11-13-2011 Sun

11-13-2011 Sun
6:00 AM – 6:30 PM
Weather: N8, partly cloudy, 46˚ (1503)
Location: Mississippi River Islands Pool 7
Bagged/Caught: one fox squirrel
Partners: myself

Comments

Today was going to be the last day for me to redeem myself for this year’s early archery season. I have hunted the hills of Fort McCoy, the coulees of Westby and now the Islands of the Mississippi River and I was hoping today was my day of luck. Since it was the last day of this season for me I had my mind made up that I would take almost any deer that came within range.
Last Tuesday I had made a drive to Larysa and her cameraman on Rosebud Island, and I was impressed by the amount of sign I had seen there. I had even mentally picked out a spot that day as to where I would set a stand if I was to hunt there again. Well today was the day and I was set up and waiting at that location just before daylight. When I launched the boat I was very surprised at all the trucks with empty trailers at the landing. Thankfully they were all duck hunters, but I would be surrounded by them all day.
My plan was to sit in this spot all day; how boring! I am really not a long haul sitter, but I was going to endure the torture today because I really wanted a deer. By 9:30AM the only critters I had seen were a few squirrels, in fact one of them was a coveted black squirrel. During my childhood squirrel hunting years bagging a black squirrel was akin to finding the Holy Grail! I never did get a chance at that black squirrel, but I did make a pretty good shot on a fox squirrel a little later in the afternoon.
Around 12:00PM I could not sit anymore, I had seen no deer and my legs were begging for any type of a workout. I did a little still hunting and scouting for about an hour. During this brief adventure I found a new spot that I talked myself into moving my deer stand camp to for the rest of the afternoon. Of course the whole time I was questioning my logic for the move, but I had thoroughly convinced myself that if I made the move I would surely get an opportunity at a deer. Well no deer came and all I saw were two squirrels.
After the woods became too dark to see my sight pins, it was time to try some walleye fishing. I had tried this spot with my new found hunting buddies earlier in the week with no luck, but I was hoping for a different outcome tonight. Unfortunately, the fishing was no better than the deer hunting.

Observations:

There are lots of duck hunters hunting the area around Rose Bud Island. Some shooting is taking place, but it was very sporadic.