Frank's outdoors...

Yes, its been a long time, but its never too late to post some preseason pictures!  In preparation for the coming season, I have setup 3 good locations to sit with my bow and take my first game with it.  Just looking at my setup, and I know I'll be able to get on something.  I will take some photos of the blind layout on opening weekend.

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..

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! ...

My buddy Mark's camera has been capturing some solid action of the same bucks I have been seeing.  Take a look at these pictures of this bad boy giving the camera some up close and personal views.  This bruiser better watch out come opening day!  The bucks still seem to be running in bachelor groups as evidenced by the first photo.  On my cameras, I have pictures of 6-10 does...  so hopefully in a few weeks when the first rut starts, they'll get moving all over again.

Thanks to my good friend, Mark, we have another spot to hunt this year after the much maligned loss of our lease at season open last year. We are up in Crockett, TX and have a solid 1200+ acres.  This piece of property has some elevation changes and is used as a privately owned timber property, so there are selective cut lanes throughout.  The timber company grades roads after a cut, so access in and out of the property is pretty easy. At the moment, I have 2 box blinds and 2 tripods setup.  One of the tripods is a bow blind for the coming season and will be my first go at that.  Will post on that at a later time. Below is a pic of my big box blind looking down a lane, and it has 5 directions to really keep an eye on.  2 in front, 1 out of both sides, and a lane directly behind!  I only have one feeder in front 70 yds at the moment. My son is silly!

Here are the highlights... a write-up of the setup soon.