Siesta Sundance
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L305DT, MX 5200, SVL 75-2, (Sold M7060))
Hunting and game posts
- Thread starter North Idaho Wolfman
- Start date
ken erickson
Well-known member
Equipment
B7100 hst, 2650 front mount snowblower, L2501 hst qa loader
I had a fantastic day down on my oak savanna restoration project.
My 88 year old neighbor approached me this summer and asked about the possibility of sitting with me in my deer blind durning the upcoming Wi deer hunt.
This man is a rock and has led a remarkable life, raised on his grandfathers hard scrabble farm from the age of 10, US Navy , tall building construction running a glazier crew, small business owner. Finished up his working career as a full time guard for the foundry at the age of 86.
The fall weather was super nice with that fall crisp air and smells of decaying oak leaves etc.
He sighted in his 12ga H&R slug gun with good results on my range. We are going to have one more shooting session before the season.
I feel fortunate to know this man , hear his life stories and give him , as he says, "possibly one of my last deer hunts".
My 88 year old neighbor approached me this summer and asked about the possibility of sitting with me in my deer blind durning the upcoming Wi deer hunt.
This man is a rock and has led a remarkable life, raised on his grandfathers hard scrabble farm from the age of 10, US Navy , tall building construction running a glazier crew, small business owner. Finished up his working career as a full time guard for the foundry at the age of 86.
The fall weather was super nice with that fall crisp air and smells of decaying oak leaves etc.
He sighted in his 12ga H&R slug gun with good results on my range. We are going to have one more shooting session before the season.
I feel fortunate to know this man , hear his life stories and give him , as he says, "possibly one of my last deer hunts".
Kudos to you Ken for helping him out. The older folks need the support just as much as the youth if not more, in my opinion.
Best wishes for a great hunt!
ken erickson
Well-known member
Equipment
B7100 hst, 2650 front mount snowblower, L2501 hst qa loader
NCL4701
Well-known member
Equipment
L4701, T2290, WC68, grapple, BB1572, Farmi W50R, Howes 500, 16kW IMD gen, WG24
White tail bow season opened here a couple weeks ago. Last week I modified the elevated box blind my father built about 20 years ago to have a removable panel on one side big enough to allow crossbow use and still have a smaller panel within the big panel to allow for just a gun port in gun season.
Tonight was my first night actually hunting. It’s been warm here and trees just starting to turn so it’s just now starting to feel like deer season. That and I used to hunt with my dad, but he passed in 2022. Hunted with my adult son before and after that, but he’s moved a couple hours away. So this is my first year hunting alone.
Have seen some guys like this several times on the cameras.
Would have been nice to see him in person tonight but he wasn’t with the group that walked up on me and I hunt for meat, not trophies. Maybe I should have been more patient but when the six pointer in the group looked directly at me, I poked him in the eye with a mechanical broadhead and took him home to process. (The cheek is exit, not entrance.) In the refrigerator tonight. Will finish processing in the next few days.
Decent rack for a 6 pointer. Not worth the trouble to mount, though. The one in the game cam pic would be worth the time, propane, and bleach to do a European mount.
Need at least one more this year. Son is allegedly coming in for a few days at Thanksgiving. Will see if he can get the second one. If I take another it will either be a large buck or a late season doe just to fill the freezer. I could sit on my front porch and shoot a doe 30 minutes before sunset 9 days out of 10 any day of the year.
Tonight was my first night actually hunting. It’s been warm here and trees just starting to turn so it’s just now starting to feel like deer season. That and I used to hunt with my dad, but he passed in 2022. Hunted with my adult son before and after that, but he’s moved a couple hours away. So this is my first year hunting alone.
Have seen some guys like this several times on the cameras.
Would have been nice to see him in person tonight but he wasn’t with the group that walked up on me and I hunt for meat, not trophies. Maybe I should have been more patient but when the six pointer in the group looked directly at me, I poked him in the eye with a mechanical broadhead and took him home to process. (The cheek is exit, not entrance.) In the refrigerator tonight. Will finish processing in the next few days.
Decent rack for a 6 pointer. Not worth the trouble to mount, though. The one in the game cam pic would be worth the time, propane, and bleach to do a European mount.
Need at least one more this year. Son is allegedly coming in for a few days at Thanksgiving. Will see if he can get the second one. If I take another it will either be a large buck or a late season doe just to fill the freezer. I could sit on my front porch and shoot a doe 30 minutes before sunset 9 days out of 10 any day of the year.
Found a new use for my grapple this morning…
(Spotted the owl a few days ago)
(Spotted the owl a few days ago)
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Roadkill venison.
Hit this deer on my way to work Monday morning. Was only a mile-and-half from my house so I went back, dispatched the deer and took her home. Had her gutted and skinned an hour later, put into a game bag and hung outside in the carport for a few days then butchered.
The BX23 was perfect for hanging the deer from the hooks I had welded onto the FEL. Also made easy work driving the guts and carcass out into the woods. The coyotes and ravens had a field day.
Hit this deer on my way to work Monday morning. Was only a mile-and-half from my house so I went back, dispatched the deer and took her home. Had her gutted and skinned an hour later, put into a game bag and hung outside in the carport for a few days then butchered.
The BX23 was perfect for hanging the deer from the hooks I had welded onto the FEL. Also made easy work driving the guts and carcass out into the woods. The coyotes and ravens had a field day.
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A good friend got an elk this past Saturday which was opening weekend for rifle season. He drew a tag for the Highwoods near Belt and dropped this older bull. I got him a Vortex spotting scope earlier in the month and joked with him that it wouldn't have been of much use in those woods! He mentioned that it was a grueling pack out that took a number of trips but he's pleased with the way his season has started.
We'll be heading up the ALCAN Highway to Alaska next year to hunt caribou.
We'll be heading up the ALCAN Highway to Alaska next year to hunt caribou.
Siesta Sundance
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Lifetime Member
Equipment
L305DT, MX 5200, SVL 75-2, (Sold M7060))
ken erickson
Well-known member
Equipment
B7100 hst, 2650 front mount snowblower, L2501 hst qa loader
I had a fun and interesting day sighting in rifles on my range.
Two friends from MO came up and stayed for a few days due to business. Their rifle season starts a week before Wisconsin's. They brought rifles to sight in etc.
I had picked up a new inexpensive spotting scope and was spotting for my friend. I was looking thru the scope waiting to call his next shot and I am waiting and waiting for him to shoot. I look over at him and he seems to be staring off into space! I follow his gaze and notice a small spike buck with one antler walking out of the wood line headed toward my pond which is adjacent to the berm and targets.
This buck could not have cared less about the shooting and three guys standing 100 yards away with rifles! He stopped to drink at the pond, looked up at us a couple of times and just meandered off to the left without a care in the world.
First time I was at my range actively shooting and interrupted by a whitetail walking across the bullet path. Fun day!
First picture is my buddies setting targets, second is grainy cell phone photo of the buck.
Two friends from MO came up and stayed for a few days due to business. Their rifle season starts a week before Wisconsin's. They brought rifles to sight in etc.
I had picked up a new inexpensive spotting scope and was spotting for my friend. I was looking thru the scope waiting to call his next shot and I am waiting and waiting for him to shoot. I look over at him and he seems to be staring off into space! I follow his gaze and notice a small spike buck with one antler walking out of the wood line headed toward my pond which is adjacent to the berm and targets.
This buck could not have cared less about the shooting and three guys standing 100 yards away with rifles! He stopped to drink at the pond, looked up at us a couple of times and just meandered off to the left without a care in the world.
First time I was at my range actively shooting and interrupted by a whitetail walking across the bullet path. Fun day!
First picture is my buddies setting targets, second is grainy cell phone photo of the buck.
Siesta Sundance
Well-known member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
L305DT, MX 5200, SVL 75-2, (Sold M7060))
ken erickson
Well-known member
Equipment
B7100 hst, 2650 front mount snowblower, L2501 hst qa loader
One of my favorite trail camera videos from my oak savanna project.
Worth watching on a large screen with the sound turned up. I love the clashing sound of their antlers. I think that small buck knew he was out of his element and hot footed it out of the area! LOL
Worth watching on a large screen with the sound turned up. I love the clashing sound of their antlers. I think that small buck knew he was out of his element and hot footed it out of the area! LOL
Nice video Ken! Thanks for sharing it with us.
One week from today is the gun opener. I'm
hoping for decent weather to enjoy the hunt.
North Idaho Wolfman
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L3450DT-GST, Woods FEL, B7100 HSD, FEL, 60" SB, 743 Bobcat with V2203, and more
Ferret or skunkWhat is your guess as to what it is? I'll get the video from the card later this week and post it up.
Siesta Sundance
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Lifetime Member
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L305DT, MX 5200, SVL 75-2, (Sold M7060))
Well I don’t think it is a panda or a Holstein squirrel or a MIL w/o makeupWhat is your guess as to what it is? I'll get the video from the card later this week and post it up.
…so I’m thinking maybe badger, wolverine, weasel or fisher cat(but I do t think they normally have white above the brow)…could be an ornery dog though too? I’ll stake my claim with badger or wolverine.
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NCL4701
Well-known member
Equipment
L4701, T2290, WC68, grapple, BB1572, Farmi W50R, Howes 500, 16kW IMD gen, WG24
From that perspective, resembles a common carp. So, yeah. I’m going with common carp.What is your guess as to what it is? I'll get the video from the card later this week and post it up.
NCL4701
Well-known member
Equipment
L4701, T2290, WC68, grapple, BB1572, Farmi W50R, Howes 500, 16kW IMD gen, WG24
Went deer hunting this morning. The excursion consists of a five minute Mule ride to the permanent elevated box blind, so it would make sense for me to go routinely but this is only the third time I’ve gone hunting since the season opened last month. Maybe I’m just not much of a hunter. Got one first time out, nothing second time.
Today was one of those days nothing seemed to be going right. Got up a little bit late. Then, between taking care of the cat’s morning routine and a couple things I’d promised my wife I’d do before I left, ended up leaving nearly 30 minutes after sunrise. The way the deer usually move in the morning, that almost guaranteed I’d run into a group of them on the way to the stand. Walked instead of taking the Mule to make less ruckus and maybe get a shot off if I ran into some. Sure enough, I did, but had no shot at any of them running through the trees.
Went on to the stand anyway. I have this thing called a Tile on my keychain. It will make my phone ring, even if the phone is set to silent, to make it easier to find if I lose it. Sometimes handy. But sometimes it gets in a weird position in my pocket and walking at a specific pace can accidentally complete the quick double tap required to set it off. It went off just as I got to the stand, spooking a doe that was hanging out in a nearby thicket. Rearranged my keys. Then it went off again while I was climbing the ladder. That’s enough. Took out my keys and hung them on a hook on the stand so this won’t happen again.
Over next two hours, I saw two does, about 47 squirrels, an owl that wouldn’t shut up, and a variety of less irritating birds. I decide I’m not going to see anything, but I planned to stay to at least 9:00 so I stay.
I’m getting bored (I already admitted I’m not really much of a hunter). So I pulled out my phone, checked Facebook to make sure there were no “friends” I need to wish a happy birthday. Then get distracted by one of my friends’ posts about some renaissance fair she attended with her husband and two sons, 24yr old and 4 yr old. Nice folks. Put a lot of time into costumes. Her pirate wench outfit was… distracting. Enough of ex-coworker’s corsets and cleavage, I’m hunting. Put down the phone. Still nothing. Bored again. Check OTT. Put down the phone. Still nothing. Now it’s 8:45. Bored again. Watched stupid human videos. 9:00. Put down phone to pack up. Picked up crossbow that had been sitting neglected in a corner. As I was picking it up, a buck walked out 10 yards in front of me. Shot it in the neck and it went straight down.
Before I can finish packing up, wife called to ask where I’m at. She forgot I was going hunting. Talked for a couple minutes about what we’re doing today. Finished packing up and walked back. Reached for my keys to open the shop door; they’re still in the stand along with the keys to the Mule and tractor and everything else. Walked back to the stand, got keys, walked back to shop. It’s a 5 minute Mule ride, at 10 to 20 mph up and down steep hills. Walking is annoying and time consuming. Life is harder when you do stupid stuff. Took tractor to get deer. At that point, things generally start going right.
In all this goofiness, I take zero pictures. Didn’t even think about it until I was headed back from hauling the gut pile to a brush pile on the northern hinterlands where no one goes. The loader makes that chore incredibly easy.
This is a shot from the trail on the north plateau overlooking a drop off into the creek bottom. The trail turns right and goes down a steep, but passable, route dropping 60’ or so to the bottom.
Today was one of those days nothing seemed to be going right. Got up a little bit late. Then, between taking care of the cat’s morning routine and a couple things I’d promised my wife I’d do before I left, ended up leaving nearly 30 minutes after sunrise. The way the deer usually move in the morning, that almost guaranteed I’d run into a group of them on the way to the stand. Walked instead of taking the Mule to make less ruckus and maybe get a shot off if I ran into some. Sure enough, I did, but had no shot at any of them running through the trees.
Went on to the stand anyway. I have this thing called a Tile on my keychain. It will make my phone ring, even if the phone is set to silent, to make it easier to find if I lose it. Sometimes handy. But sometimes it gets in a weird position in my pocket and walking at a specific pace can accidentally complete the quick double tap required to set it off. It went off just as I got to the stand, spooking a doe that was hanging out in a nearby thicket. Rearranged my keys. Then it went off again while I was climbing the ladder. That’s enough. Took out my keys and hung them on a hook on the stand so this won’t happen again.
Over next two hours, I saw two does, about 47 squirrels, an owl that wouldn’t shut up, and a variety of less irritating birds. I decide I’m not going to see anything, but I planned to stay to at least 9:00 so I stay.
I’m getting bored (I already admitted I’m not really much of a hunter). So I pulled out my phone, checked Facebook to make sure there were no “friends” I need to wish a happy birthday. Then get distracted by one of my friends’ posts about some renaissance fair she attended with her husband and two sons, 24yr old and 4 yr old. Nice folks. Put a lot of time into costumes. Her pirate wench outfit was… distracting. Enough of ex-coworker’s corsets and cleavage, I’m hunting. Put down the phone. Still nothing. Bored again. Check OTT. Put down the phone. Still nothing. Now it’s 8:45. Bored again. Watched stupid human videos. 9:00. Put down phone to pack up. Picked up crossbow that had been sitting neglected in a corner. As I was picking it up, a buck walked out 10 yards in front of me. Shot it in the neck and it went straight down.
Before I can finish packing up, wife called to ask where I’m at. She forgot I was going hunting. Talked for a couple minutes about what we’re doing today. Finished packing up and walked back. Reached for my keys to open the shop door; they’re still in the stand along with the keys to the Mule and tractor and everything else. Walked back to the stand, got keys, walked back to shop. It’s a 5 minute Mule ride, at 10 to 20 mph up and down steep hills. Walking is annoying and time consuming. Life is harder when you do stupid stuff. Took tractor to get deer. At that point, things generally start going right.
In all this goofiness, I take zero pictures. Didn’t even think about it until I was headed back from hauling the gut pile to a brush pile on the northern hinterlands where no one goes. The loader makes that chore incredibly easy.
This is a shot from the trail on the north plateau overlooking a drop off into the creek bottom. The trail turns right and goes down a steep, but passable, route dropping 60’ or so to the bottom.