Our annual archery season came in this year on September 12, 2026 and due to yard projects and other things, did not put up the Barrnett Grounder 350 blind until opening archery season. The past few years, Xander and myself have waited until muzzleloading season came in before hunting;  Xander with the crossbow and myself with the muzzleloader.

I have used the Barrnett Grounder 350 blind since 2019, however this year one of the fiberglass support rods splintered while getting it set up.  I used a redneck repair tool; e.g., Duck tape to get it back together.  Some of the outside camouflage mess netting has dry rotted and hopefully will get by this season before replacing the blind.  I believe that model ground blind is still available and will order one after this hunting season.  I want to use the same ground blind since it is spacious enough for Xander and myself and have installed D ring hooks on the platform to tie the blind down, although it would not be any trouble to relocate the D rings if necessary using another ground blind.

It looks like an inebriated person installed the foundation support blocks, however they were fairly level and vertical when originally installed; that's my story and sticking to it.

ACORNS BEGINNING TO FALL

Due to the drought we had this year, the acorns are falling a little ahead of their normal schedule.  I noticed the White and Red Oak acorns on the ground along with the smaller water or pin oak acorns doing the same thing.

Red Oak Acorns.

White Oak Acorns.

Around here, the deer will feast on the smaller Water/Pin Oak acorns first and second the White Oak Acorns.  The Red Oak Acorns have more tannic acid, meaning more bitter and the last ones the deer will eat.  Believe me, I have tasted all three (3) and my finding is accurate!

PULLED THE GAME CAMERA CARD

I hadn't changed the game camera card in a few months and there were over 1800 pixs with mostly grey squirrels, but there were plenty of does and I believe there were five (5) or more different bucks.  There was a good 8 and 10 pointer on there and hopefully he will come around when Xander and myself are hunting and present a good humane kill shot.

There was one Bobcat on there along with a coyote.  I saved a pix of the Bobcat, but forgot to save the pix of the coyote.

I have taken at least two (2) Bobcats with the bow and a few with the .270 Winchester round.  I had one Bobcat mounted and later sold the mount along with other mounts.  I kept one baby raccoon mount which was a road kill.

OLE TOM DOOLEY HANGING TREE GOOD FOR ONE MORE SEASON

Many, many deer have hung from this White Oak tree, which was dying and had to have it cut back to protect our home since it was at least seventy (70) feet tall and fifty (50) feet from our home.  Xander and myself tested it out and it should last another hunting season.

My deer horn stew pot has a serious lean to the left and has yielded many, many hundreds of pounds of venison as evidenced by the antlers: unknown how many does were harvested over the decades!

Web page created on 09-13-2026 by Bill aka Mickey Porter.

XANDER'S FIRST HUNT 2026 SEASON 09-26-2026

I decided to let Xander, our Grandson hunt and I would be an observer.  When muzzleloader season comes in, I will let him continue to crossbow hunt and I will take the ole "smoke pole" to the blind.

We got in our blind around 4:06 PM and the wind was blowing a good bit off and on.  At about 5:30 PM, Xander spotted a buck in front of our blind approximately 60 yards out.  The buck came out of cover and was heading our way, however he stopped and must have smelled something that wasn't just right.  He didn't spook or snort, but slowly turned around and headed back in the direction he came from.  He was in the shadows and couldn't tell the number of his tines, but he was an extremely big bodied buck.

I earlier checked a best times hunting chart and it was a full moon night and prime time was in the mid day and minor time was around 7:03 PM due to the moon phase.

Pix above of Xander in full camouflage.  He was very excited to hunt and was ready a few hours before actual hunting time; grin if you must! 

Due to my medical issues last year, we didn't hunt but a few times and hoping he will harvest a buck this year or another doe.

I pulled the game camera SD card, and deer for the most part are feeding under the cover of darkness, however a few deer have ventured out in daylight hours.

Web page updated on 09-27-2026 by Bill aka Mickey Porter.  

PORTER'S FIRST CROSSBOW HUNT 09-28-2026

Our Grandson Xander had some stomach issues today and stayed out of school and didn't go hunting with me.  Actually this is my first crossbow hunt of the season.  I earlier checked the best times to hunt chart and today the major time was 2:45 - 4:45 PM due to the moon phase being about full, of which I believe it was full the day before.

I got in the blind around 2:36 PM and nothing happened until around 5:00 PM when a yearling came by very close on the right side of the hunting blind and went for the broadcast corn that I had put out earlier mid-day.  It was very alert checking the wind direction and around 5:20 PM, I observed a buck down range about 60 yards or more enter into a shooting lane.  He was also very alert and finally came to the wet weather branch and jumped it and was around 40 yards out.  He worked his way and was obscured by a couple trees and would not commit to coming to the broadcast corn.  I had seen the same buck on my game camera a time or two, but it was mostly at night.

The little buck decided something wasn't just right, even though the yearling was continuing to feed and he came from behind the trees and exited straight away.  About 30 yards out, he turned broadside and I had the second green dot of the TenPoint scope centered on his vitals right behind his right front shoulder.  The Executioner Black Eagle bolt with the Rage Trypan Titanium broadhead headed his way and the lighted knock was a bright red color and disappeared through the buck.  He took off like greased lightening and I heard him crash and dash in the direction he was heading.

I immediately got out of the blind and went to where I last saw him and there was some blood, but not a whole lot.  I tracked the blood trail which was only a drop or two here and there and saw him across the deep wet weather branch.  I took a couple pixs with the ole Obamaphone and field dressed him where lay.  I called our daughter Lisa and had her to send Xander to help me drag  him out.

The shot placement was high, therefore the deer bled out mostly inside.

He had a small basket rack and as I have stated many, many times on this site, I hunt for the freezer and not the wall.

Hopefully, my deer hanging tree nick named Tom Dooley, will make it through this hunting season.  It has been dead a few years and many, many deer were hung from the tree.

As the ole cliché, "Even a blind hog will occasionally find an acorn."

The harvest was registered on line!

The weather permitting and our Lord willing of course, I will get Xander into the hunting blind this coming Saturday, either AM or PM.

The little buck was skinned, quartered and placed in our basement game refrigerator to age out a few days before cutting and grinding into some good "vittles". 

Web page updated on 09-28-2026 by Bill aka Mickey Porter.