Marland Deer opener

[choptank]

Just wanted to see how all you Maryland guys faired this week. little check in if you will.

I myself went back home (Frederick) to my old stomping grounds I usualy go about 2+ miles back in . So I had no problem taking my 60 lb doe this morning.

[mikehn]

About 8am three does ran past me so fast didnt get a chance to shoulder my gun. By 9am my butt was frozen so called it a day. Will try again Tuesday afternoon in the 70 degree heatwave!

[BrianC]

2 does.

[KenCraft]

Hunted the woods below my house. Killed a 120 pound 7 point about 0650 he was travling with a single doe. Stayed out til noon only seeing another doe in overdrive offering no shot opportunity. It was chilly out there but a little cloud cover and no wind made for a great hunt.

[RYASON]

Great morning, one doe, to far to shoot. Back out in the afternoon only to find one hunter in my buddies stand and a pop up blind set in a field by my stand. These fellas have permision to hunt this farm but only through my buddy. They are supposed to call but they didnt. One was smoking a cigar in the stand. Nice way to end the day with gun hunting goof balls disrespecting land owner rules, others hardwork in placing and building stands and for the safety that ethical hunters strive for. Plus he parked his car 70 yards from the tent they had set up in the field.
These are the guys that give gun hunters a bad name. They buy a gun the day before, never site in, take shots way to long, wound deer, walk around at 8:00 in the morning, smoke cigars in other people stands, hunt out of other peoples stands, trash the area, etc., etc., etc. Then they're gone leaving a trail of stench for a true hunter to hunt through until the end of January. These are the "brown is down" type guys who could care less about tradition and mangaement than puting 20 pounds of meat taken from a dressed 40 pound fawn in the frezzer. If they only took the time to think of other hunters who truly hunt deer or to be somewhat thankfull for the permisson they are granted all hunters will better off. Let the fawns breed. There is nothing wrong with taking 1 1/2 old doe. More meat, right? Better for all of us, right? Sorry for being long winded and thankfull if i offended the ones i intended to offend. I see it every year and are only hopefull it will change. There is alot of hunters that get out more than once or twice during gun season, only because we love the outdoors, respect the game we hunt and do our best to preseve a tradition that burns inside of us.

[Croakers]

Can't say it any better that Ryason just said it, my feelings exactly. I saw 4 does in the AM, passed on them hoping that buck would be following. Soon as they were out of my sight at the end of a long field, someone down at that end cut loose with 7 rapid, and I mean rapid shots. Shots so fast none could have been aimed. I'm thinking a .45 auto pistol. Anyway I saw the 4 does cross the field at 80 plus MPH, none the worse for wear, I hope. Bout 4:30 PM I had a big doe with 2 shortheads following her 40 yards from my stand. One of the shortheads was a button buck. I let them walk also. Then just about dark, a pretty good buck came along following the tracks of the 3 earlier. I had just lowered my gun to the ground on a rope unloaded, by the time I got it back up, he beat feet. I don't think I could have loaded and found him in the scope anyway, so tomorrow's another day. Good Luck, T.

[poon patrol]

I had a good weekend but never pulled the trigger. Throughout the weekend I passed up at least 20 different does, 4 basket racks, and last night I passed up a perfect 8 pointer that was probably 16 inches wide or so. I would not have mounted him so I didn't shoot, he will be a nice deer next year. Good luck with the rest of the season! Poon

[moronehead]

Same as poon. Passed on many does. Sat pm a nice 8 pt-ish large body buck came out with several does at 70, no clear shot. Went Sun pm and saw nothing from same stand. Time to break out the portable and fool em.

[done workin]

Ryason, wasn't that your son that got shortstanded during the early ML season???

If so, what's up with hunters on that property???????

[RYASON]

No that wasnt me. I remember the post. That one spured off into when to take your kid out hunting. Mine is six and I took a lot of great advice on that post, just like most posts here. Wasnt me but another guy that has ding dongs hunting around him too.

[done workin]

Sorry, thought you were on a good run of bad luck. Hope this isn't the beginning for you.

Sorry 'bout the cigar smokers.

[choptank]

Poop heads on the only property I hunt here did a massive deer drive today???? Little hope I did have has vanished that I could still salvage bullwinkle later with my bow. I guess I am split on these freaking drives, cant they wait til the later season? oh well they were just hillbillies shootin, I saw some deer with wounds and broken legs...darn it!! I think it is stupid to intentionaly shoot at running deer. Oh well I need to stop before I get all wound up.

I guess I will spend the rest of the season hunting public for a Sika and some ducks!

[BrianC]

They should wait until the last day of the season to drive. Morons!

[No Limits]

opening morning and evening = nothing. no one in the club that i was in even saw anything. there was not a lot of shots heard either. hunted next morning with the same results. was going to hunt till 5pm sun and call it a day. about 4:30 heard movement and finally found him. pulled trigger. he ran directly under my stand and it was over. 5point in the back of teh truck for the ride home. cut it a little close but it worked out for the best.

[Big Liar]

Big body 4 point in the morning of opening day. In the afternoon, I let two small deer eat on the corn pile for 30 minutes before they walked on. I've already got 4 so far this year so I'm not too concerned. I may take off Thurs. afternoon. I hunt 3 farms and still have atleast one more good buck running around on each farm, so I still have some hunting to do.

[MarkTakacs]

B.L.

Only one good buck of each farm?
I love the hunters that think they know all the deer on the farms they hunt.

well if you do you either hunt alot and I mean alot or the woods are so small that you can visually catalog each deer.....whatever.

I forgot to bring my cable to download our photos and the card reader does not like the card I currently have in the camera.
Then when I got home....I realized that I had left my camera in my parka pocket. Oh well, we have taken two sika spikes and a nice six stag.......funny since we are usually 3:1 whitetail over sika. Now that the beans are gone the whitetail have not shown their faces in the fields.....I was waiting for them. Sunday was very quiet. Full report and photos to follow. I'm suprised noone else has photos to share.

Mark

[Big Liar]

Please re-read. I stated atleast one on each farm. One woods is small enough that in January I can almost see all of the woods from one stand if I climb high enough. The other two are much bigger.

[MarkTakacs]

Well......thats just what I said.


Mark

[Big Liar]

No please try again. I said atleast one. You stated that I said only one. I did not claim to personally know every deer as you stated. I only said that I knew there was atleast one more big buck on each of the farms. Having seen them and still viewing new signs of them there, I don't think what I said was a bold or outlandish statement, you only interpreted that way.

[Choptank Rob]

Hey Big Liar, I am with you. We manage our woods much like it sounds you do as well. We know every inch and every resident deer. MarkTactics is implying that many deer move around, and they do, but resident deer typically stay close to the home. Not always but for the most part. Some of us spend more time manageing what we have rather than just showing up on opening day and hoping for a shot.

Best of luck to all!!!!

[Choptank Rob]

Hey Big Liar, I am with you. We manage our woods much like it sounds you do as well. We know every inch and every resident deer. MarkTactics is implying that many deer move around, and they do, but resident deer typically stay close to the home. Not always but for the most part. Some of us spend more time manageing what we have rather than just showing up on opening day and hoping for a shot.

Best of luck to all!!!!

[poon patrol]

Hey Johnson. where are you Caroline farms that you hunt? I live in Caroline and I was just curious? Poon

[Choptank Rob]

Poon, near harmony. What about you?

[poon patrol]

I have 20 acres that I live on Skeleton Crk Rd, which is off frazier neck road. I haven't seen a big one around me all year, but then again I don't hunt a whole lot there. I just keep a corn pile going all year and hit it sometimes before work.

[Big Liar]

Hey Poon Patrol and RtJohnson. Small world, I grew up on Frazier neck road when it was still called Tanyard road. (Prettyman farm) I hunt Wilber Engle's farm and Richie Engle's farm as well as a farm outside of Federalsburg.

[Choptank Rob]

Poon, I know your neck of the woods well. I am back on Hog Creek Rd. I hunt 2 different farms as well. One with 20 acres the other about 40. The 20 acre piece is way more productive due to ajoining farms and that fact that they manage the herd as well. So our deer travel back and forth between 3 farms that treat them well. With all that going on, we have a few true Monsters. I jst saw the 12pt last night so my hopes are still high that I will get a crack at him.

I am taking my 12 year old daughter out tonight in hopes of her getting her first deer. That would make my season.

I goose hunt over here as well and we do pretty good. I have three fields within 3 miles of my house that we goose hunt. So I have a little piece of paradise right in my back yard. I actually count myself very luck for that!!!

Good hunting and be safe

[poon patrol]

Big Liar. My grandfather was the only man who had duck hunting rights to Wilber's mash for 20 some years! I've asked him many times if I could hunt it and he said only if your grandfather wants to go, well he doesn't and it kills me to drive by that marsh everyday! Small world!

[poon patrol]

Johnson. Do you hunt Worm ground? My place on skeleton crk rd is the one with two impoundments, one with corn, and one with sorgam, and both with no duck!!!!!!!!!!!

[Choptank Rob]

I do goose hunt with the worms. I live next door to Robert. But I don't deer hunt with them. I worked with Richard Engle at utilities years ago and used to go rabbit hunting with him when they did the christmas tree thing. lways wanted to hunt that freakin marsh. Always seems to hold the ducks. On day in September on my wat to easton, there had to be 300 teal sitting there!!!!

Big Liar, where are your farms you hunt for deer located, in Dorchester or up this way?

[Big Liar]

RtJohnson,
Wilber's woods and Richard's woods. I also started hunting on the Fooks' farm this year over on North Tera Rd. but I'm the only one hunting on the two Engle farms so I like those farms better. I've taken my son the last 3 years on youth day and he's killed 5 deer in 3 years (8pt. 6pt. and 3 does).

I started to drive out over Wilber's field to put out decoy's Thanksgiving morning when the front wheels fell in and I had to ask Tony Worm to pull me out. Small world.

[Choptank Rob]

It sure is BL!!! I have had my daughter hunting sevral times and while we have seen plenty of deer she has yet to get a shot. Not her fault, just the deer going the unexpected way and stuff like that. So I am hoping that tonight will be her night.
\My wife is cousins to the Engles. SO the world is even smaller yet LOL.

Poon and BL, either of you do much fishing out of Choptank? I crab and fish out of there all summer long. Hell we should have a Caroline Chapter of TF LOL.

[poon patrol]

What a small world! My I know Tony very well. I always wondered if Wilber's farm was a good deer farm. My grandfather use to repair all Wilber's guns for free, and thats how he got to hunt that marsh.

[Big Liar]

I live Cambridge now so that is where I fish at most of the time. I water ski out of Choptank once in awhile. Ok we'll just see how small this world is. My true name is Lenny Wooters. Graduated from Colonel in 84.

[Choptank Rob]

I know Tony as well. He kept his boat at Snug harbor where I kept mine. My wife does their hair and we live next door to his cousin. Small yes. My name is Rob and my wifes name is Joy (todd was her maden name). Joy graduated from Colonel in 82 and me from Easton in 82.

Ok Poon, time for you to come out of the closet!!! LOL

[Big Liar]

I knew Joy. Last time I say her I believe you may have been with her. It was at the church in Harmony before my mom died. It was at an Easter or Christmas dinner in the basement. Her name was Betty Wooters.

[Choptank Rob]

I remember Betty, sorry for your loss. Yes, Joy and go to the church in Harmony. Alwyas good food at those dinners LOL. So whats up with Poon!!!!!! Time for him to come clean. I know that alot of people who want to disapear from society live down Skeleton Creek way!!! So maybe he is laying low LOL!!!!

[poon patrol]

I'm not as old as you two!!! LOL!! My mother was a Coleman, and I bought the place from her. I know Tony because my wife's family is really good friends with he and his wife. I'm 27, and yes I like to hide down in the boondocks of Skeleton Crk, where we still have a couple of mountain men!!!!!!!!

[Choptank Rob]

mountain men hell. they just reported seeing saskuatch down that way!!!! OLD may arse!! 41 and acting like I am 21 all over again. The only way to live!!!

Where do you waterfowl hunt Poon and what about you BL? maybe the three of us should get together and do a swap hunt or something like that.

[poon patrol]

I have a few really good goose spots, one in Queenstown, one in Trappe, and one in Chestertown. As for ducks, I use to live down at elliott's island and deale, or any other public marsh where I was seeing ducks. I got married a year and a half ago, and now have a 6 week old son, a real job, and real bills! I don't get to duckhunt as much as I use to.

[Big Liar]

Poon, did your mom ever work at Chance's store part time? I just started hunting geese again this year some in Wilber's field. Laydown blind only. I use to hunt Little creek all the way to the mouth including Wilber's marsh along the creek when I was growing up. I also trapped that marsh as a kid.

I also do some waterfowl hunting as a guest on a 500 acre farm on Fork Neck Rd. in Dorchester. 11 acre impoundment of standing corn. My son is now 10 so I'm getting back into hunting like I use to with the excuse that my son need to learn how to hunt.

[poon patrol]

She never worked at Chances, but two of my aunts from the Coleman side have. I can't wait until my son is old enough to go hunting so I will have the same reason to go! Did you know my granfather that hunted Wilber's marsh? Right when I started hunting is when he kind of got out of it. I guess I got to go there about two seasons worth with him.

[Big Liar]

I knew of him more than I knew him to talk to him. He was around my fathers age.

[Choptank Rob]

Chances is still the place to hang. Poon are you one of the early morning regulars?

taking the kids hunting has been such an awesome thing. Saturday afternoon I smoked two does with my 8year old son sitting in the stand with me. He loved it!!!! Next year he gets to take the hunter safety course and he is pumped.

Poon, is your wife the "understanding" type? I hope so. I remember when our first was born 15.5 years ago, it seemd that my hunting lifestyle took a good hit during those early years. My best to you on that one Poon!!!!

But now, all three of my kids go hunting with me and the wife goes on occasion as well, so life is good for sure!!!!

[poon patrol]

Got Ya, his name is Jack. I bet you do well with the geese there.

[Choptank Rob]

Poon, I am sure my father in law knew him. My father in law is "Hap" Todd. He and wilber are related through some marriage way back when. Hap and Wilber used to hunt and fish together back in the 50's and 60's so I know he must know him. I will ask him and let you know.

[poon patrol]

I stop in there every morning for a cup of coffee! She is understanding, but I can't just take off at 3 in the morning and not return unti 7 at night which is what I use to do! I haven't been to any public marsh this whole year. My buddy has 1000 acres in Crisfield with a shack that I also would spend a lot of time at and I haven't done that either! Life changes, but for the better.

[Choptank Rob]

Poon, your time will come. What a joy it must be to have a new baby in your life!!! Congrats!!!!

I read an article yesterday about a guy who took his 11 month old son on a bow hunt with him. He carried him in one of those back pack thinks that you see. So there is hope my friend!!!!

I bet BPS has some waders that will fit him. LOL!!!

[Big Liar]

I always knew him as Happy Todd. They all used to net fish rock back in the 50's and 60's. I can even remember net fishing as a real young kid with Tif Willougby(sp). Back then he was the only one I knew that could catch Rockfish above Dover Bridge on rod and reel on a regular basis.

[Big Liar]

I've picked my son up a 4-10 this year for waterfowl. Bismuth shells are expensive but I want to get him into goose hunting this year.

[poon patrol]

I know it will! My son is just a little to noisy right now to take in the woods!

[Choptank Rob]

Everyone knew him as happy, now we just call him Hap. I have heard countless stories of how they used to load the boat with rock over in front of kingston creek with the rock. But like any good fisherman, each time I hear those stories, there are always more fish and hell now the boat is about to sink. i am sure the next time I hear them the boat will have sank the they had to swim to shore pulling the net s with them. It's all good though.

Did you ever hear the stories about all the bootleggers that had stills all over the woods aroung harmony? I just heard those on thanksgiving. Pretty cool. hap said there were more bootleggers around here than anyone ever knew. He is full of stories. I like the ones about the bare knuckle fights they used to have on friday nights down by the mill in a barn? Those are good ones.

Poon, he will be old enough before you can turn around. Enjoy them at every age.

[rock n crab]

Took my 9yo son with me on opening day, he got his first deer in the youth season a few weeks back so his chest is still puffed out...... 0815 four doe taunt us for 20 minutes without offering a shot. 0845 plump spike walks thru the area and before I could tell my boy what to do he had lead on its way to the deer. 2nd deer under his belt, he says he wants a cougar next.... :)
The little man is on a roll.......

[Choptank Rob]

Way cool Rock n Crab!!!!

[Big Liar]

congrats Rock and Crab.

RT, ask him if he knows anything about the big Rockfish that tore up 8 nets before getting caught in John and Jake Wooters' net. I can still remember this story like it was yesterday and my fathers been dead for ten years now. He said they were in a 14' boat and this Rockfish was nearly as long. People kept telling him that it as a stergeon(sp) but he told me that it was definitely a rockfish and the largest rock he had ever seen. I've got pictures of him with 70lb. Rock and he told me that this one was way bigger. They were affraid to bring it in the boat so they cut the net off of her and set her free.

[Choptank Rob]

BL, that is a serious fish and I will be sure to ask him about that one for sure.

[funofitfarm]

boy it sure is starting to get deep in this thread!i was just wondering if you all are supposed to be actually doing something productive while at work?lol hey big,whats the plan for this weekend?weather doesnt look to good for fishing so maybe it will be a good sunday to keep the peace at home.just keep workin on a trip too the cbbt next pretty day we have.and there are fish in and around o.c. still.

bang em and hang em.2nd week is meat season!!!!!!!

[Big Liar]

Already got the go ahead to hunt am and pm tomorrow. Just need to get Scott to a B-day party at 2:00. I've got to pick up a couple hundred pounds of corn today so I can replentish tomorrow.

[funofitfarm]

i can do better than that,i got the ok from work to leave early to go today.wendy already assumed id be good for am and pm tommorow. but sunday looks like im going shopping w/ her,maybe she wants something from gander mtn.lol.im going solo tommorow am.brett wants to go in the pm.im gonna load em up w/ corn this eve and hope for the best.saw nothing last eve didnt even hear but 1 shot way off,its time to get 1 for sausage.keep me informed if something good happens.