# Berrien Co. Alapaha



## Whitetailer (Oct 5, 2005)

Two of the guys went up bowhunting last week and both scored on Doe!  The Alapaha River is only a trickle.....   Five weeks ago the river was out of its banks and Sloughs full and overflowing with water-- Go figure....

Food plots are bare and rock hard.....



Acorns (akerns) everywhere..They tell me the nuts are dropping on the roof and rolling down and clanking on the hood of the trucks parked next to the cabin all night. Seems the deer are not bothering with the corn to much, although the Turkey are eating it good.  No sign of the neighbors dogs..YET.....

Has there been any rain from that tropical trough off of Florida the past few days?  I hope!!!

Good luck all.

                  Whitetailer......


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## butterbean7008 (Oct 6, 2005)

Yeah I went fishing it back at the begining of Aug with some cousins, put in behind the cemetary in Willacoochee. It was full then. LAst week was on the lease in Atkinson and Puddin' creek was dry.


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## Whitetailer (Oct 6, 2005)

*storm track???*

I am lookin at the weather channel this morning and it looks like the storm traveled north just east of Tifton.  I logged on to the the site that has the gauge on the Alapaha river at Rt. 82 and the page did not come up...  

I am hoping that we did not go from drought to flood per this event???

How is the river?

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


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## bull0ne (Oct 6, 2005)

Whitetailer said:
			
		

> How is the river?
> 
> Whitetailer.................



I seriously dought it will go back to running,there was very little runoff......there no way it will will flood unless the storm drops more rain & that is not in the short term forecast.


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## 300win (Oct 21, 2005)

Does anyone know of a deer processor in or close to Nashville in Berrien county. First year hunting in GA would be nice to drop deer off and then pick-up later.


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## Whitetailer (Oct 22, 2005)

I butcher my own, but one of my guys took a deer into a butcher in Tifton last season.  Just ask locally and I am sure you will find one.


                  Whitetailer


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## creekhunter (Oct 25, 2005)

300Win:

I can recommend a good processor just West of Interstate 75 in Hahira. Very clean place and affordable. Does a good job. He will skin it and butcher to your specifications. Has his own smokehouse also.  The guy's name is Mike Etheridge and he owns  New River Processing, 6455 Parker Road, Hahira, GA. Phone 229-794-2532  My sons dropped off three deer this past weekend.


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## creekhunter (Oct 25, 2005)

Whitetailer:

No rain yet. We need some! Creek is drying-up in places and Withlacoochee is very low. Read my opening weekend report under Berrian County today. Did you get to hunt this past weekend?


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## Whitetailer (Oct 30, 2005)

*What a wife!!!*

Hey Creek,

Man I evacuated from Hurricane Wilma Sunday and went to my camp. I was booked to fish thur,fri and Sun., but of course that was cancelled The wife was a little taken a back as she went to her mothers in Melbourne.  But she said "OK go ahead and go to Georgia."  
I had the best hunt from Tuesday to Sat. morning when I shot a buck. (a 6 pt.) Saw allot of deer, six of which were buck.  Two spikes and a pair of twins that had curved out forked racks.  They both walked out of the thicket one after the other up wind of me.  I saw no scrapes or anything that indicates the rut is near.  


I called home every day and she called about three times a day.  On thursday she called and said,  "Russ, stay and hunt, you would go out of your mind here in the Keys.  Folks from Dade and Broward Counties were coming down here to but gas and groceries and it is a mad house."  
So I said, "OK honey, I will stay and hunt a while longer."

The weather was perfect 34 to 40 degrees in the morning. Acorns everywhere and the deer were not in the riverbottom, I was finding them in the mature woods with second growth of Maple, Gum and Oak.

If I count right, I saw 17 deer in seven sits.

I'm still excited!!!!!!

                       Whitetailer...


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## creekhunter (Oct 31, 2005)

*Whitetailer*

That's the kind of hunt you will remember for a long time. Lots of activity. We are seeing lots of deer, but no really big ones yet. I do believe the chasing game is on. I heard a couple running thru the woods this morning. I've also seen small bucks trailing does. I'll let you know when we see the big ones.

We are seeing lots of turkeys as well. They will most likely disappear before March, when season comes in. 

Keep us informed of your hunts.


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## Whitetailer (Nov 1, 2005)

*creekhunter and 300 win.*

Creekhunter,

I hope to get up the weekend of Veterns day with my son.  He is in college in Melbourne, Fla.  (FIT)  I hope he can drive up on thursday evening and back to school Sunday evening.  Should be some rut activity by then if the weather is cool.  Let me know if they get to scraping real good!!!

300 win,
I have a card from a processor in Tifton.  

                Safety Rite Foods  147 S. Ridge Ave.  Tifton,Ga
                 Ph.#  229-382-1242

See ya soon,

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


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## creekhunter (Nov 2, 2005)

We hunted Friday - Tuesday mornings and evenings. Only saw one doe and lots of turkeys. Weather is way too hot again. We need rain for the food plots.  May have gotten some last night after I left to go home. I ran into some on the way back to Valdosta. The deer running thru the woods the other day may have been spooked. We have not noticed any other signs of the rut.


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## Whitetailer (Nov 2, 2005)

*Creekhunter*

Yeah, I am looking at the ten day forecast for Berrien Co, and it looks like it will cool off next week.  I just spoke to my son and we are going to meet up at the property and hunt Veterens day weekend.  

                     Whitetailer......


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## creekhunter (Nov 2, 2005)

*Cooler Weather*

Yes, weather shows it should cool off on Saturday, Nov. 12. Low temps will get down to the 40's for the rest of the month.


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## Whitetailer (Nov 4, 2005)

*Creekhunter*

Oh man, I am so looking foreward to gettin'   out of here and sitting in a tree.....

I fished today and the Gulf and Bay are really muddy and grassy and hundreds of trees up on the shallow flats.  Crab and Lobster traps are blown up onto the shallows in Everglades National park. I do not know how they are going to retreive them.   Wilma really kicked a--!!!  

Hope it gets cool up in So.Ga....

                 Whtetailer..............


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## creekhunter (Nov 4, 2005)

*Dadgum Hot Weather! *

Weather forecast has changed again! Now, it looks like it will be Monday, November 14, before it will cool down some.  We need some cold weather.  I saw pictures of a nice 9-point killed East of Valdosta, across the highway from Grand Bay WMA. My middle son and I are hunting in the morning. Will let you know if we see anything.

You guys have taken several beatings with this wierd weather. Maybe things will calm down for yall.


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## creekhunter (Nov 7, 2005)

*Berrian/Lowndes Report*

My son and I hunted Saturday and Sunday mornings and evenings and saw only one deer and it was before daylight in front of my stand. Couldn't tell if it had antlers. I also spooked a deer getting into my stand when the gun barrel hit the metal parts of the stand. It jumped into the creek and splashed water as it left. 

We saw plenty of turkeys, ducks, doves, and squirrels. 

Things are dry around our farm. We need some rain. The food plots look terrible. I have basically wasted about 200-pounds of seed.

The hot weather needs to go. I know ya'll are as frustrated as I am with the weather.

I saw a hunter Saturday morning that killed a decent 10-point within 3-miles of my farm. Said it was working a tree limb with it's antlers. It' hocks were black and smelled terrible, but it's neck was not swollen. Come on rut!


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## Whitetailer (Nov 7, 2005)

*Creekhunter*

Had two guys up to the property this weekend.  One guy said he saw plenty of deer even though it was hot.  The other guy is still hunting and will come home tuesday I think.  They said there were a few fresh scrapes, but no overt rut sign.  

I am going to hunt friday through tuesday or wednesday with my son.  Then will not be up to hunt til mid December.  It does not seem as though it will cool down for my trip- mid 50's in the morning and HOT in the afternoon.  Will probably sit long into the morning and breifly in the afternoon.

I gave up on my plots.  Had a couple grow well, but three that did not.  There are so many acorns that I will depend on hunting that food source in the woods.  I have stands up in three spots that are between hidden pine woods (bedding area) and hardwoods (feeding area)and lots of tracks, droppings and rubs.  I'm hoping the big guy walks up on my son!!!

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


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## creekhunter (Nov 8, 2005)

Whitetailer:

I know the feeling. I've often prayed for success for my sons in their stands also. There is nothing better for their minds than being in God's country with thoughts of shooting the "big one".


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## Whitetailer (Nov 8, 2005)

*creekhunter*

I just got a call from the guy still at camp.  He shot a buck.  When I asked him what he shot, he said "he must weigh 160-170 pounds.  He's real dark with lots of grey around his muzzle."  Now I am thinking he msut have shot a spike...  Well the buck had 9 inch straight spikes that web out near the top to form two little points at the end.  I asked Paul to save the jawbone and I will age the deer when I go up this weekend.  He said the buck was about five minutes behind some Doe and was trailing them.  His Tarsal glands were full blown and darkend.  SO, I guess it is at least starting.

                                     Whitetailer


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## creekhunter (Nov 8, 2005)

Whitetailer:

Now, you've gotten me excited! If you talk to your friend again, see if you can get more details like time of day, open field or deep woods. This sounds like an older deer with bad genetics. This weekend could be it!


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## Whitetailer (Nov 8, 2005)

*creekhunter*

The deer were in the deep woods.  I really do not have any open areas on my land though.  Some of the roads you could see 60 to70 yards but I just can not bring myself to watch the roads.  No one in my club has a stand on a road that I know of.  Anyway. Paul got into a climer in the area that I shot a ten point years ago.  It borders what we call "The Bog".  The Bog is a thick, dark,thorny kind of our version of pergatory.  Men do not go into the Bog...  Then next to the Bog are mature Pines that gradually make into a big area of second and third growth Oak and brush that is so thick that IF you sat in this area you could not take a shot more than four yards.  He said he was in the tree 6:30 ish.(men do not go near "THE BOG" in darkness!  Anyway paul said it was very foggy early and he shot the Buck at about 8:30 am.

Myself, when I get into my stand in the morning, I am going to have a gallon gatorade bottle with me so I don't have to come down til noon!!!!!

                         Whiterailer.................................


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## bam_bam (Nov 9, 2005)

where in berrien do yall hunt? i live in alapaha but hunt in west berrien.


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## Whitetailer (Nov 9, 2005)

Property is south of highway 82 on the east side of the Alapaha river.  

I'll be there tomorrow afternoon,

                Whitetailer


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## bam_bam (Nov 10, 2005)

i know where ya are. i only live a couple miles from there on wycliff roberts road.


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## bam_bam (Nov 14, 2005)

there fired up this week. i went hunting this morning got into the stand at 6:32 and killed a real nice 8 point at 6:34 he had his head down trailing a doe. i got down to go look at him and i looked up and there was a 120-130 class 10 about 200 yard behind him . he saw and took off. wish i had stayed in the stand now. i also seen another eight in another field about 10:30 this morning. so there gettin fired up down here


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## creekhunter (Nov 14, 2005)

bam bam:

Sounds like you had a pretty nice morning in the woods!  We haven't seen any big bucks yet. Just small ones (my sons put three in the freezer). 

Is this the first sign of rutting activity you've seen?


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## creekhunter (Nov 14, 2005)

Whitetailer:

Are you back home yet? Let's hear how you and your son did!


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## Whitetailer (Nov 15, 2005)

*went from a hero to a zero!!!*

Creekhunter,

Between my son and I (between Thur. eve. and Mon. am)  we sat 14 hunts and neither of us saw a deer!!!!    

I hunted him on the stands where I saw all the activity the two weeks before.  I hunted some stands I had not been on this season.  I saw no scrapes and no new rubs in the areas we hunted.  I did go down to the bottom of the property where it is all 12 yr/ pines with sloughs running through and found two recent scrapes.  It was cool enough on the weekend mornings, but warm in the afternoons.

On Monday midday I looked to put up a ladder stand I had in my store room and found a dry slough that had a teardrop shaped water hole.  The deer had it tracked up on the pointy end where they had been coming in to drink.  I sat there a morning and afternoon and was nothing but Squirrels drinking.

The adjacent club is target shooting every afternoon and evening and we can hear them driving around (doing what I do not know?) too early in the am.  

I can only assume: 1) the deer are not in rut and 2) they have gone nocturnal from the activity. 

I had a trail cam up in the spot I shot the buck earlier and it had only two exposures taken from the counter.  I am hoping it did not work properly!

                 Whitetailer

Bam Bam,
  Good on ya!  Way to go...   You are hunting west of Alapaha?  It must be a world away from my place from the  sounds of it.....


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## creekhunter (Nov 15, 2005)

Whitetailer: 

That's disheartning news. I was sure hoping your son would get a big one. Your hunts sound like ours here lately. We've got too much going on and too much noise around our farm. They are re-building the bridge and the farm next to ours is harvesting pulpwood and installing drain pipe.  Way to much noise. I know the deer around our farm have gone nocturnal, as I've got pictures to prove it.  

Bam Bam has goten me excited with his news. I'll probably wait until Thursday when it's supposed to cool off again. I'll let you know.


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## bam_bam (Nov 15, 2005)

i found 2 big scrapes on the edge of the soy bean field i am hunting saturday morning i put my camera up on one of them, which they wasnt but 30 yards apart. i went monday morning and both the bucks i saw was coming from that direction. across the bean field. whitetailer i hunt west of you almost in cook county.


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## Whitetailer (Nov 15, 2005)

HEAVY SIGH!!!!!!!

I almost called you when I got on I-75 south on my way past Valdosta towards the Keys.  Just lookin for some conversation cause I guess I had a lot of miles to think about our hunt.   But I know years ago when I used to be hunting at home (in Penna.) and I could hunt every morning or evening as  I needed and have a handle on the situation, or so I thought, you know!!!  I had a chimnney sweeping business and I would schedule my jobs based on my previous days hunt.  If I thought I needed to be in he woods early I would have my first job at 10:00 o'clock am.  Man, talk about obcessed.....   But, it is my first love, Whitetails.  And the best thing about it is, tomorrow is another day........... always a new beginning.....  I'll be back up mid December with my son.

for now I'm just fishing...


            Whitetailer.......


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## Whitetailer (Nov 15, 2005)

Bam Bam, I was typing while you were posting.  

Keep the story going.  Ya got me all worked up.....

                          Whitetailer


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## bam_bam (Nov 15, 2005)

i am gonna go every morning and evening for the rest of the week i will let ya know what happens. i am pretty shure i will see something just hope it is a buck. i see does about every time i go so if the rut is on i should see some bucks too.


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## creekhunter (Nov 16, 2005)

Bam Bam:

Please keep us informed daily. I hunt the Berrian/Lowndes line, so our rut should be close to yours. I'll keep you informed about what  see as well.

Good hunting!


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## bam_bam (Nov 17, 2005)

went this morning. didnt see anything but i did find 7 scapes around the soy bean field. there was as many as 3 under one tree. so i guess its just a matter of being there when he is.  went this afernoon and seen 4 does at dark.


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## creekhunter (Nov 18, 2005)

Bam Bam:

My son and I will be hunting Sat and Sun, mornings and evenings. We'll keep you posted on what we see.


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## billy336 (Nov 21, 2005)

*The RUT*

Just got back last night from Berrien Co. The rut was hitting hard last Sat, 11/12/05. Saw a big eight too early too shoot.  Had a hot doe bring a 6 pt. in front of me as well as a spike and a third deer I never saw. Six point is in the freezer. Then it seemed to stop. Saw groups of does together but little buck sign. Then yesterday I found lots of real fresh rubs and a couple a scrapes as well. Thermometer at camp said 26 Saturday morning but movement was slow due to the moon. Hated to leave but vacation is over. Good luck everyone. So yall know my lease is, on the Berrien/ Lanier line in Teeterville. Billy.


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## creekhunter (Nov 21, 2005)

*Berrian/Lowndes Line*

Saturday morning at 8:05, I saw a mature doe being chased by a very mature, big-racked buck. I was hunting a creek bottom and there was no oppurtunity for a shot. They were running wide-open along the edge of the creek. I texted-messaged my son, who was hunting a field about 200-yards away. He texted back that he was watching a doe with two small bucks. He never saw the big buck chasing the doe. 

Saturday evening, I hunted the same stand and saw nothing.  My son hunted his same stand and saw 4-does and a 5 or 6-point buck with an injured leg that he apparently missed on a long shot.

Sunday morning and evening we saw nothing! Maybe the rain front had them locked down in the beds?

Wednesday and Thursday morning should be excellent!


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## Whitetailer (Nov 23, 2005)

*Creekhunter, Bam Bam, Billy336....etc.*

Did you ever know a hunter that gettin his Deer just seemed effortless, or seemed to be very lucky???

One of my members took his sixteen year old son up to hunt for the Thanksgiving holiday.  The kid usually goes to the closest food plot we have and gets his deer.  This morning Shawn got up late and after first light walked into our closest plot and sat in the tripod stand.  15 minutes later out walked a 14" eight point and he shoots him.  End of story...  Paul said the deer had a very swollen neck and the Tarsal glands were black and smelled like xxxx.  I can only assume that some Doe had been on the plot before Shawn got there.  Anyway, it is great to see a youngster get a good buck.

I see you must have gotten some good rain recently and now it is cold.  Have you had a frost?   Leaves coming down?

Good luck all,

                              WHitetailer


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## creekhunter (Nov 24, 2005)

Whitetailer:

Yes, we've had a frost and the leaves are falling. I hunted two afternoons this week, but the wind was too strong. I hunted this morning and it was a beautiful day, but the wind picked-up after daylight. Didn't see a thing, but I sure enjoyed the outdoors! 

I'll be hunting the next few days and will post any sightings. Happy Thanksgiving!


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## bam_bam (Nov 24, 2005)

yeah we had a frost yeserday morn.


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## creekhunter (Nov 24, 2005)

Bam Bam:

You seeing anything? It's been too windy at my farm.


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## bam_bam (Nov 25, 2005)

actually i have been able to go since last saturday and that was when i went to horse creek wma.


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## bam_bam (Nov 30, 2005)

well scored again yesterday. killed a 6 point chasing the stew out of a doe. kinda felt sorry for her. would have been an 8 but one brow and G3 was gone. but a nice deer anyway


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## Whitetailer (Nov 30, 2005)

*Bam Bam*

Alight, way to go.  Sounds like an exciting hunt!!  The buckwas swollen and tarasls blackened?  

Got one guy coming up to hunt on the 3rd. for a week.  Looks like there is no consistantly cold weather in the near future.  My son and I will be up after his semester is over around the 16th, for four days

My property has gotten so thick that we have no long views 30 -40 yds. at most to see deer movement.  My landowner is going to bring me a tractor with mower and I am going to mow between the pines and hardwood sloughs.  In the summer I am going to build "condo"stands at the corners of the mowed lanes.   Hopefully this will give us a longer look.


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


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## creekhunter (Nov 30, 2005)

Way to go Bam Bam! That's good news that maybe they are still rutting in our area! 

Were you hunting in the morning or afternoon? Was his neck swollen and hocks blackened and smelly? How did you stop him for the shot?


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## bam_bam (Nov 30, 2005)

i was hunting the afternoon. they came out right at dark and i had just bought a new grunt from primos called the rubberneck i gave about 6 short grunts like another buck was tending a hot doe . he stopped and looked and started walking my way stiff legged . yes he smelled awful and neck was swollen. it was very exciting to see


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## creekhunter (Nov 30, 2005)

Bam Bam:

Dadgum, that sounds very exciting! Wish I could have seen it.  Congratulations. We're happy for you.  

I don't suppose the doe stood for the buck? Or did you give them time?


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