Deer Season In Virginia

Here in Virginia, Deer season is in full swing.
Bow season has been in for a few weeks, and Black Powder season comes in in just a few days.
Due to an auto accident back in 2008, I have not been able to pull a bow back, or been able to fire a rifle or shotgun for a few years, but fortunately I have my older sons that know how to use my stuff, and keep the freezer full.
I still am active down at the hunt club, and keep track of the patterns of the rut, and feeding and bedding of the Deer.
It seems that this year the deer are not as concerned with the corn and soybeans in the fields.
There is a large surplus of acorns in the woods this year, to be specific, White Oak acorns, which any sportsman knows taste different

They are much sweeter than the Red oak and Pin oak, and the woods are loaded with them.
How do I know they are sweeter ? I have tasted them.
I believe the harsh Winter last year killed of many squirrels that would have removed many of these acorns by now, and my younger sons have not seen many squirrels out this year, so to me it is adding up to a great season.
This does not mean that the deer will not wander out into the cut bean fields, but as long as food is plentiful in the woods, they are more likely to stay in the woods, which will mean a better hunt for those that scouted a tree stand a month or so ago.
Word from the guys down at the club is that the Does are still running in packs of 8 and 10, and there are few scrapes, so that means the rut will begin mid October

Sad Sad

Here are the leftovers from our last crab feast of the season.

A sad day.

We have had some frost, and the water temps are dropping, and for the recreational crabber, you can't catch enough in the 2 pots and the short line you are allowed to use to make a good meal now, so it is time to wash it all down and put it up for the winter.

Bow season is in now, and black powder comes in on the 31st, so I will be in my stand Saturday morning.

Later in the week, I will post about my new 50 caliber black powder rifle, so check back in a couple days.

as for now, I did pick some of the leftover crab meat, so It is crab cake time : )

FREAKIN SNAKES !

My brother and I put up a tree stand last night, and I mean last night. We had a gathering at my uncle's Sunday, and afterwards he came by my house at around 8:00 and we marched through the woods with my 2 young sons in tow and assembled and attached his tree stand for next Saturday's bow hunt. I wanted to go out there today and get some pic's of the spot he picked out, but when my boy's and me got close to the stand, a snake dropped off the ladder. I HATE SNAKES ! so armed with only my camera, I decided to go back to the house and grab a shovel.

Off again, back to the stand, and before we could get into the trail, here comes the snake. I thought it would be a good idea if I got the boys back into the house and handle the situation. I got them to the front door and heard my wife scream because he had followed me to the door. That was all I needed, it was on now

I got him to the edge of the grass put him out of my misery

After I got a good look at it, I found it was some kind of pine snake or something, supposedly harmless, but how harmless can it be if it could cause me to break my leg running from it, or staring my brother in the face when he climbed up into his stand with his flashlight in his mouth and they met eye to eye ?

I will try to get some pics on Tuesday

Tree Stand Spots

He's out there
So is she, and I have been watching for months where they go and where they hang out

I have been watching the woods, and the soybean field to find where they travel the most

I have found all the openings they use to get in and out of the field

I know where the rub lines are, and know from these that there are several bucks that travel from the pines and into the field to eat. They are starting to establish some territory.

I found some deep tracks that tell me there are some heavy deer in here. The ground is fairly dry, and the deeper the track, the heavier the buck

My brother checks in here from time to time to see what I am up to, This pic is for him. I took it on the path that he wants to set up his tree stand. Karl and his friend will start hunting here first with compound bows. After that, black powder season comes in. The last mud bog of the season is coming up, and I am sure that when it is done, I will see him and the guy's every weekend