woolybear Posted May 11, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 11, 2013 4-17-13 It turned out to be a pretty good day after all! I shot down to an old favorite spot of mine today in Catt. county. I usually only do a hike or two a year through here since I moved away, but it always seems to hold some horns. It's not your typical prime shedding grounds, but it's a fun, easy hike around 40 some acres of swamp and goldenrod. My first antler of the day was spotted not 15 minutes into my hike. A cool little 4 pt with a big knob of a base! I ran around for another hour and a half before I finally spotted another. I almost dismissed this one as a dead weed untill I compared it to an actual dead weed near by and noticed the difference in color. Gotcha! I was satisfied at this point. That made #30 for the season, but I still had some time left so I kept marching around. A little further along down in a soupy section, I started seeing deer legs scattered around that eventually led me to this little 4pt. deadhead. He was cleaned up pretty good, but soon as I tipped him back to stuff him in my pack..... brain ooooze started leaking everywhere. Luckily I came prepared, and double bagged him for the trip home. Heading out.., I got to where I had left my bike under a little pine tree and when I looked up on the side of the hill, I spotted what looked like tines! Sure was! Antler #3 for the day as I was headed out! That was it for the day. I was glad I made the trip! Here's the days haul! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybear Posted May 11, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 11, 2013 4-21-13 Today I shot up to my sisters to do some hiking. I'm still not real farmiliar with the area but every hike I learn something new. I started out today in some blackberry thickets that caught my attention last time I was there. No sheds around, but my first find was this "ugly buckling". Up and down the ridges I went after that. Through a ton of mature pines and then on to the open hardwoods. I'd hiked for 6 hrs and wasn't feeling like today was my day. Slightly disgusted at this point, I hopped on an old logging road just for the ease of hiking. Wouldn't ya know it.... right smack dab center of the road I spotted an antler! I was rewarded with a nice easy one! I spent some time looking for the mate but it was nowhere to be found. I would have to be happy with one more horn today! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybear Posted May 11, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 11, 2013 4-30-13 I headed down to town hall this morning to get my turkey stamp. Got there around 11 but they didn't open up untill 2pm on Tuesdays. So I had 3 hours to kill, so I shot down to the crick and was gonna watch the fish swim around for a while. Once I got in the thicket along the shore I decided looking for antlers might be more fun! It's not a pretty one, but I was happy to have another before turkey time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybear Posted May 11, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 11, 2013 So, all that bring us up to date. Turkey season has shut me down for the month of May, but soon as it's over I'll be back after some hot summer antlers again! Time for my season ending pics.... or maybe this is technicly just the mid way point. I'll keep hiking right up till this falls hunting season, so maybe a few more will find their way home with me in the coming months. For the most part, things will slow way down now and the mad rush of antlers is over. It was a great season for me again full of many memorable hikes, horns, and encounters along the way. I'll get started with my skull take homes. Way too many dead deer out there this season. Towards the end, I simply stopped keeping track, but the total fresh dead finds was probably in excess of 40 deer without counting the old skulls. A couple of my earlier young buck skulls were stolen by the critters this past winter. Here's two of the fresher deadheads I found that I did a little work on to set up for display. .... and now onto the antler finds. I picked up five sets this year. One being from my goal buck last season, and probably my most impressive set of two of the smallest antlers I've ever found in the button nubbs at the very bottom of the pic!(look closely...they are there!) Here's the 18 righties together. ....and the 14 lefties. ....and finally the whole lot of antlers to this point! After counting them out right now, I must have missed one from the collection when I was taking the pics,lol. Season total of 33, but now I need to figure out which one is missing here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybear Posted May 12, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 12, 2013 5-12-13 I may have jumped the gun again with the season ending pic this year! After taking mom out for lunch this evening, I wasn't quite sure what I'd do with the rest of my day. A quick browse through my favorite forums, and I decided to shoot across the creek and go hang another cam. On my way out I cut along the top of the ridge that overlooks the creek when I spotted an antler on the edge of a vine cluster! I thought for sure it was ironicaly the mate to missing antler #28 from the season end pic because it was in the same area, but it's not. Anyhow, it is #34! Looks like mom and me both got a special treat this Mothers day! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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