Buick Bonus Button Buck

After our duck hunt and even an evening deer hunt, Michael and I decided we were going to make the trek to Steamboat and try our luck there in the morning. It was a lot harder to wake up the second morning. We got in with plenty of time and walked super slow through the timber. It still sounded like two buffalo rolling on bubble wrap. Michael got my stand located and then set up about 75 yards west of me.
This place is instant goose bumps. I felt like it was going to happen at any second. And then I look down. :) Three does had popped out on the trail below me. They got wiggy on me and headed away towards Michael. I heard a bleat, a snap, and a THWACK! I only saw one deer come back my way. Within seconds Michael calls me and says he has one down but it keeps trying to get up. I told him to shoot again and I hang up. I waited a long time before I just call him back. He climbed down the tree to take care of business, but his button-buck had expired before he got there. It was still early so I requested we sit a little longer. By 9am I was cold and ready to see his deer. I come up on Michael and he is all that is 30 feet up. As he starts working his way down I look behind me and there is another button buck within 30 yards. It gets to about 25 yards of me before it figured out what I was. Michael continues his descent when he has a minor mishap. The bottom section of his climber falls all the way to the ground.

Lesson learned and crisis averted.

When we walk up on his deer we turn it over and discover he hit it in the jugular. It was borderline graphic. The 35 yard shot connected and spun it around 180 degrees, before it fell.

We gutted, tagged, and got out of there. Bonus Hardin County tag filled.

In checking the trail cam pics, a number of bucks were there that morning. That's hunting I guess.

We got all of our gear and the deer back to the car and devised our plan. No trailer. No pickup. No problem.

First deer on the back of the Buick. It's about time!

I would call this weekend a success. It's Monday night and I am beyond beat. :)



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Coot Shoot

A friend of mine, Jon Jones, invited me, and subsequently Michael Parker, on an opening day duck hunt in southern Iowa near Red Rock. He had scouted out the spot at the end of the week and had found ducks. He and two of his friends got to the parking lot at 3am and got their spread out and ready. Michael, Mocha, and I arrived at 6am. At 3am there were about 5 vehicles in the parking lot. When we got there at 6 there were upwards of about 30-40. I counted 18 boat trailers....When we finally got towards our group, Michael and I got into the water and Mocha was a champ. As soon as we hit dry land I decided to unclip the leash she was on.

I immediately regretted that decision.
She bolted for the water and I see as about 500+ coot swarm away from the splashing hound. It didn't matter what I said or did, she was reminding me that she is still indeed a dog. When I caught up I was a sweating, slobbering mess, and I clip on the leash without a peep.

We met up with our group and waited for first light. We had ducks and coot pouring into our spread before legal light. I have never seen anything like it in my life. Unreal.

At first light the gunfire began. We had serious problems trying to pick of the ducks amongst the coot. The first volley was pathetic. The second volley I was able to double on a pair of shovelers. The 10 gauge sure has reach.
At one point I made a horribly bad call and started shooting at a flock of decoying pintail that were swinging away from us. I pulled one down but was unable to find it.........

We were able to get two wood ducks, and two gadwall as well. Then the coot shoot ensued.

The guys were getting bored and the ducks were not flying and if they were, they were not decoying. SOOOOO, they started blasting at any coot that got near. Fish in a barrel is more challenging. After shooting a handful the three amigos left to chase down some on the water. Michael and I stayed put and just let them push the birds back to us. I let Michael try the ten gauge as he rand short on his own shells. He was having some connection issues and we let the coot flights help iron them out. We ended up with 6-8 of the vile creatures. When they guys came back from their shoot, their tally was right at about 45 birds. I was glad they were taking them home.

As we trudged back to the car my phone buzzes. I wait to check until back to the car as we still had 500 plus yards of decoys on back and carrying gear, and dog.
I open my phone to see 8 missed calls....Early in the morning Rachel informed me that she locked herself out of the house and had to get a ride to the vet school for her morning wet-lab. What I neglected to tie together was that she may indeed need a ride back. She had been waiting for an hour and we were still an hour away. Oops...

Quick parking lot pics and gun it.

 

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Early Muzzle Success

It's been difficult to get Rachel out in the stand this year as her schedule is beyond booked. When I can even think that I have enough time, we are off to the woods. Last Tuesday I told Rachel we would forgo the evening hunt as I figured work would run late. The weather was cold, gray, and windy. I HAD to get her out. It worked out as some circumstances at work for the day gave me a normal schedule. I bolted home and had Rachel waiting ready at the door when I got there. We hunting the prairie stand right behind Nick and Lisa's house while they hunted the alfalfa field across the ravine. Nick got Lisa to do the same and get her out with what little time she had. Now, she had an early muzzle tag burning a hole in her pocket yet.
It was not happening for Rachel and I.
The vibe was dead, and it was windy and cold. Great evening and beautiful nevertheless.

20 minutes before legal light.

BOOM!
I grab my phone and wait for the call. Nothing happens. I text Nick '?!'

No response. Ten minutes go by.

BOOM!

At this point all I could think is she either missed the first shot or was finishing something off with the second. Still no communication.

Legal light expired and Rachel and I make our quick walk back to the house. I was under dressed and was freezing. Rachel was smarter and warmer.

Shortly after we got to the driveway I hear a truck coming down the road. It honks incessantly as it passes the neighbors.

Dead deer.

Nick and Lisa pull into the driveway and inform us they called and she shot a buck! 

Again, we collect the neighbor kid and his 4-wheeler and head to the field.

Her first shot was right where it needed to be, but it kept trying to stand back up, so Nick reloaded and had her help speed up the process.

The vet student guts and tags her very first deer after three years of hunting.

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Pheasant Rendezvous

This year's pheasant camp was a little different than we have had it in the past. Due to some significant habitat loss, as well as a few tough winters in a row, pheasant numbers are down, and it was advised that non-residents just come for festivities and save the cash from licenses.

Friday evening was windy. Super windy. Everyone still hung out and we even created a circle of chairs in the garage. Rachel, Michael, and I waited for our sleeping quarters to arrive as Nick, Lisa, and Ethan Shetler were on the road later, and they were toting the camper. A little before 1am they arrived and we made short work of getting things settled as we had a few tired and cranky individuals on our hands.

Saturday could only be described as an all out shoot-a-thon. A small group of residents and Michael (youth licenses are cheap) went on a trudge. Nothing.
Once they were in it was non-stop guns, and bows until dark.

 This year a few even brought tannerite, a rather wonderful exploding target.
We shot a Pumpkin and a log. Both were spectacular!

Saturday before dark was a landmark event for one. Russ had never shot or handled a gun before and he finally decided it was time. To give him his space and to not pressure him further, Brian took him to the bottom of the hill to give him some pointers, and to throw some clays for him. Again I want to stress, never shot or handled a gun for that matter. He went 9 for 10 on clays.

No-one shot that well the entire day. Not even Al. This was monumental to say the least. I was very happy to have been there for this. While Kate was taking pics I was trying to coax a rather unhappy Belanna from a meltdown. Worth it!
Saturday dinner was the usual venison stew which lived up to the hype!
The wind had finally subsided enough to enjoy a large and wonderful campfire.

 Sunday morning was what it usually is. Time to go home and everyone is grumpy because no-one wants to leave. Clean-up and head out. Another successful gathering!



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Double Tap

First hunt of the season I had the pleasure of sitting with Nick in a double set-up that he set this year. This happens to be the same tree I fell out of last year, but I needed to 'get back on the horse' if you will. We sat and bull-shitted for the remainder of the evening not seeing anything in the process. At one point a squirrel pulled it's usual stunt. Mid sentence, I see two heads come into the field not twenty yards in front of me. I slowly pointed and told Nick to grab his bow. The large doe took the far path and I watched as the smaller deer took the inside path. Nick drew back, and I hear the SMACK of a good hit. 12 yard chip shot. Nick fist pumps and says "good hit, good hit!" I am trying to find the deer between branches and cannot tell which is which. Neither go down. The large doe takes a loop and gets wiggy. The other one stands in one spot with it's ears back. When the large doe leaves the field it finally follows but slowly. Nick had handed me his binos to check the deer over. It was waning legal light and was already tough to see. I see the arrow hanging out of it's side and tell Nick to shoot again. He hesitates as he is unsure that it's the right deer. I tell him to just trust me and shoot again.   30 yard follow-up sounded and looked much better this time around. The deer barrels down the field this time looking visibly wounded. We hear a crash, get down, check for blood, then head out for re-enforcements. We got the neighbor kid to bring his 4-wheeler and got Lisa to forgo some studying to join in the tracking.
 We get back out and the first thing we find is the first arrow. In the dirt. At ground zero. Nick gave me the "you have got to be kidding me" look and I just asked him to trust me on this one. We went to the location of the second shot and found good blood. It was a walking trail from there on. The little button-buck was not 50 yards into the timber. Thankfully, when we turned him over, there were two distinct broadhead holes

Tenders for the freezer!



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2nd Anniversary

I know I am behind.

This last September 24th marked Rachel and my 2nd wedding anniversary. We have been busy and tired and find it difficult to find time for each other. Even though it was on a Tuesday, I promised Rachel an evening at The Cafe. A little local restaurant that we have taken a rather shining too. We don't go often, so it keeps it special when we do. No hunting, no vet school stuffs, just us. We enjoyed a spectacular meal together. I had a chicken dish that I can only describe as a concoction of greatness on a plate. Rachel had a smoked pork sandwich, which again was unreal. I debated between the cappuccino cheesecake and the tirmisu, and was convinced to try the cheesecake. As expected it was phenomenal. About halfway through, our waitress puts a tirmisu dish in front of us and says it's on the house. :)

Two years is just the start, and this are going very well. Even though Rachel spends most of her time studying, I know its intensity is temporary, and I try to keep her happy and fed.

 

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