Trad Gang

Well, It's a New Year again so soon. Seems like yesterday that I started the daily pics for 2005. What a year it was!!! It was the biggest year I've seen for Tradgangers to connect with game. Congrats to you all and I hope to see your pics again this year on the daily hunt pics! Happy New Year! CK

Heres one from 9:00 this AM,put a Zwickeymark centered in the top of her heartfrom a treestand at 4 yds!!Good way ta start the year!!  :bigsmyl:    :bigsmyl:    :bigsmyl:   (http://www.ozbow.net/phpbb2/album_pic.php?pic_id=1253)

Kenny, congrts on the deer.  :bigsmyl:  Alan

Way to start the year out.

Day 2/2006 No pics today,short story- Rain last nite and 10-20 mph winds this afternoon made me go with a new plan. Slipped into a mess of thick stuff and as luck would have it saw the deer first.Now normally I don't mess with the beddin area but close to end of season I got a little closer.Ended up hunkered in a clump of trees for bout an hour just watchin deer,bout 10 does and 4 bucks,the bucks sparred,followed does and rubbed trees.Biggest was borderline P/Y,think same one I passed 2 weeks ago,a real clean 8 pt.
Felt really lucky just to get to watch,finally backed out and slipped away. Not sure I could stalk one pair of eyes,much less 10 or 15   :)

No pics but killed a 200 lb. boar hog New Years afternoon first hunt in 2006.I also killed a 60 to 70 lb. sow the last day of 2005 had a fun weekend.Kip

First stumping/squirrel hunt of the year.One running shot at a squirrel,that just took some hair off his back......

Sunrise....

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/Huntingpix06002.jpg)

One stump shot,I was actually trying to hit the green,mossy spot.I was kinda proud of the shot anyway,it was 42 paces...........

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/Huntingpix06001.jpg)

Guru,1 inch higher on that stump, and I could've caught that arrow out my back door?  :notworthy:

started the year with a gathering/shoot. About 25 of us, had a great time.  Dustin

(http://www.highlandarchery.com/images/freezeout.jpg)

Carver,That's some awesome country!!!!

Timo....   :bigsmyl: .Won't mention some of my other shots   :banghead:

Sweet! Nothing cooler than giant Cypress. CK

January full moon, 12:15 PM, 3 1/2 yards shot at this nice sow.

2nd hunt with my new Guava selfbow.

 (http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d124/NorthShoreLB/hunt/021_21.jpg)

NorthshoreLB, how is that Guava wood for a bow? I know in my native country, Dominican Republic, they make baseball bats with it. Can you post pics of your bow? I'd love to see it! Thanks.
God bless,

Jose

jdemoya,

there is 2 threads with my guava bows. MUST be  around page 6 or 7 by now.

"My latest Selfbow takes a pig"

"A few HAWAIIAN bows"

I'm learnig more and more every day in how to maximaze the propertys of this wood, so far I've found it excellent.


   Manny

Warren W., I always wanted to sling some spinnerbaits around them cypress, used to love to bass fish! I love this thread and enjoy seeing all the great pics of Gods beautiful creation!

My new year's resolution was to bowhunt more, so off to the swamps of south central Georgia I headed last week, for the annual TBG hog and squirrel hunt.  Besides seeing seeing friends and meeting more traditional bowhunters, I got to bowhunt some swamp rooters and squirrels.

There was some old sign in this swamp...

(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y26/SCJeff/GA/100_9701.jpg)

and some fresher rootings and tracks here.  I love the size of those cyprus trees...

(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y26/SCJeff/GA/100_9705.jpg)

I did see a few hogs, but they were on edge and pretty spooky.  Easing along this trail, I heard the sounds of feeding hogs - grunts, squeals and rustling in the oak leaves...

(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y26/SCJeff/GA/100_9710.jpg)

Soon I saw two nice sized black hogs feeding towards me and I prepared for the shot.  They were in some thick stuff and the leaves were dry, so stalking closer would be tough.  Unfortunately, they changed directions and fed away.  I hung around the area until dark and did find another group of five hogs, but that stalk ended at 30 yards when the wind shifted towards them.

I did see a good bit of sign along the muddy Ocmulgee river...

(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y26/SCJeff/GA/100_9707.jpg)

including these rootings...

(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y26/SCJeff/GA/100_9714.jpg)

there was plenty of food for the hogs, such as  acorns, some hickory nuts and even a few beech nuts...

(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y26/SCJeff/GA/100_9713.jpg)

but the weekend ended with no shots taken.  I didn't mind, the weather was good, the company was great, the food was excellent and more hog hunts were planned for the upcoming months!  Life is good!

Cool start!!

I'm surprised there are not more posts on this thread.  I can't be the only bowhunter out hunting...

My son and I headed to SW Ohio for the final weekend of the deer season.  We had hoped to take off friday and hunt with mr. and mrs. Ferret, but work and school stuff got in the way and we couldn't leave until saturday morning.  We arrived after noon, at "the farm", a place we have been hunting for 10 years.  Unfortunately, "the farm" will soon be a golf course and development, as the farmer and good friend Jim died several years ago.  His widow is hanging in there for now, and her health seems good, but the vultures (developers) are circling and relentless.  She had a warm lunch waiting for us, so we all ate and then Daniel and I headed out, first looking for rabbits and squirrels for him (he had already filled his deer tag).  This rub shows that some big bucks are in the area....

(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y26/SCJeff/Ohio/100_9750.jpg)

No rabbits or squirrels were found, so we headed to a treestand out in the overgrown pasture.  I set his ladder stand at the bottom while I was higher up in the honey locust tree...

(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y26/SCJeff/Ohio/100_9752.jpg)

We had a good view of probably 40 acres of pasture, which the deer have really been using now that the cows are gone...

(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y26/SCJeff/Ohio/100_9754.jpg)

The wind was in our favor and we should have stayed until last light, but Daniel was cold and a little bored since no deer had been seen, so we climbed down and headed to the truck.  I had been watching towards the south, as I used to see deer coming from the adjacent property near this white house....

(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y26/SCJeff/Ohio/100_9755.jpg)

We soon realized our mistake as we drove out the driveway and past the white house - there were about 10 deer feeding towards the tree.  As we watched, they filed 10 yards past the tree  -dooh!

 :knothead:  

Of course Faye insisted that we stay at the old farmhouse, and after a good night's sleep and breakfast, we headed out in the rain and wind to the wooded portion of "the farm", where Daniel had killed his first deer back during the youth hunt of November.  Daniel sat on the ground next to "his" tree, while I sat in a treestand.  I knew the swirling winds could cause problems, but was glad that my son wanted to hunt with me.  Sure enough, the winds betrayed me twice as deer approached within 25 yards before spooking.

Anticipating Faye's cooking and respecting her request to be back at noon, we hunted our way back to the farmhouse and barns, looking for rabbits and shed antlers, but found neither...

(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y26/SCJeff/Ohio/100_9756.jpg)

It was time to head home and we had a long drive.  The weekend was too short, but better than no hunting at all.  Another season had passed without me filling my deer tag, but I didn't care.  My son is coming of age and developing into a good hunting partner!  As we ate and remembered past gatherings and activities with the farmer and his wife, I couldn't help but wonder just how many more times we would enjoy this place.  I hope many more.

Great pics Jeff, and it's neat to see Daniel making these trips with you.  Hunter and I are planning for his first turkey hunt this spring and I can't wait.

Take care,


David

TTT
Don't want this one to get lost.

I've got some great pics to share from recent outings. I've been wondering if this thread was forever dead myself. I'll post a few pics later to get her kick started again. CK

Here's a few pictures I took a couple of weeks ago on a morning hog hunt.

Flowers in the swamp:

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v136/wardcj/Scenes%20from%20the%20hunt/Chickasawhatchee0401061.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v136/wardcj/Scenes%20from%20the%20hunt/Chickasawhatchee0401062.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v136/wardcj/Scenes%20from%20the%20hunt/Chickasawhatchee0401063.jpg)

A couple of hog beds:

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v136/wardcj/Scenes%20from%20the%20hunt/Chickasawhatchee04010611.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v136/wardcj/Scenes%20from%20the%20hunt/Chickasawhatchee04010612.jpg)


Some piglets trying to hide after the sow caught wind of me:

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v136/wardcj/Scenes%20from%20the%20hunt/Chickasawhatchee0401067.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v136/wardcj/Scenes%20from%20the%20hunt/Chickasawhatchee0401068.jpg)

More to come,
chris

Here's a couple of more.

I sat down for a snack on the edge of a flooded area, looked up and eight feet in front of me was a friendly cottonmouth. Ten feet from this one was another one! I whacked both of them for bow backing. The biggest one is already on my Mantis Longbow.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v136/wardcj/Scenes%20from%20the%20hunt/Chickasawhatchee04010620.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v136/wardcj/Scenes%20from%20the%20hunt/Chickasawhatchee04010623.jpg)

Can't wait to go again!

chris

Great pics Chris! Say if you run across two more with the pattern that really stands out like the bigger one....let me know what you'd like to trade   :D

Cool pics Chris !!!

I am a new traditional hunter.  Here are some pics from my inaugural trip with my new-to-me longbow.

I have hunted this ranch in central Texas with a good friend for many years.  Never have I had the chance to just wander and learn the land.  I got to my favorite turkey pasture about 4 pm, the day before the opener and decided to explore/scout birds.

I found this hidden ladder stand that nobody knew about.

 (http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e217/bpayne97/Turkey%20Hunt%202006/DSCN0001.jpg)

Next I came upon an old shed antler so I stopped for a quick photo

  (http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e217/bpayne97/Turkey%20Hunt%202006/bowandshed.jpg)

I was following an armadillo and REALLY wishing he was a cottontail when I came across this treasure.  I now have it in my shop as a reminder of my day afield.

  (http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e217/bpayne97/Turkey%20Hunt%202006/skull.jpg)

Here are a couple of shots up and down the beautiful creeks that traverse this ranch, all of which eventually feed the Colorado River.

  (http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e217/bpayne97/Turkey%20Hunt%202006/creek2.jpg)

  (http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e217/bpayne97/Turkey%20Hunt%202006/creek1.jpg)

After crossing one of these creeks I came upon a 70-80 lb. sow and instantly went into predator mode.  After what seemed like forever, I stalked within 20 yards and drove a Magnus tipped GT 35/55 into the boiler room although it was a bit right my imaginary spot...about 3 inches.  The arrow buried to the fletches.  She spun around a couple of times and dropped.  At this time I heard the arrow snap and she was back up and running.  I couldn't believe my first stalk was a success, especially with traditional tackle.  Unfortunately, like I mentioned, the shot was a bit off.  After discussing with others I believe it was a liver hit.  The blood was bright red but not frothy and there was alot of it.  However, the trail got weaker and weaker until after approximately 200-300 yards, I could not find anymore blood.  It was getting dark on me so I marked the final spot and abandoned the trail.  We came back the next day but never found her.  Here is a pic of the arrow.

  (http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e217/bpayne97/Turkey%20Hunt%202006/arrow.jpg)

In closing, I thought I would share a great picture.  

(http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e217/bpayne97/Turkey%20Hunt%202006/decoy.jpg)

Notice the placement of this decoy.  My buddy set it out in the pre-dawn darkness opening morning.  We didn't even notice anything until after the morning hunt.  Yes, the stake is impaled in exactly what you think it is...an old "meadow muffin"!  Good stuff.

Got my feet wet.


 Morning flood (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/terry/MVI_3400.AVI)

I forgot about this thread, CK

March 23rd 2006

(http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e322/rayhammond123/MaconCountyhogMarch063.jpg)


64#@28" Zipper Recurve...Troy Breeding single taper hickory shaft 29 inches long, Grizzly 160, 3- 5 inch parabolic fletch, total arrow weight 810 grains...15 -17 yard shot..spot and stalk. The hog ran 70 yards..lung and liver hit-not total pass through, it hung in there by the fletching...and pulled out after a few steps into the thicket.(already field dressed in the picture)

One interesting note- only ONE drop of blood, smeared on a stalk of river cane was all the blood we got- stumbled up on the pig dead..but no blood trail...just the one spot and the arrow a little further in along the pig path was it. Amazing.

This was about 1 1/2 hours south of me, near Perry GA in Macon County.

I'm the worlds worst when it comes to guessing right on hogs...but after this one was field dressed we took a " W A G " at it and figured it was around 150 maybe...I'm not sure. In that area they have legitimate 400+ pounders and they are mean looking hogs when they get that big!!!

A good meat hog ... anything I take with a bow(all I hunt with) is a "trophy" for me, though! It was a great hunt with lots of action. Saw several others - think the cold snap we had this weekend really got 'em moving around!

Isnt that just a NASTY lookin' hog??? Came ambling up the trail and stopped about 18 yards out and gave me a look like I was long overdue paying back a loan- then turned broadside for a better look- but the grizzly 160 was just too much to handle!

Great pics guys!

This is my favorite Tradgang thread - I'm glad it is alive again.

Sorry you lost that hog, Duck'n.  Don't get discouraged.  Pretty ranch you're hunting.

Love those GA photos and video!  I really wish I could make the TBG turkey/hog hunt next weekend, but I already made plans with another tradganger (Hackbow) to take our boys to Ohio for the special youth turkey hunt.  I should get some good photos to share.  I sent an e-mail to you Chris about those hogs......

Jeff

Just got back from my first Turkey hunt ever. Me and my hunting buddy Charles went to the Ocoee Mts. on a Turkey hunt/deer scouting trip. These Mts. are 640 Thousand acres of either straight up or straight down. About the only way we've found to hunt them is to walk the tops of the knife edge ridges, and hunt the saddles and shelves. We walked in about 1/2 a mile right at sunup. While working through a small thicket we busted a small flock of birds. We quickly set up and were able to call two of the hens back to within 20 yards. No shots of course, but pretty cool. We explored another mile or so, finding lots of fresh feeding sign both Turkey and bear. On the way back we stopped to call again, near were we saw the turkeys earlier. A Tom answered from no more than 60 yards away. Charles set up about 10 yards to my right, and begain calling softly. The Tom answered once then started our way. He came straight to Charles, he was within 15 yards of me, but just below the edge of the ridge. If I could of stood up I could have shot. He popped up right in Charles face. No way to draw. He made charles in the next couple of seconds and exploded out of there. With a shot gun we probably had a dead Turkey. Even so, like Charles said I would rather see them with a bow than shoot them with a gun. We had a lot of fun. Just great to be out after them on such a beautiful day.

Well, It's turkey season here and I've been out trying to avoid hogs long enough to get my focus changed to birds. I've had numerous birds quite close but just not as close as the deer.

 (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/ck/IMG_0292.jpg)

I even had a few bucks walking around sporting their newly sprouted antlers. They sure look strange at this stage of development.

 (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/ck/IMG_0296.jpg)

My wife made the Easter trip to the lease very productive. She broke the neck of a fine Gobbler with her 243 and an hour later followed up with a fine little sow hog. Sorry, no pics. She is a gun shooter. CK

Awesome pictures!!

Took this turkey hunting in Kansas with Ralph Renfro (KSBow) and Terry Newman,(Raincrow) this weekend. Had a great time.
Shooting a Longriver Elk 55# longbow I just got two weeks back and using some Cedar arrows I won at Mojam in 2004, made by me, and Magnus 135grn head.
Had a tough weekend. Hot, lots of wind. Birds just didn't cooperate.
Shot at 6 yds and it only went 10 yds before it was done.

Mike...OK

   (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v78/Mike-OK/Hunting%202006/SpringTurkey-KS4.jpg)  

  (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v78/Mike-OK/Hunting%202006/SpringTurkey-KS.jpg)

Way to go Mike!  I didn't fare as well this weekend as I only saw two hens.  Now what's your plans for the LDB?

Congrats Mike, very nice bird!

I just got the bow last night when I got home. I will shoot it tonight and see which arrows fly best. I have two different blinds I'm going to use down at my lease west of McAlester this thursday and Friday. I may try another trip to KS with the LDB if I can swing it around the 26th of April.
I can also take to the woods on my lease in one area and slay some tree rats. I have about 15 blunts.
I will at least get some photos of me and the bow/w sock that is signed for keeps sake.


Mike

Finally got my scanner fixed...here's a photo of my February bowhunt for rabbits. One lucky day as I managed to add a nice pheasant to the mix. I was shooting my 56# Summit T/D with a mix of Cedar and Ash arrows.

.com/albums/a281/sf1oak/scan0001.jpg[/IMG]

.com/albums/a281/sf1oak/scan0001.jpg[/IMG]

More problems...don't know why pic didn't come out...lets try one more time...
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a281/sf1oak/scan0001.jpg)

Nicely done Joe! Great pic! CK

nice job, Joe!  BLM

Been hunting sheds & wandering the woods and coming home empty handed.  Came across this common sight today and thought I'd post this one for Killy.

 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v511/aeronut/KildeeronNest.jpg)

 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v511/aeronut/KildeerNest.jpg)

A new hatch of kildeer in the making.

Dennis    :archer:

I like that pic Aeronut, nice.

March 26, 2006 Fannin County, Texas
(http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f363/xrakkasan/DSCN0492.jpg)

April 5, 2006 Childress County, Texas
(http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f363/xrakkasan/graves-202547.jpg)


Other photos from the above turkey hunt for you who have not seen this thread:
http://tradgang.com//noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=031847;p=1

Bill and Joe Great pics!  Curtis you're getting pretty good at that over the arrow picture!  Keep 'em coming!


David

Dennis,
I really like the shots of the killdeer and nest..just saw one taking my daughter to school yesterday with her 3 little chicks about the size of the palm of a child's hand....right along the school driveway-they are such neat birds.

Thanks for sharing.

I thought this thread was supposed to "Pinned" at the top.  Something new?

ttt

I had a short afternoon hunt on Tuesday. I couldn't find any hogs up and feeding but I saw alot of fresh sign.

Here's a couple of pictures of the area and two cottonmouths that were sharing a log.

chris

 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v136/wardcj/Scenes%20from%20the%20hunt/Chickasawhatchee041820061.jpg)

 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v136/wardcj/Scenes%20from%20the%20hunt/Chickasawhatchee041820066.jpg)

 http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v136/wardcj/Snakes/Chickasawhatchee041820064.jpg

Lets go through, once more

TexasBubba really like the pics you post,even that big booming smile!!  :bigsmyl:

Today my kids and I went to a local 3D shoot, here is my 7 year old daughter Avery shooting at a mountain lion in the rocks.

 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v248/huntrdfk/IMG_1299.jpg)


And here is Avery and Hunter at a lakeside mule deer with the results of the groups shots.

  (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v248/huntrdfk/IMG_1300.jpg)

Hunter was shooting an osage selfbow, and Avery a Taylor longbow. It was a pretty good day.

David

David
Whoever sets your course must never miss
It would cost me plenty to shoot there   :)

I know what you mean Mick!  There's a pile of broken arrows in the rocks behind that lion, and more than one floating in the lake too.


David

David,  Looks like the day couldn't be better than being with your kids, plus you got to shoot your bow  :)   Jeff

Y'all must have an arrow vendor at the end of the course  :)

That looks like a great course!

Jeff,
It was a great day, I had so much fun watching them shoot.  It was Avery's first shoot ever, she placed second in her class against all comers, compounds and all!  Hunter did the same in his class with his selfbow, so I was pretty proud of both of them.

No arrow vendor Woodduck, but a bunch of arrows in the bin at the end after they all washed up on shore!

Gregg, it's one of my favorite shoots, 40 targets, fun and only 10 minutes from the house!

David

It looks like a great family day, even if it costs a few shafts  :)

I can't wait till my kids get big enough to go shooting with me.

I was given permision to hunt this 'lease' with my longbow for hogs for free till the lease renewal comes up at the end of summer.  Kind of a test period.  I'd hunted this paper company land years ago while in highschool...and it was covered up with deer then.

The land was sold to some private individuals several years ago....and I had no idea what all they had done to the property.   There's about 3,000 acres and its less than 30 minutes from my house.

I'm kinda exited let me tell ya....I wasn't expecting this.....


  (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/terry/G1.JPG)

    (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/terry/G2.JPG)

    (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/terry/G3.JPG)

    (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/terry/G4.JPG)

    (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/terry/G5.JPG)

    (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/terry/G6.JPG)

    (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/terry/G7.JPG)

    (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/terry/G8.JPG)

DANG!!!  I'm green with envy.  That looks like some prime huntin' territory there.  Have fun!!

Dennis

Great photos and a great looking spot too Terry.  How has it changed since you last hunted it?


David

Here's a pic of my only bird this spring......

 http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y92/spclays1/100_1864.jpg

David,

It was all woods last time I hunted it....now there's clearings, dead end food plots, meadows, and some really pretty views.....and a pretty good sized lake going in.

Terry, that is some awesome looking country. did you see many deer? damn, i didt know georgia looked like that

Gee whiz Terry, that place screams HUGE deer! Put in a few food plots and call the butcher!

Huntrdfk:  great stuff with the kids

Terry, good lookin site.  How many years ago did they cut it? 10 or so, I am guessing by the size of the loblollys in the pic's.  Looks like they cleaned the decks, slash and really worked on it.

I've been off that property for about 20 years...and yes, a lot of it has been cut.

I want to get back over there pretty soon and do more than ride.  There's 14 miles of roads on the property and I didn't ride them all......maybe I'll get back this weekend.

Well I took my new Ambush bow for her first hunt today.

I decided to hunt a thick valley to se if the short bow was gonna really give me advantages compared to my usual longbows.

I entered the valley, and after a little while got to my favorite natural blind, hunged out for a wile, saw nothing, so I sneeked around for a bit, the wind was hitting every cardinal point at least every 1/2 hour, so I knew it was going to be a tougth day.

on the way back I stopped at my blind once more,...nothing.

I decided to call it a day, as I'm crawling thru a tunnel, I spot a pig coming my way fast on a crossing trail, the one time I didn't have an arrow on the string   :knothead:   by the time I got the arrow nocked it was upon me an I got busted....well there's always tomorrow   :bigsmyl:

that Banyon tree is my favorite blind
(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d124/NorthShoreLB/sunset/DSCF0005.jpg)

the views from the blind

   (http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d124/NorthShoreLB/sunset/DSCF0006.jpg)

  (http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d124/NorthShoreLB/sunset/DSCF0008.jpg)

 (http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d124/NorthShoreLB/sunset/DSCF0007.jpg)

(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d124/NorthShoreLB/sunset/DSCF0009.jpg)

ready for action, but no arrows loosed

(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d124/NorthShoreLB/sunset/DSCF0002.jpg)

some more shots of this challenging area

  (http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d124/NorthShoreLB/sunset/DSCF0003.jpg)

 (http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d124/NorthShoreLB/sunset/DSCF0004.jpg)

(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d124/NorthShoreLB/sunset/DSCF0010.jpg)

the tunnel I got busted in

(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d124/NorthShoreLB/sunset/DSCF0011.jpg)

Dang Manny,

That looks almost as bad as the stuff here on Guam.

Danny

Man Manny, that sure does bring back a lot of memories and make me miss hunting there. Were the mosquitoes bad back in the thick stuff this year? Good looking bow there stud!

Yeah....cool pics Manny!

Nice pics Manny!

Tarzz, That place just looks awesome. Can't wait to hear what kind of bucks are roaming the area.

Are you on the Big Island Manny?  That looks like some fun country to hunt to me.  Great pics.

Bear hunt #1 '06

My spring gobbler hunting has been frustrating at best.  So I was more then happy to shift gears this weekend when my best friend Dave asked me if I wanted to go bear hunting (he really should know better then to have to ask!).  So plans were made.  There was a patch of dark forest with some green meadows up above that require some hiking in to get to that I know Dave has wanted to hunt for over a year.  We decided that was to be our destination.  Sadly it won't happen as when we got near we discovered that Warehouser is logging in or around it, and they are not letting anyone in there right now.  Apparently we are anyone.  So after a quick discussion we decided to head to where Dave had seen the most bear sign in the scouting he did two days before.  So off we drove for another hour to what we now have nicknamed "Big Bear Canyon".  
   We arrived at about 4:30pm.  When we got there it was overcast and drizzling.  Perfect weather I guessed to keep bears up and moving through out the day.  I knew we would be hunting till dark, so we set up camp right away.  Threw up the tent and sleeping stuff.  We put on our camo., grabbed our bows and off we went.  We hiked in to the old skidder road.  We were real quiet the whole way there.  We then started up the skidder road and came across several bunches of bear scat.  Dave went to check his monitoring camera he set up, and I went to our blind.  It consisted of a raised shelf just off to one side of the skidder road.  Dave came back and told me that there were thirty-five pictures taken.  We would have to wait till we got back home to see what there were of though.  I checked my watch; it was 6:00 on the dot.  
   We did the waiting game sitting still and not talking.  I looked over to my left down the skid road and there he was, a large and very beautiful black bear.  He was in the black color phase with a rich brown snout.  He was fifty yards out from us.  It took my brain a half second to register what my eyes were seeing.  When it did all I could think was "bear."  I wasn't shocked, or afraid.  Just this all-encompassing focus.  Nothing else existed except for that bear.  I finely quietly said, "bear" to Dave.  Dave, being a veteran bear hunter looked over and then gave me a thumbs up.  I thought for sure that bear would mosey on down the road to us, giving me a 15-20 yard shot.  He started our way after taking a big long and slow sniff of the air.  The wind was in our favor and he had no clue.  Then he walked off the road into an old clear-cut.  We couldn't hear him then, and there were to many trees for us to maintain eye contact.  Turns out the bear circled around us, caught our wind and took outa there like he had seen the devil himself.  I looked at my watch and it said 6:33pm.  
   We saw nothing on Sunday morning.  We did get to do a lot of scouting and exploring and found a few other spots that might be worth a still hunt.  Then Sunday night, as we were walking back to the truck and not being very disciplined we spooked out an extremely large bear.  It was a good reminder that your not done hunting until your truck hits pavement.  
   I had a total blast on this hunt.  I learned a lot, and got to see some big bears.  Not as close as I wanted to see them, but hey for a guy whose just cutting his teeth on bears not bad at all.  I have to give a lot of thanks to my buddy Dave for doing the scouting for us and finding this place we now call "Big Bear Canyon".  We are making plans to go back on the 12th, 13th, and 14th of this month.   I can hardly wait!
Here are some pictures I hope you enjoy them. =)  
Derek

(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y21/bard51/scenery.jpg)

(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y21/bard51/7a1d832c.jpg)

Here's one of my best friend Dave!
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y21/bard51/3357cf65.jpg)

and one more of me...
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y21/bard51/Derek1.jpg)

Pretty country Derek, thanks for the story to.

That sounds like a fun bear hunt.  I'm interested in what's on the trail camera film.....

heh.  turns out that the only thing on the trail cam was ferns blowing in the wind. I am going to run up there this weekend and put a camera back up, and hopefully aim it a little better. ;-)

Hello everybody,

 I have been hunting for a few days looking for roedeer in Spain, also for some wildboar. I saw a few roedeer but nothing big enough. Just one buck, but it was in the first ligth of the morning, and he saw me first. Couldnt do anything, he stoped at 45 yards, but I dont shoot at those distances..
  (http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h267/alimoche/IMG_0911.jpg)

I tried a decoy made by myself, and it work! to deer came at 40 yards of my treestand. But it was a doe and spike.   http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h267/alimoche/IMG_0927.jpg  


 The last day was the day! It was a beatiful forest, very good grass inside, and a lot of hogs and roe deer in it. Ten minutes later, I saw four hogs 100 yards away from me, I didnt doubt a second, and started my stalk. I was getting very closed while there where feeding calmly. I was about 20 yards away!, waiting for one of them to show me his ribs, because he was behind some brushes. When suddenly another hog rised his nose up and..bufff!! Alll of them went running..I was so excited..!!ahahha

 I continued walking through the woods, and wait a moment, what is that... a hog! There was another one feedin just at fifty yards from me. He was at 20 yards from the road now and was heading it, so I hurried up to try to win some yards. Now my heart was going to jump from my chest. He was behind a tree, 20 yards, I started thinking and triying to concentrate on the shot,and there he came, he step on the road, I picked a spot (maybe the hole boar, I dont know!hahaha), I draw and..zasss!!! between the legs!!!hahahahhah!! he started running and stopped at 35 yards to look back and think in what have just happen... I picked another arrow as  fast as i could, draw and release! Miss!!!hahaha I dont know here that arrow went, only remind the sound of the arrow hitting the rocks!

He as fast as he could! I went to find the arrow, and there was him again!!!! at 400 yards inside the forest eating calmly. I started the stalk, and when I was at 50 yards of the boar a roedeer appear(a doe), it was going to be tuff!, because they are really clever! and you know, 4 ears are better than two! So I continued very slowly and finally reach a tree that was only at 20 yards from the boar. Wait 10 seconds behind it to think in all the things to do a perfect shot.  All ready... I went out of the tree, and he was there! 20 yards broadside, I now really concentrate on the shot, until the boar rise his head and looked at me, it was so beatifull that i dont know what i did, I maybe anchor on my chest or something, but i miss it by far!!haahha

I was behind the right tree and the boar was just beside the small tree..
  (http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h267/alimoche/IMG_0930.jpg)

After the three misses..
  http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h267/alimoche/IMG_0931.jpg

It was a beatifull morning, I really enjoyed it! And learn a lot of things! Hope you enjoy it!!!
  (http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h267/alimoche/IMG_0934.jpg)

here it is some hog sign   http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h267/alimoche/IMG_0924.jpg

Have a nice day and good hunting,
Pedro

Great story Alimoche!

Sometimes those things happen to the best of us.

Pedro,  Been there!  I enjoyed your story and pictures very much.

Thanks for the story Pedro!  That was a great hunt!  wow!  I can't wait to read more of your adventures!

Cool story pedro,...and pics

Thanks Pedro, very pretty country.

Pretty country, Gracias.

Ok I will play to.These are some pics from this springs shed hunting adventures,most of wich was done with my son Jack who is 2 and loves the bush.
 (http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j111/johnwilliamtaylor/familyapril06032.jpg)
 (http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j111/johnwilliamtaylor/b545002f.jpg)
We saw quite a few deer
 (http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j111/johnwilliamtaylor/familyapril06041.jpg)
Some not so lucky
 (http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j111/johnwilliamtaylor/familyapril06040.jpg)
more signs of spring
 (http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j111/johnwilliamtaylor/familyapril06035.jpg)
 (http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j111/johnwilliamtaylor/familyapril06038.jpg)
we found a fort some kids made
 (http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j111/johnwilliamtaylor/april30017.jpg)
Jack deciding he wants to walk and lead the way
(http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j111/johnwilliamtaylor/b9bba1c2.jpg)
looking for the sheds that did this but no luck yet


John

Pretty cool guys, thanks for sharing!

I had seen this critter here before but never had a camera. Today I had one but the battery was all but dead. I turned it on and took one picture and the rechargable battery died.

not a great photo but it gives you an idea of what a badger looks like.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v339/kojac/MVC-010S.jpg)

beatifull animal, and the photo is excellent!!!

Thanks everybody, hoping to can tell you the end of the story one of this days!hahaha

Take care,
Pedro

Pretty Badger. She looks nice and clean like she doesn't stink at all. Yea right! There just isn't anything that stinks worse than a boar badger!

Sometime I decide to hunt ol' man style and spend the evening hunt relaxing and catching up on my education.

 (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/ck/PIGTRACKSINMUD.jpg)


Other times I like to sneak around and see what I can find. This day I found where a big Sow and her newly born offspring had been quelling the heat with a dunk in the mud.

   (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/ck/READONSTAND.jpg)

The drought here has gotten so bad that the animals that do find water to drink sometime get stuck in the mud and die before their thirst is quenched. It's gotten so bad that the water isn't drinkable do to the unspeakables. You can see the remnants of this pig which fell victim to the mud and was later pulled out by hungry coyotes. The saga of life continues. Rain is falling now as I type. A much needed relief after 9 months without. CK

   (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/ck/droubtpond.jpg)

Here's a shot from the past. One evening bunny hunting, me and Terry. CK

 (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/ck/meandterry.jpg)

Nice picture, seem that you have a lot of rabbit there!!! I have seen your web, and there are a lot of pics with them.Must be awesome.. Have you ever got Spanish hunters?

Pedro

Here is my Goat I got today . Bear Grizzly 55# @ 28" POC shaft , hand cut Feathers and an Aussie TUSKER JAVELIN Head .Shot at 10 yards
 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v411/coach1/Axehunt002.jpg)

hay coachy nice goat! do you guys eat them over there?

Cool Goat Coachy. Pretty skittish are they?

I set a new personal record Saturday morning, I saw 5 cottonmouths in one hunt. Here's pictures of 4 of the 5, along with an unlucky bullfrog that had all 4 legs eaten by something and was still quite alive. Talk about a bad day!

chris

  http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v136/wardcj/Snakes/Chickasawhatchee05060613.jpg

  http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v136/wardcj/Snakes/Chickasawhatchee05060618.jpg

  (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v136/wardcj/Snakes/Chickasawhatchee05060619.jpg)

  (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v136/wardcj/Snakes/Chickasawhatchee0506065.jpg)

  (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v136/wardcj/Snakes/Chickasawhatchee0506062.jpg)

Cheers Guys , We do eat them over here , but only the young Nannies , not the smelly Billies .
 They can be skittish , but like any other animal , get the wind right and you will have success   :)

This is taken well before sundown. No hunting on this evening. They say when the sky turns green it's time to take shelter. Lots of Tornados and hail.

 (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/ck/stormrider.jpg)

cool pic C.T. .....marco#78

CK:

Yea, even up here, "If she's green, she's mean"  Usually hail up here.

Neat pic

For every "give" there is also a "take". Two side of the proverbial coin. I feel compelled to shed a little light after the storm. CK

  (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v241/Littlefeather/SUNRISE.jpg)

Smile! There's a great day comming!

This was taken last week early on a foggy, drizzly morning during a turkey hunt.  She was alone and hung around for about five minutes, the only thing I saw all morning........

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v248/huntrdfk/DSC_0005.jpg)


David

Great Pics guys and gals. This is an awsome thread. Makes the heart long for home.

That is a really great picture Littlefeather. Makes me miss living in Hawaii again.

Anyone seen one of these before?

(http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c91/mqqse/DSC03655.jpg)

That must have been a tough hunt

Nice turkey! This past Saturday I almost got my first turkey. I primarily hunt State Land during Michigans late hunt. I've had a few close encounters in the past, but usually the birds are so call shy by then, that it's hard to locate them.
Saturday morning I went out at 5:30am and set up in a green field with my 56# Predator recurve and Ameristep blind. At first light I began calling and had a hen come in. With nothing happening there I moved to down to a field that had standing corn from last season. I set-up and the rain came.....HARD!! I read through Hebrews in my bible for about an hour, then I spotted another hen. She came about thirty yards from my decoy then wandered back into the woods. Ten minutes later she came back with a NICE Tom. He kept teasing me, puffing up and strutting, but would never come within 60 yards. I'm gonna keep after him until the season ends or someone else takes him. My buddies keep telling me to take a gun but I refuse! Even after getting skunked for the last 3 years, I want my first longbeard with my recurve. I guess I'm stubborn!

I never saw a turkey with hair plugs/transplants before.  :bigsmyl:  

Looks like male turkeys are as vain as some male humans.

May 12, Black Bear, Alaska.  More on the thread Follow the Blood Trail.  (http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a236/ChrisFannin/Bear%20Hunt/100_0353.jpg)

Incredible pics ..especially of the Cottonmouths. Scary... anymore snak pics?
www.droptinetraditions.com (http://www.droptinetraditions.com)

I've been told that being a good bowhunter requires you to know the species you pursuit intimately. Well, I seem to think a little out-of-the-box most of the time anyway. Is this intimate enough? If you are really quick you can snag one every once in awhile. Heeeheee! Better keep a close eye on where MaMa is! CK

 (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/ck/STRIPEDPIGGY.jpg)

Thats Awesome Curtis! How about the story.

Cody

Curtis  :thumbsup:

Pennsylvania turkey, 10 1/2" beard 1" spurs seven yard shot 75  (http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a347/stickshooter/outdoor028.jpg)yard recovery.

:thumbsup:      :campfire:  good little piggy.

Rodney~

Way to go!!! Excellent Bird! Nice shootin', and congratulations!

Little feather, nice pic!

better hold the pig´s rigth leg hard, because a kick there ....uuuuu must hurt a lot!!!hahahahha

Pedro

Pretty Bird, Congrats. Great shot.

Patric. That is an accomplishment! What county did you get him in?

Been trying that for years without the use of a blind. Never got one with a bow...yet.

Tedd

It was a great evening to be out, a buddy has been having trouble nailing down a dandy bear and invited me to come help out. These two little guys came out early, I think they were litter mates, both were only around a hundred pounds so I just watched the show and took pics from 16 or 18 steps away. They worked over a poor anthill for twenty minutes.
 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/gotahunt/100_1881.jpg)   (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/gotahunt/100_1885.jpg)
Don't get no better that that  :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:

Sweet Doug!  Your doin better than I am.  I've only seen 1 Bear and it was a Griz.  Wished I had a tag for him in my pocket.  Been getting lots of good exercise on the mountain bike and hiking.  Starting to see lots of tracks too finally. Good luck nailin down that bear.  Boy it sure is green over there. Looks like we are a few weeks behind.

Here's what I've been up to the past few weeks.  Mostly just seeing some nice country and gettin some good exercise.  Have only seen one bear so far and it was a Griz.  I watched him for 15 mins or more from 400 yards.  Would have made a great stalk.  Took a pic but it's not worth a darn with out some serious enhancement. Here it is anyway (see if you can guess which blob is Mr. Griz), and some other scenic pics etc.

 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v317/Ranman/hunting/IMG_0356.jpg)

Scenery:

 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v317/Ranman/hunting/IMG_0349.jpg)

 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v317/Ranman/hunting/IMG_0348.jpg)

 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v317/Ranman/hunting/IMG_0352.jpg)

 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v317/Ranman/hunting/IMG_0351.jpg)

 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v317/Ranman/hunting/IMG_0342.jpg)

Been seeing lots of these lately on the logging roads the last few days.  It's just starting to
green up around here.  And things are just starting to rock and roll I think.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v317/Ranman/IMG_0355.jpg)

Great pics Randy, been meaning to call but haven't got in the house before late since the rock huntin trip. You been up to Mystic yet?

Nice pics guys, keep em coming!   :thumbsup:  

Hey Curtis, give that bacon six months on table scraps and he should be ready to make a few scraps himself   :eek:

Some more Aussie Goats . I got these 2 today . Top one was a 15 yard shot down hill , the 2nd was a 20 yard shot also a Steep downhill shot
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v411/coach1/Picture017.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v411/coach1/Picture021.jpg)
 Bow is a Bear Grizzly 55# @ 28 , POC shafts and a Tusker Javelin Head    :)   It was a hard hunt today with the wind swirling everywhere . Seemed like evrtime I got near a Goat the wind changed . But I perservered and came out on Top in the land Down Under    :cool:    :)

Nice skins Coachy,
Where in OZ are you ?

I am in New South Wales in a small town called Gulgong .

Here is a picture of Bob Peca's Black bear that he took last night. He was hunting out of Prince William Sound, Valdez Alaska. He was using one of my Black Widow SAX recurves, GT 5575's and Snuffer heads. Short 30 yard blood trail! Actually dropped right in front of them. Too cool, now I just hope he has those pepperoni sticks made again this year!

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v225/Scott6231/Bobsbear3.jpg)

Ho, you guys are getting some serious game  :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:

Today I was hunting for pigs, in the ironwood forests on top of the ridges

  (http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d124/NorthShoreLB/hpadukboo/0523061542.jpg)

 (http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d124/NorthShoreLB/hpadukboo/0523061543.jpg)

My ambush natural blind  :bigsmyl:  overlooking a big trail

(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d124/NorthShoreLB/hpadukboo/0523061544.jpg)

Mike Mitchum and I went over to my hot spot in SC for a Mother's Day weekend pig hunt...we took 4 of them.

Before anyone gets on us about our Mom's and why we were off hunting...they were off on girlie girl trips with their sisters and such, and left us men to our own devices that weekend...so we didn't abandon any responsibilities!!!!!!!!!!!

(http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e322/rayhammond123/SavannahRiverMothersDay06.jpg)

(http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e322/rayhammond123/hammond-R1-046-21A.jpg)

Here's my ugly mug waiting for the camera to click taken yesterday as I was heading back down from a trip into my hunting camp to see how well it survived the winter. I was looking for grizz as the area is infested with them. They hang out on the hills this time of year. Its also a trophy area for Dall sheep. You can usually spot them from where this picture was taken after a bit more snow leaves. There is a caribou herd that calls the area home and a moose or two to be had.

   (http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a228/TokJohn223/Dsc02361.jpg)


This looking down the drainage from that spot. Thats the Tanana river valley.

  (http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a228/TokJohn223/Dsc02358.jpg)


This one is looking up the drainage towards the place where I took the first picture. Almost two miles.

 (http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a228/TokJohn223/Dsc02348.jpg)

Oh, John....you're tuggin' on my heart, buddy! Beautiful!

John,
That is one "STUNNING" photo  ;)

John, That is some AWESOME scenery. Great pic. Hope all is well up there.  :thumbsup:

A girl after her daddy's own heart, osage selfbow, wood arrow and a limp gopher   :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:  
 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/gotahunt/100_1890.jpg)

Howdie Gal!!!   :thumbsup:

Doug,

"PDB"!!  ;)

Hey Doug, Looks like you got your hands full. Great pic

A nice Chital (Axis Deer) doe I took with my Robertson Recurve on thursday morning a cloud free perfect morning.
 (http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a320/Steeley/Earlymorningchital.jpg)

A nice Chital Spiker I took with my Black widow LAG 63@28

   http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a320/Steeley/BlackwidowChitalSpiker.jpg   (http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a320/Steeley/BlackwidowChitalSpiker.jpg)

A Cracking Rusa Stag I took with a shot from five metres with my Widow
   (http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a320/Steeley/IMG_2164.jpg)     http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a320/Steeley/RusaArrow.jpg   (http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a320/Steeley/RusaArrow.jpg)

A nice fat Rusa Hind taken at 8 metres with a carbon arrow from my Robertson this was my first Traditional deer and I was very pleased.

(http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a320/Steeley/chersshot.jpg)

way to go, Merciful...good shooting.

Very nice..makes a guy dream about heading down under..

I wanted to pass along some shots I took while out Bear Hunting this past Wed. and Friday evening.  Spotted one Bear on Friday eve but it was a Grizzly...again.  And a big one.  Too far away for pictures though.  Both days were mountain bike hunts up gated roads with some hiking thrown in.


Wednesday
    http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v317/Ranman/hunting/IMG_0362.jpg

    (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v317/Ranman/hunting/IMG_0361_2.jpg)

Big Black Bear Track....
    (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v317/Ranman/hunting/IMG_0369.jpg)

Sneak on a Cow Elk to 35 yards.
  (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v317/Ranman/hunting/IMG_0368.jpg)

Friday...
    (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v317/Ranman/hunting/IMG_0370.jpg)

gorgeous country, Randy. That's why this is my all time favorite thread on TradGang.

I like this thread a lot too Ray.  There was a time I forgot about it but I check it everyday now if I'm on the computer.  By the way I read about your Pig hunt with Terry G.  Sounds like incredible fun that pig hunting.  Wish we had some closer around here.   :archer:

Randy, your havin way too much fun over there  ;)

This is an awesome thread, guys - keep it comin'!  But please remember to edit yer images down to 600 pixels wide or less.  Much obliged.

Doug, I missed your photo of your Daughter and her big Ground Griz till just now.  You must be one proud papa.  :thumbsup:   Wont be long and I'll be shopping for my daughters first bow.    :archer:

Sweet picture Doug! I love the shots that capture the family joining in the fun. She looks like she is doing great. God bless, Scott

Just got back from my first black bear hunt in the boreal forest of Alberta.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v306/beachbowhunter/Alberta%20Bear%20Hunt/easter2006067.jpg)
Beaver dam in northern Alberta

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v306/beachbowhunter/Alberta%20Bear%20Hunt/easter2006123.jpg)
Coming home from the stand

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v306/beachbowhunter/Alberta%20Bear%20Hunt/easter2006047.jpg)
Bear camp

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v306/beachbowhunter/Alberta%20Bear%20Hunt/njs_bearinfield.jpg)
Oh yeah, my bear!

Way to go Norb!   :bigsmyl:

Thanks Joe. I'll try to post a story with some more pics on a separate thread. Got a thousand emails and actual work to take care of!  

Looks just a little different than south TX doesn't it?   :bigsmyl:

Norbert, You Da Man!!!  :notworthy:    :notworthy:    :notworthy:

Oh yea we need a story on this one.

Congrads!
RayMO

Congrats Norb! Lets hear a story!!!!!

Congrats   :thumbsup:

(http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a320/Steeley/fallow225crop.jpg)

After missing one on the first day I found this big fella with about 15 other deer walking in off the flat
To a scrubby bank , they were travelling in a line about 400 yards out so I got into some cover on the bank
And waited , as they passed by several large push piles of timber the stag dropped off and bedded out of
The cold breeze and it was cold.

I got out of the cover I was in and the does came up to almost where I had been sitting , I skirted around the
Hill and down into some broken ground that I could approach the push piles in while staying low , There were
4 large piles of timber and as they walked through them it blocked them from view so I wasn't sure which of them the stag had
Stopped behind, I carefully snuck up on the first one , no stag ! Next one, no stag ! The third pile was the largest
And when I looked over the third one I could see the tips of his antlers , he was tucked in close to the pile on the other
Side looking out to the flat.

The breeze was strong and blowing towards us from left to right when I looked over the log pile he was less than 8 metres
Away but I couldn't get up on the logs to shoot the bow down at him from there , I crept to the end of the pile and snuck a look
He was rump on to me laying uphill on about a 40degree angle to my right chewing his cud , It wasn't perfect as I had to half expose
Myself so I could draw the bow, but as it worked out he never spotted me and the arrow tucked in under his ribs through his heart
And stopped dead on his off side shoulder, It didn't look like a lot of penetration but it was right where it needed to be he stood up and
took a couple of steps looking back  my way , I didn't move, he faltered And fell back almost to where he had been laying.

All of a sudden I couldnt feel the cold breeze and all I could feel was the Sun , this was a great day.

Fine Buck Phil, well done!!  :thumbsup:

That is awesome! Congratulations   :notworthy:

Great recount of the hunt Phil. That sure is a pretty animal.

What a great looking stag!

Thanks for sharing  :thumbsup:

nice stag...and photo. I need to go to Australia and try that hunting out..looks like a blast.

Congrats!! Good looking stag  :thumbsup:

They got all the cool stuff in Oz  :bigsmyl:

Wow, that's nice!

beautiful animal and great recount.   :thumbsup:

Great story, hunt, shot and magnificent Stag !

The Schafer's enjoy some success, along with father and son! They were good eating!

(http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f281/Wyoming1/IMG_0663.jpg)

Phil.. what a beautiful Stag! Congrats!

Guys.. nice ground grizzlies! They are good eatin'!

Great Pic of you and your boy, Tim! Nice shots on the 'chucks! and none better'n with Silvertips!!!  :thumbsup:

Wow!....I've been absent from this thread for a while...some of you have ben busy!!!

Congrats and thanks for sharing.

Way to go Tim!!!...good seeing you at Balto,albeit breif...that boy of your is really growing up...didnt seem like not too long ago when I saw him in the PBS mag with his big buck, he had braces and was alot smaller!!!!

Thats a great picture Tim.  Looks like you both hit the same spot on those gophers.   :thumbsup:

Phil, sweet stag bud.  Awesome stalk and shot.  :thumbsup:

Dang gotta second what Terry said, been too busy to check this out. Awsome work everybody!

Randy, how's the bear hunting going Buddy?

Last Tue we had to run down to Cody and pick up a horse so went the long way around thru Yellowstone, (Karen wouldn't let me take my bow   ;)  ). There were lots of critters running but the highlight was seeing two black bears and one griz, just missed a second by less than a minute.

This griz was only six or eight steps off the road. My biggest regret is with a trailer on the back we couldn't get off the road to sit and watch him. Karen did get one decent pic while we held up traffic though.
  (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/gotahunt/IMG_0159.jpg)
At our friends place outside of Cody they had a sow griz and two cubs living pretty high on the elk calf crop. They weren't around while we were there but he had several pics of the trio. Out of the thirtysome elk cows in the local herd only four still had calves.    :(   He's certianly ready for the griz to be delisted.

Was going out gopher shooting the other morning and this little guy was cornered by our dogs. The adults were in a big fir tree, (where the nest was) just popping their beaks like mad. I think he'd really like to have gotten a piece of me too. I guess his maiden flight didn't go so well.  ;)  
 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/gotahunt/IMG_0101.jpg)

http://discussions.texasbowhunter.com/discus/messages/80205/403181.jpg  
A little deer SW of Mason.

no pix wider than 600pixels please....edit,then re post if you'd like

First Bear with a long bow. Shot in Saskatchewan 1st week of May. Kind of small but I am proud.
(http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i99/tradlad/Bear2006/36.jpg)

That is a great picture of a nice bear!

Doug....you are the man when it comes to photos! Love the shot of the owl!

Thanks for the comments John & Randy. My son sure is growing up fast and I'm proud to have him following in "our" footsteps!

Nice bear trad lad! Congrats!

Great picture of the owl Doug.

Congrats on the bear Trad Lad.

Gee Doug, I guess that's why most of us are so jealous - work day for you consists of a drive to WY, by way of Yellowstone Natl
Park.    :saywhat:    That's what most of us dream of doing for vacation!
 :p

Nice critters... phil.

 

Heres the only huntin I've been able to do this spring,looks like you guys are takin up the slack tho,good job to all!!


(http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d34/kennym/100_0400rabbitMediumWebview.jpg)

The new crop is coming on... there were nine of these little guys grazing up on the hill this evening. Took these pics with my new camera, I'm sure tickled with this thing. The top pic was probably 75 or 80 yards away and this is the digital zoom cranked up all the way, 24X. Ricoh Caplio R4, 7.1 optical and another 3.6 dig zoom plus anti-vibration control so my shaky pics are clear. Nuff advertizin...
  (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/gotahunt/RIMG0001c.jpg)
  (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/gotahunt/RIMG0004c.jpg)

Nice pictures and not a bad crop either. RP

Just thought I'd show a couple pictures of LDB's mojo!  Doc
 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v110/tippit/BearHunt2006-10.jpg)
 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v110/tippit/BearHunt2006-1.jpg)

Way cool Jeffery.

Great Shot

Not hunting, but life in Alaska.

 (http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a236/ChrisFannin/18652cf3.jpg)  

  (http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a236/ChrisFannin/bae90e63.jpg)

:thumbsup:    :thumbsup:

Wow Doug!  :thumbsup:   You had it Zoomed that far and they came out that clear, looks Great!! One of these Days.........Until then I am Impressed!!  :notworthy:    :notworthy:    :notworthy:

This little camera continues to amaze me... and so do these silly antelope. We were in the buffalo pastures putting out mineral this morning and let the Jack Russels out to chase gophers. When the goats see these dogs they will run right up to them. Got as close as 50 yards from the truck.

Guess you could say I was scouting for this fall  :thumbsup:  
 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/gotahunt/TG%20Tradware%20Outpost/RIMG0017.jpg)
 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/gotahunt/TG%20Tradware%20Outpost/RIMG0029.jpg)

Great pics Doug....looking forward to your hunting stories this fall....missed them lately   :readit:

(http://img106.imageshack.us/img106/4654/july060014ft.jpg)

is that a little spike?

I did a little scouting for a upcoming Elk hunt in sept.  My camera quit on me after two pictures and I didn't get any digitals of the deep canyon (Hells Canyon) This is 2/3 up the side of the Imnaha Canyon going to Hat Point, overlooking Hells Canyon.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v347/roughcountry/Picture_1424.jpg)
The second picture is looking back at the town of Imnaha, they have a anual bear and rattlesnake feed.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v347/roughcountry/Picture_1423.jpg)
I took a few pictures with a 35mm of Hells canyon, if they turn out I'll post them. Should be one heck of a hunt  :eek:

Hey Rough, that is some interesting country.  Cool photos.  I assume the timber is above you somewhere for the elk to hide in and stay cool.  Is this where you are taking the 2 fine gentleman flatlanders from this site.    

Wow Randy... sounds like Robin is gonna be busy this September. Is he takin the "gentlemen" before or after CK and I show up?  :D

Dang, that first pic looks like it would make a nice brisk walk up and down them little hills for Charlie and CK.  ;)

Randy, Yep, plenty of timber on top. Hells Canyon has some really nice benches with timber. Lots of critters call them home.

I've hunted the upper end of Hells canyon but this was my first trip to this part. Pretty cool driving along the deepest canyon in north america. Think tem miles in granny gear, half in 4 wheel drive.

Not sure but this contry would knock the gentle out of most gentlemen.
There's a place called frezeout saddle in case CK gets to hot, an we can flip a coin for who gets to go down to the river to get water  :D

I'll go fetch the water but if it gets cold down there you guys are gonna get thirsty! I'm headed south for winter! LOL!

Beautiful country! I'm assuming you have Charlie's 4 wheeler gassed and waiting.     Better make him take the horse! CK

Y'all need someone to watch Charlie's hubcaps?  :bigsmyl:

Kathy, I've been trying to figure out how to install grease zerks in my knee caps for years.

Hope to have some more pics back by Thursday from my 35mm.

OH MY....OH MY...Robin did you REALLY mean to say that where you are taking those two is DEEPER THAN THE GRAND CANNYON  :eek:    :eek:    :scared:    :scared:

I'll start looking now for a JOLLY GREEN or a SKY CRANE.....Just make sure ya got plenty of skillets      

Yep, they aint callin that country Hell's for nothing. You get to the bottom CK I recon your gonna be close enough to hell to be plenty warm an if that don't do the the climb back out will  ;)  Cool pics Robin!

Was up on top messing around this morning and got these guys attention. Thought is was a pretty cool pic.
 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/gotahunt/RIMG0002a.jpg)

Got pretty close to this ol gal and her younguns too.
 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/gotahunt/RIMG0010b7.jpg)

Dang Doug I was gonna offer up a trade till I saw that Photo. That is for sure a First Class shot of them BOYS   :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:  

Saw these younguns while I was out with a client Monday
(http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d171/IronBull_/Spotted_Fawns_e.jpg)

I could only get SO CLOSE to this ole Gal
(http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d171/IronBull_/Mom_Baby_e.jpg)

Awesome!!!

Really cool pics Doug & Vance, can't beleive how tall that grass is Doug.

I got some pics back of the Snake river side of the hill, they aren't the best but the only ones I got.
First one is looking down Temperace Creek.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v347/roughcountry/scan0003.jpg)
This next is just passed the North Fork of Temperance Creek, you can just see the Snake River in the center of the Picture.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v347/roughcountry/scan0002.jpg)
The last picture is looking down Saddle Creek, I think Hells canyon gets real narrow just above this Creek.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v347/roughcountry/scan0001-1.jpg)

:eek:    :scared:    :scared:  

I'm hideing when CURTIS looks at these.

SNOW ain't gonna be no more problem nor is below 70 deg.      

Them Elk there must die of old age pretty young.

OH by the way thems some AWESOME photos, who was the pilot.....................vance

We have had a really cold snap of weather in the past 8 or so days and its got many of the Stags rutting or at least given them a kick along
I don't think that more than 30 minutes would have passed without one calling out like a little donkey Braying.

I crawled into some Grass on the spring side of a patch of black wattle about 50m from the deer and took out my Binoculars to have a closer look.

There were quite a few of them more than 20 at a guess with some smaller stags nothing to amazing in the antler department. As I watched an old stag His antlers broken and rubbed white wandered towards them and was almost immediately challenged and turned out of the timber by a youngStag then another joined in and pushed him out a little further. I watched as he tried twice more to join the group with the same result.

It was a bit sad to watch he was out gunned by the young blokes even though they were smaller antlered and immature I think he was just to old to hold it against them any more and after they pushed him around for about half an hour
He came over to the next closest patch of black wattle for a breather and lay down about 14 yards in front of me.

I took the shot at him laying down and got penetration up the feathers , he jumped up and ran like a greyhound back behind me about
60 yards then did a big flip and that was it , while I was laying there one of the younger fellas from the group must have seen all this and
Came over for a closer look , I took this photo from about 10 yards , he was looking at me for about 5 mins before he decided
I was no good and cut for it, it made for some great photos.

  (http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a320/Steeley/IMG_0616.jpg)  
  (http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a320/Steeley/DSCF0352.jpg)

Good stuff Phil, Congrats  :thumbsup:  

Vance, as you can tell, I've never slept at a Holiday Inn  :D

Excellent pictures guys. Keep em coming please

Doug, that is a great picture of those three bucks.

Fantastic pics Robin, Vance and Doug. You guys definately live in "God's Country."

Simon, you aussies are tough blokes....I couldn't bring myself to crawl through the grass in a place that has the top 5 deadliest snakes and worlds most poisonous spider   :scared:  

Great looking stag, I have high hopes of hunting those someday. Beautiful country.

JC said it all, guys. Simon...keep your vitals cinched up tight doin' all that crawlin around with those slitherin' nasties you got down there!

This is such an awesome thread. Man I need to win the lottery! LOL So many great places to hunt.

Wow! Those are some incredible pics on the last two pages. I'm going to love Oregon! I especially like to walk long distances while carrying loads of Elk meat!  :D

I'm hoping to make that very thing happen Curtis  :D  
Should be a good hunt, don't know what this heats gonna do with the elk.

Just putting a little bump on this thread so I can get it to email me when action happens.  This is consistently one of my favorite threads on the 'gang.  

Hopefully I'll be able to contribute.  If not this year then next.

here aer some pics of me and my little gril with some sheds and winter kills that we found (http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l38/mttdbowhunter/6.jpg) a buck that I killed three years ago now (http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l38/mttdbowhunter/32.jpg) (http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l38/mttdbowhunter/12.jpg) and my brother with the deer that I killed last year (http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l38/mttdbowhunter/53.jpg) dad wont let me get hiw a bow yet he's afrad for the dogs that is probaly my falt  :knothead:  and my deer by him self (http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l38/mttdbowhunter/52.jpg) well lets see if this works  :D

I sure do wanna be your new best friend!!!!!! Wanna take me huntin?   :bigsmyl:   Those are much nicer bucks than I generally shoot!!!! Way ta go! CK

Dang Gary, awesome deer. And that's quite a shed collection.

Nice deer Gary! I'm from Missouri too, but it sure didn't seem like we had bucks that big in my backyard lot way back then.... Congrats!

those are both montana bucks that is where I grew up I am just now  moving to missouri.

Trying to set a Migration Route to Missouri??

That's a great buck, Gary!

little feather,
can you send me an e-mail about pig hunting.  I accidentally deleted the first on you sent me.
thanks,
miller_cem

Went out to do some predator calling on monday. This was my first stand since febuary.
(http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e71/jacob84/yote002.jpg)
this is #12 this year.shot it at 15 steps.

(http://www.hunt101.com/img/344240.jpg)

What you don't like dangerous snakes   :scared:  

Without them you don't get the thrill   :rolleyes:  

Gods Country AU.......1 million hectares free range hunting all year round and thats only one park   :thumbsup:  !!!!!

 (http://www.hunt101.com/img/312536.jpg)

Cheers

SSGA

SSGA
Do you get outta the serpents in the higher country? Cool pic of you glassing  :thumbsup:

All i can say is if you type in "Alpine Copperhead" into google and read a little you will find the answer is NO. Their poison is as toxic as a cobra   :scared:  

    AUS Snakes (http://flyaqis.mov.vic.gov.au/cgi-bin/texhtml?form=bio_snakece)
 
I have hunted in the snow and as soon as the sun came out so did the snakes, onto rocks to heat up 12dC is ok for them and any temp above 23dC and they go into stress, one of the few AU snakes that need to be kept relatively cool!

Hope that settles a few nerves    :confused:  

SSGA

couple pics of us shooting. My son is to little yet to shoot but he was in the wings watching on.

(http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c175/whitbuffalo/hannahsbirthday036.jpg)
(http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c175/whitbuffalo/hannahsbirthday013.jpg)

Cool picture whitebuffalo! Its fun when the younsters shoot too. Here is a picture that I took the other day when my 5 year old grandson & I were squirrel hunting at his folks place. We had hunted over to where his uncle was buildng ahis house. We were shooting at the stump just of the left corner. I caught the arrow in flight. Oh yeah and there is sheep in those hills in the background.

(http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a228/TokJohn223/DSC02623.jpg)

Mmmmmmm Alaska! One day..........

heres a pic i got of a spike from my brothers blind. I think i missed this as bad as i have any deer, about 2 ft over him. Buck fever with a spike????
(http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k19/wesadams55/100_0226.jpg)

Was gonna Email these to Littlefeather but figured he spot them on his thread.

These elk were in a clearing in a burn yesterday. Snapped the first shot in a hurry thinking they would be gone, yeh thats the windsheld and antenna of my pickup.
  (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v347/roughcountry/000_1839.jpg)
They stopped and I got a few more shots before they walked on.There were more but this is all I could fit in the frame.
 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v347/roughcountry/000_1843.jpg)
CK, this is bout 1/2 mile from our main camp, on the way into the spike camp. There were 4 spikes in the bunch, the big bulls are still batching it, but starting to talk a little.

Dang, that looks kinda easy. Maybe I'l shoot six or seven. What is the limit by the way?   :D

Well, my regs say only one with bones on his head. I guess we have ta aim at a bull instead of flock shootin   :D

DANG!!! Another plan down the drain.  :D

Well, our squirrel season opened up at the beginning of the month, and last weekend was the first chance I've had to get out. Went out for an hour on Saturday morning and got one, and about an hour and a half on Sunday morning and got two. The best season of the year has officially started!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v606/bgentry/PopeCounty081906001.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v606/bgentry/PopeCounty081906004.jpg)

Nice job on the squirrels Brad  :thumbsup:  .  Could you give us some more details?  We're planning a Michigan Trad Ganger squirrel hunt in a few weeks, and we could use some motivation.

Did you get them on the ground or in a tree, and at what distances?  What kind of points/blunts did you use?  Any tips for us?

Thanks,

Paul

Got a new bow this year, looking forward to hunting w/it this year. Acadian Woods 56" custom takedown treestick....this bow is more commonly known round these parts as 'Ms. Copperhead'...

(http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n93/Steven-LSU/100_0290.jpg)

Tim Mullins, Steven Mullins, and Joe Carpenter in MO...what a trio!

(http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n93/Steven-LSU/100_0383.jpg)

Paul,
I am by no means an expert on squirrels, but where I'm at, when it's still this warm, I have the best luck early in the day. About 15 or 20 minutes after first light until about 0900 is when they seem to be most active. The ones in the pics were all shot out of trees, and distances probably averaged at around 15 yards. As for points, I have always used mostly homemade points that consist of .38 casings and bear bleeder blades(ala Tom Mussatto), but usually have a bit of a selection in my quiver. Right now I have arrows with the homemade heads, some with Ace Hexblunts, and a couple with Gamenabbers on them.
I had never used the Gamenabbers much, but right now am pretty impressed with them. I used them on two of the squirrels I got last weekend and they worked great. The head either passed through or stayed in the body of the squirrel (which makes for a much easier recovery), and both of them died straight away. Besides that, I missed one shot and squared a cedar tree; The shallow point on the Gamenaber didn't penetrate at all and just bounced off. They're not too expensive either, at about 8 bucks for a dozen.

Good luck on the hunt! With a bunch of friends, some bows, and some bushytails, you're bound to have a blast!   :thumbsup:

(http://www.hunt101.com/img/429443.jpg)

Aussie sunrise with the moon...............Beautiful day to sit and glass the ranges!

SSGA

wow some great pic's & stories. I'm hoping to score and put some pic's & some stories too... Good Luck Everyone & Tanks to all the have already shaired.

I just got back from hunting the opening 5 days of the South Dakota archery antelope season.  First time hunting Antelope and had a blast not to mention some beginner's luck.    :)    I went with a friend who had hunted this 10,000 acre ranch the past 9 years.  We hunted a few miles east of the Montana border.  They have had a major drought this summer with a lot of animals coming to a few water holes on the ranch.  Four days before we arrived they got 3 inches of rain.  This scattered the animals and made water hole hunting a non option.  We hunted fence crossings from double bull blinds and hay bail blinds the rancher had set ahead of time.  Look closely, you can see the fence crossing under the fence.

 (http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j107/Holm-Made/DSCN3271.jpg)

It's not as easy as it looks because there are a lot of these crossings going into the huge fields from the pastures.  Animals are also very skittish around the crossings, usually running. Even though they can very easily go over the fence they always go under unless very spooked.
Here are some pictures of the ranch from the top of a butte.
 (http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j107/Holm-Made/DSCN3238.jpg)
 (http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j107/Holm-Made/DSCN3236.jpg)

We were up at 3:50 every morning and in our blinds by 5:00.  We didn't leave the blinds until 9:00 at night.  The only reason to leave the blind was to retrieve game otherwise every goat within a mile would be alerted in the open terrain.  I spent the first 3 days in my Double Bull blind reading, drinking water and watching antelope in the distance.  Not too many close encounters and only one shot opportunity at a fawn of which I didn't take.  The animals seemed to give the blind a 40 yard berth as a rule. When the antelope were close they were real edgy.  
 (http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j107/Holm-Made/DSCN3244.jpg)
 (http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j107/Holm-Made/DSCN3246.jpg)
I had better luck getting the Mule Deer does in range and they provided several hours of entertainment.
 (http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j107/Holm-Made/DSCN3241.jpg)

After the 3rd day I came in for a late supper at 9:30.  The rancher came by to let me know he was pulling all the bails off my field early the next morning and that I should move my blind.  I had to head out in the dark and walk a mile back to get my blind.  I got to bed around midnight.  A couple of the other hunters had filled their tags on the second day and had scouted today from the butte.  They suggested I try a bail blind next to a fence crossing in another field.  I took their word for it.  The other hunters had been seeing quite a few goats in this field with a particularly big buck that had horns that jutted a little more forward then the rest of the bucks.  When I got situated the next morning I saw this buck in the field.  He did a lot of posturing and scraping.  There was only one other buck that I could see in the field and he gave the big boy a wide berth.  About mid morning a buck tried to enter the field from the pasture behind me.  He kept running up and down the fence but seemed reluctant to cross.  Finally he ran off back to the pasture.  Later it dawned on me that despite the fact that he was pretty big he was afraid of the slanty forward buck in the field.  About 10:00 the slanty buck fed over to about 80 yards from my bale blind.
  (http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j107/Holm-Made/DSCN3251.jpg)
Eventually he bed down about 75 yards out.

About 12:30 the buck got up and started walking toward the fence I was set up on.  He was on course to meet the fence about 60 yards to the east of my position.  I peeked out the back port hole and saw a different buck heading to the fence at the same spot coming from the pasture.  He wanted in but the big boy wasn't going to allow it.  The big boy was weezing and posturing.  When the new buck got to the fence he turned and started following it west towards my fence crossing.  The big boy turned also and started paralleling the fence about 30 yards out matching the new buck step for step.  I had to make a quick decision which porthole to set up on.  The new buck was nice and would pass by the back port at 10 yards but was on the other side of the fence so I immediately dismissed it and set up for the big boy in which it appeared he would pass the front of the blind at about 20 yards.  The bucks were focused on each other and didn't seem to notice the blind which helped big time.  I glanced over my shoulder as the new buck passed at 10 yards.  I looked back and prepared for the shot as the big boy was entering the front porthole.  My buddy has reminded me several times to aim low as these goats are high strung and will jump the string almost without exception.  In the heat of the moment I, of course, forgot.  As I released a cedar shaft out of my Holm-Made longbow, I watched it in slow motion as it pin wheeled towards the buck's chest.  I saw him start to drop.  Everthing seemed to happen in slow motion until the arrow hit him in the spine with a loud whap, and he piled up.
I was overcome with a sense of accomplishment.  After spending 15 plus hours a day in a blind I felt like I earned this special gift.  It felt good to sleep in the next day        Here he is:
  (http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j107/Holm-Made/DSCN3256.jpg)
  (http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j107/Holm-Made/DSCN3258.jpg)
Equipment used:
Holm-Made hybrid 60" 52# bow bolt takedown system
(I traded Bow Chef some knife blanks for the laminations that went into the bow and they are the best quality I have ever worked with by far.)
I used 55-60 spine tapered cedar arrows with 160 grain Magnus journeyman broadheads.  (I got the shafts from Clearfork archery.)
I feel fortunate and blessed.  Chad

Congrats on a fine looking buck, & great storie too

Congrats Chad. Nice animals and it sounds like a very memorial hunt.

I'm leaving for goats in Montana in a few weeks, hope we have the kind of luck you did.

Beautiful buck!!!  Nice hunt, too!

Chad

Mate that was a fantastic read and a brilliant set up , what a reward for effort you have there and with a bow you made your self , it surely could get no better , very very well done.

Congratulations !!!!!

Hey way to go Chad. Why don't you post something on Pow Wow with maybe one pic. A lot of guys on dial up can't open this thread cause it takes too long to load and they deserve to see it too.

Happy for ya my friend.  :thumbsup:    :notworthy:

Chad this is just too cool!  :thumbsup:  Really happy for you and what a great buck.

RayMO

Good job Chad,and with a bow of your own make,dont get any better!  :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:

Very cool...hope to hunt antelope some day.

Woody

Nice buck and nice pictures.  Thanks for sharing.

Awesome buck, Chad!  looks like a 16"er?

He'll make the P&Y Minimum, for sure! Congrats!

Chad - That was a fine story with great pictures!! Thanx for sharing!

WOW! I come in for lunch and find that my own goat huntin has be upstaged... YEEHAAAAAAAAA!!

Congratulations on a great trophy. It's a blast, isn't it?  :D    :thumbsup:

Wow, Nice lope Chad. Sure enjoyed the pics & story  :thumbsup:    :notworthy:

Thanks for the nice comments.  He's a touch over 14".  Only reason I measured is the rancher charges by the inch.  Chad

Chad, great aniimal, nice bow too. i have a knife that you made a few yrs back. i got it from your brother as part of a trade for my brackenbury drifter. you are quite the craftsman!

Congratulations!! Nice hunt!! and very good pics too..

Pedro

Thought  I  would  post  some pics of  pig  country  in  Ca., to  let  the  other residents in the  east  and south  see what  the  country  looks  like  over  here  on  the  west  coast,  this  the NE side  of  
           Ventanna  Wilderness

 (http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k286/Janlongbowyer/VentannaWilderness015.jpg)
 (http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k286/Janlongbowyer/VentannaWilderness017.jpg)

 (http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k286/Janlongbowyer/VentannaWilderness009.jpg)

 (http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k286/Janlongbowyer/VentannaWilderness011.jpg)
(http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k286/Janlongbowyer/VentannaWilderness023.jpg)

awesome country!

Very nice!

(http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h267/alimoche/cazaconarco11009_0001.jpg)

I was at 20 yards, but couldn´t make the shot,he smelled me just before drawing th bow...almost!! just seconds... i hope to put another picture of that boar soon!

Pedro

Great  pic  alimoche, I was  hunting  deer  prone  last  week and just the  lifting  of  my  bow arm a  few  inches  totally  spooked two  muleys 10  yds  away:)       sunaj

Archery season opened in Oregon last Saturday. Since it was going to be hot I decided to sit in my treestand where I'd had my trailcam all summer(been getting alot of pics of big bucks and elk). As daylight came I could see the elk had been there and left for their day beds, the ground was churned up with fresh tracks and wet pee spots. Nothing showed during the day!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v117/treekiller/peefromstand.jpg)

Sunday morning I found a nice 3x4 Blacktail buck in a high basin and tried to make a stalk. But the loose rock and dry vegetation weren't condusive to getting close.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v117/treekiller/bowonrock.jpg)

Tuesday evening I went out and made a short hunt in a windstorm. I'd found some fresh elk tracks near a bedding area and setup and had been calling on and off for 25-30 minutes when I saw something moving off to my side. What I thought were tree limbs swaying in the wind quickly turned into antlers on a 5pt bull.  He kept coming and was about 30 yards away quartering to me when he slammed into my scent and departed.  :banghead:  

As I continued to hunt I found an old clearcut loaded with chokecherry brush.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v117/treekiller/chokecherries2.jpg)

The bear's have been finding them to their liking, as I found numerous piles of bear poo.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v117/treekiller/bearpoo4.jpg)

This morning there were 9 elk behind my house at daylight. It was too windy to work, so when I returned home an hour later I grabbed my bow and snuck around for awhile. Never could locate the herd, but they'll be back!

To be continued....
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v117/treekiller/blacktailmtn.jpg)

Beautiful pics there Tree Killer! That 2nd to last one looks suitable for a magazine cover   :D  

Alimoche, great picture and thanks for sharing a hunt from another part of the world.

-Brian
www.bowyersjournal.com (http://www.bowyersjournal.com)

Had to chime in and say to Chad...awesome man!  Way to go!  Congrats on getting the big-un.

And nice lookin pics Tree Killer,  cant believe how green it is around there this time of year.

Great pictures!  Really wets the appetite, now if I could only arrange a sitter for the kid.

Thanks Tree killer PM sent. Love the pics.

In OZ, alan

I finally took the new Mosshorn for a hunt yesterday.  I couldn't sleep the night leading up to the hunt due to the hightened anticipation of the mornings test to come.  After waffling on the decision of where to hunt I decided to hunt where I know the terrain best.  The problem with this decision is I did not leave enough time to get there by first light.
I left my Jeep parked where the family elk camp goes every rifle season at 7:30am and started my slow stalk up the draws and ridges.  Temperature leaving the vehicle was right above freezing, 34F.  The forest had that painful silence of a stranger met in passing, except for a background of the buzzing of flies and hornets above the trees in the sunlight.  I had not made 300 yards before I jumped a whitetail at 25 yards and chastised myself for going too fast.  Wind was in my face while I worked uphill on a gradual incline sidehilling my way to my favorite bedding ground and wallow.  Fresh elk sign in the dust, green and wet sitting in the tallow soft duff.  Solitary elk track on my trail heading in the direction I chose.  I remind myself to go slow and be alert, my range is 15 yards or less.
Every few minutes a squirrel drops more food for his winter storage, each cone sounding like an elk kicking a tree root or an antler rubbing a tree.  I remind myself to stay calm and to listen for the "real" thing.  My solitary elk veers downhill and into the wet bottom of the valley floor, I decide to continue on and circle above him on an intercept route.  I continue on stalking and listening, eyes wide with anticipation and the silence continues.  The elk are not rutting yet, but I decide that I may get some curious passerby with a little calling.  I start with a few Eee-ooo's and follow up with a timid whaarrrrumph or two than I listen and watch.  About 5 minutes later a ghost appears 30 yards uphill and to my left, than another and another, I just keep watching and waiting for the last in line for I know it will be my bull chasing his harem.  Five cows in a spread out line and no male escort.  I muffle a few more calls and try to become part of the tree I am leaning against.  The lead cow starts my direction while the others meander there way to the bedding grounds above.  She circles to my right and paralelles my position working in the direction of the wind.  I do not want her to bolt and run just before I reach my prime hunting area, but all I can do is wait.  She gets closer and closer, 15 than 14 on towards 12 yards.  She steps into a tighter crcle and she is just inside 10 yards and directly downwind now.  SNAP goes her head, eyes looking right at me trying to see the intruder she knows is near.  I stay still and avert my gaze trying to become my tree and hoping what I say about elk and no need to wear camoflage or a scent block is true(commercialization of our heritage).  She has my location pegged but has yet to zero in on me directly, than she takes one more step and blocks her line of sight to me.  At this moment I turn and come to full draw hold right behind her right front shoulder and I decide that I won't shoot a cow today, the freezer is full of meat and I don't want all this fun to end so soon.  I let off and wait.  Eventually, it seems like hours to my knees and ankles, she finally moves off and I get to continue my hunt.  This was the highlight of the day but that is what hunting is about for me, the moment where you fit in the way a man should in the woods.  Invisible with all your senses open to the world around you while shedding off the unimportant layers of the day to day world.  Speaking of unimportant layers it was 94F when I finally got back to the Jeep at 3:30pm, a SIXTY degree shift and let me tell you I felt it.

Thanks for listening around the fire, I wish I had pictures to add flavor.  Well, I can get those the next time.

fantastic morning hunt.may we all have that kind of success.

Alimoche, I always love your posts. Great pic of you stalking that pig. Tree killer, also great pics. You are both lucky to have such great access to wonderful hunting grounds. oh, and SuNaj too. I miss the west in some ways. Lived in Cali for a spell. Looking forward to getting out this weekend for the opener in NJ if it is cool enough. Hope I will have pics soon too.

QuoteOriginally posted by Tree Killer:
  (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v117/treekiller/blacktailmtn.jpg)

TK, that right there is a magazine cover.  Beautiful.

DITTO!

wow. the tallest thing around here is the red lobster sign down the street!

Thanks guys! That's Mt Hood, the tallest peak in Oregon at 11,245'

I live about 25 minutes from the base of the mountain.

TK

Here are some pics of my first elk and deer hunt here in Colorado.  I spent eight days high in the Colorado backcountry.  I ended up missing a nice little mulie buck at 30 yards, and had a dandy bull smell me at 35 yards.  All in all, I learned alot. Not only about hunting out west, but about myself as well..    Oh well, archery season isn't over yet, I've got some more areas to look at!

 (http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d92/Titan_Bow/Archery/DSC01213.jpg)
 (http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d92/Titan_Bow/Archery/DSC01235.jpg)
 (http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d92/Titan_Bow/Archery/DSC01232.jpg)
 (http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d92/Titan_Bow/Archery/DSC01229.jpg)
 (http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d92/Titan_Bow/Archery/DSC01196.jpg)
 (http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d92/Titan_Bow/Archery/DSC01193.jpg)

Nice pics Titan.

Awesome pics guys! Treekiller I agree with Brian, that one of Mt Hood is magazine cover material.

I am with you guys on that as well!

UNBELIEVABLE

SSGA

Hey, Ron. I  see that eye of yours is appreciated by more than just our local newspapers. Outstanding picture! Hope the hunting is going well. Stay safe and shoot strait.

Titan_Bow, wish I was still in Colorado.

I knew I should've went hunting Thursday evening! I setup my trailcam last Monday at the lower end of a spring and this bull opted to wallow at the upper end. He did strut down and stop long enough to bugle in front of my camera though!

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v117/treekiller/cudde84.jpg)

Talk about rubbing it in. LOL Nice wapiti there.

What a great picture....


David

Now that is a great trail cam pic!!!

Thumbs up

SSGA

Thanks for sharing that!  I wish they would start rutting it up in my area.

Great pic Tree killer!! Good luck with your Hunt and thanks for sharing !  One day I would like to be out west and hear a Elk Bugle on a foggy Mountain morning !  One Day............  RIVERWOLF

Tree Killer your going to have to stop this...lol

Wonderful  picture:)            sunaj

TREE KILLER, send that in to the cudde back photo contest. i bet 10 to 1 that will win first place. huge bull bugling...never seen that on a trailcam.awesome. thanks for sharing

Glad you folks all like that trailcam pic! It was the only shot I got in 5 days, but it is my best trailcam pic to date!

I'm still hoping for an opportunity to let the air out of that nasty bugler!

pete p...I took your advice and entered it in cuddeback's photo contest.  Thanks for the suggestion!

I killed this Roosie spike back on Sept. 2nd., Saturday evening about 7:15 PM. There was a 5X5 herd bull that I might've been able to slip an arrow into, but the spike gave me a cinch shot and he's gonna eat a whole lot better than that old bull would've, so I'm real pleased.

55#@28" Qwarf recurve, Bear "Black Bear" riser, Quinn Stallion limbs; CX 200 carbon arrow; 2 blade Muzzy Phantom; 3-4" parabolic 4 degree offset Plastifletch vanes. Total arrow weight, 388 grns. Twenty two yard downhill quartering away shot, complete pass through; 194 FPS.

Arrow hit dead center right side last rib, exited left side just in front of the front leg. Bull went 10 yds. Took out liver, diaphragm and lungs. 44" wound channel.

    (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v625/OBH/06Spike2b.jpg)

These elk were never spooked. After I shot the spike, I watched them feed away to the north and snapped pics while I was letting the spike soak for a few minutes.

   (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v625/OBH/06Herdbull1.jpg)

   (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v625/OBH/06HerdBull3.jpg)

It was getting dark so I got back to my chores. Had him cut up and bagged by 10:30 PM. Packed out head, backstraps, tenders and one shoulder. Went back at first light for the rest after catching a couple hours snooze. All in all a very satisfying experience. The only bad part is, now I don't have an elk tag and there's still better than two weeks of season left. Dang!

Love that picture Ron, that's as good as it gets...

He'll be a very nice eater, fat with winter reserves........OH yeah

SSGA

Well after probably twenty blown stalks and a couple missed shots I finally connected this afternoon. Pretty boring story though. I worked a herd of goats all morning and watched this little guy get thumped royaly but the herd buck. After finally spooking the main bunch off I went to get some chores done. On the way to pump water for a bunch of cattle we brought in because of the fires in the area I spotted him again bedded across the river in some tall grass and below a little bank. Circled back around across our bridge and got above him. Crawled thru the tall grass and slipped a lucky arrow in from 25yards out. Took out his liver and he only went forty yards, my second shot spined him and that was pretty much it.
  (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/gotahunt/RIMG0004c-1.jpg)
Widow Longbow, Arrow Dynamics carbon and WW broadhead. One disturbing thing was that on the spine shot the Woodsman went practically thru the spine but the broadhead adaptor broke off at the back of the head. This is my first experience with screw-in points but I think this cowboy is gonna be changing to steel adaptors for sure.

nice job!! what do you think of the WW BHs?

Doug, Nice goat!  I'm glad to hear that fire is calming down too.  

You might want to try some of your forged heads with a thin tang epoxied into carbon insert or slotted steel adaptor (holes to get weight doown with steel BHA).  I've been playing around with these...total weight of both round 250gr.  Jeff
 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v110/tippit/Broadheads/ForgedTradePoints7.jpg)
 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v110/tippit/Broadheads/Screw-onForgedBroadhead2.jpg)

Some great seasons already.

That's what I wanted to see Doug!! Congrats.  :thumbsup:

WELL DONE...MR. CAMPBELL  :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:    :notworthy:  

The Ole WEST "SPOT and STOCK" thing  HU????

WAY TO GO MAN

Looking for Rosie's on some Oregon flat ground...

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/Santiam/P1030421.jpg)

Well done Doug my mate! Love the bow too. Must look at placen an order soon for one. Maybe when I take the trip over in 2008?

In Oz, alan

Alsea and Doug, great job. Liver shots always wipe them out. I'm sure that young meet will eat well. Great pics too.

Great stores and pics guys! Whitetails start here Friday.

QuoteOriginally posted by Alsea:


     (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v625/OBH/06Spike2b.jpg)

Alsea you need to smile.  LOL

Mystical arrow flight captured. This was Shaun Webb shooting at a Jack Rabbit. You can see the arrow in flight on a bee line to the rabbit. See his head under the branch?

 (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/ck/ShaunBunnyArrow.jpg)  

A closer look...

  (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/ck/ShaunBunnyClose.jpg)

Tree Killer, go back to that same spot and put yourself in the right side of that photo and it WOULD be a magazine cover...those are worth money too....help you finance that roosie hunting!

Santiam, yours is a cover as well...bugling off into that big valley- just turn your camera sideways and get some sky above those mountains and you will be on the cover of TB I guarantee it!

Doug, how sweet it is...with all you are going through this year with recovering, and now with the fires all 'round, to be able to get it done like that has to be a real kick in the pants!!!!

Good for you, friend!

QuoteAlsea you need to smile. LOL  

Talondale

I was smiling...lol!

The skeeters were so bad that night I didn't dare risk taking my headnet off, even for a few seconds. It stayed on until I got back to the pickup six hours later. As it was, plenty still got through and chewed me up anyway. We're having a fierce bug year out here on the coast...

Nice elk guys!! If I had elk like that in my backyard i'd neever get outa the tree - till I was outa tags atleast.

Doug, Well done on the goat! Now get back out there, I wanna see a big elk with an arra hole in it! Happy huntin.

Hey thanks everybody and congrats to the other sucessful hunters this fall. Feels good to get back at it now if only we'd get past these fires. Haven't seen an elk in the area for quite some time and they evacuated the intire drainage from us up. Not looking good, the Derby fire to the east is 209,000 acres, West Boulder fire 6,000 acres, Trail Creek fire like 16,000 acres all within a few miles of us. Gonna be ugly this winter.

Sat on top for a couple hours glassing for critters yesterday evening and got a couple of pics. The West Boulder fire that's now twice this big.
 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/gotahunt/RIMG0012a.jpg)

The Derby Fire a few days ago, it's calmed down considerable now but got within 3 or 4 miles of us before it did.
 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/gotahunt/IMG_0259.jpg)

Dang Doug,that looks tough! How many months or years to good green grub for the critters?

I have not had much of a chance to hunt like I wanted because of my work schedule, but saw a few nice bucks this evening. Wind was wrong and was driving around just looking. Had seen a couple 25-28" bucks in this same location a few days ago and wanted to see if I could see them again. Did not see them but did see this one... John
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y56/possumtrot/P1000885.jpg)

Saw these as well..
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y56/possumtrot/P1000876.jpg)

Well back up on top last night this was Baker Mountain, our old elk camp spot. Saw one very confused raggy wondering around in front of the flames. For a few of ya that have been there I expect Cow Camp probably didn't make it thru the night.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/gotahunt/RIMG0008b.jpg)

Wow, that is awesome picture!

Doug,

I hope the wind stays in your favour. I was in Yellowstone few years back for the big fires and just west of Jackson Hole where the SCI ranch is. We would have lost everything if it wasn't for the fact we had over 50 firefighters staying onsite to help with fires. They did a great job of making sure their stuff and the beer didn't get to hot. Scary stuff, but its nothing new to those livin in that great wilderness. Elk huntin should be even better in couple of years. All that said I hope it dosen't do too much damage at your place.

Well after a sleepless night of watching my stomping grounds burn myself and friends headed up the mountian early this morning. We fought fire mostly putting out hot spots till about 3:00 this afternoon. The weather has cooled off and made a tremendous difference in the fires intensity. I think we're finally getting a break with moisture forecast for the next couple days. This fire is pushing 32K acres now and almost made it far enough east to meet the 210K Derby Mtn fire.

Probably more than a few of these poor confused critters wondering around.
   (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/gotahunt/RIMG0002b.jpg)
I've taken several pics and posted em here.
  http://community.webshots.com/user/dkcampbl?action=publicAlbums    [IMG]

Thanks for the pics Doug...

Yes, indeed, thanks for the link.

Take care there Doug.

RayMO

:thumbsup:

This is by far my favorite thread each year! Thanks for the pics!

Here is a nice bull we caught on trail cam. This wallow was very active last year so we got in early and put up the cam. Thought you would enjoy the second picture especially

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v54/tlclum/Hunting/FH000001.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v54/tlclum/Hunting/FH000003.jpg)

That is amazing, great pics...

David

Wow that is one muddy elk, bet he smelled ripe ha ha

WOW,

I haven't checkeed this one in a while, the photo's in here are great.

Congrats to all and good luck in your travels,
brian

Ps Doug, here in the NE corner of the state is been raining all day. I hope you're getting some too!!! take care

WOW, now that's an awesome elk picture, believe I'd camp on that wallow.

It started raining here yesterday afternoon and it's still going this morning, things are looking up. Thanks all for the thoughts and prayers!

Happy for you Doug, stay safe....

David

That's good news for all our friends in Montana, and the poor firefighters that have been battling this monster. Hope it pours for days and puts all the fires completely out.

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f85/wtpops/IMG_1761.jpg

Just got back from a trip to Arkansas. Took two nice sows. One 200# and one 140#. The pick is of the 140#

The 200 lbder was shot at about 15 yards at the edge of a water hole, there were about 8 hogs there, most lying down on the bank. But the big old gal was cooling her feet. Everything went just right, picked a spot hit full draw and let it fly. The arrow blew right through the sholder and stuck in the off side shoulder. She hobbled off about ten hards and fell over.
Now the 140 lbder was a different story. I was still hunting down a well defined trail I could hear a hog in the under brush and at about 10 yards i could see a black and white hog walking broad side to me, it was to thick to get a shot, tree in the way then a bunch of twigs then a clear shot but no time to draw then a noise to my left, there staring at me was three rams and a yew, big horns on this one ram but they had my froze(they were about 5 yards away). There was no way to draw on the pig and not get busted by the sheep. So the pig and the sheep walk away.

I continued hunting down the trail i was on for about a 100 yards or so and i hear something comming i get down on one knee and at about 20 yards i see the sow on the same trail im on comming stright at me. I get my bow up and she just keeps comming, she has no idea im there. Then at 2 yards or shorter, some where between 4 to 6 feet she stops dead. I came to full draw just before she stopped. She was bobbing her head right to left trying to see what was blocking the trail (me) Then after being at full graw for about 10 to 15 sec (felt like 30 and i thought i better shoot her or pet her) she took a half step to my right, I picked a spot just in front of the shoulder and let go. It hit just where i was looking she exploded straght up in the air and started to buck like a bull made a 180 and started to walk back down the trail. I was right behind her she would stop every 10 feet or so and look back, the third time she did this she turned broad side to see me i let one fly and it blew right through the rib cage and stuck in an off side rib 5 sec later see fell over

During the skin job i found out the first arrow did the job, it went in at the 3rd rib from the front and stopped at the 2nd rib from the back on the off side. Took out both lungs she would have fell without the second arrow.

Needless to say I had to sit down for about 5 min to stop shaking enough to drag her out of the under brush. It was a great hunt.

This is as close as i have been to a hog and let an arrow go. I have shot one a t about 3 1/2 yards once but this one beats that. I dont think i want to beat this one, This one was close enough.

Great job. Sounds pretty exciting. But why does a Coalinga guy have to go all the way to Arkansas for hogs? You are right in the middle of CA hog country. I shot a nice 125lb sow over in Priest Valley up by you last Dec. Gotta get back up there soon.
Congrats,
Norb

4 kids and 3 grandkids live there I was visting for 10 days and thought I would try to fill there frezers

Remember a couple pages back...I posted the pic bugling down into the canyon..

I went back..  :bigsmyl:  

 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/Santiam/bull.jpg)

My brother and I hiked in to a far off basin that most times holds elk...A nice flat with springs and thick reprod...I killed a bull in there a few years back so we knew about where they usually held up at....We set up and made some herd music....20 minutes later it seemed our long hike was in vain....A big fat ZERO...

We got back together to talk about plan B,which we didn't have, and Ken gave a last cow call at the basin..

Eeeoooww came back at us from the far hillside....Not on the flat at all but above, and we were in a poor position with the wind...

We gathered our stuff to get higher and the wind right when Ken spotted him watching us from across the draw......

Here is where we employed a trick that works very well with elk..We stooped over and walked up the skid road giving the elk a horizontal line of our back...Believe me this works....Walk upright where the elk can see you and a vertical line, they head for the next county...Stoop over giving him a horizontal line similar to every other animal in the woods and 9 times out of 10 he will just watch..

We made cover after about 50 yards and peeked to see what the bull was going to do....He watched for a while longer,turned around and walked back into the reprod from which he came....

Shooting lanes were few,but we found a spot that might work about on the same level as the bull... I set up and Ken was back doing the calling...

For the next hour and a half we had that bull chuckling,grunting,murdering trees and just about everything else a bull can do, except, COME CLOSER!!

He wouldn't budge....Now we tried the ol silent treatment...Gave him nothing in hopes he would get curious and come see what was going on....That didn't work either...

It was starting to get late and it was time to force the issue...I would climb up higher, work out the ridge and drop in on the bull...Ken would give me 20 minutes and start calling again,giving me his location and I would play it by ear..

I worked down trying to find some kind of lane...I found a poor spot,but it was all that was there and I was afraid to drop lower and spook him out...I waited for Ken to start in again....It wasn't long and I heard the fighting cowcall go into action....Immediately a grunt from right below me,probably only 30 yards....I got ready and gave 2 soft chirps with my diaphram....Crack,pop went the brush and I could make out elk legs coming my way....Knees and hooves was all I could see....He was just coming into my lane and I got ready to draw when he stopped and looked around...16 yards and all I could see was head....

TWO MORE STEPS PLEASE!!! LOL

He didn't take those steps...Just stood there forever looking for the cow that he heard..He turned to go back and I chirped again...This is where the elk gods smiled on me...He stopped and all I could see was the hollow spot right above his elbow..One spot on the whole elk about the size of a paper plate and it was the RIGHT spot...I drew,ignored the limbs,focused on that spot and let go...

Wensel Woodsman through the heart,about a forty yard death run and it was all over, except for the pack that is...LOL..It took all day Sunday to get him out of that HOLE...

Going in Sunday we could hear what sounded like a herd bull ...Grunts and groans like you never heard before....We glassed in vain for that herd bull,until we finally figured out it was a SPIKE and a da%^ little spike at that....I hope this guy makes it a couple seasons...I need to get in there and hear what he sounds like after he grows up...LOL

The spike that thought he was king!!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/Santiam/P1030476.jpg)

Great story!  Thanks foe sharing the elk pics.

LOL Bill...

He may grow up to be a real stud...he's gettting an early start, thanks to you... :)

Excellent story, Bill! congrats on a fine animal, and you told it, like I was there with ya!

Awesome, man!  :thumbsup:

Great stories and picks guys. Very nice animal Bill.

Way to go Bill, nice pics too.


David

Nice elk!  I can vouch for you for walking stooped over......a few years ago I was spring turkey hunting and had to cross a big field to get into posistion.  As I slowly crossed the field, stopping every 15 steps or so, I turned around and had three deer following me!  Needless to say, I did make it across and got my bird, but the deer didn't like me going through my pockets looking for my camera!  I wouldn't do that on public ground in deer season though!
    :knothead:

How big do you guys like your hogs , I have to be honest getting this close to this big guy did have me a little rattled
 (http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a320/Steeley/P1010006.jpg)

This guy was by far the largest that I have ever seen he was tall thick and heavy living on the Northern Territory flood plains in Australia.
 (http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a320/Steeley/P1010008.jpg)

My 78LB Montana Falcon and a 900grn arrow did the trick on this big pig.  (http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a320/Steeley/P1010028_3.jpg)

That's one heck of a hog!  I want to experience that some day.  Thanks for sharing.

Simon~

Excellent series of pics! Congrats!

Is that a Robertson?

Wow what a monster hog and very cool pictures.

Wow that's a big boar!

Congratulations!

F-Manny

Cool pics MS..congrats on the piggy

Santiam...you lead a charmed life!

Carcajou

Yes mate thats My Robertson Montana Falcon , its a sweet shooting thing even with the big limbs on her , I normaly shoot 60 @ 28 but was after Buffalo and these big hogs on this trip so a friend who has the same bow lent me his heavy limbs , they took a bit of working up to but Im glad I took them these big animals are very tuff.

MS-nice set of pics and good job on the hog!!  :thumbsup:

WOW

Nice Pig you got there...Congrats


As for me still nothing in the way of kills, but as always I have had some greta time in th woods.

Hey this is my first post here I thought I would wait until I had something good to say and not waste your time. Anyway I got my first Two! big game harvests with traditional gear two Does yesterday and as soon I get this computer figured out I'll send pics.

merciful silence,
 That is a great hog and even better series of pictures. Not often we get to see the action as it is unfolding. Nice!

One of those perfect moments......

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v225/Scott6231/DSC00918.jpg)

"One of those perfect moments......"

That sums it up very well.  Thanks for posting the soul food, Jumper.

Great pics!  Congratulations on that pig.

Jumper,

Nice picture.  Hope you don't mind if I use it as computer backdrop.

Trying to get my wife to think about moving to AK when youngest son graduates and is out on his owm.
She keeps mumbling about being too cold.  Wants to visit though, so it's a start.

Plans are to take Alaskan cruise someday, who knows.  Thanks for sharing!

Lee

Thank God I finally got away for a few days. Just a scouting trip but great anyway. Caught a bit of snow while camping there but it added to the time. Heard and saw several elk. Here's a few pics.
  (http://myweb.cableone.net/galnmax/mtay1.jpg)
  (http://myweb.cableone.net/galnmax/mtay3.jpg)
  (http://myweb.cableone.net/galnmax/mtay5.jpg)
  (http://myweb.cableone.net/galnmax/mtay6.jpg)

Bit steep too and who was the nut that put up this fence at 11,000 feet up!   (http://myweb.cableone.net/galnmax/mtay7.jpg)

Thats a piece of heaven,Galen!  :wavey:

Kenny it sure felt like it. Been WAY too long since I've been in the woods. Was tough not chasing after the love sick bull I saw.

Kudos to all who have been successful.

Kudos to all who have been successful.


:)

My 7 yo daughter Avery and I went hog hunting about a week ago. Was a short hunt and we only saw tracks and wallows, but we had fun.
I continue to marvel at how quiet she is picking her way thru thorny brush. She'll be a good hunter on her own, I think.
We did get to do some stumping and long range shooting, too. She really likes her little bow.
It's a Martin Prodigy, 20@24.
I made the arrows from 1/4" ramin dowels from the hw store.
 (http://discussions.texasbowhunter.com/discus/messages/177540/451041.jpg)
her hair isn't short, it's in a pony tail. :)

Don't mind at all Lee, I'll try to email you the higher resolution version also if your email data is up to date. Happy hunting, Scott

Man, this thread always has the coolest pics! Thanks everyone for posting them.

Here's a few scenes from TBG Cohutta 2006 Hunt.

Tuff hunting, lots of weather changes, great food and better friends......


Yep, this is lunch time.....and time to head down the Mt for some visability to even hunt.

  (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/terry/fog.jpg)


Definately a knot conglomerate

  (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/terry/tbg3.jpg)

Full size wallow showcased by Dan....

  (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/terry/tbg2.jpg)

Yes, we have proof that the sun did shine one of the 4 days....

  (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/terry/tbg4.jpg)

I told ya we had great food.....the wheelbow guys next door were amazed that we actually do kill things with our bows.....Buff Burgers, Antelope Steaks, Antelope Tenderloins, and Elk Tips.

  (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/terry/tbg7.jpg)

Hello everyone. I've been lurking for awhile , finally got something to post. Used my Matlock Predator X2, cedar arrow from Milt at Wildcat Canyon and a Magnus 2 blade. First and last elk with this bow, I have to switch to left handed shooting due to eye troubles.
It was fantastic to have this bull walk by me just 8 feet away, "Never mind that lump next to the oak, I'm looking for that cow". When he had passed I turned just hoping he wouldn't spook too badly. He jumped, ran a few steps and stopped at 20 yards.
He was a "pit-bull" among elk. Broken tines, both recent and old scars on the shoulders and neck and a fresh tine hole on his forehead just below the left antler. Heavy antlers but short on top. It was an honor to share the mountain with him.

(http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h300/Quackup/100_1761.jpg)

Noelkman, it looks like you might have to change your handle, eh?  Congratulations on taking such a fine bull!  Eight feet, huh?  Great stuff!!!    :thumbsup:

Congrats Richard,  :thumbsup:  8 ft thats close.

Knife river is right going to have to change your handle(thats a good thing)

Tracy

Richard

Mate well done on that great Bull elk , that is Brilliand at that range to take an animal so old and in tune with its patch , you must and should be very pleased , congratulations , One of those a lifetime is plenty to reflect on , but I wish you many more.

Simon

hey guys, here is a pic from last winter of my first harvest with traditional equipment (except for a few carp) im pretty proud of it and thought i would share. what i think adds to the story a little more is that my father and i were both successful that day, and we were both shooting super kodiaks.
  (http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k5/tkosteczko/sportsman%20photos/IMG_3461.jpg)

Very cool Tim! Nice shooting and great times with Pop.
 :thumbsup:

Richard aka Noelkman, Congratulations on the bull elk! My family and I own 5 Matlock longbows and we love em all! Same goes for Milt's beautiful arrows.(Milt is a Guru) Good luck with your switching to a left handed bow. God Bless, T

Oh you ought to change your name to Gotelkman!

Bow season opened here in Mo on Sept 15...I got lucky on opening morning, and then again the next saturday am, both does, on different farms. First doe was shot at 13-15 yds, second was shot at 10 yds. Now all the family is set on jerky meat for awhile!!!

(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/fireman_3311/061-3.jpg)

(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/fireman_3311/100_0414.jpg)

Great work Fireman and nice photos as well , thats a very nice way to get the season open , now its time to get the seasoning out and get to work on all that meat.they are both very healthy looking heavy girls.

Were you hunting from a stand or off the ground ?

well done I hope your season continues this way.

Simon

Simon, thanks! Both deer went to relatives that LOVE deer jerky, so they are fixed up for now...plus they give me a bag to boot!!! Both deer were killed from 15' ladder stands. Good cover this time of year with the leaves still on! I have some trailcam pics of a nice buck, I'm hopin to see him in the daylight, from my stand!!! Here's a look....

(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/fireman_3311/CDY_0144-1.jpg)

Mate I can see why you might like to find him in the day time , best of luck to you , that would be a grand way to use your tag.

He is nice and tall and even It would be great to get at him before he gets to do to much fighting with those tall tines Hey !

I have only just started to give stand hunting a go this year , its not that big here in Australia but I have had some good hours up off the ground and got my first deer from it a little over a week ago.

Good luck on the big buck I will watch out for a photo of you counting those points.

Simon.

Went out for archery opener today. Saw one that is probably 130-140 class. He kept his distance beyond 45 meters, and walked off onto posted woods. I'll be back, and we have four months of archery...

Realize though that there are no deer in Ohio. Hunt PA or MI. They both have too many.

BH

Fireman, congratulations on your two does!  I'll be looking for another photo of that bruiser, this time with you in the pic!  Gotta love that Black Widow!

Although this isn't the best photo in the world, here is a pic of the doe I took with my Osage Widow on September 25th.  I took a second with Rover Gal Hope yesterday (30th), however,  that pic is posted within the Faith and Hope thread.  Now all I need to complete the package is something with some headgear!

Claudia

(http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b158/crestedshaft/September2006Doe-KY2.jpg)

Congrats to all! I could not go messed up my index finger.  I was twisting some wire and the pliers slipped, pinched my finger but gooood.  :eek:    :banghead:

(http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l224/Bowspirit_2006/Rabbit.jpg)

I shot this rabbit on August 19th...my 18th birthday. It was a dead-center shot at 28 yards. Couldn't think of a better way to end the days excitement...

:thumbsup:

got this doe opening day on my farm in ky. 54# predator recurve, 500 gr goldtip with magnus 2 blade. dropped her at 10 yards
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v708/randygrider/my%20harvests/9-2-06doe002.jpg)

same setup, 15 yard shot about 2 weeks later
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v708/randygrider/my%20harvests/9-21-06buck.jpg)

Good work on those deer, Randy!!!

Good job Randy! I'll get out there one day. I'm at work checking things on the computer. Maybe if I worked instead of looking at the computer, I'd get my job done and I could hunt too.

Looks like the deer season is off to a good strong start with you as well Randy , nice shooting mate , those predator bows are very neat a mate of mine out here in Australia shoots one and very well to boot.

Great to see these deer shots coming through, they are such a great animal to bowhunt.

GreyRhino, thanks! I had some canebrake skins put on the widder this past spring, was down and out due to health, figured spendin money makes me feel better!!! Next time, I'll have to turn "Dorothy" around so's ya can see them skins!!!

Silence, thanks for the kind words, and congrats on the doe! I do hunt off the ground some, and have taken 2 nice bucks that way, but I ain't built for sneakin at 6'5" and 230 lbs!!! I prefer the stands! Good luck to ya sir!!!

GA Post....


 (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/terry/rub2n2n.jpg)

my turn
(http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j111/johnwilliamtaylor/76fa445f.jpg)
Still lookin for him.

"Still looking for him"..... I'd be running the other way lol!

(http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g128/ad2877/Arwindeer210-2.jpg)

I shot this big girl last night around 6:30pm. I was using a Martin Serengeti, cedar arrows, and Magnus Snuffers. Thanks for the arrows RobK!

I've got a neighbor that wanted me to come see if I could shoot a bear that has been literally destroying his apple trees. I've been trying for a few days to get him pinned down with no luck. Well this evening I decided to stay in the tree till plumb dark and see what the heck was going on. Just at dark this guy came ambling in and kept me in the tree for a while    :scared:  
  (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/gotahunt/R0010101.jpg)
Notice the 3" claws on his right front foot. He's bout 8' away at this point.

Took several pics with the flash and it didn't bother him a bit. It was an awesome experience!

Doug

Forgive me Mate Im not from round here but dosnt all that make him a Grizz , Either you have a big zoom lens or Balls of steel but 8ft !!!!!!!

Let him have the apples Man !!!!

Simon

I can only imagine how that must have felt Doug!  Maybe this..  :scared:  followed by this..  :D    Great pics, and I would guess that your neighbors apples are in serious trouble!

David

Doug, THAT's the "dumb" bear you were telling me about?     :scared:    YIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

That's a bear you call "SIR"....

Doug you da man. If that had been me I would have certainly have to clean out my pants when I got home.
Jack

Still no luck with the bears Doug?  I have one working the river bottom on one of my whitetail places (same place you hunted a couple of years back) that is good sized, you are welcome to sit one of the treestands for it if you like.  

Walt

Terry Green --- That is a good one! Looks like a nice White Oak right behind the rub too.

Doug~

Great pics, and nads of steel!  :scared:

I'm sorry, but...having a what you thought was a problem black bear turn into a big ol' grizz...man, that's just funny!!!
Great pics, Doug!!!

"Someone" much smarter than me once said "If it is 12 inches or more between the eyes- RUN ".......  :scared:   It's funny but I can't remember who said that to me.   :saywhat:  

Looks like they need a refresher course in "practice what ya preach".  :D   Nice bear by the way! CK

Hmmm... never was too good at practicin what I preach  :D  cides I think he was just 11 1/2 er something like that  ;)

Yep that be the one Mickey, course I didn't know it when I told ya that.   :knothead:  it definately got the blood flowing.

Dang Walt appreciate the offer and if I can get caught up some around here I'll take ya up on it.

Doug aint skeerd...are ya Doug?

Congrats on the Lope as well my friend.....nice work.

Great pics Doug. That was pretty invigiorating I bet.

Great shot Doug  :thumbsup:    :notworthy:  

Very glad you were able to get back and show them to us      

Man this is a great thread. Congrats to all you guys that have hit your mark. The photo's are awsome. I'll be starting my season on Saturday and hope to get some good pics to post here. A guy at my local bow shop told me, "You can't kill anything with a stick bow." I'll have to show him this site.

Dang, Doug.  That second photo is real interesting, your heart was probably making a lot more noise than you wished at that point.  Going from hunter to "never mind" is an interesting transition.

I finally had time to look back through the posts - awesome stories and photos, and they should only get better as the fall progresses!  Wow, we have some talented folks here on Tradgang.

Doug, That's a bear that I don't want to find under my treestand.  Great picture...I'd need one of those vibration stablizers on my camera to get a focused picture  :)

Here in the western suburbs of Boston, we have a bear problem too!  This blackie got into our horse grain shed the other night.  Might just have to try your technic in my stand...Doc
 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v110/tippit/CarlisleBearPrint1.jpg)

I'm pointing to the scene of the crime.....up on the bench where I missed the most beautiful sitka blacktail buck I've ever seen, crowned with a big velvet rack with many points.  The rainbow appeared during my stalk, I thought for sure it was a sign from Above, so I moved in close and.......missed!  

(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y26/SCJeff/west%2006/JeffRainbowBuckFrown.jpg)

That's just too funny Jefff!!!!!!!

I think the lower lip says it all   :banghead:

Ohh Jeff mate !!

Its painful when you dud one after all that practice , I havnt been shooting Traditional bows all that long (From Compound)I practice a lot but on a recent hunt for pigs I missed two sitters, it burns into your mind like a stain on white carpet , thats a great photo though and super looking country to be in hope you get another shot at him soon.

Simon

Jeff~

That is a great shot! ( No Pun Intended)!

At least you HAD a shot!

have a great season!

Trust me, don't go goat hunting.  

(http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a236/ChrisFannin/100_0622.jpg)

Wow! Them's some great pictures! I'm in awe!  :thumbsup:  

Today I killed my very first stickbow buck in Tioga County Pa. I was sneaking along an oak bench, and spied him feeding my way. I ducked behind a big old oak tree, and he walked right in and offered a 11 yard quartering away shot.

 I'm hooked. Man am I hooked. God I am so hooked. After 32 years of chasing whitetails with archery gear, I have been reborn as a bowhunter.

 I got ALOT of good info from the guys on this site and the gang on the Bowsite. I am eternally grateful to those folks.
 (http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e139/Fesstus/Dcp_4478-1.jpg)

Nice buck...congrats!

Chris

A co-worker (Sharkey1) has been talking to me for several years about converting from a wheeled bow to a trad bow.   I took his advise and started shooting a recurve late last year.  I have not taken an animal with it yet but love shooting it and man am I hooked.   This is the first year I started hunting with my recurve.  
 Sharkey1 has not hunted in a few years due to a his job and hours but started back up and this is a pic of him walking to his stand.   He dooes not know I took the pic or that I have posted it.  LOL
  (http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n140/702plmo/trad003.jpg)

This is a pic of my Bigriver recurve and the back ground is one of the farms we hunt.
  (http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n140/702plmo/trad005.jpg)

Congrats on a fine buck and story Festus. That had to be exciting   :thumbsup:

Way to go Festus!!!  I'll be heading to Susquhanna County in a couple weeks to hunt with my dad.

Kev
Nice buck and congrats! It's nice to see that there are still some deer left up in the north country.   :)      :thumbsup:

Congrats on that nice, PA buck.
John

Congratulations, Festus! Nice buck!   :thumbsup:

Festus,that smile says it all.Way to go man.

Great buck Festus. Congrats!

Yep this is one of the best threads, nice job everybody!

Here in MT it was a dreary rainy day yesterday, finally drove me back to the shop but here's what I found instead of elk, perfect Moosie weather  ;)
 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/gotahunt/R0010119.jpg)
Love is in the air  ;)  
 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/gotahunt/R0010068.jpg)
Momma wasn'tputting up with any nonsense from anybody, she scared me worse than any griz  :D

Oh man, Doug...those are some great looking moose pics. Can you hunt moose up in Montana???

Man look at the hair on her neck.    :scared:

Doe #3 for me this year...8 yd shot, quartering away, centerpunched her heart!!! First time my new wife has been out hunting with me, setting in the same tree. We had 11 does work by us all morning! Now if I could just find one with "draggin handles"!!! I'm off to Iowa for a week of bowhunting, leave in the morning!!!

(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/fireman_3311/IMGP5943.jpg)

(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/fireman_3311/IMGP5945.jpg)

grats fireman! NICE shot and NICE mature doe bro! good eatin'!   :bigsmyl:

Thanks GWBowhunter! I use a 64" MA-II Black Widow, complete with Canebrake rattler skins...Her name is "Dorothy", after me granny!!! 53#@30", full length GoldTip Traditional 35/55 XT's, Magnus 4 blades, 125gr., shoot 3 fingers under...lol. Shot was at 8 yds from a 15' ladder stand, wife was in a hangon right next to me. She was good help trackin and draggin!!! She's shootin, but not hunting just yet. I'm off to Iowa, sw corner in the am, for a week of bowhunting, hope to bring back some pics for ya!!!

I managed to arrow this big bloke a few days ago while hunting with my 7 year old son Lachlan. The boar was asleep in some tussock grass by a rocky pool and I took the shot at 3 meters. It was a good shot (it's a bit hard to miss at 3 meters)and he only ran 50 yards before going down.

As luck would have it he died right on the edge of a ravine and in his death throws he rolled off a 20 meter high cliff and tumbled all the way down to the bottom of the steep ravine,100 meters below.

It took us nearly an hour for my son and I to climb down, but it was sure worth it, he was a big pig and luckily his tusks weren't broken in the fall.

My son loved every minute of it, clambering around like a mountain goat, while I played the protective father, nearly going out of his mind with concern for his son's saftey. I'm just glad his mother wasn't there to see it.

This was a couple of days of camping and hunting that my son had requested for his birthday and it was an adventure that I'm sure he'll remember for ever, I know I will.

My son took the pictures of me and the boar, and he did a great job.
(http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b198/PaulRea/Boar2.jpg)

(http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b198/PaulRea/100_1842.jpg)

(http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b198/PaulRea/100_1849.jpg)

These are some of the hills and valleys I hunt.
  (http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b198/PaulRea/100_1437.jpg)

  (http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b198/PaulRea/100_1434.jpg)

Paul, Great shot, story, and memory for you and your son!  The boy did a great job on the photos!  He will never forget this experience.

G'day Paul,

Good looking tusker mate, well done! Is that a curve made by Mr Kimber by any chance?

Now for some red deer mate.


Regards al

It is a Huntsman indeed Al,67# at 29", burdekin plum riser and black walnut limbs.

I'm still working on finding access to some reds mate, it aint easy that's for sure. Talk about frustrating.

Great job Paul! Very happy to see your boy out there with you. I know what you mean about the "protective" part too. Ah to be young and immortal again.

Virginia's opening day was this Saturday and to commemorate the event we had a Statewide monsoon.  Radar showed that the whole State and just our State had rain covering it like a blanket of wet sunshine due to a Nor'easter, with highs in the lower 50's.  Fool that I am I went out anyway.  I hunted on the ground and was doing ok until about a half hour after sunrise the wind picked up to about 15 MPH.  Since I had to come out early anyway, to go to a remembrance service for my son at the hospital, I decided now was early enough.  

The afternoon was cloudy, cool, and windy.  It felt like fall.  I figured the cloud cover may counteract the effects of the full moon and the deer might be moving early.  I still had to change clothes so my father volunteered to wait for me, in his stand.  As I was making my way up the mountain I checked in with him on our radio.  He said he had 4-5 deer run out our piece of the woods when he got to the edge.  So they were out early, too early.  I figured the coast was clear now but decided to sneak up anyway just in case.  I was hunting higher up the mountain than he was and thought there might be a few deer that didn't run off when he came up.  The wet leaves made it easy for me to move quietly up the woods.  These woods are some older hardwoods that I had selectively cut this past winter.  I left mostly oaks, red, black, and white, and the few beeches that were there.  I wanted to cut back on the competition between trees allowing the remaining trees to expand their canopy and produce a better crop, plus allow more light to the forest floor creating more browse.  I had all skid trails and the stripping deck (a flat bench half way up my property) fertilized and seeded with a wildlife mix.  We were anxious to see how the changes would impact the deer and their movement patterns.  My stand was about 50 yards off the deck area on the downhill side near a break in an old barbed wire fence where the skidder had blazed a new trail.  The deck area was nice and green and the oaks were dropping acorns bigger than quarters, in fact almost fifty-cent pieces.  I reached my stand without incident and started my climb.  Halfway up the ladder I notice a doe in the deck "field" and she's looking my way.  I had "tinked" my wedding ring on the way up the ladder and she must have heard it.  (It takes me a few hunts to get into full predator mode I guess)  The wind was from her to me, and blowing steady, so she couldn't ID me.  I froze with one foot on the rung above the other.  She stared for a while and then started walking my way.  She came the exact way I had hoped she would, if I was in the stand and ready.  She walked within 6 feet of the stand and started feeding.  I was trying not to make eye contact with her and not to move as my right calf started to cramp.  I eased my foot so the rung was in the arch to alleviate the cramps in my calf.  Looking sideways at her I could see she was about 120# long faced doe, just what I would like to shoot.  She feed on through the fence gap behind me and I kept waiting wishing her to move on.  After a while I couldn't see her anymore.  I slowly looked over my right shoulder.  Nothing.  I looked over my left shoulder. Nothing.  I practically turned around and still didn't see her.  Hmm,  I guess she fed downhill.  I resume my climb and she jumps from behind a tree and bounds off to the east following the fence.   Well we've now run off maybe 6 deer.  Not a great start.  Usually if we bump the deer going in we don't see any more that day.  I start to get set up and let the cramps ease out of my legs.  I discover that my bow hook is not in my bag; it was later found on the kitchen floor, so I have to hang all my stuff on a limb several inches below my seat.  I also started to realize the difficulty of hunting in a gun ladder stand with a 64" bow.  This stand has a gun rest in front and low side-rails even with the seat.  I decide I'm going to have to hunt standing on the seat.  This changes my shot windows a bit with understory blocking most of my left-hand shots, more first day mishaps.  About thirty minutes into the hunt my Dad radios to me that he sees two does in the pasture heading to the woods in front of him.  He thinks they are angling up towards me but I never see them.  After a while I think I see a doe up the mountain but I lose track of it and start second-guessing my eyes.  My Dad radios to tell me he has more deer near him heading towards my general direction.  I spot a big doe (?) in a skid lane that leads to the deck field.  We decide to go to radio silence since the deer are definitely moving.  Slowly a few deer start appearing in the "field" and I decide that if another big doe comes my way I'm going to take her.  There's four deer by now in the "field" and as one feeds closer to me I notice what looks like antler.  I take out my binocs and look.  Between fogging of the lenses I'm able to see a couple of 4 pointers.  The closest one to me is raking the ground with his antlers and flexing his neck muscles.  A second four pointer comes over and they get into a friendly shoving match, nothing serious, just some tickling of the antlers and a push now and then.  By this time I've identified four small bucks, a small doe and a reddish big bodied deer I haven't been able to see clearly yet.  After a while I'm able to see the big red's head and it has a nice 8 point rack on it, he's probably a 100"-110" deer, plenty big for a candidate for my first trad kill.  He's further uphill from the smaller bucks and pays their playful antics no mind.  Soon after spotting him the first buck starts heading my way.  He's following the same path the doe did earlier.  I'm watching him thinking this will be a good trial run for the big buck.  The early shots I have of him are all head on.  This isn't good.  He gets straight off my port side and is blocked by the understory.  He turns his backside to me and starts rake a tree.  He then slowly raises his tail and shows me what he thinks of me.  I'm close enough to smell it.  A second buck comes along the same way and then a third.  Instead of cutting in front of my stand and going through the break in the fence they move along the fence away from me and duck through a small opening then walk back in front of me on the other side of the fence, occasionally stopping to mistreat a small sapling.  None of this offered a good shot if the big buck follows the same path.  I'm starting to second-guess my position now.  Should I sit down and commit to a single opening on my left?  Too limiting.  I stay standing.  The last four pointer moves on and then the small doe comes down, only as "she" gets closer I notice two three inch spikes with a fork on each end, that makes five four pointers in a row.   He follows the others but lingers around my area longer, and while I watch him a REAL doe walks up from below and crosses the fence and heads to the "field".  She's safe now with that buck out there within eyesight.  The diminutive buck moves on and I'm able to concentrate on the "field".  The doe is entering it and big red gives her an aggressive mock charge and she scampers to a corner far from him.  She is feeding and then starts looking uphill.  I see a grey big body buck coming down the skid trail.  He could be the red buck's twin rack-wise except he's slightly thicker and slightly taller.  He comes down the hill stiff legged and aggressive like he's the boss.  He comes down to the red buck and they commence to stare each other down.  They start to push each other, again not real aggressively but just preliminary contests.  I'm ear-to-ear grins by now.

At some point the doe fades into the woods like deer are able to do.  A third buck soon joins the two bucks, a nice sized buck with wide racks that end in some odd crab claws, a big six.  About 7 o'clock Big Red starts to make his move.  Instead of walking down the same path the other bucks did, Big Red decides to take the road down which makes him pass off to my left (as I'm facing the tree).  So I have to do a ballet turn with my bow and arrow to put them on the correct side of the tree.  He slowly walks down the road and stops broadside inside a large open shooting lane and starts nibbling the clover.  Unfortunately he's close to 30 yards off and my practice tells me that my skill isn't up to this shot yet.  I have to watch him walk.  This starts a race of panicked thoughts through my head.  If the grey buck goes the same route I will not have a shot on either buck.  Options fly through my head, I change my mind several times.  I had a grunt tube but I didn't want to use it.  These bucks were oblivious of my existence and I didn't want to draw attention to me.  With light fading fast something starts to get the attention of the last two bucks.  They started looking along the hillside, staring hard.  I decided I was running out of time and this was my chance to make my move while they were distracted.  The "field" edge offered no cover, not even a fat tree, and even if I could reach the edge the shot would be too long.  So I decided the best course to me would be to either sit tight and hope he moves and in the right direction, or climb down and sneak to an adjacent tree which would put me closer to the road and also open a better shot along the route the four-pointers took.  The points that made me chose this course of action are: that the deer were distracted by something looking another way, my stand is on the backside of the tree and my movement would be screened, once I'm on the ground I would be below the rise so out of sight, the wind was quartering from them to me and steady, the leaves were wet and soft, and I had a few good trees to cover my movement if they started their move.  I made it down ok with them still looking away and crouching low I slowly work to my destination.  I made it to the tree without much noise and took a kneeling position facing the road and waited......and waited....nothing.   Soon it was last light and I hazard a peek into the field from around the tree.  Nothing...empty.  I move a little closer to look some more and still can't see anything.   At this point I think that as long as I haven't been spotted it would be best to sneak back out then finding out they were just on the edge of the "field".  I worked my way back to my stand and gathered my stuff and left.  I didn't get "blown at" the whole evening and didn't jump anything on the way out.  I'm sorry for the long read with it's anti-climactic ending but it was great to see the kind of action I did and a positive reinforcement for the changes we've made on my property.  I have never seen more than two bucks at a time and certainly not two "shooters".   All in all I saw nine bucks, three were at least 2 ½ years old, during a full moon.  It was a good day and if trad hunting brings me these kind of results I'm in for a lifetime love affair.

Hi Paul, Fine bow made by a fine man. Good luck on the reds. Keep door nocking mate. It'll come. Took me 6 months to find a Chital place.

Regards, al

Well Fellow Trad Gangers...so far I have have a very lucky deer season, as I put number three in the bag last night when a fat, mature doe gave me a perfect broadside shot from my tree stand at 15 yards.  She was munching on acorns at the wrong place and time and my Marriah Thermal and cedar arrow were more than ready to capitalize on the opportunity.  The cool part is that this is a 50 year old arrow and broadhead that belonged to my Dad.  I think he'd have been pleased that the deer made it only 75 yards before going down in a thicket and expiring.
Now that the meat hunting is over, I'll be looking for horns with the full knowledge that I've already been more blessed than I deserve to be.  Whatever happens from here is definately the proverbial icing on the cake.

Claudia

(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e30/jgilmer/DSCN0931.jpg)

Here is my first post this season.

A couple of firsts...1st ol adcock kill. 1st deer off of my new property where I will someday retire. 1st deer with a carbon arrow.

Saturday evening being incredibly windy left me wondering where to sit. On the NW corner of my property there is a deep gully /draw that comes down off the high bluff and empties into an old cow pasture. I have a stand in an oak tree where the trail make a nice curve to the left. The tree is right on the bank of the gully so the deer come literally right by the base of the tree as they make the curve and head to  the old pasture and the ultimately the neighbor's bean field. The wind blows up the gully normally but seems to blow over the top of the trail. With no other choices, I decided to risk sitting there.

At five to seven I looked at my watch and silently told myself fifteen more minutes and this day is over with out a deer in sight. A minute or two later I heard the distinctive sound of a deer walking in dry leaves. Looking over my left should up the gully was a yearling and a second but larger deer. They stopped to test the wind and switched places. The doe was now in the lead and it appeared my scent was indeed blowing over the top of them. They stopped a second time at the base of my tree and tested the wind again.

I started to put tension on the string as they moved forward. Bending at the waist to be sure I didn't over shoot due to the steepness of the shot, I focused on her left side just behind the last rib. The bow came back smoothly, my clicker clicked and the arrow blew thru her. She immediately went into hyper speed and covered the first 50 yards down the slope in a second. There is a nasty thorn bush covered ditch at 50 yards which she busted into and I didn't see her come out on the other side.

I waited a few minutes to replay what had just happened and slowly but quietly climbed out of my tree. Gathering my thoughts I took the few steps to where she had been standing at the time of the shot and spied my arrow sticking in the dirt with the broad head buried! The arrow being completely red, gave me the utmost confidence that she was down laying in the ditch. I didn't bother to look for blood and just walked as quietly down to the ditch to find her. You can imagine my surprise when she was not laying where I expected her to be.  One the other side of the ditch is the remnants of an old cow pasture and then the fence line of my NW border. Blood sign was non existent except for the bottom of the ditch. Having a small flash light was not helping and I decided to head for the camper and get a better light. Walking back to the truck  in the blackness I managed to trip in the stream, fall down fill my boots with water and make a general mess of my self. Changing at the truck I decided I had better drive down to the neighbor's ( whom I had not yet met) Introduce my self and ask for permission to cross his fence in case the deer had made it that far. He suggested we go look for her together. So he grabbed a couple of flashlights, his nephew who was visiting and the three of us hopped on his 2 four wheelers and headed up to where I last had blood sign. Crossing the fence we walked thru the cow pasture and looked until his flashlights began to fail.

Now I was starting to doubt how good of a shot I  really had made. No blood and no bubbles in what little blood sign there was, got me thinking very negatively. Bill and his nephew both being hunters also knew it was a crappy blood trail for a vital hit. We criss crossed the pasture and the short distance to and from his fence line but did not find another shred of sign.

I finally decided to go to  the camper and return at first light. However, it was warm and not expected to drop below 50 degrees if that and I was certain she was dead and spoiling some where near by.

After a crappy nights sleep Jayne and returned. Parked the truck crossed the fence and walked thru the pasture to the ditch where she sprouted wings. No blood any where . We circled and circled but found  nothing. I went back to the fence and back to the ditch several times, each time over a slightly different deer trail in the long knee-high grass of the old cow pasture. Now I was really starting to doubt the shot, my ethics , everything.

Then Jayne says " hey Jim, here she is ". WE had been walking with in yards of her the entire time. She made only 50 yards past the ditch and expired in full flight. There was a skid mark of blood from when she hit the ground running. To the touch she actually felt cool and upon dressing her we discovered she was just fine!  The arrow entered at the right height but due to the steepness of the angle took the top of the left lung and the bottom of the right lung as it exited her body. She just ran so damn fast there was no time for her to bleed at all.

The picture is where we found her. How we kept missing her still amazes me.

Blow up the picture and look at the hair line where brown meets white. The X of the exit of the arrow is clearly visible

LITTLEBIGMAN

Good job on the follow up! Sometimes you've just got to hang in there and keep looking in all the places they could be until you find them. Lots of times they'll bleed out internally, die running and never leave a blood trail. Congrats!

Claudia~

Way to go!  I am glad I 'm not a deer in Kentucky!  :eek:

Well I would like to share a hunt with you guys.I will keep it somewhat short.Saturaday here in VA was a wet and windy mess.Me and and my ole pal Nook decided to wait the storm out till about 10am.,and hunt all day.
 Still abit nasty out we headed out to the farm we hunt.I went to one of my favorite spots,any how around 11 am I heard some turkeys.They started to filter in around me.They proceded to feed on the white oak acorns.I patiently watched as two of them kept getting closer.
 I then heard one putt and decided it was come to an end shortly.Well one large ole hen was too focused on feeding.She inched out from behind a little cedar,and I had a 12 yd shot,released the arrow and she took out fluttering her right wing.
 The arrow sent her to her death about a 100 yds plus  found her piled up.Unfortunly I didn't find her to the next morning,nonetheless I got my first turkey with the longbow.I won't get into the deer story.Sorry for the length but I was getting excited again,I wiil get pics later....

Nice hog Paul,What did it wiegh?

I just returned home from Colorado a couple days ago. This was my lucky year as I was able to take this beautiful mulie buck.

(http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c199/BillrK/100_0841_edited.jpg)

Oh my...that one probably falls under the title of a "big 'un"...

MASSIVE

Well Done!!

SSGA

Great buck Bill.

Man, all these great pics and hunting stories!

Claudia, are you giving lessons yet?    :readit:  

Bill, big mulie in the velvet like that is my dream animal...congrats on a super deer.

Paul, it's a good thing I don't live there....with pigs and scenery like that, I'd probably end up divorced.

Bet you're still wearing that smile Bill! Awesome buck.

An undertaker couldn't remove the smiles on that page.

Congrats to all.

Al...Mark certainly makes a nice recurve. I've been looking for a place to hunt reds up in the Brisbane and Mary valleys for years now. Hopefully one day I'll get lucky.

Ratgunner, I estimate that pig would have gone well over a hundred kilograms live weight, he was a fat porker.

Bill, that is one mighty fine looking buck.

JC, I've had a very good run this year, with my wife giving me her blessing to go hunting quite a lot. I am leaving for a 3 week hunting trip up in Cape York peninsular in a few days time, chasing pigs, dingos, brumbies and maybe a scrub bull if I'm lucky. I believe my wife is going to put the brakes on for a while after I get back, as far as hunting is concerned that is, and I may not get out until after Christmas.

great looking country, Paul R..and a fine hog. Endeavor to persevere on the red deer spot.

Bill K..that's a fine fine mulie....nice picture too!

Everyone seems to be having a great year...hope its infectious!!!!

Hay guys i was out bow hunting a while a go an got a rabbit. i was so happy it was my first real trad bow kill.

(http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i164/The-Last-Wild-Man/DSCF1271.jpg)
(http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i164/The-Last-Wild-Man/DSCF1274.jpg)

ow yer i was in canada in the summer and this photo was taken in banff how cool is this.
befor you ask no i did not shoot it but i was tempted.
(http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i164/The-Last-Wild-Man/DSCF1610.jpg)

Its been a big wet season down here in OZ this year helped along by a couple of Cyclones one a Catagory 4 the water is still laying about all over , the growth of grass and Hogs has been in step , I have never seen so many fat pigs.
  (http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a320/Steeley/P1010052.jpg)

We got nice and close to Large mobs each day and had a great time with the bows and the camera.
  (http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a320/Steeley/IMG_0667-1.jpg)

There are areas busted up the size of city blocks as these pigs work the soft ground over

  (http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a320/Steeley/P1010044.jpg)

Nice shot, James!  I am raising a beagle pup and creating some habitat on my property, with cut trails, brush piles and brier patches, so that we can have some fun with our bows this winter with the rabbits.

Looks like you're having some real fun with those OZ piggies, M. Silence.  Nice field photos!

Those porkers sure are in really good condition Simon, very fat.
Nice pics too mate.

Really good pictures!!

Here is the morning view over my right shoulder from one of my favorite stands. I have always enjoyed this view of the sunrise and this morning finally took a picture of it.
(http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a378/jackdenbow/Morningview.jpg)
This morning a 6 pointer came from the left of the pix and was about 25 yds. in front of me. I was hoping for a closer shot when I committed a fatal mistake, I had him hanging before I even loosed an arrow and that has never worked before. I was in the stand where I shot my last deer last year and was thinking it would be neat to shoot the first one this year from the same tree. Well the wicked wind betrayed my position and that ended the close encounters of the deer kind this morning.

(http://www.hunt101.com/img/441397.jpg)

Crispy Chips stalking coming up and it aint even summer!!!

   (http://www.hunt101.com/img/441399.jpg)

But the sunrises are worth it     :cool:  

SSGA

Great pics and stories everyone!

Thought I'd post these up on here of a hunt a few weeks back. Plan on getting back here for 7 days at the end of the month. Good R&R time....

Waiting on the Morning rush of Chital deer. But nothing turned up so I moved and well... you guessed it, 1/2 hour later deer walked through where I was sitting. Ahh well.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v504/Longbow_lad/IMG_0455.jpg)


Drilled this wabbit from 17 out. Rather pround of the shot too. Only my 2nd.


(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v504/Longbow_lad/IMG_0468.jpg)


And the "Hero" pic....   :cool:  

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v504/Longbow_lad/IMG_0467.jpg)


Enjoy. From OZ, alan

Hunting the top end at this time of year is a real contrast the higher ground is rocky escarpment country basically waterless and will dehydrate you in no time.
 (http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a320/Steeley/NT_BuffaloHunt_July29137.jpg)
The plains are flooded with water and grow sweet grass and reeds that the pigs just cant resist.
 (http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a320/Steeley/NT_BuffaloHunt_July29_2061.jpg)
You can watch them from back in the tree line in the early morning and set up to intercept them on their way back into shade as the day heats up.
 (http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a320/Steeley/IMG_0037.jpg)

First let me say the few yrs. Ive been on here has been very helpful in my quest w/stick&string.This site has given me gobs of information & helpful tips.This past wednesday I had the afternoon off and decided to run up to my spot.Got up in my tree at 3:15.Sat for about 30 mins. when a 4 ptr. comes down the trail on my left.He passes me and stops at 15 yds.Turns to his left and gives me a shot!!Arrow went in high and thru low in opposite shoulder.He humped up and took off.Got down 10 mins. later just to check the spot at which I shot him.As luck would have it, no blood and it starts to pour!Waited a while and then started to zig-zag in the direction he ran.Well there he was 125 yds from my tree.My 31" CX 300 tipped w/a 140 Magnus 2 bld. took out both lungs.The feeling you get w/stick&string is like nothing else.
(http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e136/bigbuckhntr/digpics840.jpg)

Merciful silence, Wow, if I could just crawl through the screen and join you in getting after those pigs!  Great photos and great story.  Must be heaps of fun!  :thumbsup:

Merciful, those pigs you keep shooting are making me consider becoming a permenant resident down under...  :bigsmyl:

Congratulations on the buck Peter. Nice!!! Man that is some piggy Simon!!!

This is On my way to my hunting area..
Cumberland River.


(http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b164/kywarrior/river.jpg)

Hey well done Nontypical thats a nice buck and a good shot by the sounds of it , you boys are getting amongst the deer this year its great to see all your photos , I just started doing some stand hunting this year , never really trie it before, its great and Im sure I will do a bit more of it.

I don't know how well spread the pigs are in the USA but here in Australia they would be close to the most prolific feral game animal we have , they have adapted to almost every climate here and we do have some diversity , in some areas they are small and wiry in others like the Northern Territory they grow to be very large animals very quickly.
 (http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a320/Steeley/NT_BuffaloHunt_July29_2048.jpg)

Mobs like these surround the flood plains in the wet and will turn over every inch of ground as the water dries up.
 (http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a320/Steeley/IMG_0119.jpg)

Arnhem land is the home of Australia's traditional owners and to get into this country to hunt requires permits from their council but it sure is worth it , thousands upon thousands of barely touched miles await those keen enough to hunt it and it features scenery that is not found anywhere else in the country.
 (http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a320/Steeley/NT_BuffaloHunt_July29_2011.jpg)

This is the face on Nimbawa rock , a dreamtime site for the Aboriginals , it faces the coast and has a great deal of cultural significance to the locals.
 (http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a320/Steeley/IMG_0125.jpg)

It is a real honour and privilege to hunt with one of the locals and my Guide Anthony was just amazing at locating game and telling us about the land and its people.
 (http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a320/Steeley/NT_BuffaloHunt_July29_2022.jpg)

At hunts end each day you are treated to the Red Arafura sea sunsets that are some of the most settling scenes in the world.
 (http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a320/Steeley/NT_BuffaloHunt_July29013.jpg)

Awesome merciful!  Looks like a guy would have to bring lots of arrows when hunting there!  Here in Fiji we have feral pigs, but not in the numbers nor size of the Aussies.  I did some scouting last week and found the tracks of just one pig, and I was thrilled.  Can't hardly imagine the excitement of seeing a pack of porkers that size!

That's it!  I'm putting "pig hunting in Australia" on my to-do list, thanks to Merciful Silence!  Very beautiful country.

Here are a couple of pics from my Pig hunt at Back Bay Va. I hunted the last of 4 days and it showed. 65 pigs were taken the first day between 100 hunters, that dropped to 10 on the last day. I managed to get a stalk on a small doe (but blew it) and saw a couple of horses but no pigs. All in all a good hunt though. Bugs were awfull, I think that I could of sold my Thermacell for a small fortune!
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g48/Adam2698/IMG_0236.jpg
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g48/Adam2698/IMG_0240.jpg
Snakes were bad
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g48/Adam2698/IMG_0238.jpg
This is where I stalked the doe
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g48/Adam2698/IMG_0244.jpg
She was on the way to this pool
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g48/Adam2698/IMG_0243.jpg

I got skunked but it was a good hunt anyway... I may go back and try to hunt standby at the end of Oct. I saw a couple of #100 pigs that the shotgunners got and I was told that a guy on the first day took one at around #250!

Well worth the time for any VA Hunters

Adam

I will try again on the picks
Here are a couple of pics from my Pig hunt at Back Bay Va. I hunted the last of 4 days and it showed. 65 pigs were taken the first day between 100 hunters, that dropped to 10 on the last day. I managed to get a stalk on a small doe (but blew it) and saw a couple of horses but no pigs. All in all a good hunt though. Bugs were awfull, I think that I could of sold my Thermacell for a small fortune!
(http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g48/Adam2698/IMG_0236.jpg)
(http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g48/Adam2698/IMG_0240.jpg)
Snakes were bad
(http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g48/Adam2698/IMG_0238.jpg)
This is where I stalked the doe
(http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g48/Adam2698/IMG_0244.jpg)
She was on the way to this pool
(http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g48/Adam2698/IMG_0243.jpg)
I got skunked but it was a good hunt anyway... I may go back and try to hunt standby at the end of Oct. I saw a couple of #100 pigs that the shotgunners got and I was told that a guy on the first day took one at around #250!

Well worth the time for any VA Hunters

Adam

Just taking note of the little things other seem to miss whilst wearing blinkers. You know the type.........


(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v504/Longbow_lad/IMG_0421.jpg)


In Oz, alan

Aussie that looks just like what we had in the sandhills of Nebraska. Called a prairie poppy here.

Ben, not real sure what it's called here but a nie looker of a flower for what seems like a weed.

Might be good Elk food?

In Oz, al

Kind of looks like Bull Nettle. It grows in Texas and will sting the heck out of ya if you touch it.

Danny

This is Fiji stump, er...coconut shooting.  Great fun for my two Jr. Robin Hoods.
(http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n140/ryanita/DSCN3100.jpg)

While out scouting for pigs I enjoyed some stump shooting with Black Widow PMA II, 64", 49@32.
(http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n140/ryanita/DSCN3134.jpg)

Just spent a week bowhunting SW Iowa...planning a return trip, since I didn't fill the tags this trip...2 of us hunted from monday evening thru sat evening, and saw 13 bucks, 120 class or better including one beast of a 10 pointer that had to be over 170"! So many does you can't count them all! I'm going back the last of october, rattlin horns in hand! Here's a couple of scenery pics for ya!


  (http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/fireman_3311/iowa2.jpg)

Hunted whitetails on the corner of Elk Avenue!!!

  (http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/fireman_3311/iowa3.jpg)

Lord, Fireman, you're still hunting deer??? Didn't you just take three of them. I tell ya, some guys have all the luck...  :bigsmyl:

You know what they say, rather be lucky than good!!! After having a heart attack last spring, then having to have a defibrillator/pacemaker put in, I'm just living my life to the fullest!!! Of course, it helps that my wife loves me and lets me go anytime I want!!!!!lol...you know, I wear the pants, long as she tells me which pair...hehehe

Oh man, that just made my day there, Fireman...  :D

And I almost forgot to mention...being lucky only takes a person so far. It's there skill (which you seem to have a LOT of) that gets them the rest of the way...

Fireman..you marry that good looking Harley Riding girl?

 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v247/theferret111/mojam06n.jpg)

UK Bowman,  I told you the bugs were bad there. LOL.  Sorry you didn't get anything but it's a neat place to be.  We used to own land just outside the border (1000 yards outside) and I would walk in there to surf.  Great place, as close to being marooned on a deserted island as I've ever been.  It looks like the beach had just had a bad blowing storm with all that seaweed on shore.  Is that after the NorthEaster blew through?  No pics of the wild horses?

Ferret, yup, sho did!!! Even got her shootin one of the old recurves...Plus, she was with me when I arrowed my 3rd doe of the year, helped me track and drag too!!! Heckuva woman...now if I could jus' giter to field dress em fo me....lol!!!

And thanks for that pic, it's now her wallpaper!!! See ya next july bud!

QuoteOriginally posted by Bowspirit:
And I almost forgot to mention...being lucky only takes a person so far. It's there skill (which you seem to have a LOT of) that gets them the rest of the way...

I'll still blame luck...lol. I do have some fair huntin spots, spend ALOT of time in stands, been lettin the little bucks walk for many years, specially with a gun...I keep thinkin I'm due for "Mr Big" with my favorite recurve...but I'm purty happy with those does, specially the 3rd one...lol. Just the same, thanks for the kind words!!! Ever make it to Mo, look me up!!!

LUCKY...LUCKY...LUCKY..Fireman ya done good son!See you in July.

No Picks of the Horses... I was still hunting along the edge of a thicket and the horse blew at me. I almost crapped myself, it took me by such suprise.
I also saw some horses on the truck trip out. It was wild there, like you said, just like an island. It was cool to hunt somewhere different.

Adam

Thought I'd post some pics of my hunting ground behind my house.

This is the view on the way up the mountain.
 (http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y37/Talondale/Archery/Pathup.jpg)

Here's a different exposure

 (http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y37/Talondale/Archery/Pathup3.jpg)

Here's the views from the stand I hunted in Sat. night.

East: looking back at the mountains which are washed out in the pic.

 (http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y37/Talondale/Archery/East.jpg)

North: Where the doe came from too late.

 (http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y37/Talondale/Archery/North.jpg)

South: where they were heading and where I saw three nice bucks opening evening.

 (http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y37/Talondale/Archery/South.jpg)

What a great looking back yard you have there Talondale , I hope you have one of those big fellas walk under your stand soon , it looks like a sure fire spot and a down hill drag to your back porch (Handy)Its not quite so green down here at the moment we are in one of the country's longest droughts ever but the animals seem to cope and move about to suit.

Good luck

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v605/twohats2/FIRSTWEEK06.jpg)
Here is a little buck that fell due to contact with a magnus II and a Desperado Mtn Bow which I helped build.What a good feeling it is.Sorry for the small pic maybe I can talk Nook into putting a real size pic in here for me later

Well I surprised myself it actualy worked correctly,now I can tell the story;
  Got in the treestand well before daylight,after settling down I could hear the rustling of the leaves and the crunch of the footsteps of a decent sized deer.Since I was hunting over a fresh scrape,I figured he was coming to that.
   Although it was still a little too dark i could make out that he was of decent size.The excitement was great,about 45 minutes later a spike came into the area and was feeding 10 yds to my right.The shot was high and behind the shoulder alittle farther back than I wanted.
    The buck ran about 75 yds and piled up,It was good to follow a blood trail even a blind man could follow.The reward at the end of the ftrail ia always priceless ,just ask ole Nook.He also shot a nice buck that same day.I am so glad to be back in the woods again.My peace and serenity.Hope to share more of the moments again soon...............

She's a beauty, two hats!!!  :thumbsup:

Sorry bout that...he. Dang typing errors!

A few pics of public land I hunt on.
(http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b22/Stalker58/Falls1.jpg)  
The Falls 1

 (http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b22/Stalker58/Falls2.jpg)
The Falls 2

 (http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b22/Stalker58/Longroad.jpg)
The long road

 (http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b22/Stalker58/MeKeanatHOME.jpg)
My MeKean at HOME

Nice Stalker, with all that beauty it must be hard to concentrate on deer.

Stalker..tried to fix that first one for ya but couldn't. It's url was incomplete. Try again. Nice pics!

Sorry, This should work.

(http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b22/Stalker58/Falls1.jpg)

Thanks Ferret

It is an Awesome place.
In the Falls pics I'm standing on a ledge,about 20ft. above the water.
Sometimes it is tough to think about hunting,when your in a place like this.

Steve
Those pics of the falls brought back lots of memories. I used to hunt Dingmans area about 20+ years ago. We used to park right on 209 and hike up, what a beautiful place. Thanks for sharing!    :)

Joe,
I've hunted that area,tough climb,but well worth it.
These pics are the National Forrest,off Rt2001,
Just out side Milford.

(http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c240/Goeb/IMG_3541.jpg)


Someone was smilin' down on me yesterday!!!   :)

that is an awesome pic and a nice deer

Wow are those small droppers on the right beam? Like inverted G3 and G4's ??????

Beautiful Animal and great photo too, gives the animal some perspective!!!!!!

SSGA

An Assenheimer bow and a Black Diamond Eskimo did him in.

 (http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c240/Goeb/IMG_3557.jpg) Not a monster, but he does have 15 scoreable points and by far my best trad kill.  :D    :D  Sorry for pic of him in the back of the Rhino, but it shows the character of the antlers a little better.  
(http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c240/Goeb/IMG_3568.jpg)

Dandy animal Goeb. Congrats.

You send a picture to Donnie?

Goeb,
Awesome buck.
Nice job.

:notworthy:  way to go, thats an awesome deer.

John

Great buck! Congrats!!!

Crash hot deer
I love the uniqueness of the points in his rack, makes for a special trophy

Goeb

Mate ! good work and super photos , Congratulations on a fantastic Buck,I knew it wouldn't be long before some big bucks turned up on this thread, there have been some brilliant posts and game taken lately , this is a great thread its so nice to see the game taken and the country you are hunting.

Can you tell us a little of how your hunt unfolded and the shot.

That's a very nice looking Bow and arrows you have there as well.

Inspirational !!

Mickey,
Yes, I sent Donnie a pic to add to his book.    :thumbsup:

I'll try to follow up with a few details in the morning.

congrats Goeb, that deer has a lot of character in those antlers. Awesome.

Nice buck Goeb. Congrats!!

Love the pics and congrats to those that have tasted success so far this year!!

Kudos to all who have harvested game since my last post. I've only been out twice. Hope tomorrow will be a good one for me.

Six pigs down here is two pics, Mine a 125# sow
 http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f85/wtpops/IMG_1785.jpg  
and Wendel's 175# to 200# boar with 2 1/2" teeth
 http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f85/wtpops/IMG_1787.jpg  

Stories to come later, got to get to bed still have one more day to hunt and one more pig to stick.

Well guys im home resting my legs ( they hurt ) more om that later.
Total hogs taken Six One was recovered this morning. Here is a pic of her ( archer was Armon )

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f85/wtpops/IMG_1789.jpg

Well First we will start with answer to all the questions, Larry at Hogs Wild runs a top notch operation, the archery only area is 640 acers fenced, Nine hunters in camp six hogs taken, this is by NO MEANS A CANED HUNT ( again my legs hurt ) you will earn every pound of pork you take home. If you book a hunt here hit the stair master a month in advance. It is some rough country but huntable.

Ok time for stories on the first day im working the face of the back ridge on the property must have seen forty of fifty hogs that day had three close enough for shots but no time to get to full draw. One big boar ( i say big because of his teeth, his body size was about 140# to 150# but he had about 3" sticking out of his mouth. He came over a noll and we met fase to face at about 15 yards, he scared me more than i scared him and zip he was gone.

Looked up at the crest of this shale hillside and saw a huge boar, I just had to try for him (my legs hurt ). Made it to the top and i always stop and get my breath and relax before i go over the top, well this time i didnt and there i was 10 yards face to face with two black boars of course i was to winded to do anything and off they went. I went over the crest about 15 yards and sat down to rest and jumped a big sow she ran off and left 8 football sized pigglets they played around me for 45 min or so they even came down the trail i was on and one bumped into the limb of my bow before it saw me and ran off. Buy now its getting close to the end of the day so i worked my way back to camp.

Day two, I worked my way around the face of this hill sit down and found myself right in the middle of a huge bedding area, i plant myself and wait. Did not have to wait long from about 7:00 to 2:00 i must of had 30 or 40 hogs around me some were comming up some going down some side hilling above me then below me. Between 7:00 and 11:00 i had been at full draw 4 times but just could not get a shot off branchs here then there. Then about 1:00 i had a good looking sow stopped on a trail below me, I had to get on my nees bend at the waste to where my string hand was almost on the ground to get a clear shot and let it go zap killed a big rock just under her chest.

About 20 min later a big blond boar with black spots, this was a nice looking boar, came charging up the hill past by me at about 10 yards and dang could not get a shot off. 3 min later he came running around the noll and right in front of me at 12 yards. I had just enough time to get to full draw and zip killed my second rock just under his chest.

Now its about 2:00 or so and ive been at full draw 6 times could not let go four times, killed two rocks and two broad heads. I hear somthing comming and a black sow comes running down the same trail as the boar i just missed, i get to full draw and bam right in front of the shoulder and through the shoulder on the off side as she runs off i see a big red spot and fletch on one side and the broad head out the other, YES i finely got my bow arm up, drilled her. She made it about 80 yards or so. Armon herd the shot and help me find her and drag her out, ( hes taking home a back strap )

One heck of a day

Now off to Choppers place in December for some more action.

Sounds like fun and boy those are some big choppers on Wendel's boar.

Got some hard horn pics of a couple of goodn's, thought you guys would enjoy!!

Big bodied 8...

(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/fireman_3311/10-17-061.jpg)

sniffin that clean air...

(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/fireman_3311/10-12-061.jpg)

I haven't slept a wink since getting this picture....self explanatory!!!

(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/fireman_3311/9-26-061.jpg)

I sure enjoy the pics & stories everyone.  Gives me something to do since I had cataract surgery last Monday and am not supposed to do any bow bending for a couple of weeks.

I'll get out & do some hunting with my camera and see if I can add any pictures this coming week.

Dennis

Fireman, that buck looks less like a buck and more like a bull. Maybe you can get him close to ya' by hanging a strip of red cloth beneath your stand...  :bigsmyl:

Brad,that is a really cool rack.Hope you can get him!

Check the time on that big boy's picture.

Bet he's mostly nocturnal, and that is why he is, who he is!

QuoteOriginally posted by Osagetree:
Check the time on that big boy's picture.

Bet he's mostly nocturnal, and that is why he is, who he is!

EXACTLY....all the pics I have of him, from june, july, august, sept, and now october, are all during the dead of night...I have 3 pics of him from last yr, in the daylite...I haven't slept a wink since I got this picture....lol

This is why they call it hunt'n and not kill'n.

Windy today as all get out! It was already good and daylight when I got down in the hollow I was going to hunt. I walked a haul road in and at a "Y" intersection I turned towards my intended spot. One step around the corner and I see two racks heading toward me. I'm in the wide open, so I back up a couple steps and back up against a multi-floral rose bush.

It seemed like an hour but was only about 1 minute before the first buck rounds the bend. A small eight pointer or six pointer,,, I was trying not to look at the rack!...

Just my luck he turns towards me instead of heading out the other road. He was 4 paces away and quartering towards me. He spotted me, but he was not sure what I was, but he wasn't staying to find out, and then he turned and trotted back past the other buck. They stood together, looking back down the road about 35 yrds away. A few minutes later they both hit the woods and went up the hill face's into the wind. It was four paces away and could not get a shot.... that's hunt'n!

I usually tree stand hunt, but today I was heading for a dead fall with my three legged folding stool to hunt from the cover of the deadfall. I climbed through the dead falls limbs looking for the best spot to sit. before I could get my stool off my belt, I spotted a spike 30 yrds out heading my direction. I kneeled on the ground and readied myself raising my selfbow. This is it, I though to myself,,, just as I got to full draw he looked right at me,, ten paces away! I released and the darn thing jumped the string and the arrow just grazed its back and the hair flew. Straight down over the hill and acrossed the hollow he went,,, that's hunt'n!

I like this spot at the dead fall and have never taken a deer from the ground with a bow. So after missing the spike, I spent some time making the deadfall into a blind by using brush and dead tree limbs.

I decided to cross back over the hollow and see if I could walk out this knife ridge thicket and spot something before it spotted me. There is large cow pasture's on each side of this ridge.

It was really windy and I figured most deer would be bedded, hopefully in the thicket out that ridge.

As I crossed the hollow I found where the spike I had grazed earlier had stopped. I must have gotten a little more than hair.  I found some blood and a few more spots as he walked off again. It petered out qiuckly and I soon lost any trail. This little buck will be fine as frog hair and a little smarter from now on,,, I'm sure!

That's hunt'n!
    (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v323/Osagetree/October22nd.jpg)

Finally at the ridge, I stalked slowly using the wind to hide my movements and sound. Toward the end of the ridge, I started getting discouraged and just had given up when I walked a few paces at normal speed.

I took this pic. I never seen a turtle sleeping with its head out of the shell....
    (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v323/Osagetree/October22nd1.jpg)

Then I took two more steps and up jumps the devil,,, a monster buck and 4 does running out of the thicket 20 yrds away and out and down the hill through the wide open cow pasture,,,, That's hunt'n!

I had had enough,,, and walked out into the pasture for an easy walk back to the Jeep. As I walked toward the woodline, I spot some turkeys about 150 yrds ahead and out in the pasture. My heart starts beating and I set up in a clump of brush in hopes they would keep heading my direction.

Half way to me they turn left and into the woodline,,, That's hunt'n

My digital camera is fairly cheap and you can't hardly make out the turkeys in this picture at 150yrds,,, but that's my luck this year.
    (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v323/Osagetree/October22nd2-1.jpg)

As I head toward the jeep, I slow down at a thicket that I sometimes jump deer in. Again just as I give up on the still hunting a four pointer jumps up and snorts as he heads south over a steep bench on the hillside,,, that's hunt'n!

Regardless of the mishaps, I really enjoyed the morning that lasted until 1:00pm,,, THAT'S HUNT'N!


     :archer:

Great read, you should have submitted as a short article in a trad bow mag??

Cheers

SSGA

(http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q28/deanvanderhorst/Idaho2006131-a.jpg)

Finally had an oppertunity to take a deer on the ground Saturday morning.  Had 3 deer come in to where I was sitting about 9 am in the morning.  The all proceeded to bed down right in front of me.  As luck would have it, I had placed a large cherry tree between myself and where they were bedded so I could move to my knees and draw my bow without being seen.  After peeking around the tree for a half hour and deciding which one I should take since they were all laying in different positions.  This one gave the best shot and only made it about 40 yards after being shot and piled up within sight.  Pretty good feeling when you see them go down.  Definately hooked on ground hunting. dino

That is great. Tryed ground hunting for two weeks never came togeather. Great job!

This morning I got in the tree where I have shot many deer, 2 last year. I was sitting down when a deer came from my right about 10 min. after legal light, I managed to get up and turned to my right, got my bow and waited for him to pass behind the tree so I could maybe get a shot. I waited and waited and waited, finally I eased around and he was feeding on my right side. I managed to get turned all the way around to my right with out him knowing and waited for a shot. He was about 7 yds. when he turned broadside and I shot. I thought my shot was at the point of the shoulder and low. I could see him in his run for about 100 yds. and he showed no signs of faltering. I thought I should wait awhile before going check, I had to wait longer than I wanted to because 4 more deer came in and fed for awhile. Finally after an hour I was able to get down to check. No arrow but there was blood where he had been standing. Found broadhead half of arrow at 50 yds. and fletch half at about 100yds. Then there was a big spot of blood and I could see he made a hard left then no more blood. I was in an area that is full of multiflora roses and kept looking and finally found him in the direction he had last taken about 60 yds. from where I lost the blood. I hit further back and higher than I had thought, there was no cuts in the lungs, liver, heart, or stomach. I must have caught a major artery as he was full of blood. I back tracked the blood trail and don't know how I lost it. I call him "goofy horn". The spike side was broken at one time but came back and the left side has 2 spikes comming out of the base.
Jack

(http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a378/jackdenbow/3point10-23-06email.jpg)

Oh yeah I for got. 56# Robertson Peregrine, 622 grain larch arrow tipped with a 145 grain Journeyman head.

Great stuff guys.........BUT!!!!!

I wish you guys would also take the time to post these hero pics on the Highlights 2006 Forum!!!!....

There's been more game taken this  year and posted on Trad Gang than ever....yet the Highlights Forum is not getting any posts.

Please take a moment to post a pic.....

Here....I'll make it easy...here's a hyper link...no need to type a huge story...just a pic...and if you like, the bow, head, etc....

  Highlights 2006 Forum (http://tradgang.com//noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=forum;f=74)

I would like to share some pics and thoughts  of my Monday afternoon hunt.This is my second year hunting with a recurve and I have also been in a deer drought for 3 years.I have been suffering some confidence issues with my curve so when my buddie offered me use of his old bow with training wheels I took him up on it.What a mistake the first and only time I took it out I shot the biggest buck of my life @ 8 yards from a natural ground blind.I am not telling you this to brag but to explain how I feel about it,you see I could of had that buck with my curve and it got me to realize that its not the game taken but the challenge involved in getting it.So after feeling that I let myself down somehow I swore that I would slow down drink it all in and persue deer at my own pace,not going to worry about get in er done or filling the freezer.It almost feels like an awakening or rebirth and I am sticking to my curve even if it means not filling any more tags this year.pics to follow.By the way the non trad deer was taken 2 weeks ago.

John

Heading out from home and look whats coming
(http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j111/johnwilliamtaylor/october23044.jpg)
Upon entering the bush theres lots of evidence of deer feeding on raspberry canes
(http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j111/johnwilliamtaylor/october23061.jpg)
Other evidence as well
(http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j111/johnwilliamtaylor/october23050.jpg)
(http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j111/johnwilliamtaylor/october23048.jpg)

her is the aforementioned ground blind
(http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j111/johnwilliamtaylor/october23052.jpg)
behind me is a creek and waterfall and the deer usually avoid the opening and come up the hill in front of me
(http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j111/johnwilliamtaylor/october23051.jpg)
(http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j111/johnwilliamtaylor/october23053.jpg)
the only one to keep me company was this squirrel
(http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j111/johnwilliamtaylor/october23057.jpg)
and thats all right with me
thanks for letting me share.

John

I posted a few pics on Highlights 2006...Bamboo and I spent a weekend bowhunting in the Mtns.

Thats hunt'n ! You have seen more bucks in one day than I have seen in 5 years. J.Michael

(http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b36/flntknp17/Picture163.jpg)

Here is a pic of how my evening ended today......used another one of my doe tags.  The point is one I made in June and (for those who are interested in archaeology) is clovis in style.  These were the very first points in use in North America (as far as we know) and were made between 14,000 and 12,000 years ago.  Still work as well today as they did then!  Went through both lungs and lodged in the off side scapula.  Hafting broke upon the deer taking off after being hit.  She ran about 35 yards and piled up in less than 10 seconds.  Bow was my old favorite osage selfbow (63# at 26" and 60" nock to nock) that is celebrating year ten in the deer woods with me!

Matt

wow again, that is worth the congratulations!!!

SSGA

(http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g56/huntit/IMG_0259.jpg)

Another shot from our moose hunt.

Hunt it aka david stinson moose hunt pictures
  (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v444/TexMex1/IMG_0243.jpg)

  (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v444/TexMex1/IMG_0240.jpg)

Great pictures, nice Moose   :thumbsup:

Thanks Tex, I figured out what I was doing wrong!

Now you tell me  :bigsmyl:

The Cohutta Wilderness in N. GA ......

(http://www.tradgang.com/upload/terry/cw.jpg)

Mikuta still a virgin...missed a turkey today. Posted a few more pics under Highlights 2006...

(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a281/sf1oak/PB230010.jpg)

That be a cool looker of a pic Terry. Might see you in GA one day.


IN Oz,al

I had taken 2 does with black pwder on the eastern shore of Maryland Sat. morning. Drove 3 hours home miday to get em hung up to butcher. I was about 1 mile from home and decided to stop by a farm i hunt to see what was up as I still had 3 hrs of daylight left. I had my recurve with me so i high tailed it into a bottom and up my tree to wait in ambush by an area with 3 intersecting trails. I was not on stand more than 23 minutes and was blessed with a perfect 8 yard shot. Home by 5 to eat dinner with the family. What a day.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v719/droptine59/droptine%20site/doe3.jpg)

This morning I was on my way with just a hint of a glow on the eastern horizon. With the rare Southest wind, I thought I may be able to utilize a stand where only such a wind works. As I reached the top of my stand I heard a doe blow at me from about 100 yards. I knew she couldn't see me, so I hit my grunter in a feeble attempt to make her think I was a four legged..off she went for good. It drives me crazy to get busted on the way out, often I spend a half hour or so covering a few hundred yards just to make it on stand without the unecessary drama. As my logical mind was doing its best in convincing my spirit that this hunt was over before it even began, the hunt was indeed ON.....apparently my grunting convinced a buck that I infact was one of the four-leggeds, and in he came crunching away like a kid in a bowl of Lucky Charms. In a matter of moments, here he was, right down my chosen fenceline... right into my shot window, 12 yard shot....just 10 minutes too early, It was indeed to dark to pick a spot. Another day I thought, as he made his way about 150 yards across an open field to the far woodline to freshen up one of his scrapes. Then I see him.....the big guy... coming out of the woods 20 yards from the other buck. They exchange a short greeting as I pick up my rattling antlers, and start cracking away. I think I was cracking a bit to BIG as they both looked my way as to say, "no thanks"! So I tinkeled them together as if I was a couple teenagers, and in he came...and fast. Within moments he was at 35 yards and looking for me. I softly hit my grunt tube, and over the fence he comes heading right up my shooting trail. After stopping right before my shot window(of course), he enters front quartering.......I decide not to shoot....shot window is small......one more step and he will live another day.......what a beautiful buck......And then it happens..in a flash he turns as if he was on a lazy susan, quartering away, and the next thing I knew he was crashing through the brush with what looked  like MY arrow sicking out of his side! Am I dreaming?....He trots into the open field, stops, looks at the arrow,flicks his tail, walks slowly for 20 yards, stops, looks at the arrow, flicks his tail, starts into his trot again, then falls over in a heap. Death blow...........then that almost erie quiet. Today I am blessed.

(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y4/littletree4/buckandfamily.jpg)

Brad that is a great story and great buck.

That is a great story.way to go on a great buck.

John

Wow! It's really bringing a smile to my face to see so many fine people with so many fine deer...

My father took this nice Indiana buck this morning about 7:50 at 20 feet.  Nice quartering shot which double lunged him and only made it about 60 yards before rolling up.

(http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q28/deanvanderhorst/deerseason2006005.jpg)
(http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q28/deanvanderhorst/deerseason2006004.jpg)

Weighted in at 209 lbs at the check station.  No wonder we had a hard time getting him into the back of the truck. dino

Beautiful deer guys!

Great pictures guys! Congrats to all.

Nice deer Brad!  :thumbsup:  
And great story telling to boot!

dean, yer Dad is SANTA!!!!! how cool is that??? at least he shoots  a bow!
BD  :clapper:    :goldtooth:

:thumbsup:    :thumbsup:

Dino , Brilliant effort tell your dad I said Hi and well done , also if I could have a red Bike for Christmas that would be neat. Only joking I have a bike !

A new Black widow would be nice though !

I'm a few days late, but I love that clovis point and your use of it, Flntknp17.  Talk about traditional!

Had a little luck today.

Started off the morning wrong by getting a late start.  I set an alarm on my cell but the battery ran out in the middle of the night so it had no power left to wake me up!

Got to the stand about 1/2 hour after legal shooting light.  No activity for the first hour so and then I caught a 4pt. sneeking behind me and saw another 6-8 does soon after.

Something spooked the does and 2 of them ran in front of my stand.  A decent sized doe crossed my shooting lane and I gave a quick bleat-like noise to stop her.  When she stopped, I picked a spot and shot.  I was high with the shot but hit the spine and dropping her on the spot.  I put another arrow through the vitals to finish things off quicker but I'm pretty sure the first arrow did the job.  Tenderloins tonight!

(http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/522/medium/06_doe1.jpg)

A productive morning and you got some extra sleep. Way to go!

Congrats Mick, Good Shooting  :thumbsup:

Got this guy at 7 AM. He was going below me at about 50 yards and I grunted at him and here he comes, shot him at about 17 yards. Hit him to far foward in the shoulder and thought I had messed up bigtime!!! He went downhill about 100 yards and I thought I heard him hit the deck waited 2 hours and went and found him right where I thought he was. Broadhead took out an artery and clipped the front of his heart. Someone was looking out for me today!!!

(http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r27/sparson_bucket/100_0422.jpg)

SWP

Congratulations Scot! You've just discovered one of the deadliest shot angles in bowhunting. I'm sure you did hear him hit the deck...lol!

They don't go very far when you plunk 'em like that...

Alsea,

Very little penetration. He threw the arrow out within 10 yards. Only about 6" off of my arrow. Shot one in the same exact stand last year that I lost. I was sweating it for those 2 hours. I thought I had just hit him in the shoulder blade and givin him a serious wound. Someone was watching out for me today!

SWP

Yip...that's a better shot from the ground, but there's a lot of vitals up front in the chest and if you don't get the vitals, they have a good chance at survival. Much better than a gut shot.

Anyway, good job! Backstraps! Yum, yum... :D

I spent all of yesterday hunting.  In the morning I sat the tree stand near the gut pile of Brent's elk , hoping a bear might be on it, no such luck.
  (http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y91/Slivershooter/BrentsElk005.jpg)
For details on Brent's elk see the Classic Bowhunting thread.
Had shot opportunities at one doe, two fawns, and two forky bucks, but let them pass. Hope will be here in about a month and I am saving my last doe tag in that area for then.  I managed to shoot over a pheasant rooster at ten yards, in front of it at twenty five yards (hit a branch), and just under it at thirty five yards.  Dumbest rooster I ever seen or he just knew he didn't have anything to worry about.  Miner birds were on the gut pile but nothing else so I moved across the valley to hunt an old ranch I hadn't hunted in seven or eight years.  The ranch is in an area where there are now five doe tags available, but it is only open until Thanksgiving weekend.  So it will be closed before Hope is here.
Here is a picture of the doe I killed later in the day while still stalking
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y91/Slivershooter/Oler1st001.jpg  
Heart shot at twelve yards with hex pine shaft and 190 grain grizzly.  She was quartering away and turned as I released.  Arrow went in at the last rib and came out in front of the off shoulder.  She traveled fifty yards before falling over, breaking the arrow.  This is Pigger's (snakey Osage selfbow, 63# @ 29") second doe.

Walt Francis

QuoteOriginally posted by Aussie_longbow:
That be a cool looker of a pic Terry. Might see you in GA one day.


IN Oz,al

Yeah.....Cohutta is a special place.  Anytime you want to come....jump on a plane...I'll pick ya up.

Thanks Terry, JC and I are sorting something out. Let you know though..

al

Al, Terry's about 15 minutes from me...we'll invite him if you don't mind hunting with a bloke who wears a silly hat   :rolleyes:  

Great stories and pics everyone, good to get home and read all these hunts.

Dino, does your Dad hire out for santa gigs? Really a cool lookin pic...hope my beard looks that good when I grow up.

Some great seasons, pictures and stories so far this year. Keep them coming folks!

This is the greatest thread I have ever seen on the Internet. The scenery is just fantastic. High 5 to all of you guys. I am laid up with hernia surgery so my Hunting is over for the next 4 weeks, but I can share 2 neat pictures from my trail camera.. Roy
  (http://www.geocities.com/roy2953/deer7.jpg)

  (http://www.geocities.com/roy2953/deer011.jpg)

(http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r153/djlois/iowa/CIMG0120-small.jpg)

Trick or Treat and it was a treat from Wisconsin.


Last night  4:30.  Nice and bright out.   Grunt called it in from about 100 yards through the woods.  Actually I also had a fork horn come in from the opposite direction and I thought the little guy was gonna mess up the shot.  He didn't.   My second deer with a recurve.
And... I am off next week to hunt in Iowa.   Life is great.

What in the heck is that dot in the center of the bucks chest Roy?

That dot looks like a doorbell !

That buck's swirled hair reminds me of that "Far Side" cartoon of the deer with the target on his chest.  Another deer says, "Bummer of a birthmark, Hal,"    :D

QuoteOriginally posted by knife river:
That buck's swirled hair reminds me of that "Far Side" cartoon of the deer with the target on his chest.  Another deer says, "Bummer of a birthmark, Hal,"     :D  

:biglaugh:

JC, sure thing mate. That will make two of us wearen silly hats!

That dot is just where "her" hairs meet together, they are 2 different deer, a doe and a 5 point..

lt-m-grow,
I don't see a pict.  Am I supposed to?

BaldingEagle, look at the bottom of page 40.  Thats the weirdest mark I've seen, almost looks like shes bent over with her rear to the camera  :biglaugh:

let-m-grow, VERY nice buck!

LT-M-GROW... Congrats! What a nice buck!   :thumbsup:

lt-m-grow - great buck!
  :smileystooges:

Well, I connected this morning around 6:40am on this little 6 pointer.  The shot was about 10 yards and I watched him go down no more than 50yds from my stand.  Assenheimer recurve, gold tip arrows and Wensel Woodsman head.  This is my first with the Wensel Woodsman and I have to say I am very impressed with this head. What a beautiful morning!  (http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p28/bobhat5163/recurve110306.jpg)

Assenheimers seem to be doing well this year!

Congrats Bobhat   :thumbsup:

lt-m-grow,bobhat,congrats on your deer.

PETE

IT-M-GROW AND BOBHAT, NICE JOB!

What a night.  The public ground I was hunting came alive with deer about 4:30ish or so as grunts and thrashing about came from behind me in the south.  I  turned to face the tree to see a small fork buck chasing a doe, followed by a grunting 6 pt on another doe, which I was prepared to take...until...I saw what was bringing up the rear.   I could not believe my eyes....this deer was an easy 130 buck.  It was total chaos.  He had his nose on that doe and lost focus of everything around him.  He got within 18 yds and gave me the shot.  Well, I missed    :banghead:  

It was a great hunt and thank the good Lord for letting me see that buck up close because I don't think I've ever seen one quite like that, especially on public ground.  Maybe next time.

Chris that sounds awesome, I've been there done that and walked away without a deer myself.. But I loved just being there..

(http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p290/carver287/IMGA0086.jpg)

(http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p290/carver287/IMG_0792.jpg)

(http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p290/carver287/IMG_0796.jpg)

Dustin, very nice pictures, congrats on a great hunt..

Thanks Roy,  I've done good for "rifle" season.  Couldn't buy a deer during archery season, but since rifle season started I've gotten 3 nice Doe's in 10 days.  Still have awhile to hunt, and a bunch more tags, so hopefully I can keep it going....

What sort of longbow is that Dustin? Oh and good shooten too.


al in OZ

The falling dark and rising moon on a cold, clear Juneau, Alaska night.

 (http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a236/ChrisFannin/100_0654.jpg)

That is an awesome picture!  The bow, moon and snow, what a great place.   :notworthy:

Alan,  the bow I used on all 3 Does is a Bears Paw by Neil Jacobson in Lakeside MT.  It is a 66" take-down 70# @ 28".  I love it, it's really a shooter!!!!!  I might have to retire it tommorrow for awhile.  My NEW Bears Paw is supposed to be at the P.O.  so I might have to switch bows and try and get some blood on the NEW bow...

Great pics and stories fellers, thanks for sharing them.

The rain pelted against my hunting blind positioned between a cedar thicket and clover field.  Still, I had a good feeling about this afternoon, so I peered attentively out the front of the blind, anticipating that deer would move when the time was right.
The calendar showed that the Hunter's Moon was on the rise and given that the Kentucky rut was just begining to kick off I knew that anything could happen.  Still, the East wind worried me.  Deer could likely come from down wind and if they did, I might get picked off.  I'd definately have to keep my fingers crossed.
At 3:00 pm, two does appeared from the the east end of the clover field.  Although they approached from up wind, they became nervous near the blind and quicky bolted away.  Dang!  I needed the does to encourage a buck to come in and these two definately were not about to cooperate.
Fifteen minutes passed and a yearling doe walked into view from the West and directly down wind.  She was skittish from the start and walked stiff legged past the blind without so much as a pause.  This was begining to look discouraging.
At 3:30 intuition told me to carefully look to the West and when I did, there he was, a long tined, 3 1/2 year old buck.  He looked to be a basket racked seven point with big shoulders and a heavy body...a dandy of a stickbow deer if ever there was one.  There was only one problem:  he was getting nervous and in an instant, he wheeled to escape.
I sat back in my chair and shook my head.  Dang wind...it must have given me away.  That is exactly what I was afraid of.
Moments passed and I looked up.  To my astonishment, the deer was back and walking my way.  He came toward the blind, nosing on shoots of clover as he walked until stopping broadside only 15 yards away.  
I had already raised and canted the Horne TD Ridgerunner Bow in the event a shot presented.  When the buck turned his head sharply over his shoulder to identify a distant sound, I drew the 40# bow, anchored the Grizzly tipped cedar arrow, and released, watching the arrow bury to the fletch in the buck's side as he bolted away.
The time was 3:40 with the rain coming down hard and since I was confident I had made a lethal shot on the deer, I waited only 10 minutes before taking up the trail.
I quickly found my broken, bloody arrow but could not find any other blood.  The rain had obviously washed it away so rather than look for the buck alone, I obtained the help of fellow hunting fanatic Jansen, the teenaged grandson of the landowner.  
I knew the deer had not gone far and sure enough, after looking for him only a few minutes, Jansen found him dead 25 yards inside the cedar thicket and less than 100 yards from where he was shot.
After shooting three does earlier in the bow season and with Kentucky's gun season starting this Saturday, I was ecstatic to arrow this buck.  He field dressed at 200 lbs and is definately the icing on my proverbial bowhunting cake!
Here is is...

(http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b158/crestedshaft/2006KYBuckNov6.jpg)

Way to go Claudia! The heck with all the guys on here, I want to hunt with you!

Great buck Claudia, thanks for sharing. I enjoy your articles for TBM as well, keep it up.

well dang Claudia..ain't you somethin'   :notworthy:  

Congrats..yet AGAIN!   :clapper:

Fine-looking buck, Claudia...  :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:

Have you stopped smiling yet Claudia?
 ;)

Thanks, guys!  And to answer your question, Tom...no, I haven't stopped smiling   :D    :D  !

Claudia

Awesome Claudia!  Way to go, one heck of a season for sure.  :archer:    :clapper:  


David

Way to go Claudia. Your success gives me hope in getting my wife and 9 yr old daughter interested.
Thank You!!
Congrats on a nice buck!!

way to go girl awesome!  :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:    :archer:    :clapper:  jeff

Well Done from Downunder!!!

SSGA   :clapper:

:thumbsup:  Good job Claudia   :archer:

Sunday morning, 11/5/06 @ 4:30am I woke up the wife to find she was not feeling well, and that meant I was on my own for the morning hunt.

I was in the stand, just as it was breaking daylight. 45 degrees and the rut was on. A good morning to be in the stand.

No sooner than I got myself settled in I heard a crash up above me on the hillside,,, very thick in there.

I spy a large doe running straight down the hill and she blew past my stand before I could grab my bow...

I knew she was being chased by something, so I stood and grabbed olde "Two Snakes" with a firm grip, and knocked my best flying rivercane arrow that happens to be tipped with one of "Knife Rivers" flint tips.

Here he comes nose to the ground and moving pretty fast down the same trail the doe was on. If he keeps coming he'll be about 15 yards from the base of my tree. Sure enough he come trotting by and I give him the olde "MAaa" with my mouth, and he stops dead in his tracks. by this time I'm at half draw and I pull back to deliver the shot.

Dang it,,,, just as I release he bolts off after the doe.... To late, I have released and the arrow strikes him in the rear end about where the hip joint is.

I knew this was not too good and I sat down cusing my luck,,,, again. I watched as he ran out towards a cow pasture that is about 100 yards away, and then I lost sight of him.

I waited until 10:30am before I climbed down. I saw a coyote come accross the hollow and I was afraid if the buck had bedded the coyote would jump him up. So, I got down and started looking at the area where I had shot him. My hopes were that I had hit the femerul artery located in the rear haunch. If so,, he'd bleed out in no time.

No blood on the ground at the point of impact, but a large clump of brown/grey hair. I new the arrow sunk in deep as I could see it sticking out as he ran towards the fence line of the pasture.
    (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v323/Osagetree/Nov4th2006Gataway5.jpg)

My hopes dwendled after about 50 yrds with no sign of blood. I though to myself,,, I've done this before and still hunted to the wounded animal and finished'em off with a follow up shot.
It was my only hope, so I started the still hunt in the direction of the buck's departure.

Then I saw a couple small specks of blood. I continued on to find more and thicker blood at about 75yrds.
    (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v323/Osagetree/Nov4th2006Gataway4.jpg)

My hopes started to raise a bit... Then more and more blood. I thought to myself,,, If he jumps the fence and hits the tall grass in the pasture, I may loose the trail.

Here at about 50 yards from the fence, I find a bed, but I was not sure he'd laid there or run over another deer's bed. After that the blood turned very spotty and I was getting concerned again.
    (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v323/Osagetree/Nov4th2006Gataway3.jpg)

At the fence line, I lost the trail for a while and had to search pretty hard before finding a few small spots of blood that told me he did not jump the fence but followed the fence line up the hill,,, Not a a good sign at this point.
    (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v323/Osagetree/Nov4th2006Gataway1.jpg)

I continued on to the top of the ridge. there I stopped and glassed the thicket in the hollow in the bottom of the other side of the ridge. Just as I gave up and stood up to take a pee,,, I hear something in the bottom. Dang it,,, there he is trotting out of the thicket and on to a small haul road. I gave it another half an hour and still hunted to the thicket to find his bed with no blood.

I was getting sick by now!

I slowly worked my way to the haul road and as I peak around the bend I see him standing with his back to me, and he is looking the other way.
I figure, dang he's hurt bad or he'd be long gone.

I'm 36 or 38 yards away and I don't want to take a "Hail Marry" at his buttocks,,, so I snap a picture.
Note the small log at the bottom of the picture frame. I think if I can get across that log without spooking him I'll be about 30 yards away and I'm taking that hail marry shot.
    (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v323/Osagetree/Nov4th2006Gataway72.jpg)

Well, I sneak over the log and he is still there as I decide to snap this picture
    (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v323/Osagetree/Nov4th2006Gataway92.jpg)

As I draw back olde Two Snakes,, I feel the wind change and it's blowing up my back and straight at him. He ain't standing for that and off he trots,, kinda awkwardly.

I gave him a few minutes after he trotted off, and just for curiosity, I picked out a leaf on the ground where he had been standing just to see if I could have hit him as I had intended with the hail marry I was about to take. I only missed the leaf by an couple inches. I probably would have stuck him again, but to late at this point, he was gone again.

When I got to where he was standing there was only a small puddle of blood, but I had gone close to 400 yards already and I was not giving up yet. I knew he was heading for the open woods and if I speeded it up a bit I may see him crossing the next hollow. Sure enough, there he was stopped again in the open woods,,, he looked ill.

I tried to move in on him again, but the wind was in his favor and he walked to a barbed wire fence line and crawled under the fence. he was heading towards a small thicket and I thought if I backed off he may bed there and bleed out.

I left for home and got me a bite to eat. The wife was feeling better by 2:00pm and I told her she could sit in the stand while I looked for my deer. The incentive for her was I might run something past her while looking for my wounded deer/buck. So she agreed to go back with me.

When we pulled into the farm,,, the land owners Son's truck was there and I knew he had come to hunt. Not wanting to mess up his hunt looking for my deer I decided to hunt with the wife in a double stand we had place earlier in the year.

I hate to admit this, but while we hunted that stand, we had a huge ten point come by at 20yrds,,, Well, unbelievably we both go shots at it and we both missed it. My shot was a clean miss by an inch under the vital area and her shot hit a limb that sent both the buck and her arrow flying way up into the air.


At dark we headed for the jeep. We ran into the land owners son as he came in on his ATV. He stopped and asked me if I shot flint tipped arrows with that funny looking bow I was carrying. I said it is a selfbow and I shoot rivercane and flint arrows.... He then handed me the arrow I shot the buck with that morning and said,,, your buck is laying about 50 yards the otherside of the barbed wire fence. I was elated and then he offered to help me go get it.

Well that is how it all came together. And with all the up's down's and up's again that day,,, it's one day I wont soon forget.

    (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v323/Osagetree/TwoSnakesinthedaylight3.jpg)

See the entire build along of the gear used to harvest this ohio buck in the Pow Wow section under the title "Home Grown Hunting Equipment for 2006/07"

Congrats Osage!

Awesome story and just goes to show you that you should never give up.

In a way it was probally a good thing you pushed the deer a little as you made him keep bleeding.

Congrats again!

great storey, and congratulate to you success.........

Great story! Great harvest!

Almost forgot! Good job Claudia!

Great story.  Congrats on finding your buck.

Great story with a fantastic ending!  Congratulations on a really neat looking buck!

Claudia

I think this gets the "thread of the year" hands down.

Osagetree, I am glad to see the end to the build along..just great.

and

Claudia, as always, thanks for sharing.

RayMO

Yes Sir, that was awesome!

osagetree-
great story and congrats on a fine buck!
 :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:

My sons public ground buck from NE,he called and said he got a lil 8pt,when I got the pics,I thought it was a pretty nice 8pt. He called me at work last week to ask about treestands,bought one,hung it in the right spot(evidently),and proceeded to take this nice deer a few days later!!

(http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d34/kennym/NEwhitetail060104MediumWebview.jpg)

(http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d34/kennym/NEwhitetail060062MediumWebview.jpg)

 :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:

I agree with you, Kenny.  That is a very nice buck!  Congrats to your son   :clapper:  

Claudia

Quiet morning, beautiful morning in the mountains....pic below....


(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a281/sf1oak/PC090002.jpg)

The river sure looks beautiful from up there Joe

Congrats on the deer.

Another day in another part of the Mtns with Jan Brown...rougher area and higher. Seen one nice big 4 pt but this is a QDM area...some pics...

(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a281/sf1oak/PC100005.jpg)

(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a281/sf1oak/PC100002.jpg)

(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a281/sf1oak/PC100003.jpg)

Story tomorrow. Sleep tonight. But here's how my day went.

(http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f311/vermonster13/2006deer003.jpg)

Nice buck .

My hat's off to the deerstalkers out there; thanks for sharing some wonderful whitetail photos.

Here's my effort for the day...a little boar.

 (http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l164/b_kleinig/18.jpg)

Sorry about the shirtless photo; by the time I had this fellow on the ground all thoughts of propriety were lost with an overwhelming urge to cool down quickly before I fell over, so the shirt came off quick smart, and I staggered off to pose with my boar.

After a less-than-marvellous first hit, he took off, and we pursued him, knowing we'd lose him if we tried to blood-trail him later. I started to fall behind, but my good mate Matt Wright put his pack and compound bow on the ground and gave it all he had, knowing it was important to me to finish the job with the longbow if possible. By the time I caught up, 500 metres from the initial point of contact, Matt had the rather-cranky boar bayed - all he had was his knife, and he's happy the thing didn't charge. Anyway, I was able to get close and finish him with the Black Widow longbow.

This all took place at mid-day today, and I reckon the temperature was about 40 degrees, with a good whack of humidity too. I love my country, but it sure is a tricky place at times! I'm spending the afternoon trying to recover, and I'll clean my gear when it cools down this evening.

Cheers, Ben

Nice one Ben , Yep a sprint at this time of year will knock you off your feet for a while , looks like you are enjoying that Blackwidow long bow , they are famous for those recurves but if more people knew how sweet those sticks were Im sure there would be more of them out there.

I have an LAG 63 @ 28 and there is just something about it , its a joy to shoot and being a takedown its super handy as well.

Keep up with the great shots and Pics its good to see another Ozy out there doing it.

Joe Skip

Boy that ASAT looks like it was made for that country you were hunting in there with all the leaves on the ground and the fallen timber.

I hunt in that gear quite a lot down here but I don't think I have ever seen it look quite as at home as you do in it there.

Its very effective Camo Isn't it , I had my doubts at first but I have had enough up close experiences now to know that what the designers say is true , to animals your very very hard to see.

If you flicked those photos to black and white you would be gone in a couple of them.

Nice photos to by the way .

Simon

Thanks, Simon! I'm a fan of your stories in the magazines! Thanks for all those adventures you've shared with us! Cheers, Ben

Had some fun in Ohio on Nov. 5th.      (http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p293/shootsarrows/2006WhitetailSeason-15pointnon-typi.jpg)

Nice Bryan!

Well yesterday was opening day of gun season here. I always go out with in law with my Model 70. He could only go out for about an hour and a half in the morning. So I watched some does and a lot of hunters for the morning. At lunch I went home and caught a shower, it was 70 degrees here yesterday which is crazy. Since the afternoon was solo, I grabbed the LB and decided to hump in a ways and get away from the crowd.

I went to a spot that has been good to me before, an oak ridge an a 40 foot cliff that has one trail running up it that leads up from another with a thick bedding area. I was a little concerned with the lack of scrapes and rubs with all the talk of the rut going on elsewhere. About 3:30 a large storm front rolled in and the woods got really dark. Perfect!

About 4:00 I caught a little movement in my peripheral vision and through the tangle of scrub brush I could see a head rubbing a tree. Buck! better yet a legal one! Dark is approaching real fast so I'm pulling for him to feed across the ridge and sent check where some does crossed earlier.

After what seems like forever he starts moving across the edge of the ridge toward s the one shooting lane for that trail. (there are four trails here and I set-up at a spot that gives me shots from 40-5 yards on each). I now see he has a large doe feeding in front of him, he already has a date! She starts feeding through a tree-top straight for me while he continues along the trail. The wind has been pretty dead so far.

Time is running out, I need him to clear one last tree to get a shot and I need it before the doe busts me. The breeze tickles the back of my neck and it is real close to being to dark(I still have 25 minutes of legal shoot time but the cloudcover has really made it dark). He moves his front quarters out from behind the tree and the arrow is gone before I even think about it. I here the loud crack of steel hitting bone and he is gone! No running off, just gone, like he was never there.

I head down to where I shot to see if there is any blood while I can still see a little and watch two deer moving away through the brush. I missed or didn't hit as well as I sounded I think. Move down to where I last saw him and there he is! The arrow caught him in the spine and is no where to be found(I think when he fell it went over the ledge, he hit the ground so hard he broke his shoulder).

As the saying goes, now the work begins and 3 1/2 hours later is what you see in the picture above.

Way to go David!  :thumbsup:  To do it on the first day of rifle season makes it even sweeter, good job.

David

Dang Brian...   :eek:   ...you Mich boys quit coming down here and shooting all our big bucks.. heck when I go to Mich I'm nice and don't shoot any deer    :rolleyes:   Nice pic BTW! Congrats ..that's a dandy    :notworthy:  

Way to go Ben...heck at 40 degrees I'm wearing thermal underwear. Must be a different kinda 40

Vermonster...way to go bro!    :clapper:

Wow!  Great critters all!  Congrats to Dave, Bryan, and Ben.

Claudia

Very Nice Guys, VERY NICE Indeed  :thumbsup:

Dandy bucks!!!   :clapper:

My first traditional harvest. This morning .  (http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f8/shawnsimpson/ssimpsonrecurve001.jpg)

Good for you Shawns! First of many!

Good Stuff !  Congratulations to all.

2006 is underway with a little meat for the freezer and a whole lot of fun in South Alabama.  Thursday evening I set up on this white oak that was raining acorns and hot with fresh sign.
 (http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y130/weagle1/DSCN2864.jpg)
At about 3:30 this girl showed up for a snack.  (http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y130/weagle1/DSCN2857.jpg)
Friday morning was a bummer.  The deer did'nt move at all and it was hot and muggy by 7:30.  Friday evening I saw the "Big Boy" that probably did this, but he was well out of bow range.  (http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y130/weagle1/DSCN2862.jpg)
Saturday was not good for me.  I apparently did'nt smell good to the deer since they blew and promptly ran away both morning and evening.  This morning I went to a favorite scope of woods that always have this eerie green cast to them.  (http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y130/weagle1/DSCN2874.jpg)
Around 8:30 I got another shot opportunity.  (http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y130/weagle1/DSCN2881.jpg)
No horns, but lots of fun and some good eating.

Congrats and good shooting. Alan

What's that bow you're shooting?

juneau,

The first deer was killed with a reflex/deflex longbow built by Lynn Harrelson.  It has bamboo/carbon limbs 55# @ 29" and shoots very hard.  My main bow for the last 4 years.  The bow in the other pics and the one I shot the second deer with is an all wood bamboo and osage laminated bow also built by Lynn Harrelson.  He calls it his "kolomi" longbow.  It is not as fast, but may be the smoothest and quietest shooting bow I've ever shot.

Everyone...great shooting.

Well, no deer with my bow yet, but, this little piggie went to market.

 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v616/ppartin/th_PIG11-4-2006.jpg) (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v616/ppartin/PIG11-4-2006.jpg)

Good shooting, guys!

Claudia

This is BoBo the blood trailing pig. He's my little friend and doesn't know he's not a dog.

  (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/ck/BoBo-n-Buster.jpg)

  (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/ck/BoBowrastle.jpg)

Cool!!! BoBo and Bosko!  :D

awesome shooting al  :thumbsup:    :clapper:

Looks like yur typical feral hog, there, Curt. So, where'd ya get him?

Just wanted to share my "first" traditional harvest.  One of the happiest moments I've had.

11-09-06
4:15 pm
Shot distance: 6 yds (60" River's Edge recurve, Gold Tip arrow, Wensel Woodsman broadhead)
Recovery: 40 yds
16 scorable points
17" inside spread
170# field dressed

Thanks,
Chris

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b329/CBergeman/Bowkill_2006005.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b329/CBergeman/Bowkill_2006004.jpg

Nice job Chris, great buck for your first.


David

Thanks David.

Chris

congrats Chris, that's a fine buck.

Great buck Chris....Congrats!!

Greg from South Alabama,
Congrats on those two Alabama Deer!  Like you, I love Lynn Harrelson's bows.  Killed my first deer with a Harrelson T/D recurve that I still hunt with today.  And I have got to say that everybow that I have ever shot which was made by Lynn was a real shooter.  I shot his longbows as well as I shoot my recurve.  Ive shot the reflex deflex longbow as well as the new all wood bow.  And it does shoot great.  Now tell me, did you shoot those deer with Simmons heads?

I shot this buck Monday morning. Great Northern Fireball 52#@28", 697 gr. larch arrow tipped with a 145 gr. Eclipse broadhead. 8 Yd. shot, saw him fall after about a 75 yd. run.
 (http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a378/jackdenbow/11-13-063pointemail.jpg)

Douglas,  
I must confess I do not use simmons heads, but only because I cannot sharpen them to my liking.  I killed one of the deer with a magnus head and the other was killed with a zwickey delta.  I also use STOS heads with one of my bows.  If you notice in the pics, I do use a Simmons System Quiver and love it.

Jack,
Congratulations and nice shot!

Chris,
Thats a really nice buck!  I only have a spike and several does in the bag with traditional gear.  I have seen several nice bucks, but can't get them in range of my longbow.

Here is a little one I got this weekend. I blew it on the big one! If you're going to use an arrow holder with self nocks be sure to pinch the arrow when you pull the bow back. Otherwise you'll pull the string right off the arrow.

Big bucks on the prowl don't stand around long enough for that    :knothead:    :knothead:    :knothead:

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v54/tlclum/P104072711.jpg)

My first traditional kill.

Taken at 8 yards double lung compleat pass through.  Howat Traditional longbow 53#@29", 675gr laminated birch arrow with a reinforced self nock on one end and a 125gr woodsman on the other.

(http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g123/mcowie79/1StWTTG.jpg)

I'm new to Trad Gang, so please bare with me as I try to post my first picture.
(http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r223/mapenninger/smallblacktail.jpg)

Opps, I think I meant "bear" with me, not "bare". Anyway, it looks like the photo worked.  That previous photo was of a small Sitka black-tail I got in late October in Alaska. Here's an elk that filled the freezer back in September. The elk was my first longbow kill.
(http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r223/mapenninger/2006bull.jpg)

Here's a few taken with my Schafer in the past few weeks.

(http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f281/Wyoming1/IMG_1026.jpg) (http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f281/Wyoming1/IMG_1036.jpg) (http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f281/Wyoming1/IMG_1047.jpg)

Wow... ya all did fine, congrats

I've had a good season with the stick thus far and it isn't over just yet.  This fall has been just crazy with demands at work and being a father of young daughters so I haven't spent much time on the computer at work at lunch.  It's now rifle season in NE and since I tagged out Sunday on a nice buck in IA I've had a bit of time to get caught up.  Hope you all don't mind me sharing my success with you here.

I killed this first buck Sept. 20 in NE from the ground at 21 yards.  I'm using a 55# 64" Pronghorn takedown longbow and Wensel Woodsman heads.

(http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o94/WaryBuck/06BWLAllardnoblood.jpg)

Then killed this good doe (looks like a camel) on Oct. 9 from about 8 yards.  Got it on self-video.  Previous buck was a double-lunger.  This one was a heartshot.

(http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o94/WaryBuck/06BWLdoeAllard.jpg)

Third NE deer was a doe taken Oct. 18 using a bow given me by a fellow Husker who's encountering some health issues.  The bow is a 'Hat Creek' No Bull longbow made by Dennis Schuler.  I took this doe at 8 yards, double-lunging her and the broadhead BROKE the offside leg.  Just shattered it.  I was impressed.  The bow has bullsnake skins on it from a hunt that the bowyer drew a cow-only tag (hence 'No Bull').  The bowmaker appreciated the gesture and this doe meant a lot to me too.

(http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o94/WaryBuck/06Oct18doe.jpg)

And finally, on Nov. 12 in IA, I was fortunate to kill this big old 4x4.  Cool story I don't have time to share the whole thing right now, but I ended up with a 28 yard shot that took out kidney, liver and one lung.  Buck went 100 yards and belly-up.  So far, it's been a great season and I'm thankful for the lucky I've had thus far.  It looks like a whole bunch of the rest of you have had a great year too.

(http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o94/WaryBuck/WhitetailFixed-28copy.jpg)

Wow Wary Buck - That is a heck of a year!  Are you a little guy, or do you just shoot giant animals?  :p    :p    Heck those does even look like cow elk!

Here's a shot of the walk home from a morning hunt at Whip's place in WI....pretty nice!

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v306/beachbowhunter/Nov2006photosgeneral167.jpg)

Bryce...that's one hell of a "hectic season"! Congrats and I'm glad to see your articles in Traditional Bowhunter once again...I've always enjoyed your writing.

Tim

In answer to Whip's question, I'm maybe 5-10 and 180ish.  Used to be 5-10 and 130# when a serious runner but those days are long ago...

Thanks for the kind words.  This IA buck was a pretty cool deal.  He was following a doe and the doe came to about 20 yds. and would likely come under me.  He stopped and did the overhead branch routine at 25 yds.  I figured he'd come the rest of the way so held off (for me, anything over 18-20 yds. depends on how I'm feeling; most of my deer are killed under 15 yds.).  Well, suddenly he loses interest in this lady and starts in the opposite direction toward another one.  I grunted and eventually got him to turn and come back, offering a 28-yd. quartering away shot as he paused at a fence and considered his next move.  I want to be clear that the shot was not in 'panic' or 'desperation' mode.  Instead, I drew once, settled in and it felt awesome.  I let off, suddenly felt very calm and did it again, this time releasing a great arrow which did its job.  

Headed to the upper reaches of the Niobrara River in NE over Thanksgiving to see what I can find.

Wow, those really are monster deer!  They look so big it is like an optical illusion or something!  Great season!

Nice picture Norb  :thumbsup:

Dang Tim,that boy of yours sure is a changin'.Good looking boy!  Congrats on a great season so far!!  Plan to be a Shawn's this winter.....

Bryce, Congrats on a great season so far...looking forward to more articles!!

Wary Buck

You are on fire Mate !! you must hunt in some very good country , those two bucks are fantastic heads and Im sure the does will be great eating.

Congratulations on a great season.

Some really great animals this year. Congratulations to everyone!

Wary Buck, are you the guy who wrote a piece in TBM about Sitka black-tails recently? If so, I loved it. Especially since I was headed up there soon. I went during the rut, it was cold but the hunting was great. Got two bucks and two foxes.
Here's the turkey that started off my 2006 hunting in a good way. It was my first archery turkey. Used a Fox recurve, cedar shaft and Simmons Shark 125.

(http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r223/mapenninger/recurvetom.jpg)

How about some Central Florida pictures from today Nov 17, 2006.

Some fresh rubs...

(http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a46/flhunter30/IMG_0353.jpg)

Can you find the doe....

(http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a46/flhunter30/IMG_0350.jpg)

There she is!

(http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a46/flhunter30/IMG_0351.jpg)

awesome pics mate way to go.  :thumbsup:

My pictures disappeared from this thread also.  What's happening guys? I'm new to Tradgang and using a Mac. I posted photos on Photobucket, then successfully included them in some posts here. They were here for two days then disappeared! What the heck have I done wrong?

Mark I see them. Try a refresh. I find that sometimes pictures don't come through and after a refresh they do?????.

Nice couple of photos Glenn , Brown just plain old brown , makes you wonder why we all spend so much money and effort on disappearing doesnt it ?

In the last year or so I have hunted a lot in that Natural Gear , its kinda drab , its patterns arnt over the top , but GEEEZ its worked well for me.

They say Grey is the way !! there is more grey in nature than any other hue or colour , My hair must have been listening.

Hello everyone. I feel very lucky to be a part of Trad Gang. Here is a couple of pics from this season. I,ve had the good fortune and luck to have taken 4 does and the success photos and great info on this site has made it easy to keep the compound in the closet. Good luck to everyone. Don Wilson

(http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k209/rickybob_2006/DSCN1231.jpg)

(http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k209/rickybob_2006/DSCN1244.jpg)

DW, that looks like one of the strip pits around Flat Rock in the background.

Eric, that's right but how did you know that|? The pic was taken this morning behind my house. I live on hwy. 71 just south of the 4-way stop. I loved the looks of that LH self bow you had listed a few months ago. My son is 11 y.o. and he really liked it a lot. Do you still have it? THX DON WILSON

DW,
I'm a tackle nut so I got to ask you what kind of t/d longbow is that in the second picture and what kind of broadheads are you shooting.  Also, I hunt in Alabama every year and was wondering if it has gotten cold yet.  Because normally when we are cold up hear, we turn around and head to Bama and it is still quite warm.

DW....Nice photos! That's one good looking td longbow! It's nice to see you had the shelf cut on the right side...."lefties rule"!!!

I came close guys,   I was doing a stalk during lunch last Friday at a friend's grandad's old farm.  This is a 30 acre farm that's going to pines and has about 80 acres of timbered land on the north side and housing and a golf course on the other sides.  It's more isolated than it sounds.  Anyway, no ones been hunting it (with permission) for years and I was in the area and decide to spend my lunch doing something better than stuffing my face.  I suited up and started sneaking around keeping the wind in my face to the best of my ability.  Lots of sign and I skirted around a field that was mostly young pines and dropped down to a creek bottom.  There was a distinct deer path and some big rubs.  I moved just off the creek bottom because that was mostly hardwood saplings and bathed in light and entered the darker hardwood/pines 40 yards away paralleling the creek.  I was looking at trees trying to decide where I'd set a stand for this weekend and 10 yards ahead I saw the dark form of the backside of a deer raise from his bed.  He was on the other side of a pine blowdown and his front half was obscured by a latice-work of limbs and trunk.  I froze.  I could see his main beams as he moved his head and they were wide and thick, holding close to 5" or better diameter throughout the whole length of the beams.  I couldn't make out tines but I was concentrating on finding an opening to thread an arrow through.  I knew it was hopeless.  I would have to move 20' to my right to get on the same side of the log as he was in order to clearly shoot at his vitals.  The wind was in my favor and I don't think he knew what disturbed him.  I saw him look around and turn his head away from me and I had a fleeting hope he may turn around offering a broadside shot at his vitals. After about 30 sec. he remembered he had an important appointment somewhere else and he was late!  I tried to bleat him to a stop and draw but he kept going through the thick stuff.  It was close and a blast!  Maybe I'll get a rematch this weekend.  My friend's coming up for Thanksgiving and we may give it a go Friday/Saturday.

DW, great pics! Nicely done.   :thumbsup:  

back a coupla pages...Wary Buck, you sure that one doe wasn't crossbred with a camel or a horse! lol if that doe walked into a bar the bartender would ask her "why the long face?" lol Anyway,great lookin deer man.    :notworthy:

you folks are such skilled hunters, and that longbow just grabs your attention.

Bowhunted the Friday before smokepole season with Mark Fedrizzi, Southpaw and Bamboo. This was just one of many rubs we came across. Great day with good people...seen a few deer but no shots....

(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a281/sf1oak/PC160001.jpg)

There was more than one successful hunter on the morning of November 13th....

  (http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid219/p0eba5588c1d62f7989229da915d1af78/ebe97016.jpg)

(http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g128/ad2877/doe11-065.jpg)

We are right in the middle of gun season here in Michigan. I am stubborn and must use a bow! This lady came in at 10:30am, after I had a hunter shoot a deer right by me an hour before!

(http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e136/bigbuckhntr/digpics857.jpg)
This is my second traditional harvest.Shot at 25 yds. broadside.Arrow went in low on right and stuck out high on left.She ran about 200 yds., but tracking was very easy.
PETE

G'day!
Another fun-filled Sunday morning was had out bush! We saw good numbers of pigs, and blew a few stalks, and lost the wind advantage a few times; but eventually this little lady walked by me at sixteen metres, and I made a lovely shot with the 78lb PLX "Bocote", and the CX350 Heritage with a Magnus II 2-blade whizzed right through her, never to be found again in the reeds. She went for a trot, then slowed to a walk, and lay down gently within forty metres - all over!

Cheers, and good hunting to all,

Ben

 (http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l164/b_kleinig/19.jpg)

Also, congratulations for taking those wonderful deer, fellows!

Ben, yet another pig! Unbelievable! You are really on a roll. Hope the succcess keeps up. Jason

Here is the result of my hunt yesterday, the story can be found on the Hope thread.

(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y91/Slivershooter/hopebowbuck11-25-06017.jpg)

Walt Francis

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v75/crookedstic/BullandBow.jpg)

good for you, Walt Francis! What a great photo, and wonderful Montana buck.

Neat picture Walt. Congrats on a beautiful buck. (I love Montana)

Good Stuff !  What a great buck, congratulations.

ROOTER

(http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b36/flntknp17/Picture039.jpg)

Not quite like Walt's buck above, but I also scored today.  I had been hunting hard this year and seen VERY little in terms of mature bucks.  Got three does so far, but try as I might, I had seen zero mature bucks.  Walked about 6 miles of the Des Moines River this morning with longbow in hand, had a great time, but no shots.......so I called a friend and we decided to spend the evening on small 20 acre timber owned another of our friends.  I sat out in the tip of a finger sticking out into the creek bottom and he sat further up on the ridge.  I was planning on filling my last doe tag.....until this guy caught me off guard by coming to my grunt call from an unexpected direction.  I had to turn a 180 to get into shooting position and in doing so caught my limb tip on a branch and made some noise.......as luck (mine!) would have it the deer was at that moment behind a big oak and didn't see me free the limb tip.  After about 20-30 seconds of tense standing the buck felt ok about continuing his stroll and when he came clear of the oak my arrow was on the way. The 100 grain Steelforce Sabre Tooth went through the near lung, dead center through the heart, through the far lung, and lodged in the off shoulder.  The arrow was an Easton Axis 500 and was shot from my Thunder Stick Mag (42# @ 27").  Shot distance was 23 yards.  One more proof that you don't have to pull a lot of weight to get excellent penetration.  Bucks in my part of Iowa tend to be big bodied and only so-so racked....this guy went about 250 on the hoof and has a 4X6 rack.  I figured with gun season starting next Saturday I should do my best to fill my buck tag now.

Matt

Fine deer...both of you...  :thumbsup:    :clapper:

Well, I was down in Pope County (southern Illinois) from the 10th through the 16th, hunting hard, but not seeing a whole lot. Everybody down there was saying the rut was in full swing, but I just wasn't seeing it in the areas I was concentrating on. I saw one buck following a doe at about ten o'clock in the morning on Friday the 11th, but the problem was I just happened to be hanging a stand at the time, so I just watched 'em go by.

Had an opportunity at a very large 3X4 on Saturday the 12th, at about 1:20 in the afternoon, but choked. He was walking slowly into my shooting lane and I drew my Schafer as his head went behind a tree. As he stepped into the lane I just sat there at full draw. My heart was screaming, "shoot!", but my fingers were definately not listening. I couldn't figure it out for a second, but finally realized that I hadn't picked a spot and was just looking at the whole deer. My brain evidently knew it though, because it wouldn't let my fingers loose the arrow. Knowing my error, I thought, "no problem, there's another good lane about 10 feet further up the trail". That thought was fleeting, though, because as soon as he passed through the first lane he stopped, put his nose in the air, and it was at that moment that I knew I was had.

The cool thing was, that at 20yds, with my new ghille suit on, he never even saw me. After my scent evidently filled his nostrils, he seemed to look all around me for a second or two, then simply turned, and walked somewhat stiff-legged, straight away.

The next day went a little better. I sat from 6a to 1:30p in the same spot I was in on Saturday. I saw one doe at around 7a, who busted me as soon as she walked into view, then I saw two small, but very fat bucks, at 10a. They turned away from me as soon as they got into my line of sight, so once again, no shot.

For the afternoon's festivities, I went to a stand I had erected on a little piece (20acres) of Shawnee National Forest that borders a friend's property, where I'm staying. Didn't see anything until about 4:55p, when I heard the little guy below walk up behind me. He was slowly walking broadside, or slightly quartering away, at about 25yds, when he stepped into a good opening. I concentrated on his shoulder crease and loosed a 2216 tipped with 175gr of Snuffer, which went right where I was looking and took out the top of his heart. He went down in sight, and I said a heartfelt "thank you" to the evening air, and whoever else was listening.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v606/bgentry/braddeer06-1.jpg)

nice bucks guys

Brad I wish I could convince my brain to not shoot if I hadn't picked a spot. Wow what a cool fail/safe measure. Do you give lessons on how to get one's mind to do that?
Nice deer too!

Galen,
I wish I knew how it works, but I don't! It either feels right, or it doesn't, and if it doesn't, I can't hardly make myself release. Almost invariably, when it doesn't feel right it's because I didn't pick a spot.

Congratulations Brad!

This is a buck that my buddy Layne Shot in PA. this was his first buck with a bow and with traditional tackle! Congratulations Layne!!!  (http://www.realtree.com/img/500/medium/Layne_s_Buck_1.jpg)

Here's a few pics from my Iowa hunt this past weekend...I spent the 2nd and 4th weeks of october up there, skunked, and went back just for the weekend, got lucky and killed a nice one! Woulda been an 8 pt with a droptine, but the drop and one main beam broken off makes him a 7. Saw him down thru the brush about 4pm, on saturday. He went back down into the ditch so I grunted twice, and he came back out. He made 2 huge scrapes, pawing dirt and leaves way up into the air! He then worked his way down the field edge to me, ears pinned back, posturing, walkin sideways, hackled raised, lookin for a fight! He was as close as 5 or 6 feet from the base of my ladderstand! I could hear him sniffing, as he walked stiff legged past me. He finally made a turn away from me, I came to fulldraw, actually hit my anchor point even!!! I grunted with my mouth, 2 or 3 times, and he turned enuff for a quartering away shot at 8 yds. I had good penetration, but no exit wound visible as he ran back the way he came from. I gave him 30 minutes, and had to hoof track him, with very little blood trail, and found him some 120-150 yds later, in the ditch from heck!!!

(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/fireman_3311/IMGP6440.jpg)

(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/fireman_3311/IMGP6460.jpg)

Big bodied, and thick neck too!!! Black widow recurve, 53#@30", goldtip traditional arrahs, magnus 4 blade, 125gr.

(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/fireman_3311/IMGP6466.jpg)

and yea, the magnus do leave a mark!!!

(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/fireman_3311/IMGP6467.jpg)

cozy camp!

(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/fireman_3311/IMGP6468.jpg)

Satisfaction and celebration....yea, those are chicken breasts...lol, danged diet anyway!!!

(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/fireman_3311/IMGP6470.jpg)

Wooooooooo!!!!!! Allright fireman!!!  :thumbsup:    :notworthy:

god what a neck that bad boy had!

Nice ones guys!!  :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:

Some Turkeys
(http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b164/kywarrior/Turkey.jpg)

That beer is huge!!! Do you photoshop that???  LOL...

Wow, you guys are baggin some sweet bucks this year!

QuoteOriginally posted by MDbowhunter:
That beer is huge!!! Do you photoshop that???  LOL...

Dang, ya caught me!!!!!!LOLOLOL

Here is the story of my 11/1/06 buck.

Seems this nice 10 point buck I have been hunting for a while was always one step ahead of me. I saw him so often but had so many things go wrong that I named him Murphy. I was beginning to think he was invincible.  Twice he has actually ducked an arrow as it sped towards it's mark. Another time just as I went to draw on him a bobcat crossed his path and spooked him. Twice other deer saw me sneaking up on him and blew the whistle, and once a loud jeep out wheeling the swamp made him run for cover as I closed withen 15 yards of him. Finally though he messed up and I broke Murphy's law.

I had hid in the root mound of a tree (fallen by recent windstorms) along a creek he followed to his bedding area. In the twilight of the dawn he passed by me withen 20 yards and I was able to take a clean shot at him. Even then though it didn't go according to plan. Startled by the bow's "twang" he turned and the arrow's destination was altered. Not the ideal shot anymore but it should prove fatal none the less. Big bucks sometimes don't die easy and this one would prove that true. He was a runner. He ran a few hundred yards out of the swamp and hid in some thickly pined ravine in the oak highlands. The problem with tracking him was that the morning was breezy and the trail was being literally blown away. The distance he covered in seconds would take me hours to follow. I called in a favor and soon Matt was there to assist in the pursuit.

As Matt searched the leaves and grasses for traces of his trail I scouted ahead for the deer himself. Eventually I found myself on a faint deer trail desending into the pines. Suddenly I spotted fresh blood at my feet. Looking up I saw Murphy standing in the pines watching me. My hand found an arrow in the quiver and instictively nocked it to the bow. It was in vain because as my eyes meet his he was off and running again. Unable to rush him in the heavy pine cover I called to Matt. We discovered the buck had now left the pines and headed up across a small oak savanna. Our plan would be to have Matt trail the blood while I flanked him with my bow at the ready. The forest was open here and I could easily see over 100 yards but yet I did not see my buck. I wondered just how far would he run this time. We were already five hours into tracking him.

The topography changed again as the oak ridge decended into a lake basin. I could now see for hundreds of yards but no sign of a running deer. Matt chattered a squirrel call to get my attention. He signed to me that the blood trail appeared to go straight into the lake. I know deer are good swimmers but several ducks swam about on the water as if undistirbed. It appeared he must have only made his way into some of the tall grass at the edge of the small hidden lake.

By now he was tired and weak from the loss of blood that had led us to his secret hiding places. As the ducks took to flight. I closed in to just a few yards from him. He either had to deal with me or the water. My first thought was to draw my knife and finish this but as I sized up the arsenal he carried on his head I knew if he turned on me it wouldn't be good. I again nocked an arrrow and asessed the situation. I knew the first arrow he had taken would eventually prove fatal but I was also aware of the worse case scenareo and didn't want to chance it. Not to mention I was already upset that the first shot had not been a clean kill. As he made his move I made mine and my arrow hit it's mark. It passed clean through the liver and heart and I knew now it would all be over in a few seconds whether he turned on me or not. Nothing about this hunt had been easy and he wasn't about to change that now. He decided to run again and headed straight into the lake and I had no choice but to follow. Tossing my bow, quiver and jacket into the grass I ran into the shallow lake after the buck. The bottom was muddy and his strength was fading fast. I knew I had to stop him before he made deep water and drowned. The November water was cold but I hardly noticed that as I focused on some way to stop him from getting deeper or going under. A deer's hoofs can cut you open so wrestling with him in the water was a bad idea. Instead I got just close enough to lasso his antler with my belt and turn him around. That was all he had and as he expired I drug him back to shore. Matt threw the other end of my quivers belt to me and helped me make it through the mud. After a silent prayer of thanks all that was left to do was to field dress him and the long drag out of the woods.   (http://www.boondox.net/2006Bow_10pt_small.jpg)

heck of a story, heck of a hunt.  Good on you for not giving it up.

QuoteOriginally posted by sir_h_c:
heck of a story, heck of a hunt.  Good on you for not giving it up.

No doubt...good work!!!

Dang Old Ways, heck of a story! Way to stick with it. Congrats.

Excellent

Good stuff guys...some great buck!!

Way cool...great job, that's a memory for life!

Woody

Simon,
That is simply awesome, your blessed to have witnessed one of nature's wonders, thanks for sharing.

David

QuoteOriginally posted by Huntrdfk:
Simon,
That is simply awesome, your blessed to have witnessed one of nature's wonders, thanks for sharing.

David

No doubt, sounds like an amazing day...thanks for sharing!!!

very cool. Thanks for sharing.

Man I love to see all you bowhunters from different countries. It makes the world a bit warmer place to live. Thanks for taking us along. Watching the birth of the fawn is awesome.

Simon:

Great pics and a great kill....

Can you tell me what you mean by "hard velvet".

Thanks

Simon, sounds like a perfect day in the field.  Beautiful arrows, by the way!  Are the blossoms from some kind of eucalyptus?  And the grass looks like it'd catch fire if you just looked hard at it...  Is that one of the areas that the aborigines used to burn yearly?  Sorry for all the questions but I'm very curious about your part of the world!

Huntschool , when we talk about hard velvet its talking about when they are tipping out of it or its starting to split on their antlers with the antlers fully formed and hard underneath.

These guys fight like the devil as soon as they rub free their velvet and often break points and even main beams doing it.

A rack shot with velvet still on it is perfect and undamaged and still has all those little pearled points on it that the deer rub off during the year otherwise.

Knife River , No mate that's not a eucalypt tree to be honest I am still not sure what it is , but it was a stand out in the brown.

There were a lot of Aborigines in this area but I dont think they burnt it as they do and did in the Northern Territory , this area dosnt have the rainfall to sustain big burns and regenerate as it does in the top end of the country.

There are a lot of Grass ticks about when its like this and I got hammered this trip (bites all over) but I did very greatfully avoid two strikes at me from an 8 foot brown snake on Friday afternoon (what a way to start a trip)
they hiss like a cat when they are angry and this fella was very emotional.

They are Beautiful arrows I agree , they were a gift and one greatfuly recieved !! that Widow loves them as does my Robertson, I have busted one and lost one now but both in the very best of ways in the job they were designed for.

That little fawn was so neat , the little legs were out like a tripod for the few moments but Mother had it walking within the hour , she would move away a few steps and the little one would follow , then go back , she was so alert and had her head up looking for Dingos or any threat to her little one the whole time.

Very cool MS   :thumbsup:

MC when you headed down south on the Sambar?? You really have a talent with the bow and the written word! Watching anything special like the birh of a calf, flowers in a drought, etc. just makes you realise how lucky we hunters are!

Speak soon

SSGA

You are so right SSGA we are blessed there is no doubt about that , I have hunted Samba twice now and I know I will again some day , I had a Mega stag only 12-15 yards away on the other side of some dogwood bushes but I could not get a clear shot so I let him go without taking one never to be seen again.

Everytime I step into the bush it seems something good is waiting to be experienced , a day after I get home I am wondering off in my mind and wishing I was back there again.

This is how I left the worlds newest Chital deer the other day , you can just see his little head in the grass wishing his mum would slow down.

 (http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a320/Steeley/IMG_5043.jpg)

Wow, you guys have been BUSY!!!!!

Congrats to all....and thanks a bundle for sharing your hunts.    

Outstanding!!!    :clapper:

Love it !!! Great pictures!!

Simon, Wow! That's what I call wilderness hunting. You witnessed the beginning of a life, and had a brush with death. Not to mention you got your quarry. That's some awesome stuff man.     :thumbsup:       :notworthy:

Terrific stuff, Simon! Don't you have cane-toads where you hunt in Queensland? I would've thought they'd have done more of a job of sorting the browns out, as they've done here to a large extent. Last Sunday, whilst out hunting pigs, I paused to water the horse, and had a chuckle when a little blighter slithered out from the target patch of grass - he objected to getting rained-on! Cheers, Ben

You guys have some NASTY snakes in Australia.   :scared:    :scared:    I'd be one nervous dude there.

Simon:

Thanks "mate" for the "hard velvet" thing.  We call it hard antler here.  Thought that was what ya were talking about but wanted to be sure.

Close call on the brown snake. I think I would have to Bow hunt your country with a loaded shotgun in tow.  I might never get an animal with a bow.  Too much noise from me blowing the various Mr. No-shoulders to bits! Please keep those damn snakes over there......

Fellas

I try not to think about them to much but it does pay to bare them in mind , I carry a Global IPERB location beacon so that if the worst ever did happen I can let it go sit tight and not move.

If you don't move you can get up to 8 hours if your lucky but if you try and walk out , you will be swapping stories with Fred Bear in no time.

It depends on the time of year naturally enough as to what snake and how many you see , but we don't have that many you are pleased to see any time, that eastern Brown that had a go at me I think is number 3 or 4 in the venom stakes but he is just an angry angry snake and the buggers wont run from you , I think they are most like the Mamba from Africa in that regard and my friends from Africa agree    :scared:  

At this time of year when its hot every day you up your chances of seeing one , I don't see them every trip I go out but it pays to watch for them.

 (http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a320/Steeley/brown.jpg)

That Brownie would look good on your bow limbs. Alan

This is no joke, respect to you Mercifulsilence

F-Manny

:notworthy:

my buddy rusty sent me a pic of shanes kentucky buck. I hope he doesnt mind if I post it here, but man this feller has had a good year. Maybe he will post the story of this one also. I notice that neither buck was from around georgia!


(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y120/cadyak/shaneinky.jpg)

....................  :saywhat:

Brent D.,
Where did your budy kill that buck in Kentucky?  I hunted in Kentucky last year with Buck Country Outfitters and had a great time.  Didn't shoot a buck but I will be going back.

Doug

Brent,that is a HUGE deer.  :p

I have never even seen a deer that size except in pics on the tradgang. I hope that I could even come out of spectator mode to draw. Shane is friend of a friend and obviously he is one fine hunter. The guy that sent me the pic is about the best hunter I know. Shane dont go telling Rusty that though.

I've had a couple of folks ask me for venison this year and I promised one family that I would do my best to kill them a doe this weekend.  As luck would have it and God allowed, I was able to fulfill my commitment at 3:20 this afternoon when this fat whitetail came out of a cedar thicket and past me at 14 yards.  I managed to take her with a 58" Morrison Cougar longbow, 35-55 GT Arrows, and 220 grain four blade Muzzy Phantoms.
I watched her go down from my stand after a final 70 yard run.  Now if only I could have this kind of luck with the turkeys!!!

(http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b158/crestedshaft/ClaudiaandDecemberDoe.jpg)

Claudia, You are something else    :notworthy:    :clapper:   Congrats!

Wow Claudia..you are having some year! Congrats (again)    :notworthy:

Thats two nice does Claudia.

The girl is a stone killer.  I am so glad she lives on the other side of the river or there wouldn't be any deer left in S. IL  LOL

Good going Claudia and for a cause also....

(http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b164/kywarrior/Turkey.jpg)  (http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b164/kywarrior/ducks2.jpg)

I'm new to the tradgang but have been reading all the forms for a few months now and I really enjoyed them. This is my first year hunting with my recurve and shot my first deer back in Oct a nice 6 pointer and my 2nd just this past Sunday afternoon. I had to show you guys the pic. The deer was 15 Yds on the move got a great double lung shot he ran about 75Yd hit a tree and broke off one of his  horns from his skull. I am holding it on with my right hand for the pic.

 :archer:  
 (http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p68/volsfan411/2ndrecurvebuck.jpg)

Great start!!!

cool pic...and Claudia thats just a dandy story!!!    :thumbsup:        :thumbsup:        :thumbsup:       :wavey:CONGRATS..well done

Not the best pics, but here is my buddy Dan and I after a day hunting rabbits.  We got 10 of them by 2pm or so, and probably cold have got a lot more.
I learned a few valuable lessons as a new Coloradan.  Never kneel down in the prairie without looking first!  I was pulling cactus thorns out of my knees for hours!!   Also, dont shoot a big jack rabbit with a blunt, cause he'll run 2 miles with it !!
  (http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d92/Titan_Bow/Archery/11-25-06_1358.jpg)
  (http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d92/Titan_Bow/Archery/11-25-06_1356.jpg)

Titan that sure looks like fun, great shooting.

Nice buck Volsfan!

The boy had plenty of ammo...  :bigsmyl:

Yeah, and that's AFTER thumping 10 wabbits.  Imagine how many arrows they started out with.  Seriously, that looks like a fun outing.

Titan..is that "ARROWHEAD" water? What a great name for a drink for a couple bowhunters. Very Cool!

LOL   (http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d92/Titan_Bow/arrow.jpg)

Speaking of a good year...I was in North Dakota last week on business and in the Bismark newspaper was a pic of fellow Tradganger Jim Casto, Jr. with his recurve and an absolute brute of a buck!  Maybe he'll post a pic and tell the story, 'cause that is definately one awesome deer!

Claudia

Took this Tom with my longbow this weekend hunting in KS with KSBow (Ralph Renfro). 23lb, 8" beard, 7/8" spurs. Shot with 60" Longriver Elk longbow, 55lbs. Homemade cedar arrow that I made and then won at Mojam with Magnus 135grn point.
15-16 yd shot from ground blind and went down after a 5 yd stumble.
Had JohnBow along with us but he didn't connect but got to see some impressive deer.

 (http://www.hunt101.com/img/458102.JPG)

Pretty bird Mike! Congrats   :clapper:

Awesome Mike, we don't have a fall season for birds but seeing this gets my juices flowing for our spring season.

Way to Go!!

Oh man, Mike. That is one pretty lookin bird...  :thumbsup:

A little ice on the pond and frost on the cabin roof this morning.

 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v345/Blutck/pond004.jpg)

Bamboo and I in the CT woods. The scrapes and rubs were all over, seen deer but no shots. Thats Bamboo checking out a few rubs and scrape, the other is me preparing to put a small drive on through some thick Mtn Laurel. Had to cover up my feathers with my headnet to keep them from getting ripped apart.

(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a281/sf1oak/P1120006.jpg)
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a281/sf1oak/P1120004.jpg)

first traditional harvest
 (http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q271/flightmedic_album/100_0427.jpg)

Congratulations!

Safe Festive season to all.

Well done again,

SSGA

flightmedic....GOOD SHOOTIN!!! Now ya got the hard one out of the way!!!! How about a story???

thanks guys i made a short post on pow wow called first traditional harvest

way to go.

guys, i just read all 54 pages of this thread and i have realized i need to get out west asap.  i will see if i can contribute soon. excellent thread!

The wife had to work today, so went and had meself a Merry Little Christmas!!! Only saw one deer, a dandy buck, while I was at the truck puttin on the outer layer!!! Windy and cold here today, here's a few pics for ya'll...Hope your Christmas was as beautiful as mine!!!

Here's a fresh rub.

 (http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/fireman_3311/12-251.jpg)

To the North..

(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/fireman_3311/12-255.jpg)

South...

(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/fireman_3311/12-252.jpg)

East...

(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/fireman_3311/12-254.jpg)

And West!!

(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/fireman_3311/12-258.jpg)

Like I said, cold and windy, so I had to double up on da head covers, and neck gaiters!!!!

(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/fireman_3311/12-256.jpg)

And here is my favorite pic from the day...Merry Christmas, Tradgang guys and gals!!!!!

(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/fireman_3311/12-257.jpg)

Hi Joe, what is that longbow in the last pic mate? looks a real ripper from this angle.

Neat pics Brad, and not a bad way to spend Christmas if no family is around.

David

We forgot what cold was here in Indiana Nice pics and I also like the last.

This nice little 8 point was an early Christmas present for me. I shot him on the morning of the 23rd while visiting my parents in Missouri. My mom had taken some video of a great 8 pointer a few days before, and I was looking for the big guy. But when this one walked if front of me at 17 yards after I had been watching him for a half an hour, I decided that he would do just fine. This is my first whitetail with a bow, so I was really excited.
(http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r163/mupkt1106/CIMG0395.jpg)

Congrats on your first, John!!!! What part of Mo were ya huntin?

Great job.  Congrats on your first bow-deer.  He's a nice one.
John

Thanks Guys.

Brad, I was hunting in St. Charles County, in one of the few areas that doesn't have a subdivision on it yet.

Yep John, he'll do just fine! Congrats   :thumbsup:

congrats

conrats john, nice deer

That's pretty cool John, congrats!  :thumbsup:  


David

Last few pics from CT...Mike and I ended our season there. Plenty more rubs, a few deer, no shots. It's on to Jersey for the January deer hunt...
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a281/sf1oak/P1260030.jpg)
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a281/sf1oak/P1260033.jpg)
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a281/sf1oak/P1260034.jpg)
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a281/sf1oak/P1120006.jpg)

Hey Joe...Why didn't you smile for the picture?... :( ...Did a good job on your face paint, or is that your new tatoo?... :) ...

Next season you guys aren't gonna be able to shake me...Will have a license for NY, NJ and CT! Living in the Peoples Republic of NYC puts me close to three states...Hey! even PA!...My wife is gonna divorce me...

>>-----> mike <-----<<

PS...Hello bamboo!!!

Thats my new Mike Tyson Tatoo...I barely scrambled up to the rock before the timer went off! Past few years this NY/PA Connection has put a hurt on some whitetails...hope you can join the club....

Since you love to stillhunt and sneak all day, Mike and I have great plans for ya...We're gonna turn you loose to drive all those hard places where the big boys might be hiding...So, bring plenty of water and make sure your boots are well broken in!!!!! We would ask Greene but he's always napping....

I had an exciting evening hunt, I had 2 small 6 pointers come in and then a big buck that had broken off one side, no brow tines but had 8" G2. I didn't want to shoot the smaller bucks and didnt want a one sided buck. This spike kept trying to come in and the other bucks would run him off. I kept waiting for him to give me a shot and thought if they ran him off one more time, i would try for one of the small bucks. Finally it happened i got the shot at about 12 yards. I knew it was a good hit. I waited about 5 minutes and left the blind for my truck and went to ask my brother David for a flashlight then drove around to where I hit him and started trying to trail but with no luck. I kept searching until David and Robert showed up and after about 20 minutes, Robert found the first blood. It was very sparse but after about 50 yards we found 2 big pools of blood then a good trail to 2 more pools then it ran out. David found blood on a cedar bush about 50 yards from the last sign. We walked around the bush and there he lay. My first longbow kill
(http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k19/wesadams55/spike2.jpg)
50# 68"  LB, POC arrow and a 150 grain grizzley el grande  :goldtooth:

Muy Bueno Loco   :thumbsup:

Great shooting guys!  Congrats!

Claudia

Darren "Hackbow" Shue and I had a great time on our annual end-of-the-year hunt.  Here's the page with the story:  Annual New Year\\'s Eve Hunt (http://residents.bowhunting.net/sticknstring/nye2006.html)  

And a couple pics:
 (http://residents.bowhunting.net/sticknstring/NYE200603.jpg)

 (http://residents.bowhunting.net/sticknstring/NYE200609.jpg)

Had a great end to my season this past weekend.  Had fun hunting in the freezing rain.  A group of friends and I made some drives along the river bottem.  I mouth grunted this doe to a stop at 13 yards.
Notice the snow camo (athletic tape) on my bow?
(http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j107/Holm-Made/IMG_2702-2.jpg)

Chad, great idea.  Nice pic.  I used the knife we traded for a couple years ago to field dress my deer.  I love that knife.

Thanks John, maybe we can trade again sometime.  Chad

Sending this to the archives guys.......what a great year represented here on this thread.

Here's my Dec 30th B'day.........

(http://www.tradgang.com/upload/terry/bdayhog.jpg)

 (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/terry/bdaybuck.jpg)