Going to try to do most of this with pictures.
The year has gone by in a flash!
Between off season baseball/softball workouts....then basketball for Mae-Mae...then spring baseball and the never ending travel softball season for Mae we have been busier than I ever imagined my life could be.....but....
It's been one of those years that when I did get the opportunity to get out hunting....things just "worked".
As crazy as things were, I still found or made the time to practice and prepare for the times when I did get out. It would have been easy to get lazy...but I didn't allow myself to do so. I wanted to be ready if opportunty "knocked".
Let's get to it....
The first real hunt of the year was a bunny hunt at Shawn's with a bunch of good Trad Gang friends...first critters with my Timberghost Apparition...
• (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/curt/TG2017002.JPG)
• (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/curt/TG2017003.JPG)
That hunt was incredible...I think we killed around 18 bunnies that day all together!
Spring time...
Crazy times with Cade playing baseball(Jr. year), and Mae playing JV softball as a 7th grader....but oh yeah....it's gonna be turkey season!
I fit in as much scouting as I could before work and between games....I knew right where I wanted to be come opening day...
May 1...
Hunting a spot not far from home...just cruising a back road, almost there and bang!!!
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a deer comes running out of the darkness and with no time to react...
• (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/curt/TG2017004.JPG)
• (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/curt/TG2017005.JPG)
Deer runs off, I stop....only a mile to go, not gonna miss opening morning....on I go...I'm hunting!
What followed was one of the best/toughest hunts ever trying to convince a henned-up gobbler to commit...
But after a couple hours he did, and I captured some of the best turkey hunt footage I've ever gotten all captured on 3 different camera angles....it's cool!!!
In the heat of battle....getting closer...
• (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/curt/TG2017006.JPG)
• (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/curt/TG2017007.JPG)
Screen capture while checking footage after the shot...
• (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/curt/TG2017008.JPG)
Deployment...
• (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/curt/TG2017008a.JPG)
Tools of the trade...Sony Action cam that I had on a head strap, and a slate call given to me by TG'r Bob Palmer(it's turkey poison!)
• (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/curt/TG2017009.JPG)
Here's the set-up...you can see the other sony action cam that was on a small tripod that is remotely controlled and capture the "opposite angle" of the gobbler strolling in and the shot...
• (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/curt/TG2017010.JPG)
The string leading into the thicket behind me...
• (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/curt/TG2017011.JPG)
He didn't go far, the 300 grain, 1 1/2" wide Big Jim broadhead on a .340 carbon launched out of my old reliable black Kwyk Styk "Cy" caught him slightly quartering away...he was an absolute big, beautiful old gobbler!!!
• (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/curt/TG2017012.JPG)
• (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/curt/TG2017013.JPG)
Bonus!!
• (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/curt/TG2017014.JPG)
• (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/curt/TG2017015.JPG)
A true trophy in every sense of the word!
• (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/curt/TG2017016.JPG)
• (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/curt/TG2017017.JPG)
So despite how the morning started, real, lifelong memories were made....
May 13th...
This was going to be a rainy Saturday morning in the blind, Cade had practice, so I was again alone...
I had watched 4 gobblers go to roost somewhere in the woods close by the evening before.
I'd been seeing this group of gobblers on and off for a month now...I finally got them roosted in a spot I could do something with them.
Never a guarantee, but this set up has worked before....I liked my chances!!
Been waiting on this! Glad to hear you had an exciting season. Can't wait to see the videos too. I'm kinda in the same situation with two kids in sports and trying to squeeze in hunts when I can but wouldn't change it for anything. Gotta love the color of the spring woods behind a big gobbler strutting to the decoys!!!
Awesome pics and an awesome season so far Curt!
:campfire: :archer: :coffee:
:campfire: :archer: :coffee:
What a year you have had curt way to get it done brother and can't wait to read the rest! :campfire:
KEEP IT COMIN!
A limb hanger! Keep it coming, Curt! :campfire:
Awesome...keep the pics coming, we know there's more!!!!
Good looking turkey, as well as the rabbits!
Congrats Curt! Dead Bird and Fresh Morels! Great Combination!
Cannot wait for the rest. Awesome so far.
Love it.......
:campfire: :campfire: :campfire:
I beat the rain getting set up, but just as the birds started gobbling....it started to rain.
Shortly after it was light enough to shoot I could tell by the occasional gobble that the birds were on the ground and headed my way....
With cameras rolling, they appeared in the the corner of the field as they often do....saw the decoys...and started in...
I double checked cameras and wrapped my gloved hand around the familiar stippled grip of my trusty Kwyk Styk "Cy" once again...
With the steady "pitter-patter" of the rain on the roof of the Double Bull....they wasted no time closing and in no time were right in the decoys...
What a privilege it is to watch gobblers at such close range....at 8 yards they look huge!
:campfire: still tuned in.
:campfire: :coffee:
:campfire: :archer:
I swore I was going to let the birds work over the decoy, and then shoot....but they hesitated a bit...
It's nice to wait at times to see what they'll do to a decoy...but I've also learned to not wait to long because things can go south quick as well...
So with one of the birds standing facing me and the strutter behind the other birds....I didn't want to wait any longer...
The giant Big Jim 3 blade caught the gobbler at the base of the neck severing it and over backward he went in a heap flopping, flipping in a mess of feathers and water...and here came the strutter!
Right in front of the Sony action camera, he proceeded to trounce his amigo. Then when he got done with him, he went after the jake decoy.....pretty cool footage!!!
Strutter just getting done with his beating...note the camera on the small tripod...
• (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/curt/TG2017018.JPG)
You can see he drove the stake right through the top of the decoy...
• (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/curt/TG2017019.JPG)
Eventually the birds fed off and I was able to get out of the blind...
• (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/curt/TG2017020.JPG)
Although he doesn't look like it, he was beautiful bird with a 9.5" beard and 7/8" spurs...
• (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/curt/TG2017021.JPG)
• (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/curt/TG2017022.JPG)
• (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/curt/TG2017023.JPG)
• (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/curt/TG2017024.JPG)
The same "Big Jim" was the demise of both birds...
• (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/curt/TG2017025.JPG)
...Up next The "Muzzy" shoot...
Curt,
Thanks for b taking us along... I've been watching for your hunt videos and understand completely how fast time flies! My little hunting buddy that used to track my deer from up on my shoulders is now a senior in high school and ships out to the Navy 3 weeks after graduation. .... seems like yesterday he was too little to navigate through the buck brush by himself.
Looking forward to more pics and stories!
God bless,
Rodd
August 12-13th, The "Muzzy" Shoot Weekend...
This was the busiest late spring and summer we've ever had as a family, the John Mussachia Invitaional Stump Shoot was upon us before we knew it!
Cade had just home from a week playing golf in Florida with my in-laws in preparation for his senior year of golf...and I had easily practiced the least I've ever with Muzzy approaching....life happens....I was not prepared!!!
But with that said, on the way up as Cade and I chatted...I told him I had absolutely no expectations or so called pressure(self induced). I knew I hadn't practiced much, so whatever happened, happened...
I did have a great source of inspiration for the weekend....Cade had a friend that was in the fight of his young life with stage 4 cancer...I put this band on my quiver as a dedication to Ryan and for inspiration and strength...
• (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/curt/TG2017026.JPG)
Warm up's were as expected....not so good...
But a couple targets into the seating round things started to click with my Timberghost Apparition...
• (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/curt/TG2017028.JPG)
The Catskill's are a cool place...
• (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/curt/TG2017027.JPG)
Hanging out between rounds with Mikey(mcgroundstalker), luv this little fella...
• (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/curt/TG2017029.jpg)
A couple of the Hathaway clan(good people and a family of awesome shots!)
• (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/curt/TG2017030.jpg)
• (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/curt/TG2017031.jpg)
I got through a couple more rounds on top Saturday...
We drove home and were back up bright and early Sunday...
The steady shooting continued...and after a couple more rounds I was in the Longbow championship round....
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I won!!!!
Who'd of thought...I guess the lack of expectation and resulting lack of "pressure" on myself worked :dunno:
• (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/curt/TG2017032.JPG)
Now the toughest part.....the 28 target overall championship round!!!
I found out I would be shooting against recurve champion TG'r Todd Hathaway...a great guys, and a 4 time overall champion!
Being a 3 time overall champion myself, and Todd being the guy that beat me the last time I made it to the overall championship shootoff....I knew I was going to have my hands full if I wanted my 4th overall championship!!!
:campfire:
Looks like a lot of fun I haven't been to a shoot in quite a few years. Hate to hear about Cade's buddy hope everything is figured out for him to be able to recover and enjoy his teenage years. :campfire:
When Todd got up and knocked the first target down, a 50 yarder over the pond, I thought.....hmmm....this is not going to be easy! Not that I thought it would, Todd is a phenomenal shot!
Well I managed to hit knock down the next few and have a really hot first half, holding a big lead going into the second half....
Some pix from the overall round(I believe Jeff "Mint" took the first 3)...
• (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/curt/TG2017033.jpg)
• (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/curt/TG2017034.jpg)
• (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/curt/TG2017035.jpg)
Although my second half wasn't as strong...I held on.....I won my 4th "Muzzy" overall title!!!
Getting my Longbow Champ trophy...
• (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/curt/TG2017036.jpg)
Letting the crowd know what the pink bracelet was all about that I had on my quiver all weekend...they all donated money to help....trad archers are a wonderful bunch!!!
• (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/curt/TG2017037.jpg)
Receiving the "overall" championship trophy.....anyone that has experienced "Muzzy" knows what it means to accomplish this....what a great feeling!!!
• (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/curt/TG2017038.jpg)
• (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/curt/TG2017039.jpg)
• (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/curt/TG2017040.JPG)
Up next, deer season :archer2:
:thumbsup:
Very cool. Congrats
Excellent , buddy!! :clapper:
Congrats Curt, awesome shooting!
That loooks like a blast congrats!
Before I get started on deer season....I found some more pix of "Muzzy" to share....not my pix(saved to my computer).....wanted to share because I feel they capture what's it's really like to shoot in such a beautiful surroundings.
End of the road....time to get somewhat serious...
• (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/curt/TG2017040b.jpg)
Saturday morning "orientation"...let the games begin!
• (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/curt/TG2017040a.JPG)
Hard to find a more beautiful place to shoot a bow in New York...
• (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/curt/TG2017040f.JPG)
• (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/curt/TG2017040g.JPG)
• (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/curt/TG2017040e.jpg)
Championship Sunday warm-up's...cool pix that captured me(bright green "hat to the back") and Todd H.(blue shirt with his back to us shooting metal riser recurve)...we would later shoot it out for "all the marbles"!
• (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/curt/TG2017040c.JPG)
• (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/curt/TG2017040d.JPG)
Thanx to whoever took these great pix!
OK....now on to deer season :archer2:
Cool looking place :thumbsup:
Bring on Deer Season :campfire:
Love Ya Too Curt! Great pictures... Already looking forward to next years Muzzy Shoot!
By the way, check your PM's...
... mike ... :archer2: ...
Loving this thread :thumbsup: :coffee:
Looking forward to each new picture and story, good job buddy.
Tracy
Tuned in... :campfire:
Deer season 2017...
Before the season would start I got to thinking one day that I've been doing this for an awful long time and started counting.....this was going to be my 40th deer season.....woah, wait a minute....I can't be that old!!!!
But it was true, my 40th season bowhunting deer was about to begin and I wanted it to be a memorable one. Not only here in NY, but I also had a trip to Kansas to hunt with my good buddy Tracy(KSTRAPPER) to look forward to...I was ready to see what the gods of the hunt had in store for me...
October 1st was finally here and I was looking forward to spending some tree time with Cade.
We'd hunted 5 opening days prior since he was 12 yrs old and although we always had a good time....we'd never seen a single deer!
After getting permission to hunt a new little chunk of ground and doing well there in the late season.....I knew right where we wanted to be to start off the year...
Long story short....we saw like 8 does, and something like 5 bucks! Including a big 6 pt that walked right to the base of our tree no offering Cade a shot, picking us out in the tree, spooking back out to about 10yds quartering away....well the combination of the buck being on edge, ducking some and Cade's shot being a bit high(all on video)...the arrow went just over his back! :(
Oct. 2....
Afternoon hunt after work, I'd be by myself...Cade had golf practice...
I was going back to the same stand as I started my season last year, killing a big doe the first time I was in this stand....I was hoping for a repeat.
Although the acorns weren't anywhere near as heavy as last year...the deer were still hitting them....and our freezer was empty of venison...another nice doe would be a perfect way to start my season!
Just like the year prior, there were deer there when I got to the stand. Off they went, but I hoped that ,like last year, they would come back...
It wasn't long they started back, but try as I could....I just couldn't make it happen.....they were on to me....but they wanted those acorns....it was almost like they knew where and what angle they could stand at...
That was until last light when 2 does all of a sudden appeared just about right under me.....I barely got the camera on her in time and swung around to shoot before she went behind some brush and into the orchard...
"CY" looked as though she had launched a tracer round as the lighted nock streaked toward her!
The carbon arrow, with a giant "Big Jim" broadhead, smashed into her low in the shoulder with a loud, bone breaking, crunch!
She was out of sight in no time....but she didn't go very far...
• (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/curt/TG2017041.JPG)
Look at the hole that Big Jim left in her!!
• (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/curt/TG2017042.JPG)
Tag number one of the year punched!
• (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/curt/TG2017045.JPG)
The arrow had broken as she initially lunged forward after impact....but I never did find the BH end of it in the dark...
After I got her hung up, I got looking, and found this...
• (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/curt/TG2017043.JPG)
The 650gr. arrow after smashing the near lower shoulder bone had gone thru and hit the far leg bone, changing direction and traveled about 6 inches down the far leg bone...
• (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/curt/TG2017044.JPG)
That's crazy how the broadhead traveled down the leg :scared: :dunno:
Good find and picks buddy, very cool!
Congrats again!!!
Tracy
:eek: :eek: :eek:
Things you wouldn't believe if you didn't see them, that's crazy!!!
That's a heck of a big doe too :campfire:
Quite the year my friend. Looking forward to the rest.
There you have it! I'll take a "heavy" arrow every time...... :thumbsup:
... mike ...
That's cool!
Wow that's devistation!
QuoteOriginally posted by Buckeye1977:
Wow that's devistation!
I can tell ya what, the sound of that arrow hitting left no doubt the arrow had hit bone! The video captured it as well :eek:
I'll have more soon....up next KANSAS!!!!!!!
No mistaking that sound! Keep it coming! :campfire:
Very cool pic with the morel!
Congrats Curt. Looking forward to more
Awesome story...looking for more. And thanks!
:thumbsup: :campfire:
:campfire:
:thumbsup: :archer2: