2006 WV Hunting
WV DNR INITIATES CHANGES FOR 2006!
The first big changes in 2006 was the increase in hunting and fishing licenses and associated tags that took effect January 1, 2006. Also, effective April 11, 2006, the WV Lifetime hunting/fishing license went up from $570 to $760. I am so thankful that I got mine back when they were only $300, that was 11 years ago, for the combined license and I am thankful my son got his 2 years ago. At the new price I just don't see that many people buy a lifetime license.
The DNR also made some changes to the stamps...a new muzzleloader stamp was issued. This would allow you to take an additional deer with a muzzleloader. A Big Game stamp was issued that replaced the bow stamp, turkey stamp and boar stamp. Instead of buy three stamps you just purchase the one stamp.
Also, another change to the hunting regulations is the introduction of a license/stamp for disabled hunters to use crossbows for hunting. A doctor has to certify that the person is disabled in the upper extremities, either arms or shoulders and could not use a conventional type bow for hunting. This has caused a big concern among the archery hunters in the state. They see it as something that could be abused and also the first step to completely legalize the use of crossbows for any hunter.
2006 Spring Gobbler Season
This year, 2006, Jerod and I are getting read for the upcoming 2006 Spring Gobbler Season (April 24 - May 20, 2006). So far we haven't had the opportunity to get out and do any early scouting. Jerod and I both know of a place that we hunt that has been covered in turkeys for the past two years. Last year, 2005, Jerod was bow hunting and saw over 50 birds and the last day of bow season, December 31, 2005, I was close to the same are and I saw 10 gobblers. Now I know that the chances of these birds still being there is slim, but we have never been in the area and not seen turkeys.
One thing I did this spring was to go to our camp in Greenbrier County and bring home my 1971 Lee camper that I have had for the past 3 years. I bought it from my brother in law 3 years ago. I knew that it needed some work but for $300 I couldn't pass up the chance to have my own camper. Here is the link to the 1971 Lee work journal.
Another thing I did to get ready for the upcoming Spring Gobbler Season was to buy me a new truck. Well, at least it is new to me. I purchased a 2001 Chevy S-10 LS 4x4 extended cab so I could have something that can pull my 1972 Lee camper. The 84 Chevy S-10 Durango 4x4 I gave to Jerod. It will make him a good truck for a few years until he can save some money to get what he wants. The 2001 has a 4.3 V-6 Vortec engine, is automatic with AC and has an AM/FM/CD stereo in it. Jerod has already informed me that I can't put my white aluminum camper top on this truck...LOL. I took the topper off of the 84 S-10 before I gave it to Jerod, cause I knew he didn't want it. My oldest son ordered me a brush/grille guard for the 2001 made by Westin. As soon as I get it I will be installing it on the truck.
Well the first day of spring gobbler season I missed. I had to work and couldn't get off and the second day I had to take the truck to the garage to get a power steering fluid leak fixed. So the start of this years season started off bad for me.
Finally Jerod and I got out on April 27th and had some excitement, but didn't get a bird. Jerod never got one to answer his calls at all. I had setup close to the area I had seen all those gobblers on the last day of bow season. Right off the bat after getting my decoy set up and getting back in behind my blind I got a bird to answer. I got a few gobble from him...he was off to my left at what seemed to be a 150 yards or so away. After the second gobble I heard a shotgun blast from that area! Dang, someone was closer to the bird than I was but I never heard anyone else calling. Later I had a bird gobble to my call that really got me excited. I thought that he was right out in front of me, but after a few other calls I noticed that he sounded like he was in the holler below me. Finally I realized that he must of been on the roost on the ridge in front of me and he came off and was coming to me but a creek was between me and him. After an hour of back and forth calling he finally quit answering. I then picked up my decoy and started walking and calling about every 75 yards or so, but nothing. I did see several squirrels during the morning.
On Saturday the 29th Alvin and I went hunting. I decided that I would call for Alvin and hopefully call him a bird in to his spot. The only bird we heard that day was the same one I heard on the other ridge on Thursday. I told Alvin that he was on the other ridge across the creek and that we couldn't go to him. That ridge wasn't on our club lease. After about an hour and a half Alvin and I got up and started walking the ridges to see if we could get one to gobble. Nothing, but we did see two deer and that made us feel good. By 9 AM we were on our way home.
Jerod and I went back out on Tuesday, May 9th, I was off work for election day. This was one of our most exciting days so far, but still no turkey to bring home. Throughout the day we had a total of 5 birds answering us. One of them was that same old bird on the ridge that wasn't part of our club lease. One of them I guess another hunter got. We had just gotten on top of a ridge and started calling when we heard a gobble and then a shotgun blast that made the hair on my neck stand up. We were close...a little to close. We ended up getting 3 other birds to sound off, but not a one would come to us. I think that the ole boys were with their hens. While driving to another area to hunt we saw a gobbler, which appeared to have just crossed the road heading up a hill. We went down the road and turned around and came back to a wide spot. We got out and proceeded to head the bird off, but he must of been heading to a hot hen or something. We never got him to answer our calls and never saw him.
Moultrie Camera Preparation
As most know I give a thumbs up to the Moultrie digital camera that Wal-Mart sells for $98.
I purchased one back in the spring and have been wanting to get it out for some time now.
I ran it through a test in the back yard aimed at the dogs. Got several pictures from it and was pretty satisfied.
Yea I know, it isn't a Cuddeback or Wildeye (not sure of the brand), but for a man on a budget the Moultrie will do the job for me.
I fell in love with the Moultrie last year after seeing the one my brother in law bought.
Well one of the reasons that it isn't out yet was one...I wanted a steel box to put the camera in...I got one...thank you bud!...you know who you are...second and after I got the box, I wanted to mount the solar panel for the rechargeable battery...and third get the Master Lock Python cable.
Now all of this has been put together and I have a pretty good installation setup.
I had it outside here at the house trying it out, making sure that the battery stays charged.
One thing I did do to the camera...which probably has voided the warranty...I drilled two small holes in the camera back near the battery housing and placed two rubber grommets to run the positive and negative leads for the solar panel through.
Also, after hooking it up I brought it in and pulled the battery and the lithium battery...basically a complete computer reset of the camera.
It appears to be working fine with no problems.
The one thing that I haven't gotten yet is two 256 mb SD cards for the camera.
I went to Wal-Mart...the Lexmark SD cards were on sale, but there was only one left and it had been out of the package so I didn't get it.
I am going to keep my eyes open at Wal-Mart and see if they get anymore in soon.
But for the time being I will let the camera store the images until I get the card or cards.
I am planning on taking the camera out to my hunting club. I know of an area where I have seen a few nice bucks in the past two years and I pretty much know the routes they travel.
So as soon as I get the thing out in the woods and start getting pictures I will start posting.
I thought I would upload some pictures of my camera box setup. So here they are:
This is looking at the front of the camera installed and strapped to the tree.
Here is a look at the top of the camera showing the solar panel bolted to the top of the camera box.
Here is a side view of the camera.
Here is the opposite side where you can see the ratchet strap and the Python cable from MasterLock.
Front of camera with the lower door of the camera box unlocked and opened to show the whole camera.
This shows the disconnect that I made in the solar panel cable so I can remove the camera. Also it shows where I ran the two leads into the back of the camera. I drilled two holes and put rubber grommets in the casing and ran the black and red wires through to the inside of the camera.
Here is the empty box with only the solar panel cable in it.
Here is the top of the camera box showing the solar panel, Python cable and the wood wedge. I know everyone has heard guys say that you might need to put something behind the camera to aim it more to the ground. Well this is what they are talking about, a wedge between the tree and the camera or camera box that will angle the camera down some.
My son and I went to our club and I placed the camera in an area that I have seen many deer and I hope is promising this year.
In this photo I am standing at the camera getting a GPS reading.
And here is a photo of the camera setup with me away from it.
2006 Archery Season Preparation
One of the first things that I have done to get prepared for the upcoming 2006 Archery season was to purchase a Moultrie 1.3 mega pixel digital camera from Wal-Mart. Not a bad digital game camera for under $100!! I also made a trade with my brother in law Alvin last year. After two months of using his Hunter's View buddy ladder stand he wanted to trade it to me for one of my self climbing stands. I didn't hesitate!! I said sure thing and we made the trade. I will try and get some early pre season scouting in and take my ladder stand to a place I like and get it setup this summer. Then I will take my other climbing stand with me and if I want I can change locations easily.
Another thing that I did was to try and do a repair to my 3D archery target. For the past two years my son, myself and my brother in law had been shooting at the target. Well the insert was shot and I couldn't find a replacement. K-Mart and Wal-Mart didn't have any and I didn't know if they were going to be carrying them anymore. I found a guy who told me how he fixed his target. It involved some Saran Wrap and a can of spray foam insulation. Remove the old insert, wrap the deer body with the wrap, several times over and over again, and then puncture a small whole in the back side and spray in the foam insulation. Let the insulation cure for at least 24 hours and wa-la you have a new insert. Works great!!
Another thing I did was join the West Virginia Bowhunters Association. I joined about a month before they had a small bow shoot. It was my first bow shot to attend. My son and I went and help setup some extra targets at a range that is open to anyone, just pay $5 and shoot the range. Well the WVBA shoot had 28 targets all together to shoot at. Jerod and I did the whole course. Had a blast! Only bent one arrow and broke one.
Since the first of September I have had my camera set out in the woods where I want to hunt the opening day of archery season. I have several pictures of does and fawns so far, but no bucks. I do have a nice black bear!!! in one shot.
First day of archery season, October 14, 2006, I score a nice buck!
Juddie Burgess with 7-point buck. (Photo by Jerod Burgess)
Well I did it!! Saturday morning at 7:50 am I shot my very first buck with a bow. Of course I have taken does, but never a buck. In fact years ago I lost a 6-point buck due to a bad shot placement. I learned the hard way that patients and the right available shot opportunity needs to part of this style of hunting.
But, the deer gods have forgiven me and let me take a buck this year. Nothing spectacular or nothing to have mounted and hang on the wall, but it is a buck and a trophy to me.
It is the 2006 opening day of the West Virginia Archery Season. A time that every bow hunter waits for, from the time it closes in December of the previous year until now. Bow hunters have been busy practicing, tuning their bows and sharpening broad heads all summer long getting ready for this day. I don’t think there is any other time of the year that the excitement for a hunter is the greatest, unless it is when that magical buck steps within range of an archery hunter.
Jerod, my son, and I were up at 4:30 am getting dressed and getting a good hearty breakfast down before we left the house to go hunting on this opening day morning. We left the house at 5:30 am to get to our hunting lease.
Once there we put on our safety harnesses and uncased our bows, locked up the truck and started to our stands. I arrived at my ladder stand at 6 am and climbed up and immediately hooked up my safety harness. I was setup to hunt by 6:15 am.
The woods were quite and the stars and a half moon were bright! I heard something like a deer go over the hill, at least it sounded that way to me. Then as light broke I heard and saw some squirrels running around on the ground looking for their morning breakfast. The birds were beginning to sing their wake up calls to the world.
At about 7:45 am I heard something in the leaves like someone walking to my right. I looked up the hill and saw a deer coming my way from the hill adjacent to me. I slowly stood up in my ladder stand and got myself positioned so I could be ready for a shot. Since I am a right hand shooter, shooting the right is difficult if you don’t get yourself into position.
As the deer drew closer I finally was able to make out that it was a buck with a rack. I drew my bow back just before he got in front of me. He was only 20 yards away.
The day before I had been in the stand with my range finder checking distances.
Then the buck stopped and looked right up at me. DANG!! I HAVE BEEN MADE! He looked at me for what seemed like an eternity. Then he made a complete 180 turn and started walking back the way he came. I was still at full draw and got the pin on the mark, but the deer was still walking and I was afraid to grunt to get him to stop. I took the shot!! I heard a loud THUD as the arrow hit him. I saw the deer jump and start back up the trail he came down. The whole time I watched my arrow (they have white fletch wrap and fletching on them) bounce up and down as he headed back up the hillside. I saw him make it to the top and then lost sight of him.
I radioed Jerod and told him that I got one and was going to give it about 30 minutes, and while waiting I was going to get down and check the spot he was standing. I told Jerod that I didn’t like the shot it appeared to be back further than what I liked. I told him that if I needed help I would radio him.
Jerod congratulated me.
I lowered my bow and then my backpack to the ground and unhooked my safety harness and got down. I put on my backpack picked up the bow and went to where he jumped when I hit him. I looked around for hair and or blood. Didn't see anything at that spot. I looked ahead, the direction he left the area and saw where he made impressions in the leaves and I moved up slowly and looked for blood. Didn't see any, I was getting worried then there it was...BLOOD!! Just a little drop or two of blood on top of some leaves.
I was really worried about the shot I took now. I started to look for more blood and started tracking the trail. I noticed the further I went the more blood I saw. He had gone up the hill and I guess the arrow was still cutting cause the further he went up the hill the more blood I found. It appeared to be spraying on the ground from the look of it. Just as I topped the hill I found my arrow. It was covered with blood and a whole lot more on the ground.
I picked it up examined it and put it in the quiver. I then pulled another arrow out of the quiver and placed it on the string. I knew that I must be close. I didn't take more than 3 steps and saw him lying there on the ground. I found him!!! He hadn’t gone more than about 10 yards from where the arrow came out and fell. In all he only went maybe 50 or 75 yards from where I shot him.
I immediately looked up at the sky and thanked God for providing this deer for me to harvest. Then I radioed Jerod and told him that I had found the deer. I told him it was the 7-pointer that we had on camera. Again, he congratulated me and wanted to know if I would need help. I told him no, just stay there and hunt I had all day to drag him out.
I took out my digital camera and position the deer’s head on my backpack and took a photo of him. I then proceeded to fill out my tag and attach it to him. Then the work started.
Now the 7-pointer isn’t really anything to write home about, but this is my first 7-pointer ever and the first buck with a bow! His inside spread is only 7 inches, and the longest tine is only about 2 and half inches or so.
Of course it is a small rack but I am proud of this buck just because it is my first one with the bow!
7-point buck where he fell (Photo by Juddie Burgess)
Another thing that is great is that I have pictures of him before I was able to harvest him. We have pictures of him sparing with a 6-point that has a bent G-2, pictures of him at my stand and at my brother-in-laws stand.
7-point sparing with the 6-point buck (Photo by Alvin Kowalsky's Moultrie Trail Cam)
This will be a hunt that I won’t soon forget. It seems that the first buck taken, whether with a gun or a bow is something you remember for quite some time.
I have been bow hunting for about 20 years and been hunting for 26 years. Jerod started hunting with me about 7 years ago and has been my hunting partner ever since.
Good Luck to all my archery buddies!
EQUIPMENT USED:
Martin Jaguar Fusion Cam bow – Advantage Timber camo pattern – 70# pull
Overdraw TM Hunter Rest
Toxonics 3 fiber optic pin site
Kwikee Kwiver
Easton XX75 2213 (26 inches) white fletch wrap, white fletching with yellow nock fletch
Wasp Bullet 100 grain broad heads
TruFlite trigger release
Bushnell Yardage Pro Sport Rangefinder
Hunters View Buddy Ladder Stand
OUTFIT:
Advantage Timber camo 2 piece outfit
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