I thought the sunrise was pretty this morning & took a few pics. The times are, in order: 08:45:32, 08:45:35, 08:51:44, & 08:51:48.
At 09:16, I spotted a fox go up a tree across the creek. I slipped over to the bank & watched for about 15 minutes but it never showed itself. I though it might have gone down the back side of the tree, hit the undergrowth, & high-tailed it. Then at 09:59, I saw 1 moving along the top of the creek bank on the far side. It headed west with no shot. I think this was probably the same squirrel.
At 10:30, I took a walk but didn’t see anything & headed to lunch with the temp up to 71. It was a great morning to be in the woods & I especially noticed the fall smell which I really enjoy. The only things that would have made it any better would have been less noise & more squirrel action.
I got to the 2nd woods at 12:47, 75, & calm. I had planned on sitting inside the woods towards the west end by decided to sit in the opening instead. At 01:30 2 does wander around about 50 yards from me to the west. I had a staring contest with 1 for quite a while. They finally wandered off at 01:47. At 02:00, I decided to walk through the west woods. I had gotten into the woods maybe 20 yards when I spotted them bedded down about 10 yards from me. We locked eyes & they decided to vacate the premises. I got close to where I had originally planned on sitting & spotted a fox but couldn’t get a shot. DANG IT!! 1st ideas are sometimes the best. I got to the NW corner & spotted a deer just inside the north edge of the woods. I walked past it & got behind it at 20 yards when 2 does took off out of the woods & across the plowed field. I walked out of the woods towards a small patch of trees & a 6 point took off about 30 yards from me. I walked along the south edge of both sections in the just shelled corn field thinking they would be out looking for a free meal but no luck. I got to the east end & walked through the woods to my set-up. The wind started blowing at 02:15.
Around 03:00, I was thinking about taking another walk but, just as I was getting ready to go, a fox showed up to my left near my BILs deer archery blind. It ran right, then back left & stopped. It was a very young female, the smallest fox I have ever shot. Maybe 1st thoughts aren’t always the best. At 03:45, I walked to the south end of the opening & checked the field to my left, nada. There are 10 shags along the drive lane & quite a ways from the woods. I walked along the edge of the west section of the woods & had just passed my truck when a bushy ran part way up 1 of the shags. I thought it was going to be a waiting game but it jumped onto a sapling that was growing from the base of the tree. I wasn’t totally confidant with the shot as I was shooting off hand & there was a strong cross wind but it turned out that the big male fell to my best head shot this year. I picked him up, turned towards the woods, & saw another 1 but it didn’t give me a shot.
I walked back through the woods & jumped 2 more does. About 04:30, I headed to the truck & made a finally pass through the west part of the woods & headed out. My Sister was shelling corn & heading towards me. She pushed a buck out of the east side of the corn. I couldn’t tell the pointage as he had corn leaves all over his head. I headed home at 05:00.
I have reached my personal fox goal for the year so I don’t really need to hunt any more. BUT, if it’s not raining in the morning, I plan to hit “my” turkey woods 1 last time. It’s just been too nice to not go out. Either way, there is a 99% chance I won’t go out again.
