Opening day, 2013 was quite a productive opening weekend.
SATURDAY, November 9
By 9:15AM Saturday morning, two and a half hours after arriving in our stands, the first deer was shot. It was a beauty, too.
Before we get to the deer, the weather should be noted, the winds were out of the Northwest at 20-30 mph. It was in the low 30's, although the windchill put the temperature in the mid to low 20's.
Matt C, sitting in the Taj, sipping coffee, trying to stay warm in 25-30 mph NW winds, was surprised by a very large buck and a doe approaching out of the Northwest, possibly from the Willow slue. Just before the deer were about to enter the slue on the east side of the Taj, they both stopped, giving Matt a chance to drop the buck in its tracks.
Once everything was taken care of on the biggest buck shot since the great 10 pointer shot by Howard in 2006, Morrie and Matt stayed in the Taj, chatting and sipping even more coffee while Aron headed back to the middle stand.
Around 9:10AM a shot rang out, Morrie, or maybe Matt, having seen a buck running out of the Northwest, possibly out of the Willow slue again, acted quickly to get organized sitting in tight confines of the Taj trying to keep warm.
At 9:15, a text was sent, "Was that you, or the neighbors?" Moments later a text was received, "Me. Buck to the west. Quick hope shot. Will check later." Despite Matt's assurances that the buck dropped in its tracks, Morries hope was a bit limited. But upon closer examination, Morrie had felled the second buck of the morning with a perfect kill shot to the deer's "Engine Room." (term coined by Morrie)
The rest of the day was uneventful, with some doe sightings and lots of wind.
SUNDAY, November 10
Arriving at the property around 6:30AM, we dispersed to our stands. Morrie hung out in the blind on the North side of the property while Matt and Aron walked through the farmstead to the Taj, Matt, and the middle stand, Aron.
Wind was out of the Southwest at about 5 mph, so it was not as strong as Saturday. It was 30 degrees or so.
Matt arrived uneventfully in the Taj and Aron continued on to the middle stand, before Aron arrived at the dike, just having passed the stand at the dike in the middle of the property, to the east, stood a buck. The buck stomped his foot and snorted, turned and bounded away. Aron took the shot, dropping the buck 10 yards away from where it was hit.
Three bucks, three shots, three kills.
And so the 2013 season ended, at 6:45AM on Sunday morning of opening weekend.
Job well done hunters, it was a wonderful and great weekend.
And always, thank you Morrie and Marion for your hospitality!
Pictures will be posted below.
