Deer Hunting:
 2014 - 2015 |
 2015 - 2016 |
 2016 - 2017 |
 2017 - 2018 |
 2018 - 2019 |
 2019 - 2020 |
 2020 - 2021 |
 2021 - 2022 |
 2022 - 2023 |
 2023 - 2024 |
2024-2025: My Eleventh Deer Season!
YES -- 10 whole years behind me!
Hunting deer in Georgia over/near bait is
now PERMITTED on Private Land in ALL Zones.
Public Land including Georgia WMAs and National Forests
still do NOT permit hunting any animals near bait.
Hunting deer in Alabama over/near bait
CONTINUES to require an addition to the hunting license.
Coming Soon, you will be able to click on...
Click on the hunting event below to jump
to the corresponding place on this page:
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Event #1: Sunday, November 3, 2024 | ||||
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Event #2: Sunday, November 10, 2024 | ||||
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Event #3: Saturday, November 23, 2024 |  |
☑️ | ||
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Event #4: Sunday, January 5, 2025 |  |
☑️ | ||
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Event #5: Saturday, February 8, 2025 |
THERE WAS A SLOW START THIS YEAR.
A labor strike for 4 weeks severely delayed
mine and Tim's ability to provide resources
for deer season preparation.
As a result, the number of my hunts
were much fewer this season.
OPENING DAY IN
GEORGIA (standard firearms, statewide):
Saturday, October 19, 2024
Sandersville, Georgia
High 73ºF / Low (going in) 44ºF with 4% rain chance
sunny with wind @ 9 mph from the NE
sunrise 7:39 a.m. EDT / sunset 6:52 p.m. EDT
I was not present this time, as I was assisting
Tim on his land in Roanoke, Alabama.
We spent the weekend working the secondary property.
The platform was finished with a semi-permanent ladder.
Also, Tim bought a 2-man blind, that we mounted on top.
I found out Tuesday (10/22) that Robert had gotten hurt.
His son, Demetrius, took him to the hospital after he fell.
Neither one got a deer, but Robert saw a large doe.
Sunday, October 27, 2024
Sandersville, Georgia
High 78ºF / Low (going in) 59ºF with 15% rain chance
partly cloudy with wind @ 8 mph from the NE
sunrise 7:45 a.m. EDT / sunset 6:43 p.m. EDT
- CANCELLED -
This did not happen as I was too tired
from working an all-day job the day before (10/26)
Sunday, November 3, 2024
Sandersville, Georgia
High 75ºF / Low (going in) 63ºF with 10% rain chance
partly cloudy with wind @ 11 mph from the ENE
sunrise 6:51 a.m. EST / sunset 5:37 p.m. EST
I again brought Olivia with me so
she can attempt getting her first deer.
No deer harvested this time!
View of event at the last turn around:
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| We got in kind of late this
time. We both needed sleep. |
First of two trips lugging
stuff to the blind. |
We were onsite between 9:15 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.,
with a lunch break (Taco Bell) from
about 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
We learned the hard way not to go late to Jet,
which is a down-home-style mini-cafeteria.
No deer showed, but a turkey hen did come along...
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| 9:50 a.m. EST late start to a morning hunt |
11:05
a.m. EST TURKEY HEN clucking along! |
3:49 p.m. EST begin the afternoon hunt |
- MORE TO COME -
Sunday, November 10, 2024
Sandersville, Georgia
High 64ºF / Low (going in) 57ºF with 65% rain chance
cloudy w/ showers & wind @ 7 mph from the ENE
sunrise 6:57 a.m. EST / sunset 5:32 p.m. EST
I went solo this time.
Due to expected rain, I was only in the blind.
No deer harvested this time!
However... I did pop a squirrel and a raccoon.
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| 6:41
a.m. Starting morning hunt |
12:09
p.m. Lunch at Jet! |
2:14 p.m. Starting afternoon hunt |
AFTERNOON RAIN VIDEOS! |
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| 2:10 p.m. EST view out main window |
2:15 p.m. EST view of me hunting during rain |
3:10 p.m. EST view out right window |
3:34 p.m. EST view out main window |
DEAD MEAT!
Hello... My name is "Dead Meat!"
- MORE TO COME -
OPENING
DAY IN ALABAMA(stalk hunting, firearms, statewide):
Saturday and Sunday,
November 23-24, 2024
Roanoke & Wadley, Alabama
| Saturday: High 58ºF / Low (going in) 33ºF with 7% rain chance sunny with wind 8 mph from the NW sunrise 6:20 a.m. CST / sunset 4:35 p.m. CST |
Sunday: High 65ºF / Low (going in) 33ºF with 7% rain chance sunny with wind 4 mph from the WSW sunrise 6:21 a.m. CST / sunset 4:35 p.m. CST |
Yep! I...
GOT ONE!
Alabama DCNR confirmation# 2551005591
harvested 7:45 a.m. CST, November 23, 2024
This guy came out at 7:43 a.m. from the Turkey Trail.
I aimed for his spine as he bent down at 7:45 and
I took the shot at 16 yards. He DROPPED instantly!
His legs kicked, so I put another round in his neck.
I couldn't afford for this one to get up and run away!
He is the first deer harvest out of this stand
since Tim and I installed it 7 years ago (May 7, 2017).
This is also my first Alabama Opening Day harvest.
The earliest Alabama harvest prior to this season
was November 28, 2020 – my seventh season.
Additionally, this 4-pointer is also has
most points I have ever harvested in Alabama.
Incidentally, the "one that got away" on
February 2, 2019, during my fifth season,
had an atypical 6-point rack.
Day 0 – Friday:
Friday morning (November 22) photos:
For the past two weeks, this deer appearance
has become more of a common occurrence.
Just in the past two days, the 4-pointer was becoming consistent.
That was his mistake!!
Day 1 – Saturday:
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| Actual
video getting that four-pointer buck; FIRST TIME VIDEOING MY OWN SHOT IN ALABAMA! (45 seconds) – Watch him go down! This was a spine shot... a quick, ethical kill. |
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| 6:09
a.m. CST - arriving to hunt |
6:45
a.m. CST - first deer, a buck, shows |
6:46
a.m. CST - buck munching on corn |
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 Above: Stand from Deer's viewpoint  Tag 83 |
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Photos and retrieval of deer
That evening, I hunted the new blind/platform
at the Broughton property in Wadley.
No mature deer showed, but this juvenile deer did:
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The trail cameras showed it with spots just 3 months prior.
I could hear its mother calling out to it, after it went by me.
Day 2 – Sunday:
This particular day was spent
lazily sleeping in for the morning while
doing some work on the land and
then packing to go home.
Trae Johnson of East Alabama Deer Processing
called me about 1:44 p.m. Eastern 11/30 to report that
my processed deer was ready to pick up. I arranged
with Trae to pick it up the following weekend.
Sunday, December 1, 2024
Sandersville, Georgia
- CANCELLED -
Too much money and time was spent
getting ready for Thanksgiving & Christmas.
Additionally, there was much work to do at home.
Saturday evening and Sunday,
December 8 & 9, 2024
Roanoke, Alabama
- CANCELLED -
Seeing as my freezers are be kind of full,
(with more than just venison) I originally planned to
tag along with Tim, to help him scout for deer.
Tim did hunt solo around this time, but saw nothing.
Work and family and holiday planning delayed
much of December hunting for me.
Sunday, January 5, 2025
Sandersville, Georgia
High 55ºF / Low (going in) 29ºF with 13% rain chance
mostly cloudy with wind @ 5 mph from the SE
sunrise 7:34 a.m. EST / sunset 5:38 p.m. EST
This will be my last Georgia outing for this season.
Neither Olivia nor Robert went along this time.
Yep! I...
GOT ONE
I had to wait 10 years (since 2014) before actually
harvesting any deer from Robert's honey hole!
This is also my first Georgia deer in January.
Georgia DNR confirmation# 010525A492
harvested 5:06 p.m. EST, January 5, 2025
I took a neck/spine shot (just like Alabama, six weeks ago)
as he was {facing me} dining on corn kernels.
The .350 Legend round came out of his left shoulder.
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This spike buck went down immediately,
but he had to spazz awhile before settling down.
I somehow missed the record button on my phone,
so I didn't get the actual rifle shot as it occurred.
=================================
MORE PHOTOS COMING!
I will be showing what was done to load
my harvest onto my truck.
=================================
I left the Sandersville property about 7:00 p.m. and then
got to Garner's Grinder (deer processing) by about 7:45 p.m.
They gave me Tag# 2127 and then got to work on my deer.
I am getting some fully-processed deer jerky,
sliced backstraps/tenderloins, and the rest ground (no fat).
Cost: $170 [Including three bags of jerky, totaling $45]
This guy really works fast!
As of Saturday, January 18, 2025, I drove down to Sparta
with my wife and kid, and picked up my order.
Garner's Grinder set its last day for pick up on January 19.
The venison jerky was EXCEPTIONALLY good!
It uses up a lot of meat, but it is a nice thing to have.
After getting only bacon fat-infused burger from
my Alabama deer, I did need some regular ground meat
so I could make recipes such as bolognese sauce and chili.
Additionally, I got my tenderloins and backstraps sliced
so I could use them in my venison stroganoff noodles.
Saturday evening, Sunday, & Monday morning
February 8, 9, & 10, 2025
Roanoke & Wadley, Alabama
| Saturday evening
(Day 1): High 74ºF with 31% evening rain chance cloudy with wind @ 8 mph from the SW sunset 5:20 p.m. CST |
Sunday (Day 2): High 71ºF / Low (going in) 63ºF w/ 15% rain A.M. sprinkle & cloudy w/ wind @ 6 mph from NW sunrise 6:30 a.m. CST / sunset 5:21 p.m. CST |
| Monday
morning (Day 3): High 59ºF / Low (going in) 47ºF w/ 16% rain cloudy with wind @ 5 mph from the NNE sunrise 6:29 a.m. CST |
I went to tag along with Tim to encourage him.
My freezer is full.
Day 1 – Saturday:
I was exhausted from work the past week.
Only got to Alabama in time to put out corn.
Tim hunted alone and at the Turkey Trail.
Day 2 – Sunday:
Tim and I hunted the afternoon/evening in Broughton only.
No deer seen. Heard crows, dove, squirrels, and goats!
Day 3 – Monday:
This may be morning only. We stay at Rock Stand.
ALABAMA and GEORGIA specifics
| Randolph County, AL | Washington County, GA | ||||||
 Zone A private land either sex ENTIRE season |
 Alabama DCNR regulations.PDF |
 Green Zone private land either sex ENTIRE season |
 Georgia DNR regulations.PDF |
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| Stalk / Firearms: November 23 - February 10 |
(34.3 MB: file is HUGE!) | Firearms: October 19 - January 12 |
(11.9 MB: file is medium size!) |
| East Central Alabama counties 2022 Rut Approximation: |
After doing some
research on October 27, I found this 2024 Georgia Afield rut map: |
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| Roanoke,
Alabama is located within Randolph County. I used Adobe Photoshop to edit the original graphic, by cleaning up text and showing closest counties. |
Sandersville,
Georgia is located within Washington County. Full Georgia Afield article here |
http://inner-redneck.com/