Got my Blackwater application in the mail monday and priority sent it back tuesday .

So hopefully I can get my preferred dates and areas.

Put in for the early ML season in OCT the shotgun season in NOV and the reguler ML in DEC . Three days total for $30 plus MD state non res license which is about $165 .

Not cheap but not outrageouse either .

Now if I can get a Sika deer this year for the freezer I'll be happy :D

Of course another six pointer for the wall would be nice as well ;)

Well did the early ML hunt in October and didn't get anything !!!!

But my "Thermacell" kept the mosquitoes away and I did hear some stags bugling !!!!!!!!

So I am leaving in about 11 hours to do the shotgun hunt tommorrow :D

Already have a stand hanging and waiting on me in an area that has not been hunted this year so far !!!! I killed a nice 6 pointer about 200 yards from here in 2005 , so I'm pumped ;)

Have the little H&R Untra Slug Hunter Deluxe 20 gauge all sighted in with a Leupold 4.5-14AO up top . And am shooting the Hornady SST sabot slugs . I have her sighted in dead on at 100 yards , which will be about max for a shot in this snarly mess I'm hunting tommorrow .

Possible bag tommorrow is a Sika stag and hind as well as whitetail buck and doe . So I think a dozen rounds of ammo should be way more then necessary .

Might throw my Savage 215 bolt action 12 gauge rifled slug gun in for good measure in case something unforseen should happen to the H&R . Incidently I have a Leupold 3-9 on the Savage and it is sighted in with the SST sabots as well !!!

I think perhaps the horseshoe has fallen out :(

Got there this AM and was situated by about 5:45AM . But it was cloudy and foggy this morning .

Anyway before I went up , I put out some Sika doe scent foam . And I put it directly below my treestand . I only went up about 18-20 feet today .

Well sunrise was "supposed" to be at 7:05AM and "normally" you would be able tp see well enough to shoot from about 6:35AM .

Well precisely at 6:50AM a big boy comes walking up and is sniffing around my scent foam . Bear in mind he is about 20 feet away from me straight down . And I am unable to make out his entire body because of low visibility . Although every so often I could see antlers . I am pretty sure he was a very nice 6 point .

Anyway he was below and around me for about 5-10 minutes and I was never able to see him well enough to get a shot .

So I am pretty sure the horseshoe has fallen from my *** :eek:

Oh well there is still another chance on december 15th ;)

Maybe the third time will be a charm for you, 6pt!

Kansas , I killed a veyr nice 6 pointer in 2005 and a smaller 6 in 1999 . I truly believe this one today was a good bit larger then the one I took in 05 !

I was raised in Madison county Virginia and left there nearly 30 years ago. I am not familiar with the term "Blackwater permit". Would you please tell me what that is?

Thanks,
Terry

I was raised in Madison county Virginia and left there nearly 30 years ago. I am not familiar with the term "Blackwater permit". Would you please tell me what that is?

Thanks,
Terry

Terry , I live in Orange County and have pretty much for the entire 46 years of my life !!!

However the "Blackwater Permit" has nothing to do with anywhere in Virginia !!!!

The "Blackwater Permit" is for the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge in Dorchester County Maryland . Thats on the eastern shore of Maryland and the refuge is not to far from Cambridge Maryland !!!!

Maybe the third time will be a charm for you, 6pt!

Well the third time didn't take place this year !!!

I came hoem from work thursday night with the beginning of sinus infection . Friday morning I had the alarm set to hunt that morning at the house , but I was to stopped up to go outside . Slept all day friday with hopes of feeling well enough to go uo early saturday morning . But I woke uo about 11PM checked the weather report and decided I would be better of to stay home !!!!

So , as I have gotten used to saying . There's always next year ;)

Well boys next year is now here and I am waiting for my permit application to come in the mail and send it back for the 2008 season !

Think this year I will put in for an archery permit , early and late BP and the gun permit !

I hunted private ground on the edge of Blackwater, on the river, back in the mid 70's as a kid. My best friends dad was Iowa State Champ caller for ducks and geese some years earlier so he had a good teacher. I'll never forget the first morning when the sun came up and the sky was full of birds, Great memories! Jim - you out there? I've never hunted private ground, always my own or a neighbors place since then. I might just look into that.

I hunted private ground on the edge of Blackwater, on the river, back in the mid 70's as a kid.

We had a pair of leases in the late 90's , one was on Hip Roof Road and the other was on Beech Ground Road . Both of these butted up against the refuge .

Matter of fact the piece on Hip Roof road has become part of the refuge now . And the piece on Beech Ground is now owned by the state even thou it's open to the public now .

Went to the PO today about 3PM and checked the mail !

My Blackwater application was in there , so I immediately took it out marked everything had a postal MO made and sent it back Priority . SO they should have it back by thursday !

Only put in for the early ML and the shotgun hunt !

Work schedule will not allow me to hunt the late ML season and if I decide to bow hunt I'll get a permit when I go up !:D

Well work situation has changed so I may go on and get a late ML permit after all !

When I go up to scout and hang a stand for the early ML and gun season I might just purchase another permit for the late ML as well !

Called the refuge today to find out what the deal is with the permits as I hadn't seen or heard a thing !

Seems they are holding them a few more days as some folks would start bow hunting to early on the refuge !
Noraml season starts 9/15 and the refuge bow season starts a couple weeks later !

Anyway I got the two areas I put in for ! So I am set for the first day of the ML season in the area I have hunted the last 2 years !

And for the gun season I have the same area I hunted the last 3 years and happened to kill a right nice 6 point sika .

When I go up for some scouting in early october I might go ahead and get an archery and maybe permits for the extra ML and shotgun hunts .


So with that being said I stuck the Chincoteague NWR app in the mail today as well ! Maybe I'll get lucky and draw an area for in january ! Haven't hunted there in about 4 years !

Well I headed to the Blackwater this sunday to hang my stand for next fridays early muzzleloader hunt !

And I'll pick a tree sunday and mark a trail for the gun hunt in early december ! I may go back up the week before the gun hunt and hang my treestand again ! I don't like hanging my climber the morning I hunt but sometimes you just can't help it !

Also will have to make a decision whether or not I want an additional ML day in december and an additional couple days of gun season in decmeber . It's only an additional $30 for both so I may very well invest in it !

Other then hanging stands in Blackwater , now all I need is to hear from Chincoteague to see if I got drawn to gun hunt there in january ;)