"Official" 2014-2015 Somerville Thread

[Limbwalker]

Will do Rack.

[Duckthwacker]

I'm am so ready for opening day. Can't wait to be in the tree. The deer are going to be tougher than ever since it's so freakin thick bow!!!! Better for me though

[Limbwalker]

Hey there Duck. Hope to see you dragging a big one out this year. You've certainly put in the time!

[jomw10]

New to the forums

Hi,

I'm new to the forums, just saying hi....
I'm planning on taking my son to Somerville this year for his first bow hunt!.. Any pointers will be appreciated...

[Limbwalker]

How old is he? Planning to hunt from the ground or a stand?

[jomw10]

He is 14, going 15 this December. He has practice a lot.. He can make a target from 20 to 35 yards easily, but target is not a deer!... We'll be hunting from the ground. I have a pop up we can use...

[Limbwalker]

14 is old enough for a tree stand. Ground blinds at S'ville are not going to be very effective. Too thick and those deer are too smart to fall for a ground blind. Sure, you could get lucky, but your odds of getting lucky increase exponentially the further off the ground you get.

If I were you (and I have a son who will be 20 in Dec. that I brought up bowhunting) I'd get a good set of climbing sticks and a hang-on stand for him to hunt from, then spend the next month getting him used to using it and shooting from it.

It really will be your/his best chance out there.

My son started bowhunting from a tree stand when he was 9. I would set it up for him, and watch him climb up and secure his safety belt, then I'd go get in my stand that was within view of him. When we were done hunting, I'd come get him and watch him come down. He really liked this arrangement, and by 12 I allowed him to get in and out of his stand himself. He took his 1st deer with a bow when he was 12, and I wasn't even home. He had a hang-on stand in the woods behind our house. I'm sure your son would really enjoy getting to hunt from a tree stand as it's a "big boy" thing to do.

If you want to be right there with him while he hunts, just use the same set of steps and hang two hang-on stands. It works fine. I do this with my daughter now.

John

[rackballer]

[QUOTE=Texashunter13;8787932]Limbwalker I have read some of your previous post about how crowded it has been the last couple of years and it might have to do with the oilfield boom. My family and i moved to new Braunfels this time last year bc of this and found this to be the closest place to hunt. But that being said I have not told any of my co workers about Somerville haha.[/QUOTE

I have another angle to explain more hunters....i grew up here. Been hunting around the lake for 24-26 yrs. Us local country boy hunters know just how thevlake deer are, we see em all year round. And most grow up hunting local family land with dad, uncles, grandfather, etc....but u reach adulthood and the family property getsca littlevcrowded. Other option....pay $48 and go hunt the govt land. Live close by so hunting during weekdays is an option, dont have to lease, etc. I know a large number of guys that i went to school with growing up that hunt nails and yegua. 15 yrs ago, us local s only hunted private land , now more and more are taking advantage of the weekday chase

[Limbwalker]

That makes perfect sense actually. More heirs, more hunters, same, or even fewer acres to hunt... I see it around Columbus, which is what makes it so tough to find a place if you're not "family" - and even if you are family, the quality of that hunting has suffered because of the pressure.

[rackballer]

[QUOTE=rackballer;8799109]Hey guys, especially yall 2 Nails Creek regulars.....if interested in hunting private land literally walking distance from Nails, one of the pastures in the family ranch that i hunt and sorta protect/oversea is available for lease. Ranch owning family has the by far fairest lease agreement of all. Message meif insted or hell text me....]


Pasture no longer available

[pparks]

hey y'all I just went out today to do some scouting and found a ladder type stand over by the south east parking area kinda where the creeks come together in a clearing. from the way it looks it has been left there since last hunting season. how do i go about turning that kinda thing in or will anything be done about it. any help, suggestions or whatever lemme know thanks y'all. oh yeah there is also a pretty large dog hanging around in that area has anyone seen that thing out there. I also seen a really big cat track in the bottom of the creek so even if there is no deer in the area i may get after him.

[Limbwalker]

Get GPS coord's (easily found on Google Earth) and let the folks at the office (Nails Ck. State Park) know about it. It may take them a while, but they will take it down. I reported one last year that hadn't moved for 3 years, and they found it and took it down.

[Limbwalker]

Spent some time out there today. 1st thing I look at these days is "how bad is the ragweed?" ha, ha. I would score the ragweed a 6 out of 10. 2 years ago, it was 10 out of 10, and last year, it was probably a solid 8. So, not quite as bad as last year. Easy enough to get around in. Esp. since it's still green.

Happy to see several of the trees I hang stands in are still alive. That's the 2nd thing I look for after all the trees that died in the drought. Don't want to get in a tree on opening morning that is dead, like I did 2 years ago!

Same trails are still active, all with fresh tracks.

Pretty dry, but some standing water in borrow ditches and old creek channels. Not much, but some.

All in all, about what I remember. Those elm trees in the old fields get taller every year.

[pparks]

Thanks much I appreciate the help, now if we can just get that dog and BIG cat out the area

[TXHUNT3R]

Hey all! My brother and I will be hunting S'ville this year. I live in Hempstead so we are not too far out.

Is it pretty crowded on opening day, archery?

Guess I really just need to get out scout a bit to get an idea of the area.

Any info that can be shared (without giving your spot up) that I should stay away from or make sure I DON'T avoid?