Boondocks Hunting Podcast
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Boondocks Hunting Podcast
Field Notes 4 : Rollercoaster Opening Weekend of New Jersey's Hunting Season
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Can the thrill of the hunt really be captured in a single weekend? Join us as Frank Bustica takes us on a rollercoaster of emotions through his opening weekend of New Jersey's hunting season. Beginning with a serene morning hunt where he hears deer in the distance but sees none, Frank's evening adventure on newly acquired private land cranks up the excitement. Despite a few early missteps like spooking two does and a well-timed call from his son, Frank's skillful maneuvering pays off as he spots two does approaching, navigating the delicate dance of remaining unseen.
As the season continues, we evaluate the ups and downs, noting a stark difference from last year's experiences. Ideal weather has made for enjoyable hunts, yet the elusive doe has remained out of sight while bucks have been more frequent sightings. The unexpected appearance of a unique buck named "half rack" adds a layer of excitement and hope. We also celebrate the broader success of our hunting team spanning five states, emphasizing the camaraderie and shared goals. With unwavering determination, we remain optimistic about finding that perfect spot and finally bagging a doe in the upcoming hunts.
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Speaker 2And I'm Frank Bustica .
Speaker 1Guys , it is here . Opening day started here in New Jersey , so let's dive into this episode and do not forget chase the unknown . So , guys , glorious . It feels great Like hunting Delaware and , I imagine you'll say , like hunting upstate , like what we said in the last episode , preseason . And this felt like all right . Season is actually here , like it's game on now , like the pressure was on , everything felt right . Like you headed out in the morning , you headed to your traditional spot , or whatever the case , and it's like all right . Like you headed out in the morning , you headed to your traditional spot or whatever the case , and it's like All right , like this is it ? This is what we've been waiting for , you know so , frank , since you really have more to talk about than than I do , so you know why don't you start it off and let us know how your opening weekend went ?
Speaker 2Yeah , absolutely . So I'll start with Saturday . Unfortunately , I can only hunt the morning on Saturday because we had prior obligations to do something else in the evening . So I went to my usual spot that I usually do pretty good in . There was only one truck there , which was not a bad sign . That was pretty good . Um , I went in there not with the highest hopes , cause I've been running two cameras in there and haven't been getting many does , but there were tracks in there , so actually I brought the saddle and I actually went about 80 yards deeper than my camera , figuring if , if they were going to move , this is where they will be .
Speaker 2Um , unfortunately , I sat there , I think , to like 9 , 30 , um , I didn't see not a damn thing . The only thing , actually , at first light , I heard a few deer actually blow . I don't . I know that there's other hunters on the other side , because I know there's like a big open field and I know that's private property side and there's people that hunt that . So I don't know if they were blown at them . I don't think it was for me because my wind and everything was going the other way . So that was pretty much shot to shit .
Speaker 2So , um , going back to sunday um , I actually decided to sleep in in the morning , um , because I actually got um permission to hunt a piece of private , which I am very fortunate . I known this guy for a very long time . We haven't hunted together in 20 years and we just , you know , reconnected like last year and he was able to . His brother actually bought um a big piece . It's 102 acres and uh , actually it has like a hunting lodge on it , everything . It actually used to be a hunting club so . So I'm not gonna lie , I kind of stepped in shit a little bit . So , um , but yeah , I've been going there um feeding , I've been running a few cam . You know um two moultrie cameras in there , been seeing some really nice bucks in there and I knew there was a lot of does um , so I decided to hunt it , uh in the evening , because that's when I was getting most of my doe action around , like , around , like anywhere from 3 , 30 to 5 , 30 , 6 o'clock . So I was like all right , I'm gonna go in there around like one , that way I have time to pick a tree set up myself , because I didn't even pick a tree yet . I I knew where my cameras were . I was like , all right , this is where I'm going to set up , got all set up and actually , as I'm setting up , I'm putting my first stick on . I look up and there's two does standing there watching me . I'm like , oh no , so they kind of , you know , take off . They run the other way and I was like , all right , well , it's still early , you never know . So , uh , I get all set up and I'm facing from the direction where I think they're going to come from . Again , this is my first time hunting , so I wasn't really sure , but I'm like I think they're coming from this way .
Speaker 2So I sat there for probably maybe 45 minutes to an hour and my son calls me to tell me that he saw a snake in the backyard and he wanted to tell me all about it . So , as he's telling me , I actually happened to hear noise behind me and once you know it , I freaking turn my head and here's two big does like probably 20 yards behind me , closing the distance , and I'm like all right , like don't move , don't do nothing . So I wasn't even ready yet , like my camera was still off and I was like damn it , this is like 3.30 . And I'm like all right . So I actually let them , because they came from my left , so I let them pass me as they pass me . I go to turn my camera on .
Speaker 2As I'm trying to push the button on , she sees me . Well , she sees something . She sees something move and she looks right up at me and I'm like shit , all right , like don't move , don't do nothing . So I waited for her to calm down . She calms down , she starts eating again . So I waited for her to calm down . She calms down , she starts eating again . So I come to full .
Speaker 2So , right , when I'm about to come to full draw , I just start pulling back my bow . She takes off , she runs about 10 yards and stops behind a tree . So all I could see was like , you know , like the back half of her , that's it . So I happen to look them in the corner of my eye and I see the other one and she's standing there right out in the open at 18 yards , nothing in the way . So I just , you know , I just kind of shift my focus to her . So I turned , I made the shot , I double lunger , you know , she takes off . I'm like , uh , I could just see her pumping . I was like , I know , I knew it was a good shot . I'm , like it's over , like let me tell you something . Like those severs are badass .
Speaker 1I told you , I told you , I've been praising them for I don't know .
Speaker 2It feels like four , probably like four or five years now mean yeah just my by far my favorite broadhead um out there , but um yeah , I'm glad I made the switch , to be honest with you , because I haven't shot mechanicals in years and after shooting that thing and seeing the hole we put in it from the 2.0i was like damn and I got those 2.0s are sick .
Speaker 2Yeah , and I got a full pass through because I didn't actually tell you guys . But it went in like perfect . You guys seen like where it went in right behind the shoulder , perfect . It came out the opposite shoulder , went right through the shoulder and she only went probably about 40 yards and she piled up . But I couldn't see because there was kind of like um it , it drops down to like a little like marshy , like swamp type of thing , and it was high grass . She went in there as soon as I went over there . Like that's where we found her .
Speaker 1How far ? Did she run .
Speaker 2Like 40 .
Speaker 1how far did you ?
Speaker 2run like 40 . Yeah , sure , in like 40 yards , so , but yeah , I was like I was pumped . I'm sending you guys you know the guys , I got one , you know like , and uh , and the celebration began yeah , then now that was I mean the , the chat was was cruising , was was bumping and you know yeah um , from especially from earlier too , because I I'm hoping that uh peyton will be able to get the uh the video over of him talking about his hunt .
Speaker 1But uh peyton actually killed on opening day . So we were on high Like we were back-to-back kills Just absolutely amazing . Squatch called it . It happened right away . So you know , it is something remarkable to see . And you know , now we got two guys that are on the bucks . We got two guys that are on the bucks , we , we , we got two guys that are that are on the bucks . Um , so , the those several 2.0 , first of all , before this is now your first , your first , like I know you hunted out of the saddle for for bear . Yeah , I was like doing a full . Now you're seeing deer , you're you're you're seeing some some different're , you're seeing some some different things . So how was it for you your first , like I'll say , like legit saddle , like hunt yeah , I mean it , I'm hooked .
Speaker 2you know it takes me a little longer to still get set up , I'm still working on my speed , but I mean just the mobility , how you , and just how easy it is . And it's such a game changer because , like I said , I didn't want to , you know , have to throw in stands and all right , this is going to be a dough spot , you know . But I mean I , literally I love the saddle , yeah .
Speaker 1I'm a big fan of it now .
Speaker 2I , literally I love the saddle .
Speaker 1Yeah , I'm a big fan of it . Now , I think you know when it , when it comes to setting up , and even you know I have it kind of down and packed where , like , I can do it pretty quickly . But you know some , sometimes I don't want to sacrifice the quickness because I have the time where I'll do it really slow , because I don't want to make too much noise . You know , especially when you're rushing , you know people make me , anyone out there you're gonna make careless mistakes regardless . You know what I mean . So , um , like to , uh , you know , the other day I I mean I set it up one stick , all right , climb down , grab the other , boom , boom , and I did it in pieces .
Speaker 1I know it's a pain in the butt and I have the ability to literally go up in one shot and do it all . But right now , when you're getting in early , early and you have plenty of time , like screw it , I might as well do this go really super slow , like you know , take my time and and that's how I kind of do it and it just , you know , it just gets in the reputation of just doing things over and over and over again . Um , so to me it does help , um , but yeah , first , first bow kill out of the saddle . Um , you know , you got it on the , the tactic cam , you know , and and that's another thing that you're probably going to have to get used to is just , you know something that it took me a little bit too . Like I think I've I've killed every deer on camera since I started recording , except for like one or two , and that happened in the like the first year .
Speaker 1So it , it is a difficult transition and but once you get it , like you know , boom . You know , I think the saddle also does help too , because for the most part , like you should be able to stay concealed behind the tree , so you get away with a lot . But now , if you know , sometimes it they're still going to catch you and everything like that , and you know , so it is a work in progress and you know you'll , by the end of the season , this will be a a piece of cake for you yeah , no , absolutely .
Speaker 2Because , like I said I , when they came to my left , to my right , I should have waited a little bit for them to start eating before I fiddled with the camera .
Speaker 2I think I just got a little over eager , so , but , um , you know , I I knew I had to tack the camera on and so I was like , all right , like I need a doe , I'm just going to make the shot . You know , like I don't want to mess this up , but I mean , after that I I would have had more chances , because after I shot her about I think it was about maybe 15 minutes later , I had another group of three does come by and then , as I'm watching them and I'm trying to get them on film , my buddy texts me and was like you got deer coming up to you . I'm like , are you serious ? So he's like , yeah , they're coming , they're coming up the hill . So I turn around and here come four more does and they were all right underneath me . So I had I had my pick of the litter , but I already had got mine down . I was like I just want to get this done and move on to my buck yeah , now I , I get that for sure .
Speaker 1And which , which did daylight too , that that day as well , yep , yep . So you know it is a good thing , we're , we're looking forward to
Frustrations and Deer Hunting Plans
Speaker 1it . Um , you know , but , guys , for for me , I mean opening day , first of all , compared to last year , I mean I'm still extremely happy how this start of the season is compared to to last season . I I'll just say that , um , you know , weather's been great , so I've been enjoying it , but , oh man , I haven't seen a doe yet , I've only seen bucks . I have literally only seen bucks , and I find it every day , every morning , every . You know I'm now in two different zones looking for does , yeah , and I try not to complain about having all these bucks and it's always great to have bucks , but not during , during . Earn your your , your buck , not not during this time . This is the worst time to have to have bucks and you know I have the spots that I have does . I can't , I'm not going to hunt it , you know , not yet I haven't gotten that desperate yet . You know , I still think there's , there's some chances for me to find a spot that that doesn't have any shooters at it . Now it is getting a little frustrating , but you know we'll , we'll , we'll see how it goes . But you know I saw nothing but bucks from basically probably within the first 30 minutes . I had deer crews and everything like that . It was a great , beautiful hunt . I enjoyed it .
Speaker 1I actually ended up going with my traditional opening day spot . I didn't make the decision until I was in the car , probably like 20 or 30 minutes into my drive . Um , and I'm actually really happy that I did , because I don't know how many times I'm gonna hunt there this year . There really isn't any does . There might be like one or two and it's all like younger bucks . Um , that place is still um trying to come back from from ehd that we had a couple years ago . Um , so I I'm not really too keen on on hunting that spot , but um from there I went , you know , down the road to another spot that I know has does and no big shooter bucks , a couple of a bunch of younger bucks and then a very interesting buck that I call him half rack . He lost some size to him . So I have no issues um there , with , with , even I would probably honestly even kill him if I , if I really had the chance . I , I definitely do want someone to to kill him . Um , maybe bianca or something like that , but we'll see . So , um , everything was was great .
Speaker 1I was coming into that evening hunt like all right , we're gonna get a doe on the ground . We're gonna get a doe on the ground , all right , time's going and I'm just sitting there . I'm like what , what the hell's going on ? Like this , this can't be happening . And it turns out not a damn thing . Um , so it , it was just nothing . So I'm like , all right , whatever next day morning , like , okay , can't be bad . Like we got this . You know this , this is gonna be fine , this is gonna be good . Get out there . High expectations . Yet again , nothing , not even a deer . They're at my other spot , you know , the this spot that I hunted , there were bucks there . There there were . There were deer blowing up the spot that I eventually went to . Right , just , absolutely just does bucks , everything , everything , like I bears , every , everything . So I'm like , all right , like we're , let's go hunt there this afternoon , go out there , get all set up , confident as hell , confident as hell , nothing yep like what is going ?
Speaker 1on right . Okay , last year I get it weather was crap last year really hot , really huge , but the weather was , it hasn't been bad . I mean it . This is , this is good . Weather like this is the weather that I've wanted to have for for opening day nice and um um , just sunny , not raining , don't have to worry about thunderstorms , don't have to worry about any of that you know what I mean .
Speaker 1And no deer like what's going on . What is going on , everybody I have I was , you know you had killed the deer , everyone's killing deer . At this point , you know , and to make matters , worse , my freaking hit Liz Buck daylighted again again that week that he's daylighted with velvet still just hanging off the rack .
Speaker 1And I came to the conclusion after I saw that every time I have a , a monster shooter that I have patterned , where I could have killed on opening day , two years in a row , now I cannot kill a doe , but when I don't , I can kill it . Like killing does is nothing to me , like there's just everywhere . Now I can't , I can't buy a doe . I couldn't even buy a doe right now . That's that's how bad it is for me .
Speaker 1So , guys , uh , I mean I've had a just a a rough , but still enjoying it , still enjoying it . Glad that the guys are on some deer , glad that you know everyone there is getting out and having fun . You know we have some big news with oh God , what the hell ? Ethan in Colorado and everything like that . Like that's pretty exciting . So the team is officially in five states . We've already hunted five states to start this and we're in the middle of September . So everything looks good from here . You know , I just need to get a buck , or I mean I just need to get a buck , or I mean I just need to get a dough I mean I need to get it but , um , things are looking good for the , for the team and everything like that .
Speaker 1Everything is is coming together for for everybody . So , um , not much else . I'll be out tomorrow evening , um , and then I'm I'll be back to work . So , yeah , uh , for a couple days I'll be out tomorrow evening .
Speaker 2Um , and then I'm .
Speaker 1I'll be back to work . So , um , uh , for a couple of days I'll be out Friday evening um Saturday evening and then Sunday's , bianca's birthday . So I I took off from work and and from hunting for the day and I'm going to be spending the time with my fiance and everything like so . So we're going to do some family and then it's back to to hunting . And I just realized the last day of bear , the last two days of bear season , I have a wedding that I'm in . I'm not needed at the for the rehearsal dinner until um nighttime . So I am going to hunt bear on that friday , but I will . Hopefully I'll be tagged out already .
Speaker 1So yeah , maybe you won't have to worry about it . I'm not going to worry about I'm going to be tagged out by then . Confidence , I'm going into this year confident , looking at everything of I'm just going to be tagging out , we're all going to be tagging out , we're all going to be having fun and killing stuff and everything like that . So I'm not going to say anything . Monday , tuesday and probably wednesday we're going to be having some fun . So , um , frank any any last words ? What ? So far a great start ? Um , uh , I'm hoping you know the bucks are hitting now that soon , that uh , yeah , listen I'm hoping .
Speaker 2So I try to get on , you know , um , a few target bucks tonight actually , and would you know it bear ruined it he's . You know , he came in , he stayed there a little longer than usual . I had to actually run them off , so you know . But um , that's where I start fighting with myself . Do I ? Do I go back in there , but I'm trying not to put too much pressure too early . So I want to go out tomorrow . If I do , I don't know if I'm going to go to that spot . I might just what's the wind look like over there ? Uh , I should be honest , I haven't even looked yet because I'm like I'm still debating whether I'm even going to go out tomorrow . But I mean , I definitely want to , but I'm like , oh , I don't know , and that's always the dilemma .
Speaker 1Like I try to hunt as much as I can . Honestly , like I have a great fiance that you know picks up like a lot of slack and I got to always give her credit and everything like that . Like she picks up a lot of the slack during this time of year to allow me to go out into the woods and and do what I love to do . Um , you know , and , and even for her , I imagine sometimes she gets frustrated , but she's even like sunday . She's like , do you ? She's like , do you even want ? Do you want to come ? Like you don't , you don't have to , you don't , you know ? And I was like , no , it's your birthday .
Speaker 1Like I told you , you know , we have this thing where hunting season , I'm basically free to hunt whenever I want her birthday . I give her the , the day or the night or whatever we decide , and usually she wants um , a night thing and and holidays . You know that's really about it . You know she doesn't say , oh , you have to do this , you have to do that . No , do that . No , like you know the , the things that need to get done around the house . For the most part , she , she will do , and you know , even she's already said it when we do have kids , like , yes , obviously there's , there's gonna be times where I'm gonna , I'm gonna have to sacrifice some things , but she , she also knows , like you know , it's hunting season .
Speaker 1You know , yep , I definitely appreciate her for that . And you know , listen , great , great start to the season . I , even though it's been slow for me , I mean , I've already seen all , probably about 50 deer . So you know , I , yeah , season just started and we're at such a high number . It's now just hopefully get that dough tomorrow , because I'll be out tomorrow um , I hope so , and get it killed . I , I wasn't going to drink at all until , but you know what , already , already a little like you know I need to have a drink .
Speaker 1I need to . I've been hunting hard . I need to need to take a little relax there and , just , you know , take the edge off a little bit the edge off . So I'm gonna sleep . I've been out every morning . I'm gonna sleep in readjust , go over a game plan , look at the cameras and see what is what this one spot . I mean , of course , the minute I left , maybe like 20 minutes later , blowing up with does , which we talked about before .
Speaker 1Yep , I'm doing everything in my power not to go back there , even though everything is also telling me , but I swear I don't think I can take another disappointing hunt out of like , out of that .
Speaker 1So I need to go somewhere new , going to a completely whole other zone which I've never deer hunted before . But I've done so much scouting this whole summer and I know there's a deer everywhere . So tomorrow I'm going with the confidence I'm saying it here on this podcast doe down for me , or you know I'm doe down for me . I'm gonna have , I'm gonna see a bunch of deer , have lots of opportunity , and there's a , there's a storm coming up , so it is going to be a rainy , um , rainy end of the the week and everything like that . So I'm confident , deer down tomorrow for me and you know I'll be on to buck . And you know , frank , I don't know when you're going out next , but yeah , I'm , I'm waiting for that call um . You know , even if I have to , once I get out of work I will come up or do whatever I need to do , but but I'm waiting for that , for that call so um , any , any last words .
Speaker 2that's it . I'm just ready to go , I'm ready to get after these bucks . Man , I want you to get your dose , so the whole team can just get after it .
Speaker 1Yeah , it's coming . We still have a long season and that's why I always tell myself you know , I've had years where I've tagged out on opening day . I think I went like three or four years like within like not even much time it was . It was too good , I had to do good , it was too easy , right . We're now two years in a row where I just have not been able to get it done opening weekend . But you know what ? It's still early and you can't anyone out there . You can't get too hard on yourself , like the season just begun , and especially when you're hunting in New Jersey , when you have till mid February , you know , don't , don't get hit too hard about it . But , guys , we're going to and I hope you guys enjoy this episode and we'll see you guys next time .
