Scrounging Firewood (and other stuff)

[Ambull01]

Long day but good day.

Checked 9 of my deer stands, did minor repairs on one, and major repairs on another. Opened up a couple new shooting lanes based on where I had previously seen the deer moving. One of my stands overlooks a beaver pond and I cut a lane right to the pond's waterline. The beaver had been very active on that side so I'm sure he's cleaning up the small aspen I cut as I type this.

Shortly before dark I loaded up a bunch of Norway Pine that I noodled/split this spring and brought it home. Stacked what I could in the rack and piled the rest before heading back to the hunting cabin.

View attachment 456141

Tomorrow morning my FIL is coming up so we can put up a new stand at a spot I scouted today.

You are a firewood cutting beast sir.

Umm, about killing deer again. Lets say you shoot one with a quiet weapon (i.e. crossbow/compound bow). It was a great spot on public land that you had to walk a few miles to find. Are you able to hunt that spot again in a week or two?

 

[crazywolf]

You are a firewood cutting beast sir.

Umm, about killing deer again. Lets say you shoot one with a quiet weapon (i.e. crossbow/compound bow). It was a great spot on public land that you had to walk a few miles to find. Are you able to hunt that spot again in a week or two?

You could probably sit there and kill another deer that day. My first bow kill there were multiple deer and the others just kept wandering around after the shot.

 

[nomad_archer]

I've hunted spots the same day or even the next day after killing a deer. Its really not a big deal. I've also done this with not so quiet weapons like a rifle and or shotgun. Shoot them, tag em, gut em, get back in the stand until the rest of the guys are ready to move stands or quit for the day. I usually hunt a little farther in than the rest of the guys I hunt with and sometimes that means if I come out early a mess up their hunt.

 

[Ambull01]

Cool. I was thinking the other deer would be able to smell death in air or something lol.

Going to finish up my scrounge spot this weekend from Friday to Sunday. I have 5 free chains the local Ace Hardware gave me (they don't reuse or sell chains from their rental chainsaws). Have to sharpen all these stupid things so I can change them out in the field.

 

[USMC615]

You are a firewood cutting beast sir.

Umm, about killing deer again. Lets say you shoot one with a quiet weapon (i.e. crossbow/compound bow). It was a great spot on public land that you had to walk a few miles to find. Are you able to hunt that spot again in a week or two?

I've shot deer in the morning and hunted the same stand that afternoon/evening and shot deer again...happened a many of time, whether with a bow or rifle.

 

[MountainHigh]

Took down a knotty old fine grain heavy Maple on Sunday, 3'+ across at base - LOTS of noodling to be able to manhandle it into my truck and trailer. Got at least 1.5 cords out of it.

Hit a spike near the end - remarkably the chain is still ok, just dulled - ripped clean through the spike - something to be said for running high RPM's
I think I'll leave these fat bastard knotty beasts for the younger guys from here on out!

 

[Ambull01]

I've shot deer in the morning and hunted the same stand that afternoon/evening and shot deer again...happened a many of time, whether with a bow or rifle.

Good, I want some really stupid prey.

Took down a knotty old fine grain heavy Maple on Sunday. 3'+ across at base - LOTS of noodling to be able to manhandle it into my truck and trailer. Got at least 1.5 cords out of it.
View attachment 456205
Hit a spike near the end - remarkably the chain is still ok, just dulled - ripped clean through the spike - something to be said for running high RPM's
I think I'll leave these fat bastard knotty beasts for the younger guys from here on out!

Good work. How do you like that super short handled peavy?

 

[svk]

You are a firewood cutting beast sir.

Umm, about killing deer again. Lets say you shoot one with a quiet weapon (i.e. crossbow/compound bow). It was a great spot on public land that you had to walk a few miles to find. Are you able to hunt that spot again in a week or two?

We've shot multiple deer from the same stand in the same day several times. Sometimes you will have one walk by while you are waiting for the hit one to die.

 

[svk]

9 deer stands are they all for you? Or is that just the number of stands for all the hunters at the cabin?

We have 12 stands for what will eventually be 7-8 hunters. This year me, FIL, and oldest son will be hunting. Wife gets a tag sometimes too.

Deer move in different areas here based on time of rut, wind, and other variables.

 

[Ambull01]

Another question, anyone that owns land try coppicing? Seems like a great method for sustainable wood burning.

 

[nomad_archer]

We have 12 stands for what will eventually be 7-8 hunters. This year me, FIL, and oldest son will be hunting. Wife gets a tag sometimes too.

Deer move in different areas here based on time of rut, wind, and other variables.

makes sense. I have or will have 3 stands up for hunting at my cabin this archery/rifle season. But those are just my stands. I will have a hard enough time deciding between any of them each day. I couldn't imagine trying to figure out 9 stands. I have my climber for close to home hunting so that makes things pretty flexible as long as I can find a tree.

 

[nomad_archer]

Good, I want some really stupid prey.

They are far from stupid. Just wait until you find out they have a sixth sense and know you are there but you didn't move. I have had deer coming in upwind of me and then stop and decide to go another way or just stop and start acting sketched out. I have saw deer do some really weird stuff and also some really dumb stuff. But they are by no means stupid or easy to kill. Although sometimes people make it look easy.

 

[MountainHigh]

Good work. How do you like that super short handled peavy?

Thanks.
Actually that handle is 5' on my peavey - picture distorts things a bit.
When scrounging, I never leave home without one.

 

[Ambull01]

Thanks.
Actually that handle is 5' on my peavey - picture distorts things a bit.
When scrounging, I never leave home without one.

I see. Just looked like a midget's peavey so I was wondering about it. Used a broken handled peavey while cutting at my in-law's place. Couldn't get sufficient leverage using the peavey's short handle. Guess there's an easy fix though, just use a hollow pipe as an extension.

 

[crazywolf]

I see. Just looked like a midget's peavey so I was wondering about it. Used a broken handled peavey while cutting at my in-law's place. Couldn't get sufficient leverage using the peavey's short handle. Guess there's an easy fix though, just use a hollow pipe as an extension.

You seem to have an aversion to replacing handles....

 

[Philbert]

Another question, anyone that owns land try coppicing? Seems like a great method for sustainable wood burning.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:
"Coppicing is an English term for a traditional method of woodland management which takes advantage of the fact that many trees make new growth from the stump or roots if cut down. In a coppiced wood, young tree stems are repeatedly cut down to near ground level. In subsequent growth years, many new shoots will emerge, and, after a number of years the coppiced tree, or stool, is ready to be harvested, and the cycle begins again."

(had to look it up!)

Philbert

 

[MountainHigh]

I see. Just looked like a midget's peavey so I was wondering about it. Used a broken handled peavey while cutting at my in-law's place. Couldn't get sufficient leverage using the peavey's short handle. Guess there's an easy fix though, just use a hollow pipe as an extension.

My Peavey looks small in part because the wood was so damn fat - lol - and in the photo it was leaning away from camera on an angle. I much prefer nice 18" rounds to deal with rather than the chunks in my photo.

I hear you about having a decent length handle to work with. Need the leverage for sure.

 

[svk]

Another question, anyone that owns land try coppicing? Seems like a great method for sustainable wood burning.

Only certain species respond to copicing and pollarding (sp?).

 

[USMC615]

Only certain species respond to copicing and pollarding (sp?).

Not quite sure what you just called me and everybody else here scrounging...but it sounded pretty good, Lol. I'll hafta take a look at these terms and see. I have heard the term 'copicing'...just gotta do a little research. Aint gotta clue what 'pollarding' means. I'll check it out...until then, you keep that vulgar language down, young man, lol.

 

[dancan]

I'm pretty sure copicing would be fine if we were going to make baskets or wicker type furniture , other than that it would be Zogger wood and a lot of it , I think that scrounging dead or blowdowns and leaving the fines along with a few large chunks are more beneficial to forest health than trying to copice a crop .
0* here tonight , Hunter's moon out there , still burning Zogger wood and the little end cuts of the 2"x's in the furnace , My scrounged firewood is still safe