Author Topic: Hunting with the Hedge 2021  (Read 21153 times)

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Offline JB G

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Re: Hunting with the Hedge 2021
« Reply #90 on: December 09, 2021, 10:02:46 am »
11 Dec 21

40 degrees 1400hrs, NW wind @3-5mph


Got in and up early right off wheat was not in long before a big ol PoleCat came in on the forest floor. He went all over. He was for sure a Pope and Young too. Big guy all black with white head. He woulda made a cool possibles bag.

About hour and half into sit I hear something coming across creek, its loud in dry leaves. Its the the landowners walk there property line. They usally walking there two dogs. So, it was over but I hung til just before last light. Coming out I got up by the smoke house which is running full bore and there were two deer standing right in the smoke hugging the ground on the hill in wheat. Gonna hunt those two sands I got in there this week.

HH~

Offline BowEd

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Re: Hunting with the Hedge 2021
« Reply #91 on: December 09, 2021, 10:49:01 am »
If you can get em [skunks] killed without stinking up the place let me know.
I usually need to let them hang in the crotch of a tree in the winter time for 2 weeks.Skin em/flesh em/wash them up good with household hydrogen peroxide and dish soap.Then their ready to tan.
BowEd
You got to stand for something or you'll fall for anything.
Ed

Offline JB G

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Re: Hunting with the Hedge 2021
« Reply #92 on: December 09, 2021, 04:55:20 pm »
Nevr trapped a skunk or shot one that was not a sprayer. They do have long purty fur though. Even when you po em in a trap they spray. They really like to come out after a cold spell and get after it. Jan thaw your going to catch a bunch in any fox, bobcat, coyote sets.

HH~

Offline BowEd

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Re: Hunting with the Hedge 2021
« Reply #93 on: December 09, 2021, 06:40:05 pm »
Yep they are out and about when the winter breaks.Trapped a fair amount of them for myself and others,but don't consider myself a bonified 50 year veteran trapper.Hound hunter is my experience.
Had that spray on my face before.Directly from the tap it'll burn a little like hot jelapeno juice....ha ha.
I've made hats and bags from them.Their fur reminds me of bear fur.Unique in that the stripes on them are'nt all the same from one to the other.Plenty killed on the road here too but I never use them.They don't move as often as coon through the winter.Nowadays I just kill em when they bother the cat feed pan.
« Last Edit: December 10, 2021, 03:46:18 am by BowEd »
BowEd
You got to stand for something or you'll fall for anything.
Ed

Offline JB G

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Re: Hunting with the Hedge 2021
« Reply #94 on: December 10, 2021, 08:57:15 am »
Once you get one in trap for the morning it almost makes you immune to the next or next the same day. Today its 75 degrees this morning. This is the kind of day if you have fox, coyote set of a certain type that they would fill up with skunk. Only thing I have ever seen kill and eat skunk in trap were Great Horned Owl and or Eagle. Sure tell sign? Head is busted and brain is ate out and that's all.

We have tons of otter here. Otter make nice tanned goodies. They a bear to hold in foot trap but easier than a trap smart beaver to get in a conibear type, Otter has thick hide, thick short fur and the guard hairs do not stick much past inner fur. Makes em fast in the water.
Gas is so high now which makes trapping virtually impossible and this SE fur is plum worthless on market. Good for yourself but sourthern coon bobcat coyote is not worth a nickel. They way the GVT keeps the rivers here with Hydo on them, they go up and down so much all the back water goes dry in summer from making power. That's where all the muskrats and beaver live so there are none. Very few swamps left here in my area. There are some here and there but you could clean em out in a week or two and they would be dead for years. The rivers go all way from east to west across the state on Tenn. So, imagine how much back water is gone to generate power. All of it really. That's killed water body fur bearers here and its never coming back.

HH~

Offline BowEd

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Re: Hunting with the Hedge 2021
« Reply #95 on: December 10, 2021, 06:04:20 pm »
We have otter here too.Made things from them like muskrats,beaver & bobcats too.If I see otter bothering my pond I zip em with a .223.A mother and her youngins will decimate the fish in a pond in a month.Their a pretty tough customer for a dog to care care of.
I've seen turkey vultures eat skunk before.My neighbor ran into a turkey vulture once.Hit his windshield.Spewed it's guts all over the hood of his truck.Only took him 15 minutes to get to the car wash,but the paint was already etched or corroded.
I honestly don't know how these people hit these birds and animals.
My other neighbor hit a turkey.Went through his window and laid dead on the seat beside him....ha ha.
The hay day for fur prices was in the late 70's and early 80's in my lifetime.Had many a $500.00 night till I figured out raising consistent good hounds and pups was where the real money was at.
There is a certain amount of predator control that should be done.Just like taking care of the land or woods.
My old man always liked catching a skunk in his land set while he was setting for fox.He made the mistake of shooting a skunk in his trap with his truck down wind with the heater on....ha ha.
We've got wind turbines up here but not around me.
BowEd
You got to stand for something or you'll fall for anything.
Ed

Offline JB G

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Re: Hunting with the Hedge 2021
« Reply #96 on: December 10, 2021, 08:18:20 pm »
Was the time i ran my lines. Russians and Euros were wearing fur. 12$ for a good Rat. I remember getting $100 bills for cherry Reds and 150$ for a good Fisher. Was no yotes then. The University Yote Programs had not released them all over in secret yet.

I remember doing fur to 0330 on school nites and tossing rest outside to freeze til we could get to them. Clean fleshing Beaver takes time!! Rats, about 5 min. Good eating and good bait!
Stretched beaver right on inside of barn wall. Same with deer hides. Use to get $7 a deer hide non fleshed. Miss the hayday of Trapping. Guess i was spoiled cuz i started at the all time highs.

HH

Offline BowEd

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Re: Hunting with the Hedge 2021
« Reply #97 on: December 11, 2021, 08:33:20 am »
Yes back then a person could get few bucks for well colored domestic cat.One reason why nowadays I just tan em myself and make things from them.Used to check traps before going to school here too.One reason why skunks were a sketchy catch not to get any spray on yourself.
Every deer I shoot nowadays is worth $400.00 to $600.00 the way things are valued now.They give away deer hides now.
The russians controlled the coon market and the chinese controlled the otter market with their purchasing power back then.
The best silky coyotes were and still are out west.
Back then it's where I learned to sew grade fur/sew holes/and tan.It's a life not for everybody but it suits me fine since I was into buckskinning,coonhunting,and now making bows & arrows besides farming.It's what I know.

Looks like a broad band of bad weather moving across your neck of the woods.Kentucky getting hit with a lot of tornados.We've just got the wind/some snow/and the cold.
Second season shotgun starts today.Should be hearing a lot of banging going on around here.Bow season is lawfully shut down now because of it.It's just too dangerous to be out there.
Late muzzle loader season starts the 20th.I'll get to see what's left out there as I've got 1 more tag.
BowEd
You got to stand for something or you'll fall for anything.
Ed

Offline JB G

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Re: Hunting with the Hedge 2021
« Reply #98 on: December 11, 2021, 10:28:53 am »
11Dec21

Yes, bad here and in KY. Worst Dec weather i have ever seen. Just hot sweaty winds and big storm lines ripping thru from the WSW. Lots of death and destruction just NW of me. Some twons just ripped to pieces. Power out in many areas.

Fort Campbell got hit right thru Ky Tn state line.

Folks gonna need some help and prayers for sure. Cold weather is going to rush in so this is gonna be a mess.

HH

Offline Eric Krewson

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Re: Hunting with the Hedge 2021
« Reply #99 on: December 11, 2021, 06:04:06 pm »
What about Gil, Hear anything from him?

Offline JB G

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Re: Hunting with the Hedge 2021
« Reply #100 on: December 11, 2021, 09:57:24 pm »
Yes, Gils ok. They live near me. Went just northwest of us. Twin Oaks was not in paths either. Plenty very nearby to North are in rough shape. They are some damages around Ft Campbell and NE of it. Just south in Dixon as well. Lots of folks helping out, housing folks, cleaning up. Western KY has some devastation. Losses are extreme there i am sorry to say.
Now the temps have plunged into 20’s.

HH

Offline JB G

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Re: Hunting with the Hedge 2021
« Reply #101 on: December 12, 2021, 01:25:41 pm »
Got my PAer Mag today. One of the better ones I have ever read. Gary will be dearly missed. Thanks to PatB for puttting me in his pictures at TO with Gary. That was nice of him

HH

Offline JB G

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Re: Hunting with the Hedge 2021
« Reply #102 on: December 12, 2021, 08:29:39 pm »
12 Dec 21

1400hrs 40 degrees, sE wind



Got out tonite and first feer showed and fed just outta range at 1500. As the shadows grew deer started coming out to feed in force. I stopped counting at 10 deer and 8 came out just after than. Like to see them on their feet. After the 8 doe came in the big 5x5 came outta brush. Hes lost prolly 35-40lbs and he broke his main beam on right side between 4 and 5. He’s neen shot at least once by ML but blood was now gone on his left side since i saw him last. He never came in close enough for a shot as he was interested in one small doe and was on her as she feed about.

Good evening gor mid Dec. if we would het some solid cool temps it would help keep these deer on their feet browsing. Without that they bed a good portion of fay in the thick stuff giving you just a small window to put it all together. I enjoy it either way.

HH~

Offline JB G

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Re: Hunting with the Hedge 2021
« Reply #103 on: December 13, 2021, 01:05:19 pm »
13 Dec 21

28 degrees, 0600 S wind

Good crisp morning. Deer were on their feet at first lite until i left at 0945. Saw 19 deer and a good three buck fight. Never saw three way with whitetails only moose. Had two in range but they ran right past me. Heavy frost on ground in river bottom. Deer were all in power line cut feeding im purty sure on honeysuckle. Great morning in the stand.

Hh

Offline JB G

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Re: Hunting with the Hedge 2021
« Reply #104 on: December 16, 2021, 12:03:19 pm »
16 Dec 21

Two new HedgeHunters to their new owners. The bow on left 67" 40@29" and a fast bow. I called the Batey Bomber. Joe gave me tow 20 plus year old billets and the bow has just 1" wide limbs. It really spits an arrow hard. be fun to see them at the stake come 3D season!

HH