I haven't turkey hunted since 2015 due to other things that have taken priority like yard work, getting the tomato patch ready and the date on my birth certificate might have something to do with it.  I might have walked through the woods adjacent our property during the Spring turkey season, but can't recall that for sure....maybe!

I noticed toward the end of our 2019 big game hunting season, turkeys were coming to where I broadcast corn at one of my favorite hunting places and continued to put corn out after the season went out in hopes they would visit the feeding area on a regular basis.  I have observed at least four (4) long beards feeding at one time and half a dozen or more hens too.

Below are pixs taken by the game camera and the date/time was not reset the last time I replaced the batteries and it defaulted to when I originally placed it into service.  The date is off by 12 years, 2 months, 8 days and about and 6 hours.......I definitely need to reset the camera the next time, I swap SD card, of which I did this afternoon; resetting the date/time/year, etc..

The ole long beard seems to be posing for the camera too.  He isn't camera shy because when the shutter closes, you can definitely hear it.  As evidenced by the pixs, he walked right up in front of the camera lens.

The strutting long beard has a hen on the other side of him and you can see part of her tail feathers.

The above long beard is a mature bird as evidenced by the symmetrical shape of his tail feather fan.

The ole long beards definitely like to put a show on to impress the hens and you can't blame the ole boy for that............grin if you must!

I don't think I will hunt these wild turkeys, but will continue to watch them!

The above long beard is a "Boss Gobbler" for sure and his beard looks like a paint brush.

Web page created by Bill aka Mickey Porter on 03-26-2020.

PRE-SEASON HUNTING PREPARATIONS

I plan to bow hunt starting in October, Our Lord willing of course where I bow hunted last season.  Only one opportunity presented itself and I released a bad arrow.  It was my bad since I took a shoot too late in the evening and did not make a fatal arrow shot placement.  Hopefully, I will do better this season.  Also, the deer at that location were either visiting my broadcast corn in the middle of the day, night time and about dark.

I relocated the above Premos Truth Cam35 trail camera to my bowhunting area, placed a mineral block and broadcast corn in hopes of getting the deer back into the area.  Check out my hunting 2019 page which shows deer at this stand location. 

I ordered a Stealth Cam G42NG and auxiliary 12 volt dc lead/acid rechargeable battery which comes with a 12 volt solar panel, weather proof storage box and 10 feet power cord, but will "milk" the above camera as long as I can.

Below pix of my bowhunting stand site:

Ahead is some serious "practising" with the antiquated Mathews Drenalin solo cam bow, of which two months should have myself in a missile lock accuracy mode.

Visit the crossbow page for an update on the Drenalin.

Web page updated by Bill aka Mickey Porter on 07-28-2020 and 10-05-2020.

REPLACED PRIMOS TRUTH CAM 35

The above camera started giving trouble last season "eating" up batteries way too fast and was intermittent in taking pixs, therefore replaced it with the Stealth Cam G42NG.  I am waiting for the auxiliary 12 volt rechargeable battery pack with solar panel.

I need to tweak the vertical orientation on the cam just a tad!

With the Stealth Cam resolution set to the maximum of 12 mega pixels and the pix cropped to 750 pixels in width, I have more pixel height and in this pix it is 563 pixels versus the pix before this one being 750 x 422 pixels.

View my trail camera page which details this camera set-up.

Web page updated by Bill aka Mickey Porter on 08-05-2020.

MOULTRIE GRAVITY FLOW DEER FEEDER

I got the Moultrie gravity flow deer feeder in this afternoon and took it to my bowhunting stand area.  I strapped it to a tree about 17 yards out and filled it up with sweet feed pellets purchased from our local Tractor Supply and will observe when the deer start feeding on the sweet feed.

Raccoons have a "sweet tooth" and hopefully their local population has been reduced enough the past few years to not become a menus with the sweet feed.  A raccoon is not like deer when feeding; e.g., a raccoon will steadily eat until he or she gorges itself out!  Of all the wild game that I have field dressed, a raccoon and wild turkey has the most horrible smell and could easily "gag a maggot"......grin if you must! 

I have a couple small trees to remove that will allow me to send an arrow from my hunting blind to the feeder and will take a few pixs tomorrow, Our Lord willing of course. 

I reduced the resolution on the Stealth Cam to 5 mega pixels to give me a wider field of view without having to change the East/West orientation of the camera.  The solar panel on the auxiliary battery pack was repositioned to give me a better angle toward the sun.

With the feeder in this position/location, I should have a better chance to get a broadside shot when deer are using the feeder.

NOTE:  Deer did not eat the Tractor Supply sweet feed at all; from the feeder or on the ground!

There hasn't been much activity at this feeding location so far, but it should pick up before too much longer.  There are several white oak, willow oak and red oak trees close by which are a magnet for deer!

Next month, our Lord willing of course, I plan to set up my bowhunting blind and let the deer get use to it again.  Depending on the weather, I might get an early start bowhunting when the season comes in on September 12, 2020, whereas since 2013, I have waited until October to start bowhunting.  The adjacent hunting club land has put a damper on hunting at this location due to the hunting pressure, but has still produced enough deer for the freezer.

Web page updated by Bill aka Mickey Porter on 08-13-2020 and 08-14-2020.

ROOF OVER FEEDER

I rounded up some unallocated materials and headed to my bowhunting feeding station.  I checked my battery powered drill and the battery seemed ok.  However, I had only driven two (2) 3 inch deck screws and the battery died.  I have a couple of the generic imported 18 volt batteries for my DeWalt drills and they are totally junk.  Most of the time, you get what you pay for.  Being frugal will cost you at the most inopportune time.  I had to go back home and put the battery on the charger, of which I already had the spare in the charger which was dead as a door nail too.  I opted to use some nails to get me started and it didn't take too long to realize my hammer skills are about totally gone as far as driving nails, but I managed without bending any of the 16d or 16 penny nails.  

I didn't have to cut any of the 2 x 4s which were long enough and the piece of sheet metal roofing material was exactly the size I needed.

The slant on the roof was intentional, but might just be a little overkill on the slope....grin if you must!

Above is a zoom out view of the feeding station as view from my hunting blind position.

We had a pretty good rain last night and the feed in the front of the feeder was wet, but not soggy.  The metal roof should protect the sweet feed pellets from getting soaked.

I checked the camera card and repositioned the East/West orientation of the camera to see what goes on at the feeding station.

This angle will cover the entire feeding area.  My friend Calvin Jones saw the above pix and said he had to put his sun glasses on because of those white legs......grin if you must!

Early the morning of 08-14-2020, a couple raccoons locked in on my broadcast corn for a free meal.  Hopefully, the raccoons will stay out of the feeder, but that is wishful thinking for sure!

Web page updated by Bill aka Mickey Porter on 08-15-2020. 

HUNTING BLIND IS READY

As Hannibal Smith said on the A Team TV show, "I love it when a plan comes together".....grin if you must!  I have to remember, "Watch out for the blind X-frame cross members."

Web page updated by Bill aka Mickey Porter on 09-03-2020.

NO DEER ACTIVITY YET

As of today, 09-20-2020, there has been no deer activity at the feeding station yet per the trail camera.  White and Red Oak acorns are falling to the ground by the recent high winds which attract deer in this area too.

I have an appointment early next month with a surgeon for possible hernia surgery and my 2020 hunting season might be on hold unless I can recruit some help dragging deer out of the woods and/or wait until January 2021 to have the surgery depending on the recommendation of the surgeon.

Whatever happens, I give God through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, the Praise, Honor and Glory in all things!

Web page updated by Bill aka Mickey Porter on 09-20-2020.

DEER ACTIVITY

The past three (3) days, the trail camera has a couple different bucks coming in at dark and one around 8:26 this morning.

On 10-06-2020, while changing out the SD card, I noticed that the camera lens had some type of spider web substance on the lens and removed it with my Tee Shirt.  I remember sometime back that I left the camera door open for a few hours during the day when I removed the SD card, therefore whatever got on the camera lens had all the images as if there was a heavy fog in the area.  I now have spare SD cards dedicated just for this camera and it should not be a recurring problem.

Web page updated by Bill aka Mickey Porter on 10-06-2020. 

Cleaning the lens made a big difference even with the camera set for lower resolution!

Web page updated by Bill aka Mickey Porter on 10-07-2020.

The above buck came in at 8:14 AM and stayed 12 minutes.  Maybe he will pull an Arnold Schwarzenegger  "I'll be back"......

Since I meat hunt, both those bucks are shooters as well as does................grin if you must!

Web page updated by Bill aka Mickey Porter on 10-03-2020.

HUNTING UPDATE

I have only seen a couple deer at about dark and they were feeding on acorns out of crossbow range.  Acorns are falling profusely and until they get scarce, the deer will not be feeding on the broadcast corn until the acorns and the greenery gets gone as well.

CULPEPPER CREEK TRIBUTARY

The tributary branch of Culpepper Creek is flowing pretty good with all the rain of last night and today.

Web page updated by Bill aka Mickey Porter on 10-11-2020.

FIRST DEER WITH CROSSBOW

I checked the deer activity chart for today (10-17-2020) and prime time for this afternoon from 2:02 PM to 4:02 PM and decided to get into my hunting blind a little early.  So far this month, there has been very little activity near my hunting blind as evidenced by the trail camera, but I like what Chief Dan George said in the movie, The Outlaw Josey Wales, "Endeavor To Persevere" and you definitely can't harvest deer without hunting....grin if you must!

I got into the blind sometime around 1:34 PM and within about 15 minutes I saw three (3) does trotting from my right to the left about 40 yards out in front of the blind with their tails up, crossing the tributary of Culpepper Creek and went up the hillside toward heavier cover.  I figured a dog or something must have spooked them, however they were not trotting that fast.

In the above pix, the does crossed about 10 yards down stream beyond the leaning tree that is in the right portion of the pix.

Within a few minutes, I heard movement to the right of my blind about 12 yards and saw a spike buck moving quickly, apparently trying to get on the does trail by the way he was moving with his head down smelling the ground like a Black and Tan Hound Dog trailing a raccoon.  One of those three (3) does I saw earlier must be in the estrous cycle for sure.  The spike buck didn't present a shot and he went back in the direction he came from and I got the crossbow into position on my shooting rail/rest and rotated the scope red illuminated reticle dial on, pushing the safety to the off position.  The spike buck came out in front of my blind from the right about 30+- yards walking fast in front of a large pine tree that I had earlier laser ranged at 29 yards.  He then turned around and headed back in the direction he came from and might have paused for a split second, but not sure of that since it was rapidly taking place.  I placed the red triangle scope yardage marker on him for 30 plus yards and pressed the trigger releasing the bolt.  The bolt hit him high near his right shoulder and he was broadside to me.  The spike buck immediately went into overdrive upon impact of the crossbow bolt and went in the direction he was facing to my right out of view.  I checked the ole Ironman Timex watch and it was 1:56 PM.  The shot looked like it was a good hit, even though high.  I had a lighted nock on the crossbow bolt, but the bolt went so fast, I don't know whether or not I was aware of it being on or not, but it was on when I later located the bolt.

I hurriedly exited the blind taking my back pack with me which has a dragging strap, field dressing knife and other things and went to where he was hit.  There was a humongous amount of crimson blood a few feet on the exit side of the bolt where he was last standing.  I didn't see the crossbow bolt even with the lighted nock since there was plenty of sunlight.  I tracked him about 80 yards; just a guesstimate where he was down for the ten count.

The exit hole on the left side of the deer looked like he was hit with a tomahawk or small bladed axe.  The entry hole was not as large as the exit hole, but still an awesome entry hole for sure.  I don't think the Rage broadhead fully deployed upon entry, but it most definitely did fully open upon exiting.  That Rage broadhead cleaned his clock for sure!

I field dressed him where he fell being a good ways from where my blind is located and didn't take too long to get the ole boy back home to the White Oak Hanging Tree which I nicknamed Tom Dooley after the Kingston Trio song.................another grin is in order.

PHOTO TIME

There was no way to get a very good photo since there was mixed sunlight in the back yard at the hanging tree.  

I would have taken a self portrait of the deer and myself with the DSLR, however I hadn't done a "Selfie" in so long, I had forgotten the procedure to make it happen......grin if you must!

RAGE BROADHEAD EXIT WOUND

I used a Rage TRYPAN 150 grain hypodermic 2+ inch cut broadhead and a picture is worth a thousand words!  The upper white portion in the cut appears to be part of the shoulder blade.

The front of those Rage blades looked about like the rear portion with serrated edges.  That was a one shot broadhead for sure and the high dollar price tag is definitely well worth the harvest of a deer in my humble opinion!   The Rage broadhead looks like some type of miniature Medieval fighting implement!  The Carbon Express Piledriver bolt was still together and will test spin it later.

SKINNING THE SPIKE BUCK

It didn't take too long to skin and quarter him up, whereas I will let him age out a few days in my basement game refrigerator before I slice the loin straps, save the tenderloins whole and grind the rest of him into ground venison.  I will then vacuum seal and place in the freezer for some "beautimous" meals.

QUARTERED DEER READY FOR THE REFRIGERATOR AGING

I placed the quartered deer in plastic trash bags without sealing them to allow some air circulation and placed the deer into my basement game refrigerator to age a few days.  I have the temperature set above freezing.

I opened the stomach of the spike buck after field dressing him and he had been feeding mainly on acorns aka "akerns" as some of us Southern folks pronounce them.  Didn't see any shelled corn, but acorns and greenery stuff.

As stated, this was my first crossbow deer harvest and hope to tag a few more before the season ends.  I might just sit in my blind during muzzleloader season with the crossbow versus the ole smoke pole!

I am thankful for each and every day that our Lord allows and for the opportunity to enjoy what He has provided for us.  I give God, through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, the Praise, Honor and Glory in all things!

I will go on line and register the deer harvest!

Web page updated by Bill aka Mickey Porter on 10-17-2020.

NO RESPECT

While out and about yesterday 10-18-2020, I noticed a deer track under my White Oak deer hanging and skinning tree and can't blame the deer for that since White Oak Acorns aka akerns are falling profusely.  I will see if I can get the ole Premos trail camera set-up and see what comes and goes there!

I plan to process the spike buck harvested in the morning, our Lord willing of course.

Web page updated by Bill aka Mickey Porter on 10-19-2020

NO RESPECT UPDATE

This deer track is fresh.  You have to look close to see the depression in the ground.

Maybe, I can get a few pixs of the deer feeding at the White Oak hanging tree.

The trail camera is working, but I didn't reset the default date.

Web page updated by Bill aka Mickey Porter on 10-21-2020.

PROCESSED THE SPIKE BUCK

Today 10-20-2020, I deboned the deer, sliced the loin straps, saved the tenderloins whole and ground the balance of the deer into ground venison.

I had twenty three (23) pounds of ground venison and didn't weight the four packages of the loins and tenderloins.

I do not add any beef or pork fat to the ground venison, but rely on healthier oils when cooking venison.

My meat grinder and Food Saver machines got a little workout today and I still have venison vacuum sealed from the 2019 hunting season, mostly ground venison.  Looks like I will be able to replenish my supply, our Lord willing of course!

VACUUM BAGS

I have been using Cabala's 8" x 12" quart commercial grade vacuum bags for years and their current price is $ 29.99 per 100 bags and decided to go with same quality and size bag manufactured by O2Frepak at cost of $ 26.89 for 200 bags from Amazon!  Food Saver vacuum bags are super high dollar also and stopped using them and switched to the Cabala's bags, however the O2Frepak are just as good as stated, much cheaper!

CHAMBER VS SUCTION VACUUM MACHINE

A chamber vacuum system would be the way to go for production sealing, however the cost of the machines are expensive.  The other side of the coin, the bags are very inexpensive not requiring the embossed back of the bag as with the Food Saver type machines which is a suction vacuum machine with the bag outside the machine!  You can vacuum seal soups with the chamber machines.

I use ground venison for about everything that you would use ground beef for and processing the deer yourself, you know exactly what you are getting.....quality in, quality out!

Web page updated by Bill aka Mickey Porter on 10-20-2020.  

CORN GROWING

I pulled the camera card this afternoon and have corn shooting up from the germinated kernels of corn from the last rains we had here along with the exceptional warm weather.

Didn't see any deer activity; only a raccoon, squirrels, rabbit, birds, etc., therefore will probably wait until the last two days of this month, whereas muzzleloader season starts on the 31st, however I plan to hunt with the crossbow.

Web page updated by Bill aka Mickey Porter on 10-23-2020.

OFFICE CHAIR FOR THE BLIND

I have put a good amount of time in the hunting blind so far this season and the folding metal chair even with a thick padded naughyde cushion got to the place where I had do get some comfort for the lower posterior.  

I went by our local Habit for Humanity Restore here in Wadesboro, NC on 11-04-2020 and found an adjustable office chair that would work with a price tag of $ 10.70 including tax and finally got it to the hunting blind with some effort.

What a pleasure to sit in the hunting blind now....BTW, the deer can't see that blue seat.

Web page updated by Bill aka Mickey Porter on 11-05-2020.

DOE DECOY AND SCENTS

I placed a doe decoy in the feeding area and put out some buck urine that I had collected along with some Pete Rickard's Super Doe Lure, however it probably was a little too early.

I definitely wanted hunter orange on since our muzzleloader season came in on the 31st.

Nothing has been seen or head in the way of deer since the spike buck harvest on October 17, 2020.  Deer are not feeding on the broadcast corn yet due to all the acorns present and other food sources.

I think I will wait until the middle of this month before I put the doe decoy out again with the scents and by then, the annual deer rut should be in full swing of things!

COYOTES BACK IN THE AREA

I pulled the STEALTHCAM SD card this morning and observed a couple coyotes visiting my deer feeding area.  I will start taking my custom made Ernie Wilson Cocobolo predator call with me and/or leave it in the hunting blind and give a few rabbit in distress calls with and see what happens.  I have called one coyote in with that call during Spring Turkey season and a friend made a 15 yard shot on the female coyote.  The call has also brought in a grey fox as well.

The above two pixs sure looks like coyotes to me!

Will see how this call works on the ole yotes!

HARVESTED DOE

According to the game activity chart for today, the prime time for the afternoon was from 4:12 to 6:12 PM and got into the hunting blind around 3:10 PM.

I gave a few rabbit in distress sounds early using the above custom Cocobolo predator call and didn't hear or see anything and decided to give it a rest, not wanting to alert any deer in the area.

Sometime around 4:56 PM +-, I saw a doe coming off the hillside to my left and she was very, very cautious and alert.  She tested the wind and would take a step or two, repeating checking the wind in several directions.  The doe was definitely in the Stealth mode sound wise, because I don't think I heard a sound while she was walking on the dry leaves!  Finally, she came down to the dry creek bed crossing and continued to check the wind looking in the direction where I have the broadcast corn.

She was about 25 yards and I decided to take the first available broadside shot that manifested itself.  She was still in the dry creek bed about to come out and released the crossbow bolt.  The lighted nock was highly visible and the shot placement was more forward than I like, but a good hit.

She immediately left the area in the direction she came from and then cut back to the right at about a forty-five (45) degree angle heading for cover.  Within a second or two at the most, I heard her crash and thrash and knew she was down for the ten count.

I put my back back on and went to where she was standing and saw the crossbow bolt imbedded into a stump with the lighted nock missing.  I attempted to pull the bolt out, but it was in there solid as a rock.  The next morning, I went and broke the bolt off, however my thinking cap was not on tight as I should have tried to unscrew the bolt first.....that probably cost me the price of a crossbow bolt!

I observed a little blood and went up the hillside where I last saw her and there wasn't any blood.  I criss crossed back and forth and did find some blood toward the heavy cover.  I went into the heavier cover and didn't take but a minute or two to find the downed doe.  The doe traveled maybe 50+- yards.

As stated, the crossbow bolt placement was forward, but it still got the forward part of the lungs and I back tracked her and there was a humongous blood trail present when she entered the thick cover which was level ground, but sparse before that since she was traveling uphill at a steep angle.  According to the time stamp on my camera image file, it was 5:12 PM, making an adjustment call since I didn't set my camera back one hour for daylight savings time.........grin if you must.

I field dressed and dragged her out for transport home to the White Oak hanging tree.

SKINNING AND QUARTERING

Below are my standard pixs that I take for skinning and quartering the deer.  I don't know what the deer weighted, but guessing around 100 lbs on the hoof.  I normally don't get into the habit of weighing the field dressed deer, but do weight at times the ground venison, etc.

That Rage hypodermic broadhead did a number on that deer's shoulders.  I removed as much blood as possible from the shoulders and rinsed them off good with the water hose.

The above will render some "beautimous" ground venison, sliced loin straps and the two small whole tenderloins.

They were placed into plastic trash bags leaving the opening rather loose for some air circulation and placed in my basement game refrigerator for processing on Saturday, our Lord willing of course.

I went on line and registered the doe harvest.

I skinned the doe's tail out, tacked it down to a board and salted it heavily.  I plan to use it on my doe decoy in about a week and place some doe in estrus urine on it and just maybe a mature buck will survey the scene thinking he is about to make a score.......another grin is in order.

Web page updated by Bill aka Mickey Porter on 11-05-2020 and 11-06-2020.

PROCESSED DOE

I processed the above doe on 11-07-2020 and ended up with 22 lbs. of ground venison.  I did not weigh the loin straps and tenderloins.

The O2Frepak 8 x 12 vacuum bags work just as good as the high dollar Cabelas bags at half the cost and that is a big plus in my humble opinion!

GETTING SIDE TRACKED A LITTLE

We have Eddie's Tree Removal here in Wadesboro, NC scheduled for 11-09-2020 to cut the White Oak Tree nicknamed Tom Dooley way back due to it leaning about twenty (20) degrees +- toward the North end of our home and the base of the tree is 49 feet from the leading edge of the roof eve overhang.

The tree might die due to having to cut so much of it back, but that is ok since I should get a few more years out of it hanging deer before it "kicks the bucket" so to speak.  I can always have a power pole installed to use as my deer hanging tree or relocate to the large Red Oak tree visible in the pix below.

I had another tree service come by and look at the tree, but he declined since his bucket would only go up 50 feet.

I will probably create a separate short story page for the tree removal, our Lord willing of course.

NOTE:  Eddie Maye of Eddie's Tree Removal came by the afternoon of 11-08-2020 and advised some pressing issues came up and we rescheduled the job for 11-17-2020.

OLE TOM DOOLEY GOT TRIMMED

Eddie Maye and his crew came by on 11-17-2020 and got the White Oak Hanging Tree trimmed back where it will not be a safety hazard to our home.  Hyperlinked here.

REFURBISHED HOISTING COMPONENTS

Large falling limbs against the tree/limb chain and turnbuckle required that I obtain another turnbuckle to reconnect the chain from the tree trunk to the lower limb.  The purpose of that arrangement will not allow the limb that has the pulley and steel cable to the boat winch to flex any.

I had to get out the large Wing Little Giant ladder and set it up as an A frame ladder and had the legs telescoped out as far as they would go.  I had a rope from the right side of the ladder near the top out about 15 to 20 feet and tied to a steel pipe I drove into the ground for support on that side.  I used the steel cable and boat winch to secure the other side of the ladder.  The ladder as secured, would not tip over and leaves only yours truly to keep his balance and with the safety measures used below, I felt safe and comfortable using the tall A frame ladder.

I used my hunting safety harness and safety belt and had the safety belt looped over the limb since I had to stand on the second or first rung from the top of the A frame ladder which is a safety violation and hazard for sure without some type of system to counteract or neutralize the hazard.

Everything is back in place and waiting for another deer to get within crossbow range and the White Oak Tree aka Tom Dooley will hang another one!

NOTE:  Eddie offered to put the hoist back up, but I wanted to do it myself.

Web page updated by Bill aka Mickey Porter on 11-18-2020.

The STEALTHCAM captured another deer in the dry creek bed this morning around 3:31 AM and hopefully the deer will start feeding regularly on the broadcast corn and maybe ole mossy horns might show up.

About the middle of next week, I plan to place the doe decoy back out with some Pete Rickard's Super Doe Lure and see if a buck will investigate the bait.......grin if you must!

Web page updated by Bill aka Mickey Porter on 11-07-2020.

NEVER A DULL MOMENT WHILE HUNTING

While hunting from my blind this morning, a small opossum was expired aka dead near my hunting blind and it wasn't too long before migrating Black Vultures and of course a few local ones (Turkey Vultures) were helping themselves to a meal.  There are not any Turkey Vultures in the below pix.

It seems like the vultures were spending more time running one another away from the "possum" than partaking of the meal.  I was close enough to them that I could hear some of their vocal sounds and the vultures that didn't have any red on their head would make a sound similar to the soft bark "woof" of a dog, believe it or not!

I plan to go back in the afternoon and stay until dark, our Lord willing of course and maybe deer will be on the move.

I removed the doe decoy and capped up the buck and doe urine, placing the doe decoy behind my blind.  It might still be a little early for the rut to be in full swing, but sooner or later it will happen.

Web page updated by Bill aka Mickey Porter on 11-10-2020.

RAINING CATS N DOGS

I hunted in the blind on 11-11-2020 from 8:35 AM to approx. 11:55 AM, of which I wasn't in the blind but a few minutes when it started raining and it rained heavy until around 11ish.  I have used the term, "raining cats and dogs" as far back as I can remember along with other terms to described a torrential down pour of rain; gulley wash, frog strangler, etc.

I watched the tributary of Culpepper Creek start flowing rapidly and it wasn't long before it was about maxed out. 

I think the pix might be a tad out of focus, however it captures the swollen creek.  The sound of the rushing water was very loud as well and you definitely would not be able to hear an approaching deer due to the sound, plus the ground was saturated like a sponge.

I had the Canon DSLR 30D with the 18 to 55 MM lens zoomed out to get a close-up view of the water.

Pix above using the Canon 30D with zoom at 18 MM for a wide angle view.

The leaves are falling, resembling large rainbow colored snowflakes making their lofty descent to the ground when the winds started blowing and then it would get still and tranquil.

I am thankful to God through Jesus Christ or Lord and Savior for the opportunity to enjoy what He has created for all to enjoy.  Many are so burdened down with other things, of which they do not enjoy the simple, yet complex beauty of Life because they do not know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

Web published update by Bill aka Mickey Porter on 11-13-2020. 

CULPEPPER CREEK NORMAL FLOW

I hunted from the blind around mid-day on 11-14-2020 and Culpepper Creek was back to normal.

Web page updated by Bill aka Mickey Porter on 11-14-2020.

DEER SCARCE THIS HUNTING SEASON

I have put a good number of hours this hunting season in the hunting blind and have observed only seven (7) deer so far, of which two (2) of them are in our freezer! 

Deer are not feeding on the broadcast corn and the sweet feed much at all and attribute this to the bumper crop of acorns this year which are about depleted and the large soybean fields adjacent the Anson High School Road which is a magnet for deer this time of the year.  The soybeans have not been harvested yet and have recently heard a couple rifle shots and able to hear the impact of the bullet a split second before the muzzle report of the rifle, indicating a solid hit from the bullet.

I will continue to broadcast corn after hunting season until spring of the year to  hopefully get the deer back feeding regular at my feeding station.

I have about three (3) weeks of hunting left before I have a hernia operation which will end my deer hunting for this year and thankful for the two deer harvested so far this hunting season.

I continue to give God, the Praise, Honor and Glory in all things through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior!

Web page updated by Bill aka Mickey Porter on 11-22-2020.

DEER ON STEALTHCAM

The large soybean fields within a mile or two from my current hunting location was recently harvested, the deer are beginning to migrate back to my feeding station.

Hopefully, the deer will feed an hour or two earlier to give yours truly a chance to release another bolt from the Stryker Solution LS crossbow.

Web page updated by Bill aka Mickey Porter on 11-28-2020.

IF IT IS BROWN, IT IS DOWN

The STEALTHCAM has captured images of several shooter bucks at my feeding station and was thinking about holding off for a chance at one of them, since I had only one (1) buck tag left.

MEAT MAN HUNTING CLUB

I rarely will pass up a deer waiting on a bigger deer unless I happen to see one in my field of vision and as the above paragraph heading, "If it is brown, it is down", I don't let too many deer pass unless it is a yearling.  Several of us kid ourselves as belonging to the "Meat man hunting club".........grin if you must.  No buck trophy DNA in my blood for sure!

TAG OUT LITTLE SPIKE BUCK

I was in the hunting blind around 2:50 PM on December 4, 2020 and was trying to decide if I should wait and see if those bucks above would show up about dusk dark, however at 4:33 PM, I heard what sounded like a deer approaching from the same direction and path of the earlier doe harvest and when it came into my field of view, it initially looked like a doe, but I could see small spikes about 3 inches long.  This little buck was definitely not in a stealth mode before approaching the feeding area.

NOTE:  According to the best hunting time for today, it was from 3:55 PM to 5:55 PM and the little buck must have read the hunting chart................grin if you must!  Sometimes the chart works, most of the time it doesn't for my hunting places.  Deer feed when they are hungry, but the moon phase and barometric pressure does have its effect on game animals and fish as well!

The little spike buck was nervous and sensed something wasn't just right when he entered the broadcast corn area, whereas I had broadcast corn earlier in the day.  I had the Excalibur Tact Zone scope lighted reticle for 20 yards on him and he did a 180 degree turn and was about to head back out when the trigger on the crossbow was pressed sending the lighted nock crossbow bolt through him.  He was slightly quartering away from me and the bolt placement looked good. 

He headed back in the direction he came from heading uphill and to my left and a few seconds later, I heard him crash and trash alerting me that he was no doubt down for the ten count.  I could see the lighted crossbow bolt nock about ten (10) yards beyond where he was last standing embedded in the creek bank; retrieved it and later moved the lighted nock to the off position to conserve battery power since that nock doesn't have a replaceable battery which is good for about forty (40) hours of burn time.

I definitely adhere to the ole saying, "A bird in the hand, is worth two in the bush" instead of waiting on another deer to show up.

There was a good blood trail once the buck got onto level terrain and several places with a huge amount of blood.  There was a humongous amount of blood near the deer and the Rage Hypodermic 150 grain TRYPAN broadhead, 2+ inches of cut had fully expanded leaving a large entry and exit hole.  The spike buck traveled about fifty (50) yards before expiring.

The exit hole was low enough and forward right where it needed to be for a quick humane kill shot.

The little buck was field dressed where he fell and quickly transported back home to my White Oak hanging tree nicknamed Tom Dooley.  It didn't take too long before he was skinned, quartered up and placed in the basement game refrigerator to age out a few days before final processing, maybe on Tuesday December 8, 2020. 

I plan to debone the hind quarters, cutting the meat into about 1 to 1.5 inch cubes to use for canned venison stew, vacuum seal and freeze.  I will probably slice the loin aka back strap for grilling along with the two small tenderloins.  The neck and shoulders will be deboned for later grinding into burger and/or a pot roast/stew or two.

I only have six (6) hunting days left this season due to an upcoming hernia surgery and thankful for each and every day that our Lord allows.

I continue to give God, the Praise, Honor and Glory in all things through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior!

The deer harvest was registered on line to "seal the deal."

Web page updated by Bill aka Mickey Porter on 12-04-2020.

ANOTHER DOE WITH THE CROSSBOW

I decided to get into the hunting blind this afternoon (12-05-2020) and maybe a doe will show up during legal shooting time.  The major PM hunting time was forecast between 4:47 PM to 6:47 PM and got into the hunting blind somewhere around 3:35 PM; a good guesstimate on the time!

Around 5:08 PM, a button buck came into the feeding area from the right and watched him for a minute or two and a doe slowly eased her way where the broadcast corn was located at about twenty (20) yards.  I waited until I had a broadside shot and placed the 20 yard red lighted dot right behind her left front leg and squeezed the trigger on the Stryker Solution LS crossbow.  The crossbow bolt in flight looked like an elongated green neon bulb for a split second and disappeared through the doe where I had the red dot positioned.  The doe kicked both back legs straight back and took off like greased lightening in the direction she came from.  I listened, but didn't hear her crash and trash, but knew she could not have gone too far with an apparent heart/lung shot placement of the crossbow deadly bolt.  I had a cap with the ear flaps down which no doubt attributed to me not hearing the deer crash and trash.  

I put my back pack on and went where she was standing and there was a tremendous amount of blood on the ground.  The 50 yard track was easy to follow and below is a pix of the downed doe:

The Rage Hypodermic TRYPAN 100 grain broadhead left a tremendous hole in the doe.  I used the last 150 grain Rage Hypodermic TRYPAN broadhead yesterday on the little spike buck and moved the POI on the crossbow 3 clicks down for about 1.5 inches and sacrificed a Rage 100 grain Hypodermic TRYPAN broadhead and shot it into a target butt and it was within an inch+- of the bullseye I had drawn on a white piece of typing paper that was pinned to the layered target butt and positioned about 19 yards.  I used a make shift shooting rest out of the table next to the White Oak hanging tree.

BACK TO THE HUNTING STORY

NOTE:  I didn't see the crossbow bolt with the lighted nock and it probably buried itself into the ground since we had a frog strangler rain the other day and the ground is like a sponge in my hunting area.

I got the doe back home and the White Oak tree nicknamed Tom Dooley has gotten a workout yesterday and this evening.

Above, deer being quartered up and ready for a cooler since my game refrigerator is maxed out with the little spike buck harvested yesterday.  I have a half gallon jug that has water frozen which should keep the deer cool enough, but will get a bag of ice to place in the cooler tomorrow.  I also added a number of frozen bags of BBQ and Venison to the cooler to help keep the venison cool.  As soon as I process the spike buck, I will transfer the doe to the basement game refrigerator.

Below is one of my standard pixs I take when I have a deer quartered up:

I might hunt a few more times before my hernia surgery, but that is not chiseled in stone.

I am going to register the doe harvest on line after updating this page.

As stated earlier,  I continue to give God, the Praise, Honor and Glory in all things through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior!

Web page updated by Bill aka Mickey Porter on 12-05-2020. 

CHANGED STEALTHCAM VIEW

The deer didn't feed on the Tractor Supply sweet feed and took the feeder down and changed the camera angle for the entire broadcast corn feeding area.

Several good bucks have been feeding at the edge of the broadcast corn and should be able to get a better view of them with this view.  Those bucks are definitely nocturnal at this location for sure!

I plan to get into the hunting blind this afternoon around 3:30 PM and stay until dark, unless there is an early deer harvest, our Lord willing of course.  I have room in our basement freezer for one more deer, however with my upcoming surgery, the season is about finished for me.

I am very thankful for the four (4) deer harvested with the crossbow and they will render some excellent wild game vittles.  Our three East coast grandsons love the grilled loin aka back straps and a real treat for them!

Web page updated by Bill aka Mickey Porter on 12-07-2020.

BACK AKA LOIN STRAPS FOR THE GRAND BOYS

BTW, the guys enjoyed grilled venison back aka loin straps that had been lightly brined a few hours in salt and brown sugar water, rinsed off good in tap water, pat dried, hand cubed and coated with Wild Bill's Meat Rub, let sit for 30 minutes and dipped into a mixture of Worcestershire Sauce and melted Land-O-Lakes Butter.  The back straps were grilled over hot charcoal and it doesn't get any better than that!

Above venison "back straps prepared on Christmas Eve 12-24-2020 and they were off the chain good!

Web page updated by Bill aka Mickey Porter on 12-26-2020.

HUNTING SEASON 2020 ENDED EARLY

I finished processing the doe harvested on 12-05-2020 and both freezers in our basement were about topped off, therefore no need to try and fill two (2) more doe tags.

A friend game me a doe earlier and I processed it into ground venison for our Pastor Brother Sam Abee and five (5) deer processed by yours truly is enough processing for sure.  I have been operating at a slight handicap with a hernia to be repaired on 12-14-2020, our Lord willing of course.

The last two deer were deboned, loin sliced and the hind quarters were cut into 1 to 1.5 inch cubes for later canning.  The neck and shoulders were also deboned and will be used for stews, etc.

The deer didn't starting visiting my feeding station until of late due to a bumper crop of acorns and large soybean fields within a couple miles and had to put a lot of hours in to harvest the first two deer being a spike and a doe.  The last spike and doe didn't take by a few times in the hunting blind to harvest them.

I have really enjoyed hunting with the crossbow and with the Rage Hypodermic TRYPAN broadheads, the deer didn't go too far being being down for the ten count.

Below is a pix of the hunting blind taken down and things that was inside it.  I have the insulated coveralls in the dryer and the blind is back in its carrying case, etc.

The office chair made setting in the blind very comfortable and a pleasure!  About the only thing missing was a flushable portapot; grin if you must!

Again, I am thankful for each and every day our Lord allows and give God, the Praise, Honor and Glory in all things and the opportunity and health to be able to enjoy what God has created for all to enjoy!

Web page updated by Bill aka Mickey Porter on 12-09-2020  

SEED DEER

I downloaded the SD card from the STEALTHCAM on 12-12-2020 and there were several different bucks, does and a button buck on there and should be some "seed" for the next hunting season, our Lord willing of course.

With the hernia surgery behind me on 12-14-2020, and in Isaiah 53:5, "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed."  I am on the road to recovery and getting better each day!  Per the Surgeons orders, I am not to lift over ten (10) pounds the first two weeks and twenty (20) pounds weeks three through week 6.  I have been catching up on updating this website and taking it as easy as possible; very light duty for sure. 

Again, I am thankful for each and every day our Lord allows and give God, the Praise, Honor and Glory in all things and the opportunity and health to be able to enjoy what God has created for all to enjoy!

STUPACRATS

If our Lord tarries long enough and the current 2021 "Stupacrats" in Washington, DC consisting of both Demoncrats and Republicans continue to erode our democracy, America might end up speaking Chinese and having to shoot a slingshot or throw rocks for hunting and self-defense.

Open this .PDF file if you think China is asleep!

Read my quote of the decade short story and America's Moral Decay.

Web page updated by Bill aka Mickey Porter on 12-26-2020 and 01-24-2021.

LEAVING ON A SPIRITUAL NOTE

If you do not know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, please take this moment to accept him by Faith into your Life, whereby Salvation will be attained.   

Ephesians 2:8 - 2:9 8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

Romans 10:17 “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

Open this link about faith in the King James Bible.