Weekend Hunting Trip 10/23 – 10/24/2015

I finally took a little time off work to spend a serious time in the woods.  So, I had Friday morning and evening and Saturday evening in the woods.  This also  happen to be opening weekend of early muzzleloader season, but I was bow hunting so it didn't really matter.

Friday Morning,  I got in the woods nice and early with a friend of mine and we had good hopes for the day.  Well, the day started off rocky when my friend pushed something out of the woods as he walked to his stand.  I could only hear it running, it was way too dark to know what it was.  As the morning went on it was clear not much was moving and it just was not meant to be for me.  I ended up seeing no deer at all.

Friday Evening,

Decided to try a different spot, one I had not hunting recently but have hunted in the past in Loch Raven.  Got in the woods very early and was enjoying a beautiful fall afternoon. On my way to the tree I setup in I bumped 2 does from a thicket, course they took off running and that was that.  Again other than a billion squirrels that came in waves from behind me that I was ready to kill them all, I saw no deer.  Another hunt I got blanked.

Saturday Evening,

Headed back to one of the my regular spots in Loch Raven that I normally see deer. I got in the woods nice and early and started waiting.  The wind wasn't great, as it was a bit gusty, but it finally died down closer to dark.  I could hear everything  for at least 100 yards. I again heard what seemed like hundreds of squirrels, it was likely only about 20 or the same few over and over again.  As dark set in I again saw no deer.  This is the first time I have had 3 blanked hunts in a row in a very long time.

Where did all the deer in Loch Raven go,  or in general?

I heard a number of stories today (Sunday) about people that were out muzzleloader hunting this weekend and they saw little or nothing as well while hunting.  Most people said everything they saw was bedded down before they ever got in the woods.

So it was a busted weekend for.... How did everyone else do?  Any luck bow or muzzleloader hunting this weekend??

2015 - 2016 Hunting Season Journal
10 comments

Written by

View all posts by:

10 Responses

  1. Don
    hunted patapsco saturday morning in a spot where i always see deer and did not see anything from sunup till noon even hiked a spot that you cannot hunt to see if any were there and didnt jump anything.
    Reply
    October 26, 2015
    • admin
      Don, Yes, I heard more of the same today.. No one saw deer other than a few getting jumped from being bedding very early in the morning before shooting light. Hopefully this week and weekend it gets better. I have a strong opinion that it's because of the moon being out during the night time, which means they can move more during nighttime and they tend to move less during daylight hours. So, hopefully after the full moon starts to head towards a new moon hunting will get better!
      Reply
      October 26, 2015
      • Bob
        I hunted Friday and Saturday evenings just a little further south than you. Friday night I had a pair of does out of range at about 5:30 and then a single fawn at about 6:15, other than that I also had a million squirrels and a raccoon keeping me on my toes. Saturday I didn't see anything until I had one walk right up to my tree at last light and just stand there. I had already let my bag and bow down and all I could see was a dark blob. Probably too dark to shoot anyway but as soon as I grabbed the string to lift my bow back up it took off. I waited a few to climb down and had another come in from the other direction but couldn't see it at all. I noticed while I was packing up I cast a shadow from just the moonlight so I agree with your theory.
        Reply
        October 27, 2015
  2. Chris
    Has anybody hunted Gwynnbrook wildlife mgmt ?
    Reply
    October 27, 2015
    • admin
      Chris, I have not, but hopefully one of our readers has and can give you some information!
      Reply
      October 28, 2015
    • Matt
      I've started hunting Gwynnbrook this year...I live a mile away so I try to reserve hunts there as often as I can. They only allow 4 people out there at a time, but its a tiny property so even 4 is a lot. Before the season there were a lot of does and fawns, but from what I've seen they wised up fast with all the pressure. I have yet to see a single buck out there, but we'll see. Let me know if you start going out there, I'd like to meet more BalCo bowhunters!
      Reply
      October 29, 2015
  3. clay
    Now is the time to be in the woods bucks are seeking. I'm heading out early afternoon, couldn't do a all day sit, but it's time. Know of 2 bucks killed on Thursday. one was grunting and following a doe.
    Reply
    October 31, 2015
    • admin
      Clay, I haven't seen anything to tell me the bucks are chasing. But I have seen that the bucks are up and cruising mostly just marking territory and scent checking. You are right now is the time to be in the woods. Great time to grunt and/or rattle a deer in. Anytime is a good time to be in the woods right now, even if it's just a couple hours no matter what time of day. Hope you had a good hunt this afternoon!
      Reply
      October 31, 2015
  4. Undertheoaks
    Well I just got home from a morning sit in the fog filled woods of northern BC . I saw a couple more rubs ,and scrapes then last week . The action is definitely starting to get to where it should be ,fingers crossed .Unfortunately I saw no deer . I did see however a lot less squirrels then last week. After lunch I am going to sit for the afternoon hours till dark . Good luck to all who are going out today .
    Reply
    November 9, 2015
    • admin
      Hope you have seen some action since your comment. I was away on the eastern shore for a few days and the bucks are moving but far from peak rut. They are just out scent checking I have seen no chasing other than a small buck here or there. Just depends on where you are hunting. Good luck!!
      Reply
      November 12, 2015

Leave a comment

Upload image