First Squirrel At Cheatham

Becki said "it's 5:50, why aren't you squirrel hunting?" Good question, I thought. Off I went.

Went to the same place I hunted last week. I knew there were squirrels here as I saw them during deer season.

It was 48 degrees, clear and on it's way up.

On the way to the squirrel hunting spot, I came across deer sign that I think may be related to rubs I wrote about from last week.

These first pictures show a well worn walking path used by deer. This path is heading into a field - the opposite side of the field containing all of the deer sign I wrote about.


Notice the well worn walking path. Also, the trampled, rotten tree. The picture of the pile of ground and branches I suspect is used by deer as a way to sneak into the field. Last year, I found a 4-point drop tine in this path.


Got to my hunting spot at 7:30. This is one hour earlier than last week. I sat for one hour and didn't see anything. It was beginning to feel like last Saturday. After about 45 minutes I caught a glimpse of a twitching tail. Couldn't see the squirrel's body, but he was in range.

I sat still and watched the same area for about 15 more minutes. I caught a glimpse of a tiny movement - can't believe my eyes picked it out. It was the squirrel sitting in the typical hunched position looking at me from off to his side. He was about 30 yards away through a lot of branches.

Someone at work commented on Friday that a 12-guage would blow away squirrel. I am glad I had the 12-guage for this shot, it would take a lot of pellets to reach him. I had to nearly lay all the way on my back to get a bead on him without branches in the way. Thought the kick of the gun might hurt from this position, but it didn't. The squirrel fell immediately. It was a clean kill.

It was 8:30. One kill, one hour. I had time to take a long walk back to the truck.

I headed north towards Buttercup field. About a 1/4 mile to go.

No drop tines, no deer, no turkey sightings and no humans...so far. It was hot. I took off my brush chaps and three sweatshirts and stuffed them in the game bag and started the 1 mile walk back to the truck.

I ran into another squirrel hunter by turkey field. He said he hadn't seen anything. His tag was from Knox County (which I think is Knoxville). We chatted for a minute - he called a chipmunk a "ground squirrel".

I walked on. Got to the truck by 10.

Low Deer Harvest/High Acorn Crop 05 Deer Season

The following is an article published in the Tennessean on Thursday, January 26, 2006. It was written by Charles Searcy.

No records, but deer are still plentiful

Daryl Ratajczak, head of the Tennessee Wildlife Agency's deer program, says the days of record harvests on a yearly basis are over.

"But that's where we want to be," he said this week.

Deer season is over. At the last count, the state's hunters had taken 165,870, which could go up or down slightly because of duplicated tags.

And the top three counties a year ago are the top three counties again - although they switched places.

Hardeman became the leader in 2005-2006 with a corrected total of 5,981, down 4.49 percent from a year ago.

Giles County moved to second with 5,176 and Henry County, the county that holds the state record with 6,379 a year ago dropped down to 5,084, down 20 percent.

"It wasn't a good year for hunters," Ratajczk said. "All across the state the acorns were plentiful. ... The deer didn't have to move far to get food and that cut down on the hunter's chances."

Ratacjczk also said he expects the harvest records of the future would run between 160,000 and 180,000.

"That's where we want to be," he said.

Deer Signs 1-21-06

On the way back to the truck after squirrel hunting I trudged through briars and brush piles around a large food plot (about 10 acres). I was trying to drudge up a rabbit...no luck. This is a favorite field in the WMA for me. On 1/1/05, my first walk on this side of the WMA, I walked up on a flock of turkeys in this field. I also found a 4-point drop tine. About two weeks later, I found an even larger 4-point drop tine. Dad got a bow shot at a doe in the woods nearby.

I always check the small waterhole in the center of the field for wildlife activity. I have seen Wood Ducks at this water hole.

Today, I found several fresh buck rubs. These are all within 10 yards of each other.



I'm guessing these are no more than a few weeks old. There is puddle nearby with muddied water, trampled branches and deer prints in it. He was obviously here last night.

Check out this picture of the footprint in the mud. It's hard to make out at first, but it is fresh. There are also elongated droppings, probably his droppings nearby. This is clearly a frequent spot for this buck.

I wonder if this is the same buck that dropped the large tine I found last year? It's difficult to deer hunt in this field during the season because of human traffic. Additionally, I think this guy is extremely nocturnal - he would have to be to survive so many hunting seasons. One would have to ground hunt in the thickets around the water hole and could probably get a shot as he crossed the clearing between the woods and the waterhole.

Squirrel Hunting 1-21-06

Played a gig last night with Heather Stokes. Bass player was Jake - Clint Black's bass player. Drummer - Liz Figalaro. Harmonica - Mark Kunkel. Played at About Time Lounge. Gig went well. Got home at about 2:45

Getting home late got me off to a late start on Saturday morning. I stopped at Mapco and grabbed a cup of Jo and a honeybun. I made it to the iron gate on 249, the southern-most entrance to the Cheatham WMA at 7:30am.

It was grey and overcast and a bit windy. It looked like it would unleash a load of rain at any minute. This first picture shows the weather and also shows that most of the logging roads are now closed in preparation for Turkey hunting. It is difficult to make out, but this is a picture of Rider Ridge road. It shows the "road closed" sign and the road name. These roads are open for deer season providing additional vehicle access, but during turkey season the roads are closed - turkeys are easier to carry out when harvested.


It was warm. I didn't bring the dogs on this trip. I was planning to hunt in a ridge bottom were I spent alot of time deer hunting. I know there are squirrels here as I saw them while deer hunting. this seems like a very good funnel for deer. However, I saw no deer here during the season and spent way too much time trying. I did see two coyotes nearby and I did see a doe and a fawn during bow season. Dad got a shot at an 8-point buck about a quarter mile north of here.



No dogs would allow me to still hunt, which I did from the rock pictured...for two hours. My turkey vest, with the attached seat pad, was ideal for the day. The sporting good companies could make minor tweaks to a turkey vest and unleash an entirely new niche product - the squirrel hunting vest.

The woods was deadly quiet for the entire time I sat there. It could have been the impending rain storm - it rained all day Sunday (the day after this trip). I saw a chipmunk and that was it. Even the bird activity was nil. Usually, these woods are alive with woodpeckers at least. Not this time. It was dead quiet.



I headed out of the woods at 9:30. About a quarter mile from the main gravel road, I noticed a swarm of bird activity. So I stopped and remained still for about 20 minutes. I saw several birds - Downie woodpeckers, Tufted Titmice, a barrage of activity in this one area. No squirrels, so I moved on.

Would like to have tried out the 870 on a squirrel today, I put in the full choke this morning. This shotgun is great...very light, the length - 24 inch barrel- makes it easy to manuveur in the woods.

I am going to do another post detailing deer signs I found on the walk back to the truck. Had about a half mile to go. So on the way I tramped through briars and brush around the edge of a large (maybe 10 acres) food plot. There is a water hole in the center of the foodplot...check out the "Deer Sign on 1-24-06" post for more.

Pictures from 1-14-05

I am using Becki's old camera. The display screen is broken, so I have to use the view finder. My batteries died - as I do for the GPS, I will have to remember to carry extra's in the field. I only got four pictures, not nearly as many as I intended. My lovely and talented wife, was quickly able to convert these photos for your viewing pleasure.

The first is daisy with her nose to the ground. She likes to hunt, is not afraid of the gun shot, comes when called - even if interested in something else. She has yet to kick up her first rabbit.

The next two photos are of the treestand. I got my one and only bow shot from this stand on Thanksgiving Saturday, right at sunset. The doe was looking directly at me, knew something was wrong but didn't know what. When I let the arrow fly, the snap of the bow made her spring to a start and my arrow missed. Morale of the story - don't shoot when they're looing right at you.

The last picture is a well worn path the does use to move from the pond field to behind the barn and beyond. It might be good to hide in the pine trees and ambush the does as they pass through this trail.

Bulach's Dogs 1-14-06

Took Daisy rabbit hunting around 11 on Sunday.

Heard shots - 3 - from Zehler's. Then I heard beagles baying. I knew they were on Zehler's, but could tell they were getting close to the grove. Daisy and I were just getting started around the dump.

A few minutes later, I could tell they crossed onto our property. I saw the first one by the old hay wagon in the corner of the front tree field. I walked fast to were I could see down down the center grove field and down the Christmas tree field. I was expecting to catch someone trespassing after their dogs. I saw no one. So I walked fast down to the grove fence line. By this time, two of the beagles had come all the way through the grove field, up one side and down the other - from Zehler's to Parson's. They were noisy and obnoxious. Daisy hair stood up and she would follow for awhile, but would come when I called.

Got to the grove and saw Ron Bulach about to cross the fence. It looked like he set his shotgun to the side and was about to cross. Dave was right behind him and a third person, maybe Gary was standing 20 yards back.

I was not happy and let them know their dogs screwed up my hunt. Ronnie said, he thought it was a wildlife refuge and that no one was allowed to hunt. Told him he would have to take that up with Dad, but I knew his dogs were not allowed on the property, that I knew he had been told that before and that he had now screwed up my hunt. Dave said it is hard to keep dogs from running onto other farms. Ronnie hollered at Daisy to come...Guess his eyesight is bad or he doesn't know his dogs well. He asked if he could cross to come after them. I said I don't think it's necessary as they were off our property by now...Guess his hearing is bad too. They went off through Zehler's after them.

I felt like I was too heated in the conversation and after calming down, waved them back over to the fence line in the back field. Said I didn't mean to be un-neighborly, but got mad when their dogs screwed up my hunt. Dave said the dogs are chasing deer. Great - now they're screwing up the rabbits and deer. Dave said they were working on breaking them of chasing deer - had some sort of special collar. Dave asked what I was going to do when my dog ran off the property. I simply said, I try to keep her close. I would like to have said:

1. My dog didn't run off the property - his did.
2. When my dog does run off the property I will no longer take her hunting.
3. When my dog runs off the property, I will at least apologize to the land owner - especially if I mess up someone's hunt.

They did not seem to take responsibility for their dogs. They seemed to sound as if it is not their responsibility if they can't stop their dogs from running.

I will research hunting dog regulations. I will call the ODNR. I will find out what our recourse is. If Dad has enforceable rights (can you prosecute someone for trespassing dogs?) I will be sure to take the steps to follow up.

I finally got hold of the right people at ODNR:

I called the ODNR. It took me awhile to get to the Butler County game warden, Aaron Ireland. To make a long story short there is really no way to hold people accountable for their dogs. Unless the hunters are actually hunting on your property without permission they are not violating rules.

Rick Jasper of the ODNR (I didn't get his title) recommended the neighborly approach. He talked about how coon hunters ran into so much opposition from private property owners that almost no one hunts coons anymore in Ohio. The result, which I assume is anecdotal, is that Ohio has a coon population problem. And the diseases associated with too many raccoons are becoming a problem.

Aaron was polite and even sympathetic, but couldn't offer any real solution.

Deer Scouting 1-14-06

In the process of scouring the grove and Christmas tree field for rabbits, I discovered heavy deer sign. While I knew there were deer bedding regular in the grove and near the pond, until I actually crawled and pushed through all of the thick cover, I didn't realize quite how heavily it is being used.

Based on large, "open" toed hoof prints, oblong droppings and several rubs, it appears a big buck is calling the farm home. The does make themselves very visible and their patterns are evident. The buck stays in hiding. There are rubs that appear to be around two weeks old - give or take a week. Right or wrong, I estimate the age of the rubs by looking closely. The freshly exposed layers of tree bark are still in their natural color. As the rubs age, the exposed area tends to become all one grayish color.

All of the sign, and especially the rubs, seem to fan out from two hubs. One is the Christmas tree field, and two is the grove. In the grove fields, he appears to be spending time on the west side of the fence row between the grove and the Christmas tree field. Also, in the grove, directly behind the house. In the Christmas tree patch, he appears to be spending most of his time on the eastern end. From this spot, he would be able to see anything approaching from downwind - to the east. And he would be able to smell anything approaching from the west through the cover of the Christmas tree.

A blind anywhere along the middle path in the Christmas tree field should be good next year. Probably, a little over the hill toward Bulach's.

http://terraserver.microsoft.com/image.aspx?T=1&S=10&Z=16&X=3515&Y=21828&W=2&qs=1052+morman+road%7chamilton+%7cohio%7c&Addr=1052+Morman+Rd%2c+Hamilton%2c+OH+45013&ALon=-84.6462339&ALat=39.4167826

I don't think hunting in the Christmas trees is good, because the deer approach from down wind. I think hunting downwind of the tree patch on the path leading to the trees would be best.

Rabbit Hunting 1-14-06

Saturday morning. After a windy morning, with no deer sightings, it was time for rabbit hunting. I wanted to get Daisy "on" rabbits. Thought the farm would be sure thing.

I saw one rabbit, three times. Didn't kill it. Couldn't get a good shot off. And, I couldn't get Daisy on the trail. Daisy keeps her nose to the ground and seems like she's hunting, but even after crossing the rabbit's path doesn't take after the rabbit.

We hunted for a couple of hours. The rabbit population on the farm, feels like it is severely depleted. Don't know if it's the lack of crop fields in the adjoining lots. Parson's property seemed like it supplied lots of rabbits in the past, but it is now nice houses. The small pond that used to be by the old chicken run, is now on the property border - and no longer a pond. It was always good for a few rabbits. I once shot two in one burst by this pond. The back field was always good for a fleeting shot, but I kicked no rabbits up back there.

Could it be coyote and fox populations? Could it be trespassers neighbors? Could it be diminished habitat?

Windy Deer Hunting In Ohio 1-14-06

January 14, 2006

Saturday Morning.

Arrived in Hamilton about 12 or 1 am. It was blowing snow and about 34 degrees for most of the travel time.

Sunrise was 6:57 central time. I was on my way to the back field at about 5:30.

I was planning to stand down wind from the center path in the back Christmas tree field. I know this is a travel route - I saw three does using this trail on the weekend before Christmas. I stood next to a cedar tree until about 8:30.

I saw no deer.

The wind was blowing probably between 20 and 30 miles per hour. Large trees were swaying, big limbs were shaking. An arrow would not fly straight for long in these conditions. Wind was cutting through my gloves, which made it difficult to keep hands warm. After awhile I resolved to lay by bow on the ground and keep my hands in my pants pockets.

I was standing 30 paces from the trail I expected to see deer following. It would have been a good range for the first sight pin.

By 8:30 central time, I called it quits and headed for the house.

Daisy's First Game

Saturday, January 7, 2006

I parked the truck at the beginning of Gibbs road this morning at 8:55. It was about 35 degrees, clear with little wind. I had both Daisy and Koko with me. The goal today was to shoot the rabbit I kicked up a few weeks ago when deer hunting.

Daisy is growing up fast and I need to get her turned on to tracking rabbits. The field I have in mind is about 1 mile down Gibbs road. It is a TWRA foodplot. The rabbit was in the overgrowth and briars on the field edge. As I made my way to the field, I hunted along the road in every patch of briars and weeds that resembled the location of the rabbit I am after.

After countless hours of hiking and hunting in 2005, I am convinced the rabbit population in the Cheatham Wildlife Management Area is far from abundant. However, it's a good morning to give rabbit hunting a 100% shot. I was carrying the Remington 870 with an improved choke and 2 3/4 shells with #6 shot.

Daisy is doing very well in the field. She comes when called, is fairly eager to keep her nose to the ground and hunt. Although at times, she seems to small overcome some of the terrain. Koko was a good influence on Daisy in terms of training Daisy to come when called from long distances.

No rabbits, no deer, no turkey, no squirrels, no humans, until I get to the very spot were I expect the rabbit to be. Just 3 feet in front of me, scratching it's way out of the thick and tangled weeds the rabbit is making a run for it. He made it 10 feet. You have to love improved chokes! I was a little nervous the shot would scatter too much for a quick kill especially considering the brush and bramble between me and the rabbit. The rabbit was stopped with one shot, but still using it's front feet to drag itself into a brush pile. I tried several times to get a second shot off and must of looked pretty funny to the wind...I couldn't get the damn gun to fire a second shot. Too many years and too much training on a semi-automatic. I forgot to pump in a new shell! Well I did, finally get it done.

I let Daisy get a nose full of the rabbit. I encouraged her to sniff, let her chew on the entrails, eat the heart and overall get excited. Koko didn't care, she was off hunting. Koko is a natural born hunter. She never stops hunting. She doesn't know what for, but her nose, eyes and ears are always working. She's a great dog. Daisy and I field dressed the rabbit. I put it in my game bag.

I hunted the remaining perimeter of the food plot, stood motionless and stared at miles and miles of wilderness visible from the spot on one end of the field, checked my watch...9:55, felt hot...must have been getting to 40 degrees, decided to head back. I hunted all the way back but saw nothing else. I got home by 11.

This the first game taken in 2006.

Also, the first game killed with the 870.

The first game killed with Daisy.

Tim Baumgartner