This was an exciting day for the Piotrowskis. They finalized the purchase of an additional 80 acres of property that is directly attached to their current 115 acres. After closing on the deal, Brett and Wally met up with Jason Rothbauer to walk the property. Several areas were found that seemed to have good potential for bowhunting. In the afternoon, Brett and Jason also cut the foodplot down in the hopes of getting some more clover growing. It has been a busy year this year and the garbage weeds had taken over. We should know more by labor day if the plot will be able to recover.

Jason and Brett headed to the Solberg property to set their opening morning stands. They have been hunting this property the last few years on opener because it is easier to hunt when all of the leaves are still on the trees. Two deer were seen bounding away during the process of getting stands put up.

Wally, Brett, Jason, and Steve spent the weekend at the cabin taking care of the final preparations for the upcoming bow hunting season. Most of the trails were cleared of any large debris that was laying across them. Wally worked hard spreading some new gravel on the logging road. We also filled some of the major wash-out areas with gravel. On Sunday afternoon and evening Brett, Jason, and Steve set up two new tree stands on the new property. Sunday night we took down three stands and moved two of them - one to the new property and one near the northeast side of the meadow. We also found out that we have been approved for the land grant that we applied for last fall. Now we just need to decide exactly what it is that we want to accomplish with this grant. Check back for updates on 9/16 - hopefully we will have good news to report from opening weekend.

The archery season is now officially undereway. This past weekend, Jason, Brett, and Steve hunted. The season kicked off with Brett and Jason sitting at Solberg's through some heavy rain and a lot of moquitoes. We were in the stands by 5:45 and anxiously awaiting the first deer sighting of the year. At 8:30 I had had enough so I climbed out of my stand and decided to make a small drive towards Jason hoping to get something going. Little did I know that he had the same plan so he was also out of his stand wandering around the woods. As I was making my way towards his stand I kicked up a couple of deer which happened to run very close to him. He said they were both bucks - probably an 8pt and 6pt. That was the only human/whitetail interaction of the morning. At 9:30 we met at the car and headed towards the cabin. At the cabin, we met up with Steve who had opted not to hunt that morning because of the bad weather. We played a few hands of cards and discussed the strategy for the evening. This would be the innagural hunt of the new property! At 4:30 we each headed out to various parts of the property. I decided to hunt over the food plot, Jason went to a white oak ridge, and Steve went to the north edge of the new property. Things were pretty quiet that evening. I did see an adult doe with her two fawns come to the food plot around 7:15. They milled around for about 20 minutes and then headed out. Jason and Steve blanked for the evening. At dark we met at the cabin, had some dinner, and called it a night around 10pm. When the alarm sounded at 5:30 the next morning, there was not a lot of movement in the cabin. I hit snooze several times before finally getting up around 6:10. We all threw on our gear and got settled into the stands around 6:45. Again there was not much moving. I had one deer smell me and take off, Jason had two deer jog past his stand out of bow range, and Steve did not see anything. We met at the cabin a little after 9:00 and packed everything up and headed home. The next planned hunt is going to be 9/28.

Brett, Wally, Tony, Jim S., and Steve N. spent the weekend working on firewood. On Friday night, Steve sat in a the middle ridge stand on the new property and saw a doe and fawn. I sat on the food plot again and saw a 6pt, 2 does (running through plot), and a doe and fawn fed under my tree at dark. Sunday morning I saw a 6pt and spike at the blue tarp. Steve saw nothing.

The second work weekend took place. Brett, Al Fruland, and Pat Sullivan got to the cabin early Friday. They worked on some cabin firewood. Bruno showed up in time to hunt the middle ridge stand. He saw a doe and fawn at dark. Saturday, Brett, Bruno, Al, Ben, Pat, Jason, Jim, Tony, Wally, and John P. worked on firewood for about 6 hours. A lot of progress was made. That night the crew took it easy by having a few beers at Swedes.

Jason and Brett hunted at the cabin. No deer seen during the entire weekend. A lot of buck sign starting to appear on the new property.

Jason and Brett again hunted the property. On Friday night, Brett saw a small buck make a scrape at the middle ridge stand. Several deer were also seen from the blue tarp stand. More and more buck sign appearing each week.

This weekend was the long hunting weekend at the property. On Thursday morning Brett saw two deer from #2. Jason sat on Maynard's stand and didn't see anything. Steve sat at Mother Oak and also zipped. Thursday night Jason set up a stand near the black ash swamp but didn't see any deer. Brett sat at Mother Oak and saw a 7pt, a fork, and a button buck. Steve had the big night on #2. He saw a nice buck chase a doe at 1:30. He also saw several smaller bucks within bow range that were making scrapes and/or rubs. He did not shoot the smaller bucks because of the QDM practices that were implemented this fall. On Friday morning, Brett went to blue tarp and saw two small bucks. Bruno was at #6 and saw a spike, a small 8pt, and an unidentified buck. Steve went to Mother Oak and saw one small buck at 9:00. Jason went to #2 and saw a small buck early in the morning and another around 9:00. He stayed in the same stand all day. Brett went to Maynard's stand that night, Bruno went to Mother Oak and Steve set up his climber (a little too close to Jason). No deer were seen that night probably because everyone was sitting too close together. On Saturday morning Brett went to middle ridge, Steve to Blue tarp and Bruno to #2. Steve saw a 6pt no other deer were seen. Saturday night, Jason went to blue tarp, Bruno went to Tinsmans, and Brett to #6. Brett saw a spike chase a doe and fawn. He also had a big bodied buck move through at dark but it was too dark to see the size of the rack. Bruno saw a spike (probably same one I saw). Roth had a nice 7pt at 20 yards that he graciously passed up.

Brett and Jason hunted again. No shot opps but plenty of deer sightings. Came back Saturday night.

Opening gun hunting weekend. Brett went to blue tarp, Bruno to SW corner of black ash swamp and Wally to #2. Brett kicked up a deer walking to his stand. At 6:30 (before shooting hours) another unidentified deer moved through the area. Around 6:40 the Schultz gang drove their 4-wheeler to the tower stand across the swamp. This must have stirred up some deer activity because around 7:00 a nice buck moved towards the area from the northwest. When the buck stopped broadside at 35 yards, Brett took the shot and killed the deer. The buck was a mature whitetail with a sixteen inch inside spread. It weighed about 150 pounds after being dressed. No other deer were seen Saturday morning. Saturday night Brett saw two deer on the food plot. Wally saw three does from #2 and Bruno zipped. Sunday we hunted with the Ewer's.

Jason, Brett, John Edgell, and Bruno stayed at the cabin Thanksgiving night. Wally showed up around 9:00 on Friday morning. A feeble attempt was made at hunting Friday afternoon. By 2:00 we were ready for beer and cards which was perfect since Pat Sullivan showed up around then. Brett and Bruno did go out and hunt for the last hour of daylight but saw no deer. Saturday morning and early afternoon were spent hauling some firewood. Saturday night, Brett and Wally went out to the cabin to hunt for the last time this gun season. John Piotrowski was supposed to take a leisurely walk from the creek to the hub but got lost and ended up at the intersection of Ace of Clubs road and Hwy. 27 (don't ask). As for the hunting, around 4:00 Wally had two does move through at 50 yards. He put the scope on the lead doe and dropped her in her tracks. Brett and Wally dressed the deer and then got Tony's 4-wheeler to bring it out of the woods. They then went to John Ewer's place to skin the animal and hang it in the cooler for the night. On Sunday, Brett and Wally cleaned the cabin, hauled some cabin firewood, and cleaned the deer. It was a relaxing end to an enjoyable gun season.