unusual weather can cause unusual hunting seasons.  Also heard some complaining about there not being enough doves around. Probably not cold enough to push those that migrate south yet. I'm beginning to feel lucky about getting my first buck. Have passed on 9 young bucks since, largest was a small basket rack 8 point. I'll continue to wait for ol stickers or one equal to him. May take a doe to make sure i have some venison though. Hang in there fellers, it's bound to happen.
Here's the buck Mr. Woods got two days ago. Yeah, most of us are old timers. We tell hunting stories along with our aches and pain complaints.


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## Son

Deer hunting has been so slow, i've found myself looking for arrowheads. Found a couple nice ones lately. Here's the best, a Bolen.


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## Son

And here's a nice Kirk with teeth.


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## Son

Drizzle today with temps dropping. This should get those ol SW Ga b ucks moving.


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## Son

Boy what a good soaking in rain we've had, still misting some. I'll be in the woods in the morning. No dust, everything will smell clean, and i bet the bucks will be moving. Rut's getting started.


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## HIGH COUNTRY

*Yesterday*

Got soaked in the am and again in late pm, but did see a small medium buck birddoggin a doe at noon as I was walking out...

Class nose on the ground, neck stretched out - he came along about a minute after the doe trotted by...

That is too cool to see, will never tire of seeing that behavior.

Didnt get to go today...  But will be back tom and Sat!!!


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## Son

Wind was too much this morning, saw one small doe. Not much going on with our club, can't get members to come hunt. And the one's that did come, passed up everything they saw, including some decent bucks. My evening hunt was a bummer. Some guy cut firewood about two hundred yards from me all afternoon. Loud talking etc, nothing moved in my area. Had sixty two pictures on a trail camera, all does except for about four bucks. One only had half a rack, he's half a buck...   lol


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## Son

One caught me rattling yesterday morning. He's still walking. Too many big oaks in the way for a clean shot. Nice rack too with long G two's. The rut seems to be off and on in our woods. Warm weather, moon, clearcutting etc.. lots of excuses to use.


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## Son

Our woods are dead. Very few deer moving in daylight. Plenty at night. Two crews cutting next to our property to the north. And one crew cutting on property on our east end. I'm sure that isn't helping any. Or, just could be conditions, everyone i talk with says the same thing is happening in their woods. Only two does killed all last week.


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## Jim lawrence

Slow in my neck of the woods also, just have seen 2 small does in 3 days of hunting. Hopefully this cool front will get them moving.


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## stealthman52

I hunted Dade City Sat morning, did not see a deer


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## Son

Received a nice rain, we need all the water we can get. It's slow in our woods. Not many deer seeing me because they're moving when i'm home in bed. After four days of hunting, finally saw a deer, a  small buck. I don't shoot them because it may be a future ten point. Would like one doe for the meat, but everytime a deer walks up, it's got horns. Little horns i might add. I know where they are laying up, but they are not coming out in daylight. Not because of hunting pressure, we certainly havn't had pressure this season.
There may have been some rutting, but so little it's not noticeable. Problem is, does with young are still full of milk and their young are not weaned yet. Last season, our best rutting sign was the week after the season closed. Can't win with that kind of stuff.


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## Havana Dude

I'm thinking the same thing about the rut. Seems like rut times are changing to me. I killed one buck last year following a doe. Most years I see numerous chases, pawing and rubbing too. I have not seen the first fawn this year at all. Barely seeing does, and no rut activity at all.  I did see one group of 3 does Saturday morning come out of tall broom sage, only to alert pretty quick, and retreat. They did not smell me, wind was coming from their direction, and they had a stare down with something not in my direction. Maybe they had fawns stashed??? Seems awful late for that, but with a late rut????? I don't know. Like you said in an earlier post Son, I got all the excuses in the world.


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## woody10

When would y'all say Seminole county's actual rut takes Place?? Also has anybody had any success at Lake Seminole Wma?


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## Son

In SW Ga, the rut has become sparatic at best. Nothing like it used to be. I can remember when the second week of Dec was the time to be looking for bucks chasing does.
Now, it may be anytime, and mostly at night. Does who have lost their offspring come in first. Does with offspring are still nursing as i type. Scrapes come and go, as do rubs too. Warm weather, dry weather etc, all seems to have an effect. Maybe deer have become aclimated to farming activity, dropping their fawns when the most food is available, farm crops, akerns etc. Sure makes it a difficult hunt. Especially for people who don't have much time to hunt.
Havn't heard much about management area success either.


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## Son

Notice those who hunt Fort Benning, are complaining about a slow season, no deer movement etc.. Seems the problem is all around SW Ga. Even at that, some get lucky and get a buck now and then. Even the does have become nocturnal this year. We're seeing yearlings come out and feed, then go back into the thick. This means, momma is laying up nearby, but not moving while it's daylight. Lets blame it on the economy.


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## Jim lawrence

*Baiting*

I was reading a article the other day that was saying that in South Georgia since they have allowed baiting with corn it seems to have made the deer more nocturnal. I don't fully agree with this but was wondering what your thoughts were on it.


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## kmckinnie

I don't think some are going to the bait sites during day light hours, They still move but the hunter is sitting at the bait sight. Movement allways slows down during Dec. You have to pattern a full grown buck the year before to close the deal. I have closed the deal more than one time in a year. I have 2 picked out for next year now. I will post pics of them later after the season( don't want to spook them) Here is a pic of the 1st 1 that fell.







My family loves it everytime I hammer one.


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## Son

Can't be the corn making em nocturnal. Because they're walking through it to get akerns.
It's not the pressure either, because we havn't had much except for three crews clearcutting in our area. One crew are on us. Two are on property to our NW.  Sure is changing movement patterns for the deer, and making it difficult for us to keep up with the changes. In the 25 years our club has been on this property, all thinning and clearcutting has always been done during hunting season. Makes me wonder what they do in the summer months.??
One of our members saw a nice buck this afternoon, it was run out of a thick by the cut crew. He didn't shoot at it.
The fresh tracks since the last rain proves, we have plenty deer. But they are not making those tracks in daylight. But i'll keep after em, one might make a mistake.


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## Havana Dude

One doe at 5:30 this evening..........(yawn)


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## kmckinnie

They always shift patterns at this time to the night hours. They are nite owls anyway. Find a hideaway area where they move. A open spot in a thicket. A road crossing to another bedding area. Or just plain ol luck. Right place right time. Good luck to yall. Yall always do good.


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## Rhyno Footer

Hopefully the cooler weather will stir some kind of action... I don't get to come out as much as id like bc its a 5 hour ride... But out of the (5) 4-5 day trips I have made.. I have only seen 3 does.. This 5 day trip will be my last of the deer hunting season and if a doe comes out, I wont be passing this time.. I have got to get SOME meat in the freezer.. Good luck guys


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## Havana Dude

On the X this morning, at least as far as activity. Saw about 10. I say about, because some were just flashes way out, and in the thick. I know 4 bucks for sure, with one possible repeat.Nothing big.  Everything was running. Most of it all happened between 930-1030. 1045, a coyote came strolling through, and I could not get on him to save my life. He went on in the thick. So I got out my predator call, and one round of squealing bunny rabbit, he had to check it out. I screwed the pooch on the shot though(no pun). I hesitated for a split second, when one glance of him looked like dog, but it weren't. I even looked for blood/hair, nothing except he could run better after he emptied his bladder at the shot. I tried to get on him as he ran off, but no way through the trees. Went to camp and shot rifle. Not the rifles fault, it is dead on. Operator error.


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## kmckinnie

Same thing at the Quincy airport. Same time and all. 180ty pound 9pt went down by a hunter. When are the doe days here H/D


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## Havana Dude

Dec 26-Jan. 1


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## Son

I've done lots of sitting without seeing deer.  Saw one rabbit today. In the last five days, have only seen two spikes. Future ten pointers, that's what i'm thinking anyway. Buck sightings are down by half by this time in previous years. Knowing it's not just a problem where I hunt. People are complaining about a slow season all around SW Ga. Our deerless problem is compounded by clearcutting in three areas. Two crews on our NW line, and one on our east end.  Noisest deer season i've ever hunted. With more unforseen problems than i've ever had to deal with since running a hunt club, (since 1975) Most of our members have set the bar quite high when it comes to the bucks they like to get. But with all the obstacles we've had, that bar just might need to be lowered a bit for this season. Or many of us will go without what we would like to end up with. It's become difficult to see does too. Plenty tracks made at night, but they just will not walk during day for some reason.


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## Son

Here's what we've been putting up with since the first of November. It's been a tough season, and looks like it may not get any eaiser to get a deer. They're cutting every pine in sight. Luckily, they can't go into the wetland areas. And we have plenty of ponds, creek, and drains left. Can't pattern a buck because they're constantly being moved by the timber crews. Imagine seeing one room at a time being taken off your house. That's what our deer are experiencing. Paid thousands, and they come cut all the trees down. But they bring other non benefits such as noise, loud noise. Equipment running and large trucks wearing the roads out. I don't have anything against people making money, but they could schedule things more favorable for everyone. They've never cut on us during the summer months, they always waited until the deer season opened.
Are we just lucky or what?

Pictured is one of our future ten pointers.


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## stealthman52

Son, those LB's probably do not cut in summer, is too hot and besides the sap is down in the winter.


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## kmckinnie

We are hunting around the house this weekend. Going to try and knock down a Fla buck. They clearcut behind the house a month ago. Good luck to all.


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## Son

I'll tell ya Kmckinnie. it's going to take some luck to get another good buck off our lease this year. Too much going on, never a quiet moment. Two crews along our north boundry even cuts on weekends. I know where several big bucks are hanging out, but they refuse to move around during daylight. But i'll try and be there when one of em does. I've keyed in on a good one for next week, will began hunting him tomorrow. Don't know what his rack looks like, but know he's big. Wont put a camera on him, because it spooks em. Don't want to move him from where he's at now. Funny thing is, i've been trying to get other members to sit there all season, but none would stick with it. Most think i'm sending them somewhere to keep em out of my hair. But that's not the case. But we know how human nature is, they will doubt no matter what.


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## Son

Hope my next buck is kin to this one from two years ago.


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## kmckinnie

I hope so to on that big buck. That has got to be very aggravating.......
I don't like putting out T/Cs til after the season just to see whats there. I think it could spookem also. I have a place picked out up there already from just the sign in the woods.I like the ol fashion way.


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## Havana Dude

Saw 3 does this evening as the wind started to lay down. Found a good paw mark this morning and a couple rubs. I'm in the right spot.............of course I'm only on 40 acres so aint got much choice


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## stealthman52

HD, 40 acres is plenty , I got a friend that takes some fine bucks every year in his backyard, his place is only 5 acres.


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## Jim lawrence

Anyone know how the rut is going in early county. Around the Jakin area. Thanks


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## Havana Dude

2 different "chases" this morning. A spike following 2 does and yearling, and another spike, following 3 good size nanny's. Saw another spike at camp as I was loading up to leave. Action was between 8:15 and 8:30.


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## kmckinnie

Killed a 8 pt this am around 9. Just a average fat one. Quincy Fla.


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## florida boy

kmckinnie said:


> Killed a 8 pt this am around 9. Just a average fat one. Quincy Fla.



yall are on a roll this year ! I have had the worst year in my career so far . yall keep it up !


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## kmckinnie

florida boy said:


> yall are on a roll this year ! I have had the worst year in my career so far . yall keep it up !



I was tellen Bkw that nothing was there for a week now We got him on the 4wheeler & she seen the track scrapes & rubs. Guess where she is ratnow


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## Cole Henry

The rut is full on in the Hilton and Blakely area of Early county!


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## Jim lawrence

Thanks for the info


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## Son

Bucks still moving at night, chasing too.


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## Son

Mid afternoon too, but the camera missed his head.


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## kmckinnie

Nice body.


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## Son

Yes, look at the neck on that buck. I've put a stand there today, for thursday when it isn't raining. Three bucks have been by that camera in the last two days. Two were at night though. But it shows they're traveling the area.
Hard to pattern deer on our property this year due to clearcutting.


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## Son

This doe doesn't look healthy. Look at the neck.


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## Nicodemus

Dang, and her hipbones remind me of an old heifer.

Ya`ll buckled down for the bad weather tomorrow?

Merry Christmas!


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## Son

First one i've seen that wasn't fat. Yes, we're battoned down for the weather. Came home for Christmas and will let the woods rest for a couple.
Merry Christmas to you too Nic, and to the rest of ya'll too. 
I did take a big fat doe couple days ago to make sure i have some venison. The bucks have not been cooperating, doing their stuff at night.
Couple more weeks though, maybe i can get one to make a mistake. Tough trying to keep up with what the deer are doing with all the clearcutting going on.


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## Son

Great Christmas for us, plenty to eat and all is well. It's sprinkled off and on most of today. Looks like tomorrow is going to be a real blast, winds up to 25 mph. Might be another good day to stay home.
Christmas always brings back memories of hunts that would begin right after Christmas dinner. We would go for a week. Then again for another week at New Years.


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## Son

Notice, Dec 22nd we got our first trail camera picture of a decent buck roaming during daylight this season, looking for does no doubt. 
I'll be sitting that place for a few days, when the weather clears.


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## bogeyfree31

4 pt was chasing a couple doe's on Thursday morning at 8:15.   Saturday evening another buck chasing a doe at dusk.

1/4 mile from the Fla/Ga line.

It's either ON or about to be.


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## Son

Wind is kinda tough today. Will probably go tomorrow. I would like to see a chasing rut, it's always exciting. 
Only saw one day of it last year. In one morning, must have seen about 30 does and three nice rack bucks. Took a nine point.


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## Son

Went hunting today, ran late and didn't make it to the stand until 8:40. Last buck by my stand was documented by the camera at 8:25. That's the way it goes sometimes. But look at the two that came by earlier this morning.

I would like to get a shot at that old one eyed buck.


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## Rhyno Footer

Son- Id love to have an opportunity at that top buck as well... I really like the one on the bottom how it almost touches in the front.. Those are my favorite!!


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## Son

Those who are hunting, are hoping to get any one of the three. Plus we're seeing more running across the cutover now the rut has begun in our woods. In the last week, several big bucks have been seen while members are driving in and out. I told em, instead of doing so much driving, maybe they should be sitting somewhere. I've given up my favorite spots this week, letting those who have limited time enjoy em while on Christmas vacation.  Might say, i've been sitting in less desirable spots this week. No problem though, i've had a good season with the one buck i have gotten. His beams come in tight at the ends. And he is one of the many who we have been getting pictures of for a couple years. I have a collage of buck pictures in camp. We call it the hit list. Need to add the three or four i recently got on camera. The list keeps growing. Proof, they're outsmarting us for the most part.

If i don't get another buck this season, that'll be fine. I'll be satisfied with this buck and the big doe i did get. Knowing i could have limited out so to speak. Have passed over ten bucks and many fine does so far this season. If we didn't manage and limit our take. Those who hunt around our boundry wouldn't have anything to hunt. lol


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## Son

It does sort of get your goat when ya watch a young buck or yearling doe cross the fence, only to be shot. I'll never understand why deer will go out into an open field just before dark, when they have hundreds of acres of woods to run around in. With food plots and some members putting out corn piles. Most of the time it's the young deer though, the one's we have passed up. But, there's nothing one can do about that. Only wish more people would become more management minded. Not pushing QDM, just better management. Guess some will never overcome the mentality that they need to shoot everything they see. Those kind are not allowed in our club.
One border hunter had some gall. He put his ladderstand up about ten yards on his side of the boundry. Then he came over on us and cut bushes and small trees over a wide area so he could see into us. Just so happens, one of our members found him one morning and politely said. Sorry i walked in front of ya. The fellow removed his stand and now hunts from a popup about forty yards from the border. I can understand a persons desire to hunt, but they must realize. There's people who contribute lots of time and money to lease or own their hunting properties. Join em, or at least honor the boundry.


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## Son

Played it smart and remained home today. Too much cold wind doesn't agree with my 71 years.
Five were hunting though, one nice buck seen, no shot. When i looked outside at 5 this morning. An orange marker tape was standing straight out. I went back to bed after looking at the weather report. Said cold and winds up to 12 mph. Bet it was higher than that in some areas.


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## Son

Due to the lack of participation in our club this season, i'm looking for about 5 members to quit. Several reasons, Nr 1 reason is job loss. Already have two people wanting to join us for next year. If you're reading and would like to join us. Get your name in now if possible. Here's how it's looking for next year. We'll have little over four hundreds of two year old cutover, should be good. And about 500 acres of new planted pines with ponds and drains running all through the property. Plenty woods to hold deer. We also have the option to release 274 acres on our NE side that's thick with lots of ponds and alder thickets. That's where i killed my buck this season. There's another acreage on the west of end that i will try and lease. Am going to talk to the local owner first chance i get. Super piece of woods. Good thing about having cutovers is, they can't cut anything else for at least 12 to 15 years. That's when the first thinning is usually done. Clearcutting is usually done at 25 years of growth. The pines they plant must just be good for pulpwood or plywood, they sure don't make fat lightard. Think of the enetics bucks like this have and are spreading around. 147 6/8 ths


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## Son

It's been many years since i've heard so many complaining about deer season being so bad, so slow etc.
 But that's the normal talk from all clubs in our area this season. It's common to hear hunters say, they packed up mid week and went home cause they were not seeing any deer. It does get frustrating to go out everyday and see fresh tracks everywhere. 
Then sit morning and evening and see nothing. This has probably caused some to forget waiting on a mature buck, taking the first thing legal that comes along. Went to a stand this morning, on the way in, noticed a buck had scraped all along the trail in. He was serious about tearing up the turf. But sit as i could, he never showed up. Couldn't even call a buck in today. Time's getting short, they better hurry if they want a ride in my truck.


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## stealthman52

Were you rattling?, or were you calling, here buck, here buck


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## florida boy

stealthman52 said:


> Were you rattling?, or were you calling, here buck, here buck



lol


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## Son

You know me, i can sound like a deer. And i can hear the sounds deer make. Those subtle little meows that most can't hear. They do answer when called to with the right sounds.


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## Son

7 bucks seen in the last two days. All but two were young rack bucks. One was certainly a mature buck, but didn't allow a decent shot. The other nice buck was a ten point, but looked young, allowed to pass on the first shot opportunity. Hoping he would come on through closer for a better look at his rack. He never showed up. Gamble with em sometimes. They can turn and go in a different direction while in a thick and you wont know it until they don't come thru.
I'm not too trigger happy, got a couple real big bucks i'm hoping to see at least one of em before end of season.


----------



## stealthman52

Well good luck and post a pic when you tag one


----------



## Son

My lucks holding out. Two nice bucks seen today, and neither gave me a decent shot.


----------



## Mako 17

Son, it Seems like the rut is in full swing where you are hunting.   Is it the best youve seen this year?
Our lease is in SW  Terrell county---  wasn't planning on going back this year, but maybe will if the rut is peaking or likely to...
WE have let a bunch of young bucks walk--- we've taken a good number of does that we needed to, and only one good shooter ten point on Dec. 23rd-- had never seen that deer on camera--- I don't know how to post a picture--- I have it on my phone. Can anyone tell me how to?


----------



## Son

You can post a picture from your computer if you click on " Go advanced". Then follow instructions.

Yes, this is the best rut activity we've seen, most of it being at night. We're seeing more young bucks too. We're also dealing with a huge challenge, Timber cutting, clearcutting etc.. Makes it tough to keep up with what deer are doing from one day to the next.


----------



## stealthman52

BIL asked me New Years day how many acres do you need to hold deer on the property?, said he seen 159 ac for 240k. I said that might do it depending on what the adjoiners are and what they are doing?, heck they might me woodchuckers too, lol.


----------



## Havana Dude

20 years ago, our 40 used to hold deer good. It was about a 5 year old clearcut at the time. Now, hardly any evidence of being clearcut except for the ruts the loggers made. Has opened up considerably, and is now just a pass through for the most part. We have good food sources though, white oaks, red oaks, live oaks. Pines on 3 sides, with What looks like virgin woods to the remaining side, but there is evidence in there as well of cutting waaaayyyy back.


----------



## Son

Our deer have shut down again, with very little movement, and then at night.
Our property held more deer the first 12 years after being clearcut and replanted. They had cover, food and felt secure.  As the pines grew the overstory shaded out most of the browse and opened up areas that used to be thick bedding areas. When that happened deer moved into the thickets around the ponds and drains. Eventually, those areas thinned out too. After about 15 years here's what we saw. Property north of us was thick, the thickest around. Mornings we saw deer going north to the thick. Evenings we saw em going south. That was the typical movement. The timber was first thinned at around 14 years, and thinned about every four years. Always in hunting season. At 25 years of age, they are now clearcutting the entire property. Over 400 acres in 2011, and now they are clearcutting 200 acres. With the rest of the 1000 to be cut sometime this year. Yes, it's a bummer, and it did hurt our hunting season. But two good things to consider here. As it grows back, it's going to be great deer hunting again. And it will be at least another 12 to 15 years before they will be cutting anything again. The worse thing that happened to us this season is, we had 650 acres sold and taken away from us right after the season opened. We were counting on that property to provide us with plenty hunting while our original tract was being harvested. The unforseen, it happens, and during hunting season of all times. Our deer harvest did suffer, we've taken about half the number we usually get in a good season. Only two mature bucks harvested so far with one week to go. A total of 7 bucks have been taken. We started out with 1650 acres with 16 members. Wound up with 1274 acres after the 650 was taken away, we leased another 274 to help out. 16 members, and only half of em ever came to hunt. Most hunters in camp at any given time was about 7, and that was for one or two weekends. Yep, it was a bummer season with all the unexpected downturns, but we made the best of it. I really feel fortunate to have gotten the buck and doe i got. Although i passed on many young bucks and plenty does. Both my deer were mature animals.


----------



## Son

To sum up our season thus far. 8 hunters have harvested 15 deer total. That's not bad considering those people let many deer walk, including some young bucks. Most of em have said, they could have taken two bucks easily if they hadn't been so picky. 
But lets be honest. Those trail camera pictures are guilty of making us picky. Mainly because those cameras don't lie. And when a hunter knows there's big bucks around, it's easier for them to hold that trigger finger.


----------



## stealthman52

They might be big bucks around, but I sure ain't making  any , lol.
Must be Rat draging in the big bucks


----------



## Son

The only people i don't hear hollering about their pay these days, are government workers. But, it's fixing to get to them soon. Just watch. My children who are now middle aged, and their spouses have all been layed off in the past year. Jobless, beating the streets looking for work. One is cleaning houses to barely get by.  Talking about folks who have been with companies for many years. Not a good time to be a young family trying to make ends meet. Nor is it a good time for the elderly, they're getting pay cuts most never realize. Buying power is way down, and continuing to drop. That's a pay cut right there.


----------



## HIGH COUNTRY

*Sunday am*

It was dead in Miller County yesterday in the morning, zero deer seen and only one shot in the distance somewhere.

Decided to call it a day and not hunt the afternoon. 

Maybe the last weekend we will get some activity, but the forecast calls for very warm weather for the next seven days...

Good luck!!!


----------



## twtabb

My acorns  must have spoiled as the deer are not feeding on them and I am seeing very little signs.  They must have moved to another food source. I also think they have noticed my movement in the woods and the pressure has moved them out of my woods. 
Put out some wheat and corn and will stay out of the woods until this weekend. Seen more deer this year than the last two seasons but have not seen big buck that I have pic of from last year.
(Miller County)


----------



## bogeyfree31

Seminole County 01/04,  spike seen walking the waters edge at 11:20am.   Seminole County 01/06,  4 pt seen walking at 04:30pm.


----------



## Son

Might be a couple days before i can get back in the woods. Put wife in hospital this morning for test. Wind gust were up to 18 MPH today, so i probably didn't miss much.


----------



## Son

Be careful and don't fall into an old well. Many are covered with weeds, vines etc. It would be a bad fall, and you wouldn't get out. This one was hidden on the property we hunt for 26 years, a clearcut exposed it this year.


----------



## stealthman52

I am curious, how did they dig that deep back then?, if its straight down and 15 feet +/- , what did they do bolt whittled trees to there post hole diggys?


----------



## Son

I've actually seen these old type wells with holes in the sides for the feet so they could climb in and out. One digging, another or two pulling up buckets of clay. This one is dry now, but that's because modern farming keeps the water table so low. Back in the day, this well more than likely had plenty water. Imagine being down in a well digging back then. People up top pulling up buckets of clay, and water. You know they had to bail as they dug once below the water table.


----------



## Son

Warmed up, muggy, overcast, i stayed home. Really didn't feel like going up and listening to a timber crew anyway. Clear cutting going on. Our neighbors will be delighted that we passed on all the young bucks and almost all the does. Luckily, we managed to lease an adjoining property, so we get some of em too.


----------



## stealthman52

I think you guys should hold a party  at camp after the woodchucks get done.


----------



## Ronnie T

Hows  your wife Son?


----------



## Son

Got her home yesterday, then my neighbor and hunting buddys wife was airlifted to Dothan with breathing problems. Havn't heard how she's doing yet today.
Hospital says there's a flu outbreak, keeping anbulances busy. 

I'm looking to loose some members after this hunting season. So, if anyone wants to join and hunt some smart bucks. Keep that in mind.


----------



## HIGH COUNTRY

*Last weekend*

Weather not great by any means, but going to give it a try tomorrow and Saturday - possibly Sun am.

Never know, it can turn on a dime...

Good luck these final days...

Listen carefully, and you may hear me shoot - but then again that arrow is pretty quiet!!!


----------



## Son

Just fling three arrows if you get lost.

Yes, it's warm, threats of rain etc..  Not he best weather for hunting.


----------



## Son

Hows this for a story. Member Eddie hasn't made it up all season. Came up to hunt this past Friday and Saturday. Killed this eleven point first sitting. I need to borrow his rabbits foot.
Another member shot a buck this morning, didn't hurt it much as it covered some country. We searched for about 4 hours. Never found any blood trail, but we had his tracks.


----------



## Son

Hard to believe, but it hit 80 today. Saw a doe this morning with a spotted fawn. Want another doe, but not if it's got a small one with it.Considering what our club has endured this season, it's turned out fair. We're only down about 8 to 10 deer from a normal year. Keep in mind, we pass up most of what we see.


----------



## Son

It's been tough to keep up with what the deer are doing, and where they are due to timber cutting. But yesterday, found where one big ol buck is hanging  out. Saw him today,, but no shot.

Turkey season is next, ya'll get ready.


----------



## HIGH COUNTRY

*Tough weekend*

Five hunted Sat  am,, only one four pt seen.

Burning of clearcuts started at 10:00 am.  Looked like a war zone pretty quickly.

Hunted Sun am, struck out again.

Thats it for me, I am as burned out as the deer (pun intended)!

Wil leave a couple of cameras out to see what is still walking around after the season ends...


----------



## Havana Dude

HIGH COUNTRY said:


> Five hunted Sat  am,, only one four pt seen.
> 
> Burning of clearcuts started at 10:00 am.  Looked like a war zone pretty quickly.
> 
> Hunted Sun am, struck out again.
> 
> Thats it for me, I am as burned out as the deer (pun intended)!
> 
> Wil leave a couple of cameras out to see what is still walking around after the season ends...



I got till mid February and I'm ready to throw the towel in as well. Was gonna go this morning, but got a youngun sick. She's old enough to handle herself fine, but good excuse not to go when it's 67 degrees at daylight. Pretty foggy here this morning as well. Haven't been in a bout a week, and don't know when I'll go back.


----------



## Son

Fog, hot, windy, pretty much sums up today. Saw one young doe, but didn't hunt for long. Went around gathering up blinds, and calking a few stand roofs that leaked. Met up with forester just before noon, and met the hunt lease rep after lunch. Also watched a member miss a doe. Nope, wont give his name, shucks it was at least 200 yards. I probably would have missed to.  Got some good news, a nice area in the middle of our lease will not be cut.  That area always holds deer cause it's swampy and thick. Put a camera up trying to get a picture of the buck that rubbing all the big oaks. It'll be a shot in the dark, cause that's when he comes into the area. I probably know where he beds, but it's right across our fence, can't go there.


----------



## Son

Finished the Ga season today. Spent the morning in my office, the afternoon in a treestand. No deer moved on us today, three hunting, nothing seen.
Did have plenty traffic by the office though. Timber guys in pickups, golf carts and one four wheeler. Caused me to miss my nap.
Had my fig newtons, phone, phone book, tea and rifle. Yep, had a lazy morning, but i needed the rest.


----------



## stealthman52

Wow, looks like you had it rough ,lol


----------



## Son

Read the label on those newtons, did ya'll know they're made in Mexico. I was shocked. Stiff regulations and taxes have moved our jobs out of country. Where they have little or no regs or high taxes. But even though our regulations are not regulating foods such as this, we're still eating em.

Season ended yesterday, i'm home where i can't hear the timber crews today,.
 Only took one buck for the 2012-13 season, but it was my choice, passed up many.
Going to put him on the wall if i can find a vacant spot.
Our group took several i had passed on.  No problem though, they don't have many days to hunt, they're still young and working people.


----------



## Son

Found a nice little Hernando point yesterday.


----------



## FloridaRambo

Florida Rambo strikes again!


8 point on Saturday, 1.5 lbs bass on Sunday!


----------



## Son

Whatcha doing with those crocs on?  Nice buck, is that a fl deer?


----------



## FloridaRambo

Fl deer and bass.


----------



## stealthman52

nice buck rambo


----------



## Son

Been lazy the last few years about my taxidermy. Mount my own these days.
Here are bucks from 2010, 2011 and 2012. Thinking about putting em on the wall soon.


----------



## Son

Already have the form and material that fits the rack in the front. And have the cape ready for fleshing. Should have the mount on the wall soon. Maybe take pictures of the progress. Already reserved a spot on my den wall.  He's 19.50 inches overall width, and scores in the 130's. Good one for our area. I always take time to take pictures where they fall if possible. Too many don't take the time to take quality photos of their hunts. Clean em up, set em up for a good clean shot, and enjoy for years to come. 
I like where they fell pictures.


----------



## Son

Fleshed the cape some yesterday, and checked the fit on the form. Spent today cleaning leaves from the yard. May get back on the buck tomorrow. Looks pretty sad at this point doesn't it?


----------



## Son

Get ready for Ga gobbler season. If you don't have ammo, better hurry and get some. Some stores are selling out of ammo. The gun control scare is selling more guns and ammo than ever before.


----------



## kmckinnie

I have 3 shells left over from last year, that should do.


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## Son

Our entire deer season was messed up by timber cutting. Wonder what's going to happen during turkey season? Let me guess. They will be in pushing all the brush off the clearcuts, then rolling to cut everything in. Then it will be spraying the majestic oaks with a helicopter. And the fini will be planting the seedling pines.  Last Spring, our turkey season was messed up due to two cruisers riding all over the properties. Ran several nice gobblers off me just before they got in range. Members messed me up twice, and coyotes about four times that i know for sure. Our hunting has had it's challenges since Spring of last year. Sure will be glad when it settles down and we can hunt in peace. It's the same price, whether you get to hunt in peace or not. Sad isn't it?


----------



## Son

Ought to buy about ten acres in a swamp, build a stand on the downwind side and let em have it.


----------



## kmckinnie

Most of the time they plant the next year in Jan,Feb. But they poison everything this Nov. Just be for its time to hunt. So you have a dead sea during the upcomimg season. That is just what I have seen most of the time. Good luck. Hope it works out.


----------



## Son

Exactly, the last clearcut was poisoned the same day we were preparing food plots. Had to take the tractor to the woods to keep from being sprayed. Killed all the big liveoaks, but didn't seem to affect anything else. Hated to see those oaks killed. Dead limbs will be falling in the roads and everywhere else. Killed some good treestand trees.


----------



## stealthman52

Give man time he will jam himself good


----------



## Son

I've always said, "Man is his own worse enemy" And you can quote me on that, because it's true. Look what he's done to South Florida. We used to could hunt and fish down there, almost everywhere. Many of the lakes i loved to fish are nothing but dirt now, with house trailers all around em. Where i used to hunt, same thing. 10 and 12 pound bass never learned how to swim in sand and dog fennels.
Then take a look at how the timber industry is doing. They kill everything they can so more pines can grow. Taking away much of the neccesary mast for wildlife to prospher. Never considering they want a premium price for hunters to lease their land. There should be a happy medium there. Maybe they think the wetlands left will suffice. But some tracts have no wetlands. It's all about, "Get all you can for the most money".


----------



## Son

Kill the liveoaks so there will be more water for the pines. Never mind, farmers are pumping during their growing season. Pulling the water out of timberlands. Locally, some of the large farm wells went dry last summer. Our ponds have been dry for over two years. I've hauled water for the wildlife.


----------



## Son

Clear cutting is about done on the east end of our original property. Per the forester, they will not be cutting anymore from the culvert to road 4. That leaves everything standing on the north side of the drain, from the culvert swamp to road 4 south of the main grade. No more cutting on the north side of the culvert stand. I'm glad, that's a buck magnet area. Have lost count of bucks over 200 that's been killed in that small area. Several blinds are already in place for turkey season. All in good spots to call em in. Permanent blinds are for club use, first come, pin in and go. Portable blinds, not so without permission. 28 more days to go fishing before turkey season begins. Specks are biting in Seminole, SW Ga.


----------



## Son

The lull between deer and turkey season. Slows the thread down considerably. But i'll continue checking on our camp, and the turkey sign.


----------



## HIGH COUNTRY

*Mayhaw area - large buck mid december*

Overheard a large "16 pt" buck was taken around Mayhaw area by a local guy.  

He has a couple in the top ten on GON from the nineties.

Normally a few good ones in the local paper in December, but I dont think I saw any this year...

Again, dry/hot/timber cutting/full moon/coyotes/etc...


----------



## twtabb

I heard of several nice bucks taken in Miller county this year. Saw a pic of one or two of them. Not sure why there weren't in the paper.
I never could hook up with the buck I was hunting but did see a couple of nice 8 pts and a few small young bucks.
Saw more deer this year than last two seasons combined ( but I only saw two deer from the stand last year).

Burnt woods last weekend and saw several fresh scrapes and rubs??? Not sure what is going on. I even saw a covey of quail with some small birds in December. I guess they must have hatched out sometime in Nov.  Crazy


----------



## Son

Havn't heard about any 16 point. But did see a spotted fawn first week of Jan. 
Our property was in such a turmoil, we didn't see near the deer we saw the season before, nor did we get he mature buck pictures on trail cameras. Guess when all the clearcutting and thinning gets done, things will settle down some. Clearcut from year before last should be in good shape to hold deer this coming season. We're hoping anyway. forum wont let me post the buck i got this past season, a picture of him hanging in camp. Says it's too big. Buck or the picture?  lol


----------



## Son

This past Ga seasons buck. Was lucky to get him as timber activities kept most of the season upset. We never knew where we could hunt, and deer never knew where they might be from one day to the next. Glad that's over.


----------



## Son

All last season, we were busy moving stands and blinds to keep away from timber cutting. Clear cutting i might add.


----------



## Bear10

I hope Bruce isn't driving the tractor. LOL


----------



## Son

No, not that day, but he tore up his harrow yesterday, again
He was cutting firebreaks for one of his friends.


----------



## Son

To my hunt club members,  We have to pay our lease by May 1. Just a little earlier this year.

Hopefully we wont have any timber surprises this go around.


----------



## Son

Just received word, last weeks storm took the siding off our cook room at hunt camp. Four people have removed their camp trailers. Looks like we may be getting down to a number of folks we can handle next season. We lost 650 acres and just recently had 200 more acres clear cut.  Looking forward to the new growth and thick bedding areas the new growth will provide. This coming season, the older cut over will be a deer magnet.


----------



## Son

Just returned from hunt camp. Cleaned up and repaired what needed to be. Took a ride through the property and saw a huge herd of deer.  I've seen em herd up before right after the season closed. Guess they're all buddies now that the fighting season is about over.
Boy what a mess last weeks storm left us. Still some limbs to get up around camp.


----------



## Son

And our rainy overcast days continue with more promised. Lake Seminole is the highest i've seen this year.


----------



## stealthman52

Just wait till they let the tide out, lol


----------



## Son

Finally, in our hunting woods. The ponds, swamps and creeks are full again. Just might be a good mayhaw year. Sure need em for jelly making time this Spring. Folks are reporting over ten inches of rain up in Miller and Early counties. Even though farming might drain em by mid summer, this should provide a great deer season come fall. Cutovers will have good growth, providing food and cover. It's cold again, suppose to be in the 30's saturday morning. And everything is blooming around here.


----------



## Bear10

There was a good sheet of ice on my windshield this mornig. I sure didn't see many morning like this one during hunting season this year. Very little wind & cold weather. I guess that is just part of hunting in the South. I sure hope turkey season isn't colder than deer season.


----------



## Son

The weather sure goes through cycles. I've been around long enough to have already lived through several hot, cold, hot, cold, and hot cycles. Government can claim all sorts of reasons, but i think the main reason is loss of vegetation. Cleared land, asphalt, cement and buildings store heat, so does water. Up where we hunt, just recently lost over 1500 acres of trees that insulated the ground, and reflected or used up the heat from the sun. It will be awhile before enough vegetation grows to keep that ground from storing heat. Hope i can hang around to see it.
Need some good weather, got some land i want to go look at not far from the house. The woods are flooded right now though.


----------



## stealthman52

Just don't get all bogged down like the DWood, when you get out to walk make sure you reach down there and lock your hubs, lol


----------



## Son

Down to 46 last night, with showers this morning. Around 10, sun came out and it was beautiful but still cold. Now it's winds gusting up to 20 kts and 50 degrees at 12:33. 

And i notice by all the bass boats going by, must be a bass tournament on Lake Seminole. Those people must like punishment. All three rivers coming into Seminole are chocolate muddy. The only chance fishermen will have to catch a bass will be in the smaller connecting lakes and up sloughs where it's not muddy. Stained some, but not muddy. 
I'll remain inside and watch the boats go by through the windows.


----------



## Son

Sure hope the freeze didn't get the mayhaws.  Received word from one of our hunt club members. Wind has blown over one of my tripod stands. After moving it at the end of the season, never went back and anchored it down. Hope somebody puts it back up. Word is, the woods are flooded and boggy in some areas. More nasty weather coming next week, so the weather channel says.


----------



## Ronnie T

Son said:


> Down to 46 last night, with showers this morning. Around 10, sun came out and it was beautiful but still cold. Now it's winds gusting up to 20 kts and 50 degrees at 12:33.
> 
> And i notice by all the bass boats going by, must be a bass tournament on Lake Seminole. Those people must like punishment. All three rivers coming into Seminole are chocolate muddy. The only chance fishermen will have to catch a bass will be in the smaller connecting lakes and up sloughs where it's not muddy. Stained some, but not muddy.
> I'll remain inside and watch the boats go by through the windows.



Son, I made a trip up Saunders slough this afternoon.  First time I've been up it by boat.  interesting trip.  Lots of very, vary shallow water.


----------



## Son

It's getting time for Saunders Slough to produce some good bass.  As you go in from the lake pay attention to the ponds, and sloughs going off to the west. It's always been when the pine pollen was present that i caught the most and biggest bass in these spots. Using a plastic worm. Buck bass will be fanning the beds, and big females will be laying off to the sides. There are some large gators that like those waters, and the bulls have began bellowing already this year. I once watched two big bull gators fight in the slough, awesome is the word. They are powerful stuff, i didn't bother to go over and referee.


----------



## Ronnie T

The water up in the slough is still in the 50's.  All these cold nights and rising water has slowed everything down again this year.  Seems to happen every year..... me looking for fish that aren't there yet.
I saw some interesting structures along the bank of the slough.


----------



## Son

Received this in the mail today, have you got yours yet?


Buck bass are fanning around my dock in the Cypress pond area. It's been off and on for them so far. Have seen one large female of about 6 pounds hanging around.


----------



## Son

Our hunting woods up in Miller/Early counties Ga were wet and had water running across some roads. Some roads were under water. Bet the entire area is flooded now with all the rain we've had today and tonight.


----------



## Son

Finally, some sunshine today, with promise of rain coming back in tonight around 9. Lake Seminole is so high, the lake is coming through the banks and flooding low areas nearby.  All day, it's been fast bass boats going in both directions. Yesterday was the same, but they were boating in some heavy rains.


----------



## Havana Dude

Now is the time for them to be hitting floating logs and stuff. A lot of junk will float out into that lake when water gets high.


----------



## Son

I always think about floating debree when we have flood conditions especially. But havn't noticed anyone slowing down. What some don't realize is, some stuff floats right under the surface.


----------



## Son

Rain quit, waiting on some sunshine.


----------



## Nicodemus

Son said:


> I always think about floating debree when we have flood conditions especially. But havn't noticed anyone slowing down. What some don't realize is, some stuff floats right under the surface.




As we crossed over the Flint in Bainbridge Saturday mornin`, there was a section of tree trunk probably 60 feet long floatin` sideways, headed for Seminole. Hit that that one and your day, week, and month would be in bad shape. Always pays to stay alert.


----------



## hortonhunter22

Seems like I remember one time when bassmasters was in bainbridge they all blasted south and one of those pros hit a log that was just under surface....I know it tore up boat but seems like I remember coangler getting ejected.  Gotta be aware and when ya goin 70mph ya ain't got time to react


----------



## Ronnie T

hortonhunter22 said:


> Seems like I remember one time when bassmasters was in bainbridge they all blasted south and one of those pros hit a log that was just under surface....I know it tore up boat but seems like I remember coangler getting ejected.  Gotta be aware and when ya goin 70mph ya ain't got time to react



I remember that.
.
I'd love to see a picture of what the lake looks like today.  Bet it's a mess.


----------



## Son

I'm at Cypress Pond and the water level is very high. I wouldn't be to eager to get out into the main lake, not for a few days at least. I dumped my 5 inch rain gauge out yesterday, it had overflowed. Dumped it again today, it had overflowed again. So, i know we had more than ten inches in two days here. There will be plenty water for turkey season.


----------



## oldways

Should have some mayhaws this year


----------



## Bear10

Son said:


> I'm at Cypress Pond and the water level is very high. I wouldn't be to eager to get out into the main lake, not for a few days at least. I dumped my 5 inch rain gauge out yesterday, it had overflowed. Dumped it again today, it had overflowed again. So, i know we had more than ten inches in two days here. There will be plenty water for turkey season.



How do you think the clearcutting is going to effect the turkeys on your place this year?


----------



## Nicodemus

oldways said:


> Should have some mayhaws this year





Every one I`ve seen in the past few days are in full bloom. And 99 out of 100 are in deep water right now too.  

These around the house might suffer if it gets as cold as they say it will, this weekend.


----------



## oldways

I hope it don't get to cold this weekend I got taters up and all my blueberries and plums are bloomin.


----------



## Havana Dude

Got a little water in the woods.


----------



## oldways

Dang HD you can fish right side the camper now. Are woods are all full now we needed it.


----------



## Havana Dude

Yep, and it is forecast to go 2-3 feet higher by Friday. That fellow put his camper in there, and then built the shelter over it. The way it sits and the fact that he built it so tight, it is impossible to get it out. Last time, it got flooded, water was right at counter top high. Probably get there again.


----------



## Ronnie T

Looks like a nice arrow head in the last picture.
.


----------



## Havana Dude

Ronnie T said:


> Looks like a nice arrow head in the last picture.
> .



I don't think it is. I was all over that spot just before she took these pics. We did find 2 partials today, and some more pottery.


----------



## Ronnie T

Son, has the water dropped any at your dock?
.


----------



## Havana Dude

RonnieT, will have to wait till the river goes down to see if that is a point. It came up another 18" or so overnight.


----------



## Ronnie T

Oh my goodness.
.


----------



## Son

Yep mayhaws in full bloom and in plenty of water to boot.

Turkeys should like the cut overs, they will be able to see. Good for them, bad for us. Cause they will be able to see vehicle traffic a long ways.

The water is still up at my dock. And stained a bit.

I'll be glad to see this cold go away so i can complain about the heat.


----------



## stealthman52

I will be glad to have a change of weather, kind of cool down here in Plant City today. Now, if I can just get rid of this constant cough.


----------



## 12pointer

Road up to the club yesterday to check out the camp and check the cameras ,the roads have alittle water damage that will need fixing. Its amazing how after season goes out that you start getting pics. of some differ bucks that you dont get during season, I reckon they are hunting food.


----------



## Son

Lake Seminole remains high, most of it is muddy. Even Rays Lake and Lewis Pond is muddy. It will be awhile before fishing is any good here. Cold today with winds, not comfortable to be outside for anything.


----------



## Son

Local builders supply invited me for a contractors breakfast this morning, i enjoyed the food and fellowship. Then i decided to go up to the hunt camp and look around. Roads still underwater, and found both lights on in our cooking room, but nobody was there. Somebody left em on. Took a ride to look for turkey tracks, 3.5 miles of dirt roads, from one to the other and not one turkey track.  I'm beginning to wonder if all the clearcutting ran em off? Or it could be the big flocks haven't broken up yet, although it's time for em to start. Deer tracks are everywhere i looked, but of course, it's not deer season. Notice they're hitting the food plots pretty heavy right now, waiting on spring greenup. Had one camera out, Moultrie flash. It took pictures of lots of does and yearlings, batteries dead after only seven days. Dang thing eats batteries too fast for me.
It's that time of year. Any members reading this, i need to know who's staying for the 2013-14 season. If you're leaving, please don't wait til the last minute before letting me know.


----------



## Son

Everyone was correct in saying the lease price wouldn't come down. Clear cut most of the place, and the price for 2013-14 stays the same. So, this is where we're at. Older clear cut had had two years now to grow. New pines are anywhere from waist high to shoulder high. Fertilized by plane last year, i expect that 400 or so acres to be well covered with pines and brush by next deer season. 200 acres recently cut, still has to be cleared for replanting. Another 150 acres or so is scheduled for clear cutting. That wont happen unless the water goes down, and there's no chance of that until farms begin irrigating in the summer. The upcoming deer season may be a little less than we like, but there's only two choices that can be considered here. Let the land go, or hang on until it comes back. Membership will definitely go down from what we had, due to loss of acreage we once had adjoining, it was clearcut.. Those who stick with the club will see better hunting as the area grows up. I remember 25 years ago, when the property was freshly cut and replanted. It was a deer magnet.
Breaking it down. Comes to about 860 a month, or 86 bucks a month per member to have a place to hunt.


----------



## talisman

Son ur place with be outstanding in a year or so. Im sure they are going to also replant the 650 acre tract which will be another great bedding area.


----------



## Son

Yes, received word, the 650 will be replanted. I'll tell ya, there's more deer on our place now, than there was during season. I think, because those four crews are gone, all the noise is gone. We couldn't hear ourselves burp during season for the skidders and cutters. Will be putting out a camera to check some of em out before the weekend.  I've been checking for turkeys, but none have showed up yet.


----------



## Son

Reason i decided to try and hang on. It will be at least 12 to 14 years before the first thinning will begin. I'll be at least 83 by then. Hope i'll still be active, but who ever knows?


----------



## stealthman52

I cannot beleive that your lease fees are same, clearcut , now that is greed


----------



## Bear10

The timber companies look at leases as they are leasing you the dirt on your lease and not the trees or habitat. With the shortage of land due to the growth of the human population, they know they will be able to lease the land to someone wether it has trees on it or not. They will usually get their asking price for it also.


----------



## Son

Thats the trend alright.  Farmer friend has given me permission to hunt all that land east of you Bear. It will be good for turkeys. Put two cameras out yesterday in hopes of seeing what's walking, and to see if any turkeys are moving in. Woods are still flooded.


----------



## stealthman52

Bear, you don't want to hear what I would tell them timber companies.


----------



## Son

A timber crew is chomping at the bit wanting to get in and cut our west end. If it gets dry enough, there goes our turkey season.


----------



## Bear10

Son said:


> Thats the trend alright.  Farmer friend has given me permission to hunt all that land east of you Bear. It will be good for turkeys. Put two cameras out yesterday in hopes of seeing what's walking, and to see if any turkeys are moving in. Woods are still flooded.



I went up there today and the woods are soggy but the ground is soaking up the water better than I expected. Hopefully you will get some good pictures.


----------



## Bear10

stealthman52 said:


> Bear, you don't want to hear what I would tell them timber companies.



Unfortunately the timber companies don't care what you & I think. They are like the government and make their own rules.


----------



## Son

I ask for em to consider how our tract is and ask if they would give us a break. Well, got the paperwork, no break. Talked to a  feller, and he said. They have people who will lease it like it is.
People are their own worse enemy. And, there's always someone who will undermine ya if given a chance. Been here 25 years, and know at least twice people have tried to take the property away by offering more money. One later tried to join us, when his ploy didn't work. Couldn't find a vacancy for him, and never will.


----------



## Son

The rains moved into Seminole and Miller Counties today around 5 PM, and is suppose to last most of the night. Coming down pretty hard. It will be slip and slide on the hunting roads again.


----------



## Son

Checked two cameras today. Loaded up with doe and yearling pictures. No bucks, yet.


----------



## Bear10

Son,
Have you talked the farmers around your club to see what they are going to plant in their fields on both sides of your club?


----------



## Son

No, i havn't, The two farms on Miller road, Jerone can find out, he knows em.
the field on the 125 we used to lease, on the south side, i have his nr, might give him a call, just to stay in touch. Been awhile since i've talked to him
Found out, the fellow i put out of the club, (Doil) has gone to the owner of the land west of us and tried to lease it for himself. Guy wouldn't lease to him.


----------



## Bear10

Son,
Did you make it up to the club this past weekend? I heard the skeeters are terrible! They say there is still a lot of standing water and turkey season will require a thermocell and a fly swatter. It shouldn't be to long before we start hearing about people and livestock getting diseases from the mosuitos this year.


----------



## Son

I didn't make it up this past weekend. Had too much to do. I know the skeeters are bad, they're bad here at the lake now.  When they're bad here, they're terrible in the woods. If i go opening weekend, it will be in a blind with a thermacell going right outside one of the windows. My Momma didn't raise me to feed mosquitos. I fire my thermacell up before i exit the truck. Allowing it to warm up. Then carry it to the blind already working. Two things, it keeps swarms from following you to the blind, and you don't have to sit there for ten minutes waiting on it to warm up. While they naw on your butt.


----------



## Bear10

We received a lot of hard rain last night on the north side of Tallahassee. The thunder and rain was shaking the house. I don't know when the lakes and rivers are going to clear up around here. Thay are still muddy from the rain a couple of weeks ago. I hear it is either feast or famine with the fishing right now.


----------



## Son

Fishing is no good in Seminole right now. Even the small lake i'm on that connects to Seminole is stained dark. Not muddy, but dark. Very seldom see it like that.
Thunder and lightening all night, washed my driveway out. Looked out at the guage, looks like at least a couple inches fell.
Clearing, but cloudy right now at 11 Am


----------



## Ronnie T

I'm pretty upset about that rain last night Son.  I had strong plans to be fishing over your way this morning and expected to catch a lot of fish.
Needless to say, this hard rain last night has kept me at home today.  I'm hoping it will clear away tomorrow or Thursday.

The rain was very hard over on the florida side of the lake.
As much as I love spring time fishing, I hate it for this reason.
.


----------



## Son

We got two inches on my side of the lake. The water is high and stained some here at the Cypress Pond area. Bet it's muddy elsewhere.  I just spent two hours repairing my drive with the tractor. It was washed out in two places. The road grader graded the road so all the water ran down the road to my property. This makes twice in two weeks, need to talk to that fellow.


----------



## Son

Opening turkey weekend in SW Ga has rain scheduled. Wet turkeys don't gobble much, i might just skip it until we get a sunny day.


----------



## Son

Rain and skeeters = wet turkeys and bites.

Wet turkeys make bad photos, and wet turkey hunters are not good either.

I may pass this first weekend.


----------



## Son

Time to be thinking about next deer season when it comes to clubs and confirming their member numbers. Always a task, and has been for me since 1975. Even though we've experienced some serious clear cutting, i believe we're going to have a good upcoming season. Primarily because we have so many swamps and drains running through the property. Passed up a bunch of bucks and does last season, and had a few big'uns get past me. Can't wait to get after em again.


----------



## Son

A few that came by my stand when i wasn't there. One was in daylight just a few minutes before i arrived. Doesn't pay to be late sometimes. Without a camera, would have never known the difference.


----------



## Bear10

That last one looks to be a mature deer. Have you ever got his picture in previous years with that messed up  rack? There's a lot of burger and cube steak on him!


----------



## Son

The buck with the odd rack, is the one i shot at thru some oak limbs and missed.  He's got good size alright. Bet he's been shot before, causing his rack to be like that. I rattled him up at the beetree on the 250, but he never gave me an opening before he bolted and ran. The problem was, he was laying right out in front of me at about 40 yards behind a big oak in tall grass. When i first hit the horns, i saw his movement when he stood up. He already had me pegged. Proves i'm quiet going to and getting into the stand. I saw a couple other good bucks in there one morning as they scattered from a fight.  The winner never came out. We got the big bucks, but they are smart and lazy. They don't go walking around just to be walking. Cameras prove most older bucks do their stuff at night. Unless they have a few days of quiet, then they might cruise during daylight. I saw the big eleven point before season, but nobody saw him during season. Typical of him though, his favorite area is the gallberry patch block. The buck pictured above was killed around 8:45 in the Am, and i was the only person hunting the entire club. Had to call Jerone to help me get him out.


----------



## Son

Old bucks are not dumb. If my memory serves me right. This old buck had been shot at three seasons in a row before he gave me an opportunity. I remember the day, it was the coldest day of the season and i had not seen a deer all morning and was fixin to get down and go warm up. But, decided to hit the horns one more time. Hit em for about three minutes, looked around, and there he stood, looking right up at me. Can't believe he stood there and let me take the shot. And guess what? I was the only person hunting on the entire property that day.


----------



## Son

But you never know what big bucks will do. Here's two that was killed when there was at least ten folks hunting, different years.
Big 8 coming out of the culvert block when it was flooded/

Nice ten laying where he fell in Possum One, after being rattled up to within 15 yards. That was a long trick shot.

I've seen days when over half our club would be hunting, and  four or five bucks would fall in one day. All one can do, is be there when they can, and hope for such a day.


----------



## Son

The old thread is sort of quiet when it isn't deer season, and who knows what turkey season will bring. So, i'll spice the thread up with a few pictures.
It all boils down to being in the right place at the right time and watching the wind direction.


----------



## Son

Been on the same property since about 1987, the best years i can remember hunting this property was the first ten years. From when it was first planted in pines until they were ten or twelve feet tall. Place was a deer magnet. The first thinning at about 12 years didn't hurt much, but the second thinning, we noticed a difference in deer numbers.
Right now, we're back to that beginning stage, and i'm looking forward to it, knowing what's coming.


----------



## Bear10

I bet you were glad that you marked that tree with an orange ribbon for the deer fall by so it would be easy to find him. I would have picked a tree that wasn't in the water if it were me.


----------



## billy336

I'm diggin the mass on that deer from 11-93. Niiice!


----------



## Ronnie T

Son, I'm going over to fish the "slough" next week.  You got any suggestions you'd like to share with me?    ...If it will warm up a little bit.    Send a PM is you want to.
Thanks.


----------



## Son

Oh, i like about halfway in, and into the west sloughs off the main run.  Sweet Potato pie would be my choice. Good luck, the water sure is high right now.


----------



## Son

Went up looking for a fellow who has some land i'm interested in. Found his house, but nobody has lived there in years, or so it looks.
About a block down the dirt road was an old church, as i turned around in their yard, couldn't help but notice this old Two holer. The door has blown off and is laying off to one side. Now, this is a class act outhouse folks.


----------



## Son

Well, the first two days of Ga turkey season is wet, so i elected to skip it. Wasn't too enthused anyway and wont be until i begin to see some good turkey sign on our property.  Forecast promises good weather Monday thru Friday. I'll go do some scouting then, but only if the skeeters have died out some. They were bad yesterday. Everytime i opened my truck door, they filled the cab.  And that just isn't fun.


----------



## Bear10

The skeeters should be a lot better in the mornings due to the cold weather that is predicted. The are forecasting some mornings in the thirtys this week.


----------



## Son

Too darn windy for me. I like to hear em.  Just don't care much for a silent turkey hunt. And it's getting cold again too.


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## Son

Will this weather ever give up. Certainly isn't global warming around these parts. 31 this morning. Winds picked up around 9:30


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## Ronnie T

Son said:


> Will this weather ever give up. Certainly isn't global warming around these parts. 31 this morning. Winds picked up around 9:30



I'm going fishing Friday.  I hear there's 66 degree water in some places on the lake.  I don't see how.
The air temp hasn't hit 66 all week long.


----------



## Son

I did see a few small bass and some bream around the dock this afternoon. Nothing big enough to put in grease yet. If the morning temps gets out of the thirties, i might try turkey hunting a morning or two.The skeeters will be glad to see it warm up too.


----------



## Son

This morning. Saw 8 big deer, 4 hens and 2 long beards. Couldn't get em to cross water, so i'll be on the other side of that water in the morning, i hope.


----------



## Son

Happy Easter Ya'll.

Went turkey hunting yesterday. Saw two herds of deer, several hens and two gobblers. Don't know if the gobblers ever made it to me, cause i fell asleep, awakened about 11 and went for lunch. Enjoyed it though, seeing all those animals and turkeys. Ya might say, i'm making the season last.  lol


----------



## Ronnie T

Two turkey flew across the road in front of me Friday morning just before I arrive at the Trail's end turn.


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## Son

I'm seeing plenty turkeys in fields around, but in our woods, they are scarce this year. I'm hearing most of em on neighboring properties. I have permission to hunt there, but really don't want to. Might do it though if some don't show up on us soon. Went this morning and listened to em gobbling from daybreak till about 11 AM. Also could hear hens yelping as they went from north to south at about 60 yards west of me. Never could see that group, but did see a hen fly up in a tree for a spell. Might have been a varmit around.


----------



## Son

Checked our woods roads yesterday afternoon, no turkey tracks found. Went to the farm north of there where i have permission to hunt and saw one gobbler. Setup a blind for later in the week. 
40 degrees here at Lake Seminole, SW GA, right now at 8:10


----------



## Son

Alert to my hunt club members. Five members have committed to paying dues for the 2013-14 season. We can't handle the 16 we had last year due to the loss of 650 adjoining acres. Wanting 10 members this time. Seniority prevails in this case. A deposit is required by May 1, 2013 to secure this property. I need a definite yes or no asap so i can make plans and not get in a bind. If it's yes, i need your money so the bill can be paid. Contact me by PM, phone or email.
Our club has been on this property for over 25 years now and we want to keep it going.
Thanks
Son


----------



## Son

Have 7 hunt club members confirmed now.  Have one fellow out of country , last i heard he was in. That would make it 8.


----------



## Son

*Gobbler number 1 down*

Tuesday of last week i managed to go turkey hunting. Called up four hens a gobbler and a jake. Took pictures with a digital camera using internal memory. While taking the pictures the camera quit working, so i lost all those photos. So, took some with my cellphone, then realized it wouldn't sent emails for some reason. Just today, got Verizon tech support to fix the problem.  This is a picture of the decoy in the foreground, dead gobbler beyond that, and a jake walking around.
Having nobody to take photos, that's all the picture i got.
It's a bad turkey season for our club. Clearcut all around, must have ran the turkeys off. Nothing gobbling on us. And only a few gobbling on adjacent properties half mile away.  Guess i'm lucky to get the one. I let the jake go on his way. Called these turkeys from down around the big oak you see in the distance.
I'm prepared for the next gobbler, bought a new digital camera with all the bells and whistles.


----------



## Son

And it continues. Nothing going on in our woods.  Apparently all the timber activities ran the turkeys off and they haven't come back.
Found where hens are walking, two separate areas, but no gobbler tracks yet. Makes it difficult to get up at 5 in the morning, drive 38 miles, sit in mosquitos when you're not expecting to be successful.
Ga talking about shortening deer season. Can't see where that will do anything except cut out three weekends for those who have to work five days a week. In my opinion, it's not the days that's taking deer numbers down, it's predators and loss of habitat.  Just in my area alone, there's been thousands of acres turned into fields in the last year. This concentrates deer in smaller areas, making it easier for predators to find em. Loss of wooded land, and an increase in predators could also cause more highway kills. do the math, for an example. One can grow more turnips on an acre than they can in a square foot. I have over 45 years managing and attending meetings about hunting, and know what is first thought isn't always the problem. And the same actions do not work for all regions. But i guess, shortening the season just might save some of us money on fuel if it does nothing else.


----------



## Son

Shortening deer season will also have some effect on local economies. Bet nobody thought about that. Many areas count on deer season to boost their income.


----------



## Son

Ah, they're talking about shortening only the doe days. Wonder what that will do?
Looks like we're having a wet spring. Just as it starts drying up a bit, here comes more rain. Future forecast predicts more rains well into the next two weeks. Lets plant something. It's been said, '' wet springs grow big racks", probably due to the vegetation it grows. Maybe it'll grow more points, i seem to be stuck on the 8 point scale here lately.


----------



## talisman

From what Ive read early and miller coutnies won't be affected by the shorter doe day season


----------



## Bear10

Son,

A fellow co-worker fished a bass tournament on Seminole yesterday and said he watched two boats pull up in the reeds and catch their limit on some huge shellcrackers. He said the bed was up in the reeds and if you did not know it was there that you would pass right on by. Just thought you might want to know.


----------



## Son

That's exactly what our crackers have been doing the last few years. They get back in the rough stuff. Bonnets, cattails and other junk you can't enjoy fishing in. Stained water is making it tough for folks to find em this year. And you might know, my outboard still doesn't crank. The mechanic has worked on it three times, and when he brought it back the last time said it was fixed again. Bummer huh?


----------



## Bear10

Son said:


> That's exactly what our crackers have been doing the last few years. They get back in the rough stuff. Bonnets, cattails and other junk you can't enjoy fishing in. Stained water is making it tough for folks to find em this year. And you might know, my outboard still doesn't crank. The mechanic has worked on it three times, and when he brought it back the last time said it was fixed again. Bummer huh?



That is a bummer, especially with some of these perfect fishing days that we have been having lately.


----------



## Son

Found out today, the fellow who works on my motor is out of town until thursday.  Just call me lucky.


----------



## Son

Thought about getting up early in the morning and going turkey hunting. But that's as far as it got, thinking about it.
I have yet to see a gobbler track on our hunting property this Spring season. So, considering it's 38 miles from the house, the woods are flooded, and the mosquitos are bad. It's not worth the trip this year. We've had some good turkey years, but clearcutting sure ran em off this time.


----------



## Son

Rain today, already received over half an inch at 4 Pm. Lake Seminole levels are up to the dock, highest it's been this year.


----------



## Ronnie T

It's cold rain too.


----------



## Son

Seminole is high, up the the bottom of the Cypress landing dock. Talked to a couple guys who had been out fishing. Said they gave it up because couldn't tell where the stumps were and they stayed hung up on stumps. Water is stained a bit too, and really stained out in the main lake. Got my outboard running, but it's too high for me to go fishing, most of the fish will be out in the woods or in the cattails.
Breathing much easier now. Got the hunt club finalized today. We lost some members, lost some acreage, but enough people remained to cover the acreage cost we have left. Good group of folks, who already know one another.  Can't beat that, hope some of em havn't forgot how to cook.


----------



## stealthman52

Well, if D.M. can't make it to cook, you can always make S.O.S.


----------



## Son

Wow, in the upper 60's right now at Lake Seminole SW Ga. Lake is high and stained from recent rains. Turkey season ongoing just as it has been, no turkeys. So, no member is wasting their money on gas to make the trips to the woods. Plus, we get to sleep in mornings. 
We did get all our food plots mowed, along with the camp yard. 
We had turkeys on our land a week before the season opened, then they moved on. Usually when this happens, somebody in neighboring properties are feeding em.
We have every reason for turkeys to hang on us. Cypress heads, ponds with water, clearcuts for grasshoppers etc. Plenty of nesting woods etc.. During deer season we often counted groups of turkeys with forty or more. Lots of nice gobblers too. I've kept check on three places that have always been roosting areas, and there's no birds at any of those places now. First time i've seen that in over 15 years.


----------



## Son

This has got to be the worse turkey season i can remember in the last 20 years or so. Amazing how timber harvesting, clearcutting can change things. I would have guessed the turkeys would have swarmed to a cutover for the bugs and new buds. Hope when it grows up, they come back. We used to have plenty turkeys, and we've never harvested many a season. Guess we saved em for somebody else up the road. Most of my club hunts for mature bucks, but we know there's no use having a strict QDM program. For the same reason the turkeys left. And a few border hunters who don't think about managing anything.


----------



## kmckinnie

I understand......


----------



## Son

Have been hoping to get in a few more days hunting for a turkey, but when you get up at 5 AM and the wind is whipping the trees, radar shows showers, it's back to bed we go. Have a farm permission that has a couple gobblers coming and going. But with this weather it isn't worth the gas to go on an iffy hunt. Guess those skeeters will just have to go hungry.


----------



## Son

Retired from doing any taxidermy back in the 90's i believe, anyway it's been a few years. Got several nice bucks piling up and decided to get started on em. This is last years buck, still lots of work to do, but he's hanging. When this one is done and on the wall, will take a break, then start on a bigger one.


----------



## Bear10

He is going to make a good looking mount. Congrats on a great South Ga buck.


----------



## Son

Thanks Bear. I started on this one because i already had the form etc, left over from when i was in the Taxidermy business. Will have to break down and buy the next forms, eyes etc..  But it's coming along great, got all the contours carded and keeping a close eye on the eyes, nose and mouth to make sure nothing changes  position.

The next one i'll mount will be this guy, the widest Ga buck i've killed so far. You helped load him couple years back.


----------



## Bear10

I remember him well and so does T-Bone. You were definitely in the right place that morning.


----------



## kmckinnie

Have yall seen this krazy kook!


----------



## Son

Nice gobbler. Hiding behind the fan are ya?


----------



## Son

Yes Bear, and you know why i was in that stand? Because the stand i wanted to go to had already been taken. See, it pays to let people use your stands.  lol
Yes, i felt bad for Tbone, he had the first shot at that buck about 35 minutes before i saw him. I first saw the buck heading north to that thick 650. Rattled the antlers and he turned and came straight to me. At the time, i did not know Tbone had had a shot, don't know why i didn't hear it, he was only 1/2 mile east of me.  Registered that distance on the truck ometer. I know the feeling though, i missed a good one last season over at the bee tree stand. Sometimes you miss due to human error, and sometimes something gets your bullet off course. I always like to blame it on the bullet.  lol
Here's a photo of my office during deer season.


----------



## Son

Our club has had some gate/lock problems. Someone ruined one lock several weeks ago by putting something in it.  Now i receive a report that the chain has been cut in pieces and one lock cut. I've reported this to our lessor so he would be informed. Will see what he says, then go from there. I havn't had time to go check, as the wife is in the hospital with a back operation in Thomasville Ga.


----------



## kmckinnie

Best wishes for your wife! Keep us updated on her!


----------



## Son

Latest on Gloria. She's still in Thomasville Ga Hospital. Says she has lots of pain, but the doc said she would. Hope this doesn't last for too long and they let her come home. Dr. Kadis did the surgery.


----------



## Bear10

How is Gloria feeling today? I hope the medicine is helping.


----------



## Son

Gloria came home yesterday evening. We're having a time with this, she's not very mobile yet, and pain is still a problem. But we know, when one has a serious operation, it takes time. We are seeing some improvement though, tomorrow should be even better. Thanks for asking.
About our hunt club. Bruce went up and mowed the camp today, and chained the gate back. He found the chain cut in two pieces and the old plum creek lock cut. We're thinking whoever did this was thinking they were cutting our lock. A camera will be put on this just as soon as we figure out how to hide it good. This is the second time the gate and lock has been messed with in a month. Bruce said he rode around, saw no turkeys or turkey tracks. But did notice someone is driving in off the clear cut 650 acre tract. Makes me wonder if they cut our chain to get out our gate to keep from going back the way they came in? We'll be planting black oil sunflower seeds soon in a couple food plots.  I used to plant em on the farm i managed, and deer love the leaves, birds loved the seed from the flowers. When they first come up, the look like cucklebur plants.


----------



## Son

The old buck from last season is coming along, yes he looks sort of rough all carded up etc.,.   but it will not be long before i finish him up. First mount i've done in years.
Practicing on this one before i do a big one.


----------



## Ronnie T

Looks good Son.
Glad your wife is steadily improving.
She's in my prayers.


----------



## Son

Thanks ya'll, she's doing better as the days go by.


----------



## Son

Summer must be here, it's hot and dry again.


----------



## Son

Promised rain today, but it skipped over us and only did a short sprinkle just before dark. I had to water the garden again.


----------



## Son

Our ponds are holding their own, but crop irrigation will begin taking a toll on em shortly if we don't get rain soon. Seems to be the normal around here the last few years. Floods in Spring then dries up like a desert.


----------



## stealthman52

Rained here last nite, got 1-1/8", then today about 5pm, got another 1"


----------



## Son

Lake Seminole went down to normal levels this past weekend, but now it's back up to the bottom of the dock. Water conditions are stained, must be from all the rain north of us this past few days. Not favorable for fishing, i can tell ya'll that. Except for catfish, folks are doing well on wisker fishing.
Took Gloria to the dr yesterday, they removed all the staples from her back surgery, must have been a hundred of em. Boy she is sore today from that and the three hours of riding to Thomasville Ga and back.


----------



## Bear10

Glad to hear that they took the stitches out. That means progress is being made. She will be chasing you around the house in no time.


----------



## kmckinnie

Bear10 said:


> Glad to hear that they took the stitches out. That means progress is being made. She will be chasing you around the house in no time.



Out of the house!  Good deal!


----------



## Son

Not too soon. The 3 hour ride got her yesterday, sore today, so i've been playing nurse, cook, and fetch it. 
At least i'm working in air conditioning, except for two hours today when a brush fire burned down a powerpole. And there we sat with no electricity in the mid afternoon. 
Yes, she will improve from here on.


----------



## Thereelmccoy

Just like the good ole day in a Florida cracker house.
Let the breeze blow.


----------



## Son

I need a break from stuff tearing up. Had to change out the condenser fan motor in the four ton unit today.  Now, the right hub assembly is going out on the Ford Explorer, heard it today while on a grocery run. 150 bucks didn't fill half the buggy. 
But on a better note, my deer mount, first one i've done in over fifteen years, turned out pretty good. That's him on the right, scored in the 130's.


----------



## Son

Old archery and bowhunting memories. Made the quiver when stationed in NW Africa in 61.


----------



## Son

When it quit raining, It quit. Hope it's not a repeat of last year. Dried up and couldn't put in food plots until later in the year.


----------



## Bear10

We actually got a rain shower at my house this afternoon. My brown lawn soaked it up quick.


----------



## Son

I'm getting tired of windstream internet. When i first signed up with em, it was fast, worked well 24/7. No so these days. Between 6:30 PM and 11:00 PM it's like dial up used to be. Being a retired phoneman, i suspect they havn't kept up with demand. Not enough equipment to handle folks at prime time. After the evenin meal til they go to bed. Could be a slow down with a purpose. Last week, we received a notice from Windstream that to get faster internet, it would cost us another five bucks per month. Believe me, i know the games phone companies play. Saw it for many years.

After i came on GON, it took over thirty minutes to get to the bottom of this thread. Lousy service if ya ask me.

I've been watching radar, good rain went by to the east of me. I'm still hoping one of those clouds will come here. Been having to water everyday just to keep things alive in the flowerbeds and garden.


----------



## Bear10

Son said:


> I'm getting tired of windstream internet. When i first signed up with em, it was fast, worked well 24/7. No so these days. Between 6:30 PM and 11:00 PM it's like dial up used to be. Being a retired phoneman, i suspect they havn't kept up with demand. Not enough equipment to handle folks at prime time. After the evenin meal til they go to bed. Could be a slow down with a purpose. Last week, we received a notice from Windstream that to get faster internet, it would cost us another five bucks per month. Believe me, i know the games phone companies play. Saw it for many years.
> 
> After i came on GON, it took over thirty minutes to get to the bottom of this thread. Lousy service if ya ask me.
> 
> I've been watching radar, good rain went by to the east of me. I'm still hoping one of those clouds will come here. Been having to water everyday just to keep things alive in the flowerbeds and garden.



Your computer can also get a virus that will slow it down considerably! It happens all the time.


----------



## Son

Same thing on all three computers, at the same times of the day. Most of the day, works great. Just evenings that are slow.
Had a friend who in in the puter business look at em, and he said. It's the provider, Windstream.


----------



## Son

Having to hang around the house to look after Gloria after her back surgery, i made a bench from scrap lumber to keep me busy. 
She's doing better by the day, maybe i can get out and do some fishing soon.


----------



## Ronnie T

It looks really good.
My wife's back surgery recuperating isn't going so well.
As they say, "She's had a relapse today".
The ups and downs of surgery I guess.
What kinds of wood you got in the bench?


----------



## Son

Ronnie, your wife must have had as bad an operation as Gloria did. Doc says it's going to take 8 months to get halfway over this.

I picked up the wood at a small local sawmill, from their trash pile. There's pine, red oak, cedar and i think that colorful board is chinaberry.
Went back by the mill couple days ago, and now they have a sign up saying they are selling the slag wood now. Guess they noticed there can be a profit there.


----------



## Son

A few hit and miss showers have moved through my area today. According to radar, some moved through our hunting woods last night. We can use more, so ya'll start dancing.


----------



## billy336

Hurricane headed your way, well, maybe. Should fill up your ponds


----------



## Thereelmccoy

*Rain*

8 to 10 in perdicted for Central Florida. We need the rain.


----------



## Son

Been a steady drizzle since around 5 PM, hope it last awhile. That's right here at Lake Seminole in SW Ga.


----------



## Ronnie T

Got 5 inches in Campbellton this week.


----------



## Son

Poured here at Lake Seminole last night for a spell, with thunder and lightening,  nothing today.


----------



## Son

Had a good rain at the lake right after dark.


----------



## Son

It's hot and muggy in SW Ga now. According to the weather people, the rains have gone for a spell.


----------



## Son

Working on another mount. I've been lazy, it took me a couple years to get to this one. Boy, the cost has sure gone up on forms, eyes etc..  Couple weeks and this one will fill the last vacancy on the den wall.


----------



## Son

Here it is 10:28 and so far all the rain has gone north of Lake Seminole in SW Ga. Hit a small shower just south of Donalsonville around 4.


----------



## twtabb

Didn't even settle the dust here in Bainbridge. Anyone in miller get any rain?


----------



## Son

I heard it rained near Mayhaw yesterday, and over near Spring Creek in Seminole couple days ago.
Nothing at Lake Seminole yet.


----------



## Son

Brought my current mount job into the house so i could cut the air off in the shed. He doesn't fit the only vacant spot i have in the den. So, for now as he finishes setting up, he'll hang here. The cards keep the hide to the form until he's completely setup, then they come off, and finishing touches will be done.


----------



## Ronnie T

If the rain keeps missing Seminole I guess I can go fishin over there Thursday with no fear of getting rained on?????
Bet I'll get into a downpour.


----------



## Son

Well come on Ronnie, we need the rain..  lol

You can even do a rain dance in your boat. Shouldn't bother the fish any.

So far, it's missed us again today


----------



## Son

Amazing how it can rain all around me, but not on my sandy soil at Lake Seminole. Rains out in the lake, west and east of me, and even to the north but not here. All i get is thunder, lightening and clouds.


----------



## Ronnie T

We got almost two inches on the west side of Seminole this afternoon.
.


----------



## Havana Dude

drizzle in Hayvanner


----------



## Son

We had about 30 minutes of drizzle on the north side of Lake Seminole, started around 7 PM. Stopped now.


----------



## Son

Time to pick berries


----------



## Bear10

We picked a bucket full of blue berries yesterday at a friends house and they sure are good! We also got enough black berries for my wife to make a cobbler tonight which was excellent. There is nothing like fresh berries.


----------



## Son

I was fixin to go again this morning. Had to stop by a restaurant to get their pump going, pressure switch was full of cobwebs in the contacts. After that i was so hot, decided to come back home. The humidity is awful today and no breeze.
Bet those ol bucks are laying in water to keep cool and to keep the bugs off. I've actually seen em doing that. And we can bet the snakes are scattered about. Cottonmouths hunting frogs and rattlers under blackberry bushes waiting on field rats.


----------



## Son

Ask for rain and we got it. Been pouring off and on since wednesday morning. And more coming. It's going to be wet in the woods.


----------



## Son

We wanted rain, we got it. And still getting it.


----------



## Bear10

It hasn't rained here at my house in several hours, believe it or not the sun is trying to peak through.


----------



## rance56

any of yall familiar with how the hunting is on the babcock plantation. this is about 2000 acre tract. thanks


----------



## Son

I have no idea about the plantations.
But it's continued to rain everyday here at Lake Seminole, it's a wet year so far. Yesterdays rain beat my beans to the ground.  Tomatoes are splitting from too much water but the raspberries and black berries are doing fine.


----------



## Son

Rain every day for three weeks is making it difficult to keep up with mowing at our hunt camp. Never saw a lawnmower get stuck in a lawn before, but yesterday, we stuck a zero turn in the yard at hunt camp. In some areas, water was standing couple inches deep.  Timber crews are gone, woods are quiet and very wet right now. The food plots are flooded, so we can't plant those right now. Amazing, went from drought to flood in our woods.
And found an arrowhead or two.


----------



## Son

And the rains continue...


----------



## Bear10

Son, 
Have you been seeing any fawns on the lease? It's ashame the food plots were not planted a few weeks ago before all this rain started.


----------



## Son

Yes, darn the luck, the tractor was down just when we should have planted. Lots of fawns this year, fawn tracks everywhere, just hope the coyotes don't get em all. Hoping to have a few dry days so we can plant. We've had the seed for about two months now, need to plant. If for nothing else, to see some deer food grow. But, the deer are not going without, crops are all around us again. And plenty browse in the cuts, that's where i see the most deer.
Lake Seminole remains high and stained, just can't get in the mood to go fishing in the mess. Havn't seen many others hitting the lake lately either, except on weekends. Then there's a few, mostly jetskis and boat riders.


----------



## Chasintail

Tons of green with all this rain  on our property very thick should be great acorn crop , Son im about 15-20 south of you im right on 27 off of whites bridge rd


----------



## talisman

Chasintail said:


> Tons of green with all this rain  on our property very thick should be great acorn crop , Son im about 15-20 south of you im right on 27 off of whites bridge rd



We had a place of whiye bridge road and babcock rds and it was pretty good until they cut all the woods so thin you could see a 1000 yards across it


----------



## Chasintail

Yeah lotta plantation lookin woods around here , you got any good ones on camera yet this year kenny?


----------



## talisman

We just got started with cameras we have a couple so far


----------



## Chasintail

Yeah we got a few bucks pretty happy so far with this new piece of property , we'll have to come up to the ole club durin huntin season this yr


----------



## Son

I havn't had camera's out for awhile now due to the timber activity going on. They're out now, guess it would be a good time to get em back in the woods. Have seen a few good ones when riding around checking things out though.


----------



## Son

Raining again today, 22 July. Looks like we're in for rain until the 30th, so says the weather people. Hunting woods are flooded with water running across the roads.


----------



## Nicodemus

Is that hydrilla meeting still on for Wednesday?


----------



## Son

Far as i know, i've forgot what time though.


----------



## Nicodemus

10, I think. I`ll be there.


----------



## Son

Found the paper, it's at 10 AM on the 24th. I'll try and be there too.
We're experiencing another rainy day.


----------



## Bear10

If we didn't have the rain to complain about, we would be complaining about the heat & the lack of rain. Hopefully the ponds & creeks will stay full this hunting season which will help keep some of those big bucks out of the thick, grown up ponds. It seems like you see more big bucks killed when the woods are full of water.


----------



## Son

I agree


----------



## Havana Dude

We definitely do better in wet years. But who knows, last 2 years have been less than ideal with them cutting 2 sides of us.


----------



## Son

Our club knows about the cutting. Clearcut about four hundred acres south of our fence two years ago, now a farm. Clearcut 650 north of our fence last season, sitting there waiting on dry weather to replant. Clearcut 200 acres of ours on the East end during season. Just recently clearcut about 150 acres on our west end. Two years ago, clearcut 400 acres right in the middle of us. the future might be looking good cause there's nothing else to cut. The 400 acre area has grown up over my head, should be good this coming season. The east and west clearcuts still have all the brush and oaks standing, will be great if they don't get to clean those areas up before the season, and during season. Might say, we've had about two seasons completely messed up as far as hunting goes, but the price didn't go down any. And the lessors ask for a deer kill total. 9 deer comes to about 1,222.00 per kill last year. If i'm thinking right, that's more expensive than steak. And some want to talk about QDM, just doesn't work on leased properties much. Especially when there are people hunting on the other side of the fence with no management in mind, and timber harvesting during deer season.  Exactly why our club tells it's members, two bucks your choice, state law, and two does per paid membership.  Allow anymore and our deer numbers will eventually dwindle. Bet the coyotes get their share, as we've seen em chasing deer.


----------



## Bear10

That is true, there is not very much to cut at your lease anymore but that should make for several good years of hunting in the future.


----------



## Son

Yep, it takes at least twelve years before the first thinning. I would be 83 then, hope i can keep on hunting.

Here's how I found our roads yesterday, the woods are floating, very little dry land to be found right now. Not too deep, up to the hubs in some spots. Our deer are taking swimming lessons.


----------



## Son

Wow, we went two days without rain.  One thing about all this water, fish are everywhere now. Seeing em in the roads, ditches etc..


----------



## Havana Dude

It flooded here at my house last evening for about 20 minutes. Then slacked off to a drizzle another 30 minutes or so. Looks like today may end your 2 day drought. Maybe

Clouding up here already this morning.


----------



## Son

Raining at Lake Seminole right now, began at 8:00 or so.  Our woods are still wet, roads still underwater etc. Mowed in water in the camp yard in some spots. Put out one camera, and went to check one that's been out. Found it out in a pond, didn't have any wading gear so will go back with some soon. Installed a new map board in camp for the coming season. New map will be put up next trip.


----------



## Son

Another good hard rain at Lake Seminole, Cypress Pond area about 30 minutes ago, lasted for about 30 minutes.


----------



## Son

Bow season will be upon us before we know it, and it's so wet we can't get to most of our stands. Need to be relocated some of em due to timber cutting etc..  Our food plots have water standing in em.  And hurricane season is about to begin.
It may be one of those wet seasons, we havn't had one in several years.


----------



## Havana Dude

More water the better for it is for me. Pushes deer out of that deep swamp I can't go into.  We do really good in wet years.


----------



## Son

Yes, a wet season works great for us as well. But you get wet feet a lot. Like it especially when we have enough water to redistribute fish and minnows everywhere, helps keep the skeeters at a minimum.


----------



## Son

Water is off our main grade now, just running across it in a few small places. But the woods remain flooded. 
Bucks have about a month to finish growing those antlers in our woods. Time's getting short, hope it cools off some before bow season.
Got tired of the Sorry ten letting me down. So, i went and bought a new truck. Nissan 4 x 4. If i can get the sorry ten fixed will use it for the woods.


----------



## firefightermpc

That's a nice truck you have there! Wish my truck was 4 door...


----------



## Son

Rained a good shower on the north side of Lake Seminole this afternoon. Cypress Pond area.
Cancelled a trip to the woods, just too darn hot and muggy. The Gnats are out in full force too.


----------



## Bear10

Good looking truck Son, now all you need is a pic with a big buck in the back of it in a couple of months.


----------



## Son

Checked the woods today. Plots are almost dry enough to plant something besides rice.
Got some nice photos on one trail camera. Can't get to the other one yet, water's still too deep, over my boots. Our roads need mowing, too much in the middle and will put seeds into the radiators of our vehicles. Got the Sorry Ten in the shop. New radiator, new water pump, new brakes and hopefully, he can fix the fourwheel drive problem. Took my new truck through some bad mud/water holes today, no problems. But it's all muddy now. The old cut of about 400 acres is thick, it's going to take something to see a deer in there.


----------



## Son

Darn hard rain hit the Cypress Pond area of Lake Seminole while ago.  Was talking to a feller in Bainbridge at the time, he said it was pouring there too. Still sprinkling at this time. Ya'll wont have to water today.


----------



## Son

August 15th, and the rains continue. Our woods are flooded again. Rained at Lake Seminole today too.


----------



## Bear10

The main road going into the hunting woods will probably be under water again if we get the amount of rain that they are calling for the next three days.


----------



## Son

Over six inches at Lake Seminole in two days. Watched radar and our woods got more than the lake did. Yep, bet it's floating up there. My camera's are on high ground this time.


----------



## stealthman52

Bear, you hunting up there with Son this year you better take plenty of steel shot...for them ducks, lol.


----------



## Ronnie T

Son said:


> Over six inches at Lake Seminole in two days. Watched radar and our woods got more than the lake did. Yep, bet it's floating up there. My camera's are on high ground this time.



9 inches total on the west side of Seminole since Friday night.


----------



## Son

I don't know how much we ended up with as of this morning. Six inch gauge ran over sometime, here at Cypress Pond. Right now, it's sprinkling, but the most rain is just north of Seminole headed north.
Bet my hunting woods up near Blakely is nothing but a lake now.


----------



## jerone

9.9" since Wednesday. And another storm tonight!


----------



## stealthman52

Son, like I said, ducks ducks, ducks should be plentiful


----------



## Son

I know one thing. The way it's going. It's going to be a wet deer season. I like that. ya'll can have my share of the ducks. Take note though, the last timber crew left some of our roads with plenty mudholes. Don't pull off the road anywhere, or you'll be bogged down. I got stuck in the backyard of camp couple weeks ago.  Yep, right there where we always park.


----------



## stealthman52

Now that is wet, better go easy on that golf buggy too


----------



## Son

Yep, can't get that electric motor underwater.  And the woods are floating right now. Rains everyday. We've gotten over ten inches now at the lake. More up in the woods. Miller road is still washed out in the curve, best to come to camp from the north.


----------



## Son

Rains continue, woods still flooded, no food plots in our woods yet. We've had the seeds for over a month now, problem is, it's not rice.
The deer are not going without though, lots of new browse in the new cuts, plus all the brush and oaks are still standing in those areas. If it stays too wet for em to come in a clear for planting, we're going to have a good deer season. I'm all for the rain if it will keep em from cleaning up during season.  Our area is marl with some surface sand. It's gotta be real dry to drive on that stuff.


----------



## Son

Woods are flooded worse now than they were before. Water running and standing everywhere. But the deer don't mind, saw a herd in the new cut in the middle of the day. Driving in the main grade, saw fish jumping as the truck pushed a wave inside the gate to road one. Some looked to be about 6 or 7 inches long. It's going to be a year for waterproof boots. Next week is suppose to have a few dry days. Maybe some of that water will run off so we can get to our stands that need moved.


----------



## Bear10

We definitely need a couple of weeks of dry weather. When I left the lease yesterday, I went to a friends lease right down the road and they had a large tractor, and a 2500 HD buried in the mud. They barely were off the main road. They had a mess on their hands!


----------



## stealthman52

Fish jumping?, Mullet or Georgia Giants ?, you might need to develop tide tables for that lease if it keeps raing, lol.


----------



## Son

Well, it's wet enough, gators are moving in. This one was swimming in front of the truck between our gate and road 1. When he swam off to the side, i took his photo. Have seen em in here up to about ten feet, so there's some big one's here too.


----------



## stealthman52

Gator tail makes a fine camp food


----------



## Son

I'll stick with backstrap. Two days and no rain, might just dry out some.


----------



## stealthman52

Bought a Bushnell Elite 1500 Rangefinder w/ ACU pouch, brand new military surplus for 150 yesterday, might come in handy when i sit open areas.
That is a nissan(as they say in Ga)  you bought there , good looking truck hope it serves you well, maybe keep that S10 from occupying your time, remember you never get that time back, lol.


----------



## Son

Yep, the Nissan says, assembled in Tennessee. So far, i like it comfortable ride and plenty room inside. More inside room for hunting gear. And the bed is just large enough for a nice big buck.


----------



## stealthman52

Good deal, maybe water levels will recede once them ole farmers smokeoff them irragation systems in a few weeks.


----------



## Son

Just had a Labor Day weekend and was i surprised. Lake Seminole in SW Ga had less people on it during the three days than a work week wed. Saw a few pontoons, handful of bass boats and a few jetski's, but nothing like in past years.
I fished for three days and caught one bass, didn't try the panfish. Grass has taken over all my favorite spots and many channels are so choked with weeds it will plug up your motors water pump. Had to keep an eye on that. Not the Seminole i remember in the past. Flotillas of hycinths all out in the main lake, where did those come from? Hydrilla, milfoil etc, everywhere. We need a herd of hippo's.


----------



## stealthman52

Nope, you need to do like Florida rocket scientists did and add Nile Perch, also known as what metros eat at Outback as Tilapia, lol.


----------



## hortonhunter22

Seminole already has tilapia


----------



## stealthman52

Wow, Tilapia down here in Florida were introduced to eat the grass, hydrilla, did not make an impact like they thought it would.


----------



## Ronnie T

Son, the high water floated the hyacinths from out of the shallows, then pushed them into the main lake.  A little bit of house cleaning I guess.
I hate to hear that the hydrilla is packing in.


----------



## Son

Yes, we've had talapia for years now, and some large one's in the Spring Creek area. Hycinths havn't been a problem yet, but the other exotic weeds are and have been.
Grandson was fishing last Tuesday, When he decided to come back to the house, the 40 Mariner wouldn't turn over. He used the trolling motor and almost made it home. Then began to paddle, a neighbor went out and towed him to our dock. Pulling the hood, i found the choke assembly had fell into the flywheel and locked it up. Not too long ago, had the carbs worked on, and they forgot to put the bolts back in the choke. Put some pretty good marks on the flywheel. I've put the bolts in the choke but havn't tried it out yet. Bow season is fixin to open, so might just keep the boat under the shed for awhile. Hope i can bowhunt the first week, gotta have a plug cut out of my left chest this coming Tuesday to remove a melanoma. That means stitches, don't know how that will work out pulling a bow string.
All areas of Seminole i fished were in a mess with weeds. High water also caused some problems as many broke off stumps couldn't be seen before the boat got on em. The main lake was stained bad and the isolated connecting lakes had some staining. Maybe next year will be better for fishing. This year has been less than friendly to fish for panfish.


----------



## Son

If ya get stuck on our place so bad a four wheel drive can't pull you out, you call these guys.


----------



## Thereelmccoy

Bring cash


----------



## Son

Another feller got stuck out there this morning with a 4 x 4 fourwheeler. He was mud from head to toe.


----------



## Son

Mowed our hunt camp today. Mowed some roads and harrowed most of the food plots. Before i got caught on the far end in a thunderstorm. Was suppose to have a helper following in my truck. He had gone back to his truck for a nap. Got soaked.
I will be getting a different helper. According to the weather channel, wasn't suppose to be a chance of rain until tomorrow. It poured at Lake Seminole too.


----------



## Son

Bow season opens in Ga Sept 14th, but i will not be able to draw my bow for at least two weeks due to stitches in my left chest. Just a minor setback. Maybe it will be a little cooler when i do get to go. Like the Dr says, "Old age isn't friendly". I'm catching on.


----------



## Son

Good luck to all you bowhunters. It should be a good year with all the rain we've had. Akerns are already falling in Early, Miller and Seminole counties.


----------



## Son

No word of anyone getting a deer on our property yet. Should be feeding this afternoon. I've seen rabbits and squirrels out here at the house. Nice cool day too, with a slight breeze.


----------



## Chasintail

Not a good start to our bowseason in south miller buddy shot a big 9 a little high trailed for 200 yards or so and blood dried up


----------



## Son

Never know about high shots, i've seen deer live from such shots.  To be killed next year or later with evidence of being shot. Some with the broadhead still intact in bone.


----------



## Son

Only one bowhunter so far, he hunted Sat and Sunday morning without taking a deer. Bow season is dull around our camp, not many members care to bow hunt for various reasons. Saving that vacation for gun season is one.  I have another week or so before i can go. Getting cabin fever.


----------



## Son

Just poured 2.75 inches out of my gain gauge at Lake Seminole Ga, this morning.


----------



## Bear10

They are calling for more rain the next couple of days and drying up by the weekend.


----------



## Son

Hope everyone fared better getting their online harvest report than i did. Thought i did everything before finishing up, and know i hit the harvest one. License is free due to age, so printed it out. No harvest report was printed, just two blanks.
Went back picked up harvest report, hit print. Printer says, "Out of Ink".
Off to Walmart for ink, back home to print it out, all the while hoping the power didn't go off and lose it.


----------



## Bear10

That means you only get to look & not shoot. Our modern technology is something else.


----------



## Havana Dude

Bear10 said:


> That means you only get to look & not shoot. Our modern technology is something else.



Haha, good one Bear. I'm sure he will say..........nice try!!!


----------



## Son

Sorry, i finally got it.   Thought i was going to have to call one of the grandkids to figure it out. But i have patience and kept trying. But this was a piece of cake compared to paying some bills online. Some companies make you work to give em your money.
Y'all admit it, sometimes these computers can make you feel so dumb.
Figure something out and think you've done something. Then find out the kids already knew it.

Not only did i get the harvest permit, i also printed out a "taking a nap in the blind" permit.


----------



## Son

New blind finished today. I love having good comfortable blinds to take my naps in.


----------



## Bear10

Is that blind at the intersection of 5 & 6?


----------



## Son

No, it's right in front of the Piney Woods waterhole. Bad weather blind, and it's light enough to move if better sign is found, anytime. Just rode around today in the area of 5 and 6, 7 and 8 and saw plenty popups and ladderstands.  I may just hunt right behind camp.


----------



## Bear10

That bad weather might be coming this weekend.


----------



## Thereelmccoy

Good as any


----------



## Bear10

The weather is trying to cool down this week but the afternoon highs are still in the 80s. I will sure be glad when it is to cold for the skeeters.


----------



## Son

Our food plots are in, and had a good rain. Three more days of bow season. Muzzle loaders coming Saturday.  Boom..


----------



## Havana Dude

I actually spent a couple hours in the swamp today, no skeeter spray and only had a couple bother me. I was shocked to see the lazy one has lived up to his nick name again......and he is retired. Nothing been done and I even charged his feeder batteries and they are still at camp.


----------



## Son

That's the way it goes. I have one close by who can come up with excuses, won't answer his phone etc..  What he doesn't realize, it cost him in the long run because i do not put him on bucks like i used to. At 71 and a half, i'm getting too old to be doing it all, so there will be some things that will not get done. I'll merely go to my couple stands and do my thing and let the rest worry about themselves. Although, we do have some good members who will pull their share when present. Thank goodness.
Checked cameras today. Lots of does, fawns and young bucks. Best buck was an 8 or 10, couldn't count the points due to the angle.


----------



## Havana Dude

While my situation is a little different from yours, I refuse to call him to do anything. He's a grown man, owns land like the rest of us. He knows there are things to do, and does not care. The few times he has come out, he likes to boss folks around, and stand around and do a lot of nothing. I got no use for someone like that.


----------



## kmckinnie

H/D when does bow open here.


----------



## Havana Dude

kmckinnie said:


> H/D when does bow open here.



10-18 I believe.


----------



## florida boy

10 / 26 in zone D


----------



## Son

Zones, Florida has zones?  Wow, i wouldn't like that.


----------



## Havana Dude

florida boy said:


> 10 / 26 in zone D



Thanks for correction. I was going off memory, as it historically has opened mid Oct., not toward the end. My bad KM.


----------



## Havana Dude

Son said:


> Zones, Florida has zones?  Wow, i wouldn't like that.



Yep, and now under consideration is to split zone D into 2 separate zones running along I-10, one zone north of it and one south of it. Probably be same season dates, but different buck rules etc. They are talking about the north zone(mine), going with a 3 point on a side rule for bucks. Sounds good to me. Anything to improve the herd is ok with me. 20 years ago, I would have screamed no. We already shoot 6 or better at my place, so no big deal. There will be an exception for children under 16, which is a good thing also. Maybe they are listening.


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## stealthman52

I bet the Georgia  boys are ready fer muzzle season......


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## Son

Smell that smoke, lol. Can't see through it until a gently breezed blows it away. That's how muzzleloader hunting goes. Ya'll don't forget to clean those barrels after every couple shots for better accuracy. I'm using a .45, seems everybody else uses .50 calibers.
Not easy to find .45 supplies though.


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## joedublin

Hope you have a spectacular year, Son, we're doing our best to have a good year.....just put in 19 brand new food plots to attract 'em and hold 'em. Got 2 in the 140's last December so things are getting better each year.


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## Son

Wish you a great season too Joe.
I went ahead and put some meat in the freezer with a big alpha doe. Was too picky last season, only took one buck and one doe. Gave half of each to other members who wasn't doing so good. So,, as you may have guessed, my venison didn't last long. I'm seeing more snakes than usual, so be careful.
Bow and muzzle loading doesn't seem to be a big draw in our club. Only a couple came up for bow, and about the same for the smoking gun.  Maybe i'll see enough people in camp this coming weekend to cook up some chow.


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## Son

Didn't make it hunting, raining all day where i live. Later found out, it never rained in our woods. No problem, plenty time left to go.


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## hortonhunter22

Sounds like the weather might turn nice come the end of the week, looking forward to that!


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## Bear10

Son said:


> Didn't make it hunting, raining all day where i live. Later found out, it never rained in our woods. No problem, plenty time left to go.



Haven't you already used your one bullet or do you get one muzzleloader bullet & one 30/06 bullet? I need to check the rules on that one.


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## Son

Muzzleloader doesn't count. It's a freebee. So, i may use it most of the season...
Saw a bunch of does today.


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## Son

This deer season is going like last season. Nobody hunting except for a couple who came up for a day and a half, couple times.  Thinking about changing the name of the club to "The seldom hunted club". Sure wish the timber companies wouldn't kill all the large live oaks when they replant pines. Most of em are along our roads, and have began shedding large limbs in the roads. Makes one nervous to drive under em with a new truck. I'm constantly throwing dead limbs out of the roads. This will go on for a couple more years i'm sure. Killing those large oaks sure did away with lots of mast that feeds wildlife.  The oaks were scattered around the property. Yes, i know, oaks take up light, air and water from the seedling pines. But, i noticed the planting of over 25 years ago wasn't affected much by em. The largest consumer of the water resources are the big farm wells that surround the area.


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## Son

Guess timber companies have done the actuary to figure how much they will lose if oaks are left. Lets see how if might go. Each big oak may deny ten pines growth. Multiply that by 100 oaks and you have 1000 pines lost. Multiply that by the number of tracts with 100 oaks and it begins to add up to big money. But what did it cost to hire the helicopter  to spray those oaks?  Just hate to see those big ol oaks die. My Dad always said, people need to learn, they have to take a little bad along with good. And those oaks ain't all bad, but they do much good.


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## Havana Dude

I sometimes think they just hate oaks period. I sat on stand one evening, and a group starting shooting up the hill from our place on the timber co land. Nothing i can do to stop it. But when I left, I noticed alot of tire tracks and footprints in a sandy  intersection. I stopped got out and found a bunch of empty casings. Got to looking around, and the idiots had shot up 10 -20 leg size pines. I called the timber company, and they seemed to not even care, and probably thought I was an idiot. It's not my land or my pines, but I cared enough to call. I told him, I thought, at the very least they would maybe come out and cut em down, so that the bullets did not go through their mill in 10-20 years. He said ehhh, no big deal. Last time I will call them about that.


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## stealthman52

You guys don't remember the Weyerhauser commercials on TV?, they showed deer eating the young pine needles to convince the metros that pines are good for wildlife as a food source, deer are browsers so if its young, tender,  they will nibble.
That same gimmick happened in Citrus Son, Citrus back when i was 8 years old had a lot of mast, that was 1962, then they decided to start removing the oaks and plant dang pines, deer forage was lessened, now a deer in there maybe gets to 100lbs if lucky.
In 1957, my dad took a 8pt from Citrus that weighed 180lbs, my grandad killed one on East fence on 581 in 1954 that weighed 200lbs, you will never see that again in Florida management areas.


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## Havana Dude

Just a smidge before my time Stealthy!!


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## Son

I remember the Citrus management area when pine needles were the main food used by the deer there. A big deer would weight about 52 or 55 pounds, I saw it the first time the place was opened for hunting. It was found, pine needles were sticking in the inside of the digestive tract, causing infections. I took two 5.5 year old 8 points bucks during one of the better years in the 70's. One weighed 102, the other 109. That's Federal land, and yes, they ruined the mast crop for the area. Better bucks were being killed on private lands nearby where the liveoaks survived.


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## Son

During the 1960's, myself and friends took several bucks from the Citrus management area. The largest weighed 70 something, and they were infested with bot fly larvae, so many their airways were choked to the point, the deer could barely breath. Haislop recently said, Citrus was on the bad side again. The area needs more water, and more food for the wildlife.


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## Son

Learned today, a neighboring property killed a big 11 point i had my sights on for a couple years. Saw his photo today, looked just like he did when i saw him during turkey season. He should have stayed on our property, he might have had a better chance avoiding me. When it comes to bucks, everything gets to walk, unless it's big.  Last season, i did get one big eight, then held out for a chance of several others i had on camera. Never happened, so i finished with one buck last year. Hope this year isn't a repeat, would like to get two nice bucks and a couple does. Maybe i'm too picky.


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## Bear10

Hopefully we will start getting pictures of some of those good bucks soon as they should start splitting up and roaming around. Every young buck I saw this weekend had dark hocks. If it would get cold and stay cold, business would pick up.


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## Son

So far, it's been a slow season for me. Only seen one big buck, and yes, i missed him with the muscleloader. Excuses, it was a long shot, he was moving, and maybe too much stuff in the way. Anyway, the bullet didn't make it to the spot aimed at.  Seeing lots of young deer, and a few young bucks. But the snakes are out in force. Subdued some bad ones, and had one strike my snake boot in the dark coming out one night. Sure i jumped, can't help it.  Some of my ladderstands are still out in water too deep for my boots.


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## Son

Friday has been a rainy day. Great for the plots.


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## Son

Think it may be a good idea to change the name of our Hunt Club to, "The vacant Hunt Club", cause there's not enough people showing up to even cook a good meal for.  So, a couple of us have been cooking for Two.....
It was a slow weekend, only one deer seen by us two, and it ran across the road while we were riding out.
Farms are digging peanuts around us, and the cotton hasn't been picked. Two factions that keep deer out of the woods, and out near the fields. Be glad when the farms finish.


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## Son

Think it may be a good idea to change the name of our Hunt Club to, "The vacant Hunt Club", cause there's not enough people showing up to even cook a good meal for.  So, a couple of us have been cooking for Two.....
It was a slow weekend, only one deer seen by us two, and it ran across the road while we were riding out.
Farms are digging peanuts around us, and the cotton hasn't been picked. Two factions that keep deer out of the woods, and out near the fields. Be glad when the farms finish.


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## Laneybird

Son said:


> Think it may be a good idea to change the name of our Hunt Club to, "The vacant Hunt Club", cause there's not enough people showing up to even cook a good meal for.  So, a couple of us have been cooking for Two.....
> It was a slow weekend, only one deer seen by us two, and it ran across the road while we were riding out.
> Farms are digging peanuts around us, and the cotton hasn't been picked. Two factions that keep deer out of the woods, and out near the fields. Be glad when the farms finish.





Son, I agree about being close to the fields. They came out right after the rain on Friday evening. I was in Jakin/Early Co., loving every minute of it. I told my buddy, that you had renamed the club and he said heck...we'll show up! lol


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## Son

Sort of half heartily went back hunting monday morning. It's been days since i've seen a deer from the stand. Monday morning, been in the stand about 15 minutes and here comes an 8, fair, even rack, but not what i'm waiting for. Then here came a 6, nice little buck, but let him go on too. About 45 minutes into the hunt, here came two does. I watched em eat akerns for quite some time before i could decide which one was the largest. Shot the largest, and found it was a big ol dry doe absolutely covered with fat. Good choice i think, and now i know for sure. Dragging a deer any distance isn't friendly to my old joints.  Now, here comes the ticker. After butchering the doe, went back to the woods to check a camera. Just inside our gate, out jumps a shooter buck as they call em on tv. I watched him run west down our main road for several hundred yards before turning in to the south. Well, at least i got to see one of our bigg'uns. Something must have kicked him up, as he was leaving "dodge" as we say.

Oh, my ol doe had pretty ears.


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## Chasintail

Heading up there this weekend the plots should be lookin pretty good , son im glad you got to see a shooter wont be to long before things startin pickin up


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## Son

Slight showers at Lake Seminole during the last hour, bout gone now. No rain in Mayhaw though. Skeeters are out in full force today cause it's warmed up.


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## Son

Been taking a few days off, recent dental work has me with a constant headache. The wind has been bad too.


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## Son

Back in the woods the last two days. Nice, saw plenty deer, but not the big one's. This afternoon, going in, had two nice bucks jump the road in front of the truck. At least they're letting me know they're still there. Went on to the stand and saw some does.  Looks like the next two days will be cold and windy. I just might stay home.


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## Son

Cold wind kept me indoors today. I don't have nothing against those deer on days like this one. Come on rain, the plots could use a little moisture.


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## Son

Braved the warmup for couple days. Our deer have locked down daylight activity. Camera's getting em at midnight. Four stand periods and enjoyed the squirrels and birds.
Didn't enjoy the cottonmouth that tried it's best to come up on the fourwheeler with me when i ran over it. Didn't see the snake until the front wheels hit it.


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## Havana Dude




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## Bear10

Son,
You sure can find the snakes.


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## Son

Nastalgia: Back in the early eighties, I think it was 83, two Alabama Game wardens came by my taxidermy shop and ask if i could figure out a way to fix em a decoy buck to catch night hunter. Sent em for two small white reflectors like used to go on bicycles. Popped the glass eyes out of a nice buck mount and installed the reflectors. They then used the mount hanging on the end of a sawhorse with a croaker sack draped over it. Sit it out in a cotton field on Macon county road 79. In the cotton, off a curve in the road, it got the attention of many night hunters. I'm claiming to have made the first deer decoy used to catch poachers.
At the time, wardens didn't know if it would hold up in court, so they would never let the shooter see what they shot.  lol
Now days, we see all sorts of news about "Robo Deer".


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## Son

Yes, warm weather, and my favorite hunting areas are in swamps. That's where the cottonmouths like to hang out too.  And our woods has it's share of cottonmouths and rattlers.


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## Son

One day, maybe one day, i'll be able to experience a deer season without timber thinning, clearcutting, neighbors clearing land, burning with smoke covering over half of our woods. So thick i couldn't breath in it. Smoke is what was going on today. 7 large pieced of equipment running from daylight til dark thirty. They must back up more than they go forward. It's a constant beeping all day long. There's no wilderness left in the South. Didn't see a deer all day long, only one coyote slipping through a thick.
But i did get three more plots planted in wheat. Couple days ago, planted a plot in turnips. Can't wait for those to get eating size.


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## Son

Recounted, there's more like 14 pieces of heavy equipment working on property north of our line. A whole week destroyed far as hunting goes. Yep, we pay a big price to lease the hunting where we are, but neighbors can certainly shut you down with their lack of consideration. Always happens during hunting season, and i bet it will continue. For some reason, all timber harvesting, clearcutting etc happens during deer season in our area and on the property we lease. Been there going on 27 years now, and only the first 11 years were quiet, providing some of the best hunting we've had on the property. At year 12, the first thinning occurred, yep, during hunting season. And it's continues every since. Now we're experiencing clear cutting and replanting. Evidently, timber companies do not have any consideration for hunters. In fact, in their contract it explains they will conduct whatever they want, no matter what time of year it is. But, it's mind boggling to watch a property go all spring, summer and the first of fall without anything being done on it. Come hunting season, and here they come, without fail. Are we just lucky, or are other clubs experiencing some of the same? This past week, hunting on our acreage was ruined by noise and smoke on property to our north.  I tried to hunt a couple days and wound up with a sore throat and burning eyes. Then a thought came to me, they're burning everything on that property, sumac, poison ivy, all sorts of brush and tree harvesting debree. Cant be good for the body, so i'm thinking it wise to stay out of their smoke. Yes, i'm being very nice telling y'all about all this. Wish i could really tell you how i feel about it.       Think you know.
Found out yesterday, the north 650 acres we used to lease for hunting, until it sold last year. Is going to be pasture land. There goes 650 more acres of wildlife habitat. That leaves about 1500 acres of woods connected without fields in it. We have about a thousand of that. Land locked deer, might as well put up a high fence, just kidding.


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## Thereelmccoy

Well that throws a wrench in my up-comming week


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## Son

Not really, they should be through by next week.


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## Chasintail

Yes across street from lease theyve been cuttin since opening weekend of bow , why couldnt they do it the other 9 months outta the year...


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## Thereelmccoy

I hope so. We will see you on Saturday.


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## Son

The activity on the property north of us was delayed by the wet summer. Too much rain for them to get equipment in to work. But they're doing it now, and i'll be glad when they finish. Would be nice to have some quiet time before the season goes out. Still no sign of big bucks pre rutting on our property.


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## Mako 17

Son said:


> The activity on the property north of us was delayed by the wet summer. Too much rain for them to get equipment in to work. But they're doing it now, and i'll be glad when they finish. Would be nice to have some quiet time before the season goes out. Still no sign of big bucks pre rutting on our property.



We are in Terrell county and no real sign of the big bucks being active yet- the little ones have been harassing the does for a few weeks.
Anybody in Terrell or Calhoun or Randolph county seeing any  big Buck activity yet?


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## sparkman8

*Rut Activity*

I am in Early county near Blakely.  We have seen the scraping and activity that the bucks are getting ready but no daytime activity yet.  Hopefully this cold weather during Thanksgiving week and the new moon will kick the rut in.  I can t wait because the big ones are on camera at night right now.


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## Son

Yep, big bucks are doing the midnight shift right now. Camera's still show some bucks hanging around in groups. Yesterday afternoon, had a long horn spike come in alone. I enjoyed watching him, but he's not the kind of buck i want to ride in my truck.
We just experienced a good rain, my gauge says it rained 4 inches here at Lake Seminole. Getting reports from the Blakely area saying they got a little over 2.50 inches and it wasn't thru when i talked to em.  Hoping the woods are filled with water again, makes it easier to hear those deer coming. Maybe it will shut down some of the land clearing that's been going on on our north side. Their noise and smoke has sure shut down our quality time hunting.


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## Son

Hoping everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving today. Full as a tick here, and cold outside. 30 this morning.


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## Son

In my opinion, the pre rut is about to begin in SW Ga. Seminole, Miller and Early counties. Seeing fresh scrapes showing up and getting more mature buck photo's. Some during daylight hours. Time to get out there.


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## Ace1313

Knocked down a big eight in Damascus today. Another guy in my club killed a solid 10 as well. Mine was bumping does and his feeding in cutover.


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## Chasintail

I believe ina week or so things are gunna get interesting , i know of a booner killed in decatur miller line followin a doe and a couple other giants


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## sowega hunter

Good to hear they are close to starting. Start vacation in the morning until the 28th.


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## southwestslayer

Our club killed 2-8s 3-10s and a 9 this weekend


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## southwestslayer

none of them were chasing but they were starting to darken and swell


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## Son

We're getting some interesting bucks on the camera's, some during daylight. More scrapes showing up too. Good luck to all of ya..

Check out this old warrior.


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## Son

Just when it was looking up, it turned back warm, and deer quit day time moving. But, they're moving at night again.


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## Bear10

69 degrees at my house this mornig. The wildlife will be very confused especially after the cold weather we had last week.


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## Son

Darn skeeters are loving it. Hit 80 at my house today. Not worth a darn for deer hunting. But we all know, if the rut kicks in, they don't care what the weather is doing.


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## Thereelmccoy

*rut*

Hopefully it will happen next week. The week im there


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## Son

Don't ya just get tired of watching hunting video's where big bucks just walk around in daylight, in the wide open i might add.
Those hollywood hunters couldn't make a video in our woods unless they filmed at night.  Maybe we don't feed and pet our bucks enough.
Had a cold front move through this afternoon, first time i've hunted in days. Nothing moved.


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## sparkman8

*Big Buck Down*

I am hunting in Early County.  Lots of small buck activity during this past week but no shooters until Saturday, 12-07-12.  10 am in the morning shot a 8 pt out of my climber!  205 lb bruiser!  Yes I said 205 lbs of deer!  Made my whole week worth the wait!  Thanks to all my buddies at hunt camp to help make the experience a good time!  Will be back for more Buck Fever!


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## Bear10

Congrats Sparkman8! Glad you waited on a big one. Post a pic for us.


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## sparkman8

*Big buck down*

Here he is!


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## Bear10

Good looking deer! I like the character of the bent brow tine. I called a friend on the way home today and asked him how they did this weekend and he told me a guy killed a 205lb 8pt this weekend. Then I asked the guys name & it was you Sparkman. I am in a lease right down the road from y'all. Jeremy is my buddy that hunts with you. It's a small world. Congrats again on a good buck.


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## Son

Too darn hot for me, but i hunted anyway. Saw nothing Sat and Sun, but Monday afternoon. While on the way to a stand, slipped up on a rack buck feeding on akerns. Watched him from about 70 yards for 30 minutes or so and never could tell how good the rack was, so i didn't shoot. I could tell, it wasn't one of the big one's i've gotten on camera. Two does later and dark came. Home for a rest. I have noticed bucks have not hit scrapes much in this heat.


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## Son

From 75 to 55 today, suppose to get lower tonight. Tomorrow might be a good hunting day.


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## sparkman8

Another Big Buck Down!

My buddy just killed a massive 8 pt this morning!  Pics to come.  The big ones are moving!


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## Ace1313

Two more down in the Coop this AM.


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## Havana Dude

Soooo, that's where all the deer went!! Congrats to all the killas.


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## Son

First chasing seen in the Lucille/Mayhaw area, this morning. Afternoon stand period was dead.
Bigg'uns are fixing to get into the chasing.


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## Son

Been inside looking out for several days now. Caught the sinus stuff going around. Any one know how the hunting is going in SW Ga? I probably wont be out anytime soon, the way this croop is going.


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## Chasintail

In se miller last weekend there were scrapes n rubs under every tree and they were heatin up cruisin alot id imagine the full moon brought some does in heat


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## sparkman8

*Hunting the big one*

Thanks Bear10 on that!  Did you see that buck Joey killed?  what a trophy! Bucks are moving but they are slick!  Good luck to you ll and let us know if you have any luck!


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## Son

When it was cold and windy, i got down and did some walking


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## Ace1313

Seen several chases the last two days in Damascus. One stud chasing a doe at 2 in the afternoon across the cutover. We couldn't get them to stop. Saw several 2 year olds bumping every doe this morning.


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## Son

Thanks ACE, i think it's going on, but i got the crud sinus stuff. Coughing too much to get in a stand. Usually don't get stuff like this until after the season, but it came early this year. Wishing all of y'all a good season, and a Merry Christmas.


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## Son

For my hunt club: Having a leak at the well, pump is turned off if you happen to go hunting before i have a chance to repair. Can be turned on for water, but don't leave on it it's still leaking. Don't ya just love this beach weather? Seems like it's making my cough worse.


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## Son

Merry Christmas everybody.


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## Son

Good day, ate good and didn't have to go anywhere.


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## Son

Had a well problem in hunt camp. Went up and repaired. Came back home, still have the crude with a terrible cough. Stuff just lingers on, i know a couple folks who had it for a full month before it went away. Just a few more days and deer season will be over in SW Ga, hope ya'll have some luck.


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## Son

Can't pass on any woods information. Haven't spent any time in the woods lately.  i've been laid up with the crude and coughing.  Did check a camera when up repairing our water well, and got lots of photos of bucks and does. Some bucks were nice'uns.


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## Bear10

Deer movement was a little slow today with the high winds but a doe was missed today by a club member. He was a little impatient with the shot from what I gathered.


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## Ace1313

Killed another nice 8 yesterday afternoon. Saw a stud that has broke his beam at the G2. Lots of does seen as well.


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## Bear10

Congrats Ace! This weekend should be good with the cold weather coming.


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## Son

Speaking of cold, it's keeping me in. Just got over the croop, don't want it back. Did go one day last week and rattled up a nice 2 year old buck with a broken rack. Hope he doesn't break it next year. And it's so wet, i can't get to my favorite stand without wading. Sure ain't wading in this cold weather. Waterproof boots heck, they all leak i think.


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## Son

Nasty weather and the woods are flooded.  Nothing worth a toot to report in our club. Did I miss the rut while out sick?


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## Ace1313

Son,

We saw rutting from December 1st until the 31st in Damascus. No photos of any big deer in the last two weeks.


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## Son

Guess i missed the best days this time around, but i squeaked by with some venison anyway.
No photos of any large bucks in January, none. Only does and small bucks. Could have taken a young buck just about every time i went out, but let em all walk as usual. Highlight of the season was, i did manage to find some nice arrowheads. It was a tough season. Our land is long and narrow which is good in some ways. But there was 650 acres on our north side being cleared for pasture. Two crews of heavy equipment worked most of the season with about 14 pieces of large tractors etc. We couldn't hear ourselves burp. Then we had two weeks where heavy smoke lay across 2/3rds of our land. I couldn't take it, nor could the deer. In the smoke area, all deer left. After the fires burned out, it took almost two weeks for deer sign to appear again. Only recent rains gave us some relief from that land clearing because it got too wet for them to work. I'm amazed at how those crews are cleaning up wetlands too. A creek runs through the property and they've cleared right down to the creek.  When there are good rains, almost half that 650 is a lake. They can plant grass, but when it floods for weeks, the grass will die. I can remember a local farmer who pushed a few stumps in a wet area, he was fined several thousand bucks for such. I've said this before, but it seems every hunting season, some type of disturbance happens. Never a quiet hunting season on our area.


----------



## Son

Time to regroup my hunt club. Already heard from some. But if you're a member i need to know if you're signing up for next season or not.
The sooner i know, the easier it is for me to manage the club.
The lastest freeze took a toll on our plumbing. I have everything repaired except for changing out the Kitchen sink fixture. Purchased it, just waiting for the weather to warm up a bit before installing the new fixture. Some never realize the cost to repairing plumbing, travel to and from etc.  Well, i have well over 100 bucks spent on this last freeze repairs. Plus my free labor.
Think maybe we're going back to colder winters like we had in the 60's and 70's.


----------



## Son

Notice to my hunt club members. The water is off and tank drained in preparation for the next freeze. I'm tired of fixing pipes etc.. So, if you go by there, bring ya some water.


----------



## Son

Forecast says sleet and snow on the way, Tuesday and Wednesday. Overcast today, tired of this stuff. Come on Spring.


----------



## Son

Rain, sleet, then snow. It's global warming folks don't be alarmed.


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## Thereelmccoy

Going to be almost 80 on Thursday here in Fla


----------



## Son

We have icicles hanging from the roof, snow in the roof valleys, and it's freezing. Good thing i went to camp yesterday and put antifreeze in the toilet and sink in the one working bathroom. To think i used to hunt in this type weather and called it fun.


----------



## Son

Finally, we had a melt down today. All the ice and icicles are gone. But it's still cold


----------



## Son

Warmed up today, where did the mosquito's come from all of a sudden?
Noticed large dead talapia in lake Seminole, they can't take the cold.


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## woco hunter

Son, I know I'm not in your club and I'm over in worth county, but I enjoy reading you're hunting thread.


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## Son

Thanks WOCO. Just a note now and then to let folks know how it's going around these parts. And, now and then, i just might throw in an opinion or two. Here it is, Feb, and i have people telling me they are seeing bucks chasing does in Seminole Co. Must be last years crop of late drop  does coming of age. I need to go up to our woods and check on my turnips. Planted an entire food plot in em, hope the deer haven't eaten em all. They were cropping em pretty good the last week of the season. Purple top, had one mess, hope to have a few more.
Here's a nice buck one of our new members got, second deer ever.


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## Son

I missed the rut with a sinus infection. This is the best one i had an opportunity to get. 175 pounds. Eats good.


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## Son

To my club members, a note about how to lock the gate. Make sure to lock it back just like you found it. Our lock onto the timber co's lock. I found em locked out of the chain today. If they find it like that, they cut the chain, then lock us out. Then i have to cut the chain to put our lock back in. I've recently added to the chain because cutting's last year made it so short it wouldn't go around the gate. Was a good rain up there this morning. It's wet.


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## 12pointer

Son I got a notice from plumcreek awhile back about painting all our gate locks orange by the middle of this month I have already done it, I was just wondering did yall have to do the same thing ?


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## Mako22

12pointer said:


> Son I got a notice from plumcreek awhile back about painting all our gate locks orange by the middle of this month I have already done it, I was just wondering did yall have to do the same thing ?



I noticed a few weeks ago that someone had painted our lock florescent orange.


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## Son

No, Plum Creek no longer manages our lease.  Was just up a couple days ago, no paint on lock, and no turkey sign yet.


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## Son

Warmed up some, came a hard rain last night, but now the wind is too bad to go fishing. Still waiting on Ga Spring Gobbler season to open.


----------



## Bear10

Gobbler season will be here before we know it. hopefully there will be a bunch of birds this year. I heard several on adjoining properties during deer season.


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## Son

Looked around a bit today, turkeys are beginning to move around. Saw good sign in two areas of our property. They hit my turnip patch too. 
Loads of deer sign, and noticed we have our share of coyotes.


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## Bear10

Son said:


> Looked around a bit today, turkeys are beginning to move around. Saw good sign in two areas of our property. They hit my turnip patch too.
> Loads of deer sign, and noticed we have our share of coyotes.



Do you know a local trapper?


----------



## Son

No, don't know anyone who traps.


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## Son

Rained most of last night and all day today. Knowing our hunting woods are flooded again. Forecast, more coming. With another freeze down to 32 they say.


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## Son

Notice to my hunt club members who are members of my forum. We've had to drop the old forum, and put up a new one. At present it's having problems. I'm sure they will get it back up and running soon. Link: http://sonandersonartifacts.com//forum/

This link will work when the forum is back online.


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## Son

To my club members, i've already received the lease papers for hunting season 2014-15. Lets don't wait til the last minute and make me sweat. Please.

You mail call or email for instructions.


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## Son

I'm tired of this winter, wanted to do some fishing before turkey season, but i'm not going on the water unless it's a nice day. And we haven't seen many of those yet. Got my yard all neat and the boats ready. Come on sunshine. Not seeing many fish around the dock yet, waters still too cool. Seeing lots of coots and eagles though. When an eagle shows up, it's every old coot for themselves as they hit the woods to hide.


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## Bear10

Son,

I figured you would be catching the specs up there this time of year. The lake should be full of water right now, I know the rain has really helped out down here. Good luck with the fishing.


----------



## Son

Club members, beginning to collect the dues, get in contact. Already have the new lease contract. We still have some real wet woods, but the game evidently is loving it, plenty sign after the last rain.


----------



## Son

Speaking of lake Seminole, SW Ga. We never know how the water level will be. One day, it's to the top of the bank, right up to the bottom of docks. The next day it can be down two feet. I've been in Spooners Field when they pulled the water from the lake, had to get out and pull the Bass Tracker a pretty good ways to get back to water deep enough to run the outboard. Drastically dropping the water level creates more problems that that. I've seen boats be stuck on stumps, in fallen trees etc. Some boats of size so well embedded in a tree on the Chattahoochee, they couldn't get it off. Had to call for help, then wait for the water to come back up. Sometimes that can take days. Outdoorsmen are not considered when it comes to regulating the water. Drastic drops can also affect fish bedding. I've seen  bream on active beds have to abandon the beds and race for deeper water. If the water is up, we can get to more areas to fish, and will get stuck on a stump now and then. When the water is down, areas are limited, but we can see where all the stumps are. It's a lake of stumps now, as all the flooded trees have rotted off at or below the waterline.


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## Son

I'm not too excited about Ga turkey season, mainly because i'm not seeing much turkey sign. Can't imagine where the hundreds i saw in the adjoining pastures have gone, but they disappear every spring. Knowing the flocks bust up as hens go looking for nesting areas, we still should see lots of turkeys. We have good nesting, food plots, open areas where they can see etc. It's a shot in the dark, but i've setup a popup at the corner of our properties roads, main grade and 8 to start out the season. If nothing shows, i'll take a nap. Two reasons for setting up early. Have two family members going  in for surgery next week. I will be hard pressed to make it for opening day, much less have time to put in a popup. I hunt from enclosed blinds for three reasons. Age makes it difficult to remain still for long, the old joints need to move now and the. Predators, i want something between me and them. We've had two turkey hunters attacked by bobcats in the last ten year. Keeps me out of the elements, rain, shine or wind, it's comfortable and sheltered. Back in the old days of turkey hunting, it was running and gunning as some call it. We have a club, others will be hunting, and some can come in to pin the map after i go out. Running about, just may mess another hunter up, run his gobbler off etc. I get in a blind and stay until at least 10 am, even longer if i hear a gobbler. The blind i have set up is not far from a gopher hole where i've seen a large rattler before. So i will check inside with a small light before stepping in, you can bet on that. Last Spring was a bummer turkey season, shot one gobbler, let a jake go, and that was the end of my season. Warden later told us, an adjoining property had been caught baiting. That's where the turkeys went too, because we didn't have em. We had plenty during deer season, but that's how it usually is. Good luck to all, hope you have a safe one.


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## Son

Our woods are flooded again. The rains have slowed down now, but still drizzling. Lake Seminole is muddy as are the rivers and Spring Creek


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## Son

Nice day, so went up to the woods to check my camera's. Two camera's have been watching for turkeys for over two months now. Bout a month ago, got some hens and two fair gobblers, haven't seen em since. Checked the camera's today, and no turkeys in two weeks. Pulled both camera's and took my popup down and brought it home. I'll check later in the season to see if any have shown up. Spoke with a fellow who lives north of a large pasture that is between us and him. Says he's only seen four jakes since deer season. Looks like i'll be saving lots of money, not having to buy gas for morning trips. The last rain dropped over four inches, the woods are flooded.


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## kmckinnie

Where did they go?


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## Ronnie T

Son, is the creek and rivers terribly muddy still.
.


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## Ronnie T

Where's Son?


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## Son

Sorry guys, been out of pocket. Down in Florida with my Son who had kidney surgery, and oldest Granddaughter who had thyroid cancer surgery last tuesday.
Yes, the creeks are out of the banks, muddy. The woods are flooded too. I'm thinking our turkeys have moved west to where there's more woods, woods that haven't had any disturbance lately. Some may have gone north, there's still some good sized woods and fields there. But they are not hanging around on us.

A few hens and jakes have been seen, but no long beards so far. If the weather would straighten out, i may go try em for a few days.


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## oldways

Prayers sent for your son and granddaughter hope for a fast recovery We have had a good wet spring this year..


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## Son

Thanks for the thoughts and prayers y'all.

Granddaughter is recovering now. Son is continues to have kidney problems, they may have to go in again. Hope not.

Turkey season ongoing, i finally had a chance to go on April Fools day.
Yelp, yelp, i'm the prettiest hen in the woods. "April Fool".  LOL


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## Son

Finally have a chance to go turkey hunting, and just look at the weather. Turkeys are scarce again on our place for some reason. Water every where, gauge says we got four inches in the woods. Might have to shoot my turkey in the meat section if some don't show up in our woods.


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## Ronnie T

Hope your son and granddaughter continue to improve.
.


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## Son

Thanks RT.
Well, my turkey season is getting interesting. This morning, had 8 hens and 6 jakes come by me within 15 yards or so. Had the jakes fighting over the decoy.  Pum comical. Then all six got next to the hen decoy, put their heads together and pointed their beaks straight up to the sky. Wonder what that is suppose to mean? No long beards, only heard one gobble before daylight, far off. No turkey meat, but i enjoyed the hunt anyway. Lost my wallet, but found it, so that turned out ok. Darn fold up seats will push your wallet out of back pockets, so watch out.


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## stealthman52

They were giving thanks to the turkey god above , lol


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## Son

More rain coming, the last rain hasn't run off yet. I know where a couple nice gobblers are hanging out, but it would take a boat to get there. Beard rot is common in wet years.


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## Son

Suppose to get down to 37 tonight in SW Ga. Not doubting it's already cold outside at 8 PM.


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## Havana Dude

Twas 40 at my hacienda


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## Son

If it doesn't quit raining long enough for the lake to clear up, i'll never go fishing. I like to sight fish for shellcrackers, and i can't see nuttin in Lake Seminole these days. Muddy and/or stained bad.


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## stealthman52

dang thats cheating , you need to smell em out , lol


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## Son

You ain't smelling nothing when it's raining and the wind is blowing about 20 mph.
The weather is also making for a poor Spring gobbler season in SW Ga. Not many folks getting their birds this time around. Not much gobbling, lots of beard rot, and nasty weather makes for a less than exciting season.
Wanted to plant some spring food plots, can't do that cause the woods are flooded. Stuck tractor isn't fun.


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## Son

I'm ready for some sunshine, the hummingbirds are beginning to look more like little ducks.'


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## Son

Lower Chattahoochee is out of the banks in some areas. The hunting woods i frequent is underwater in low areas, even some of the roads are like canals.


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## oldways

Ya'll seen any Mayhaw's I ain't seen anything yet.


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## Son

Mayhaws are still green, will need a boat to get em this year. Checked our woods and camp today. Woods so flooded couldn't get near a mayhaw tree. Found a broken pvc pipe at camp, the well has been running a few days it looked like. Had to turn the power off. Now wait till the water dries up to repair the problem. I've had a time with the water system so far this year. Camp problems are costing me way too much here lately. Last freeze cost over 200 bucks to repair everything. Guess i'm going to begin cutting all power when leaving camp. Members can cut it on while they're there, off when they leave. Big power bills add up quick and to keep our club membership dues down, we don't need that.


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## Son

Wonder how the turkey season is going? I haven't checked em for a couple weeks.


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## ztaylor

Not much gobbling around flat creek this week


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## Son

Not many gobbler sign either on our place. Not worth the gas going when it's this bad. Skeeters have gotten bad too.


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## Son

Back to the hunt camp today. Dug up where the water leak was coming up from the ground. Two feet deep, PVC pipe broken almost into, right under the barn wall. Not wanting to stand on my head to repair, will probably figure a way to reroute it. The break is within 6 feet of the tank. I hate plumbing. Have one popup blind still in the woods, went to pull it, and rain got to it before i did. Left it, not going to put it up wet. A bolt of lightening got my attention, put me in the truck quick. Mosquito's?, hundreds of em, and they all were looking for me. Now need to make another trip to repair the waterline, and mow the property. Rains sure make grass grow. This is a 60 mile round trip for me, and gas has gone up to 3.70/9 here. Might need to wait till gas comes down a bit. I left power off, can be turned on if needed. But water valve cut off at the well. Can't turn it on until the pipe is repaired. Just letting members know.


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## Son

Pouring rain this Tuesday morning at Lake Seminole. Forecast calls for rain most of the week. You turkey guys might get to hunt Saturday,.


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## Ronnie T

Son, is the lake muddy all the way up to your house?


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## Son

RT, it's stained but not really muddy in Cypress pond to Hickory pond, but the rest of the lake is muddy as well as the rivers. At Cypress Pond, the water level is up to the bottom of the dock at the boat ramp.
We've gotten five inches here at the lake since yesterday.


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## Son

Report from a person in the Mayhaw area is. Lots of dirt roads are underwater, they got more rain than we did here at the lake.


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## oldways

Mayhaw looks like its gettin a good soakin this morning too.


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## Son

Finally, Friday around noon, sunshine showed up again.


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## Son

Mowed our hunt camp two acres today. Woods were found as expected, flooded. Even some roads were underwater for long distances. What a mess, can't do food plots or do anything there until it dries up a bit.


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## Son

Recruited some help today, and got the plumbing fixed at the hunt camp.  Water has gone down on Miller Road, but not in the woods.


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## Bear10

It's always good to have help. It seems like most clubs only have a couple of guys who do the majority of the work and the rest of the members seem to disappear when needed. The disappearing members are usually the ones who complain the most.


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## Havana Dude

^^^^^^^^^^ The man speaks the truth


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## Son

Re plumbed the water line at the hunt camp tank. Next trip, found the pipe cracked in another spot. Went today and fixed that. Finally, no leaks. Helped Jim remove the old air conditioner off his roof, and closed the hole up. Sealed all the roof seams, so he's good for the next rain. 
Dan sold me his trailer. Went to check it out and found three leaks. Evidently we've had some winds. Broken vent on the roof had let water in during the last rain. Puddle in front of the refrigerator. Repaired that. Two corner seams had also leaked. Repaired those. found two mice nest, put them out. Thought i was finished, then found another problem on the front window. Repaired that. Two drawers need repair, already repaired one, working on the other one tomorrow. Two days working on this trailer already, hope to be through with one more trip. Resealed all roof seams and windows.  Had a camper trailer guy once tell me. Every time you pull a camper, you better check those seams. Because going down the highway, the trailer does some twisting and yawing. When i told Dan i would take it, Didn't know i was going to get into so much work.  Gloria wanted the trailer so she could come up and spend some time, something she couldn't do with the small trailer. You know, women want some room, and a bathroom. Uh, powder room.  Hope i'm through with plumbing. Although i noticed there might be a leak rusting through on the water tank. I can fix that with a large self tapping screw with a rubber washer, i hope.'


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## Son

Y'all ought to have been at our camp to hear Jim yell when that five foot rat snake ran through his legs in the shed next to our cook porch.  I knew the snake was in there, but didn't tell Jim. He wouldn't have gone in there to fix a leak if i had.  lol


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## Bear10

You are always putiing Jim around critters, first it was the gator while collecting mayhaw berries & now a rat snake.


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## stealthman52

Reminds me of the time that Dan Perez put a armadillo in a friend of mines pickup truck in the cab, which he left unlocked. When it got dark we came back to his truck and I got in first and the dillo was under the seat, the friend cranked up and the dillo came to life wanting out of that truck, lol.


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## Son

Yeah, i had already looked in there and saw the snake. I just shut the door and left it for Jim. Gotta have fun sometime.. lol

There's mayhaws this year, see em floating everywhere, but it would take a boat to get out to the best trees this year. Heck we had to swim across some places last time and the water wasn't near as high as it is now. Dark tanic stained water too, can't see in it. Remember several years ago, i was up to my thigh in water shaking a tree when a large cottonmouth came up beside my leg. He ducked back under water. I stood still for a few then went to another pond.


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## Son

Ga gobbler season is over, it was a good season for me. Got the limit, while passing on lots of jakes. Here's one of em. Shot from the tailgate on auto.


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## Son

Went out  on Lake Seminole for the second time this week. Water was dingy, couldn't see a thing, so looking for bream beds was out. Pitched crickets and worms around the edges, nothing. Went to deep water for catfish and caught one small shellcracker. It was hot, no breeze. That's how it goes sometimes.


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## Son

Memorial day weekend, y'all be safe.


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## Son

Memorial Day, it was a fine day. If you came by my dock at Lake Seminole, hope you took time to wave.


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## Son

Chances of rain all week, but it missed us at Lake Seminole, except for a few sprinkles. The lake is still stained too much for sight fishing.


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## Son

No rain for a week now, farms are irrigating and our woods have dried up for the first time in months. Ponds still have water, but if local irragation continues they will be dry in one week. That's how it goes in SW Ga. Not enough water for all the wells now, and they're still handing out permits. Last couple years, farms pumped so much, many home wells went dry. Some were lucky and only had to lower their submersibles a few feet. Here we go again.


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## Son

Noticed this forum has slowed down, facebook is taking a toll on all private forums. FB may be attractive, but it throws you out to the worlds masses.  And all kinds are watching what you post. Here, we just have outdoors people and game wardens. lol


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## Son

When the rains quit, they quit. Dry as a bone now in SW Ga, except where we don't have food plots planted.


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## Son

Wishing all, a Happy and Safe Forth


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## Thereelmccoy

*4th*

You as well. Thanks for your service.


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## RABJR

I've got 5 trails cams out in Early county. Walked up on my first fawn a month ago. I left it alone took one picture with my camera phone and my battery died 5 seconds later. Only picture I have and I am thankful to have it. Also saw big does on my 4 wheeler. Property sure has dried up a lot since hunting last December...


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## charlieman

Son you doing alright.  Missed reading your post last few weeks

cman


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## woco hunter

Been wondering the same thing.


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## RABJR

also wondering


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## Havana Dude

Son is doing fine. I think he spends most his computer forum time on his personal forum, or FB. I'll send him a note so he can check GON and say howdy if he want.


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## Son

I'm fine, just haven't been here for awhile. busy with personal closed forum we use for the Kolomoki Society and hunt club discussions. Facebook is another issue that can keep one busy. Then there's the hunt club, it's been a real job this year. last winters freeze keeps showing up in busted water lines in camp. Ruining floors in the mobile home we use for kitchen and two baths. Good thing i'm an old plumber, electrician, carpenter and jack of many trades or it would cost us a pretty penny to fix all i've repaired. Then there's been the issue with the hunting property. Cut over three years ago, we moved stands, blinds etc. Cutover last year, we've been moving stands and blinds again. When the pines were taken down, wind blew several large elevated blinds down and busted them up pretty bad. I have all but two rebuilt and relocated. With a big cut on each end of our property, it only leaves us about 450 acres in the center covered with pines and brush about ten or twelve feet high. Thick, great bedding area and full of deer. The east cut is open ground, no cover. The west end cut has lots of swamp and drains with cypress and pines, so will be good hunting as well as the center section. One member and i have planted 14 food plots with a mixture of wheat, clover, turnips, rape, winter peas  and whatever else we had to throw in. This year, i've installed two South Texas 55 gal feeders to help keep deer within our boundary. We've losing forest around us on the south and on the NW. Both areas are being put into pasture. So, we've lost 850 acres in the last two years and are now down to about 1000 acres to hunt. Had to cut our membership to ten. It's been a busy time for me, getting the camp and property in shape to assure everyone has a good season. For those members who are reading, this is what is suggest to improve our chances. With limited woods, i think it best we do most of our hunting watching road crossings, and watching the drains from the south side when it's northerly winds. Going into the bedding area will only run mature deer off the property, and they will be shot elsewhere. ATV's must be confined to the established roads, our deer do not like em. The very west end, the area we call the Mayhaw Slough should not be traveled with ATV's. There's some good deer holding in there, and can be ran out easily. At the end of road 5A, where the cut ends, atv's should go no futher unless to pick up game. Doing what i can to make it a great season. We have a great group of people, so it should be a good'un.
Photo of my first buck, November 22, 1959, Collier Co. Fl. just a nice little six point from the glades. I was 17 and had been deer hunting since 1949 or 50. Wasn't many deer back then.


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## Son

AS i said, buck groups are breaking up. Getting photo's of lone bucks now, and seeing fresh rubs. Also saw a couple fresh scrapes. Some are getting ancie.


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## southwestslayer

Looking good..


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## Son

The Mayhaw, Lucille, Blakely area got a good rain today.  Now it's mud not dust. Food plots up and looking good on our place.


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## Son

*Comfort for everyone*

Especially us elderly hunters. Put up seven of these tower stands for what has been forecast as a wet, cold winter.


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## Son

The swamp looks like it's far off, but only about 50 yards, with a good open glade going well into it. That's where i expect to see ol boney head.


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## Son

Photo's of a few more of em. Let it drizzle and be overcast. Just don't send any lightening.


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## Son

Another hunting season, time to make more fond memories.

Reading Ga regulations in detail, noticed something i hadn't before. A non licensed person cannot help you in any way, shape of form with your hunt. Can't hand you the bow or gun. Can't help with anything including getting your game out of the woods or dressing it. The only thing they are allowed by law to do, is take photo's.  Hey, wonder if that goes for driving the atv, truck, car or whatever mode of travel used to get to the stand? Seems to me, it' going a bit far, especially when it comes to the elderly or physically challenged that could use help with their hunt and retrieval of game. I'm no spring rooster anymore, and help to get a buck out would be a welcome thing. But i can't see having one go buy a license just so they can help me drag, lift or clean a buck. Lets be glad they don't need a hunting license to help eat the darn thing. There's not always a licensed person available when i go hunting. We have too many regulations in my opinion.


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## Bear10

GA does have a lot of odd regulations. The license requirements you just mentioned, you can hunt over corn but you have to have the land owners written permission, etc... If the state deems it legal to do & you are paying to lease the land, I don't understand why you need written permission.


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## Son

Our lessor notified DNR that our club has permission. Does seem strange though. Wish it would rain and remain in the 40's. Two good things are happening right now. Peanuts and cotton is being harvested. When they're gone, it always puts more deer back in the woods. Some of the little bucks are showing up already. For some reason, they have grouped back up. For awhile there, camera's were getting in single. Now it's groups.


----------



## Son

Here's a few more. These are "Lookers", we just look at em.  Look close and you'll see one good'un. Don't think he'll get by with just a look.


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## Son

Have seen hog sign, this is the place to get em. Mosquito's are here also.


----------



## Son

I believe the hogs are more nocturnal than the mature bucks. Plenty sign, no sightings. Appears they are wandering around eating akerns at night. Can even smell em at wallows.


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## Son

I believe the hogs are more nocturnal than the mature bucks. Plenty sign, no sightings. Appears they are wandering around eating akerns at night. Can even smell em at wallows.


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## Bear10

Those hogs will show up sooner or later, you just need to be in the tree to kill them. Good luck.


----------



## RABJR

Going to Early this weekend, will be hunting and checking trail cams.


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## Son

The rain missed us completely. Still dry and dusty. I quit, waiting on better conditions.


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## Son

Finally, saw something this morning i wanted to shoot.


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## RABJR

We've had 2 members each take a coyote this season so far in Early. Cousin from Alabama took a 130lb. doe Sunday morning. The deer were moving- despite the wind.


----------



## Son

The mature bucks haven't been rambling around yet, so this is what i've been doing. Hunting the hogs that have moved in. It's a challenge though, they don't hang around the same area long. I had photo's of this one two miles apart. Lots of sitting for the last two weeks, and this is the only hog seen. The camera's get em though, mostly at night.


----------



## Son

Have photo's of at least 20 so far. Not good.


----------



## Son

Looking out the window at the leaves blowing about, makes me glad i stayed home today.  Temps still in the 40's. Remember a time when i would have been there no matter what.  amazing how some of us get smarter with age.


----------



## RABJR

I'm 27 and figured it out. 3 other guys went out this morning. It's in the low 20's and I'm inside thinking about a jimmy dean sausage egg and cheese biscuit.


----------



## Son

It hit 27 at Lake Seminole this morning, warmed up enough for me to get up loads of leaves to burn. Yard looks good, so i'm ready for another good day to go hunting. Several folks have reported specks biting in Seminole. No locations given, but those who like to speck fish, probably know some good areas to check out. Have noticed, that little bit of rain we got couple days ago, has just about dried up. The rain helped our food plots and knocked the dust down. Hope it rains again before the dust gets as bad as it has been.


----------



## RABJR

Saw some does with fawns this morning. Dern was it cold! Scrapes are opened up and saw one fresh rub. Our club has shot to coyotes and we are still seeing them, even today. For whatever reason we had not seen coyotes in a few years. Maybe they had a successful breeding period. I wish it was a full moon- I would be out with the call hunting them now. This is in Early county.


----------



## Son

Seems to be an unlimited supply of coyotes. Shoot em, and more move in to fill the void. Noticed more than usual, mature does without yearlings this year. Makes one wonder if coyotes are getting em, something is. My camera's went three days and nights with no photos of game. Just coons and birds. Must be the lull before the pre rut.


----------



## Son

Since the recent freeze, our deer have been on lock down. With only a few photo's of nightime activity. I'm using my popup blinds to cover my small fruit trees.


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## Thereelmccoy

Multipurpose blind right there.


----------



## stealthman52

Wow, no freeze down in Plant City yet, my tangerines are almostus ready


----------



## Son

Yep, cover plants in the winter, turkey hunt out of em in the Spring. Best idea i've had in awhile for protecting my fruit and plants. Rain, rain, rain, it's raining in SW Georgia. Hogs will need goggles to get in the trap when this is over.


----------



## jbishop2320

Headed to Early Co. tomorrow afternoon, can't wait to get in the stand and sit for a few days.


----------



## blakely

jbishop2320 said:


> Headed to Early Co. tomorrow afternoon, can't wait to get in the stand and sit for a few days.



I hope you'll be able to get in to your stands. Yesterday morning I had 2.4" in my rain gauge. If you're hunting in an area with a lot of clay, you might have a time getting to where you want to hunt.


----------



## jbishop2320

blakely said:


> I hope you'll be able to get in to your stands. Yesterday morning I had 2.4" in my rain gauge. If you're hunting in an area with a lot of clay, you might have a time getting to where you want to hunt.



Our roads on and out are good to go but I did hear about all the rain


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## Son

We got right at five inches of rain where i hunt. Some roads underwater, but none in the swamps yet. Camera's show bucks still grouped up with no indication of a rut.


----------



## sowega hunter

We are seeing deer nearly every hunt on our place in Early county. No sign of the rut yet but plenty of movement. I did get a pic of a nice buck in the day time yesterday but just my luck wrong stand and the wrong time.


----------



## jbishop2320

Yeah I saw 23 deer this am.  All does/button heads and what not but 23 deer none the less


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## jbishop2320

Seeing some really good signs of the rut starting up at our place, I killed both of these today and they were both chasing does...


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## Son

Nice bucks.
Rut's on at the Miller/Early County line area. Saw hard chasing yesterday, and this morning.
Waiting on a big one. We know they're there, camera's have told on em.


----------



## jbishop2320

Son said:


> Nice bucks.
> Rut's on at the Miller/Early County line area. Saw hard chasing yesterday, and this morning.
> Waiting on a big one. We know they're there, camera's have told on em.



The tall 7 we've had on camera for several (3+) years but I hadn't seen that heavy 10 yet.  Both good body size deer but we have 2 more on camera that are bigger and another that's the same size


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## RABJR

nice bucks, what were their live weights?
I have seen more bucks with kickers at the base\around or on the brow tines in early county than I have anywhere else. my photos and other people I know


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## jbishop2320

Honestly I didn't weight them first before cleaning but if I had to guess I'd say close to 200 on the 10pt and 175ish on the 7


----------



## Son

Alright, the season is getting shorter. Somebody give me some tips on how to find a big buck. What all do i need to be successful? Scents, camo, decoys, ozonics, calls, etc.  I'm still trying to learn all i can about this deer hunting. Think it's got ahold of me.


----------



## Bear10

Son,
You need to go to the midwest where the deer walk around in the wide open during daylight hours.


----------



## Havana Dude

Son said:


> Alright, the season is getting shorter. Somebody give me some tips on how to find a big buck. What all do i need to be successful? Scents, camo, decoys, ozonics, calls, etc.  I'm still trying to learn all i can about this deer hunting. Think it's got ahold of me.



yea, you gotta have all that for sure. I'm actually a little disappointed that you painted some camo on your buggy.  I think you need to put a long pole on it with a big orange flag, so them deers have a fighting chance.


----------



## Son

I already look like a Jack o Lantern sitting in a tree. Don't use scent killer, that should give em enough of a chance. I don't even put bait anywhere near where i hunt. Trying my best to be fair because i'm hunting an ol one eyed buck.


----------



## Son

Here's his photo, hope he's still around


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## Mako 17

That's a nice one. Hope he"s still around and you get a shot.


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## Son

Didn't see him in 2012 or 2013, but hoping he's still around. Never know because they can always go to another property and get killed. That photo was taken just a few yards from where he and another buck had just had a fight. Tore the ground up in a big area. The other buck got his photo take too and he's also nice.


----------



## Son

Warmed up, put all activity at night. Camera's don't lie. Very little mature buck activity. Mostly does and not many of them. Come back cold weather.


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## Son

Wouldn't you know it, specks biting in Lake Seminole, SW Ga, and it was a windy day. Planned on going, but cancelled cause i hate fighting the wind, especially in the stumps where the fish are. Cypress Pond, Hickory Pond and Lewis Pond, suspended at about ten feet for those who like to fish for em.


----------



## Son

Light rain at Lake Seminole today.


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## Son

I must be the only one hunting and fishing in Seminole, Miller and Early counties.  It's rare to see anyone saying anything about the three counties. I've always heard, this part of Georgia was forgotten. If you're reading, has anyone seen any rut activity around these parts?


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## OBshooter101

Im in very southwest corner of miller on the miller/decatur line and havent seen any rutting activity at all , but i believe this cold front would set it off im headed up this friday for a few days


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## sowega hunter

Small bucks chasing this morning. I saw lots of fresh scrape and rub on Friday.Could happen anytime. I'm near Hilton.


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## Son

I may go take a look around, tired of getting up the neighbors leaves. Clean my yard, they don't theirs. Wind brings me their leaves. Thinking about getting a blower, and blowing em back where they came from. While getting up the leaves, discovered a scrape in the front yard, and another down near the lake. Some watch dog we have.


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## RABJR

Last year I saw a 3 y\o 8 point with a broken g2 chasing 2 does and occasional grunting in between Christmas and new years. Have yet to see hard aggressive chasing. Some say Thanksgiving, some say 2nd week of December, some say 3rd week, some say around the end of the year, and I have seen a lot of rubs open up in January tough to say... I think I might try a few days next week with the cold weather.


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## Son

Chasing has been off and on in our woods for two weeks now. Waiting on the big one's to get in on it.  Then some days, no deer movement at all, because they're doing it at night. Hang in there, it's not over until the fat doe sings.


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## RABJR

headed up tomorrow through friday


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## Son

Two camera's show, best movement are from 11 to noon, and again around midnight. With some movement as usual, before sunrise and just at dark.


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## RABJR

Almost right at dark I scoped the woods line if a food plot and saw 2 small does. Then a buck came out and kept looking behind him. I think he may have been about 2 decent body spread inside the ears- tough to say and to dark to count tines. A tall racked buck came out but I couldn't count tines or judge his age by his physique due to lack of light. The bigger buck was walking around and visited 3 different does then slipped off behind some trees. Got busted by the smaller one climbing down the stand. They're not chasing yet but I'll be they'll be cruising and following tomorrow may start chasing this weekend. This report is for Early county.


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## Son

Haven't hunted lately, but heard there's some day movement by bucks. Word from our camp this evening, said they didn't see a deer today. I've been puny last couple days, a virus or something. Something needs to start, our club hasn't done much this season so far. If we keep losing habitat around us, hunting will go down the tubes. Bet there's been close to 100 acres cleared by us in the last three years, north and south. Pastures are being put in everywhere, guess it's because beef is up. That wont last. Looks like most of the pastures are being used for feed lots.
Bring in yearlings, feed em thru the winter, then ship em out. I sure hated to see all those woods go though. For several years i had thought it would be nice if those surrounding woods were thinned. They thinned em alright, right down to the creek. Don't know how they're getting away with clearing wetlands too.  Took out the trees right down to the water, then pulled up the stumps. There went the turkey roost.


----------



## RABJR

Yea I thought they were supposed to not clear within a certain amount of running water. Tough call but I'm going to try a different spot this morning. Going to try and rattle too. Can't hurt.


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## Bear10

Son,
I think you meant to say 1,000 acres not 100. It is ashame how they have butchered the land up there. They call it progress.


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## twtabb

I've seen 4 bucks in the last few days by themselves. Two were out in the middle of  field traveling/ on the move to wooded areas in middle of the day. The others were middle of the day making scrapes and rubs.
miller county.

Oh yeah one looks like jerky now.


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## RABJR

At 0851 I rattled in a 4pt immediately after I finished. A 6pt followed. The 6 walked all over the place trying to find who was fighting. A spike followed up 10 minutes later. Scrapes have opened up big time. Haven't seen anything since 9ish. I wonder where all my does went I saw from this stand earlier in the year are. I think I'll go back to camp, cook venison burgers, quick nap and back at it. About to rattle and if nothing shows in 20 min it'll be time to cook.


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## sowega hunter

They were chasing like crazy on my place this morning. Saw at least 5 different bucks. The way they were running around may have been more. Got a nice 8 point. This all happened before 8:30


----------



## Son

Yes, one of the zero's didn't get on there. At least a thousand acres have been cleared around our property in the last few years.
We've seen small bucks chasing. And, the hogs are moving.


----------



## Son

Losing valuable hunting time due to weather in SW Ga. It's been days since we've seen sunshine. I can remember a time when i would go, rain or shine. But not anymore. Amazing what one can do when young, and refuse to do when elderly. But that's how it goes.


----------



## Son

Another rainy day in SW Georgia. Dust to mud, that's what's happening, but with water in the woods. We can hear em coming.


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## RABJR

Yep. I'm thinking about heading back up between christmas and new years eve. Saw chasing during then last year but a nice 8 point had already broken off a g2.


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## twtabb

Son, How much rain did you get these last few days? Dry as it was it will take alot to get water in the woods.

Got my 8 year a 243 so goal is to get him on a deer before end of season. We have two in the freezer so one more would be  a bonus.

Usually take two off my place each year plus one or two guest. Trying to leave plenty for neighbors to shoot.


----------



## Son

Yes it was dry, dusty on the roads, but some of our swamp flats were already holding water. Thinking the water table must have been recharged a bit, this rain just might make the wood fairly wet. Last report i had from Mayhaw was 6 inches so far, and that was yesterday morning. Young bucks were chasing last week and over the weekend. The rut may be going on full swing now in the rain, i've seen it happen before. For sure, something is going on, not many does on camera's, and no mature bucks either, day or night. Only young bucks and some yearlings. To me, this means the mature bucks and does are herded up in thickets. I've seen that before too. find the does, and you'll find the bucks.


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## Son

Merry Christmas y'all, hope you have a safe one too.


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## OBshooter101

Merry christmas , headin up friday morning for a few days then come home for two days then back up for 5 days , this was our rut time last yr


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## twtabb

Dump out 7 inches out rain gauge for last couple of days.


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## Son

I'm thinking we got about 8 inches total in the Lucille Ga area. We'll be scuba hunting for big bucks until some of this runs off. It's cooler today too, first thing this morning it was in the forties with the sun shining. More rain coming so they say, for the weekend.


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## twtabb

Got to get my 8 year old on a deer this year. Got him a 243 just need to find some bullets now.


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## RABJR

Early Co.: Rattled in a decent one at 0750 had nice main beams at 180 yards. As I was trying to field age him he scooted through my shooting lane somewhat angling towards me. Must have gotten on the trail of a doe or had sound disorientation take him somewhere else. Rattled in a 6pt and 3pt around 1000 and a spike at 1100. Did not see any does. Tarsal glands are dark and I noticed fresh rubs walking out at noon. I was hunting a bedding area. Some standing water but nothing to bad.


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## Son

Plenty of nice bucks showing up, then a one horn dude shows up. I want to see the one that broke his rack. We even have a nice 8 point piebald on camera. Woods are wet, but not too wet. Need it to cool off to keep the snakes in their holes. Bucks are cruising, good time to be in the woods deer hunting.


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## Son

Notice, all night time camera shots. One's gotta make a mistake and come by in daylight. No response to rattling or grunting at our place yet.


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## RABJR

The day after I rattled the 4 bucks I saw a big doe I had passed on earlier in the season. Same stand, same size, same white two front legs. No luck rattling there. That evening I saw 4 does step into my shooting lane at 200 yards at 1725. All completely relaxed- no bucks seen. Next morning  saw 2 does on a power line about 400 yards away. No luck rattling. I think it's the lock down phase or post rut. My cameras had night time pictures. One camera showed two coyotes the same day I set it up... On another camera I have a spike with a broken right front leg. Looks recent. Not sticking through the skin odds will not be in his favor with coyotes in the area but I know sometimes they can heal. He's gimping when walking and won't let it touch the ground when standing. Hopefully he doesn't get an infection. The warm weather isn't doing him favors either. I wonder how he broke it- he doesn't have the antlers to fight and the terrain is very flat. If I see him and he's really not doing well I may pop him but would love for him to recover- maybe he will grow cool funky antlers next year. Has a lot working against him though.


----------



## OBshooter101

Headin up tomorrow morning to give it another go for a few days wish it was colder , but since christmas bucks have been chasin does on camera but at night time.


----------



## 12pointer

My daughter killed her first deer Saturday afternoon in Miller County. It was a nice 8 pt. She made a perfect shot through the shoulder. I am very proud of her and you can tell by her smile that she is very happy and hooked !!!! Congrats Crystal .


----------



## talisman

congrats to your daughter


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## Son

Nice buck, love to see youth hunting. I've had more fun putting folks in the right places this season. It's the best way to see some nice bucks killed that i don't have to clean. Some ask me, "Which stand are you going to"?. I tell em, where ever you don't go. Giving everyone first choice has worked well over the years. It's been a great season so far our new members have done well and we've ate good. Freeze coming, better drain waterlines in campers etc.  Last year a freeze got us, blowing up waterlines, water filters, commodes and faucets. Costly, so i'm doing all i can to avoid that happening again. Coldest days, best time to be in a stand. Hope y'alls season is going good as well.


----------



## Son

Season's about over for deer hunters and here we have 23 degrees in SW Ga. Too much wind came along with it, so deer have been tucked in. Weekend looks better as it will warm some and maybe the wind will be quit by then. Some hunted, but not I, too old and wise these days to go out and suffer. Driving from Dothan Al to Lake Seminole last night, didn't see any deer. Usually see dozens on that trip of using back roads.


----------



## Son

Todays high was 38 degrees in Mayhaw Ga. Swamps and ponds had ice well past noon. One club member hunted, saw nothing and said it was miserable out there. Not a good day for me either, spent 312.00 at the dentist.
Nice buck taken by one member couple weeks ago. Standing is the guide. Like i said to this young fellow. "Never doubt your guide".


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## Son

Here's the guide giving field dressing instructions on a young boar taken by a club member. I wouldn't do this for just anyone.


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## Son

Another club member with his best buck ever. He has already said he will hold out for bigger next season. His first season hunting Georgia. Good start.


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## Son

My season? Yotes, repairing our elevated blinds, plumbing and keeping everyone headed to the best stands with the most current sign. And look what i use my popups for.
How do you think my season is going?


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## Son

Three seasons hunting this ol boy, finally gave him a ride in the new truck. 214 pounds, 6-7.5 years old, 8 point with unbelievable mass for our region. 
We call him "Ol One Eye", first photo in 2012 his right eye was swollen shut from a fight that happened near one of my stands ten minutes before i arrived. After the fight, he and two other nice bucks passed  by one of my trail camera's on down the trail after passing the stand.


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## Son

Love this buggy, 36v with tons of power. This is how to get em to the road. Best crab claws i've ever seen.


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## Son

Bucks like this are well worth the wait. Pass those youngsters and you better your chances of seeing one like this. I had just passed on a very nice high six point with good mass.


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## Thereelmccoy

Nothing like waiting till the last minute.


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## Son

Waiting to the last of the season is how it usually goes for getting old bucks, when the rut kicks in. I passed many good bucks before this old fella showed up. After hitting him twice, he made it over two hundred yards to die in front of one of my trail camera's. Doubt that will ever happen again.
Here are some of the trail camera photo's. I forgot all about the camera, was so glad to finally find him.


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## Son

Here I am coming out with a smile, you can see the buck in the background. This camera is a great distance from any of my stands, i don't like camera's anywhere near a stand, believing they alert mature bucks causing em to avoid an area.  Not a Booner, but i'll take it, lots of character, best he would ever be and will score in the 130's easy with all the mass. Beams are 25 inches. 5.5 inches around the bases with the weight going all the way out.


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## Son

Couple does in the freezer, two small hogs, so i'm good until spring gobbler season comes in.

shoats just right, one 100 pounds and one 150 pounds.


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## 99autiger

Son - you have been a busy man!  Congrats on one heck of a old deer!  
I agree with you, one of the best parts of hunting season is helping others be successful.  I have done this the last 2 years and I get more enjoyment out of it than shooting my own deer (sometimes)!!!
Was able to take one the guys that works for me out the week after Christmas.  He is a 22 yr old new dad that has had a tough year financially.  Also has not shot a deer or been in the woods in years.  We scouted our butts off and found him a good spot to sit for one evening hunt.  He put the cross hairs of his 30-30 right on a nice doe and knocked her down.  Honestly, I was happier than he was!


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## Thereelmccoy

Those are great pictures, The boys & I enjoyed them. Thanks for sharing.


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## Son

What's great about this story is. I shot the buck around 7:30 that morning. Not knowing how good the running shot was, i went to camp to get a bite and a lemonade before returning to look for him. I knew he was hit good, because of his body language as he left. Marking the spot from the tree, i went straight to the last spot he was seen. Nothing but some hair laying in grass. Second shot had dead centered a small tree but went into his shoulder and was laying against the backbone. The buck went east, so i searched all swamps and thickets to the east, then those to the north. The one place i didn't look was where the trail camera was. After hours, i was give out and went back to camp. Two members ask me to put em in good stands. I did, then went to check the trail camera, and there laid the buck.  Guess me searching to the west and north, i moved the buck to the west. Yep, he was west of the open area where i shot him. If he had crossed while i was in the stand, he would have been seen. One chance in a million that would happen again. Both shots were at about 80 yards, i've killed nice bucks in years past in the same spot. Here's one shot couple years ago, exactly where the old buck came out.


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## Son

Guess i'll have to come out of retirement and mount the old buck, have one spot left on the walls. But don't worry, i can build more walls.  lol


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## RABJR

Nice buck Son. What kind of scenery is you stand in? Pines, tall grass, food plot, oaks, field edge, swamp edge? Was rut a factor?


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## Son

I hunt the worse, most swampy woods we have. Have to be on the ball to get a shot when they show. Most are too lazy to hunt where i go because they might have to walk a bit. He was chasing a doe, he took it away from a nice high six point i had passed on. I've proved to our club members, pass on the young bucks and you have a better chance at mature bucks. They're learning, as a couple did just that this season.


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## Son

i know it looks kinda open where the old buck fell, but that small island of pines is surrounded by Cypress and alders.


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## Son

If it wasn't for deer season running into January, half our club members wouldn't have taken a nice buck. Our rut didn't crank up until Jan 1 and is still going. It's noticed, the rut varies around the state, some early, some late. In SW GA. it would be perfect if the season began a month later and lasted through January. Knowing that might work for the entire state, lets hope the Southern season dates at least remain the same. If our season is shortened, we'll spend seasons passing on smaller bucks, only to see more of our mature bucks killed by auto's on surrounding highways.


----------



## HIGH COUNTRY

*Why NOt At Least Give us Holiday Weekend To Close Season*

It would give us an additional weekend, and would give a three day weekend to close out the season instead of many times middle of the week - Hard to take vac just coming back to work after holidays.

Also, it would be a three day weekend for our kids and grandkids to hunt - that would be really nice for them.

I saw something about two years ago where it was mentioned as a posibility, but nothing since...


----------



## Son

I read something about DNR couldn't take our Ga season past Jan 14 without Legislator action. That's some bull, most legislators don't know much about hunting as a rule. Sad thing is, here in the lower SW area of Georgia, the mature bucks are just now getting active. Season closes on the 15th. In past years, just for something to do. I would go sit in a stand a couple times after the 15th, and rattled up some nice bucks. Trail camera's got the best  daylight photos of mature bucks in January in these parts.


----------



## Son

Go east from my area, say over towards Thomasville, and their rut's over before the new year. Guess it's difficult to schedule to fit every area.  Squeaky wheel gets the grease. Can't make a DNR meeting, at least email em your thoughts.


----------



## Son

looking good, all hunt club members say they're staying in for next season. It's going to be another good one guys. Now lets focus on Spring Gobbler. I'm seeing three big flocks using the property. Lots of mature gobblers, so that's looking good. I've already located their favorite roosting trees. I get lots of good naps during Gobbler season. Put out the decoy, call just a little and take a nap. He'll wake you up when he arrives. My kind of turkey hunting.


----------



## Son

The last day of deer season for SW Ga went out with rain, cold and nobody hunting on our property. I spent the day putting the wife in the hospital for test. First time in years i didn't go to the woods the last day of the season. I'm ready for some sunshine.


----------



## Son

It's time, to do my scouting for next season. The seasons rubs, scrapes and worn trails are still very visible. I'll check em out for the next couple weeks, then again during Spring Gobbler season. I do not scout during deer season. All my stands have an in and out trail cleared and predetermined before the season opens. Once the season opens, i do not walk around stand areas. It doesn't take long to figure out if somebody else has, because deer sightings go down. The only time i will go past a stand during season, is to pick up a dead deer. I hunt the thickest, out of the way spots where lazy folks don't go. Places where i can't be disturbed by vehicles riding nearby. I've already got some nice gobblers located. In most things, the more you put into it, the more you get out of it. 
Ya rekin this old buck will have both sides next season?


----------



## Son

looking back at the past seasons trail camera photo's, it's apparent, most mature bucks never had their picture taken during daylight hours.  Couldn't be caused from hunting pressure, because we sure didn't have that this year. This tells me, there's two times during the season that those old bucks might be taken. Early season before they go hard horn and nocturnal. And late season if they can be caught chasing. But heck, they don't want for nothing. They have more than they can eat with all our plots and farming surrounding us. Some of the thickest cover in the region and low hunting pressure. Early season, crop duster friend says, he sees big bucks laying out in cotton fields until it's picked. They know, nobody hunts out there, exactly  why they're there.


----------



## RABJR

Nice. I need to replace my batteries in my cameras. Would like to pin point when they shed. Why did you put your camera there? Is that a trail?


----------



## Son

Put the camera there because it's choke point, funnels em from one large area of woods to another. Bucks usually begin shedding in March in our woods. About the second week of Spring Gobbler is when i begin seeing em without antlers. We rarely find sheds though, they must go drop em in the adjacent farm fields or in the rough where we don't go.


----------



## Son

Last rain was a good'un, 1 1/2 to 2 inches in some places. From Lake Seminole to Lucille Ga.


----------



## Son

Darn power went off at 4:30 this afternoon. Stayed off for almost four hours. Something major must have happened somewhere, the entire area was out.


----------



## Bear10

Looks like some rain is coming the first of next week. The woods are still saturated & full  of water around here, the hogs will have plenty of mud holes. The timber company is suppose to replant our lease with pines soon, I hope the water doesn't mess them up. They need to do it before turkey season so they don't mess us up.


----------



## Son

Yes, the woods are already flooded, but the hogs are loving it. The Piney Woods waterhole is full, bank to bank already.


----------



## Son

Light rain moved into SW Georgia this afternoon. Doesn't look like it's going to amount to much in inches.


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## RABJR

I'm going up Thursday evening to cut fire breaks and move trail cameras around. I'm going to take my foxpro with me and see if I can't shoot at coyote while I'm there as well.


----------



## Son

The woods are wet in Miller and Early counties. Probably others surround those are too. Ponds and swamps are full, water running in some areas. Don't get stuck.


----------



## stealthman52

Son, any duck hunts planned?  those skeets might be getting ready for SpringGob too.


----------



## Son

I'm oink hunting these days, no skeeters yet.


----------



## Son

New hog trap, two cattle panels, pressure treated wood, came to about 70 bucks. Still have to buy some T post to hold the panels down. Posing for the photo is the best help i've ever had.


----------



## RABJR

Checked Trail cams Friday evening. There was an 8pt, and a 6 pt with tall brow tines that did not show up that I know was not harvested by any of our guys... Maybe they've changed travel patterns or just got shot off property... Saw some new bucks on camera though so, interesting to say the least. I had a spike with a dislocated front leg joint at the elbow. Also had coyotes on that camera, I never saw him after this last check- he probably did not make it. Some standing water in some spots but not to bad. I tried to call in some yotes at night time with a decoy and foxpro no luck. It was very cold Saturday morning. Not sure when I will be back I may try one time to look for sheds before mid March, I'll be having acl surgery after that...


----------



## Son

Bucks have changed where they are frequenting according to my camera's.  Same area's, but not frequenting the camera sites as much. Think they're expanding their travels in search of late estrus does. So, they're not getting in front of the camera's as often as they did during season. Does are not as concentrated either as hunters are gone and not putting out as much corn.


----------



## Son

This thread has slowed to a stop. Time to disappear until next season.


----------



## Ronnie T

Son said:


> This thread has slowed to a stop. Time to disappear until next season.



Time to hunt fish, if the temps will calm down.
.


----------



## Son

I agree, weather hasn't been very good lately. Too much wind, cold, wet, etc, and the pine pollen is terrible already.


----------



## Son

We've wiped out an entire sounder of hogs, 13 of em. Now we'll be after another group that comes through. One camera still out, it's getting photo's of some nice young bucks like this one. Should be a super 2015 deer season.


----------



## RABJR

A lot of the guys went up over the weekend for a controlled burn but it rained on them, on top of it being wet there already. I'm glad I didn't go.


----------



## Son

It rained a good'un here at Lake Seminole, SW Ga this afternoon, and now it's turning cool again.  Yep, too wet to burn in many areas. 
For those watching this thread that collects arrowhead etc. The Kolomoki Archaeological Society Inc will have it's next show at the American Legion post 157, just a little over a mile south of Donalsonville Ga on highway 39. May 16th, from 7 til we decide to go home. For members and anyone else that displays a collection, we will feed you a free fish fry at noon at the show. Can't beat that, free tables and free food with all the trimmings. We have some good cooks.


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## Son

For more info about the Kolomoki show or to reserve tables, i can be contacted at 229 861 3024 or sonandersonsr@gmail.com


----------



## kmckinnie

I need to make that show just to meet you.Sounds good.


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## Son

Mark ur calendar, we will feed ya some catfish.


----------



## Baknaction

Sir,
Have the Seminole Shellcrackers been on bed yet in Spring Creak area or will they bed April 4th Full Moon?
Will they bed again on the April New Moon?
Will they bed in May?
I'm retired in Thomasville and would like to plan a trip to Seminole, maybe put in at Sealys Landing (Or your suggestion)
Thanks.


----------



## Son

Hope i gave you some useful information via email.


----------



## Son

So far, it's been a disappointing gobbler season here in SW Ga, for me anyway. One week before the season opened, the turkeys disappeared. There were flocks all during deer season, groups of gobblers, jakes etc. And then, one week before turkey season, they left. They all left. Opening weekend, shots south and north of our property. Seems that's how it is every spring season. We're hoping when hens begin searching for nesting sites, it will bring some back. Hens come, gobblers will follow. Then we have this weather, rain, cold, hot and no spring. Jumps from winter to summer and back to winter. Pollen on everything, this is the worse sinus problem area i've ever seen. In the air is pollen of all kinds. During dry times, it's dust in the air with all sorts of fertilizer and pesticides to irritate our noses. Oh well, I could move to a city and breathe the auto exhaust. 
On the good side. Friend sent me a very nice cedar box turkey call today. He does woodwork, and this little box is a mere 6 1/4 inches long, with the paddle just long enough to fit. Sounds great too. Bet it would call turkeys out of a meat department.


----------



## Son

Finally saw a nice gobbler on our property, Drove in and found a coyote had him down. Shot the coyote and watched the gobbler run off into the woods. Hope he's alright. Now i have to figure out how a coyote caught a mature gobbler out in the middle of a wide open cut over area? Sneaking up when the gobbler was full fan with his back to the coyote. Had to be the way it was done. Maybe our turkeys left because a pack of coyotes moved in.


----------



## 12pointer

*yoke*

Son my son killed a yoke opening morning ,he had a couple decoys out and had a goobler coming in from the north he saw something coming in from the south and it was a yoke when the yoke saw the decoys he turned and came right to them he shot the yoke at around 10 ft from the decoys.


----------



## Havana Dude

Awesome, one less, kill em all.


----------



## Son

I've had coyotes and a bobcat attack my decoys in the past. That's why i don't sit in the open against a tree to call anymore. Secondly, there's been two people in this county bitten by bobcats while calling turkeys. Both were bitten before the cat realized the mistake. Meaning, rabies shots. Recently we had a preacher die from a reaction to a rabies shot, he was bitten by a house cat.


----------



## Son

Into April now and our gobblers are still scarce. Not much desire to burn that much gas, get up that early to watch watch the sun come up. I can do that at home. Hope y'all having a good season though.


----------



## RABJR

A few guys have killed turkeys but I haven't tried this year. I have not gone up except once since the end of deer season.


----------



## RABJR

When are yall going to be planting for deer food plots and what do yall like to plant?


----------



## Son

Missing some good turkey hunting days, dealing with a kidney stone problem.
Also getting behind on planting plots.
 We're ready to put in corn and peanuts for the summer. Hoping the rains will continue, but i'm worried. Rain has been missing us lately and farms are pumping. Waterholes have already gone down about ten inches. We wanted to plant two weeks ago, but tractor quit. Finally got it fixed, had a burned up coil and ballast resistor. While at it, i replaced distributor cap, rotor, plug wires, plugs, coil and resistor. While at it, putting a new muffler and pipe on and adding some sea foam to the gas and oil. Cranked it yesterday and it ran like a sewing machine. Not bad for a 2N Ford that's 73 years old.


----------



## Son

I like the little 2N ford tractor, it's all we need to do plots and mow the roads. Small enough to get around good in the woods etc. Check out the 2N on the internet, every part for that tractor can be purchased, including body parts. Tractor Supply carries most of em.  Most simple Tractor i've ever worked on. 2N means the model was first manufactured in 1942. 9N means manufactured first in 1939. 8N means first made in 1948. Those three are almost identical in looks.


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## Son

Missing turkey season, and shellcrackers on Lake Seminole due to a Kidney stone problem. Been going on for a week now, and looks like a trip to have em busted up if that's possible.  Looked out at the dock today, Seminole is very low, guess they're expecting water from northern rains.


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## kmckinnie

We need updates on the fishin & turkey season.


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## Son

Lake Seminole, SW Ga, Florida line. Shellcrackers are on the beds everywhere. And i can't go due to a kidney stone problem, plus the weather isn't too friendly this week either.
Turkey's? They're still out there but i haven't been able to go for over a week and a half. Been fighting serious pain, but passed one stone over 6mm. Now scheduling to have two 8mm stones busted up. One at a time. Be glad when this stuff is over. You ain't had serious pain til you've had a bad kidney stone. Believe me. A friend did bring me 20 nice crackers, cleaned and ready to cook. We ate em last Sat evening. Nice to have a friend like that.


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## Son

Ready to put in field corn, peanuts and peas, but weather just will not straighten up. Rain for a week and storming today. Ga gobblers are getting a huge break this season. But wet weather isn't good for ground nesting birds, quail and turkeys. The tractor is a 2N Ford Ferguson 1940's model.


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## Son

Still having a bout with kidney stones, but had a chance to hit the woods yesterday. Called in a clucking gobbler with six beards, weighed just over 20 pounds. Have a couple trips to lipotripsy scheduled to break up a large stone in each kidney. Hope i get over this soon so i can hit the woods again.


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## Son

We got five food plots put in over the weekend. 8 more to go. Put in peanuts and field corn. More peanuts and corn to put in. Hope i'm in shape to work the plots this coming weekend, going for a lypotripsy tomorrow to bust up an 8mm kidney stone. Getting another one busted on May 6th. Not looking forward to that stuff, but knowing it has to beat dealing with trying to pass one. Can't pass the two, they're both 8mm.  Changed oil and filter in the little tractor today. Changing the hydraulics next, i like to keep my stuff in good condition.


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## Son

Kidney stone got me down again Friday and this morning. Had one busted up Wednesday, and the pieces are giving me a fit. Hopefully i've passed the worse of that 11mm stone. One more to go, to be busted up Wednesday of next week. This problem is taking a toll on the old body. Plus, i'm behind on what i wanted to get done in the hunting woods. And, i haven't been after those shellcrackers yet.


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## RABJR

11mm, Gadzooks!!! I'm having acl surgery May 11 so I'll be out of the woods for a while. I have not been up to Early since January I think.


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## Son

Good luck to ya RABJR, surgery is never a picknick. I continue to have problems with the stone bust up session. Still have severe pains from time to time in the lower back. Plus, thinking when they had me out, they must have twisted my back, so have a right rib joint giving me pain too. Old age isn't for sissys.  Just hoping i can get straightened out before our Kolomoki Archaeological Society show in Donalsonville Ga this coming weekend. I'm hosting it and need to be in good form to fill four tables with frames full or points. I still have about 15 tables open for collectors to display, you don't have to be a member. We operate on the membership dues, so it's nice to have folks join. This show is completely free, no table fees, no admission. We do accept donations, have raffle, or sometimes an auction. The show will open at 7, American Legion building south of Donalsonville Ga on highway 39.


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## RABJR

Well, very long story short, with finances paid and time spent from work at numerous appointments with several co-pays, the surgeon had his receptionist leave me a VM 4 days out from surgery stating that he has canceled because he doesn't feel comfortable performing the surgery, this 1 day after my last appointment with him saying everything was a go with handshakes and smiles. I am ticked off and will be seeking answers this week, as well as a full reimbursement. Lots of negative words are coming to mind as it relates to this surgeon because with all that invested time and finances I now have to start from scratch to find another one. Good thing I wasn't lined up for vital organ surgery.


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## Son

When it comes to serious surgery, i would always get a second opinion. I agree, copays and other cost are rediculous for those of us who contribute and have contributed to our Society. But we have to carry those who don't pay, nor contribute to our society. I'm on medicare. Wish i could sign up for medicaid.


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## Son

Arrowhead show in Donalsonville Ga this coming Saturday, South of town on highway 39 at the American Legion building. It's free, no admission. If you want to come and display your collection, the table is free too. Fish Fry, free to all those who display and/or are members of the Society. If you can't make the show, but would like to join check out our facebook page.


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## RABJR

Went up to camp thurs\fri to put out trophy rocks and cameras. Still a few wet spots on the property. Very warm on Thursday but Fri morning was like 58- very enjoyable. Especially since the last 45 minutes of daylight on Thursday I got my Polaris 500 stuck in muck and had to spend 2.5 hours of apply elbow grease to a shovel, laying down everything from cardboard bags, boards, old carpet and small logs of firewood before dropping a few choice words and heading to the Ace Hardware in Blakely to purchase a winch. Attached my snatch rope to the tree, and winch to the snatch rope and I was back to scooting along. Did not see any deer this trip while riding, surprisingly. Saw a turkey and a few tracks and even a rub or two that had to have been made at the end of February, if not march. Pine sap was still gooey. Going to send my soil samples off in the mail on Monday and see where the pH is at. Maybe I can plant a late summer crop since sept and oct are usually still hot and get a fall blend planted in early October. Farmers peanuts are just starting to come up. A lot of guys this year look like they're doing peanuts and corn, which is nice to see as many have done cotton the last few years. Other than the winch, thank goodness I had my OFF spray and allegra allergy pills.


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## Son

Speaking of difficulties. We've had our share. While we were getting rain, began putting in food plots. Tractor broke down, place dried up, too dry to plant. Got tractor going again, began breaking plots to have ready when it does rain, tractor broke down again. It's all been electrical, ballast resistors, points, coils, condenser etc. Got the tractor going now, waiting on rain.  To complete things, we now have a landowner who has bought property on our north and south side, he's using our property roads for a highway between the two. Messed us up on a couple mornings by running off turkeys. We've given a hint by wiring up the gates he's put in so he can come on us, we gotta stop it. Last week, saw a new lock on our gate, flags going down our main road, turning off midway to go to a property north of us. A Timber crew has obtained permission to come through us to cut a landlocked 250 acres. There goes the road if it rains. I've been leasing my hunt lease for 28 years now, gone through four different owners, and we've never had a year where we were left alone. There's always something going on, thinning, clear cutting, access by other landowners to cut their property etc. Very trying to say the least.


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## Son

Latest problem, back tire on the tractor ripped open. Need new back tires. No telling how old the tires on it are, but they are rotten. Checked tire prices for 11.2x28 and 12.4x28, they are not cheap.


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## Son

Pays to shop around when it comes to buying tractor tires. found my best price in Donalsonville Ga. Come on rain, we need ya. Lake Seminole is low, low, all the stumps are showing. Bream and some crackers are on the bed, but they're difficult to find in those reeds.


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## Bear10

Son,

You may need to put something in front of the roads where the other land owners are driving across the property.


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## RABJR

What store in Donalsonville? Would be a good idea to know in case we need one in the field or something.


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## Son

Espy Grays tire in Donalsonville, always gives me good service.

I have given good hints at the gates our neighbor has installed so they can run through us. To get through us, they have to cross about 2 miles of roads. I've put a huge old blind in front of one gate, and wired the other shut. Next move if they continue will be to put a gate in front of their gate, locked. 
Replanting our food plots, the first one's dried up with no moisture. We're now getting some thunderstorms. Planting peanuts, corn, sunflowers, millet for wildlife. Okra, watermelons and cantalope for us.


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## Nicodemus

Son, didn`t you rework the inside of the Seminole Wind building last year? I wish somebody would open it back up.


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## Son

Two years ago, remodeled the entire inside, electrical, plumbing, ceramic tile etc. . Moved doors, walls, built a sports bar, pool room, waitress center etc., and nobody want's to take a chance on opening it up. I'm still looking after the property for a fellow by getting it mowed, and answering questions if anyone wants to know about the building. It's for sale.


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## Son

Planting food plots and ran up on this gilt in a mudhole in the road. Makes fourteen since deer season. Hogs are taking over our swamps.


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## Bear10

That will be some good eating!


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## RABJR

Anyone getting anything interesting on their trail cams yet? I probably won't check mine for a while yet.


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## Son

Trail camera? I have one out, been out one week. Checked it the next day after putting it out, all i had was a squirrel.  Bet it's got hogs on it by now.
Been busy entertaining my grandson who's been here for a weeks vacation. We set hog traps, planted food plots, and fished. His last day, he caught a nice bass. After photo's, we turned it loose at our dock in Lake Seminole, SW Ga. Huge head, long body, but the fish was getting over a wound on it's side, so it was poor. Was feeding so it is on it's way to recovery.


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## RABJR

Wow, big bass. What do you think caused the wound, a bird? I dropped a line where I live in FL with some shiners. Caught 2 gars, but one took the hook and the other got off the line before I could bring it in close enough to gig.


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## Son

The bass had been hit either by a prop, or maybe a gator. Healed and is on the way to recovery. Hope it stays around my dock area. When fishing shiners, if you have a small piece of frayed nylon tied to your hook, gars will not get off. The nylon fibers get caught in their teeth.


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## Son

Sitting here feeling like i needed a nap, opened my mail and was awakened, wide awake. Received a bill from the hospital for the services given when they busted up the 11mm kidney stone.
Total charges, 32,795.70
Insurance payments to date, -2,172.09

Payments from patient to date.............00.00

And i have a 8mm stone in the left kidney that needs busting. Should i keep the stone, or go further in debt?


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## Son

No luck with food plots in our hunting woods. First planting dried up. Second planting, hogs rooted up. Third planting is up now, but needs rain soon, or it will be History. Popup showers have been missing us, going on both sided of the property. Irrigated farms surrounding us will keep the wildlife in good shape though. Peanuts, cotton, corn, millet and soybeans. That's where most of our deer are hanging out right now.


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## RABJR

SW GA used to get good summer rains. What happened?

Son- 2 nights ago I caught a 3.5 foot long nose gar back home in FL.

32K to help someone... The medical field kind of sucks as a whole (with what I've experienced)


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## Son

I'm going to give Medicare and the parts some time. Something ain't right in my opinion. The Dr., says i over paid him, and sent a refund check. First ever for that. Darn it's hot, wouldn't be so bad if it would rain now and then. Rains come from the south, hit Lake Seminole, they dry up. Come from the west, same thing. Yesterday a flood was coming from the North, dried up just before getting to me. Something about this large lake and the rivers that seem to either stop rain, or divert it around both sides.  I've been noticing this for years, and i'm not the only one. Heard other folks saying the same. I did get two dusty food plots kinda broke yesterday, best i could do with it dry. Hoping to plant em if it ever rains there.


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## Son

Good rain two days ago in the Lucile/Mayhaw area of Ga. Yesterday, had a storm at Lake Seminole, complete whiteout while driving, had to pull off the road and wait it out. Trees down, ditches full etc. Pulled a tree out of my entrance road off Buddy Adams parkway this morning. Fishermen say they found the bream, but the water was so hot they wouldn't bite. They quit and went home. Surface water is hot, and those beds in shallow water will be hot too, even the fish feel hot.


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## rvick

Hey, RABJR, i picked up a starving mutt/puppy off the road in Decatur Co. he is about 6 months. he is showing me more on practice tracks than any puppy i have worked with. think i got a keeper. was laying a track for him & almost stepped on a 5 ft. plus diamondback. we think he will be a little on the small size as he is a wonder dog...we wonder what the heck he is. Maybe you can give him a little practice in close to home this season. Come by & see him. we are getting a short shower most every p.m. now.


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## Son

Although we went without rain for almost a month, the weeds grew anyway. Had to spray roundup on three plots today to kill the crabgrass so we can plant em soon. Recent rains have given us the moisture we needed. Large boar has been by one of the plots, hope he moves on and don't come back after it's planted. So far, we've only had one peanut plot torn up by hogs. Yep, planted some peanuts, some for them, some for us, we hope. It was up to 98 out there today with high humidity. The gnats love it, i don't.


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## Son

This little 2N 1946 Ford tractor is so simple to operate, even girls can do it. Perfect for food plots, and the most simple tractor i've ever worked on.


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## RABJR

Got a 4.5'+ gar July02 right around midnight. It broke my line and came back about 20-30 minutes later to get another one of my shiners and this time I won the battle. It had 2 hooks in his jaw when I landed it. I'm one of those guys that doesn't know how to post pictures though...


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## Son

Haven't been here in awhile. Forum too slow, too many ads have to pop up before i can read or post anything.
still trying to trap hogs, but coons eat the bait up just as fast as i put it out. Will never understand why Ga has a coon season. I've never seen so many. Bet ground nesting birds have a time trying to pull off a hatch.


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## RABJR

Had acl surgery yesterday prob won't be back in the woods until sept.


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## Son

Get well my friend, surgery isn't fun. I'm scheduled for another kidney stone busting party. It's no party, the last one keep me in pain off and on for 22 days, passing the pieces. 
Time to get those camera's in the woods, bucks have enough antler now to give a good idea of how they will turn out hard horn. Some good'uns showing up as farms harvest their corn, it's putting the deer back in the woods. It's hot weather, so i don't spend much time checking my camera's. Get out of the air conditioned truck, run out, change cards, and check em in the truck. Still works up a sweat. Food plots are looking great, so is my melon patch.


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## joedublin

Send one of those melons down my way, Son ! Looks like this year the farmer is planting about 100+ acres of our hunting lease in PEANUTS for the first time in 3 or 4 years. That sure ought to get those big boys into our fields where they are a lot easier to hunt. We'll have lots of really tasty does, too !


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## Son

Been a lot going on at this hog wallow. Until the hounds showed up. Nothing's been there since the dogs.  I checked the wallows for fresh hog sign, nothing but deer and dog tracks now. Now, i'm wondering who the dogs belong to and why are they on our leased land? One is cooling off in the water, so they're hot from running something.


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## Son

Many fields around our woods are in peanuts and corn. In fact, one farmer is already harvesting the field corn. That will put game back in the woods. Hogs giving one peanut field a fit, bet that farmer wishes they were gone. I'm trying to do my part, in this hot weather. Nobody likes to fool with hogs in the heat. Believe our club should have a good season coming up. Although, out of all the members, only two of us are keeping the place and plots up. Bet that's normal for most clubs. Everybody shows up when hunting season opens and thinks the camp and woods just stay nice all year long without any help. Withe periodic rains we've been getting, i mow the camp every weekend. If i didn't the grass would get too high for a lawnmower. 2 Acres mowed, hauling zero turn back and forth takes about 27 bucks each time. Food plots, seed, fertilizer and time planting isn't cheap either. But as usual, the majority in a club wouldn't hand you a shovel, even if you were doing all the digging.  I kinda like the way some clubs operate with such, they have work days, if you can't attend, send money. Might need to start that here.


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## Son

Close one today, While showing our hunting property to a new member, a tornado went through downing pines and twisting the tops out of big live oaks. We were not far away, and got strong winds and hard rain. Some of the recent thunderstorms have some bad stuff in em here lately. Lots of lightening too.


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## RABJR

Wow. Yeah those hunt camp storms can get wicked. Are you seeing any fawns yet?


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## Son

Yes, saw a doe with spotted fawn yesterday. It was pretty big and getting around pretty darn good. 
Haven't got any hog photos in several days, they must be soaking in a cypress head or something to stay cool. 
Replaced the alternator, sediment bowl, cut off valve and fuel line on the tractor. Alternator was only a couple months old, so it was under warranty. Few more things and i'll have a new old tractor. lol


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## Son

Camera's getting lots of does and fawns, plus a couple mangy looking coyotes. Bucks not showing yet, bet they're hanging around in small wood lots between farm fields right now. They'll show up in numbers after the crops are harvested. Too many of em hiding in corn fields at present in Early/Miller Co. Somebody put some hog dogs in on our property and scattered the hogs. Last sign i've seen was going Southwest. The dogs were photoed  on the NE portion of the property.


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## Son

Took a chance and put watermelons in some of my food plots. The animals are letting me have some of em. Yellow, but taste like red.  I'm having problems with a kidney stone, suppose to go have it busted next Wednesday. Be over a week before i can make it back to the woods again.


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## Son

Looked up the melon type. Called an Orange Glow, introduced in 1901, didn't say where from, but that was before hybrids.


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## RABJR

Interesting hadn't seen that before. Thanks for sharing. I'm walking without crutches. Might be able tongi to woods in a few weeks.


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## Bear10

Son,

I'm not sure Iwould eat that melon, just doesn't look right. Remember, you can't belive everything you read.


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## Son

RABJR, hope you make it. I go in Flowers Hospital next Wednesday to have a kidney stone busted up. It's been giving me a fit for several days now. Hope they can figue out how to stop these things, third one in two months. I wouldn't wish a kidney stone on but one person in this world. I'll let y'all guess who. 
We're getting plenty rain scattered around, word is our woods are getting enough to keep things green.


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## RABJR

I'm guessing b.o.


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## Son

So, i've read where there will be more regulations for Ga hunters this coming season. I for one am sick of being completely regulated  in everything i need or want to do. Guess i'm old school and can remember the many years i lived when we didn't have such. Many of the younger generation doesn't see a problem with more regulations. I think it's because it's all they've ever known, they grew up with it.


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## Son

After the US Navy, i became a telephone company employee, Repairman, installer of switchboards, special services etc until i retired. Then became a building contractor, custom ceramic tile installer along with being a taxidermist since 1954. Back in my working days for the company, used to get letters like this sent in. This letter was sent in by the Florida Game and Fish Commission.


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## RABJR

Nice and thank you. I'm sure they were sincere with their appreciation of your knowledge just like we on the forum are. In regards to taxidermy, do you do it for any of the processors or just on a personal level.


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## Son

Retired my taxidermy business back in the 80's. Continue to do my own. Did it as a side business for many years, then full time for about eight years after retiring from the phone business. Taxidermy has come a long way, and is better than ever. When i began we had to build our own forms from scratch. Managing properties for prime hunting has been another sideline of mine since 1975. Managed a private tree and hunting farm for over fourteen years. At the same time, had my own property where we managed very well. I always say, what you get out of a property depends on what you put into it. Too many people are lazy, tight with money or just don't care.  Usually those are the one's who complain the most.


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## Son

Here lately, the rains have been missing my spots. Hit and miss, don't want any damaging storms, but we need the water, especially up in the hunting woods.


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## florida boy

Son said:


> Here lately, the rains have been missing my spots. Hit and miss, don't want any damaging storms, but we need the water, especially up in the hunting woods.



I planted a few big pea patches just to do it 2 weekends ago in clay county.....haven't got a drop since......


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## RABJR

Went up to Early to spray and check cameras. Biggest buck I have is a 2 year old 9pt, promising but 2 years out from being harvested... Are at Moby Dicks. Had the buffet with prime rib. Very good. Going back to plant in 2 weeks.


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## Son

This hit and miss rain thing is really giving me a challenge when it comes to food plots. Thank goodness for the farms around me that irrigate and grow all that good food for game. It's going to be another bad deer season, nothing but those old tough bucks showing up on camera. So tough we have to put tenderizer in the gravy off that old venison. Only plus in not getting rain is, the hogs have moved out. They went looking for water somewhere. If this keeps up, we're going to consider planting cactus next year. On the plus side, we are seeing a few does with pretty ears.  We've planted food plots three times this year and haven't made a decent plot yet. Hope our winter plots fare better.


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## Bear10

Son,

Is it dry enough for the timber company to cut the 250?


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## Son

bone dry like as in dusty. Don't know what their hold up is. Waiting on the season to open i guess, they always do.


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## RABJR

Also found a fawn that was bitten in half and eaten. Couldn't identify the gender but guessing it was a doe. A lot of cotton and some peanuts planted near us. Trying to get the bow sighted in- maybe I can sit a few hours in the mornings when bow opens. It's been upper 90's. I went to my first NFL game Monday. Tampa bag vs Cinncinatti preseason. We left around half time like 9:30pm and it was 91 degrees and very humid. Had a good experience, but I'm not looking forward to going back up to the woods if it's going to be that hot again...


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## Havana Dude

Just saw a thing on the net( hardly ever turn the tv on anymore)about ERICA may be headed this way. Been a while since we had a storm blow through here. We will see. They say it has a few barriers that could weaken or tear it apart. Time will tell.


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## Bear10

I wouldn't mind a little rain but I sure don't want a hurricane.


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## Son

There's no hurry cane, if it gets to us it will merely be some wind and rain. 
Right now, we're dry as a bone, too dry to put in food plots. Only good thing about it being that dry is, the hogs left. I've been checking camera's, according to the hunting video's i see on TV, we only have management bucks. I bet if those video hunters had to hunt our woods, they might change their minds. We have to earn em. I've never sat a food plot and seen dozens of deer come out, making it difficult to decide which buck to shoot. Just imagine what a new deer hunter expects to see after watching some of those shows. And all the products they say you must have to deer hunt. Marketing works on many, but not on me.


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## RABJR

That's because we don't dump bait for 3 months 30 yards from the stand and then have it there readily available when we are in it.


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## Son

Actually, i don't bait my stands and never have sat food plots. Never saw the need, i like the thick woods away from everyone else. Big bucks like thick and the activity of others keeps em there. 
Demands more work to get stands in such places, and is a good walk from the road, but it works for me. Mainly because most people are lazy, too lazy to do the extra i do. I don't worry much about camoflage either, i play the wind in my favor.
Most of us hunt small plots or leased lands. Neither can be managed 100 percent like those TV hunting lands are. Learned my lesson years ago about putting too much money in leased land. Got it just right, and was out bide by a hunting plantation the next year. Macon co. Alabama on county road 10. Creek Stand, Tanyard Creek 2400 acres. Yep, had a dozier in, cleared ten plots fixed roads, bridges etc, then lost it. But if you see the plantation guy on TV he's a Sportsman. Really? Not in my opinion, he's a money guy, going after money no matter who he steps on. Karma got him though, he only had the property about three years, then it was bought out from under him.  I moved to Ga.


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## RABJR

I haven't ran a feeder in over 10 years. I only out corn out in the off season for camera surveys along with mineral licks. I too have done well for myself. Food plots will take you a much longer way over bait. We had a place just inside of Marion County. Land owner was selling for 2300/acre after we leased it for 21 years. Ended up selling it to someone else for much less and he, to the best of my knowledge didn't offer it to is at that price. We would have had to buy as a club but still... Sure do miss that place! Now we hunt South Ga, drive is better.


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## Son

I've been spending lots of time on a tractor, mowing roads and food plots in preparation to plant again. I just hope the members who don't partake in such activity, will appreciate finding the hunting woods in good shape. Said i wasn't going to do it this year. But a fellow started it and didn't come back, so i finished the job.


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## Son

Had a few nice days without humidity. But it's back, hot and humid today and the rain is staying down in Florida. SW Ga needs rain before the season opens. Helps the hunting in my opinion for the woods to be wet. Seeing lots of doves, should be a good season. We have a couple cuts thats been replanted and growing up in weeds. Believe it's the weed seeds that's attracting the birds. Darn snakes are out too. Harvesting farms has em crawling back to the woods.


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