2014 Deer Season

70 Days till open day of deer season (bow season) in the state of Mississippi (MS Deer Hunting Regulations). This will be the first deer season in 4 years that I will not have a chance to get to our property until late August. It has been a busy year in Wilkins house hold. A lot of work has to be done before October 1 for the opening day of bow season. We have several stand we would like to move based on how last year panned out and all of our trail cameras still need to be put up. We also have all the food plots to plant along with any minerals we want to get out before the start of the season. In MS you cannot be within 100 yards of a feeder and feed cannot be poured on the ground once the season opens. (MS Feeding Regulations) This makes getting a late start on the pre-season even harder.

Hopefully all the work we did last year in prepping for the season and food plot placement really will help hold us over to this year. 2013 was a very slow year with deer sightings, seemed like they only would stay in the timber and would not come out in the open during the day time. We had several hit list bucks that we were getting on camera consistently. But were never able to catch the big boys on their feet during the day time. Although it was a slow year it might have been out most productive year. We were able to harvest 5-7 does and one decent buck, I would guess in the 100-120 inch range.

Since last year we could not find the bucks we are hoping this year that we can bring them to us. We have stocked up on Tink's Power Scrape Starter, Tink's Scrape Dripper Bomb,Wildgame Innovations Acorn Rage. I have been using the acorn rage for a few years now to attract deer to a trail camera area and to provide nutrients to grow. As you can see from some of the hit list bucks it seems to work. Last year was the first year I had ever tried using mock scrape drippers. I used them on two separate parts of our property and it really seemed to draw the bucks in. I would definitely recommend giving these products a look and the links I provided are pretty good deals right now.

 

So as we count down to opening day I cannot wait till late August to get here. I don’t know about everyone else but the preparation is just as exciting as the hunt. Here’s to hoping we all have a great 2014 season!

Till next time – M

Genesis 27:3 "Now then, please take your gear, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field and hunt game for me;

30 is the new 20?

Today I turn 30 years old! I am not really sure how to feel about this news. I have always thought age was just a number. But now that I am the “Old” guy in the room it makes you want to reflect a little bit on where you have been and where you are going. The last 5 years of my life I have grown up a lot. I married my best friend 5 years ago this August. We bought a house, cars, changed jobs, and traveled a lot. We are very different people than we were at 25. So I wonder what our lives will look like in 5 more years. A new house, car, job, children, more traveling? Honestly who really ever knows what will come in the years ahead.

There are two things that I have learned in the last several years. One is that without a doubt I am now a “grownup”. I have real responsibilities and people count on me to be a productive member of society. Gone are the days of sleeping in till noon and staying up till 2 or 3 am. The second is the future is what you make of it. No one is going to give you anything, if you do not have a goal and focus you will wake up at 50 and wonder what the heck happened!

I found a quote online about a year ago that I keep on my desk at work. It is something I look at daily and has really helped me on those days were I feel like I am just floating along. The quote goes: “Having a rough morning? Place your hand over your heart. Feel that? That’s called purpose. You’re alive for a reason. DON’T GIVE UP.”

In saying all of that I could not be more happy with my life. I have gotten to do and see most everything I have wanted to in the last 30 years. In a week I will be going to Europe for 15 days (Paris, Venice, Florence, Positano, Rome) another experience checked off the bucket list. I am very excited about the next part of my life and ready for the challenging roads ahead. Look forward to giving tons of updates about Europe and of course DEER SEASON is right around the corner!

Till next time – M

Jer 29:11: For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

I'm Back!

Its been a long time since I have posted anything! A lot has been going on and I have not had much time to get on and let everyone know what we have been up to. We have just about two weeks till the opening of bow season in Mississippi. In the mean time I will catch yall up on what the Mrs. and I have been doing to keep ourselves entertained. I have a few pictures below just to tease all the things! See everybody later this week!

Thanksgiving (A year of Firsts)

We took our annual trip down to MS this year for Thanksgiving. Not as many family members were in town this year, so that meant one thing. HUNTING ALL DAY EVERYDAY!  It also would be the year of many first for me in hunting. This was the first year to help with the food plots, to have a camera out scouting those food plots, and last but not least first year to bow hunt. We have a few tree stands set up around the property but there was one I always wanted to hunt. Its a one man stand that is about 10 feet off the ground overlooking a small food plot. It also is a major crossing point for deer. It’s in between a food/water source and a bedding area. For years I have thought this would be a great place to hunt! It’s a perfect place to bow hunt, the farthest shot is only 40 yards.

We know from experience this is a great spot because earlier in the year “Scooter” a co-worker came down opening weekend of bow season and got a really nice Doe. He had deer all over him every day in the stand. SO I figured for the next 3-4 days I would make this my home. Every morning around 7-8 am there would be 3-4 doe in the food plot. The first 2 days I waited and waited for the big buck in the area to come out to play. (Trail camera pic below.) 

After realizing he was not biting on my grunt calls and rattles, on the 3 days I decided if a nice Doe came out I was going to take my shot! WOW I did not expect me to be as nervous when that first Doe stepped out! My heart was racing about 100 miles and hour and my hands were shaking and sweaty. I had shot a thousand times in the back yard so I knew I had it in me. This however was unlike anything that I had felt before. Needless to say I missed 3 Doe over the next 2 trips to the stand. I missed high, low, and in front. On my last full day hunting I had 3 Doe in the food plot and couldn't get them to not look at me so I could get my bow drawn back. They all finally gave me my window. I put my 20 yard pin on her and let it RIP. THIS TIME I DID NOT MISS! She ran 30 yards from the stand and dropped it was a double lung and hear shot! I was so excited I could barely talk or stand. After waiting about 20 minutes I got down and tracked her. I must say that bow hunting has become my addiction now. Having to get a wild animal to come with 40 yards of you and still not let them see, smell or hear you is MUCH MUCH harder than I ever thought!

Missing in Action

So the last couple of months I have been absent from posting. It’s been a really busy time of the year since Thanksgiving. I have been hunting twice, working my tail off, and visited NYC for the holiday season. Over the next week or so I figure I’ll share a little bit of each of those experiences. I am very excited to show you guy what was my first successful bow hunt after many tries! It would probably put everyone to sleep talking about work so I’ll skip that! The MRS. And I just got back from a GREAT vacation in NYC so you know I have a TON of photos to share. So in the upcoming days/week I’ll have several post about my last few adventures hunting and non-hunting related.  I've left a couple of pictures just to keep you interested. 

Is it Bow Season yet?

I have been gearing up for what seems like 3 years for this deer season! I couldn’t tell you how many times I have worried my wife to death about getting this or I need that for the hunts this year. I’m worried she might take me out with my bow if I don’t quite HA. I am very much a person who goes full force into something and I want to be the best at it! Once a good family friend (Snuffy) gave me a bow to use for the year it was downhill from there on all the things I would start to pick up for opening day of archery season.

I have tried to shot at least 3 times a week since getting the bow making sure that I would be able to dot an i at 50 yards. I have picked up a brand new block target that I setup in our back yard. The Mrs. thinks that the neighbors either think I’m crazy or they are afraid to come outside anymore because they never are in their back yards. I am not going to lie I feel pretty confident going into my first bow season. I have also been watching a lot of the outdoor channel trying to pick up tips and see how it’s done. Honestly I'm really just worried that when I do get my first deer with a bow that I might pass out from excitement. For the first time this year I will also have my own trail cam from Wildgame Innovations, I am not 100% where to place this thing so any suggestions would definitely be welcome. I also picked up some of Wildgames attractants, hoping that I would be able to at least get some deer to my food plot and tree stand. 

Last on my list were the accessories for in the stand as you can see I got a bow hanger and an additional smaller hanger to put bags, calls, rangefinder. Not really sure what I’ll need it for but I figure better safe than sorry. I most recently got my two best purchases and from what all I can tell these two are must haves from everything that I have read and seen on shows. I was able to pick up a Bushnell rangefinder Chuck Adams edition. It was on sale and I jumped all over it. This thing has the arch technology in it that automatically calculates the difference than line of sight and the height that you are at in the tree. This way you get an accurate reading on your target, thus if you miss it’s all on you! My second purchase was a great deal that I found at a wholesaler. I found a Tree Spider speed harness and tree strap for about 75% off. As you can see in the picture I was super excited and tried it on in the middle of the aisle with everyone around. (I was not going to put it down so someone could get it before me) So needless to say every day that passes all I can say is when will bow season be here?? 

Ill be back later with all the adventures from the weekend setting up tree stand and the dove hunt. If you have any suggestions or comments about bow hunting please fill free to share. 

First Deer Season

As my first deer season approached I needed to make sure that I had all my “hunting gear” in order. I was fortunate enough to find a couple of yard sales that had some Under Armour cold gear, base layer cover!  That is a must have for those cold days in the blinds. My mother in law bought me some brand new Red Head button up shirt and pants, I'm going into my third year of hunting and they are still like new. Last I found a great deal at Bass Pro shop on Red Head boots water proof and 450 grams to keep my feet warm.  Below is a picture of me and the family I’ve got all my new camo and I’m ready to get after some Whitetails! And I cannot forget my camo and orange reversible beanie, GO VOLS! We all used rifles that first year, a couple of Browning’s and I used a Remington 7mm bolt action. This was a gun that my grandfather-in-law had used and now I was using it. Solid, solid hunting rifle being that I had never shot it before it was very easy to use and shoot straight and accurately.

I nearly drove my wife crazy that first year to get EVERYTHING that I thought I “NEEDED”. We hunted the entire week after Christmas. Mainly hunting from shooting houses and a Ameristep pop up blind. Depending on the weather I really prefer the house, it keeps a lot of the wind off you and you can move around and little bit more without the deer seeing you.  As for the first 3-4 days we really did not see much a few does and turkey’s but no shooters. Being that I had not hunted before of course I wanted my first deer to be a “MONSTER”.  So I decided to wait on my big buck to walk out to take my first shot. I figured that in a week I would have plently of time to get a nice buck and at least one doe. Boy was I wrong! In the state of Mississippi you are allowed to harvest 3 bucks and 5 does in a hunting season.  That entire week we did not even see a buck that you could legally shoot. A legal buck in MS in the county that we hunt has to have a 10” inside spread or a 13” main beam.

My cousin-in-law actually had a shooter come out in his food plot on the 5^th day and was able to get 2 shots off at him. We waited about 15 minutes and texted him to ask if he had hit the deer and if we need to come help. He let us know that it was a big buck and that he shot and the buck jumped and kicked then took off. (Usually a good sign) We had to of tracked that deer for 2-3 miles with a blood trail the entire way. After what felt like about 5 hours we decided to give up on the deer that day and head back in and come back out that next morning and pick up where we left off. Again the next day tracked and tracked and we came up with nothing. We never found that deer so, we are hoping that it was just a flesh wound and Mr. Buck ended up being ok. That first year I had set out to just try out hunting and see if I liked it. It only took one week and the “Buck fever” had me and there was no looking back after my first year.