Tonys 2004 Hunting Log

[Tony]

well im going to start my log today...
with my getting a digital camera this year i hope to put pics of my stands in here also..

as of now i have 3 locations to hunt locally...

stand 1 is up and in a nice funnel with 3 heavy trails within 30 yds . all 3 have lots of tracks coming and going both directions..

the thing that is strange is that there is a really faint trail heading right down the funnel and it leads to a dry creek and then a afalfa field . the sand in the dry creek reveals that its a big track with rounded off points..the area where the trail comes from is super thick cedars and is east of my stand .

i might have stumbled onto a good buck. the landowner said there been a super good 10 point around the area for the last year but he only sees him in late oct .. doug doesnt hunt anymore due to his health... so he has given only me and no one else permission to hunt there..his ground is 75 acres and has 2 separate cedar thickets that are very thick...

i will hang my 2 other stands this weekend and then order my traveling stand and climbing stick . i want to hunt a few far off places for 3 days at a time in western Iowa ... im going to scout these places in 3 weeks....

my broadhead target has arrived and im going to be shooting broadheads from the recurve and compound bow tomorrow and hopefully as much as possible...

its another season of anticipation..when will i get my shot at a big whitetail...will i see a true whopper ? last year was full of decent bucks but no biggies...

heres what im looking for this year...
a doe right off the bat with the recurve..
and im sticking to my 20 inch wide 10 point rule or anything Non-typical over 150 class.
its going to be fun for sure...

Shoot Strong

[Tony]

i plan on scouting tonight ... i want to watch some fields that im going to hunt the edges of . im hoping to get on a big doe for the opener .
no practice today with either hunting bow .. im pooped i just shot an 84 target tourny....tomorrow for sure...

[Tony]

well i went back to dougs and trimmed a few shooting lanes..
i also hung a stand at the Honey Hole and there are 10 bucks rubs near there already ! i went back yesterday to finish my shooting lane trimming .

this stand is about 12 miles from dougs ..
both are set up for North / NW winds...
i have a pic of both
since my cut finger incident on monday i have almost fully recoverd and im off to shoot this evening with broadheads from a practice stand...

[Tony]

heres a pic of my stand at dougs ..its tough to see the stand but the stand is about in the middle of the pic ... its in the tree in the middle about 1/2 way up... [image] [/image]

[Tony]

heres the Honey hole stand location ...
its a very small timber inbetween 2 big timbers..the pond you see is a narrow funnel itself that always has lots of buck rubs on the dam side.
my stand is in the left 3rd of the pic..i will take some closer up shots ..
[image] [/image]

[huntinsonovagun]

Hey, I am coming up to hunt this fall!!! lol I wish. That is a textbook funnel. I see your stand...barely. Good cover, you should see a few deer in there this year. Good luck!!

[jaret]

They both look like some nice spots Tony. Good luck man and get us on board!

[Tony]

hey after seeing you with that buck Wild im glad your on my team !

hey Ryan give me a holler when your in the area lunch is on me ..

this is going to be a fun year ... i am making plans to travel on the weekends to some out of the way spots to hunt ...

my local places are good and have some really nice bucks around and it wont be a prob tagging a doe this year with bow.. but im going to hunt a couple of weekends in western iowa to try and find a real whopper...

to much done today.. i orderd a bunch of gear and a new climbing stick from swifttree..

i shot until i was exhausted with my recurve and i have found a new passion . it is far more rewarding to hit with that bow than to pound the center everytime with my compound...

while i do enjoy shooting my compound i find that its very easy to make shots out to 40 and 50 yds with it ... while the recurve is strickly 20 yds and under for this year....

Shoot Strong

[huntinsonovagun]

Hey Tony, what camera did you end up with?? I am l looking for a digital so I can take pics of deer I pass up, etc. so it has to have a good zoom, actually I am not settling for less than 10x. I saw you got the Olympus Camedia, just what model is it? Thanks buddy....good luck in a couple weeks. Oh, you need to post some pics of your trophy room for us.

[Tony]

Ryan its the Olympus Camedia D-395. the only thing is if you use the zoom to much you can wear out the batteries really fast.. best to keep plenty of AA bats on hand...

i cant believe how easy it is to take pics and them post them on the site.. i have truely been missing out on some great shots for the site and my journal...

[huntinsonovagun]

Yeah man, you need to take that hunting and take pics of all the bucks you pass up. I think you are a liar about all those 130" deer you pass up!! (jk w/ you)

[Tony]

check out this dink i shot.. hes so small i didnt even get him mounted ..

[image] [/image]

[Tony]

oh yea heres another one i shot... whne i was just getting started out bow hunting.. i thought this was a big one...

[image] [/image]

[Tony]

heres my small 10 point i shot 6 years ago..i shot him on the first day of bow season.. he looks really small because he is and hes still got the early season short hair which makes him look really nice...

[image] [/image]

[Tony]

Loess Hills Pics and scouting report ...

i saw tons of deer. the area is super steep thick and hard to hunt..there are canyons there and getting a big deer out would be a reall pain in the butt.

i did see one really super buck that would go around 160 class.. i located him just east of my parking spot and the green field .. i have 2 possible stand locations in this area ...
plus one by the canyon cornfield..

first thing a spotting scope is needed .. something int he 20 to 60 power range would be great . with a window mount for my truck..

[image] [/image]

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