Frank's outdoors...

Took my daughter the last weekend of bow season, and took my son opening weekend of rifle season.  Saw a couple of does at different points over both weekend, but not the big whopper from opening day bow season.  Well, to prove I am not hallucinating, he finally showed up on a trail camera I had sitting on the scrape I watched him on! Enjoy: A couple of other bucks in the area (all smaller).

This past weekend, went back to the lease to try and get on that big 14pt.  Unfortunately, didn't get on him, but got some good pictures of a nice 8pt working a scrape.  Been tough getting in position.  I grabbed my portable 11' South Texas Tripods & Feeders tripod , and tried to setup on the scrape, but the action I saw were 2 does that came out about 40-45yds away, and I am just not comfortable with that shot. By the way, it was GORGEOUS weather out there... sitting in the stand and 50 degrees was perfect.  No skeeters, etc..

Opening weekend came and went with nothing taken this trip.  However, I did have some pretty good excitement that I have never seen. Opening morning, I saw the biggest deer of my life.  A tall-tined, chocolate antlered 14 pt.  Its the best count I have, need to get him on the ground to get an accurate count, but double crab claws on his upper main beams of an otherwise 10pt, and little kickers here n there. Sunrise was at 7:13am, and about 5 minutes later I see movement about 50-60yds in front of me through the woods.  This deer (coming from the right) goes behind my protein feeder, and around the corn feeder, and passed me to my left.  I was thinking, "why isn't he going to the feeders???"  That became very evident when he took a sharp turn at the treeline to my left, and came in behind me to a scrape that was 7yds from my tree!!!  Of course, no chance at a shot on him through the tree I was in, but I could turn and see the whole thing. ...

Started the cameras and the feed.  Got lots of good pics of some east Texas bucks moving which is good.  Got a few piglets in there as well... Enjoy.

Well, this past weekend was the last weekend of bow season in Texas, and still nothing on the ground, which is only slightly disappointing.  I saw LOTS of activity and had deer within 10yds several times.  In fact, sunrise was at 7:30am and I was heading to the stand at 6:15am and although it was pitch black I was snorted at by several deer.   Later on in the morning, I again got snorted at by a herd of deer (all does that I could tell, but there were 7 or 8 of them) that I didn't see coming when I went to scratch a mosquito that had me in the jugular!  Oh well, was exciting, and didn't like that stand location, so I moved it when the morning hunt was over. Hunt done, stand moved, decided to retrieve my cameras and head to camp.  I was relieved to see several good bucks starting to frequent my area as they must've found the does noted earlier, and the rut is coming on here soon. Next weekend is rifle season, so maybe one will stop by! ...

Alright, archery season is a few weeks away, and I finally have the perfect spot for my first go at it.  Hopefully, I can catch them going to/from the creek on the right of this photo. Can you find my blind?

Well, if you recall, last year I purchased a bow (see post on my Mission by Mathews ) in anticipation of using it on our lease... well, that was squashed when the lease was sold.  This year, I am back in business and in the past 3 weeks I have actively gotten the bow sighted in and begun to practice. I am the first to admit that I am NOT Robin Hood with this thing.  I will also say though that I have practiced and researched technique, and I am improving.  My main focus is to focus on technique and practice as much as humanly possible before the season.  If you have the time, there is tons of information and opinion on how to improve technique and form.  For simplicity's sake, I have condensed it down to these 3 things: Consistent anchor position.  Each and every time to insure the same sight picture. Do NOT grab the bow with your hand, but let it lightly rest in your holding hand so as not to torque the bow. Relax and have fun.  Again, I am no...