Prepping for opening day

Two weeks ago Hannah and I went out to check our stands in Bloomfield.  We set up a trail camera above the pond at the Hedges where for many years an elderly friend of Bruds sat on an old kitchen stool.  The rusty skeletol remains of which are still there.

Jessica age 16

Today Jessica and I went out to the Suor property to put up a stand in the southwestern corner of his property.  This stand overlooks a corner and thicket that I know late season deer will use a lot because the field is full of beans.  Jessica was good enough to climb the stand and muscle the straps around the tree and ratchet it tight.  Given my record for not being the most graceful in the tree tops I think Mrs. Apthorpe may have bribed Jessica to climb instead of me..

Once up she placed pipe wrap around the railing which makes it quiet when you lay your gun on the rail.  It was a cloudless day, but very windy and cold.

New Skirt Hung by Jessica in Bloomfield

We then went to the Hedges to put the finishing touches on the stand there.  Once again Jessica climbed the stand which she shot last year's monster out of and put up a curtain that I had rigged.  A long time ago I learned the value of making a curtain or skirt for a tree stand as that allows you to move and not be seen by deer.  I bought a flat of olive green cloth on clearance from Wal Mart for 5 bucks and use fishing swivels with plastic ties to hang the skirt.  I can pour coffee, grab a book and/or sandwich and the deer never see you.

We had Ember and Willow with us who acted as though they were in canine paradise.  Swimming in freezing cold streams.....running around like crazy.  Jessice and I downloaded the photos off the trail cam and there were over 100 doe pics.  I have posted some of the buck pics here.