Things have been fairly hectic this fall. It turns out that learning your way around and scouting the public lands in your new home state can be a bit challenging. After all, Mike is getting a bit older, and the hills in Tennessee seem a little bit steeper to him than they used to. This isn't going to keep him out of the woods though, it's just put him behind the curve. So it will be Michael who gets the deer season started for us this year. Thorough scouting often leads one to find spots that pay off year after year. That's the case with this video. He heads in to hunt public land in a spot we call "The Magic Spot". We almost always see deer here, and this is where we have filmed more than one hunting video. We shot the Three Deer Down video here, and also filmed the final deer hunt from last year here as Mike took an eight point. It no surprise Michael would get in here when conditions were right. This spot not only depends on a good wind, but it also gets an assist from heavy hunting pressure that pushes deer into this particular area. So with the wind in his face, he headed in on opening day of the early duck hunting split. Anticipating a good turn out of duck hunters to push the deer out of the flooded bottoms where they take refuge from pressure was a great plan, and he didn't have to wait long for action to get started!
FISHING OUR SECRET SPOT
As fall arrives, Mike and Dana head out to try a spot they had found on a previous fishing trip. They have been exploring for good spots to put some fish filet's in the freezer, and had caught a few, though small, yellow perch at this location. Somewhat off the beaten trail, they felt that it might be an overlooked fishing spot where they could return to at a different time and perhaps catch a few larger ones. So they headed out one afternoon to give it a try. Sometimes, things don't work out as planned.
HERPING COLORADO Matt and Siobhan were also welcoming falls arrival. But they were in Colorado enjoying a herping trip. Starting their trip road cruising for reptiles and amphibians, escorted by a mule deer, they located several fascinating creatures. These include a spade-foot toad that glows under a black light, and they had one on hand to demonstrate. They also locate several snakes not common to their region, one of which was the Prairie Rattlesnake, and a beautiful example of the Whiptail Lizard. Join them below!
DOVE HUNTING OUR SUNFLOWER FIELD
Fall was just around the corner when the hunting season got started. It is tradition for us to kick it off wing-shooting dove on Labor Day weekend. In years past, this has taken place on crowded public dove fields. This year was different. Being blessed with a little bit of land to work, Mike decided he would try his hand at putting in an acre of sunflowers for dove. He had never grown anything much larger than a small garden before, so growing on this scale was sort of an experiment. But it worked out well! The field blossomed and dried, and started attracting birds! Accompanied by Dana, they headed out behind the house with a few boxes of shells and took their first game on the new property! We can only hope that the hard work put in on food plots they planted for deer and will work just as well this fall!
FALL SNAKEHEAD FISHING
The invasive snakehead was becoming well established in Maryland before we relocated to Tennessee. But we were getting them figured out and putting a few in the cooler on our trips down to the waters where they had been introduced. This particular trip took place during the fall. Taking a break from the woods after a few slow deer hunts, they wanted to see how the fish would hit later in the year, and were not disappointed! These fish eagerly hit their offerings, and put up quite a fight! If you get a chance to fish for them, be sure to take it! Not only do the offer a great fight, but they are also great eating, and you'll be doing the environment a favor by catching and keeping a few to give them a try yourself!
JOIN US BELOW FOR A FEW OF OUR PAST ADVENTURES, MORE IS ON THEY WAY!!!
This past fishing season, we headed out looking for a spot to catch crappie. They are very good eating, and very willing to bite when they are spawning. We targeted a shallow cove with gravel and wood debris on the bottom. These type of areas have the cover and food they are looking for when they start their spawning runs. It was a bit late in the season, but we did manage to catch a few. We also had a surprise catch. A carp with a lamprey eel attached! We had no idea these bloodsucking parasitic fish lived in Tennessee!
As fall moves along, the whitetail breeding season, called "the rut", arrives. This can be a great time to get into the woods and hunt deer. Not only can the rut offer you a better chance at a good buck, but all the deer are more active as the urge to reproduce surges. So it's also a good time to head out if the freezer is a bit empty. It's also a great time to take a leave of absence from work for a "rutcation"! Click below to join us on one of ours, and start planning one for yourself. You'll be glad you did!
Fall arrives, and hunting seasons open. You head to the woods with a great deal of anticipation. You've done your scouting, and spent countless hours practicing with your bow. A deer appears from the brush and offers a shot.You raise your bow, take careful aim, and release the arrow, only to watch the deer bolt off unscathed. You wonder to yourself how could you have missed after all that practice? Perhaps it wasn't your fault. This slow motion footage reveals the lightning quick reflexes of the whitetail deer that often defeat our best efforts!
FALL HERPING 2019 Fall is a wonderful time to enjoy the outdoors. We do a great deal of hunting this time of year. But that is by no means the only outdoor activity to enjoy. Many members of our crew also enjoy herping, or searching for reptiles and amphibians. Fall can be a great time to locate these creatures as they prepare for their winter hibernation. Join us as we head out to find seldom seen creatures that have abandoned their summer hideaways while looking for suitable spots to spend the colder months doing that!
Hunting and fishing is a lifestyle many enjoy. These
activities provide delicious, self renewing, non polluting
fish and game for the table. With that in mind, we created