JestersHK

Daryk if its looking real crappy I am coming down the 44 corridor from STL. Could prolly squeeze 1 more in the Durango if needed. I have stops in O'fallon, Wildwood, and Cuba to pick up the guys. Not sure where you are at, but just throwing that out there.

Depending on final head count how many can we squeeze into the one cabin? Maybe get by with just one? Myself and my crew (4 of us total) will be there for sure minus any emergencies... We can bring some extra food if need be as well?

QB if we are short on boats I know myself and crew will all be bringing our waders. Would just need some help from the locals on where we can wade and where we could possibly get to from Mile's place as long as its just snow and not ice. Will have 4x4 but don't need to be sledding down ice coated hills either LOL... Def allot warmer than last jigfest. Hopefully the forecast don't keep folks away...Plus if the weather forecast there is anything like ours here you almost have to wait till day of...

Myself and both Brandon's are going to come no matter the weather. My brother in law would like to be a late add if we have room still... Just found out today he can take off... So there will be 4 of us there Thursday night for sure. Bringing the 4 wheel drive this time though lol.

Thanks for the preview! Beautiful brownie there. Hopefully you can still swing by next week too.

I think it's looking to be similar to last year. Prolly won't know till we get there. Hope you can make it Marty!

Yeah, been watching for a week now and it's slowly gotten worse... could still change, but the temps continue to keep dropping lower and the snow and ice look for certain. Don't mind the snow, but that ice can stay away. Can't wait for Thursday!

Shoot I already had pencilled you in for me dragging you out there to chase browns to all wee hours of the morning! Marty thinks he's gonna sleep this trip too lol! Maybe we'll have another woohoo beast attack like last year...

HAHA, Just hoping the cold holds off and its a bit warmer than last year. First pass doesn't look too bad. Hope the precip chance stays below 50%. On a side note, if it stays in the 30's at night I would really like to get out and do some night fishing if anyone can hook me up with where to go? Was too cold last year at night, and didn't have a good lay of the land, but if anyone can share some safe wadeable areas myself and my cousin would be down to fish with the lights out.

Yeah buddy, I'm pretty pumped up still that she enjoyed it as much as she did. She's helped me process them before, all while my middle child the animal lover gave us dagger eyes lol. Just hope we can get a shooting opportunity at some point. Glad to hear others are planting seeds too, although I wouldnt expect anything else from the BH clan!

Sorry this will be a long read lol... I'll post this here instead of archery as we are using a crossbow and imho it's about like using a short range rifle. Definitely nothing like bow hunting other than the fact they both shoot arrows... My oldest really wants a compound bow though so I'll also ask here for suggestions on a youth setup that can still be capable to take deer. On to our trip. My oldest is my lone Tom boy of my 3 girls and I've shared some stories here on her ability to out fish her old man on occasion which really makes me proud. I cherish our time in the water together and was pretty stoked when she said she was ready to go hunt with me. Although my xbow is a bit big for her, it really is a point and shoot affair, and she's a pretty darn good shot. Under my supervision and with cocking and loading I felt pretty good we could get it done. Recently I had a neighbor offer up about 80 acres of private land to hunt to boot. It's really a blessing and it's only 35 min from my house so just about perfect. I went out Saturday and scouted things out. We weren't 10 yards from the house in his gator when we jumped 3 big does who ran away from us. A good sign so far. We turned around and decided I'd walk all my stuff in to not further spook anything as I wanted to hunt the evening. I picked the first decent trail crossing and setup my 2 man blind. Sat til just before dark, and saw a doe that never got into range or gave me a shot. Overall place had great potential though. On the way out I saw a huge buck go tearing off across the field. I'm not a real trophy hunter kind of guy but i think I'd shoot this one as he'd likely be a lifetime buck for me. He was at least 8 with thick antlers that were way out past the ears... So next morning we get up early and get layered up. Get to the blind around 545 and we saw 8 deer on the way in, including a yearling who played frogger with us and about got run over lol. Now my kiddos not a stranger to the woods but this was her first real sit. Was funny to see her react to all the sounds in the dark and the tree rats provided plenty of noise to keep her alert. It started a light rain around 7 which stopped by 730. We'd heard some movement behind us which I'm fairly certain was a deer but never saw them. Then I hear a crashing though the woods. Startled my kiddo and myself a bit too as a big doe was literally running full out straight towards us in the blind. She caught either my daughters head jerk or me moving and at about 10 yards she skids to a halt. She stares us down then bolts off to the right. Was a very cool experience, but we def got busted lol. A good lesson for both of us that quick motion will get ya busted for sure. Around 9 or so we took a break and got up to stretch. My blind was not in the best of spots and the hills here are very steep and we could hear stuff, but then they'd be right on top of us when they came over the ridge. I decided we'd move down to the bottom of a hollar where a creek bed and trail made a nice 4 way intersection. I spent the walk there teaching my kiddo how to move quietly through the leaves and we were almost to the spot to stop when she sees 2 deer at the top of the hill. She saw them before I did and I finally picked them up as we quietly put our stuff down and crouched down. At this point we're pretty exposed and deer are about 80 years away. I tell her to stay put and with the rain i figured I'd see if i could stalk down to them to possibly get a shot. The brush was thick and i worked slow. I covered 40 yards in about 30min and could just make out movement in the brush. I made it about 10 more yards and then I totally lost them. They up and vanished on me. I waited about another 20 minutes then decided to go back up and get our blind and try to get setup for the evening. Kiddo did a great job of being still and quiet. She was pretty pumped watching the stalk, and amazed how I was able to close the distance without spooking them. A good teaching moment on how to be stealthy, she also decided to gopro the whole ordeal which I'm sure will be cringe worthy watching my big self stalk through the woods lol. We grab our gear and head down to the spot. I'd just set everything down when she freezes and whispers deer! I slowly turn my head, but can't see them. She still can however and she whispers they just stood up. So apparently they had bedded down and that's where they went... She watched them in a stare down and after a long minute or so they decided to pop the flag and run back up the hill. She had been busted twice now but I told her that's just hunting. You're gonna see them when you're exposed and not ready, just part of it. We get blind setup and begin another sit. Saw another doe possible the same one but she skirted the hill top and never came down with range... then the weather changed and we had to call it. Had a Christmas tree waiting for her and her other sisters to decorate. Overall a great day spent with my kiddo. She is already itching to go again, and wants to start getting her own gear. I told her to bring a book in case she gets bored, but she never touched it... once again she made me a proud dad, and I feel like I got another good seed planted. An awesome hunt and she fully understands its not about the kill, that's just a minor part. Nature is a great blessing and a day in the woods with your kid is one of the best days you can spend.

Glad that you guys caught it before it got too bad Phil. Good looking out by your guests. Everyone is safe as well, and that's the biggie.

Good luck out there today. Hope things pick up for ya! If you are able to pick through the rocks you can go upstream of the boat ramp with a bit of generation and they can stack up in there. Just watch your footing and go slow. Also down stream where the washout and last staircase is if you can make it down the hill theres a nice spot where the water goes into the backwater area behind the island. They will sit there on that point and on either side of it. A few more places to try wade fishing that aren't as crowded as the outlets. Other alternative is you take out a boat.

Ouch! That one looks like it smarted. At least it popped out and didn't lodge under the nail... Sounds like you boys got to spend some great time together in the woods and out on the water. Thats a nice Walter too!

Those look great Wrench! Thanks for sharing. Now I gotta get my cousin to tie me up some LOL.

Nice deer fellas, congrats on the successful hunts. I too heard about a fatal accident as a coworker knew one of the people involved... a guy shot his buddy on accident allegedly. Be safe out there.

So went down Thursday night to steelville. Hunted Friday with the pointy sticks. Saw a 6 that I passed on but that was it for Friday. Saturday opener with the boom sticks I saw 2 does being chased by a big buck that sadly went away from me. Shot at a mature doe that afternoon with my buddy's rifle that was prolly 250 and change away... Missed. 4 wheeler mishap put my long gun out of action that morning... Watched 3 does for almost 3 hours. Saw a big coyote which eventually ran them off, but never a good shot at him either. Overall a good weekend in the woods despite the bad stuff, but it happens. So how'd the rest of you all do?

I use them with my cousin and my buddy for a friendly competition. We only count trout though... I think we need two of those bead boards for Jig fest this year and we'll track each fishermans daily total! LOL Maybe we make one for @Johnsfolly for number of snags or lures lost! Just kidding buddy I am right there with ya leaving tackle in the river LOL

Lol, I have myself and 2 Brandon's coming. We are all boatless. One of the Brandon's is seeing if he can bring his buddies boat down. Pretty sure Marty will have his shoal Hopper with him too!

QB you got my other buddy Brandon down too right?

4 wheeler battery died, flat tires on the more reliable one... Riding back in with my buddy on his, had rifle over my shoulder and not over my head. Hit a huge rock and rifle popped off shoulder swings around and caught the back rack right on the turret leaving a big gouge all the way down to bare metal. Zero'd it back in when we get back. Was knocked way off... Shoot at deer next morning and they didn't even move. Shoot it again back at cabin and it's 3 foot or so off again... I'll give it another go at the range or if I go back out, but it seems like it won't hold zero anymore. I only brought 10 rounds or so down with me lol. I had a great spot setup but all with long shots. I had my 30/30 with me so hunted some other spots rest of weekend... Great days in the woods, but no deer to bring home this weekend.

Yeah my hunting was a roller coaster as well. Busted scopes and ATV rides in snowstorms mixed with 3 beautiful days in the woods...

I'm right there with ya. I was more excited about JigFest than deer hunting lol.

I too have still been seeing them almost all in the evening. FINALLY I will get to get out and sit this Friday and hopefully can stick an arrow in one... Heading down Thursday evening to Steelville. Looks like they are going to get rain and snow into the wee hours. Hoping maybe a layer of the white stuff will get them moving around for me Friday morning... If not then at least it will be nice and quiet moving around with everything wet, soaked, and cold for firearms opener LOL.

Nice job man! Glad you were able to get out. I agree the fall colors were in full display this weekend. Nice that the fish cooperated too!