One has to be careful during the Virgina Spring Gobbler season because if you blink you could literally miss it. The majority of the season only allows for birds to be taken before noon followed by just two weeks of full-day hunting. Unlike last years deer season, I haven’t been able to get in the woods as much as I’d like too. I was fortunate enough to take a trip with Will Jenkins up to Highland County VA to chase some birds and trout fish for a few days. Although we didn’t punch any tags we had a great time in the mountains, you can read more about our trip on Will’s blog in his two part article Hunting Highland.
A few days after our hunt, I received an email from one of our Virginia Huntography readers, Regg Simmons, a turkey hunter that has kept his eyes wide open so far this season. Simmons was happy to tell me that the turkey hunting was “hot and heavy” in northern Virginia. The photos that accompanied his email didn’t lie. With two great gobblers on the ground within a week of opening day, I’d say Simmons having one of the best spring seasons of anyone I know. I asked him if he’d like to recount his season thus far and he kindly obliged. So without further ado here is his story…
On the morning of April 13th I rose at 3:00 AM to make the drive from Manassas to my hunting spot in Fauquier County. It was a long cold, hike up towards the crest of Naked Mountain where I set my single hen decoy and settled in to a pile of cut timber to await the coming of dawn and the start of the 2013 Spring Gobbler Season. Toms were answering owl calls by gobbling on the roost at 5:30 AM so I knew things could interesting once the sun came up. With sunrise the birds got all fired up – 5 Toms gobbling at all points on the compass. I was sitting in Tom central ! By 6:00 AM I had a Tom in sight at 100 yards – strutting and gobbling like crazy answering the yelps and purrs coming from my long box and diaphragm calls. Well that Tom was locked up at about 80 yards when off to my right, just over a rise and out of sight, came thundering gobbles from at least two more Toms. A few soft purrs from the diaphragm was the deal closer – over the rise came three Toms, with the biggest boy leading the pack. When they crested the rise and spotted my hen decoy all three Toms went into full strut, spitting & drumming making a beeline for the fake hen. As they closed the distance I had my Remington 870 locked on the leader of the pack. A round of Hevi-Shot Turkey load sealed the deal with the Tom at 18 yards. One of the surviving Toms flew away while the other ran a short distance then stopped to survey the scene. Just for fun, a few soft purrs called him right back in to gun range but of course he would have to wait for another day….
Tom #1 weighed 23.4 pounds, had a 12″ beard and 1′ spurs.
I got back after them on Saturday, April 20. Once again I hiked up Naked Mountain in the pre-dawn darkness this time hunting near one of my favorite deer stands. As the sun rose I could hear gobbling but it was coming from way down in the creek bottom. Having learned a long time ago to “sit down, be still and be quiet” I decided to stick with my spot rather than go “running and gunning”. The gunning I can handle but the running is getting harder every season…. Other than “tweety birds” the mountain top was quiet, no turkey talk other than my occasional plaintive calls. By 9:00 AM my patience had worn thin so I decided to pull my decoy and slowly walk back down the mountain towards the truck. After picking up the deke and getting my gear stowed I decided to make one more loud series of yelps before leaving the area. I yelped and a Tom thunder gobbled, 75 yards uphill of my location. At break-neck speed I reset the hen decoy, stumbled back into a pile of weeds and tried to regain my composure. Another yelp – another gobble, even closer. Then I spotted that red/white/blue head coming through the brush at 35 yards so up came the Remington and off went the safety. Spotting the decoy the Tom went into full strut at 20 yards and closed the distance to the deke. The Tom circled the decoy several times, strutting and displaying the whole while. A soft putt from my diaphragm got his head up for the kill shot at 15 yards. After recovering from a mild case of hyper-ventilation I recovered my bird and made my way back down the mountain…..Tom #2 weighed 22.25 pounds, had an 11″ beard and 1″ spurs.
Finally, another great Virginia hunting season is upon us. Opening this Saturday (April 13th) is the 2013 Virginia Spring Gobbler Season. The early part of the season only allows for bearded turkeys to be taken from sunrise until noon each day lasts until May 4th. The all-day season (from sunrise to sunset) lasts from May 6-18. During those down times your best bet to get a hold of me will be on the river or lake with a pole in the water. Smallmouth, largemouth, walleye, trout and catfish will keep me occupied until deer season in October.
To kick off the turkey season we’re doing it right here in Virginia. Managing Editor, Will Jenkins from TheWilltoHunt.com, fellow Field Editor, Chris Mann and myself are heading up to central Virginia to set up turkey camp for a few days. Will and I have been doing some tentative planning the past few months and have decided on embarking into one of Virginia’s largest Wildlife Management areas in Highland County. Since we can chase gobblers until 12pm, it will give us plenty of time to get after some rainbow, brown and brook trout in the nearby streams. I’ve already decided that even if we don’t bag a bird or put any fish in the net, I’ll be just as satisfied by being able to enjoy a new hunting experience in a new patch of woods with new friends.
Fortunately, I have been able to line up three other turkey hunts this year in different areas. So far this year I’ve been seeing many flocks of turkey and hearing the gobblers coming down from the roost right at sunrise. Other hunters I’ve spoken to seem to say the same and that there’s no lack of turkey movement in southwest Virgina. Using a combination of my bow and shotgun, I plan to try something new this year. Late last year a friend of mine introduced me to a new hunting product that I’ve since then fell in love with. The GhostBlind is an excellent hunting product that I intend to use this season, it’s mirror-paneled design makes it virtually impossible to see and will instantly adapt to your immediate surroundings. It’s light weight and versatility makes it usable for hunting with a bow or a gun and can used to hunt many different animals. This blind is slick and the companies motto speaks for itself, Not Seeing is Believing. Be sure to check out there website for a wide range of blinds and accessories.
I wish everyone good and safe spring gobbler season and I’d like to her how the season is going in other parts of the state. Feel free to share your story with us here at Virgina Huntography. We’d be glad to have some great representation of the state and allow other hunters to write a guest blog post .
Well it’s the start of the new year and most Virginia deer hunters have already begun cleaning their guns and sending their bows off to be restrung. There won’t be any more chances to harvest a buck until bow season next fall. This past year I didn’t have the success I had anticipated but it was one of the best hunting seasons I’ve had in a very long time. I was able to get out in the woods at least thirty times and each trip was a blessing. Through all of my hunts there were only a handful of times that I didn’t see a whitetail deer but my luck never went as far as putting a nice shooter buck within my sights. A lot of times after deer season I hear hunters over use the terms shoulda’, coulda’ and woulda’. At the beginning of the season I promised myself I wouldn’t let the deer get the best of me, as they have every year before, leaving me full of regrets. Since hunting season closed shop last weekend, I’ve only been thinking about all the great times I had embracing the beauty of the woods and the animals that I encountered. There were tons of close calls and each deer seemed to have their own agenda. Even though I didn’t tag out or harvest a trophy buck I was just as satisfied by being able to participate in another hunting season in the mountains of Virginia.
In Virginia, technically deer season isn’t completely over. In over 35 towns and cities across the state, Urban Archery Season lasts through March 30. Only archery tackle can be used and it’s an excellent opportunity to still put some meat in the freezer.
As much as I’d like to continue chasing whitetails I believe it’s time for me to give them a rest until October. So what do most Virginia hunters do after deer season? We anxiously prepare for the next hunting season, spring gobbler! But before you start packing away all your cold weather gear, I would encourage hunters to take advantage of the fall firearms turkey season that kicks off this weekend and last through the end of January. The map below is courtesy of the VDGIF and unfortunately the season is closed to the areas highlighted in white, blue and yellow but the green areas are wide open for hunters that are hungry for a turkey leg.
I don’t foresee myself getting too many chances to chase the late season fall gobblers but this spring fellow huntographer, Will Jenkins and I will be backpacking up to Highland County VA for a few days in hopes of bagging some birds. Will announced our trip along with a DIY elk hunt he’ll be doing out west this September in one his latest blog post, New Year, New Look, New Adventures on his website, TheWilltoHunt.com.
I’d like to personally thank everyone that has supported Huntography over the past year and a special shout out to Rudy for making it all happen! Good luck to everbody that will be out in the woods or on a river bank in the next few months and be sure to keep up with us as we embark into another year full of hunting stories and experiences that we intend to share.
Since the #Deertour passed through Virginia last November I’ve only been able get out in the woods a handful of times due to work, school and the holidays. Although we’ve been experiencing some extremely unusual fall weather conditions thus far this year, I’ve still been lucky enough to continue seeing deer as the season winds down. For most people in the state of Virginia there are only about 3 more weeks of hunting season left. Late archery season kicked off last weekend and remains open throughout January 5th and there’s still a chance to break out the black powder when late muzzleloader begins December 18th and lasts until January 5th. Be sure to check your local regulations for more details on the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries website.
On Saturday I went out for an evening hunt and decided to go against the odds in the 70-degree temperatures. Did I mention it was December? This may sound odd but I remember this same kind of scenario last year, I was hunting in the middle of December and it was 65 degrees. Is this something I should start expecting from now on? I sure hope not, an inconsistent and warmer fall weather pattern results in inconsistent deer movement and behavior. From what I’m seeing the rut is still semi-active and there are plenty of local hunters still bagging some decent late season bucks.
While I was in my stand I witnessed a couple of does butting heads and then nice buck emerged from the brush. The video was a little shaky and the buck makes a quick appearance towards the end of the video, around the 51 second mark.
If you don’t know already the #Deertour will be making it’s way to Virgina tomorrow! We’ll be dragging Rudy deep in the mountains of southwest Virginia. We’ve been hunting all week and been seeing a lot of deer moving. The weather is getting colder and the rut is heating up. The way this week is going anything could happen; deer, turkey and bear are all around. Below is a few photos of what was passing through earlier today…..
Since the opening day of Virginia bow season less than 2 weeks ago I have been very blessed to be able to go hunting almost every day. Whether if I’m in the woods for one hour or pulling an all-day hunt, I’ve enjoyed every moment I’ve spent in my tree stand. I can honestly say that every time I’ve stepped into the woods I have seen deer and that alone makes me extremely happy. Over the years I’ve killed a deer with a rifle, bow and muzzle loader but since last year I’ve been determined to harvest a deer with a crossbow. Traditionally, hunting with a crossbow in Virginia was strictly reserved for handicap hunters but in 2005 lawmakers opened crossbow usage to all hunters.
Yesterday I wasn’t able to get out in the woods until 5:30 in the afternoon, giving me only about an hour of daylight. After only being in my stand for 5 minutes, I watched 2 does sneak by me on my backside and slowly crept out of range. About 10 minutes later, a group of 4 does emerged from the brush directly in front of me and headed right into my shooting lane. I put the red-dot on the biggest one and let the bolt fly. A spine shot only left her with a few deep breaths. It’s a good feeling to have some meat in the freezer, now it’s time to try and put a trophy on the wall.
Well it’s about that time. We are a little under 2 weeks away from opening day of bow season! But before you make the mad dash into the woods, I suggest taking full advantage of this upcoming weekend. This Saturday (September 29th) Virginia allows a statewide Youth Deer Hunting Day. As long as the hunter is 15 years old or younger and are accompanied by adult who has a valid Virginia hunting license they are eligible to shoot deer of either sex. For more detailed regulations and information on the Virginia 2012 Youth Deer Hunting Day check out the VDGIF’s 2012-13 Hunting Regulations.
For the past 8 months I’ve spent a lot of time in the woods preparing for this season, probably more than I have ever before. Each year that passes I become more and more fascinated with the deer. Their patterns and behaviors never seizes to amaze me. Just a few a weeks ago I was scouting an area and I climbed up a tree like I was 10 years old to get a better look at the terrain. I found a nice little nook in the branches and sat for about 15 minutes and along came 3 does each with a set of twin fawns. I watched them for about 20 minutes, they started to get wind of me and they commenced to a snorting conundrum. For 10 minutes they stomped the ground, threw their noses up in the air and snorted back and forth. They never saw me and eventually scurried off but I was in disbelief of their knowingness that something just wasn’t right.
One thing that I always find amusing is hunter’s superstitions; from the lucky shirt to the lucky arrow we all have our fallacies that keep us engaged in the hunt. One of mine is the moon pattern. I can honestly say in my own experiences that the moon has played a pivotal role deer movement. This may be old news to some of you but when the moon is in between the Waning and Waxing Gibbous phase that’s when I’ve noticed deer are moving the most. Don’t get me wrong here, just because the moon isn’t in its Full phase it’s defiantly not going to deter me from climbing in my stand. Many of the deer I’ve harvested were contributed to nothing but pure luck and being in the right place at the right time. Sometimes the only preparation I took was loading bullets into my gun. Either way, whatever your ritual is that keeps you going back into the woods, just keep at it.
Only 38 more days until the opening day of Virginia whitetail bow season. I have to admit that I’m a bit jealous of some neighboring states that have already kicked off the season or will be opening in September. It seems likes October can’t get here any faster. The only thing I can do is continue tuning in my bow, double and triple check my gear and patiently await for that October 6th sunrise. Until then, I’m able to get my whitetail fix through checking my trail cams. Today I got a nice surprise from a high-rise 6 pointer. When I first saw the photos I compared him to some of the high-toppers that fellow Huntographer and Field Editor for Maryland Huntography, Rob Freyer has been seeing up in his neck of the woods. This is the first that I’ve seen this deer this year and I’m hoping he makes a habit of roaming around my stand for the next few months.
If you’re like me, trail camera photos never get old. Since the introduction of game cameras the quality and technology has increased greatly over the years. Hunters now possess the capability to capture high-definition photographs, video and some trail cameras can send the photos directly to our smart phones within minutes of taking pictures. It’s become a must have tool for hunters. The camera allows us to better manage the herd, strategize our season and gives us a candid insight on the wildlife that occupies the land.
Every time I check my trail camera I find myself anxiously rushing back to the house to see what’s been roaming around my hunting spots. As soon as I insert the memory card in my computer my heart begins beating a little bit faster. I eagerly scroll through the thumbnails looking for a set of horns. Even if I just see one doe it’s enough to keep my hopes up for the upcoming season. I’ve seen raccoons, fox, and squirrels but nothing compares to seeing that big buck walking through my shooting lane. Fortunately for me, in one my prime hunting spots I’ve been seeing consistent deer movement throughout all seasons. Over the weekend I checked my cameras and saw a 9-pointer that’s been hanging around pretty regularly this summer. I think it’s safe to say that it’s the same buck that I posted about last month. This time the photos were taken during the morning and I was able to notice something very unique about this buck, he was wearing white socks. I’ve seen deer with piebald qualities but never quite like this……
This shaggy 4-pointer was accompanying the bigger buck and should make for a nice shooter next season…
There was even a little fawn passing through…
If you’d like to to see more of my trail camera pictures from the deer in my area here in southwest Virginia be sure to check out my online album here.
As of today we’re less than two months away from the opening day of bow season here in Virginia and about three months out from the beginning of the third installment of the #Deertour. And Like most of you, I’ve been preparing for the season since it ended last winter.
Last week I had the pleasure to talk about this year’s upcoming #Deertour and help spread the about Huntography with Kyle Bailey on his sports talk radio show, The Clubhouse. One thing that I mentioned during the interview was that how much I appreciate Huntography’s local story telling aspect. I can only write about what about what I’m seeing and experiencing in my neck of the woods and it’s a good feeling to be able to share that with other people. To me, it’s something that has been desperately missing from mainstream outdoor media. Sometimes things happen during our hunting experiences that can’t be explained in writing and it happens in such a dramatic way it creates one of those “you just had to be there” moments. Lucky for us, we have a guy named Rudy that has created Huntography to help capture those moments. From the exhilarating highs of bagging a big buck to the lousy lows of being stuck inside all day due to rain. Rudy is there with his camera to show how deer hunting really is.
Yesterday I experienced something that I’m sure every hunter can relate to in some way…
I was on my way home with my truck bed full of groceries and was about two miles away from my house. As I was driving I looked over and saw a herd of deer. I took a quick look in my rear view mirror to make sure no one would run into the back of truck while I tried to snap a few pictures with my phone but I couldn’t get a good enough focus. For the past week I had been carrying my Canon PowerShot SX 30 everywhere I went, but not on this day. There were too many does to count and a collage of velvety horns. I noticed some traffic behind me so I headed on down the road to my house. When I got home I unloaded the groceries and all I could think was nobody would believe what I just saw. I told my girlfriend and she urged me to go back with my camera. I grabbed my Canon and jumped back in my truck. Halfway to the spot where I saw all the deer I opened my camera bag and noticed that there wasn’t a memory card in the camera. U-turn. I rushed back home and got a memory card. At this moment, I knew the deer were long gone, there was no way they would still be there but I crossed my fingers and went anyway. I pulled into a spot where I knew I could walk up behind the deer and started to creep up to where I originally saw the herd. All the does were gone but three bucks remained still grazing. “Hell Yeah!!” I screamed in my head. I turned the camera on noticed the blinking red battery icon on my screen. Another U-turn, this time it was on foot. I got to my truck and changed the battery probably at record time. That battery was so dead that my camera wouldn’t even turn on. Just my luck. I put back in the other battery and figured I could get at least 1 or 2 photos. By this time the deer were staring me down and looked like they were going to take off into the woods. I belly crawled as close as I could to the bucks and was able to take about a dozen of photographs before the camera shut down. For a minute there it didn’t seem like it was in my cards to prove what I saw but luckily I did and here’s the proof……
