The 'SOLANA GAMES' have begun!!!

Sharptop · January 10, 2012, 07:48:00 PM

Well the word was that the deer had been coming into the feeder from my right to left from the direction of a spring fed creek which I could glimpse through the leaves.The wind was blowing into me from that direction so things looked good. Started hearing hens clucking and this went on the whole evening.

The feeders were set to go off at 4:00 and 4:30. Regardless of your readiness the noise of the feeder sends a chill up your spine.After the first shock I regained my composure and went on high alert. A few minutes later I happened to glance to my left and saw a nice 9 point casually stroll in towards the left side of the feeder. But for a branch I had a good 17 yard shot.

The buck was mature and wide but did not have a real heavy rack. But he would have been a trophy in my book. Apparently he felt the same as he walked over to where I had gotten out of the truck, got fidgetty raised up put his nose to the air and proceeded to trot down the road 150 yards and hang a left. Maybe he would come back?

A while later I saw a buck come out followed by two more. A young 8, 6 and 5. They walked down the road towards me and started acting funny 50 yards out. Could the wind be the culprit?

They looked to my left and hung around for a while and eventually drifted back away from me down the road and back the way they entered the scene.

Something about the way they had looked caused me to look back far behind me to the left and I saw movement. Gobblers!.....

TaterHill Archer · January 10, 2012, 07:55:00 PM

Great pictures, Gregg. I wish I could have taken something there, but hearing the stories around dinner and sharing the excitement of the hunt, was a great experience for me.

Cyclic-Rivers · January 10, 2012, 08:00:00 PM

Congrats Gregg, Randy and Rob.

I know there's more to come. This is good!

Sharptop · January 10, 2012, 08:03:00 PM

Two of the gobblers strolled off to the left where the 9 point had gone but one walked right into my shooting lane towards where we had put the corn. With his back to me I drew my Big Jim's Thunderchild (54 inch, 55@28) and put it on the bird. And then let it down. Unfortunately this year the hunt was a little later and turkey season was over Jan. 1. What a bummer. That was a dead gobbler!

But shortly after as it was a half hour before dark or so I heard some commotion again back to the left. Grunt, grunt!!!.....

snakebit40 · January 10, 2012, 08:11:00 PM

Keep it coming Carlton!

gregg dudley · January 10, 2012, 08:23:00 PM

Thanks, Jeff! Trust me, you are going to kill something soon! That Habu is born to hunt and so are you!

Sharptop · January 10, 2012, 08:23:00 PM

Well I could hear those hogs back to left and behind me staging to come in. If I can decifer hog talk some were saying, "wait until it gets dark!", while others were saying "we got to eat now!"

Eventually the "got to eat now" group won out and I heard them coming in. But at the same time I looked up and another group of hogs appeared from my right about 100 yards out and came moving down the road towards the feeder!

Duckbutt · January 10, 2012, 08:26:00 PM

Really great stuff guys. Envious and inspired...
Keep it coming, please.

katman · January 10, 2012, 08:29:00 PM

Enjoying all the tales from a truly memorable experience, sounds like one heck of a time was had.

COOCH · January 10, 2012, 08:34:00 PM

Congradulations Gregg Randy and Rob very well done!

Sharptop · January 10, 2012, 08:48:00 PM

I was sitting in a tripod stand that had open bars where you could set your feet facing the 90% angle to the right of the feeder but was a void facing the feeder and the same if you eased around to your left to shoot at the corn gap. I had never shot with my legs hanging off but I readied my self. I was set as the group of hogs ran in and planted themselves at the trough of corn. Raised my bow and was a microsecond from loosing an arrow when the 200 lb boar dropped out. As the hogs were lined up I raised to shoot the next one. I thought it was a red hog. Put it on her and "thuwump!!!!"

JamesKerr · January 10, 2012, 09:05:00 PM

Congrats guys! I hope to join you on next years hunt. Rob was that deer taken with Magua?

Sharptop · January 10, 2012, 09:26:00 PM

Saw the hog run under my stand with an arrow sticking out a bit. Watched it through the brush and heard an arrow rattle as it came out and a while later a few grunts, figured it was down.

The whole time there were numerous turkeys flying up to roost. It was nonstop for an hour and quite pleasant to hear.

Gary showed up to pick me up first and was excited to hear our group had finally had a chance to stick something. We got down and went to the spot where I had seen the hog run. Followed the imagined trail and after 20-30 yards saw blood. Went on down and after a few tense minutes I called out "dead pig!'. My first traditional kill!

gregg dudley · January 10, 2012, 09:35:00 PM

Congratulations again, Carlton! Did you get the pics I sent you or do you need me to post them?

January 10, 2012, 09:40:00 PM

Congrats on your first trad kill, Carlton! That is awesome.

TaterHill Archer · January 10, 2012, 09:44:00 PM

Congrats, Carlton!

Sharptop · January 10, 2012, 09:48:00 PM

I was awfully proud to finally harvest a big game animal with a longbow after some difficult misses. Here are some photos

And a snapshot of our mascot, Nacho, in training...

COOCH · January 10, 2012, 09:50:00 PM

Way to go Carlton!Theres nothing like first blood.

Rob DiStefano · January 10, 2012, 09:50:00 PM

congrats carlton!

Cookus · January 10, 2012, 09:51:00 PM

Good shootin' fellas! Congratulations Carlton on your first trad harvest

! Congratulations to Rob... Glad to see your kill

!