TN Whitetail Freak's 2016-17' Field Journal

[TN Whitetail Freak]

9/29/16

Today was my first chance to start the 2016 deer season.... I sat on the couch last night going over some spots I've documented over the years. In 2015-16 I experience my best year as far as older deer encounters, yet it was also my first year I failed to harvest any deer. This year my mindset is different, and there is no holding off on killing a doe. The first one that makes the mistake of wandering to close will die. I had been wanting to look at this particular watering hole for some time. Being that this summers has been rather dry and the river rather low, I decided to go in yet again on a blind sit. On the way in I got a pair of eyes. I did the eyes begin to bob up and down and I knew that head movement instantly. I turned off my handlamp and hunkered down to let the doe go on about her way. It wasn't long until I heard the weeds rustling. The sound became louder. Finally I switched the headlamp on to find there was a doe at 5 yards in front of me!!! The light slighty spooked her and she started to turn and run, but all she did was turn and freeze. I did my imitation of a deer blow and she dove into the thicket and stood there. So I continued. The deer never did blow at me surprisingly. Sat until 9:30 am over, what I discovered to be a big pond. The watering hole was a tad big for what I had in mind. No deer seen.

Wind 320* at 12MPH
TEMP-53*
PRESSURE-29.86

 

[AT Hiker]

Anxious to follow along and compare notes. Thanks for taking the time to journal.


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[Rjratliff1975]

I look forward to keeping up with your journal this year also. Good luck, hope you get one or more this year.

 

[Mudbone]

I like that you do this. I probably won't get to hunt much this season so it's cool to read these type journals.

 

[TN Whitetail Freak]

9/30/16 Morning Hunt

I sat down last night going over all the spots I had hunted in the past years trying to come up with a good AM setup. I realize out of all my setups I do not have a AM setup for deer. This is hunt number 2 and the feeling of putting up a goose egg last season is still eating me. I am looking for any deer within bow range at this point. So I sat down in an attempt to locate a spot that would give me a good chance to break that 0 fer streak. The NW wind cancelled most my spots. I had this spot in mind to hunt the past few years but never went in there. So I decided I would do yet again another BLIND hunt. As many of you know I do a bunch of blind hunts. My strategy was simple To catch some deer coming back to bed for the day after all night of feeding. At this point im just wanting to kill any deer to rid myself of this itch. Forecast showed the wind the be at 310* out of the NW. I basically plugged myself in the center of this block of woods to cover as much ground as possible, this was a blind observation sit ultimately. I had been struggling to stay awake when a squirrel woke me around 9:30 am I decided I was going to kill one for lunch. I stood up and was looking for my next target. My movement was quick and all of a sudden I was frightened by the sound of a deer blowing. I look in the direction of the sound and catch glimpse of a deer bounding away. CRAP!!!! I assumed all deer were where they wanted to be for the rest of the day and the morning was up...I was wrong. On a positive note, my guess on how the deer would move through that section was spot on. Pink arrows was the actual wind at the tree, notice a complete 180* due to the thermals were reversed because of the cloudy day. red arrows are what i guess deer coming from the bean fields in the east and south. blue circle is me and the red circle is the deer when i spotted it. green line is the deer travel after i spooked it. THE GRIND CONTINUES.


WIND-310* @ 6MPH
TEMP-59*
PRESSURE-30.08

 

[muddyboots]

Looks like just above ur black x is a narrow strip of cover coming into those woods. I would have to try there a few times. What part of the state u hunt?

 

[TN Whitetail Freak]

October 5th 2016

I hunted an area I found some big acorns dropping this afternoon. I found these acorns while walking back to pull a trail cam. I found many oak trees dropping but this area was the only setup with any deer sign in conjunction with the acorns. I setup just down wind of the 3 trees dropping expecting the deer to come from the south....the wind was out of the south. I got to the tree around 4:30 and hunted until 7 pm....as soon as my bow hit the ground after lowering it to get ready to pack up I hear a deer run in and i can see its outline not 10 ft from the tree I was in. Then another deer came in. Both deer came from the east from where i assume they are bedding currently. They started feeding on the acorns under my tree. I waited until they walked south before i climbed down. Once down at 7:20 pm i heard another deer start to blow, located again east of my location. I hate that it happened and will give that spot a week rest before I go in there and setup just east of the oaks as an adjustment. Still itching to kill a deer since November 15th of 2014




Wind 170* at 6MPH
TEMP-76*
PRESSURE-29.98

 

[TN Whitetail Freak]

October 11, 2016

Went in blind to a public spot called Long Point today at Reelfoot. I Cyber scouted the spot of interest prior and selected it based on the wind. Really I didn't expect much from the trip, but only to gain some knowledge of the place. I walked in and before I could get to my spot I jumped up 5 deer. I went in to the area they were and found 15 beds scattered about the area with a few main trails and past rubs shown on some trees. The one thing that stood out to me was the place is absolutely full of pecan trees. I Walked further to find two oak trees dropping. I set up my lock on in the oak and sat from 4-7 with no other deer seen. Ill give that spot a rest until early november, but did learn were the deer were holing up. The trip to the stand was 1.5 miles round trip. My foot ached before the trek but when I got home later that night, I could barely put pressure on my foot without excruciating pain on the outside of my foot near the pinky toe. I have no idea what has gone down with my foot but my plan of hunting Tues-Thurs has been cut short, with only this Tuesday evening hunt. Unfortunately I'm unable to hunt due to the foot and will be resting it the next two days off.

WIND-190*@2mph
TEMP-81*
PRESSURE-30.1

 

[tree_ghost]

Awesome intel so far David. Looking forward to following this thread.

Are you focusing your stand placement right on the food source or are you still trying to get between the food and their beds?


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[TN Whitetail Freak]

Awesome intel so far David. Looking forward to following this thread.

Are you focusing your stand placement right on the food source or are you still trying to get between the food and their beds?


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i never hunt on the field edges of food sources because of public land its how hunters access the land and ruin my hunts however i might need to because the deer arent pressured much and could pay off. right now im just wanting to slay a doe for the freezer. I'm focusing on food sources such as oaks that are in the timber. I've found great persimmons dropping but the deer arent eating any of them on the property. they will be hitting the acorns hard in the next two weeks and that his where ill be hunting over.

 

[TN Whitetail Freak]

October 25, 2016

It's been two weeks since I was able to get out into the woods, I'm still hopping around the west end of state land exploring new areas, and building my list of stands in order to keep all my stands fresh. Today I went into The Federal Refuge of Reelfoot to try and take me a doe. I had previously cyberscouted the area and have hunted once before and saw deer. I went in to a location I deemed a good roost to make an observation sit and to gain intel on how deer move through the land. I got setup around 4 pm with the wind out of the east. I expected the deer to come from the south and head north toward the standing corn and beans. The day was very slow and i did not see any deer until around 6:20 roughly 10 minutes before legal shooting time ended. I caught a doe and a fawn feeding NE of my location around 300 yds away. I could barely see the deer in my Video camera. The deer I believe came from the direction of where I parked my truck, go figure. The doe began heading my way in to around 65 yds. I thought I was going to get a shot just with minutes to spare, then the deer turned tail and ran back to where i originally saw her. I could not figure out why she ran off then I saw another deer come out from the left that started chasing her. I did not see any antlers because of the darkness, but feel like it was a young buck pestering that doe. No deer where seen coming from the south. I've noticed the deer are not tucked deep into the timber yet in the areas like I have been assuming. My theory is these placed have not been pressured as much as i had initially assumed. I'm going to adjust my setups to closer to the truck and to the field edges. Hoping to have you guys a doe kill on film before darkness on Thursday evening.


Wind 90* at 3MPH
TEMP-63*
PRESSURE-30.21

 

[TN Whitetail Freak]

October 26, 2016

So last year I went into a spot I looked at from the map, there was obviously a habitat transition that ran north to south. After looking at it further it appears the transition was formed after a section of the woods were i believed select cut in late 2008 or 2009. This area is thick and prime candidate for bedding. Today the wind was out of the SW at 230* so it was good for an observation sit on this transition. Again the goal was to fill the freezer. at 6:10 pm a lone 4 point by 5 steps from the tree I selected. The deer came from the south and was heading north to the cut beans just as I had anticipated. I say the set was a success, I'm going back in the morning hoping to catch some does feeding from the North down the transition back to bed.

https://www.facebook.com/david.terry.50702/videos/10154708328607915/




WIND 230*@4 MPH
TEMP-71*
PRESSURE-30.09

 

[TN Whitetail Freak]

October 27, 2016
Went back in to the above mentioned area with hpes of catching deer passing through from the crop fields to the north. At 7 am I caught a pack of coyotes heading my way from the SE heading towards the thicket. I caught video of the three but ran out of pivot before making the shot on the 3rd yote. I placed my arrow through his heart and he let out that death grow while barreling southward. The other 2 coyotes circled giving me multiple chances at a double but self filming got me busted. Sat until 11 with no deer seen but killed my first yote at 28 yrs young. Plans are to make a rug of him.


WIND-220*
TEMP-62*
PRESSURE-30.22

 

[tree_ghost]

Very good job!


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[TN Whitetail Freak]

First Hunt of NOVEMBER!

November 1, 2016(morning)

Went in late this morning to the spot I killed my coyote in hopes to once again catch some deer coming back to the timber after a night of feeding, around 7:45 am I filmed around 20 turkeys began pitching off the roost and landing around 60 yds to my east. The turkeys spent around 2 hours scratching. They ended up feeding off to the south. I sat until 10 a.m. with no deer seen on stand, however on the way back to the truck i observed a deer running up ahead at 11 a.m. The deer stopped and just stood there. I then realized it was not running from me. I dropped my climber and knocked an arrow. I watched the deer through my ranger finder at 70 yds through the timber, a doe. I hid myself between what trees i could and slipped off my rubber boots. The twigs were painful my feet put my steps were silent. Creeping forward Id check the status of the deer. Still feeding so I pressed on. I just made a right step forward and successfully placed it down. I went to push off with my left foot and a twig snap, one lonesome twig snapped! The deer bolted on the sound alone but never saw me. I felt confident I was going to be able to arrow that deer. I checked my progress with the ranger finder. 35 yds. 35 yds I was from the deer, but the timber was that of small saplings placed around 12-15 inches apart and no shot opportunity arose.

WIND-190* @ 8MPH
TEMP-72*
PRESSURE-30.11

November 1, 2016 (Evening)

The evening hunt had me going to the same spot I went in blind on October 5th. As you can see the conditions were nearly the same. Wind was out of the south like last time. I was hoping to catch those deer feeding back to the acorns now that the beans had been mostly pulled out of the area. I sat until dark with no deer seen.

WIND-180*@6mph.
TEMP-72*
PRESSURE-30.05

with the wind, temp, and pressure remaining the same for the Morning of November 2, 2016 I've decided I'm going to catch up on some sleep and plan a set at Reelfoot tomorrow evening.

P.S. if anyone know how i can upload short video clips from my sits without having to upload to youtube first please pm me. that way you guys can watch some of the stuff i film on each hunt.

 

[TN Whitetail Freak]

November 3, 2016

Evening

Went into new spot looking to find out where the deer were coming from after seeing deer at the head of this block of woods 3x in a row the wind has been out of the south but recently switched to a north wind around 10-11am. I entered from the east end route to what looked like a swamp edge on the arial map. I enter the wood lot from the east where there is standing corn. I was on a rub line 15 yds into the woods. I found 8 rubs that ran north to south I followed the line all the way up into where I wAnted to sit, where the swamp came up to a point. I sat until dark no deer seen. Things to note the swamp forced the thermals to feel like the wind was out of the E or SE, but near the corn field outside the woods the wind was out of the north NW.


WIND-330* @6MPH
TEMP-79*
PRESSURE-30.22

 

[TN Whitetail Freak]

November 4, 2016

Morning

This morning I had high hopes of making it happen this morning. The pressure was rising and a small cool front was moving in. I made a decision to set the hub I was chasing a big 120" 7 point in last year and passed a good 115" 8 point. This hub connects two ridges where deer bed and a third runs the center. I felt it was a week early from when they were most seen on the hub last year but I decided to try it because of the break from the heat. GOT in the stand and it was a dud of a morning. I did get to set a trail cam where I got the pics of the good 7 pt. Ill be back in there on the 14th 15th 16th


Wind- 20*@7MPH
Temp- 53*
PRESSURE-30.4

 

[TN Whitetail Freak]

November 7, 2016

Evening

I went into LP to a spot I jumped several deer got within 100 yds of that spot and sat up on the ground. THE spot was 100 yds south of me and I had a south wind so I setup north of that doe bedding group. 45 min later I had a doe and two fawns show up at 3:50 at 40 yds to my south. Everything was going good until momma doe either seen me moving among the bushes or something else spooked her. SECOND deer of the season within bow range, unfortunately I didn't want to orphan 2 fawns. THE deer blew out of there. I packed out and relocated to a random spot on a cut bean field edge just to observe the last hour of daylight, nothing seen.

While driving out a yearling ran out in front of my truck followed by a basket rack, then a spike. Rut is tipping the edge.


WIND-190* @8MPH
TEMP-70*
PRESSURE-30.21

 

[TN Whitetail Freak]

November 8, 2016

8am-2pm hunt

I found a good spot along a creek that pinched down to 20 yds because of a ridge side tapering down to the creek I thought would be perfect spot for an all day sit. GOT in late because I didn't want to go in fully blind. I picked my tree and setup sat tI'll 2 with no movement. I am under the impression it is about 5 days early for them to really be traveling through it consistent. SO the overall goal was to get a cam in there through the opening of rifle. SET the cam on the lone trail through that pinch. There is a bed further north that will set west of the funnel. I'VE decided it will be best on any west wind.

WIND-190*@3MPH
TEMP-56-71*
PRESSURE-30.27

 

[Hunt 365]

I really enjoy reading these posts

 

[TN Whitetail Freak]

Thanks however I wished I had more luck and successes to give

 

[TN Whitetail Freak]

Been waiting for this week to get into what a dubbed last year as the HUB stand. IT'S three ridges that run north to south with a sort of levee that connects the three. I set a cam on the center ridge that connects all the terrain went in today based on last year's pic showing this week as the beginnings of seeking phase. I set the cam on the 4th with plans to get in there today. ON Nov. 12th I got pictures of a stud of a buck I wouldn't mind tagging. The buck come through that morning, nose to the ground following a doe. If only I could've hunted Saturday. Today I went in and ser until 1 pm. Around 7 am I had a button buck come down the center ridge make a left across the levee toward the other ridge perfectly illustrating how the terrain funnels the deer. 7:30 to the north I catch legs trotting east to west didn't see gender of deer. 15 min later I catch legs trotting back the same way it had a me from prior. I decided to climbed down because the wind kept swirling in the stand. MY feet touched the ground around 1245 then I heard a deer blow around 65 yds to the southwest of me. Figures. Trailcam shows absolutely no pm pictures and 40 am pictures in the daylight. Rut is ramping up and I'm going to wear this stand out next few days in hopes he comes back through like the big 7 did in last year's journal.


Wind - 330* however thermals was forcing my milk weed to come out of the 190-200* SSW
TEMP-52
PRESSURE-30.22

 

[tree_ghost]

Oh yea David he's a bruiser! What do you think is causeing the wind to swirl in the HUB? Is it the terrain features or the water in the levee?


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[TN Whitetail Freak]

the stand is setup at the head of two draws one 40 yds west and other 40 yds east. as the temps climbed i think the heat started pushing upwards actually meeting around my tree. when i threw my milkweed it would leave my hand and go straight up into the air like a cyclone.

 

[AT Hiker]

Good luck on that brute!


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[AT Hiker]

Thermals rising.


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[TN Whitetail Freak]

November 16th, 2016

The day was long with little action, made for a very long sit. The comfort of the summit eased the overwhelming sensation of wanting to climb down. I forgot to pack any food and only ate a metroX bar before ascending my tree. I did not see my first deer until 1 p.m. two does had snuck in behind me and bedded down around 50 yds across a drainage. The deer bounded a few yards as if they caught me moving in the tree, in which I had just stood up that moment. That was the it for the day, but the picture of the stud buck fought that mental exhaustion and just packing it up. I ended that day with 2 deer seen at 1 p.m. 2016 season is looking like 2015 season minus the exciting encounters. Mark Kenyon said it best when he says that the rut is a "grind"

WIND-330*
TEMP-68*
PRESSURE-30.15

 

[TN Whitetail Freak]

November 19, 2016

One word- COLD FRONT......The Saturday was calling for rising pressure after a rain Friday night with temps going from 73* to 41* for Saturday Morning, a week removed from when the stud buck come through pushing a doe. I had worked Friday until midnight, Unfortunately for me i had to work this saturday and could not hunt all day. Trail cam shows 100% of the movement from 7 am- 11 am there are no pics after that in 3 weeks of running. My confidence was high and felt the odds of getting on the board was at its best. I got the north wind and woke up at 3 am to beat anyone that might be hunting the opening day of rifle in this area. Upon arrival, I was the only one there and had been that morning. I sat until 10 am and froze my tail off and running on 2 hours of sleep. i heard 10 gunshots before 9 and I saw absolutely no deer. The season is beating me down with a barbed whip.

WIND-30*
TEMP- 43
PRESSURE 30.44"

 

[TN Whitetail Freak]

November 21, 2016

Day one of my three day weekend began today. I went yet again into the HUB stand in hopes of the stud buck to cruise through again. The temps from the cold front are still lingering and actually lower than Saturday morning at 33*. wind was weird out of the east and I've never seen deer travel to that side of the stand so I deemed it good to go. Around 7 am i catch a spike coming from the north off the center ridge cutting across to the west, a trend that has me decided to move my stand location further north to intercept those deer. It appears that 80-90 percent of the deer i've seen out of this stand pass by that area approximately 40 yds further north opposed to the 30% by my current HUB stand. Ill make the move to have those deer in bow range and it could lead to a better line of sight opposed to my current one which is only 40 yds. Saw one spike at 7 am.

Wind-120*
TEMP-338
PRESSURE-30.21

 

[TN Whitetail Freak]

November 21, 2016

Evening hunt

I decided this evening to go pull a trail cam i set over a open patch of brush i found several scrapes last year. this year there were none. This 700 yard section of brush acts as a funnel that connects huge chunks of hardwoods. I had a particular tree in mind i wanted to hang my new XOP Hangon setup in. The tree would have the deer funnel by at 10 yards and also give me the ability to overwatch a 35 acre CRP field that deer move around in unseen from the ground. I got to the tree and realize the straps of my XOP sticks are 3 inches short of making it around this big tree! SMH I tried to get into a nearby tree 10 yards next to it that was about as round as a collegian football. I got up it with 3 sticks and set the platform but the tree was so crooked my platform kept trying to swing to the low side because of the lean and its small diameter tree. frustrating but it was good practice with the setup. I tore it all down and packed it up. I decided to setup on the ground on the edge of the cut beanfield just west of the CRP. I was on an observation set. around 4:45 pm i catch a doe and fawn come from my north west of my location. I assumed they were cutting over from the north woods. They fed south and met up with a group of 4 does that had fed into the field from the south field. 6 deer seen and eased the frustrating year temporarily.

Wind-100*
TEMP-40*
PRESSURE-30.21



To add to the pressure of making a successful season 2 of my brothers and my nephew have tagged on public land. 2 from the same tree with a bow during muzzleloader and one on November 21 with a rifle. Now I have to make it happen lol