# Berrien/ Lanier Report  2006



## billy336

Well, time to start this years thread. Finally made it up to the camp this weekend. Been about three months since my last visit. We all know its hot and dry, and it was. Surprised in seeing a decent amount of water in the ponds. We planted an old food plot in millet for some shotgunning later on, and the deer have been mowing it down! Some has made it to where its showing some seed, a little water and it should be in great shape. Must have spooked 80 doves out of it while driving by this weekend. Saw a mature deer at well over 300 yards. Only saw from the front shoulder back, but he looked like a rusty 100 gallon water tank. Burnt red and large!! The following morning I watched a doe and a 8" spike thru the windshield. I guess they think my truck is good lookin' too. Spent 12 minutes looking at them before they got bored and moved on. On a bitter note, caught a local on his four wheeler haulin azz down our main road. Bad timing for him, I was buzzed up a little and not particularly in the best mood to see him. I'm also 6'3" and 275 lbs., kinda intimidating when standing there, filthy from head to toe and about 10 minutes before dark. As I walked up to him, I could literally smell his fear. Now I'm really a mellow person, but I crawled inside and out of this guy named " George". George said he was looking for "Brian", apparently he was on my place too. Well, after scaring the fire out of him he moved on, Brian came by the next day to apologize and we'll see where things lead from here. First time I have caught someone, but surely not the last. Due to the dry conditions finding any tracks was almost impossible. Hard to say how the fawn crop is, I'm just praying you lucky folks who reside up there are killin' every coyote you see. How is everyone elses' clubs doing?


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## Whitetailer

*Berrien 06'*

Alright.....  Yeah Billy it is time to get started.

I have not been up yet.  I am very anxious to see the property.  The landowner is building roads w/culverts to get across two of the sloughs while it is dry.  I always want to plant early, but usually have to wait til Sept. and for the rain to start.  Hopefully not too much as my poroperty floods easyily.

I hope I can get up in August, but I am going to Montana Sepr. 5 through Sept. 21 (where it is cool!)

Definitly be up late Sept.

Lets see if creekhunter gets in on this post...

                      Whitetailer


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## billy336

You're right Russ, the time has come!! I will be heading up there this afternoon to introduce a couple new members to the area. They have never seen the property. I know its gonna be dry up there, total of 2.33 inches of rain since I was there in mid-July. I had hoped the GobblerGetter would be in on this thread as well. He's lurking , I know it. I'll give a report when I get back from the camp. We still need to h ook up during the season for a cold one. I still have your #, I'll give you a shout when I get my weekends planned for gun season. Man, Montana sounds like a blast, hope you have a great trip. How's the fishin' been down there?


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## bam_bam

whittailer the river is almost to a trickle. very low. i have seen alot of deer around this year and there seems to be alot of bucks about too.


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## Whitetailer

I'm excited just hearing from you guys again.  It has been a long hot season down here.  Fishing is getting slow with the water temps in Florida Bay in the upper eighties and I have even seen temps over ninety degrees a few times.  As for the offshore scene, this will go down as one of the worst Dolphin years in history.  I look foreword to November when the weather cools down and the fishing heats up.  I am pretty much out of business with the kids going back to school and the heat and it is now lobster season.  I am going to take a buddy out this evening to reef fish.   We are going to go get some live Pilchards and do some bottom fishing off the reef on an area that is bridge rubble.

Well anyway, this is not supphosed to be a fishing post.

I probably will not get up before I get back from Montana.  I have to get a new engine rigged on my boat the last week of September, so that will be when I make it up to plant etc.

"alot of bucks about"???????? That is what I like to hear Bam Bam.......

Billy, my first trip I usuall find alot of sheds.  Do you find many on your property?  That is what really gets me fired up.......

Later going fishing.....



                     Whitetailer......


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## billy336

Sadly back at the office today, but had a great time up at the camp. It is raining up there more than I am aware of. The roads and plots have sure grown since I did some mowing earlier this summer. Found some acorns, but very ,VERY few, its gonna be a slow year for them. Saw quite a few does but no horns this time. They are hitting the water holes in a big way. My lease straddles the Berrien/Lanier line. It poured on the Lanier side while I was working on the Berrien side. Came back to camp (Lanier side) and there were puddles, never saw a drop. Crazy lightning storm rolled thru Sat afternoon as well. 
   Russ, enjoy your trip out West. Berrien will be here when you get back. If you run into a hot mutton bite, let me know. Be trying around here but the water is really cold for this time of year. To be honest, I have never found a shed up there. Never took the time to go and specifically hunt for sheds. Always get sidetracked into something else. I did find a HUGE rub, looks like one of the big boys is gettin' rid of that velvet. The tree was 13 inches in diameter. He tore up two right next to each other. 
   Otherwise, the weather was actually kind of pleasant. Sunday morning was awesome, was mowing some of the plots and wasn't even sweatin'. Overall a great trip. Anyone been over to Gator Tales, southeast of Nashville? South of the Get N Go, turn at the yellow flashing sign on the left. Set on the banks of a pond. Its been there a while but has recently reopened. Man thats some good eatin in there! If you aint been, you gotta go. Good stuff. 
   The good news is it looks as if the locals have stopped joy riding on our place. My little chat with the neighbor must have done some good. The fever is starting to brew, season can't get here soon enough. And I did see a coyote, about 11PM Friday night we were riding around on the Rhino and as we popped around a corner, there he was, ole orange eyes. No guns on board, no shots fired. He's got a date with my 308! I will venture out and say that this is the most deer sign I have ever seen on our lease. Got some real good news at dinner the other night. My in-state friend has a spare tractor to help us plant this year. Finally, I won't be wearing mine out. I'll get the mowing and roto tilling done with my Ford 3600 and he'll do the discing with his Ford 5000. Easy as pie with two machines.

   Anyone else with good news to share? Be sure to check yourselves, had a few ticks come off after a day in the pines.


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## Whitetailer

*Billy 336*

I know how those isolated thunder showers are up there.  Crazy how it can rain in town and not a drop up the road.  I have the river gauge at the rt. 82 bridge on my favorites and it is still bottomed out, so there has been no appreciable rain up stream yet.  The one thing that I have noticed is that the fog/humidity can make it so wet overnight and in the morning that seeeds will germinate and plots will grow without much rain.

Speaking of fishing.  I got a friend and we went out and fished the reef after dark for awhile last week.  I absolutely could not beleive it.....I had a well full of Razorbelly Pilchards and dropped them down into the bridge rubble (96') and.....ZIP..... NADA...?????  Could not find anything to eat them.  Usually the Mangrove Yellowtail and Mutton's are abundant and hungry.  Not this time.  I could understand if it was daylight.   We were on the full moon, but it was not up at the time.  The fall of the year is usually better than mid summer anyway for that fishing.

Where are you locarted from Alapaha or Nashville? I figure ou about 25 miles southeast of me.

Is there a tractor with disk for rent in your arsenal?

                             Later,
                                          Russ


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## billy336

Russ, we have had the same bottom fishing here. Great bait, perfect spot, cold water = no fish. What can you do? I am just north of Teeterville. That's between Lakeland and Nashville. Not exactly sure where you're at, but 25 miles is close enough. Depending on timing I could give you a hand with the disk. I can't rent it out, it belongs to the camp, but I would be glad to run it for you and get you started. Also, we found that you can rent a roto-tiller in Nashville for about $30 a day. Thats dirt cheap and worth its weight in gold.
   I'll agree with you on the heavy dew up there. Plenty for germination and the seedlings to start. 8 weeks and my plots should be sprouting. Let me know your schedule and I will see what I can do .


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## creekhunter

Guys, I'm starting to get pumped about the up-coming season. The temps are supposed to be in the low 90's this weekend, as opposed to the normal high 90's.

We've gotten some pretty good bucks on our deer cameras and some monster tracks. That's always encouraging! 

I killed 2-coyotes 2-years ago and haven't seen any since. I know they are still in the woods though. My neighbor said he saw some last year.

Let's keep it going!


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## Whitetailer

Welcome back creek...

Billy, You are 20 miles due south of me.  I am just east of Alapaha on hwy.82.

May take you up on the tractor offer.....  My landowner lets me use his, but sometimes it is broken.

                                      Whitetailer


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## billy336

Russ, you're not too far at all. If his tractor is down, just give me a holler, I 'll hook you up, all it will cost you is a couple of cold ones. Don't worry creek, we'll keep her goin'. Are you and Russ in the same lease? If not, where abouts are you located in Berrien? Always great to hear of some big boys running thru Berrien Co. Good luck to you this season.


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## Whitetailer

*Billy*

creekhunter is in Lowndes Co.  Probably much closer to you than I am...


                                        Whitetailer


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## bam_bam

there is a rental place in tifton that will rent tractor disk and mower. i am pretty shure its called sunbelt rental


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## billy336

Hopefully they have a trailer too. Be a long road run for ya Russ. Any idea what the rates are bam bam?


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## Whitetailer

Hopefully The landowner can lend me his.......

But, if not I do need something more substantial than my ATV disk.


                     W


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## billy336

I was lucky enough to make another run up north this weekend. Stilll purty dry, but we drove thru some nasty weather south of the state line. Didnt have much time in the woods, spent most of it lookiing for acorns. Sadly did not find very many. I loacatd 4 trees showing some acorns and I will focus in their immediate area when the time comes. Saw half of a very large deer as I slipped up on a water source. He was a big boy, found his tracks in the mud around the water, dew claws and all . Two months to go as of yesterday and its BOOM time. Starting to get antsy down here.


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## Whitetailer

I kinda wouldn't mind a sparse season on the acorns.  I have so many Oaks that drop so many acorns that the deer do not have to go anywhere.  There are huge Oaks overhanging my cabin and all night long the nuts drop on the roof and roll down and if you park your truck too close they roll off of the roof and "clank" on the truck. 
 Tough enough getting a good night sleep with out all that racket.  

Anyhow, I am definitly not going to get up til late September to plant.  I already have most of my seed and have limed the last two years, so I should be able to get my plots done in a couple of days.

I am going to look up Sunbelt Rental...Tifton.  I wonder if they have a rough cut mower I can tow behind my Rancher???


                          Whitetailer


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## bam_bam

no idea of the rates. we have our own tractor( which is broke down right now) but i have seen them going by there


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## Whitetailer

*Hey Bam Bam*

Next time you drive by that rental place see what the name of it is...  OR perhaps a phone number?

I did an internet search and found nothing in Tifton by the name of Sunbelt Rental.


                Whitetailer


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## bam_bam

o.k


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## Gobblergetter

our lease is looking good, the creeks are still about dry, heres some pics from the last couple weeks 


http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j302/Galimbhanger/CDY_0046-1.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j302/Galimbhanger/CDY_0073.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j302/Galimbhanger/CDY_0074.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j302/Galimbhanger/CDY_0075.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j302/Galimbhanger/CDY_0076.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j302/Galimbhanger/CDY_0078.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j302/Galimbhanger/CDY_0079.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j302/Galimbhanger/CDY_0079.jpg


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## billy336

Nice pics Gobblergetter, you must be looking forward to Opening Day. Did yall get soon rain yesterday? Thought I saw some on the radar. Will be in Berrien Co. next weekend, can hardly wait.


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## bam_bam

boy it shure came a rain last night probly rained hard for a hour straight


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## billy336

As of right now, the radar says its flat out pouring in Berrien Co.!!! The whole county is getting a big drink, I'm heading up tomorrow night for a work weekend. Can't wait to get there and see what's go on around there. Anyone been in the woods this week?


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## bam_bam

despite all the rain we been getting it is still soaking it up pretty fast. we did get a good shower yesterday


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## billy336

Must have been some rain then. My old man saw three rattlers moving across SR 135 on his way up yesterday. Rain must have filled up a couple of holes. Keep a watchful eye out for them critters, I'm heading back to the house to get my snake boots before I head outta here this afternoon. Bringing a 5 man crew, 3 chainsaws, and my pa will be tractorin. Gonna clear the raods, paths and plots. We won't plant for another couple of weeks, our lack of acorns is making me think our plots will be getting hammered as soon as they come up. Just as gun season is opening.


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## billy336

Made another trip up this past weekend. Was delighted to find a ton more acorns than the previous trip. Cleaned up the roads, moved a couple of stands and cut shooting lanes at most of the stands. Having the typical "lack of help" problem as we do every year. What I thought would be 5 ended up being 3. One of which was an old buddy who was recruited into hard labor duty. 90% of my club is under 32 years of age, still cant get any help. Boo hoo. Anyway, will be heading north again this weekend with a new member that joined and has never seen the place. It sure is fun showing folks around the lease, but I'm there to either work or hunt. Need to finish buying the seed for the plots, mow a few more roads, and we're ready. I did find one smokin' hot rub and saw one doe and half of a seconddeer not 30 yards from it. Tons of deer on our place, cant wait to hunt 'em.

Russ, you back from Montana yet? Creek, bam bam, GG, anything happening up yall's way?


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## ALLBEEF

I'VE FOUND THE RIGHT PLACE!! I HAD A BAD EXPERIENCE LAST THURSDAY. I FELT LIKE THROWING THE MATHEWS DOWN AND GETTING THE BROWNING OUT ( AND I DON'T MEAN BROWNING BOW). I HAD A PICTURE WITH 4 8PTS AND HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO PULL BACK ON ONE THURSDAY AFTERNOON, WHEN I TURNED THE ARROW LOOSE, IT HIT HIM RIGHT SQUARE IN THE SHOULDER BLADE, I ONLY HAD ABOUT 8" OF PENETRATION, BUT 5" PULLED OUT AND MY BROADHEAD STAYED IN WITH ABOUT 2-3" OF SHAFT (ARROW BROKE ). DO YOU GUYS THINK HE'S DEAD OR ALIVE? I'M PRETTY MUCH OVER MY HEART ACHE NOW BUT I HATE LOOSING MY BEST BOW BUCK TO DATE. ANYWAY YA'LL HOLLER BACK, AND LETS SEE SOME PICTURES OF WHAT KIND OF BUCKS YA'LL GOT....


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## billy336

Glad to see you found us BEEF. Its been kinda slow around here, but as the season wears on , more folks chime in to the thread. Well gentlemen, made another voyage to the camp this weekend. Showing the place to one of my new members. He, of course, fell in love with it. Still a touch warm and dry as a popcorn f*rt, but the acorns are starting to fall and the leaves are changing color a bit. I almost climbed into a stand to sit for a spell , just couldn't torture myself though. The fella I was with brought his bow and saw a doe early Sunday morning before good shooting light. She was buried in the honeysuckle patch, as usual. Glad I fertilized those things, the deer are always nibblin' on 'em. I'm gonna have to get into bow hunting. I had never even drawn a 'real' bow back before Saturday, the ones used at FL Hunter Ed. courses are from Robin Hood's era. This was some kind of Hoyt, 63 lbs of pull, I could hold that thing for a count of 120 before letting off. Back to the report, I never laid eyes on a deer the entire trip. From here to there and back again, no brown. Just another clue the season is approaching. I did find where a poacher was climbing several times last year. Just inside our front gate. There was even a bottle of deer 'attractant' left there. Scumbag. Let me catch that schmuck , you'll see him hanging from his boots at the Teeterville Mall. And if any of yall get by there, tell the new owner you dont put an 'A' in Teeterville. You'll see what I mean when you pull up. Won't be back up there for a couple weeks. Gonna need some reports from you fellas.


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## ALLBEEF

IF NO ONE ELSE IS ON HERE YOU AND I CAN TALK.. I'M HEADED AFTERUM THIS EVENING AND I'LL LET YOU KNOW WHAT I SEE. WE GOT A SMALL SHOWER A FEW MINS. AGO (4:00) IT IS SUPPOSE TO COOL OFF THIS WEEKEND, MAYBE DOWN IN THE 50'S, I DON'T KNOW, WE'LL SEE. I FIXING TO GO AFTERUM, SO I'LL TALK TO YOU IN THE A.M.( DON'T HAVE A COMPUTER WITH THE INTERNET AT HOME)


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## bam_bam

i hunt in west berrien and i aint seen squat!


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## ALLBEEF

*Yesterday*

I went to the woods to hunt, but a small thunderstorm came up  so I decided to refill my feeders and check my cameras. Didn't hunt, but I'll be back afterum by Thursday evening. I'm seeing plenty of buck sign now, rubs and scapes.


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## billy336

Bam Bam, thats not the type of report we're lookin' for, go find some deer. BEEF, glad to hear you are back at it. Now stick one. Great to hear some rain fell, no doubt it was nowhere near my lease.


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## CuznDave

Where in West Berrien do you hunt?  My wife's family is down there and I will be looking to let an arrow fly this Saturday out back on their farm.  
Always looking for someone to hunt with when I am down that way.  CD


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## Whitetailer

*I gotta get busy!!!*

Got back from the Montana vacation yesterday and after seeing all those Elk and Mule Deer and Pronghorn etc. walking around I'm fired up. I gotta get up and plant my plots.  WOW,  I have never been this late before.   Has the rain raised the river levels?  

                    Whitetailer.......................


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## Browning270

Hey yall I hunt lanier and the deer movement has been slow. I've shot one doe but have only seen five deer all year so far. It could be better if them dang 4 wheelers would quit trespassing and riding all over our land.


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## billy336

The Whitetailer returns! Good to hear from ya Russ. Got any pics of your trip to share? It is great to see some new fellas on the report this year. Not real excited about 270 not seeing many deer. But I'll agree, with the foliage still thick as a jungle , seeing them is tough. I'm heading up this weekend and the following weekend as well. Food plots will be planted on the 7th. I have 1000 lbs of seed to spread right now and will prolly add 200 pounds of wheat to the mix. I was up on the 16th and 17th and had a couple acorns dropping on my head. But the major clusters are still mighty green and won't fall anytime real soon. Our club is ready for the season, all the roads are trimmed, shooting lanes cleared, and stands inspected for safety. I do have a very positive thing to add, in my club this year we have three new members that have never killed a deer. I cant wait to 'dump some guts' on those fellas. 26 days to go!


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## Whitetailer

Hey Billy,

I have cleared my head from vacation (sorta) and I am leaving tomorrow morning to do some planting etc.  As usual I  have no help and will be there myself.  The landlords (loaner) tractor is broke so I will have to try to scrtatch out my plots with my atv disc.

As far as opening day hunting, it is tough with all the foliage/green matter.  I had not hunted opening for five years til last year when I "evecuated" for hurricane Wilma.  I saw lots of deer and took a six point.   

This year I will be up opening day because I got a jury duty summons for Oct 30th for two weeks.  That means if I get called to serve I will be out of the picture for the first two weeks of November.....aaaaarrrggghhhh....#^#!~**#

Yeah, great to hear from some new guys on the post this season.

Later,         Whitetailer


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## Whitetailer

P.S. 

New avatar     Rainbow out of Trout Lake in Yellowstone last  week.



              Russ     aka whitetailer        aka trouttailer......


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## billy336

Russ,

   Sorry to hear about your tractor woes. I'd help, but the trailer I use to transport my machine has been 'borrowed' and I dont know when I'll see it again. Got the good news that my buddy up there is pulling his Ford 5000 over to the place for plantng next weekend.  As dry as it is up there, be prepared for some serious hard pan. I plan on discing some this weekend. Try to get a bit of a head start. If you are staying until the weekend let me know. We're gonna have a big supper Saturday night. Deer, hog, elk, snapper, grouper, hogfish, should be a good time. Come on down and have a beer or three.  
   Man, that really sucks you may be stuck in jury duty, right when the rut may kick in. But I'll post pics of the deer I kill to help ease your pain.


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## ALLBEEF

WHAT'S UP FELLAS, SAY YA'LL ARE PLANTING A FEW PLOTS THIS WEEKEND, SAME HERE. BOY IT'S DRY!!!! I THOUGHT THERE FOR A WHILE WE WERE GOING TO GET SOME REGULAR RAIN BUT IT AIN'T HAPPENING YET. WE DID GET SOME RAN A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, BUT I COULDN'T GET A TRACTOR, THE GUYS THAT I HUNT WITH OWN A FARM OPERATION AND THIS TIME OF YEAR THE HAVE ALL THE TRACTORS TIED UP IN THE FIELD. FINALLY THIS PAST WEEKEND THE TURNED A 5610 FORD ALOOSE AND I DONE SOME SCRATCHING, I'M GOING BACK THIS AFTERNOON AND TOMARROW TO PUT SOME WHEAT, RYE, AND CLOVER IN THE GROUND. I'VE BEEN GETTING SOME NICE 15" 8PTERS. ON CAMERA AT A FEEDER HERE LATELY, I'VE GOTTEN AROUND 40 PICTURES OF DEER THIS YR. AND I ONLY HAVE PICTURES OF 5 DOES, AND THE SMALLEST BUCK WAS A 6PT. , BESIDES ONE SPIKE. I HAD 4 8PTERS. IN ONE PICTURE.  I ONLY HAVE A PICTURE OF ONE SHOOTER THOUGH, HE IS ABOUT 125", 9" G2'S, 5" BROWS, AND 5" G3'S, 18" WIDE. CAN'T WAIT TO SEE HIM.


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## Whitetailer

whoa,  ALLBEEF that sounds like a good stock of bucks on your place!

Billy, it's 5:00 am and I am leaving Islamorada, be in Alapaha about 2:30.  Thanks for the offer to the shindig, but I ...plan... on being home friday afternoon.  Gonna go up hit em hard and get home.

Hey creekhunter, what are you doing????



                     Whitetailer


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## billy336

Well my trip got cancelled last night. Too busy here at the job to go. Plots go in next weekend and I'm there for sure. Pretty quiet around here, anyone have some good news?


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## Gobblergetter

it's been hot and they don't seem to be moving much but it's getting colder every day


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## Whitetailer

*a whirlwind trip*

Well, I arrived at camp @ 1:30 pm Tuesday and worked til almost dark.  Got up early Wed. (Temp 58 degrees) and got back at it all day.  Drove home Thursday.

The soil was so hard I could only get one plot disked.  Planted my "longplot" with 100 # Oats and 100# Peas and sprinkled a bag of Secret Spot on top.  Fertilized sparsely with 50# ammonium nitrate.

Otherwise I fluffed up one of the landowners plots ands re seeded with the same components as the long plot.

Fortunately the owner plants five plots, but I lilke to make some remote plots.  I like to plant the strip between the pines and the hardwood sloughs.  BUT,  my 350 Rancher really groans with 150 pound of weight on the disk and even with all the weight it did not do the job, especially with all the eight foot dog fennels to mow down!!!!!!!

So, I resolved myself to keeping feeders filled and hidden in the thick stuff.  I guess I gotta feed cause every deer we take has corn in him from neighboring clubs.

I saw no Rattlers, I found no sheds like I usually do, I did see several rubs and two scrapes.  One scrape is where I always find scrapes and one was in a remote pine area.  I always am amazed to find scrapes this time of year.  I guess it must be a mature buck who has been through a few breeding seasons.  It was nice and cool in the mornings, but I sure hope we start to get some consistent rainfall to crank up the plots. 

And as usual loads and loads of acorns.  They are dropping off of the trees and rolling down the roof all night, kinda like a Chinese water torture. Occasionally one will "clink" as it hits my truck parked too close to the cabin roof.

                      Whitetailer


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## billy336

Man, Russ that was a quick trip. Sounds like your as dry as my place. and one thing is for sure, Berrien Co. can grow some world record class dog fennels. If one could only find a use for them besides clogging up the tractor's radiator. I hate them things.  Really bummed I'm not there this weekend, but next weekend will be exciting. I turn 31 on the 9th so Saturday night will be a 'out of town' birthday party. When the work's done, we'll head to Ray's Millpond for some catfish and then back to the house for a few beverages. First B-day in Ga, surely not to be the last. 

I know you've been out West, but how's the fishing been? The swell off that big storm helped move the cold water offshore. Bait here is slim pickens, aside from the mullet run. Bottom fishing has been decent and some cobia are showing up as well.


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## Whitetailer

Billy,  

There are not to many guys fishing, as there is really no business here now.  I want to run  out to the Gulf and see if the big Cobia are on the wrecks.  Probably during mid week.

If you want you can log onto:

www.islamoradasportfishing.com 

click on "fishing report".  I do a weekly Quick Glance report.  Also I moderate a forum called "Ask the Captain".  It is for folks to ask questions about what is going on locally in the Keys.  

                                         Russ


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## ALLBEEF

Well I finally got my plots in last Tuesday (Sept 26th) and it has not even thought about raining!! Still no rain in the forcast for the next 7 days!! Might should have built another feeder instead of buying all that seed. Anyway, I have only got to hunt 3 times and only seen 1 deer. I just can't get into it, because it has been so hot and dry. One guy said this past Saturday he had deer under his all morning and finally got a shot on a 7pt. and when he saw the 7pt. he had 2 bucks grunting and running all around his stand. He is set up in a cypress pond, with corn all over the ground, but he saw 15 deer all morning until 11am when he shot the 7pt. 
I have a couple of questions, I have two weeks for vacation, when should I take them??  Should I take them all at 1 time or should I take a week in November and a week in December or just a few days at a time ( maybe a four day weekend for several weeks)?  When have ya'll seen the most big buck activity in Berrien Co.??


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## billy336

BEEF, I have always taken a week off in mid-November. I have killed several deer on November 11th, in particular. But if your buddy is seeing and hearing rut activity, then 28 days from now would be a good start. I'm praying for rain up there too. All our $$$ hits the dirt Saturday, we'll be doing several rain dances before we head out, thats for sure. I take it you guys don't see the warden much? When was the last time you ran into one? I haven't seen one in 13 years of hunting there.


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## ALLBEEF

I got to meet him last year  I had a feeder, it had to have been close to a mile off any public road and then 500yds from where I parked and it was a climber, he walked all the way to my tree!! Talk about ruining your hunt!!  I'm not the only one that had been doing some scouting in there! Up until then, I have never seen him in the woods. I usually don't hunt over corn unless I'm bow hunting, I keep the feed legal during gun season, it is just hard to do while hunting with a bow!! Anyway that set me back $250! 
Anyway, do you think I should take the middle two weeks of November instead of splitting them up???


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## Whitetailer

*Madder than a hornet*

Got home yesterday about 6:00 pm.  Went into my office to give you guys a holler when I saw my NEW DELL NOTEBOOK was NOTon my desk.  My house had been burglerized!!!!!!  I am now at the library to check mail and conduct business.  I won't go into it, but I am sure it was high school age kids that had been hanging around on the street the last week.  My neighbor even saw a kid on my porch a couple of days ago.  And Sat. one knocked on the door.  When I answered it he asked for T.J. I said no one here by that name and he turned and left.  My wifes px pain meds were taken too.

        
Sorry to vent off subject with so much hunting talk to be doing!!!

Happy birthday Billy.  

Yeah, I see no rain in the area at all.

As far as the first rut hunting timeframe, Nov. 4 through nov. 16.   Then the first week of Dec. (3rd through10th) 

If it is cool the buck seen to really chase good early Nov.  The December week is always cooler and seems a good second rut occurs.  Six years ago I took a 2 1/2 year old ten point hot on a Doe on Jan. 11th.  Third rut?????

BUT.....I will be up opening with my son. 

It's gotta get better.......

               Whitetailer


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## billy336

Thieves and poachers, they should all be shot. That really sucks Russ, hope you catch the little SOBs. Cut 'em up and use 'em for bait! 
  My dad went up early this morning. Had deer running in front of him left and right. Just as he passed the state line on 135, he says " The durn things are everywhere". Of course he's telling me this as I'm sitting at my desk. At least Nextel is working a little better up there now. I cant wait to get up there. Low 50s are the prediction.
   BEEF, I would heed Whitetailer's advice and take a week during each month. I agree there is a second rut in December and a third in January. Shoot, I see more in January than most other times of the year. All my members disappear and I have the place to myself, it seems. During the last two weeks of the season last year I saw over 20 deer. Thats pretty decent in my book. By that time they have usually become ghosts. But the best advice is to sit in your stand as lon as possible, as much as possible. You can't kill him if you're at the house.


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## billy336

We managed to get all the plots in on Saturday. I dont think we had enough oats or rye, but I'll be surprised if anything grows in that dust. Rented a roto-tiller from the Nashville Ace Hardware for $50, best money I've spent this year. The tiller gave us a perfect seed bed, though the dryness made it like flour. But the seeds in, fertilizer is in, and we saw 7 bucks and 12 does during the stay. Less than two weeks now, can't wait. I would like to give a 'shoutout' to the girls at Gator Tales. Thanks for the birthday cake! Great place there, if you haven't been, you should go.


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## Gobblergetter

gator tales is pretty good  I went hunting last night, saw a bunch of turkeys but no deer did hear one blowing though first time seeing turkeys on our land so I was happy


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## billy336

Congrats on the birds gobblergetter, saw a few on my place for the first time this year as well. Well Gentlemen, the report now has over 1000 views, wonder who else is lurking out there?


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## Whitetailer

*Any rain lately?*

Hey Billy,

I'm lurking down here.  Just wating til this friday and will  drive up to hunt a few days.  My son will be up from college in Melbourne, so that will be great to get together with him.  Hope it cools down.   

I am wondering about my plots.  Has there been ANY rain recently?  Sure wish creekhunter would chime in with some local info.

Where is Gatortails. lets have lunch monday.......


                 Whitetailer


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## fatback

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. WE haven't had ANY rain in quite a while in north lowndes/south berrien county.


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## Whitetailer

Whoooooah,

My weather channel says the rain is coming.  Hope it freshens up the plots but does not wake up the skeeters!!!!!


                                   Whitetailer


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## Gobblergetter

I'm starting to see a good bit of rubs, have yall been seeing any


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## Browning270

As of right now we aint had no rain. Its sprinkled a little but not even enough to knock the dust down on the roads. Its DRY to dry and its put a hurtin on my deer huntin. By this time last year I seen about 40 deer but this year I've only seen 13. I've seen deer out of the stand three times this year and 2 of those times were yesterday and today. Yall please pray and keep your fingers crossed for rain


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## fatback

I have found several new rubs in the last week. No new scrapes yet.


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## Whitetailer

I am fixin to join ya......

It is 5:00 am and I am leaving Islamorada and will be in ALapaha by 2:00 (Fri)

Good luck to all and be safe.........

I'll look for the reports by midweek.....

       Whitetailer

P.S.  Got my computer back


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## creekhunter

Whitetailer, drive safe. I know you are happy that your son can hunt with you.

For some reason, I have not been getting email notifications of activity on this post until this morning?

Two of my sons will be hunting with me Saturday morning. The youngest is coming down from Atlanta to the farm Sunday afternoon and will hunt a couple of days before going back.

I've seen good signs of activity. Hopefully, we'll all see some good whitetails this weekend! 

Thankfully, we've gotten some good rain (got more during the night). Maybe our food plots will wake-up now. 

Good luck to all South Georgians!


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## ALLBEEF

Should be a good weekend,  weather is going to be mild, low in the 50's and 50% chance of rain again on Sun. I'm ready to see some green in my dirt strips. 
How long are you guys going to be up here in Alapaha?


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## creekhunter

Wednesday, I found a small pine broken in two from a buck rubbing it. It had no bark left on the trunk!


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## CuznDave

*2 Down in Berrien*

I went Sat AM with a buddy.  We were hunting some family land just outside of Nashville.  7:30 - He shot a big doe and then at 8:50 I shot one to match  (they were within a few pounds of 120#'s each).  It was a beautiful morning, but it was plain hot by the time we finished skinning and butchering them.  
Now that I have the meat in the freezer, I can relax and wait for the one that my wife wants me to put over the fireplace.
Hope everyone else has a great seaon.


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## billy336

The report from our place has been great. 19 deer seen total between 3 hunters. 2 does down and one fella saw a monster chasing a doe Saturday morning. Plots are doing well, still need some rain. May be another week before I can go but I am sure chomping at the bit.


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## Browning270

opening weekend was slower than usual mainly cause its been dry. did see a few does and button bucks but didnt kill any, yesterday saw two feeding on the powerline headin to the stand and saw two while hunting.After dark I saw about 7-8 and one was a nice un, he was on the tifton hwy. Rubs and scrapes seem to be doubled from last year


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## ALLBEEF

BOYS, I saw nine does yesterday morning, one was a piebald, looked like a holstein cow. Yesterday afternoon I saw one 4pt..  Billy, did you say someone saw some chasing this weekend?? Give me some details time, date temp etc... Where exactly is your club??? Is it down around Mud Creek??


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## billy336

BEEF, this is what I know. Saturday morning around 10:15 Clayton saw what he called a monster chasing one out of a creek bottom, thru a plot, into a pine field. Biggest deer he has seen in on our lease, ever.He's been on it for 15 years. Here's my take. 600 yards to the east another member shot a little doe that was acting like momma had just left her. I think the doe being chased was the dead doe's momma. Upon cleaning the two does, seems they both were pretty 'juicy'. We are 1/2 mile north of the Teeterville Mall. 10 minutes north of Lakeland.


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## ALLBEEF

Are ya'll located on hwy 64 or the teeterville rd. back towards nashville, I think I know where ya'll are, are you off the teeterville rd. on the left behind a yellow bar gate, with power run up to a little cabin or trailor.  

How much land do ya'll have??


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## billy336

Yeah BEEF, thats us. You ever see anyone snoopin' around there without a FL plate , unless its a red Dodge extracab or Red/white shortbox F150, let me know ASAP. We have 1637 acres. There is a house there, how did you know?


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## creekhunter

My boys and I hunted Sat - this morning. We saw lots of does and spikes, but no big bucks and the spikes were not following the does.

This morning about 9:00, my youngest boy saw two does in a field. He let them walk. About 5-minutes later, a young 1-1/2 year old 8-point that had his nose to the ground, trailing the does that had walked down this same trail. My son killed the buck with one shot and he's being processed.

We've seen turkeys galore! I watched a bunch of young gobblers sparring, fanning, and gobbling this morning. I've never seen that this time of year.


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## ALLBEEF

My wife does the books for Greg Weaver right down the rd, and I used to travel that rd. a good bit, I'm not sure if you can see the camp house from the rd. but I figured that was either someones party shack or a hunting cabin. We also used to live in Ray City and my parents live in Nashville not far from the teeterville rd. There's not many places I don't know in Berrien Co. Is you cabin in Berrien or Lanier? I don't hardly ever go over that way any more, I try to stay more around Nashville. I always hated Ray City. Did you get that Hooters girl email I sent you last week?


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## ALLBEEF

Creekhunter, what part of Berrien Co. do ya'll hunt?


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## creekhunter

Allbeef:

I've got 17-acres in extreme south Berrian, near Walker's Crossing.


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## ALLBEEF

You're not too far from me, I have one track of 100ac. over off Old Valdosta near De La Fountain Subdivision. 
I've only seen 2 button bucks and a spike or 4 pt. yesterday afternoon at 7:10pm. I just ain't seeing hardly any sign, just a few small rubs.


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## J Pritchard III

here is my Berrien report...

http://forum.gon.com/showthread.php?t=83531


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## Browning270

I hunted tues evenin, wed evenin, and thurs mornin and saw seven does. My buddy huntin with me saw ten all button bucks and does. Seems that they're movin late in the morning and all hours of the evenin........ Thats all in Lanier also a ton of rubs and scrapes


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## billy336

Rains coming!!!! And lots of it, from the looks of the radar. Spoke to Whitetailer on the phone this afternoon, he's had a good week up there. I'll let im fill in the blanks. Hey BEEF, does this Grag fella live in that big brick h ome just north of the Teeterville Mall?


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## ALLBEEF

No, Billy, he lives when you go north on the teeterville rd. to the 1st paved cross rd ( there is a little community building there) I think the name of that rd. is Allenville rd. ) 
Turn left on the Allenville rd and his house is the 1st house on the right, big brick house with a big metal building in the yard. I don't live but about 5 miles from there on over off old valdosta rd.

I saw a small 9pt. (14" wide)come in my food plot this morning at 8:20am but he didn't have any rutting on his mind, just that wheat I had planted. I let him live he will be a good one next yr. I have also been seeing a bunch of does.


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## billy336

I know the house well, the small community building is the K&E Club. That stretch of road between the K&E and your buddies' house is one of my favorite roads during November. The leaves must be seven different colors thru that stretch and I always see does there as well. Stopped in the cotton filed across from the K& E Club back in August. Saw a bunch of monster buck tracks around the eastern edge. Deep dew claws. I saw that buck last year and the year before, after dark, while driving to the Cadillac Ranch. He should be impressive this year. Hopefully he will come check out some of the ladies over at my place. Glad to here your seeing some horns.


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## Whitetailer

*Can't beleive I stayed all week!!!*

Arrived at camp fri afternoon, son arrived shortly afterwards.  We took a ride on the atv to look at a couple of stands and I could not beleive it.... a Black Bear ran across the path from the river to the pines.  It was 3:30 in the afternoon.....
Son saw five deer Sat. morning including a doe being chased by two identical six points.  Talk about the ultimate sibling rivalry!!!  He saw a Doe and two yearlings Monday morning and had to go back to school.  I did not see a deer my first three days.  Twice when I got down from the stand at 10:30 I jumped deer.  Figured they were moving later than I was staying.

Got out of one stand @ 10:05 cause I wanted to clear some brush to improve my shooting lane in the river bottom.  I was on my knees for about two minutes whacking and tossing brush,  When I got up and started to walk a Deer (gender unknown)  bolted away from about thirty yards.  I can only assume it was coming to the sound of me raking brush.....

Early in the week I was hard pressed to find much sign as in rubs or scrapes as I did not want to do much walking.  But mid week I did discover plenty of rubs and scrapes.  One rub line was about eight little saplings that had been hit only enough to scar the bark with the tine ends. 

All in all I saw only one buck other than yearling buttons.  I went to a woods edge that Always has scrapes, and there were seven all looked active with few leaves on them.  Sat there thursday afternoon and a crab claw six point walked in and sniffed the limb and kicked around in the scrape and walked into the pines.

Anyway, thanks for the call Billy.  I was bummin driving down I 75.  Also good to hear from you creekhunter.  I was almost worried about you!  

Well I have a dilemma.  I am booked to fish on Nov 11th.  I want to go up on the (5th) full moon, but I may have to wait until the 12th to go up.  If I had my way I would be in the wood the 4th til the 12th and beyond.  If it gets cool I am as sure as I can be that will be the chase timeframe.

For now I will be hunting by proxy with you guys.... keep the info and stories coming.


                    Whitetailer


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## ALLBEEF

Whitetailer, where is it that you hunt in Berrien Co., do you lease some of that  Gaskins land near Alapaha, where is your camp. We hunt west of Alapaha on hwy 82 on the left before you get to the Dixon cotton gin. I saw a doe and a button buck this morning, Sat. I was on a church trip and got in just in time to go had a stand down south of Nashville where I have leased 100ac. and had about 45min to hunt, I looked at my watch and usually have deer cross at 7pm and it was 6:55 two mins later 4 deer just ran like scalded dogs across my plot (my plot is nearly 500yds long, the deer ran across at about the 225 yd. mark) anyway I get my gun up cause I think big boy is about to come after those that just crossed, all of a sudden 4- 4wheelers come around the corner at the end of my food plot (500yds at the end) and drive all the way up to my ground boxstand that I have on the other end of the plot. I let them get all the way to my stand (I ducked down so they wouldn't see me) and the I jumped out in front of them and stopped them. They were all about 14yrs old, At 1st I was MAD to say the least, but they were very considerate (to my face anyway) and I told them how dangerous it was to be riding on private land during deer season in a food plot, not to mention the money I have tied up in these plots that they were raising cain in. But I was nice about it ...THIS TIME.. But I did call the leaders dad once I found out who he was, and explained everything to his dad, he was very sorry for there actions, keep in mind these people are my neighbors, I have to be as nice as I can... Anyway I don't think I will have anymore problems outta them.. I hope I would hate to hafta take my belt off and tear their backside up!!!


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## creekhunter

*4-Wheelers and report from Sunday evening*

Allbeef, 4-wheelers have become a real problem for hunters and landowners alike. I've got my deercams set to catch some on the back of my property. 

Sunday evening, I hunted a food plot on the back of our farm. Five Tom turkeys walked across the field about 5:00 p.m. About 5:20 p.m. I watched a doe feed nervously at the woods edge of the food plot. She kept looking behind her and you know what I was thinking! Suddenly, a spike came from behind her and she ran off. He took over eating from the same spot, then turned around and put his nose to the ground where she ran off. He followed in her tracks. I believe we are at the beginning of the pre-chase phase of the rut. 

Just before sunset, I shifted in my chair and dropped a glove on the floor of the stand. When I reached down to pick-up the glove, the chair made a squeaking noise. As I came back up and looked out, there was the body of a huge, short-neck mature buck not 40-yards from my stand. His head and antlers were covered mostly by a bush, but his entire body was plainly visible. I could tell he was staring at me in the stand, so I froze. 

He watched me for about 2-minutes, while I held my breath. I caught a glimpse of the tips of his antlers, but could not see how many points. I was thinking of taking him, but I wanted to make sure he was at least an 8-point with a rack outside his ears. Suddenly, he walked off behind the bushes and I never saw him again.  

I had put out some doe scent around my stand. I believe he was checking-out the scent.

It was an exciting hunt to say the least. I'll be hunting heavy for the next 3-weeks.  Good luck!


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## Whitetailer

*Yeah ALLBEEF*

Yes, that is who I lease from.  There is a cinderblock building on the property that I have fixed up real nice as a "cabin".  I am three miles east of Alapaha with about 2 1/2 miles of river.   The infamous "Glory Club" is my neighbor to the east.

By the way, how much rain did we get Friday or Saturday?


                                   Whitetailer


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## Browning270

In Lanier this weekend two mature bucks seen with huge necks. one was killed and  he stunk bad. the deer was 3 1/2 and was a 4 point. He was big for a 4 point. normally we dont kill any small bucks but this deer was a split second decision and well....he bit the dust


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## airpear

Hey,

I'm new to the forums and been hunting about 6 years.  The last 2 have been on property in Lanier Co. 

It's been a slow year so far.  All I've seen so far has been 2 white flags during bow and some rubs and scrapes over the last few weeks.
2 weeks ago my wife saw 8 does, but was waiting for a buck.

I might be going again this weekend and will definately be there in 2 weeks.


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## airpear

Oh, and we've been seeing a ton of turkeys.  They seem to know when it's not their season.


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## AlexPeres

I saw a ton of Turkey also this weekend that past 3 different groups. A ton of Deer on Saturday and Sunday Bucks were chaceing Does.


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## billy336

Hey look Whitetailer, another super south FL hunter on the board. You two should try to carpool. Great to see some new folks checking out the thread. Awesome to read yall's reports. Keep them coming! Made plans today to head up Nov. 10th. Gonna be the longest 10 days of the year. When yall hear all that boomin' just west of Teeterville, its just me securing some backstrap  . Go get 'em fellas.


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## Whitetailer

Yeah Billy,

I have chatted with Alex in seasons past.  He used to lease from the same landowner as I do.  

Billy, your heading up the 10th?????   Oh yeah....
I have to fish on Sunday the 11th, then I am going up, so if you think you hear echos from up around Alapaha and allot of whooping and hollering, it is just me whacking a big one!!!!!!!!!

I have built two more PT wood ladderstands and a few other shooting accessories to take up.  Even set up some rattling horns.  Ever since that deer snuck up on me while I was cutting brush last week I thought I might try a little rattling mid day.

Anyway, I hope the plots grew some with the bit of rain we have had.

I'll talk at ya later.

                 Whitetailer


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## J Pritchard III

I hope that the cold weather this weekend gets em' moving.  I have to work nights down in Valdosta next week so I will do some later morning  hunting.  My pa in law had someone that hunts Lanier tell him about the necks swelling....when will the full rut start?  seems like this year it will start a little sooner than in the past.


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## ALLBEEF

I went 11/2/06 in the pm and saw a small buck run a doe and a yearling just a little. Went back this morning and at 6:55am six does came out to feed, and at 7:20 they took off running and a 13" 8 pt. ran them around, I don't know what happened after that I left for work when he ran out of the food plot. It is getting started for sure!!


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## airpear

Good Luck to anybody who can make it out this weekend.


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## Whitetailer

I'll be upto hunt next Sunday evening, hopefully for the week...  I can hardly wait for this week to be over.  I am anxious to hear about some good buck sightings this week and some taken I hope.

Billy, you still going up this weekend?

Hey creekhunter,  give us a report.......

Yo BEEF,  they gotta be scraping big time by now, huh???


                                Whitetailer


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## billy336

Russ, things look good so far. Keeping the fingers crossed. I 'm just hoping the rut is taking its time and will be cranking next weekend. at our place it is consistently around the same 6 days each year. All my gear is packed and ready for the ride. Are all of those deer in your avatar from Berrien?

Gonna start a countdown : 6 days and counting until liftoff.

Good luck this weekend fellas. Lets see some photos.


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## Gobblergetter

they were all over the place this morning, my dad killed a funny looking buck he's was amature buck but he had a messed up rack and I killed a button buck, I thought it was a doe  it was a good morning


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## Whitetailer

*Gobblegetter*

Ya got us chummed up now give us some details.  Where were you seeing them?  Food plot, pines,hardwoods,river bottom???   Time of day?  Watching scrapes?

Jeez, write us a book, not all of us can be in the woods. 

 Anyway,  good goin' ya got some venison in the freezer, so the pressure is off.  The big boys will be walking soon.

Good luck next  time out!!!!!


       Whitetailer


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## billy336

Weather predited to be in the 80s next weekend.But a good amount of rain also is forecast so maybe be plots will be green for us. You're right Russ, gobblergetter's report had be pacin' the floors last night. I heard there's one member up this weekend and a second may have gone yesterday afternoon. Waiting on their report.


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## Whitetailer

Billy,

I read some reports on the middle Ga. forums.  I never even looked at them before.  Seems the buck are moving good up north a little.  Several reports of good buck taken this weekend.  

Hopefully the weather will be cooler than  predicted.  That hot weather is the kiss of death as far  as a good rut is concerned..... IMO...

I will arrive Sunday and stay ...????  Well I don't know maybe the entire week.  Unfortunately I will be all by my self.

               Whitetailer


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## Whitetailer

Billy,

To answer your question about the deer in the avatar.  Most of them are from the Berrien lease.  The mount is a 2 1/2 year old ten point I shot chasing a doe on Jan. 11th 1997.  

                             Russ


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## ALLBEEF

What's up fellas, this weekend was ok, but it sure wasn't what I had expected. I did see a four pt. and 3 does Sat. morning and a nice six Fri. evening, but neither one of the bucks seemed to be hunting does. I talked with some friends over near riverside, and they saw two small bucks running does all around untill 11 am Sat. but didn't see anything Sunday, I didn't go Sunday , but went Sat. pm and saw nothing. I have been hearing of a few big bicks being seen after dark on the hwy. But nothing big from the stand. I am starting to see a lot more scraping and rubbing around the food plots also. 

Went back behind the house this morning and since Friday morning those little punks have been riding 4wheelers back in my food plots. I should be moving in my new house in a few more days and then I will be able to keep a better eye on the place, I WILL HAVE GATES UP BY THIS WEEKEND OR BEFORE, hope that slowes them down, local law enforcement don't help any, trespassers are the last thing on their minds. If ya'll have any suggestions let me know, If ya'll remember I caught them down there riding last weekend 10/29/06 and ask them not to come back though there, but I see now I am going to have to be ugly to them.


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## CuznDave

*South GA or Mid GA?????*

I got me a huge ten pointer this weekend - with our SUV.    I was driving down Friday night to my in-laws to do some hunting and campaigning for my mother-in-law.  I had a big ole deer step out in front of us just south of Cordele.  So, do I post the harvest as part of the South GA report or the Mid GA report?

My buddy did manage to go hunting Sat am and get another doe and saw 15 other deer - I think he said there was a couple of young bucks running around.  (I didn't get done with the sherrif's office, wrecker service, and down to Berrien Co. until about 1am, so needles to say, I slept in on Saturday.)

Our schedule is packed for the next few weeks and unless they change their minds about Thanksgiving, I won't be back down until sometime in December.  If y'all could save me a nice buck (one that I take with my rifle and not my car)  I would appreciate it.

Thanks and good luck,
CD


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## Browning270

This past weekend we saw many does and a few small bucks including a spike, 4 point, 5point, 6point, and a small eight. They all looked to be cruising. And for Allbeef dont count on the LE to help with trespassers, for example in lanier county they passed a county ordinance to stop 4 wheelers from riding on roads, ditches and the river. We had problems with them coming off the river and called the LE and they said they couldnt do nothing. The dnr said they had to have either a gun or fishin pole to write em a ticket. The best thing to do is shoot em. Not really just make em wish that didnt drive around the gate


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## airpear

There is always the camo colored rope hung about 3 feet off the ground.  It tends to hit right about chest level on a 4 wheeler.  Just try to hang it somewhere they won't be going too fast.


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## ALLBEEF

Boys I don't want to killem', It just ticks me off that after I was nice to them and ASK them to stay out they came right back.

I have been the last two days hunting and have not seen a thing!! I don't know what has happened?


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## ALLBEEF

Went this morning and saw a 4pt, He had been gone for about 30 mins. so I decided to rattle a little, I didn't even get to put the horns down when the same 4 pt I saw earlier came charging out and came within 20 yds. Purtty neat! Also another guy on our lease saw two big bucks chasing does this morning! I think it is getting started!!


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## Whitetailer

Hey ALLBEEF,

You reported seeing an 8 pt. last friday morning on a food plot.  Ever see him again?  

Hope the "kids" didn't run him off!!!  Drag a branch across the trail they use and drive a couple of dozen nails into it.  That would be kind of like "Redneck Treddles", you know those spikes they put up at the entrance to parking lots that you can onlly drive over oneway... 

As I check out other forums and posts it seems there is a pretty good amount of chasing going on.  Hope it continues as I will be up Sunday for four or five days.  I gotta do it then cuz I will not be back til mid December with my son.

We have not gotten a recent report from creekhunter, I'd like to hear his two cents worth....

Billy,  how many days will you be staying?  Just the weekend or into the week?

Nobody has been at my camp.  Will be one guy for the weekend.  Not much pressure at all.


          Rock On..........Whitetailer


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## ALLBEEF

Whitetailer,
I THINK?? I saw the small 8pt again this morning, He can out at about 300yds, and it was real foggy this morning, I watched him make a scrape and then walk out of the food plot,I may have watched him for 2 mins. I have been hearing of alot of bucks beeing seen after dark on the hwys. I haven't had anymore riding of the 4wheelers, maybe they will stop, I am going to put up some gates this weekend to see if that will slow them down.
What about ya'll, give us a report!!!


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## Whitetailer

BEEF,

I am still in the Keys.  I gotta fish tomorrow (Sat.) then I will leave early Sunday morning to come up and hunt for four or five days.  It sounds like the temperatures will cool down into the week, I hope so.  

I have been reading middle Georgia reports and the other forums and it sounds like they are walking pretty good for most guys.  Some nice ones reported taken on the site too.

I'm gonna hunt hard cuz I will not be back until mid December with my son for three or four days.

There has been some rain  -  yes?  I hope the plots are doing OK.  I overseeded three of mine opening week and I hope they got jump started some.  But, I will probably be hunting the river bottom mostly.

Good Luck,     Whitetailer

P.S.

My report will be written next weekend!


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## billy336

Russ, not up there until next weekend. My dad went up and said it was hotter than Hades yesterday. Says he was sittin' on the porch sweating and swatting skeeters. Shoot, I can do that here. He's found some large scrapes but not many rubs, they don't seem to have started yet. Hoping for cooler weather next week.


----------



## airpear

Well here is my report.  Went up to camp Thursday afternoon and was in the stand by 4 pm.  All told I saw 1 bobcat, 1 turkey, and 1 rabbit.  This was the high point of the trip.  
I hunted Thrusday night - Sunday morning and never saw a deer.  I checked a rub from a few weeks ago, and it had been hit again and there were some tracks where bucks had been fighting.
Finally on Sunday afternoon while replacing a tree stand with a box, I fell out of the stand about 10 feet.  
This weekend was one of the worst trips ever.  I'm not even sure if I'm going to go next weekend.


----------



## ALLBEEF

Airpear,
Hope you were not hurt bad.
I had a slow weekend too, Didn't see a deer at all Sat., didn't hunt Sun. Hunted this morning, and shot a six pt at 7:40am, I have let several bucks this big and a little bigger go, but he was going across the plot too fast, I saw him and he was a little deer so that made his horns look bigger, I thought he was around 15-16" but ended up being only 13" , but he had some decent mass, just a young deer. Oh well, at least he will be good on the grill.


----------



## billy336

Nice work BEEF, enjoy the vittles.The deer are moving well on our place. My dad came left camp today, he's seen plenty, just not one he wants to shoot. I figger if I was up there with him, to clean it, discard of it, and run it to the processor for him, he'd have pulled the trigger by now. It truly stings my azz when I can't go with him, he won't be up this weekend while I'm there. We should both be up the first week of December, that'll work. Can't wait to 'break the seal' on the hunting season this weekend. First time in my life it has gotten so far into the season with no stand time. Weatherman says it should be crisp this weekend, really looking forward to it.


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## airpear

I wasn't hurt, other than my dignity and some pride.  I'm still sore, but at least I landed on my feet.  I think I'm gonna take this weekend off, which means the rut should hit about Friday afternoon.


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## SHADOWMMAN

Billy,

U live in stuart. I bet u drive a blue Chevy, saw one the other day sporting a GON sticker. I live in PSL. Been huntin every other weekend or when the moon is right. Just thought I would send a thread to a local.

Jeff
Shadowen Tile LLC.


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## creekhunter

*Berrian/Lowndes Report*

For some reason, I have not been notified of replies to this thread *AGAIN*. I've been busy and I guess I thought no one else was posting. I have always depended on email notifications of others posting. Oh well...

We've seen deer almost everytime we've hunted at our farm. I hunted last weekend and walked-up on two in a field while going to stand before daylight. They saw my flashlight and took off. Couldn't tell if they were buck or doe.  We have not seen a big buck yet. 

Saw two bobcats late one afternoon. One was almost black and the other was brown. I saw 3-deer running thru the woods last Sunday evening. One was smaller than the other two. It may have been a buck chasing a doe and a fawn we've been seeing a lot of. Not enough light to tell for sure.

My neighbor tells me a woman hit a black bear with her car on the highway in front of my farm a couple of weeks ago.   The bear escaped apparently without much injury, but the woman's car had substantial front end damage, according to my neighbor. The bear was  last seen headed towards my property. I am now much more careful when walking in those woods at dark!

This weekend should be good. We got a lot of rain last night. I put out 500-pounds of 10-10-10 yesterday afternoon. The food plots should come alive now! 

Good luck!


----------



## ALLBEEF

GUYS!!,
We got some rain last night!! Nashville got over 2". This should put those food plots in gear and those deer should go to moving this evening. Anybody seeing anything?? I have been outta town for the past two days, But I'm back now and gonna be off all next week, I'm gonna get something worth talking about..... I hope! What do ya'll know?????


----------



## Gobblergetter

heres a few pics from the last few day, its getting me excited for this weekend  we've started seeing alot of buck sign,  It should be a week 

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j302/Galimbhanger/CDY_0071-1.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j302/Galimbhanger/CDY_0070.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j302/Galimbhanger/CDY_0069-1.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j302/Galimbhanger/CDY_0067-1.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j302/Galimbhanger/CDY_0070-1.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j302/Galimbhanger/CDY_0067-2.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j302/Galimbhanger/CDY_0057-1.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j302/Galimbhanger/CDY_0054.jpg


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## ALLBEEF

Went this morning to our lease in Alapaha, saw an 8pt(14") and a 3pt. Saw the 8pt at 7:05 and the 3pt. at 8:05. Sat until 9:30( had to be at work at 10am). Neither deer was running or anything. A friend had 4 bucks come in this morning between 6:45 and 7:30am, spike, 4pt, small 8pt and a big buck that crossed a grown up logging rd, three of the deer came to "the can" bleat call. He said they had a little different mind frame than the ones I saw, he hunts about 10 miles from me. Gonna be off for the next 9 days, I hope it gets good!! What are ya'll seeing??


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## Whitetailer

*Alapaha River hunt/Berrien*

Just got home from a four day hunt.

I saw the Four Seasons and I don't mean Frankie Vallee!!
Mon. and Tue. mornings it was 38 degrees.
Tuesday night it rained hard all night.
Wed. and Thur it was warm and the wind blew hard.

Arrived at camp last sunday afternoon.  Saw a spike mon. morning @9:30.  Nothing Monday evening.  Tue. and Wed. I jumped deer walking out of stands at around 10:30 am. each day, but saw nothing from a stand.

Thursday morning I sat in a ladder watching a scrape for the first 1/2 hour then moved to another stand.  Didn't like it so I went to another ladder in the hardwoods.  Got there at 8:30 at 9:15 I heard a grunt then another.  I looked down and at 20 yards stood a fair six point behind some branches.  He was dead down wind and I thought he would wind me.  The wind was swirling, I had some Tinks on the ground so maybe he smelled that.   Anyway, he stood there for a full minute and stomperd his front leg and continued to grunt.  Then he started walking and I mouth grunted and he stopped broadside and the rest is history.....

I saw only two deer while  on stand on 7 sits.  Jumped four deer while walking out from morning hunts.

One positive thing is the leaves are really coming down.  Mostly Gum and Maple, but visability is getting better which is good for my property as it is so thick.

Suffice it to say  they were not to cranked up........

I'll be back up mid December wioth my son.

                  Whitetailer.


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## J Pritchard III

I hunted from Tuesday afternoon until Friday morning without seeing anything more than spikes and does.  My pa-in-law saw an 8 point Tuesday aftenoon and he killed a good 9-point Thursday morning.  I have pictures on my camera but I will have to upload them.  i was suprised that he also saw 2 other bucks that morning as well because it was very windy all day.  As far as rutting actions he said the 8 seemed to be cruising for does and was not interested in food.  I noticed the same with the young bucks I saw, and also the larger bucks were running the smaller ones and there weren't any does around.  All in all this past week was not as good as i thought it would be.  When we went out to Henry Ford's place to drop off the 9-point he had some big ones that had been brought in.  One was from around Ray City around Camp Tygart.  I will give it another go when i get off work Tuesday morning and head back that way. Good luck everybody.


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## creekhunter

*Berrrian/Lowndes*

I hunted Saturday morning from daylight to 11:15 a.m. Was sure I would be seeing bucks chasing does. Did not see the first deer from the creekbottom stand. 

On the way to get in a food plot Saturday afternoon, I saw a trail of average sized doe tracks, with very large buck tracks right next to them. Just before dark, 4-does entered the far end of the plot. Watched them feed until dark, but no bucks showed-up. Fixin to get back in a different creekbottom stand and try it again. Can't believe I haven't seen any big bucks yet!


----------



## creekhunter

*Berrian/Lowndes Report*

My son and I hunted this afternoon. He was hunting an open field and I hunted a creekbottom stand. At 4:55 p.m., I had a large body 5-point with a decent rack walk-up behind my stand. He had his nose to the ground. I think he had girls on his mind. 

My son watched a doe for about an hour in the open field. He saw a buck at the edge of the woods, but couldn't see his rack.  The doe was very nervous and kept looking towards the woods edge.

That's all for today.


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## airpear

Hopefully the rut will hit full strength on Thursday and Friday, when I'll be hunting.


----------



## creekhunter

*They are rutting!*

I got into a lean-to stand at 4:35 p.m. this afternoon. Within minutes, I heard a buck grunting. Then I heard leaves being stepped on. Then I heard the gutteral clicking sound that I've previously only heard on hunting videos. My heart was pounding!

A doe stepped out of the wood line and entered an opening. I knew what was coming next. Then, a large buck came out of the same wood line. I could not get a shot off, as he got behind some brush. The doe walked around feeding on the grass. I waited nervously for the buck to step into a shooting lane. Suddenly he did and I fired. He went down immediately. The doe stood around as if she didn't want to leave the buck.  The doe finnaly walked off and I waited about 15-minutes, then got down and walked over to the buck. I counted 10-points and man did he smell! His neck was swollen and he was heavy bodied. 

While I was admiring my kill, I heard the leaves cracking again. About 20-yards away, there was a nice 8-point coming towards me and the dead buck! I started to shoot him, but I decided I didn't want to pay for another mount and besides, I wanted one of my sons to have a chance at him. He stopped, so I stood still and grunted with my call. I could see the hair standing-up on his back and his neck stretched-out.  I stomped my feet and he just stood there staring. 

I knew he could see the dead 10-point, but he could not see my upper body because of several limbs. I stood there for at least 15-minutes and grunted and stomped my feet at this beautiful buck. He stood there as if he was afraid to move. Finally, I got tired and turned my back to photograph the 10-point. 

All of a sudden, I heard the buck running towards me. I turned and saw that he was coming at me with his head down! I quickly threw my rifle up and fired a round over his head. He did a 90 degree turn and ran into the woods. I was shaking! Guys, don't ever do a stupid thing like I did. That was close! 

I called one of my sons to come help me load the buck in the back of the 4-wheeler. We had to throw the cable over a limb to winch him up and get him into the back of the 4-wheeler. That is the heaviest deer I've ever tried to lift. 

The processor's winch was not mounted high enough, so he could not pick-up the entire length of the buck. His head was still laying on the ground and the scales showed that he weighed 220. I think he would have easily gone 235. He had an 18-1/2" spread.

I will try to attach a couple of pictures.

Needless to say, I had a good day. The bucks are definately rutting . Get in the stand if you can!


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## Browning270

Sat Morning my dad killed a nice ten just outside of lakeland and we saw several does the ten was chasing when he shot em


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## creekhunter

*Photo files are too large!*

Anyone know how to make the file size of photos smaller? Mine are 694-KB.


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## Whitetailer

WAY TO GO CREEKHUNTER!!!!!!!~

Here I sit 550 miles away baking pumpkin pies........


             Whitetailer


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## creekhunter

*Whitetailer:*

From the looks of your picture above, you need to give the rest of us a chance anyway!  

My sons in Atlanta feel the same as you. They are just sick that they can't get off work to come hunt. I wish any of my boys could have killed this buck. But, they will get their chance. 

Hope you can find the time to come back and hunt soon. As soon as I can find a way to downsize my photos, I'll send one to the bragging board.

Good luck to all!


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## airpear

Congratulations.  The buck sounds awesome.  I'll be there Thursday morning ready to shoot.


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## bam_bam

congrats creekhunter. what part of berrien are you hunting in i am in west part and i am seeing scrapes and rubs but i havnt seen any thing outher than that


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## creekhunter

*Bam_Bam:*

Thanks! Most of my land is in Lowndes. I have 17-acres in the very southern part of Berrian, not far from Walker's Crossing.

Thanks airpear!


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## creekhunter

*Photo of 10-point buck I killed yesterday in Lowndes*

Hopefully, the picture will show-up this time:


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## Whitetailer

creekhunter,


REAL NICE!!!!!!!!!

what is the spread?  looks like 20"......

                     Whitetailer


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## gruntman

nice!!!!!


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## creekhunter

*Spread*

The inside spread was 18-1/2". We think he weighed around 235. My taxidermist is going to age him, as soon as he thaws out (processor put the cape in his freezer until I could pick it up this morning). He's guessing 4-1/2 years old. He had been fighting. You can see he had broken off the tips of some antlers.

Thanks for the comments guys.

This afternoon, I hunted a stand not far from the one I hunted yesterday. Didn't see any deer. It was very windy. Maybe I shouldn't have set the 10-point's tarsal glands near my stand today!


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## Whitetailer

Yeah Allen,

Those big guys are out there and they do allot of fighting.  I pick up so many eight point horn sheds on my land that I am sure we have plenty of great bucks, but they are only vulnerable in the rut. 

The ten I shot in 1997 did not have anywhere as big of horns as yours.  The taxidermist said he was 2 1/2 years old.  He had a split ear and scars on his neck and muzzle (nose)

Once again,  Great deer.  I am still all worked up just re thinking about the day you had!!!!!!!!

Whitetailer

Any more photo's?


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## creekhunter

*Whitetailer:*

I sent you a photoshow via private message. Check your email. Take care.


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## Whitetailer

Thanks Allen,

That is pretty cool.  I'm gonna save that in a file.  

Have a good holiday..........everyone!


                                      Whitetailer


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## airpear

Great hunting over the holiday, will post details tomorrow.


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## billy336

Took a doe last Sunday morning. Deer were moving good that morning. Be back up this Wednesday. 7 deer killed on our place so far!


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## airpear

It took me a little longer to post than I expected, but it was a great weekend of hunting.  Wednesday night we pulled up to camp to see a 5 point hanging. 
Thursday morning I saw a doe and a six point, but didn't shoot.  My brother-in-law brought out an exchange student friend of his for Thanksgiving and his first time firing a rifle he got a button buck.  Thursday during the afternoon we were driving around showing the Ausie the property when we saw 3 deer feeding in a food plot around 12 noon.  Thursday night I saw three does and took one and my wife saw 3 deer and took a doe and a button buck.  Friday morning my brother-in-law saw two does, but didn't take any and the Australian saw 2 turkey.
This is the first weekend we have seen deer moving all over the property.  The deer seem to have finally started to move during hunting hours.


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## creekhunter

*This morning's hunt*

One of my sons saw a small 6-point this morning around 8:30. He was by himself. He let it walk. 

Another son had a doe blow at him while getting into the stand before daylight.  About 8:45 a.m. he saw a doe and let it walk. 

My other son and I did not see any deer this morning.

Two of my sons are hunting now. I'll let you know tomorrow if they see anything.


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## creekhunter

*My 10-point's age*

My taxidermist aged my buck's teeth and said he was not more than 3-1/2 years old! Hopefully, he passed on his genes before I took him this past Monday.


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## billy336

One heck of a three year old Creek. Nice deer right there, congrats. Heading up Wednesday for a couple days, looks like the weather is warming up


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## ALLBEEF

Hey Fellas,
First of all I am going to go ahead and appologise for the long post.
It's been several days since I have posted, but I have been HUNTING HARD!! I hunted on our lease in Alapaha most of the week last week and I killed one decent 8 pt., I hunted hard all morning ( Nov. 21st) and saw nothing. I decided to scout a new place at around 10:15am, so I am walking along looking at a few scrapes and small rubs next to a bottom, so I decided to start grunting and bleating like a buck running a doe,  when I stopped and turned around to walk back to the truck, he was rubbing a small pine about 50 yds behind me and I smoked him!! Went back and hunted the same area the next morning and saw an 8pt that looked like the twin to the one that I killed the day before, he was running a doe. I didn't see anything else worth talking about until Sat. Nov. 25. On Friday Me and a friend walked down a fire break on the family farm, we saw approx. 10-12 average size scrapes and a few small rubs, the fire break runs along the edge of a fresh clear cut and on the other side is 40 yr old timber with a cypress pond that is approx 30 acres. Anyway I walk the fire break to the other side of the cypress pond and hang my climber so I can see down into the cypress pond, the clear cut and in the open pines. I am back at the climber at 6:30 am on Sat. Nov.25th, at 7am I look behind me towards the fire break all the buck sign was on and on the edge of the flat pond there was a big doe standing over by one of the scapes, she stood there for about 10 mins just milling around and finally she walks off into the pond, well at 8:03am I look at my phone and decide to do a rattling sequence, so I start rattling and grunting and bleating like a buck running a doe and while I am rattling I look going across the clearcut and a doe is bookin it across there so I just threw my horns down because I thought I spooked her, It wasn't 2 mins later I looked and the same place she was standing at there was a spike in the fire break so I am watching him in the fire break and catch movement off in the pond and so I put my cross hairs on an opening and all I see is tines come into the opening, then it dissapears, so I grunt twice and bleat one time and boy Johnny get your gun cause here he came, wide open, but he only made it a few steps and I gave him lead poison!! I thought it was just an average 8pt. so I kept on sitting and endded up seeing 1 more buck and 4 more does running, anyway I shot him at 8:13am and I got down at 9:30 or so, where he fell the broom straw was about waist high and I couldn't see his rack, but I finally went up to him and it was a 10pt. that we rough scored at 125-130" he was 16" wide but had 6" bases and 81/2 inch G-2s and 6 1/2 inch G-3s only 2" G-4s and brow tines were 2". Anyway he was my best buck to date and a great buck for East Berrien!!! 
Sorry for the long post!


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## ALLBEEF

Also my friend killed a big 8pt with a 18" spread Sat. evening and a nice 8pt. Sunday morning fighting with another big buck, also my cousin n law killed an 8pt with an 18" spread Sat. morning and then yesterday another buddy or mine killed a nice 8pt in Alapaha, and a Dr. in Nashville killed a huge 6pt (120") and a nice 9pt all this past weekend, Henry Ford said he has just begun to get in a few deer this past weekend.


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## ALLBEEF

I'll try to get some picture up in a few days, my neighbor that hunts next to me is suppose to email me some pictures of the 10pt. he got on his trail camera.


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## Whitetailer

*HOT DARN*

Way to go Beef!!!!!

Can't wait for the pictures.

                 Whitetailer.............


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## J Pritchard III

Congratulations Beef.  Looking forward to your pics.

We always give Henry a hard time and tell him that if he doesn't have our mounts ready on the day he tells us that they will be ready...go ahead and have his wife set another place at the dinner table for us until it's ready.  I hunted hard this past week also, but it just seemed like the deer were feeding at night. My brother in law (12 yrs old) has seen a few bucks but it seemed like a slow week considering it was not full moon.  I checked a scrape on Thanksgiving eve and saw that it had just been visited.  I sat that stand the next morning and saw a doe just after daylight (foggy).  Later on I was knapping and woke up with the sun beaming down.  At first I thought I had missed Thanksgiving dinner but after checking the time it was 10 am.  I grunted a little more and @ 10:15 had a young 8 point standing in front of me.  I knew he was not as good as the one from opening day, but I decided to take him being I have not taken a buck off of our lease in over 3+ years (lease neighbors shoot anything that walks on the end).  It was a good hunt and I dropped him off for Henry to put on a plaque.
The rack was small but he seemed to be healthy. His hock were stinking and his heck was swollen. I can't get the image attached?


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## bam_bam

congrats to all you guys sounds like some of you are having a good season i am seeing alot of does but no bucks i havent even pulled the trigger yet.


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## creekhunter

My sons and I have hunted hard for the past couple of days. We've seen only one decent buck and he ran past my son's stand Tuesday morning about 10:25. I had just started rattling and grunting in a nearby stand. My son said the buck came from behind him and ran thru a fence opening where his stand sits (almost bumped into it). He said he could have jumped on his back. He was running too fast for an accurate shot. Son said he looked to be about an 8-point with tall tines. This sounds like the buck that charged me last week.  It was in the same area.

We've seen lots of does and it appears the first rut is over.


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## creekhunter

*Can't get pictures attached to post*

J Pritchard III :

I had the same problem attaching a picture last week. If the file size of your pictures is too large, the server won't accept them. Go to:

http://forum.gon.com/showthread.php?t=22159 

It will tell you how to resize the pictures. It worked for me.

Good luck. We are waiting for your picture!


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## J Pritchard III

Here is the pic of the small 8 from Thanksgiving Day.


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## ALLBEEF

Any of you guys that want to see my pictures will have to email me, I can't figure out how to load pictures on here, PM me and I will send you my email address. 
Congrats to all of you that were able to get something, and to you that have got nothing, we still have a month and a half, which is plenty of time, don't give up yet, all the does aren't bred yet!!


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## creekhunter

*Here is ALLBEEF'S Buck Photo!*

Guy's take a look at ALLBEEF's buck! He is huge!


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## creekhunter

*Another Photo of ALLBEEF's BIG BUCK*

Here's another photo of ALLBEEF's massive buck!


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## J Pritchard III

Dang what a hoss.  That sure will look good on the wall. Congratulations.


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## Whitetailer

ALLBEEF

Now that is a sweet rack and a big body to go with it!!!!

Congratulations again.....

Start off next years post with a photo of the mount.


                  Whitetailer


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## ALLBEEF

I wanna thank Creekhunter for posting these pictures for me, I never was that great on computers, I'll get my wife to show me how for the next one.


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## bam_bam

you were right it is s great buck. not just from east berrien but for anywhere in my book. congrats


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## billy336

Great deer BEEF! 


Just got back from four days in camp. Tough weather. Warm, then rain, then cool and full moon. Weather is just right tonight and tomorrow . Saw a few but nothing to get too excited about. I love to watch the does eat in our plots. All the work pays off in the end. One member brought a guest who saw a deer a touch smaller than BEEF's around 2PM on Saturday. In one of the plots as well. Gonna spend Christmas up there, without folks in camp, I'll get to sit all day. Overall, we have seen quite a few more deer this year than seasons past. With Langdale clearing to the south towards Lakeland, might get some more pushed to us. Looks like we might get some company too. I would love a some thinning in certain spots. 

Glad to be back on the board again, changed positions at work and I'm in the field now. Hope all is well with you fellas.


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## bam_bam

monday afternoon was a text book perfect evening got in the stand 10 till 5 and the deer started coming in at about 15 after 5. saw eight does and took a shot at a great buck right at last light but i didnt cut a hair. kinda been my luck this year.


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## creekhunter

*Today's Hunt*

One of my sons and I hunted Monday and today, both morning and evening. Monday, we didn't see anything but a bobcat. 

This morning was a different story! We had our first freeze of the year during the night. It was 28 degrees when we stepped outside before daylight. On the way to my stand, I got blown at for the first time this year. As soon as daylight started, does came from everywhere! My son said it was the same from his stand. We both saw so many we lost count.  We're guessing we each saw about 12-15. They moved from daylight to about 10:00 a.m., then went to their beds.

I saw one very nice big bodied buck about 9:20 a.m., but could not get a shot.  I only saw his rack for a couple of seconds. Once I found him in my scope, it was too late.  If my son had just hunted the stand he hunted Monday, he would have been able to spit on him.  

My son decided to move to switch stands and get into the  one where the buck was seen.  While walking to the stand about 10:00 a.m., he saw a yearling doe coming towards him, so he hid behind a large oak tree to let it pass (he didn't want to spook it). The yearling stopped on the other side of the same tree and my son said he could have reached out and patted her head! She never smelled or saw him. She just walked on.

This morning was great! This afyernoon's hunt was slow. My son saw one yearling and I saw nothing. The moon is full. It appears our first rut is over?


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## ALLBEEF

Wanted to see what ya'll were going to do about in the morning?? Are ya'll going in this 20 degree weather or not? I don't know if the deer will move at first light or if they will wait until after the sun comes up, what do ya'll think?? I am going in the morning but I don't know where to go? Would you set on a food plot with a feeder at the end( the feeder is legal 200yds and outta sight) or would you go set where I shot the 10pt. next to a clearcut next to a dry cypress pond with no foodplot or feed anywhere?? Give me some suggestions!! I have slowed down alot since I shot that 10pt. I went Monday evening and saw a small 8pt, he seamed to be looking for does, and then I went yesterday evening and I saw a small 8pt. or nice 6pt running a doe. All these deer were seen from my food plot, but I have not been back to the place I shot the 10pt. since Sat. and saw 1 spike hunting hard for does last Sat. Give me so ideas, where will ya'll be sitting in the morning??


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## creekhunter

*AllBeef*

Yep, you can bet I'll be in a stand with lots of clothing!  

I'll be sitting in a creekbottom waiting on another big-un.   

This past Monday morning, they were moving from before daybreak until about 10:00 a.m.,  when they went to bed.


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## bam_bam

i also will be sittin in a creek bottom sat morning freezing my tail off


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## Whitetailer

I remember in seasons past a couple of real cold mornings.  Now I love the river bottom, but I remember I could feel the temperature drop as I walked (from the pines)down into the river bottom. 

I will be up next friday and I have a few hundred acres of pines that are finally getting clear enough to hunt.  There are dry sloughs running throughout this area too that have young Oak, Maple and Gum for browse? (I hope)   I think I will set up at a junction on the sloughs and maybe they will be running the ditches or maybe up in the pines.  No one ever hunts this area and I find lots of sheds there, so I am guessing it is almost a sanctuary.  I am taking the grunt tube and my lunch!!!

Good luck to you all in the cold this weekend!

Whitetailer.................


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## Gobblergetter

finally after five years I got a biggun  I'll post some pics in alittle while


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## bam_bam

did you kill it this morning? great job cant wait to see him. what part of the county you hunt in? i havent heard of any good one come from my area


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## Gobblergetter

here he is its not a very good picture hes in the shade but he's a 10 pointer, I killed him at about 7:45 this morning, our lease isn't to far from chaserville


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## bam_bam

great buck! i hunt close to chaserville also, just inside berrien county close to the new river. congrats i am glad to see someone is gettin some action. did he show any signs of rutting still?


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## Whitetailer

Way  to go Gobblegetter!!!!

Nice Buck.

What cover was he in?  Hardwoods? Riverbottom? Plot?

Was he on a Doe?  Feeding?  Sneeking?

Give us some details, tell the story....... 

                 Whitetailer


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## Gobblergetter

I was in  hardwood bottom next to where they like to cross the creek, on one side there was thick planted pines that buts up to a corn field (thats where he came from) and on the other side was high ground with palmetos scrub oaks, he was sneeking though there pretty good because I didn't see him till he was strait in front of me about 80 yrds and once I saw him it took 15 minute for him to make one step so I could shoot, his tarsel glands were stong and there was rubs and scrapes in the area plus you could see the bark on his antlers, I used the can acouple times but I don't know if thats what brought him in but I got him


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## J Pritchard III

Dang good buck.  His neck sure looks to be swollen?


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## Whitetailer

Gobblergetter,

So, you have Pines, Hardwood bottom a creek and a cornfield that border each other?  Wow, How long did it take you to figure out that was a hot spot??????

I had a similar situation when I saw a big buck that took him ten minutes to get to where I could shoot.  Needless to say it was a little nerve racking waiting and waiting and waiting......for the shot.

Good story, I could envision the whole act.

Way to go.

Whitetailer


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## Gobblergetter

yeah they all three come together, but the pines and corn feild aren't ours they just border it, I found it back before bow season and knew it was the pefect spot, it's in between two bedding areas and a good food source, my stand is on the creek on what seems to be one of there main trails between them


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## creekhunter

Way to go Gobblergetter! What a great buck. What did he weigh?  

I'm sure glad to see that someone had good luck yesterday morning. I thought for sure I would see more than I did (2-mature does and a yearling). I was blessed with turkeys though. 24 to be exact. I could not get out of my stand for them. They didn't move off until a little after 12 noon. 

Even with 3-pairs of socks, my toes felt numb by 8:30 a.m. It was 24 degrees when I got into the stand. It was so cold the chair squeaked when I would turn. 

Yesterday afternoon, I didn't see any deer. Just the same 24-turkeys, a rabbit, a hawk, and ducks. GOD sent the most beautiful sunset I've ever seen though. It was better than seeing deer.

As it's been said, any day in a deer stand is a good day!


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## Gobblergetter

we didn't have him weighed but I'm guessing he was about 195, I know what you mean this is the third buck I've seen this year and the other two was a spike and a 4 point, and it was cold after 15 minutes of holding my gun up my +hands were numb


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## ALLBEEF

REAT BUCK GOBBLER!!
What time did you get him?


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## Gobblergetter

thanks ALLBEEF, I shot at 7:45


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## ALLBEEF

Anybody still doing any hunting, I have certainly slacked off here lately. I haven't been to the place I shot the 10pt. I think I may go there this afternoon. 
I ment to tell you guys what happened to me this past Sat.
I got up late(because it was so cold)and decided to head to our lease outside of Alapaha at around 8:30am I remember I left the gate open on our property and when I pull in I notice fresh tire tracks going in, and I am usually the only one that is supposed to be in there, well I figure it must have been somebody "parking" the night before so I go on to park  and walk to my stand, well I notice that the tracks are headed right towards my food plots and my stand, well I get to within 50yds. of my stand and plots and the DNR comes DRIVING out of my food plots. You wanna talk about being TICKED, I was P.O.ed!! But what can you say in a situation like that, It would have been fine if they had walked in, but they drove straight down my plots!! I talked with them a min., and then just got in the truck and went home. It would have been different if I had been doing something illegal, but everything was totally legal. It just ticks me off that they drove in instead of walking in. 
Sorry for the vent!!  What would ya'll have done in that situation??


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## billy336

Wow BEEF, you actually saw a warden in Berrien County? I thought those guys were as rare as hen's teeth.


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## Browning270

Finals are finally over and I'm back to huntin hard but the deer have slowed down. I seen one deer the last 9 times in the stand... but this afternoon I had some excitment. I was watching a food plot and had some ducks flyin to the roost and i was lookin at through my scope. It was just about to dark to see and i heard some crunch a leaf so i got ready, at 75 yards a hog walked out. The only hog I've ever seen on our property where he came from i dont know, but he was huge. he was able to take about 2 steps before that 140 grain hornady put his butt on the dirt. He weighed exactly 300 lbs and had cutters about 4 1/4 in. he was a sho nuff hoss


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## Whitetailer

*Hey Browning 270 and everyone...*

Well, My son took his last final on Thursday (14th)  We arrived up at out Alapaha property Friday noon and hunted the afternoon and the next three days including Tuesday morning.  We saw not one single deer between the two of us.  We hunted hard and I hunted two areas I have never hunted before over relatively recent scrapes and loads of rubs... zip!  We even tried to push one afternoon and I heard deer running when he walked towards me through 500 yards of river bottom.   I heard a deer snorting upwind of me one early morning before light.   I have three feeders and they are eating all of the corn overnight.  It was to warm in the afternoon, but nice and cool for the morning hunt.  I did hear four shots right around seven thirty am on Sunday, hummmm, don't the feeders go off around that time? Due to his school schedule my son can only get up to hunt late, so he has not taken a deer in four years!!!  I'm bummed about that, I hope he isn't.

I may just have found a bright spot in all of this.  I just got a call about fishing over Christmas from a farmer east of Waycross who has a deer problem.  He has a 1000 acre Blueberry farm and permits and said come on over and help me out!!!!!    This could develop into a great relationship.


Your Hog story is pretty cool.  I even mentioned to my son I wish we had the occasional Hog on our property.  We are only about four miles downriver from the infamnous RIVER OAKS PLANTATION where all the Hog action is and we used to see alot of rooting but no more.
We do ahog hunt near Lake Okeechobee though, so we have the meat.

I will go up after the first, mostly just to get my four wheeler and hunt a day or two, but that will be it for me.

Good luck to all you guys for the rest of the season and it is always great to hear from you through the forum and e-mails.

Have a healthy and prosporus holiday season everyone!!!!

               Whitetailer/Russ


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## creekhunter

Browning 270: Got any pictures of your hog? 

I'm seeing only does now. Saw a bunch of turkeys Sunday afternoon. Man, was it hot! 

Planning on hunting some this weekend and over the holidays. Looks like rain is coming this way. Will let ya'll know if anything is seen.

Whitetailer: Too bad your son didn't see anything. I know how you feel. Good luck with your Waycross deal!


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## ALLBEEF

I have a friend over in Willacoochee that killed a 130" 10pt. last Sat. AM that was running does, and he brought by a 16" 9pt. this morning, both deer were shot at daylight around 7am, ya'll don't give up yet, last yr. on Dec. 22nd. I had a nice buck run 3 does by me & 3 yrs. ago I had a huge buck run two does by me on the last Sat. of the season.


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## Browning270

I think this is it?


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## billy336

Whoa that is a big hog!!!! Nice work! Got free from work and heading up today. Son Anderson and his boys over in Early County are seeing bucks chasing. Maybe its time for something to happen around our place too. 

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EVERYONE!!


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## J Pritchard III

*...*

I was down for a few days last week for the holidays.  I sat through the rain Friday morning, but I didn't see anything.  My wife and I went to eat with my parents that night so I couldn't hunt.  My pa in law called and told me I should have went, b/c he went to the stand I hunted that morning and saw two bucks.  One was a tall spike and this was the other....This is his stand, and it is also where I killed the 8 point on opening day, and he killed a 9 point around the middle of November. This one had a  17" inside spread.


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## billy336

Nice buck, congrats. Came home from the rain this morning. If only it rained like that in October  maybe our plots would be better. The deer have murdered some of our plots, almost to bare earth. Saw a spike and two does Sunday morning and then the rains came. Got to spend the holiday with my old man which is the most important. He's been up a while and hasn't seen much movement. From the early morning shots, we think the fellas across the street may have some yella acerns around. Even were runnings dogs there yesterday. Dad is up all week and a frost could be coming for him, might help movement. Last count was 21 he's seen, he's ready to shoot one now. I'll be up for the last three weekends, running out of time quick, aren't we?


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## J Pritchard III

My pa-in-law picked up my two 2006 deer from Henry Ford last week and he sent me the pics until my wife heads down to pick them up this weekend.  The shoulder mount is the 8 from opening day and the plaque is the 8 from Thanksgiving day.


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## Gobblergetter

anyone else having trouble seeing deer lately  I've been hunting hard the last two weeks and haven't seen hardly any


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## ALLBEEF

Does anyone know of any clubs around that would allow me to pay them just to hunt turkeys?? I have all the places I need to deer hunt but I don't have any turkeys. Can any of you guys help me out?? PM me if ya'll have anything around here in Berrien or surrounding counties.


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## billy336

Spent another soggy wekend up there. Three in a row now. Total of 26, yes, 26 does were seen . Not a buck anywhere to be seen. Our buck sign is way down, guess they arent working that hard with all them does around. Gonna put two in the cooler next weekend, do my part in management.  Guess we need to thin the does a bit. By far the warmest winter I can remember, I have seen frost once.


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## airpear

I hunted last weekend and never saw even a doe.  The only week we had any real activity was Thanksgiving and it has been dead before and since.  I'm hoping next weekend shows some more activity.


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## Laneybird

*Hunted hard*

in Early and Miller Co.,Fri., Sat., and Sun. Saw plenty of wildlife, but not the first deer. Had my 12 yr. old son with me to possibly harvest his first. Didn't happen, but he had a great time being in the woods!


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## bigbear

billy how many deer did your members kill this year.


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## ALLBEEF

TURKEYS, TURKEYS, I'm looking for a place to turkey hunt!! HELP ME OUT GUYS! I will do or give ALMOST anything, that is a BIG ALMOST.


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## Browning270

Being that deer season is over, and duck season is winding down I'm fixin to start trapping hard, Do any of yall want some coyotes to be caught off yalls land... Just thouhgt I'd ask


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## bigbear

B270 i got some land  two tracts at gladys coyotes are all the time after my goats @ cows i kill one ever now @ then.them rascals are slick


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## airpear

I know it took me a while, but here are some pics from Thanksgiving...






Buck taken Wednesday night.





Australian exchange student's first time firing a gun.





My wife and I collecting some venison.


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## billy336

Total kills : 9. One 8, one spike, the rest were does. We saw quite a few deer this year, hopefully the locals will stay the #$%& off our place during the offseason and we will have an exceptional season this year. We sighted our first gobbler, and a big one at that, on the lease this year. I swear we are the only place in GA without a decent turkey population. Never seen so many quail though. Those little brown rockets are everywhere. I'm heading up in 3 weeks to look for sheds, clear a couple new honey holes I found this year,and get the $%^& out of south Florrible.


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## billy336

Seeing any deer up there BEEF? Its been a month, I'm sure they are everywhere by now. I'll be up next weekend to nose around. Weather man says its been cold, if we only had another month to hunt'em.


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## billy336

Seen mucho deer sign, some does and plenty of quail. Good to see some water in the woods. Makes me sick we have to wait another 7 months.


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## ALLBEEF

Billy,
Yeah, The deer were really moving around the last of Jan - mid Feb. You could see deer in all the fields. We saw 40 one afternoon, only one small 6-8pt.

Right know I am still looking for a place to turkey hunt. If any of you guys have an extra opening, I would love it! I ONLY WANT TO TURKEY HUNT. I have plenty of deer, just no turkeys. I will pay good money for a turkey only spot. I can promise you that nothing of yours would be bothered. 
PLEASE GUYS I'm BEGGING, I'm DOWN ON MY KNEES! LOL 
If any of you have anything or know of anything around, please let me know.
Thanks BEEF


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## billy336

How's it goin' fellas. I was up at camp this past weekend. Found all sorts of rooting around the millpond, tearin' up the pinkroot. Looks like the hogs have found their way onto our land. Not sure if I'm happy about it or not. It should help me fill some of the empty spots I have right now. Seems like folks really like to hog hunt, me, I find it to be too easy. Only turkey sign I found was the remains of a bird a bobcat had gotten hold of. Quite a few deer around the place as well. That fire was closing in on my place. The other fellas that were with me had to get back to town or I would be there right now with the water hose in my hand. I am very concerned over losing the camp to the fire. Looked like it was 30-40 miles away, but heading my direction. A sleepless night for me last night. I sure feel sorry for all of the victims of the fire up there. We watched it for a while and was amazed how fast it was moving. I had a really bad feeling when I left there yesterday.


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## Whitetailer

*Fire in Berrien Co.???*

Hey Billy and All,

I spoke to my landowner about ten days ago to see if the Waycross fire posed a threat.  What I found out is that someone intentionally set fires on three of his lease properties.  Has anyone heard of this?  He seemed that he had an idea of who had set the fires.  He told me that about 85 acres burned on one of his lease properties.  The area is on the west side of the Alapaha River below the sawmill.

He is supposed to thin the pines on my property and I am sure looking forward to that, but the guy who is going to do that work has to remove all of the burned trees  first, something about pine beetles getting into the dead wood and then moving to live trees????

                    Whitetailer


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## bigbear

whitetailer                                                                                      they caught the man that set fire on sawmill road .his name was brent boyd.the fire rekindled yesterday and burned 550 more acres.go to walb.com and click archives to read story.


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## bigbear

billy your place should be safe from the roundabout fire.it is still smoking alot but it is contained . the fire is just burning peatmoss under ground .in 1995 it burned for 6 weeks.also it rained about ahalf inch in your area saturday night


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## bam_bam

i know brent boyd. it dont surprise me at anything that guy would do. his parents own the local newspaper


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## Whitetailer

Big Bear,

Thanks for the comeback!  I have e-mailed my landowner , but he has not gotten back to me.  My land is on the east side of the river, so maybe I am safe so far???

The last he told me was the guy who is going to do the thinning on my property had gotten all of the dead timber cleaned up (from the first fire) and was going to set up on my land to start the thinning.     

Hopefully that storm offshore will dump a bunch of rain and help the situation.     

We are on very strict water restrictions here in the Keys too.  Fortunately my Key Lime tree is planted in my septic drainfild, so as long as I keep flushing it gets watered! 

                               Whitetailer


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## billy336

Thanks for the info fellas. They need to throw that Mr. Boyd under the jail for setting that fire. He'd be better off there than if I got ahold of him. Hope that tropical system throws some rain yall's way.

BH


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## ALLBEEF

Yeah - that Boyd feller ain't abit agood. He is always been into something for as long as I have known him. I think the storm has petered out - as bad as I was hoping for a shower - I believe it has gone on.


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## Gobblergetter

well it looks like the deer are still there!

put the camera out last week and we had 70 some pictures 

heres a couple of them........its looking good!


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## billy336

Nice!! On my way tomorrow, haven't seen the place in 6 weeks, can't wait.

BH


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## billy336

Sure was hot up there.Checked the Alapaha River off FL SR6, nothin but sand. Trucks and 4wheelers running up and down it. Saw a few deer and a bunch of quail. One buck had 12" of horn already. Plenty of deer sign, happy to see plenty of fawn tracks. Moved my primary stand, been wanting to do that for a while now. Welcomed a new member this weekend, few more fellas coming to see  the place this weekend.

BH


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## Whitetailer

*Hey billy*

Yo.........


Just got home from fishing, saw you were on site.  Fished a guy from Perry, Ga today.

I have not been able to get in touch with my landlord.  He is supposed to be thinning.   


Yeah, it must be "stinkin" in the woods right now. 

            Whitetailer


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## billy336

Started a new thread fellas. Thanks for all the input last year, looking for more this year. It's right around the corner!!!



BH


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