# 2014-15 Washington/Hancock Field Reports



## jtomczak

Let's do this again folks! 

What are you seeing, hearing, harvesting???


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## jtomczak

Heading down this weekend to check cameras and do a little work. Will post pics if I have anything worth sharing.


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## imkevdog

ill be going on 8/15,


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## imkevdog

went down and bush hogged, cleared shooting lanes, very dry need rain bad, going to try and disc labor day weekend don't know about planting, going to watch weather


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## Buckshot

*Rattlesnakes!!!*

We been seeing lots of rattlesnakes between Sparta and Milledgeville. So look out if you in the woods !


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## hunt4em

We have been working like crazy@ the Cadillac ranch.we are in between  powelton and Sparta on hwy 22.bush hogging,and spraying for our fall plots.corn and soybeans doing well.just hope it continues to rain a little bit each week like it's been doing.


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## BeauWitherspoon

Put in some work this weekend - hung new stands, moved some old stands - dry and hot.

Pic below is the fella I will be chasing this Fall.

I already have hard horns on some younger bucks, last year it was September 21 before we had any hard horn pics, that's a difference of three weeks. Wonder what, if anything, this means?


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## jtomczak

Great buck Beau! Did some work last weekend and praying for rain. Bush hogging is taking place this weekend and plots going in as soon as rain is forecast. Fingers crossed.  Best pic so far (numerous camera issues).


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## blood on the ground

Some good looking deer in them pics! I sure miss hunting Washington co! Maybe one day I will be able to get back over and down that way!


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## dsweat

Changed cards this weekend.  Dry, dry, dry.  Bucks still in velvet.


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## BeauWitherspoon

Saturday morning I saw four bucks, all small: 8pt, two 6pt, 4pt. Everything moved between 7:15am and 7:45am. It was already too hot to be fun by 9:00am.

Saturday evening I was rained out, huge thunderstorm in southern Washington county around 4:00pm.

Sunday morning I saw one small doe and one winded me before I saw it. A little cooler after the rain but still too warm by 9:00am.

I have run my cameras since early June, attached are pics of the best three I have so far. A bit disappointed in the lack of mass from all these bucks compared to the big guy taken off our place in 2013.


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## jtomczak

After taking out 3 wasps nest I sat in the stand Friday night. Saw this nice 2.5 8 point and captured a wasp looking for his missing home. Saw 3 does on road.

Saturday morning at 8:45 AM two does came through the creek bottom. I took a 45 yard shot quartering towards and smacked her, i think in the chest v. neck. Sounded like I'd shot a stump.

1 drop of blood, no trail, no deer. Really bummed.  We didn't see anything for the rest of the weekend but it was great being back at camp.


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## BuckinFish

What are y'all's thoughts on the new rut map posted in the forum?  I hunt in Washington co near hwy 272.  I struggle with timing the peak rut each year between Halloween and Nov 9th since I have to choose my weekends wisely.  According to the new map, most vehicle collisions are around Halloween, apparent increase in seeking.  Just wondering when you guys consider the best week to be in the woods from your history.


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## imkevdog

I think that's real close, friend of mine grew up there and he always take the week leading up to the 11th off ,but I seem to see more movement the week leading up to the 2nd


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## jtomczak

Great weekend with the family.

Got a nice doe Saturday night!

Really like dealing with Mid-State Meat (guy's name is Mike) in Sandersville. Good operation


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## droptine06

BuckinFish said:


> What are y'all's thoughts on the new rut map posted in the forum?  I hunt in Washington co near hwy 272.  I struggle with timing the peak rut each year between Halloween and Nov 9th since I have to choose my weekends wisely.  According to the new map, most vehicle collisions are around Halloween, apparent increase in seeking.  Just wondering when you guys consider the best week to be in the woods from your history.



I'm off 272 as well and have hunted that area now for 20+ years. The timing of the rut has changed in that area without a doubt. Mid 90's through about '08 the peak of the rut seemed to occur around Nov. 15th with pre-rut activity being strongest usually between 10/31-11/8. The last 4-6 years tho, and the last two years inparticular, it appears to have shifted the peak to around Nov. 7-9 and
Pre rut 10/22-11/2. Not sure why, what or how but it has. For the last 10+ years I've always taken the first 10days of Nov. off, but this year I am changing and taking 10/24-11/3 off to try and catch the pre-rut.


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## droptine06

You got some bucks on cam Beau.

We are headed down to our place in Harrison this weekend to plant. Looks like some good rain coming early Next week!


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## BuckinFish

droptine06 said:


> I'm off 272 as well and have hunted that area now for 20+ years. The timing of the rut has changed in that area without a doubt. Mid 90's through about '08 the peak of the rut seemed to occur around Nov. 15th with pre-rut activity being strongest usually between 10/31-11/8. The last 4-6 years tho, and the last two years inparticular, it appears to have shifted the peak to around Nov. 7-9 and
> Pre rut 10/22-11/2. Not sure why, what or how but it has. For the last 10+ years I've always taken the first 10days of Nov. off, but this year I am changing and taking 10/24-11/3 off to try and catch the pre-rut.



I agree, I grew up watching the elders take weeks off around Nov. 9th and when I finally was old enough to do it myself, i never saw anything.  Ill be down halloween to try my luck.


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## jtomczak

Food plots finally in the ground, right in front of the rain!

Heading down this afternoon.


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## shotgun01

Got my food plots planted two weeks ago last Sunday. They are beautiful. Had deer in them all last weekend.
My little tracking dog told me that she wants to find a deer, so I may have to fling an arrow this weekend.


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## yellowhammer73

bucks really laying down the scrapes this past weekend. 10/4-10/5

most deer seen on acorns 

water oaks dropping the most

whites and reds holding on still

we are in the mayfield area.

can't wait to get my daughter out next weekend with her 7mm08
got a nice 3 year old 8 point on a pretty good pattern on acorns.
hope to have yall pics next week.

good luck guys


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## jtomczak

1. Doe within range Friday night but never presented a clean shot.

2. Later that evening my crossbow cocking rope broke, sending the metal claw into my foot. No AM hunt and 5 stitches.

3. Ready for evening hunt (wife was going to drop me off close to stand on road) and I realize my crossbow arrow catch is broken (probably from the event the night before). No hunt. 

Kids had fun regardless.


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## barry7157

Justin, glad you are OK.  This is Barry P from WADA Mess, have you seen any signs of our lease being clear cut yet?


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## jtomczak

Barry who hunts Trawick land next door? Nothing yet other than the pink tape.


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## jtomczak

Saw a doe and one black bobcat yesterday. Slow, hot and the plots aren't coming in yet. We need rain.


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## barry7157

yes that barry, talked to andy a couple weeks ago and still no word.  hopefully we will be able to hunt most of the season


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## barry7157

We didn't bother planting any food plots since we don't know how long we will be able to hunt.  We will get a two notice to pull our stands out once they start clear cutting.  The entire property will be cut minus the 50' buffer by the creeks.


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## 00Beau

What a difference a week can make, last week, only small bucks on 1 camera, this week more scrapes than I have ever seen in my life and pictures of bucks every where. Culverton/ Mayfield area.


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## swamp

Big 9 pointer killed in club in Hancock Club this morning near White Plains.


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## dsweat

*WACO/Johnson/Jefferson County Corner*

Good rain in Central GA today.  Scrapes everywhere.  Cameras show bucks following does day and night for last week and a half.  Lots of activity.  Can't wait for opening morning!


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## jtomczak

Neighbor couldn't get a clear shot on a big 10 this AM. Wish I was in the woods!


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## Hooked On Quack

Big 10 ptr was ran over by the Days Inn in Sandersville last week.


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## yellowhammer73

Mayfield area Hancock co. 

Hot over weekend but a lot of deer seen dawn/dusk. 
On acorns hard. Ignoring food plots right now. 

Working scrapes hard with scat and urine in them. 

Does and small bucks nervous while feeding. Constantly looking over shoulder and around. 

New never caught on trail cam bucks showing up all over our lease. 

Halloween weekend should be on fire!!!!

On a different note we caught a fawn on cam that couldn't have been a week old. This was 10/10. 

Good luck guys and gals.


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## droptine06

Saw quite a few deer this past Sat-Sun in Harrison. Saw a 2.5yr old buck chasin, lots of scrapes popped up in the last week. Seems the bucks are ready but the does ain't.


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## BeauWitherspoon

WOW! Well, it seems our lease in southern WACO has been flanked on all sides - there were 5 different shots in various directions on neighboring properties Saturday evening.

Saturday morning I saw two does on one of our plots, my father-in-law shot a big doe on another plot.

Saturday evening the grandparents kept the babies and my wife went with me, we didn't see anything and it sounded like we were hunting a battlefield.

Sunday morning I went to a new, never hunted stand and saw three small bucks. Two came in an hour apart to my grunt call - I would have taken the second buck but the right side of his rack was broken off below the browtine.

Looking forward to getting back after them next weekend.


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## shotgun01

Saw deer from every stand this past weekend. The does were feeding slow, with no bucks anywhere around. The deer were in the hardwoods, as well as the food plots. Had a group of six does stay with me for nearly two hours this morning. I shot this eight pointer at 7:20 Saturday morning, as he was slipping back to his bedding area in a grown up cutover.
I was planning to stay until Tuesday, but didn't want to be tempted, if I came across his bigger brother. Planning to hunt the whole first week of November, so I need to keep a buck tag.


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## jcpinner

*Opening Weekend Success*

This weekend was on fire for us in Hancock.  Friday morning my brother killed a nice 8 and had two other 3 year old 8 points that he could of shot as well but passed hoping for an older deer with his second buck tag.  Saturday morning I killed my biggest buck to date, a 9 point with tons of mass.  I was watching a 3 year old 8 point, 6 point and spike pushing about 6 does around when this boy showed up out of nowhere.  Finally passing up all the young bucks has paid off and was well worth it.  Both bucks had wet tarsal glands, bark in their horns and pushing does.


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## jtomczak

Saw deer every sitting last weekend. Couple of 2.5 eight points.

Itching to get back in the woods!


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## droptine06

Saw over 50 deer last weekend between 5 of us, 4 3.5yr ol bucks seen. Several young bucks messin with does but not really chasing yet. 3 folks hunting today, i had to work, 7 bucks and 14 does seen today, no chasing. I'm headed down this coming Tuesday thru the following Monday. Cold front coming in Wednesday night, hopefully it will be on this week and next weekend.


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## aaron batson

Let a few walk yesterday - no chasing seen, just feeding and moving


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## aaron batson

One more - sorry for the poor cell phone pics. Taken from the stand


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## hunt4em

Our place went quiet and cold in Hancock this weekend,only 4 deer seen,a spike,a mature doe,and 2fawns.hopefully 1st week of November will be good.we won't be back till then.


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## shotgun01

What a weird weekend. I had to be out of town, so I couldn't hunt, but I stayed in touch with the neighbors on either side of my property. One guy saw 31 deer over a 24 hour period, 4 shooter bucks, and shot one of them. He said it was the most awesome weekend he has ever had. The father and son on the other side of me saw a few does over the course of the weekend. 
BTW, none of the four bucks were following does. This coming weekend should be good. I'll be there Wednesday.


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## jtomczak

*Weekend Report*

Saw deer at every sitting...young bucks walking around and does.

No shooters (shocker).

Took these two Saturday morning. Larger weighted 120lbs.


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## barry7157

Justin,  Nice does, I will finally be down this Friday and Saturday to hunt.  Will stop by your camper if you are there this weekend.

BarryP


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## jtomczak

Come by early Saturday afternoon if you like. We should be there around 3. Good luck!


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## aaron batson

My son Blake's Sunday morning success. Proud of him


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## jtomczak

/\ Congrats!

We saw decent activity over the weekend. I saw no rut activity, but my hunting buddy took 3 shots on a mature (4.5+) 8 point and came up short. The buck was tending a doe and completely ignored the shots. Reason for the misses - scope was off and distance was much greater than he realized. Oops.


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## champ

*Going good at County line on Hwy15*

Here are a few club pics from this past week. My Lady with a couple healthy does. The non-typical was taken by my friends 16yr old son and that's me with the tall tine 8pt. Hancock hunting will always be my favorite!

Champ


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## barry7157

Justin,

Hunted Friday, went home Saturday morning due to the wind.  I did take out a coyote at the power line on Friday. Saw 5 small bucks Friday, no shooters.

BarryP


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## BuckinFish

Only rutting activity on our lease was two bucks seen fighting on Sunday (11/2).  We were there since Wednesday, a few does, and a couple small bucks were seen.  A few were seen in the thick stuff on the windy saturday.  This really didnt support my hypothesis that Halloween was going to be the time to be in the woods...maybe this weekend!


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## jtomczak

Barry...nice work on the yote! I've seen two this year but couldn't get a clean shot on either.

Got a call from the neighbor that he took a mature 8 point this morning. This is the first buck for him in 4 years and I'm so proud of his patience! QDM is paying dividends!


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## jtomczak

*Score!*

4 years ago my neighbor Phil decided to join our QDM efforts (taking as many does as bucks and most importantly laying off all bucks younger than a 3 year old). 

He hunts ~40 acres so the temptation to think that every buck he passes on gets killed elsewhere is strong, but he has stuck to it. We have done the same on our 220 acres that border him on two sides.

Last year he had an opportunity on a monster 12 point, and this year he had an opportunity on a big 10. He has passed on at least a dozen young bucks over the past few years.

This morning he scored on a nice 3 or better 8 point. I couldn't be happier for him!


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## droptine06

I hunted from last Tuesday through this past Monday. Week started out slow with just seeing a couple does and small bucks, then Friday night the front moved in and like a light switch was flipped the chasing was on! I shot a 3.5yr old 164llb 7pt Sat. morning chasing. My Uncle took another 3.5yr old 182llb 7pt, another club member missed a big 8pt chasing a doe Sunday am and a member at the club that borders us shot a real nice 140 class 4.5yr old 171llb 8pt Sunday evening. Saw two more 3.5yr old 8pts chasing separate does Monday morning and had to come home. Should have taken this week off instead. Headed back down Sunday for another week but afraid I'm gonna be to late. Good luck fellas, it's on around south WACO county!


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## barry7157

Congrats to Phil!, nice buck indeed


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## barry7157

*Washington County 8 Pointer*

Nice older 8 pointer taken Saturday at 5:45pm by one of our members


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## jtomczak

Congrats to all on great harvests!

Saw a ton of deer over the long weekend. Saw 8 or so different bucks and passed on a nice 3.5 year old 8 on Saturday. 

In fact, it looks a lot like the one you guys got Barry. He came by me on the power line Saturday late afternoon heading your way! Good mature deer and I'm glad you guys were able to harvest him. I wonder if it's the same deer. Was he close to the power line?

Things slowed down Sunday - Monday.  Home now.


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## kmr3237

Hi, Barry.  I would like to introduce myself to you and your club members. I hunt with Jtomczak (unfortunately, right?). 

Congratulations on the buck! 

Kevin


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## jtomczak

Hey now. 

Barry, if you heard WWIII recently, it may or may not have been Kevin. He is trying to educate the big bucks that the sound of gunfire is not dangerous to them!


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## barry7157

Justin, 

Yes this buck was on the power line up by the transmission towers on top of the hill.  He had come out of the woods north of the PL and was heading to my stand but didn't make it!!  Had a 16" inside spread so our QDM is working...


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## barry7157

jtomczak said:


> Hey now.
> 
> Barry, if you heard WWIII recently, it may or may not have been Kevin. He is trying to educate the big bucks that the sound of gunfire is not dangerous to them!



To funny!!


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## jtomczak

Really happy for you guys! Letting the 1.5 and 2.5 bucks go produces bucks like that. They get really smart so it seems they have disappeared, but they are there and some times you are blessed with a great harvest!


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## imkevdog

got this one last sat


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## jtomczak

nice buck kevdog!

Slow weekend for me. Saw some does and some spikes. No rut activity.

Got to meet Barry in person, which was great! Thanks for coming up buddy.


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## barry7157

Justin,

Enjoyed meeting you as well.  We had a slow afternoon as well with just taking a pig in the morning.

Barry


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## imkevdog

thank you Justin, like you say only mature bucks, it's worth the wait


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## jtomczak

right on Kev!


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## HM

Anybody been to Hancock this week, how's it looking?

Trying to decide if I hunt Walton or Hancock this weekend


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## thaney10

Active weekend on our club in Western Hancock. A nice 10 point was killed and multiple bucks were seen chasing and grunting. They're still getting after it right now.


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## Golden Bear

*No Dice*

Spent Friday - Sunday along the Hancock/Washington County line and only saw 1 doe with a good number of hours in the stand. First time all season we haven't seen more than 3 or 4 per sit.

Not many shots this weekend so either folks are home prepping for St. Nick or the deer weren't moving.


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## champ

Hey Golden Bear, I too hunt the hancock/washinton line south on hwy 15. little to no daylight movement even on prime food sources. Like you say, seems there wasn't a lot of hunters in the woods stirring them up.


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## screedee

*Didnt see a single deer last weekend. Deepstep.*

Didnt see a single deer last weekend. Deepstep.  4 sits


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## jtomczak

same here. Slow.


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