DS19 Part 24: Master Baiters

Made a big loop south of where I planned to hunt and circled in off wind of where I suspected deer might be bedding. Watched a group of ORV's drive by and could hear them motoring around for the first hour or two of the evening.  Sure would be nice if the DNR would enforce the area for ORV use which isn't allowed.

Came across a pop up blind with 10' shooting lanes cut 50yds in every direction from it like wheel spokes along the way. Thought it was a rifle blind but would be proven wrong later in the hunt when a group of guys came in during PRIME time to bait it. Guessing its set up for crossbow hunting. But let's focus on the positive.

Wind was light to gusty out of the SE with occasional switches out of the NW. I came across a fresh rub 50yds south of where I hung my stand. Only went up about 8 to 10 feet into some good cover between two bug pine boughs. The tree was way bigger than I usually go up but it was in the right spot. If it were 1/2 an inch bigger the straps on my sticks wouldnt have made it around.

The view to my left

View to my right

Had a red squirrel keep me company most of the night. Saw no deer.

About 7pm I think I hear voices. Then its obvious people were talking south of me. Then it was like I could hear their conversation. They were talking so loud it was like they were afraid of bears or something. They were walking towards the pop up blind. I decided to stick it out, maybe they would push something my way. 20 minutes later I can hear them coming back. It clicked that they were baiting their blind. Not sure why they would choose prime time on a saturday night to do it, but whatever. I was frustrated and started packing up.

Oh yeah, I forgot, the positive... I learned a lot about the wind in this spot. Probably went through two full pods of milkweed. It would blow NW from my spot at the opposite point, then about halfway, it would turn 90 degrees to the right. What was happening was the wind was hitting that other point and shifting around it like water hitting a boulder in the river. It was really cool to watch and is something I can use to my advantage at other spots in the future, cause it's highly unlikely I ever go back to this one.

Still on the fence about reporting them to the DNR for the shooting lanes and baiting.  But honestly, I'm tired of being told to report wrongdoing whenever I see it.  How about the DNR puts some more conservation officers in the woods so they aren't spread so thin and people don't have to report stuff?