"Official" Somerville 2013-2014 thread

[Limbwalker]

^^^ x2

May want to reconsider that idea.

[Limbwalker]

New notice from the boys at TPWD on the meeting:

[unionmade482]

thanks for all the good advice limbwalker,ill prob be heading out tomorrow to put a stand.
hopefully i can if where they are walking thru

[Removed]

No offense, but your probably going to **** off a lot of people if you try to spot and stalk opening morning.

No offense, but putting meat in my freezer greatly outweighs my concerns of other hunters feelings.

[Limbwalker]

No offense, but putting meat in my freezer greatly outweighs my concerns of other hunters feelings.

Well, now THAT's a great attitude...

Spot and stalk odds for deer are so incredibly poor in a place like Somerville anyway, I'd say the odds of being involved in a confrontation are far better. Take your pick.

"so I will be in a blind" is probably the smart move instead.

There are quite a few hunters who spend a lot of time and effort preparing for opening weekend. If you're not prepared, why not just wait a few days until you are.

[unionmade482]

No offense, but putting meat in my freezer greatly outweighs my concerns of other hunters feelings.

with that attitude,why dont you just buy some hamburger meat and stay at home

[Removed]

Well, now THAT's a great attitude...

Spot and stalk odds for deer are so incredibly poor in a place like Somerville anyway, I'd say the odds of being involved in a confrontation are far better. Take your pick.

"so I will be in a blind" is probably the smart move instead.

There are quite a few hunters who spend a lot of time and effort preparing for opening weekend. If you're not prepared, why not just wait a few days until you are.

I had two 20 yrd shot opportunities last weekend but it wasn't season yet. Not everyone cares to sit lazily in a stand all day. Why is it that your hunting method is acceptable but mine isn't. I am very observant and will stay clean of other's setups. A simple hat wave and I head the other direction. You should be glad someone is out getting the deer moving. It will probably increase your odds. As for caring about others, I highly doubt any of you would say to someone else to take the shot on a 12 point if we all pulled up and it was frozen on fear in the parking lot. It's not respect you are after, it ownership or rights that don't exist on public land. I'm not trying to get in a fight, but it's good for getting this thread going.

[Removed]

with that attitude,why dont you just buy some hamburger meat and stay at home

Hamburger just isn't the same.

[Limbwalker]

jk,

There are a couple things going on here you need to understand. #1 nobody is trying to "claim" anything. It's just common knowledge that if a person is wandering around the hunt area early on opening morning, they are going to be screwing up all the other hunter's day. That's just a fact. By the time you see them and they "wave" to you, you've already messed up their entire hunt, not to mention spreading your scent all over the area.

Many of us spend countless hours scouting these lands to find the best stand or blind locations we can, and prepare ourselves to get in an hour before daylight and sit silently for many hours in our stands. Primarily because it's the most productive way to hunt, but also because it keeps us out of each other's way.

Your characterization that "lazy" hunters use stands could not be more wrong, and is also pretty insulting. I hope for your sake you are just young and impatient.

Some folks just aren't cut out for stand hunting. They just don't have the patience and dicipline that it takes. Some folks just think it's more exciting to spot and stalk, and that's fine, but when you do it on crowded public hunting lands, it's not a matter of IF you **** someone off, but when.

So be respectful to the other public land hunters. It's not an issue of them claiming "ownership" it's more that we've put in our time scouting, know what works and what doesn't, and are respectful of the other hunters in the area. That's how you need to see it.

[Removed]

I totally understand that people that tree stand hunt spend many hours scouting, clearing shooting lanes, putting up their stands, running cameras, etc. with the hopes that they have picked the best possible spot in hopes that game crosses their path. And if you have been out there long enough, you probably even know their bedding and feeding areas and their patterns. I think this is admirable, but being that opening morning is going to be my second time on this property…
I do not have time to complete the months/years of work that this would take. So what are my best options for harvesting a deer? I have looked over aerial photos to find areas that deer would use as natural funnels, and some that they could potentially use for feeding, watering, and shelter. I walked the area and came across several deer. I analyzed the area to figure out why they were there, where they came from, and where they fled to. With this I will make a decision based on the wind on where to sit. Like you, I will make my way to that area hours before dawn and will sit till mid-morning, but if nothing shows, I will probably take a more aggressive approach. I am not particularly impatience, and definitely not young (39), but I do have a bad back which prevents me from sitting for long periods of time. So instead of walking out to the truck to lay down for a nap, I would use that time productively on foot for deer or hogs. By mid-afternoon, I will yet again be in a spot waiting.
On the subject of hunting methods, there are varying degrees of hunting/harvesting. I personally find hunting with fewer odds in my favor to be more rewarding. Just as I prefer to shot with a bow vs. a gun, I also prefer a more predatory hunt vs. ambush style.
I will be hunting the top half of Yegua unit. So those of you in Nails Creek and the south side of Yegua have nothing to worry about.

[unionmade482]

I totally understand that people that tree stand hunt spend many hours scouting, clearing shooting lanes, putting up their stands, running cameras, etc. with the hopes that they have picked the best possible spot in hopes that game crosses their path. And if you have been out there long enough, you probably even know their bedding and feeding areas and their patterns. I think this is admirable, but being that opening morning is going to be my second time on this property…
I do not have time to complete the months/years of work that this would take. So what are my best options for harvesting a deer? I have looked over aerial photos to find areas that deer would use as natural funnels, and some that they could potentially use for feeding, watering, and shelter. I walked the area and came across several deer. I analyzed the area to figure out why they were there, where they came from, and where they fled to. With this I will make a decision based on the wind on where to sit. Like you, I will make my way to that area hours before dawn and will sit till mid-morning, but if nothing shows, I will probably take a more aggressive approach. I am not particularly impatience, and definitely not young (39), but I do have a bad back which prevents me from sitting for long periods of time. So instead of walking out to the truck to lay down for a nap, I would use that time productively on foot for deer or hogs. By mid-afternoon, I will yet again be in a spot waiting.
On the subject of hunting methods, there are varying degrees of hunting/harvesting. I personally find hunting with fewer odds in my favor to be more rewarding. Just as I prefer to shot with a bow vs. a gun, I also prefer a more predatory hunt vs. ambush style.
I will be hunting the top half of Yegua unit. So those of you in Nails Creek and the south side of Yegua have nothing to worry about.

ive been thinking,if ya wanna just walk and stalk.look up alabama creek gun season,ill prob just walk around with my rifle

[Limbwalker]

First of all, jk, I appreciate the tone of your last post a lot more. Much more productive.

but being that opening morning is going to be my second time on this property…
I do not have time to complete the months/years of work that this would take. So what are my best options for harvesting a deer?

I understand your situation. Been there, done that. But you have to be considerate of the other hunters. Common decency dictates that. The answer is, be patient and put your time in like so many of us have done. You'll have some productive spots picked out in no time. I'm sure of that.

With this I will make a decision based on the wind on where to sit. Like you, I will make my way to that area hours before dawn and will sit till mid-morning, but if nothing shows, I will probably take a more aggressive approach.

Well, now that's different than what you first suggested, and I don't think anyone would have a problem with that. The first hour or two of the day and the last hour or two are golden times. You go wandering around - especially that first and last hour - and you're going to ruin some people's day, period. And they won't be happy at all about it.

However, after probably about 9:00 or 9:30, then I don't think anyone has an expectation everyone will still be sitting. Far from it.

I will say this though, I've shot my last two deer on S'ville between 9:45 and 10:15 a.m.

Why? Because that's about the time other hunters were moving through the area and going back to their trucks. And I use this to my advantage by hunting trails that lead to bedding areas. So I know to sit until 10:30 or so, and catch those deer that are bumped by hunters moving to their vehicles.

but I do have a bad back which prevents me from sitting for long periods of time.

Sorry to hear that. I too have problems sitting for a long time. So I alternate between sitting and standing all day. And I just bought a VERY comfortable climber that will help me stay in the stand. Problem is, at S'ville, there are very few trees where you can use a climber! But that will help with the comfort for sure.

[Duckthwacker]

jk,

There are a couple things going on here you need to understand. #1 nobody is trying to "claim" anything. It's just common knowledge that if a person is wandering around the hunt area early on opening morning, they are going to be screwing up all the other hunter's day. That's just a fact. By the time you see them and they "wave" to you, you've already messed up their entire hunt, not to mention spreading your scent all over the area.

Many of us spend countless hours scouting these lands to find the best stand or blind locations we can, and prepare ourselves to get in an hour before daylight and sit silently for many hours in our stands. Primarily because it's the most productive way to hunt, but also because it keeps us out of each other's way.

Your characterization that "lazy" hunters use stands could not be more wrong, and is also pretty insulting. I hope for your sake you are just young and impatient.

Some folks just aren't cut out for stand hunting. They just don't have the patience and dicipline that it takes. Some folks just think it's more exciting to spot and stalk, and that's fine, but when you do it on crowded public hunting lands, it's not a matter of IF you **** someone off, but when.

So be respectful to the other public land hunters. It's not an issue of them claiming "ownership" it's more that we've put in our time scouting, know what works and what doesn't, and are respectful of the other hunters in the area. That's how you need to see it.

Thank you limb!!!!!

Yeah jk I just hope I don't see you walking around the stand locations I have been scouting a year long.

And if u think I'm lazy for hunting in a tree for hours and hours of the day like REAL whitetail hunters do!!!...... Then you need to wake up. U have offended me and all real whitetail hunters!!!!

Sorry but hope I don't see you out there.... I have worked to hard to let someone ignorant ruin it!!!!

[Removed]

Thank you limb!!!!!

Yeah jk I just hope I don't see you walking around the stand locations I have been scouting a year long.

And if u think I'm lazy for hunting in a tree for hours and hours of the day like REAL whitetail hunters do!!!...... Then you need to wake up. U have offended me and all real whitetail hunters!!!!

Sorry but hope I don't see you out there.... I have worked to hard to let someone ignorant ruin it!!!!

Oh go thwack your duck dude. REAL whitetail hunters only sit in treestand, my ***. You're so narrow minded.

[Limbwalker]

Be nice fellas. Last thing we need on an area as small as S'ville is a feud among ourselves. There's plenty of room out there so long as everyone is considerate of one another.

Hopefully, you all will be able to make it to the meeting this evening. I'm looking forward to it, although I have to admit I'm a bit nervous that changes may be on the way.

As much pressure as S'ville has seen the past couple of years, it wouldn't surprise me if they have discussed making it a draw hunt. That would surely be a shame in some ways, but for those who did get drawn, would definitely increase the quality of the experience.

John