Well, the season is long over and I unfortunately have to post a journal that looks more like a photography trip to the woods instead of a Whitetail season. I keep telling myself it's called hunting not killing. I hunted and killed nothing. I can never complain because overall it was a really great time in the woods. I like to see deer, but that’s how it goes in the big woods sometimes.
On the night before opening day, I left Minneapolis for Iron River to meet my dad, brother, dad's friend Bob and his son Brian at the cabin. On the way, I stopped in Duluth to pick up my sister's boyfriend Mark who had just flown in from North Carolina. A quick stop at Gander Mountain and we were on our way. Upon arrival the drinks were mixed and we settled right in. We had our usual conversation about where everyone would spend opening morning. The majority of us sit all day opening morning hoping to catch a few whitetails crossing hardwoods from slash into pines are other bedding areas. We all watch natural funnels for the interception.
Opening morning came quickly and it was a cold one in Northern Wisconsin. Everyone was excited as if it was Christmas morning and we were 8 years old again. A few cups of coffee and we were traveling down US2 in the pitch black night. It was almost a new moon so it was dark and we expected the deer to spend less time eating at night and more time eating in the next few hours as the sun peaked over the horizon. We all got to our spots early as my brother, Mark, and I took one trail in and my dad took his own route to aground blind he had set up. I didn’t see anything for the first few hours. At 9:30 I decided it was time for a nap. I woke up thirty minutes later and did a scan of the woods. Immediately behind me I saw movement, a fork, and he busted me. I threw up the rifle to get him in the scope. He didn’t blow, but quickly bounded away. I was going to take him for the guaranteed meat opening day, but he never gave me a shot. It was as if he bounded from one tree to the next like a video game. Damn! We met for lunch and nobody had seen anything that morning, something we would learn to get used to this.
I hunted the next morning but had to leave early to get back to work that evening. I had only seen a fork so far, but it was one more deer than the rest of my party had seen.
After a few days of work, (dreaming about getting back in the woods the whole time) I was back in Ashland by Wednesday. No one had seen a deer while I was gone but we were hunting out of the house and I was determined to change that. In order to improve my chances, I decided to hunt a few crossing of a cleared pipeline. The strategy was one that we commonly use when we need to see deer. There is a large area in our woods that caught on fire a few years ago. It burned the middle of the trees and then a heavy wind knocked all the tops of the trees so they lay intertwined on the ground. This makes for very difficult walking for anyone but an agile deer. The burn area is almost impossible to hunt so we attempt to catch them crossing to and from this area. There are a lot of scrapes and beds in there so we know the deer frequent it. There are many trails that lead to and from it so it was a good strategy. My dad hunts the south side of it (the pipeline is on the north). My plan was to hunt the pipeline and then push through the burn towards my dad at lunch. No dice. We just couldn’t find the deer.
I spent the rest of the days sitting for a few hours and then walking to find tracks and evidence that there were still deer in the woods. Saturday morning was a day after an inch of snow so I thought it would be a good day to look for tracks and new trails and funnels. I found a lot of quality areas to hunt, but after a few hours, nothing was moving. Many of my mornings and afternoons consisted of me watching red and grey squirrels fight with each other and forage for food.
One funny memory was my dad picking me up in the afternoon and telling me that Mark was lost in the woods. We are pretty safe where we hunt because to the south is US 2, to the north is the pipeline, to the east is logging road 241 and to the west is 242. If you walk in one direction, you will come out on a road but you can walk quite a few miles if you chose the wrong direction. Our party agrees that as soon as you come out on the road, you sit down and wait for someone to find you. Mark had done a little exploring and climbed some mountains that turned him around a bit. He is learning the layout of the woods really well, but it is easy to get turned around, stop trusting your compass, and get yourself in trouble. He sat down and realized he was close to the road so he walked out and we found him right away. He wasn’t nervous but, it added a little excitement to the trip. He watches Man vs. Wild and Survivorman so I am sure the Les Stroud in him would have been fine if he had to spend the night. Ha!
Camp was great. My dad always puts together good meals for us all which are hot and hearty. Much needed elements of a meal after a cold day in the woods. Camaraderie was great and it is always nice to stay dirty and grow the beard with the guys.
I took a lot of pictures of my spots in the woods so you can see the vast land we cover and they are attached. It’s tough hunting in such a large section of woods. There are extensive areas to hide and many thick spots that are not accessible for a leisurely stroll. I did find a lot of wolf tracks which are making a strong come back in our area. I also saw a lot of big bear tracks. If you read any of my journals from the last few years, you will know that I always have a few run ins with the bear of the Chequamegon Barrons. I didn’t see him this year, but his fresh footprints and droppings prove that he is still there. This journal will be well received in the “photography nuts” group, but nothing too exciting for the 2008 whitetailers. We’ll get them next year!
** I bought an Under Armor camo sweatshirt this year to try it out. I am not a big fan of spending large amounts on money on name brand clothing, but this time I felt like I got what I paid for. I wore the sweatshirt over a few layers and it seemed to keep a lot of heat in. On the inside I was warm and the outside the shirt was cold as if no heat was escaping. I can’t remember a year that I was this warm and it was not a warm season. Don't rush out and buy one but if you are looking to improve your comfort in the woods, consider a heat gear material. (I was not compensated to say this. Just using CO.com to share information with my group members for their next trip to the woods)
Join up to view similar journals!
icon whenever you have a question about certain
functionality on a page. Who knows, it may actually help.