Wind: NNW, 6 mph
Temp: 33 degrees
Hunt time: 5 hours

When I saw the forecasted winds this morning, I knew exactly what stand I was going to! My favorite. I’ve only hunted it once so far this year and that was on Oct. 20th. I was kind of disappointed with it – in past years it has been one of the hottest spots. Since things are starting to warm up a bit in the timber, I decided to give it a try since it is an excellent position to call from – overlooking a natural funnel of tallgrass prairie with a step drop off right behind it that provides extremely thick cover for deer.

As I mentioned last time, this is a stand you have to be early and get in quick to because bucks often hear you up on the funnel plateau and will come check you out thinking you are another deer. I rocked it this morning! I got in quick and perfect! And with the full moon – it was so bright, clear and beautiful! I didn’t have a buck come through this time, but as I always do, once I was set up in the stand, I just looked up and watched the stars… I absolutely love this spot!

Still sitting in the dark, I noticed a “blotch” of something in the mowed part of the prairie. I couldn’t see what it was so I just thought I’d see if the spot is still there or not in a few minutes. Things started to clear up and I realized it was something. I looked through my binoculars… BOBCAT!!! OH YES!!! We know bobcats live in this area as we watched them here on quite a few different accounts – in and out of the stand – but this was a first… a kitten! And it was playing with a mouse just like a house cat… not killing it… just keeping it alive so it can bounce, pounce and play – WHAT A SIGHT! I kept watching the kitten and much to my surprise, another kitten joins it and does the same thing!

When it started getting lighter out, the bobcats disappeared back into the thick cover of the drop off. Some turkeys on the other hill were awake, making calls and getting ready for their fly down.

I heard a bird singing loudly somewhere in front of me and then another right above and behind me joined in going back and forth – I spotted the one in front and it ended up being a beautiful Northern Flicker… one of my favorites! However, there were two on other branches facing it and then the one behind me flew in and joined and they perched in a tight circle singing and dancing back and forth – so awesome! I JUST LOVE THIS SPOT!

I did a bit of rattling and in the distance saw a young 6-point buck checking out the area.

Then around 10 a.m., I looked over and couldn’t believe my eyes. The kittens were coming out again but this time… FOUR!!! Yes, FOUR! They were coming out behind a cedar tree and I believe I saw the mom for a split second too. They came out where the tall and mowed prairie meet and played around, attacking each other randomly for a bit, all just 30 yards from me. Amazing.

Fall is also the breeding season of bobcats and we have seen some big males coming through here in past years. Bobcats do have a hunting season in this county and it opens on November 3rd… hm… maybe I should get a tag this year!!!

Later on after calling another sequence, I had a nice, young 8-point buck come from behind me up the drop off. The rest was pretty quite. Deer wise, this spot was kind of a disappointment again, but as always, this spot continues to amaze me. I’ll plan on trying it again during the rut and maybe during bobcat season. Oh, the daydreams are already flying around in my head!!! 🙂