scouting

[GoldDust]

Spent the day scouting new brush blind spots. Yep it was cold. Found a couple of spots near Dayton, Ohio. Anybody else get out? The fresh snow helped to show where the deer were moving. Hopefully they will be in a similar safe pattern early season. Food, bedding, food, bedding. Obviously dense wind broken thick bedding was the key today as it was 20 degrees at best. Anyway. Season just ended and I already miss it.

[mullet]

I was out shooting squirrels this morning, it was beautiful. Nice, mild 58. I'm going back in the morning, I found the motherload, shot six out of one tree. It'll be in the upper 20's in the morning, though.

[Wolf Watcher]

Winter here, but was able to get out to hunt rabbits and look for moose horns.  Saw the largest elk I have seen in several years.  He must have been a 400 pluse bull with wide, tall sweeping horns.  Its always a thrill to see a monster bull like that.  Did manage to stick the only rabbit I saw.  A/Ho Joe

[GoldDust]

I would be dreaming to see an elk in the woods I hunt. Must be unbelievable. Think you'll get a chance to take it?

On a side note, I take out my 20 gauge after deer season and pop enough rabbits to last me through the winter. Fun stuff.

[Sparrow]

Be a good time to go hunt a bobcat, if we could get some snow. We are having a very mild winter here in the Palouse. Wolf Watcher,that big boy should be shedding them antlers before too very long,lot of competition around here for big sheds,guys watch the bulls for weeks just waiting for the drop.  Ain't too early to scout turkeys and hunt deer sheds.  '  Frank

[Wolf Watcher]

Frank:  You are right about the turkeys and sheds.  I am lucky enough to have some country that is private.  The horn hunters sneak in for the sheds anyway.  Some of them actually take a couple of months off work just to hunt horns.  Hope to draw a turkey permit for here on the ranch.  We have a mountain lion that lives along the river bottom and I think that is the reason my yard deer are gone for the first time since we built here.  The neighbors had a pack of wolves come into their yard a couple of nights ago, but found no cows or dogs missing!  Feb. is our breeding time for bobcats and that is the very best time to see them.  Deep and crusted snow lets them hunt and us to flounder around.  Still like to call them!  A/Ho Joe