October 8, 2008

        September started off hot, the temps in the mid nineties and lows in the high seventies. Even so, a twenty-degree temperature break came early for a few days, which brought a lot of movement. Two hunters, on a three-day hunt had an outstanding hunt with one good eight pointer and four hogs were taken. Everyone in camp was all pleased with the results. The mast crop has been early this year; willow, laurel and water oak started dropping as early as late August and the overcups in early September. Now, just October, the chestnut oaks are starting to produce as well. There is a lot of mast on the ground, which can make for tough hunting sometimes, but it seems that there are more than enough deer and hogs around to make up for all that food. All of these trees are cyclic in production and some of the trees have not started to drop yet. I expect a late crop as well, possibly into December which makes for an excellent scenario, as much of the time in late season such food sources are scarce and the game reverts to browse which makes them much harder to pattern.
        Last year, in late December we discovered an amazing amount of late producing overcups that had dropped most of their fruit late November, but many were still producing into December and all the flats with those late tress were drawing large numbers of game. On a late five day hunt (Dec 18thto 24th), upwards of six to eight deer were sighted daily and many times twice that daily by a party of three hunters, there was needless to say plenty of opportunity for all. Hogs were abundant as well and they even had an opportunity for several morning duck hunts to loosen up their shooting arms a little.
        October is shaping up to be a grand month and November has potential to be a banner year for Riverland Guide Service as the rut is near and already an impressive amount of big buck sign is showing up in all the likely places. It is some of the strongest sign I have seen in several years and many young bucks have been seen, some chasing doe's and already one beautiful eight pointer has been taken that measures eighteen and a half inches wide and was close to four years old. He was full in the rut, tarsals stained and neck swollen coming in to refresh rub line when he was shot. A very pretty deer!! 
        On a one-day hunt in late September, one nice sow, about 120 live weight was shot and several big does were passed. During a two day hunt before that, seven different opportunities at hogs were passed and three bucks sighted, one of which was well up in the mass and width a mature deer should exhibit, but the hunter was not able to get an adequate shot so like all good sportsmen do, he passed and plans to come back and hunt that deer again. I have promised to keep an eye on him for him. He's still right there, fat and happy. All and all it’s been a great start and I believe it will continue to be fruitful this year, possibly more so than the last several years, which would be real hard to achieve, but it certainly looks promising. The future looks bright indeed. Good hunting 
                                          --A. Hunter Smith, Guide/Owner Operator