[springmom]

Dawn, two days from now, is the start of gun season here in Texas. Husband and I are going up tomorrow afternoon to place our blinds/stands (I can't climb a ladder so have to hunt from a ground blind), scout, and staying overnight in the Best Western up in Willis, then up early Saturday morning to be there before morning light in Sam Houston National Forest.

Cannot WAIT!!!

I went over to Gander Mountain this afternoon for a few last minute things. Never saw so many pickup trucks in one place that wasn't a Ford dealership:neener: Much to my delight, somebody has finally made scent control shampoo and conditioner (important for long hair, trust me on this). I'm looking forward to venison for Christmas dinner this year.

We didn't get a doe tag for the forest, either one of us, so it's one of the boys or nothing. However, if we get totally skunked, we still get to go on a draw hunt up in Huntsville State Park in January (doe and spike buck only).

So it begins. Early early mornings, freezing fingers and toes, trying to walk quietly and feeling like I sound like a Mac truck. The silence in the cold morning air. The woodpeckers, including one endangered species that you can pretty much only see in that forest, hammering on the trunks of the trees as the sunlight warms the forest. The early season monarch butterflies, on their annual trek to Mexico for the winter, as they flit through on their way south.

And the waiting. Your heart pounding so loud you know every deer in a mille can hear it. The excitement when the brush rustles off to one side and you KNOW what is just beyond it. The amazement of looking at these incredible, beautiful creatures. The frustration when that hoof comes down and that tail goes up and that critter goes bounding off.

And the taste of venison chili, later this year....

Good luck, and good hunting, to you all who will be out there this weekend too.

Springmom

[EatBugs]

a bit over two more weeks till firearms season in Indiana! I was just squirrel hunting and saw more deer than squirrel!

Oh Yeah! scent control shampo and conditioner! I found that stuff about two months ago and practically danced in the isle. No more scent control soap in my hair. Yippie!

I aslo just ate the last of last years venison yesterday.

Good luck to you springmom. May you see more deer than squirrels and may the deer not see you scratching your nose.

[screamin eagle]

I am also waiting on saturday morning i will be leaving friday night to the deer camp just outside of kindleton texas me and my dad have seen some realy nice bucks during bowseason but never came within 120 yards:fire: so now let them come within 120 yards and its on.:D

[IllHunter]

We'll travel on the 15th place blinds on the 16th, hunt on th 17,18,19th. Good luck and shoot straight to all.

[scout26]

I'll be leaving Saturday morning, the 11th for Ferne Clyffe State Park in Johnson County, IL. Get the stands in Saturday afternoon and start Huntin' Hard (bow) on Sunday. Firearm season opens here in Illinois on the 17th. We'll be doing that also.

This is the week that makes the other 51 tolerable. I'm pumped (like I am this time every year).

My Mossy Oak shirt says it best:

"My head belongs to my Job.
My heart belongs to my Family.
But my soul belongs to the Woods."

[sm]

springmom,

Best of luck to you both.

Oh, btw, they have had scent control for long hair for a really long time now...Baking Soda. :)

A stick of beef jerky in one's pocket makes one a better shooter.

I mean since you are going to the grocery store for garlic, you might as well pick up the baking soda and beef jerky sticks to stuff in pockets. :D

I am being serious. My mentors started that beef jerky tradition when I was no taller than a kitchen table. I mean we alway kept sticks in hunting clothes, we may eat some, but always left at least one stick on person.
Baking soda cleans people, clothes, and even using on boots while buying gas, and picking up oil and gas from a fillin' station, lessens scent.

Now I am old school, never used camo, don't own any. I still like using Silk Underwear for first layer, and silk socks for first layer then wool socks. [even in summer when hiking to prevent blisters]

Ground Blinds. I use a old 100% wool army surplus blanket. Wool blanket washed in baking soda. Now wool breaks the wind, has a natural sound in the woods, repels water, keeps one warm when wet,....rain does not sound "un-natural" when hitting it...

I just tie one with cord to trees to give some cover, break outline and so forth.

Burlap I like too. I used to use just old 'tater sacks, hard to find, but one can get the plain jane burlap like the sacks were made, not camo, or anything fancy to break outline. I last bought some at a Mom & Pop hardware store for about 1/2 the price a "hunting store" sold it for.

I like simple, I used to hunt a place and I'd use a old aluminum Golf cart thingy to hike down the trail. I mean if folks want to carry all that crap - fine. I paid $5 for this cart at a yard sale, just lithium grease on the wheels, and yes strong enough to tote a deer out.

I like this "work smarter - not harder" stuff personally. *grin*

Tip : if you shoot a deer, and yell "Fore" as you head off to fetch it, the old boy about a 100 yds up the clear cut in a stand will darn near fall off of standing laughing.

My ground blind spot was marked with the handle of a old busted 5 iron.

That was me with a spike buck wearing a orange hunters vest, and orange scarf around head- riding in a golf cart thingy... heading back up the clear cut. *smirk*






Steve