Deer Hunting:
 2014 - 2015 |
 2015 - 2016 |
 2016 - 2017 |
2017 - 2018 |
 2018 - 2019 |
 2019 - 2020 |
 2020 - 2021 |
 2021 - 2022 |
 2022 - 2023 |
 2023 - 2024 |
2017-2018: My Fourth Deer Season!
I had to cancel eight (8) hunting events due to either job or weather.
THIS YEAR WAS MY LAST DRY YEAR.
(I had a near miss in north Georgia)
OPENING DAY IN GEORGIA (standard firearms, statewide):
Saturday, October 21, 2017
No luck getting anything!
Today, though I was physiologically sick (bad cough, weakness, and fever) from working long hours,
I showed up to take my chances. However, I did not see ONE DEER.
Though, nearby in the honey hole, Robert (my mentor) saw four near the close of the day.
He shot one big-bodied one after 4 p.m., but it ran way off through the briars.
We tracked it for nearly an hour, but Robert gave up.
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| 4:19
a.m. Getting an early start |
7:20
a.m. View from my new stand (to right) |
7:28
a.m. Ready for something to show |
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 |
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| 4:37
p.m. Helping Robert track a lost deer |
4:37
p.m. One of the first blood drops tracking |
4:51
p.m. Right before giving up (next property) |
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| 6:28
p.m. Me in my HECS uniform |
7:02
p.m. 22 minutes past sun set |
7:27
p.m. Moon view while packing up to go |
Panoramic view at 6:21 p.m. EDT -- almost sun set
– CANCELLED –
Saturday, October 28 was a heavily rainy day, and my truck needed service anyway
Saturday, November 4 was a full moon, yet very warm, but my truck still needed additional service
Saturday, November 11 was cool and cloudy, but also windy; I cleaned up my garage instead
Saturday, November 18, 2017
sunrise: 7:04 a.m. EST / sunset: 5:28 p.m. EST
( I decided to focus more on Sandersville early, and Roanoke later on )
No luck getting anything!
 |
 |
| 7:08
a.m. EST Starting the morning hunt |
3:41
p.m. EST Startng the evening hunt |
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|
|
The Oreo Hunt
Club |
 |
 |
 |
| my shadow at 9:32 a.m. |
D.B. assists Robert |
5-pointer by Robert |
Aiming towards honey hole |
|
|
| wee
hours Thursday, November 2, 2017 I caught Robert's funky-antlered buck on camera just 16 days before. |
Black Friday, November 24
and Saturday, November 25
Friday sunset: 5:27 p.m. EST --and-- Saturday sunrise: 7:20 a.m. EST
Near the community of Dial in southern Fannin County
No luck getting anything!
My second cousin, Kerry, up near Blue Ridge, has access to a place way off the beaten track.
It is actually owned by his brother-in-law, George, and it resides on a narrow 6-acre tract of land.
I assumed that it was a rustic cabin in the woods...boy, was I surprised!
I hunted for both...
black
bear... 
...and whitetail
deer. 
I also had to listen out for any banjo playing!
(This is near the site of the 1972 film "Deliverance")
Well..... The cabin was far from rustic:
Actually, the cabin was quite nice and had so many nice amenities.
 |
 |
 |
 |
| The oak
tree where I hunted |
Look down into the
"holler" |
Back up my right
(towards cabin) |
Getting ready to
do this |
The evening hunt was not productive, but it was interesting.
Panoramic view from my chair, next to a large white oak tree.
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Fully suited up |
Back to cabin for
dinner |
Hot tub (in
mirror) was nice |
My sleeping bag
(on bed) |
I was up at 5:45 a.m. the next morning. (George didn't have to wake me!)
|
|
early Saturday, November
25, 2017 Before
the sun came up, I sprayed Harmon's rutting doe
spray. |
7:13 a.m. EST
The next day, especially before sunrise, was absolutely beautiful!
I came close to getting an 8-pointer, but I missed. How disappointing!!
I just KNOW that the Harmon spray worked well in bringing that buck closer.
He came from my left (westward) at 40 yards.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Tree
where George hunted |
Shots
removed deer's innards |
Yes...
he's a 3-pointer |
Make-shift
deer puller |
Heading
back to the cabin |
George, however, got a 3-pointer, just as he was about to pack it up for the day!
I walked back to his tree where he shot it twice... entry & exit wounds are visible.
Eventually, Kerry and his son came along after they regained cell service and
then we all took turns dragging this buck's carcass through the woods.
Incidentally, we heard no banjo music
...or squealing pigs.
Kerry says that I might get to return before New Year's!
I want a REMATCH with that buck I missed.
Update: It doesn't look like that will happen this year.
Kerry is very busy and the National Park system limits hunting in the area up to December 26
even though hunting in north Georgia is normally allowed until January 15.
– THREE WEEKENDS CANCELLED –
My work schedule changed as of November 28
which severely impacted my hunting schedule and plans.
I had hoped to get back to Sandersville in early December.
Saturday, December 2 was immediately after working long overnight hours on the job
Friday and Saturday, December 8/9 was a heavy snow event in the greater Atlanta area, with cold rain in Sandersville
Saturday, December 16, 2017
(Sandersville)
sunrise: 7:27 a.m. EST / sunset: 5:26 p.m. EST
No luck getting anything!
View of the two main shooting lanes from my stand.
Daybreak was very pretty at a brisk 28ºF.
The ground was frozen and all traces of corn had been devoured.
Early on, I keep the canopy net up to allow easy viewing just below the stand.
I finally have mastered my layering to keep warm.
My base layer and face cover is the HECS suit.
Everything camo is RealTree.
Wide panoramic shot from stand after dropping the canopy net.
Late morning had some wind, and still no deer showed.
The open field has plenty of sign, though.
Robert and I grabbed some Chinese food for lunch, before the evening hunt.
Before beginning the evening, Robert and inspected D.B.'s stand and Edgar's stand.
D.B.'s area had serious buck droppings and Edgar's area had a plethora of dropped acorns.
Due to the size of the buck droppings, I promptly selected D.B.'s stand to hunt.
I also spread corn and Deer Cane and even put out a wick and sprayed estrous spray.
Notice that the mode of dress changes from when I do prep work to the actual hunt.
On the way to, and view from D.B.'s stand.
D.B. finally clearly marked the pathway; it was so easy to go the wrong way!
That evening drew to a close with nary a deer.
Even though we tried to do all the right things, nothing showed.
OPENING
DAY IN ALABAMA(stalk hunting, firearms, statewide):
Saturday, November 18, 2017
[will postpone hunting in Alabama until a little later]
first hunt this season in Alabama:
Sunday morning, December 24 [Christmas Eve]
sunrise: 6:42 a.m. CST
No luck getting anything!
...but it gave me a chance to do reconnaissance.
I got to Alabama a little too late on Saturday afternoon,
which only gave me a few minutes to hunt.
I was only able to check the camera in the southern Pine Grove; it had limited video.
The next morning was spent in the same stand.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
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| Northwest |
Northeast |
East |
Southeast |
South |
West |
I monitored all directions, but still no deer showed
anywhere near my stand in the southern pine grove.
I learned that more activity was actually on the turkey trail.
When I went around to check all the cameras, I saw this:
He showed up 10 minutes after I quit for the morning,
and exactly 40 minutes before I walked up to the same camera!
Additionally, I did learn about this mature
8-point buck seen around the property:
 |
 |
| November
26, Turkey Trail |
December
12, Turkey Trail |
| |
| December 8, Chestnut Hill |
immediately after the first snow of December!
I named him Elliot because of him losing one antler last winter:
(I have the shed that is missing in the photograph)
Yes! I know that Elliot was a mule deer
in the animated feature Open Season.
Guess WHO I will be hunting for,
for the rest of this season???
Also, Elliot may be coming around the front yard!
Just in case, I have a camera ready to capture him.
 |
 |
 |
| Seen from the side
yard of the house; some particular buck has gotten a lot of nerve |
Fresh rubbing with
shavings on the ground! |
I set up one of my
older cameras in an attempt to get Elliot (or another buck) in the yard |
Saturday, December 30, 2017
(Sandersville, GA)
sunrise: 7:33 EST at a crisp 31ºF
No luck getting anything!
I got on site before Robert and D.B. this time;
Edgar was already there
Still waitin' for deer a couple of hours later
We stopped at noon and then we walked back to the trucks for lunch
This is the first time I was hunting with 3 other guys
New Years Day,
Monday, January 1, 2018
(Roanoke, AL)
sunset 4:45 p.m. CST
No luck getting anything!
Tim hunted that morning, but needed to go home for the evening.
I checked all the cameras on property and then began the hunt.
Panoramic View
I had to stay bundled up due to cold wind
I left the stand at 5:15 p.m. (Alabama time) when it was 25ºF
A full moon rose after the sun went down
Friday, January 5, 2018
(Roanoke, AL)
Cancelled!
The predicted weather for the
next weekend is expected to be just TOO cold!
Saturday -and then- Sunday,
January 13 / 14, 2018
