On January 31st, at least in my part of New Jersey, deer season ended. I've spent the better part of the last two weeks getting my tree stands down and checking them for needed repairs, and taking inventory of the rest of my equipment to see what made it through the season, and what didn't I usually have stuff scattered around the back porch, the garage and my shed, so it takes a little while to get everything together to put it away. I finished up today by taking all my bins with clothes and my bow and accessory boxes to the attic. My wife cheered. Is it just me, or do all outdoorsmen and women have three times the amount of gear we really need, and still don't have enough. Come to think of it, I better get my shopping list together, my Christmas gift cards from Cabela's can't be just sitting around collecting dust now can they.
I made a few trips to Ohio to pull stands and look at another piece of property me and my brothers were thinking of buying, but the price is just a little too steep for the four of us. I had a total of 31 stands out, so it took a while to get them all down, well, actually, I took down 31, I left a few out there that will have to wait to come down. I started pulling them a little early this year because on Tuesday, I will be having surgery on my right shoulder. I have a few tears that need repairing. I've known I needed the surgery for about four months, I just kept postponing it until after bow season. So, for me, that is wrapping up Fall...getting all of my equipment put away.
Overall, it was a pretty good season, although it was my worst season in New Jersey in many, many years, I only killed 2 deer here. Ohio came through big though and I brought three deer back to the Garden State from there, including one nice buck. The freezer is full, I have some nice photos and great memories from 2007, so I'm looking forward to 2008 and what's to come. First, I have to get through the surgey and rehabilitation. After that, it's all fun again.
Winter is usually the time for me to check my stands, replace and rusted or worn cables and bolts, and mostly, do some post season scouting. I believe post season scouting is one of the most important things a deer hunter can do to set him or herself in the best position for the upcoming deer season. Several years ago I wrote a series of articles for a website that functions as an on-line magazine. The series was directed at what deer hunters should be thinking of doing, and doing all through the year. I had quite a bit of postive feedback from those articles, and rather than repost them here, I'll just provide the links to them as we go along. http://www.njhunter.com/read_article.php?id=27&type=featured The website is NJHUNTER.com, and it's quite a good place to visit. The owner of the site is Joe Mills, and he is currently the President of the United Bowhunters of New Jersey, congrats to Joe for stepping up. He also has a regular job, so is one very busy man. Take a few minutes to look around his website, I think you'll like it.
If you read the articles, you will see I have the deer hunting fever pretty bad, and I know it seems like all I write about. I do enjoy other things, but am most afflicted with deer hunting, bowhunting in particular, so that is why my posts are focused mainly on deer hunting. Turkey and fishing season are coming, so you will see I do have other interests.
DV
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2 comments:
Taking down stands and checking equipment to make sure it is in good working order is something hunters often forget to do. Your post is a good reminder that, once the season ends, you should check out all your gear and make sure it is in good shape.
Good luck with the surgery.
Definitely a good post and you're not the only one afficted with the bowhunting and whitetail deer addiction trust me.
I live for it and I just turkey hunt and fish to hold myself over for next deer season:)
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