The Tunnel of Doom

Years ago I got it in my head to cut a trail from east to west (or west to east) to see if the deer would prefer to walk on it.  I wasn't necessarily doing this for their convenience as there were two deer stands positioned within roughly a hundred yards of each end - the new Stand of Death 2.0 on the east, an older (but in really good shape) metal tower to the west and a third wooden guard tower in the middle.

The trail is a quarter mile in length and - yes - the deer prefer it.  I don't know if they're lazy or easily duped; although I think it is the former and not the latter.  

As the trees have grown-up the trail has gotten tighter.  Nevertheless, if I mow it and trim some branches a couple of times each year I haven't had any trouble keeping it open.  As a matter of fact, in some sections it has become more like a tunnel.

The Tunnel of Doom

Some of you may think that this affords the hunter an unfair advantage.  I would disagree.  With their keen sniffer and sharp vision it is the whitetail who generally has the advantage.  Think of this as creating three ambush points.  That is fair chase.  If we put out piles of corn and shot the hapless deer casually feeding on a corn pile that would be an unfair advantage.  While it is perfectly legal (so far) we don't hunt deer over corn as that is mere shooting and requires no patience or skill.  But I digress.

Here's some images recently captured before, during and after.

Mama and the twins...

 

Me on the New Holland Boomer going...

And returning....

Me and Ruby servicing the trail cameras on this particular day...

And the tunnel.....

 

How To Build A Deer Stand

I've built a lot of deer stands over the decades; all most too many to count.  In the early years it was a simple matter to pick-out an appropriate tree that could accommodate a home-built platform with a railing or a manufactured stand you could hang from the tree trunk.  If you chose to construct something out of lumber that was harder and required near constant attention to repairs as trees move with the wind and those platforms eventually become unstable or dangerous without inspection and repair.

All of that ended with the arrival of the ash borer.  Because mature ash trees, with their straight, strong and tall trunks are near ideal for mounting a deer stand; everything around here is dead or dying and not longer suitable for use.

So about ten years ago I commenced-upon a plan to gradually construct free-standing towers fashioned from pressure-treated lumber to replace those that had been in trees and to supplement four additional metal factory-built stands.   

At last count, and including this stand, there have been added eight wooden towers supplementing three metal stands.  The oldest metal stand was replaced by the newest wooden tower a couple weeks ago. 

This location is a really hot spot as the existing stand enjoys views south and west of several hundred yards in length.  So effective is the deer hunting here that this stand is named The Stand of Death.  Lately, dark humor extends that term to anyone bold enough to hunt from a slowly deteriorating stand.  Hunt from it at your own peril. 

I purchased that metal tower 30 + years ago from Fleet Farm.  It's rusty, corroded and pretty rickety.  It is basically unsafe.  Furthermore when you look at it you can see that it's difficult to enter and egress, especially in cold weather when you have to wear bulkier outerwear and heavy boots.  And there's no space to stand-up (safely) and stretch.  The replacement is gonna be luxurious.

 

Having performed most of the preassembly work myself there is a certain amount of muscle memory and record-keeping to guide the purchase of hardware and lumber for the project.  Nevertheless, every time we embark on this there is always a return trip to town for something that we missed or additional needed hardware.  If you've ever constructed a deck you would understand the process.  With the exception of concrete footings it's similar.

Most of the work begins under the lean-to on the barn; a handy place as it's protected from the elements, has power, storage space and a deck that allows sawdust and debris to disappear.

The latest iteration of tower stands features a 4X4 foot footprint fitted with rails bolted to the perimeter joists and the attachment of manufactured brackets that allow fitting the platform to four legs.

Most everything is preassembled along with additional parts cut, numbered and lettered for final assembly in the field.  Ladder, legs and additional lumber in the pick-up truck.  Base and tools in the mule.

 

That's Nick installing lag screws while everyone else is chatting about the recent release of another season of Ted Lasso.  Don’t get the impression that this is one guy doing all the work while the other four pick their noses. This was sweaty labor and a real group effort.

The tower is then slowly winched into an upright position, positioned and leveled by hand by means of human muscle.

And then further braced, blocked, a ladder and additional guards against fall added to the upper deck.

This stand presently is furnished with a camo-painted cafeteria chair; however, a swiveling pedestal boat seat will eventually be permanently installed. 

The following video starts at the eastern portal of what we call the quarter mile long ‘Tunnel of Doom’.  At the opener you can see a couple of flag tapes on the left and right side of the frame. 

 

As I shared at the top, the new Stand of Death (SOD 2.0) enjoys a magnificent view of two shooting lanes. 

 

 

The Middle Guard Tower is similarly endowed to include a new 100 yard-plus shooting lane to the east; further enhancing the original north-south lane. 

 

Thanks to those that were able to join-in on short notice to help assemble this and clear offending branches and other obstacles. I cannot express my gratitude enough.

 

There’s still work to be to be completed before the bow opener so check-in with me about your availability.

 

The food around here is pretty good. 

 

Cheers people; and eat more deer!

Wassup With The Fellas

If the weather holds the fellas and I plan to deploy a replacement deer stand today to replace the oldest of the factory-built steel tower stands dating-back to the early years.  If all goes according to plan I'll post photos and the backstory when I have time.

Meanwhile, there have been some other fellas showing-up on the trail cameras from time to time; those with the velvet antlers..... 

 

 

Leap of Faith

There is nothing more graceful than a running deer.  Actually, they leap more than run and are capable of vaulting over obstacles up to 8 feet from a standing position.  With a running start, they are capable of soaring over fences as high as 10 to 12 feet; although 8-foot fences are generally an effective deterrence.  They are also capable of horizontal leaps (forward motion) spanning up to 30 feet.  Which is quite remarkable.  

When I uploaded this photo from a trail camera recently a couple of things occurred to me.  If a hunter was in the stand pictured would the deer run towards the hunter?  And would the hunter be able to get-off a shot and knock one down?  The animal furthest away is roughly 40 yards distant and hauling ass.

I have personally been witness to the unpredictability of the direction startled deer will move and as a general rule they do not run towards hunters; unless, the wind in in the hunter's favor.  If upwind it is possible a hunter will remain undetected; the deer will not smell or 'wind' him. 

Although in the image here a deer running head-on at the hunter (likely caught unaware) and and closing the distance rapidly it is a leap of faith and the deer has the advantage. 

For the hunter this is a low probability shot situation and also would be a leap of faith to take a shot with a high probability of wounding.

I would pass; and await for a broadside shot at an unsuspecting whitetail standing or strolling.    

You? 

Winter Hunter Returns

Beginning last month and through February this constellation can be found traversing the southern night sky.  

Orion - a familiar image situated on the celestial equator - is one of the most recognizable constellations in the night sky.  Finding Orion's Belt is the easiest way to locate the Orion Constellation. Orion's Belt is formed by three bright stars; Alnilam, Mintaka and Alnitak. 

Named for Orion 'The Hunter' of Greek mythology the constellation's brightest stars are blue-white Rigel and red Betelgeuse. The most noticeable part of Orion is Orion’s Belt – with the alignment of three stars sure to catch your eye.  Hanging from The Hunter’s belt is a sword identified as three fainter stars. The central star of the sword is actually not a star at all – it is the Great Orion Nebula.

In the mid-latitudes of the northern hemisphere this time of year Orion appears to be lying on his side – with the Belt stars pointing upward – when he rises in the eastern sky.

click on the image for a closer look

This photo was taken a couple weeks ago with my iPhone 14 Pro at midnight, from the porch, looking south.  The unusual brightness is the timing of the photo with the December Cold Full Moon.  A larger and brighter Super Moon.

As the story goes - Orion hunted along the river Eridanus along with his ever-present dogs – Canis Major and Canis Minor.  With his dogs Orion stalked various celestial animals including Lepus the rabbit, and Taurus the bull. In the mythology of the ancient Greeks Orion was in love with Merope - one of the Seven Sisters forming the constellation Pleiades.  Alas, Merope spurned Orion’s advances. Tragically, the heartbroken Orion met his end when he was stung by Scorpious the scorpion.

Nevertheless, the gods were kind and they consequently fixed Orion permanently in the heavens with his two dogs. The creatures he hunted were placed in the sky as constellations as well. With foresight the gods exiled Scorpius to the opposite side of the heavens so that Orion would forever be safe from harm. 

Visibility peaks this month and January.  Raising a toast to cold, clear skies and star gazing.   

Cheers!

Deer Camp

Including myself we hosted six hunters here for the gun deer opener and successfully added eight whitetails (four of each sex) to the camp meat poles.  For various reasons the number of  hunters has skinnied-down recently yet the kill count stays about the same.

 

Anyway, the trail cameras continued through the entirety of the ruckus and I thought it would be fun to share some photos of their comings and goings.

 

 

Including these of one of the guys heading out to his stand before sunrise who was tailed by a fox.

 

This weekend we're hosting my business partner, some of her family and anyone else that wants to join the fun for the December antlerless hunt.

  

Thirtieth Anniversary

This year’s Deer Camp is the 30th Anniversary Edition.  That’s not nearly as long as my neighbors multi-generational traditions but as a latecomer to big game hunting it’s fine by me.

Brandy from the land of my birth

Anyway, another tradition is the food. I’m going to overlook something I’m sure; but over four days I dined on something on the order of five varieties of sardines, two kinds of liver pate and two iterations of homemade smoked Hungarian sausage (old family recipe). 

 

Bobby’s homemade smoked Hungarian sausage

This was followed by venison chili dogs and Lawyer's gourmet venison bolognese.  

 

My infamous homemade navy bean soup built upon a foundation of Marchant’s smoked pork hocks.

Jägermeister. Ja!

Raw beef and onions on marble rye and a half a dozen kinds of cheese, sourdough bread, French baguettes and washed it down with adult beverages from the peninsula stretching all the way to Europe.  

The humble hard boiled egg is the perfect deer stand snack you can fit in the pocket of your parka.

Thanks guys for another hunt in the record books…..

Thirtieth Anniversary

 

Yes; 30 years of chasing deer.  Can you believe it?  The Deer Camp is celebrating a Thirtieth Anniversary.

Even the bear is getting in the game. 

The operative question is how does a person go about calculating the precise number of deer that have been killed and eaten  over those three decades? 

Patron Saint

In the Roman Catholic tradition of the Christian faith there is Saint Hubert.  Hubertus or Hubert was the first bishop of Liège in 708 AD. A patron of metalworkers, mathematicians and opticians he is considered the patron saint of hunters, archers and hunting dogs.

Born into nobility in 656 Hubert was raised in the Catholic faith yet was not particularly devout.  His interests were primarily mastery of those skills and weapons of the time that would benefit his interest in hunting and as a mounted soldier.  Moreover, as a member of the privileged class seeking other worldly pleasures.    

Hubert married a woman named Floribonne who tragically died after the birth of their son Floribert.  Hubert was grief-stricken, confused and so angry with God that he turned from the faith that his wife had sought to rekindle to focus on secular pursuits.  

His devotion was to the hunt and not to God. 

Prague

One day while hunting there appeared before Hubert a magnificent stag.  And as Hubert drew his bow for the kill there appeared between the animal's antlers a radiant glowing cross and a voice spoke to him:  Hubert, unless you turn to the Lord, and lead a holy life, you shall quickly go down to hell.

As a consequence, Hubert renounced all claim to titles and wealth, turning everything over to his younger brother including the custody of his son.  Hubert became a student under Lambert of Maastricht and was eventually ordained a priest.

Hubert evangelized the Ardennes Forest region - inspiring Christians and converting pagans.  His title became Apostle of the Ardennes.  Following Lambert's death Hubert was appointed bishop of Maastricht and later first bishop of Liège.  

Hubert died of natural causes in 727.  His legacy of hunting ethics and fair chase continues to this day in the rigorous and extensive hunter education courses of many European countries.

And if you look carefully, on every bottle of Jägermeister you will find this... 

Bushwhacking

Recent cool weather has been a welcome relief on multiple levels; including the chores list.

This is an odd-numbered year which means that several wildlife openings and the ancestral campsite receive a haircut.  Actually a close clipping with the Rhino mower hitched to the back of the tractor and connected to the Power Take Off (PTO).

At 540 RPM, sharp blades and with a five foot cutting deck you can take town brush (slowly) almost up to an inch in diameter. 

Yesterday I finished the larger of the meadows - a six acre one located on the northeast corner of the property that also sports a deer hunting tower - Clayton 2.0.  With a commanding view for hundreds of yards and a haircut no whitetail is gonna be able to sneak past a hunter with a straight-shooting deer rifle.

Anyway, it's done.  All the tall grass, emergent willow and dogwood have been brushed-out.  My casual observation is that there is an incredible amount of ash seedlings in the turf along with all sorta native wildflowers and grasses that have migrated more than a quarter mile to establish themselves.  A mowing won't hurt them.  Finally, over the last three clippings I've spared about twenty tamarack and oaks that have taken-up residence in the turf.  The oaks aren't as likely to survive the bunnies and deer unless I install a collar (tree tube) around them.  It's a low priority chore; time will tell.

In case you're wondering wildlife opening are important in that they create additional "edge habitat" important for a diverse collection off wildlife.  100% open isn't any better than 100% forest.  Variety is the key. 

Final result...

Panorama southeast

View north

Deer stand  

Volunteer swamp white oak 

 

 

You Are What You Eat

I recently made a run to Miesfeld's in Sheboygan to fetch the last batch of venison from the 2024 deer season.  It took a while for everything to be processed; yet it's completed. 

Garlic summer sausage, snack sticks, wieners and bacon.  Yes, there is such a thing as deer bacon.  

I had previously taken an additional batch of venison to Marchant's Meats in Sturgeon Bay to have brats and regular summer made.  Much faster turn-around.  And by the time you read this all but the shares belonging to a couple of hunters will have been distributed and likely found its way to a summer grilling session. 

In case you're wondering about the economics it works out like this:

Four deer skinned, cut and wrapped was $520; split six ways is $87 a hunter.  Everyone received a generous helping of steaks, chops and burger.  On top of that there was another generous selection of brats, wieners, snack sticks, summer sausage and bacon.  $560 total ($381 Miesfeld's and $179 Marchant's) split six ways is $93 a hunter.  All-in that comes to $180 a hunter.  And if you've been paying attention to the price of meat lately this is a decent deal; considering the overall yield.  (Note to self - take photos next time). 

I take payment by check or Zelle®.

Fun Fact:  Three additional deer were donated to the food pantry network of northeast Wisconsin thru DNR's deer donation program.