Too dry to do any "sneaking and peeking"...leaves on the ground go "snap, crackle, and pop"...so, used my climbing stand. Got 20 feet up in a pine tree on Bannister WMA, Angelina Nat'l Forest.
On a slight ridge, between two creek bottoms, mixed pine and hardwoods. Good view of both drainage systems. Could actually see out to about 80 yards in three directions. Looked promising.
Temps from about 45 in the morning to almost 60 by 3 o'clock. Slightly overcast, light wind from the east.
Monday, was in the tree from about 10 AM to fall of darkness, about 5:30 PM. Saw nothing. Not even a squirrel or coyote.
Tuesday, hit the same tree an hour before first light. Love to watch daylight arrive. Crows sounded off at 6:50, sunrise at 7:15.
Saw 2 squirrels. Nothing else stirring. About 10 degrees warmer than Monday. Stayed in the tree until 11:00 AM.
Climbed down, put my climber in "back pack" configuration, and then the sound of a baying hound echoed thru the woods. I stayed put, at the base of the tree I had been in, to see what would happen with the hound in full bay, and approaching my location fast.
The doe bounded toward me in full flight. I had no doe tag, so just stayed put, hoping for the appearance of a buck.
She passed my tree at 20 FEET, never knowing I was there. I stayed by the tree trunk, shielded from her sight by its 2 1/2 foot diameter. I made careful note of her escape route, thinking some day a buck might use it. But not today.
Dog was about 2 minutes behind the doe. He never knew I was there, either. About 30 yards beyond me, he lost the does scent, and began to cast about, trying to locate it. Still in full bay. He then took off at a right angle to the does escape path, and faded away in the distance, going the wrong way, east. The doe went south.
I started back to my truck, and by the time I was almost to it, the hound had circled to the north, then turned west. I stopped again, as his counter clockwise loop seemed to be bringing him full circle back toward my location. Maybe he would send a buck my way, anyway.
Didn't happen. Oh, well - maybe next time.
