HH bug got me ... Part One!

[tradlongbow]

I haven't been out in the woods since Sept when archery season first opened. I went out hunting today, everywhere I went it was flooded.  I was surprised how much water was out there, because the rainy season has past. The only thing I saw was a huge turtle crossing the road. I stayed out until about 2pm then I had to  leave to bring my daughter to a banquet.

Darren

[Nate Steen .]

Rik,

I hunted the desert for a few hours on Sunday...saw some sign but no deer....Ray told me he went up on the high peaks and saw mucho hunters and no animals.  From where I was this weekend, the weather was horrible, then beautiful, then pretty good....

Oh I long for a day away in the mountains....we'll see how the weekend looks.  Who said owning your own business gives you lots of time off?

the longbows are itchin', needing some scratchin'...  is there anyone out there just shooting 'em up?  

Swampthing...keep it up.  Sometimes the deer just sense your presence.  I've had many deer just disappear when everything looked so good and ready for the shot.  When are you getting that new Miller?

[Rik]

Nate,

Since there is no real snow yet, do you think there might be a few deer where Kelly and I met up with you a few years back?

I have some wicked-sharp Ribteks that need some exercise.

[swampthing]

Soon. S.Hill, I'm pretty sure it was a buck, could make out some junk on top, maybe just inner ear fur. I was on a scrape line with recent tracks, lots of ticks also, rubs all over where last week there were none. I had B-50 on the bow, 2 arrows in the quiverrrr, and 1 on the string. Great day.

[Rik]

Swampthing,

You are making me wonder why on earth I chose to live in the cold, hard Rockies.

Be there any boar in your area as well?

[swampthing]

Rik that is normal, I want to live out there!!  We have a couple of places where there are some boar, mainly animals that have escaped preserves. The real Hogs around here, why I keep up with with the mid weight bows, are our Moose, 1000# is a big one, dressed out of course.
Just remember, though it is cold out your way, we have humidity, makes the cold go right through to your bones, we call it "raw." It is 50+ degrees, for now........ Dec-Mar. it is cold also.

[Eric Sprick]

Rik, beautiful pics!  Lookin' forward to the next report.  Looking forward to this weekend, maybe do some reporting of my own.

Eric

[Ray_G]

Originally posted by Rik:
Nate,

Since there is no real snow yet, do you think there might be a few deer where Kelly and I met up with you a few years back?

I have some wicked-sharp Ribteks that need some exercise.

Rik,

I don't know where it was that you refer to but I was on the West side, around 6600'.  Where the sun  hit, there wasn't any snow.  In shaded areas and the brushed in draws, there was 4 - 6" of noisy snow.  All of the deer tracks that I saw, were days old and traveling across the faces of the ridges.  Not sure if they went over saddles East or went South.  I will hit a different area in 55 next weekend.  No Ribbies but I do have some sharp Eclipse and Ace bhs that need to make meat!

[Nate Steen .]

Rik,  judging from appearances of the mountain from my house, I'd say we need more snow to make things quiet.  After the warm/cold cycles we've had, the snow has got to be really noisy, based on past years experiences.....you'll need to try south and west slopes, lower elevations with lots of cover and patience.  If the deer are moving down, you can be one canyon over from excitement and never see anything...

been enjoying all the pics and talking going on here, how's Ben's walkabout going?  any pics yet?

[Kelly]

Nate and Ray;

Can one still get in there where all the rocks are?(This is where Rik camped) And on the road up the mountain from the rocks?

The years when there wasn't much snow the deer will still be up high in the mountain mahagony's. There have been some years I could drive all the way to the top-might have been a foot of snow up there but the deer were still there on the south side in the trees.

[Nate Steen .]

I'm sure you can get in that area...the problem is thick cover requiring you to get close, and crunchy snow which doesn't allow you to get close.  Usually means taking a stand and waiting on the deer to move by.

[Ray_G]

Originally posted by sunset hill:
Rik,  judging from appearances of the mountain from my house, I'd say we need more snow to make things quiet.  After the warm/cold cycles we've had, the snow has got to be really noisy, based on past years experiences.....you'll need to try south and west slopes, lower elevations with lots of cover and patience.  If the deer are moving down, you can be one canyon over from excitement and never see anything...  

Nate is spot on, as usual (not disrespect - just truth!).  That is exactly what I had going on.  Noi..oisy!  Tight cover but never saw a fresh track, so I think they went further on in the first snow dump.

Now I know where Rik referred to from Kelly's post.  I haven't been down there but like Nate posted, I am certain that access can be had because the snow isn't too deep, yet ...

Another observation ... there was a lot of activity on the mountain where I was - not the Rocks.  Quads, OHVs, pickups and a few camps.  Nate and I were talking about the Rocks area and there has been a big upswing in rock climbers in that area.  Lots of human activity down that way.  Not sure how that affects the deer up the mountain that you mention Kelly.

[tradlongbow]

I"ll be out in the Everglades again in the morning. Darren

[Rik]

Ray and Nate,

Thanks for the information on the mule deer. It sounds like maybe I should wait a week and hope for a dumping of some nice, quiet snow to improve the stalking. And spotting!

What elevation does the snow level start at now?

[Nate Steen .]

we got a dusting at the house yesterday, but there is a skiff of snow at around 5000 feet.  The problem is it takes several inches to dampen the sound of crusty snow.  If you head over to the Albion (east side) area, there is more cover and terrain and probably deer movement.  But then everyone else will go there too.

When they opened up the National Preserve and the rock climbing fraternity advertised the area,  the traffic out there has increased immensly, plus guys from all over are hunting there now.....

Now, with Hill style bows....  A couple of guys got Sunsets last week/this week...   we'll be looking for reports of arrows shot, game taken, fun had,  come on...speak up lads...

[Mudd]

Nate I'm looking forward to the day I can post up pictures of me shooting my Sunset Hill.

I'm glad you're yanking on the chains of folks that have gotten theirs.

We need to see pictures of those beauties and get reports of how much they love them.

God bless,Mudd

[Ric O'Shay]

Got an email from Craig about 30 minutes ago. My new Tembo is on its way to Texas. Should be here in a couple of days. Pics will be posted.    

[MikeNova]

I hear you Mudd. Cant wait to get my Sunset hill. Think when I get it I'll watch Tembo that night and go shoot some deer first chance I get!

[Rik]

String Silencer on Hill Bow Question:

For those of you who put silencers on your Hill bows, has anyone experimented enough to conclusively say where they think the silencers should be placed for the best results?

I use them religiously, but just place them where I "think" they should work best. No science in my method, I just use a measurement based on the distance from the tip of my pinkie finger to the end of my thumb with my hand fully extended.

It works well, but I wonder if I could do better?

P.S. On my last trip to Australia, I had several big boar jump the string due to bow noise. -----and no, I did not miss, I have it all on video and have watched it all in excruciating slow motion. Those Aussie boar simply heard the string and ducked the arrow on 10 to 15-yard shots. The Wankers!

[58WINTERS]

Rik,
I divide length from string groove to string groove with the bow strung by 4. Example: say it's 64" which gives you 16" so I come in 16" from the string groove and tie 1/2of a catwhisker
Friends are always commenting on the quietness of my Tembo and Wes Special. I use B50 3 bundle 15 strand strings.
Works for me.