Trad Gang

It seems like an eternity since I was in a normal state of health. What it has been is a little over 2 years of pain and frustration.

It started out with low back pain that inspite of physical therapy and Chiropractic only seem to increase in intensity.
By last fall at this time I was having pain that even Morphine wouldn't touch.

I made the  mistake of driving west for my annual antelope hunt/mountain hangout. I got there and was almost totally incapacitate.
Always generous, my buddies Tippet and Whip convinced me that a flight home would be prudent... they didn't give me an option. (it's good to have friends like them when you are as hard headed as I am)

Within a couple weeks of my return I underwent a 3 hour surgery to remove a cyst that was causing the problems to my spine.

I managed to arrow one deer before the 2009 season closed, but was moving slow. My expectations of being 100% in a couple months was a little less than realistic.

Then this spring after a grueling turkey hunting season I had surgery on my right wrist which was bound up tight by arthritis. More set backs.
  (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/charlie/Wrist2010002R.jpg)  


I'd resigned myself to learning to shoot my bows from square one and suspected I might never regain strength to shoot my beloved 65# recurve.
            (cont.)

hang in there brother.you may surprise yourself.

Sorry guy.  

I'm gonna place a bet that you get better and better, but for now, get a 50 pound bow and learn to love holding that one.  

One day pretty soon you will surprise yourself and grab the "ol bow and shoot just fine.

Get well.
ChuckC

Hope all goes well with your recovery Charlie.  Slow and steady does the trick quite often.  No point in tearing up the doctor's work by getting in a hurry.  Better to drop a few pounds and hunt close than to push it and go backwards on the recovery.

Judging by the last word of your post  "(cont.)" there is more to the story.  I hope it's all good!

Hi Charlie,

I had Neurosurgery on my neck for bone spurs 5 weeks ago and am recovering slowly.  The docs all say that as we get older, we just have to be patient with the recovery time.  I hope that it all heals up for you soon and you can start pulling her back again!  

Bill

I bet I have lots of bows that would fit you!
Now, let's get this story rolling again. I would hate to think that it won't get told, that you had taken it on the lam, so to speak.

Don't be sheepish!
Killdeer   :campfire:

Wishing you a speedy recovery. Hang in there Charlie.

Hi Charlie.
Sorry to hear of  your recent medical run ins. I have an old Ben Pearson recurve that I believe draws 40# or so. You are welcome to it if you'd like to borrow it during your recovery.
I've enjoyed reading your posts over the years, so it's the least I can do.
Hang in there and get well soon!

yup yup yup. getting older aint much fun at all Charlie speedy recovery man  :pray:

Hope you have a speedy recovery. Take your time and listen to your doctors. I'm betting there is a critter with your name on it out there. God bless.  :pray:

OK everybody, this  wasn't intended to draw sympathy... though I have to admit it feels pretty good!
Pete.... I sure apprecitate the bow offer, but I've got it covered.

Killy... that was just Baaaaaa-d.

I'll write a bit more after I add this.

Well, after the surgery, the Doc told me not to do ANYTHING for the first ten weeks after the wrist surgery. I'd follow those rules to the letter but was champing at the bit.

Three days after surgery I took a Conceal and Carry class and shooting a strange pistol I surprised everyone by tearing up the target left handed.

Everyone knows me as "the bow guy" and don't make a connection between me and guns... and I like it that way!
It's a Matthew Quigley thing. "I said I never had much use for the things. I never said I didn't know how to use them".

Not being able to resist the lure of my shop I even built a longbow totally with my left hand. It only took 3 times as long.
It turned out pretty nice and 49#@28".

As soon as I got clearance to start using my right hand again, I came straight home and pulled one of my light bows off the rack.
Early in my first marriage I'd gotten a nice Herters bow for the wife. At 25# I figured it was a start... I wasn't about to hurt myself.
  (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/charlie/HertersnHoytnBear001R.jpg)  

I was surprised by the weight. Normally with a bow of that weight my fingers would tend to come off the string one at a time.
I found that now I could just barely get to full draw with it and it felt like it was ripping off my fingers.
Though I had to snap shoot it at first, accuracy was surprisingly good.

                   (cont.)

Gonna go take some pics to put with this part.    :readit:

:clapper:     :pray:    :archer2:

This could end up going so many ways....I hate venture a guess, so will bite my tongue and wait like I do on all your stories Charlie...  :campfire:  

Looking forward to the rest, and sorry to hear about your hardships.

You'll get there man just hang in there.

After recovering from a few injuries, and surgeries, I have found the doctors advice is usually better than my own. I have also found therapy very helpful during the recovery, and in most cases you come out feeling much better. Good luck.

Good to see you can send an arrow down field. Just listen to your body and follow it's lead...slow and steady wins the race! I have had back problems and other concerns over the past several years. After feeling bad you can't believe how great feeling good feels!!!

Charlie I dont know ya but have read alot of your stuff and viewed ya on the trad gang dvd, you seem like a tough but smart guy. listen to your Doc and especially your body.
  I had back surgery last summer and was really worried about it and my bow shooting (60lb bows) by huntin season i was back climbing trees and shootin my regular bow. a year before that i ripped my left bicep tendon in half, and just knew I was done for a long time since I shoot left handed. like a DA i continued to hunt, (and killed a couple deer,) for 2 months with it broken because i didnt want to miss bow season and i figured i couldnt hurt it any worse..I was badly mistaken, my repair surgery was much more comlicated and i have a huge scar. I really took it easy after the surgery and did exactly as the doc said and did all the PT. even duplicated it at home with his ok... but by mid summer i was able to shoot my 60lber ok, i have alot of years behind me and it does take longer to heal, but you will heal. just take it easy and keep the goal of shooting your bow in mind....    good luck to ya!!

Wow Charlie you sound just like me. I have had to miss the last couple of elk seasons because of basicaly the same thing. Only in my case its old age and years of concrete work which destroyed my knees and back. people have a hard time understanding not being able to sleep or even find a comfortable second without pain unless they have suffered that.Butttttttttttttt. Hope and faith Brother. so I build my bows and enjoy othere peoples stories until I can do it again. God Bless you Sir and get well. Steve

It's been awhile since I've had the pleasure of savoring a Lamb tale.  I'm enjoying your style Charlie, even if it isn't about hunting. (Yet  ;)  )

:thumbsup:    :thumbsup:    :clapper:

Yup, you will get there just be good and do as your told!!   :readit:      :bigsmyl:   Shawn

Great to see you back online Charlie! I've missed your stories  :D

mr.Lamb,i have a bear tigercat that pulls about 48 pounds.if you need it let my know and i will send it to you.hang in there brother,steve

Charlie,

Man, I remember talking with you at Cloverdale in the late 80's.  You tell me what bow weight you need and if I have one it's yours.    :readit:  

I've read your posts here for years, you're the real deal.

Anything I can do... Let me know.   :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:    

Keep us posted...   todd

and now, accepting the award for "Comeback Bowhunter of the Year...."

I hear ya Joe and Rob, I'm enjoying every minute of this one.  :bigsmyl:    :clapper:  

Tracy  :coffee:

Digging into my arrow pile I came up with a bunch of 2016 that would work pretty well out of that little Herters. Stiff by anybodies standards the old Hoyt Pro Flex rest took up the slack and let me shoot with some degree of accuracy.

About the same time I opened our swimming pool for the summer. I knew it was what I needed for my back and I could certainly work out my wrist as well.

So the days went slowly by. There didn't seem to be much progress at first, but within a couple of weeks I picked up an old 50's era Hoyt bow. It weighs 35#@28". While I had gotten to the point where I could hold the 25 pounder the addition of another 10 pounds brought me right back to snap shooting and fighting for anchor.
   (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/charlie/HertersnHoytnBear003R.jpg)

I remembered back to the time some 30 years ago when I'd had to start over. I'd been in a horrendous automobile accident that crushed and dislocated vertebra in my neck. By the grace of God I'd pulled through that, relearning to walk, talk and shoot the bow. My current situation should be a cake walk.

I increased the amount of time I was spending in the pool. Hour after hour flutter kicking and working my wrist in as many ways as possible.
I was reminded of the words of my drill instructor in Marine boot camp. "It'll feel better when it quits hurting, PUKE!!!

Time slipped by as it does and summer bore down like an oven. The humidity and the temperature many days were the same 3 digit numbers. By the first of August I felt I was ready for another bump in weight.
This time I chose a bow that had belonged to a good buddy. His wife had given it to me after he passed and it had set idle for years before I pulled it down off the rack.
Bear Super Kodiak, 46#@28".
   (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/charlie/HertersnHoytnBear002R.jpg)

I went through the same process as with the other two bows. The weight threatening to pull the string from unwilling fingers.
If I've learned anything about bow shooting over the years it's that you need to forget about accuracy when you are working on form and just worry about going through the motions in the most meticulous way.

About a week ago I picked up my favorite Sunbear "Curly" with the Bacote and Osage riser and the checkered grip. To my delight I could get it to full draw... not for long and maybe not the full 65#, but it was close enough for now.
I was one happy camper.
Here's "Curly" from the Solana hunt a couple of years back.
   (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/charlie/09SolanabuckRobpic.jpg)
   (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/charlie/09Solanadoe1.jpg)

That's the way to climb back in the saddle!  We are all rooting for you Charlie!

Steve... thanks so much for the bow offer. That means a lot.

Todd... looking back at those days at Cloverdale makes me smile. Those were sure some good old days.
Thanks for the bow offer and the kind words. Hope we can get together again one day and chew the fat.

Thanks to everyone who offered kind words. You guys are like family to me and I've missed telling huntin stories around this campfire.
The really cool thing is that I see many of you carrying the baton for me with tales of hunting and adventure.
Several in styles that hang right there with anything I write.

I'll get back on this horse tomorrow. There's a bunch yet to come.

Glad this story is turning around.  I think we all know how much it would hurt to lose something like the ability to shoot and hunt.

Hope this one has a really happy ending.

Glad to see your feeling better Charlie, just in time fall is almost on us.  :thumbsup:

:campfire:     :coffee:    :coffee:    

I have missed your story time, too.
Hope your strength continues to improve.

Yeah, somewhere along the way a huntin story is gonna break out.   :readit:

you are so welcome Mr.Lamb.i am glad to here you are getting better.hang in there buddy,steve

A positive attitude is everything.

If I could, I would gladly send you some strength.

You already know this, but the more you put into it...  :campfire:

Hi Charlie,

We've never met but I have the Tradgang DVD and I'm read many of your posts in the past. You seem so nice and down to earth that I feel like I do know you. It is also easy to see that the strength of your physical body is only a reflection of your inner strength.

I'm in my late fifties and I was a fairly big strong guy for most of my life too. I'm starting to pay for the abuse I put my body through with worn out cartillage, torn tendons and ligaments, nerve damage,etc. Through the years I have had 5 misc. joint operations and have recovered each time. I feel great and am looking forward to many more adventures.

You have been through worse and I know that you will come through it all again. I wish you the best on your recovery.

We are all on this journey together and it is comforting to know that there are good people like you out there.

Good luck with your recovery. Like my Dad used to say; "theres nothing shameful about getting old but it's mighty inconvenient". I too am feeling a lot of aches and pains. Already switched from lefty to righty. Shooting fine.

Know what you mean Charlie. I fell on the ice a couple years ago, and ruined my left elbow. Reconstructive surgery, ect. I'm back to shooting my best bow, but not as accurately as before. Keep working at it! Good luck. John

Thanks again guys.... now I feel like a whiner!    :D

Something came up and I only have a couple of minutes here then I'm out the door until this afternoon.
Will get back to it then.

Glad you are getting back to full strength Charlie....my daughter loves the St. Judes Sunbear LB....she is a shooting machine...even when the old man is out of town she shoots her bow. Tells me she's got to be ready for Oct 1st. Patiently waiting for "the rest of the story"  :campfire:

QuoteOriginally posted by Charlie Lamb:
Yeah, somewhere along the way a huntin story is gonna break out.    :readit:  

:campfire:    :coffee:

Good read Charlie.....hope I can make it out for a hunting storey.  Sure is dicey around here at the moment.

Nice pics too....   :campfire:

Good job Charlie.  May 2009 I tore my left elbow tendon in a tractor accident and after surgery and rehab I did the same route you did.  Shot my grandkids' Little Bear, a 30# Browning, A 41# Kodiak and finally 45#-55# recurves.  The left elbow is stronger than ever now so keep at it.  Time heals all eventually.

Great to see the recovery Mr. Lamb...!  I'm sure we will get stories this fall from you.


John III

Great to read another story from you Charlie, sure have missed your postings.

Charlie your always welcome at my    :campfire:  

This growing old thing isn't for the faint of heart.

Part of the beauty of how were are made is how we need each other.

Part of the beauty of Trad-gang is how we help each other by coming to the aid of those in need.

Charlie you've been there for so many over time, it's easy to see why so many would honor you at this time of your need.

God bless,Mudd

:clapper:  Lovin this one   :clapper:

You hang in there Charlie , i hunt with 50 lbs due to joint related problems  but i feel very confindent when I draw down on a deer . Ive been shooting this weight for several years and have not had a problem at all with penatration .there was a few times I didnt get a complete pass thru but the arrow was sticking thru both sides and came on thru as the deer ran thru the brush . Good luck charlie and best wishes .

Mike

Hang in there, you will be back to normal in no time.

:saywhat:  

QuoteOriginally posted by bolong:
Hang in there, you will be back to normal in no time.

Define normal.   :goldtooth:

yep, its not the destination, but the journey....

this couldn't prove it any better....

hey I forgot to tell u I have a blind with your name on it about 14 miles north "or any tree you want to sit by or in!

Charlie,
Glad to see you work out of that pain.  I know it was a long road...but don't push too hard.  Those 50# bows kill just as well too  :)   Plus ya know I have a couple of bows hangin' around if ya ever need anything...tippit

Glad to hear you're on the mend Charlie , I know it's been said but you can borrow any bow of mine . I really enjoyed sharing camps with you and look forward to it again , now get on with the story , Fred

It's great your hand and back are healing Charlie but I fear if you wait too long to tell the story your memory may be gone   :dunno: .  Unless of course you wrote it down     ;)    :rolleyes:    

I'm glad you are regaining mobility! many people give up You must be a fighter.

Alright, where was I?    :archer:

Last winter I was pretty down in the dumps and wasn't predicting a very good season for my self in 2010. I made the decision that I'd lay off on my western trip for one season and devote myself to local hunting and rehab.
I didn't apply for the usual Wyoming permits that I try to get each year.

I gotta tell ya that put me in the dumps for a while. There are still days when I can almost smell the sage or feel the cool dry air on my neck. It's just not natural for me not to head west in August.

As the summer and my bow shooting progressed, so did the strength in my back. So much so that I felt I might have made a big mistake by passing a season in the mountains. I'd have to work on not letting that notion get the best of me.

To help with the situation I got my hands on a Kansas non resident deer permit. I have an old college buddy with a thousand acres of prime ground near Harveyville, Ks. and of course my friend Tracy Potter had invited me to hunt with him if I could get away.
He said all the right stuff... and his trail cam pics didn't hurt the decision making process.
(http://i904.photobucket.com/albums/ac248/TmPotter47/tipi%20picks/trail2.jpg)

Mr Lamb It's not quite been the same with your absence.I'm glad that you are on the mend I,ve had to do the PT several times I understand your pain and frustration.I'm very glad your coming along,but, Not to be rude or disrespectful, on with the tale we have been waiting far to long.  :readit:    :campfire:    :)

That would take care of at least one week in September and another in November.

Terry Green and I got our heads together and put together a hunt for mid October in North Central Missouri.
I always have a great time hunting with Terry and I'd never had him up in my neck of the woods for a hunt. It was past due.
The timing would be good and I've had a lot of luck during that time period.

Other than those hunts I'd get in some morning and evening hunts on my own little acreage and some 3-4 day jaunts to help fill the remaining time.
The season was shaping up pretty well and I was feeling better about it all the time.

Then my wife came in one evening and told me to take a seat... crap!! I hate that. What came next about bowled me over.
"You know old So and So", she started. I did. "Well, I ran into him today and he told me the deer were eating up all his corn and would you want to come down and shoot a few?"

I just stared at her in disbelief. I kept prodding to find out what the catch was. "No catch", she reassured. "He's gonna call you".

I was positive he was just throwing out a line of bull hockey and when there had been no phone call after a week, I knew I was right.

It would have been too cool. This guy owns land (he won't say how much because he doesn't want to sound like he's bragging) down in the Mississippi River bottoms and also in the hills above them. It's prime habitat. Heavy, heavy cover and the richest crops you have ever seen.... most of the soy beans in this area are a little over knee high. In the bottoms they are chest high and the corn is 12 feet tall in places. (honest)

I got over it without much trouble. I'd gotten my hopes up over different properties in the past and had them dashed. I was used to it.

Then one night the phone rang and it was him. I was tickled pink, but kept my enthusiasm in check.
We'd meet in a few days and he would show me the property.
He wanted to do some mowing around the farm before we did so we/I could get around easier.
  (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/charlie/EdScotthuntscouting002R.jpg)
  (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/charlie/EdScotthuntscouting003Rnjpg.jpg)

It is all a little overwhelming right now. So much ground and this time of years things are so thick it's really tough to find good sign.
Some of the really nasty stuff is river bottom swamp .
 (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/charlie/EdScotthuntscouting001R.jpg)

I decided to hang out on the high ground to start with. The hunting is more like what I've been used to the last couple of years (I grew up hunting the bottoms and killed my first deer there...actually just a few miles down river from here).
You have to start somewhere.
  (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/charlie/EdScotthuntscouting004R.jpg)

When I grow up I wanna be just like you buddy    :notworthy:  

So glad things are looking so good for your season    :campfire:    :archer2:

Wowza...  It might not be Wyoming but it sure looks sweet!  Sure glad things are turning around for you.  Looking forward to lot more of this story!    :wavey:

At this writing he is mowing more lanes for access and of course that will have the added benefit of attracting deer traffic.
  (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/charlie/EdScotthuntscouting006R.jpg)

Our season opens on the 15th of this month so I'll be doing a lot of hanging out mornings and evenings. Sure glad the weather finally broke and we're currently out of the doldrums.

While he showed my his property from the back of a 4 wheeler, he pointed out things of interest. Shot a big buck here, saw one there, no need to go over on that hillside it's so thick you can't move in there. (duly noted and I will be going in there)

I was able to pick up on some old sign in the form of rubs and it won't be all that long before new ones start appearing.
  (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/charlie/EdScotthuntscouting005R.jpg)

As I scout and prepare for the season I'll try to do a running report of what I find and what it means to me.

It will be a few days before I can get out... even though the closest spot is within 5 minutes of my house. BY BICYCLE!!

So don't be feeling sorry for this old fat man. I'm doing just fine and getting better with each passing day.
Be seeing you around the campfire boys and girls.
  :campfire:

Hunt Sharp

Charlie   :goldtooth:

ps. I am not a thief!  Just borrowing s'all!

Charlie...it's great to see your healing up    :thumbsup:   Congrats on the new hunting ground. Will be waiting around the   :campfire:  for the stories/pics.

Can't wait to hear the stories that come out of this property!  Congrats on healing up and finding new territory to explore!

Charlie if you need any help getting those deer out of your friends corn fields just let me know. I'm all about helping out a buddy in need...lol

God bless,Mudd

Congratulations on hitting the mother load, Charlie! I'm looking forward to the hunting tales this land will hold.

I saw railroad tracks in one of the pictures; they may provide some good rabbit hunting opportunities. That swamp area looks like it may hold some promise too, especially if it starts to dry out and create a land bridge on the high ground.

Good luck! I'm happy for you buddy!


Does this mean we won't be seeing you this fall in Weston?

Charlie, do you want to adopt me? You don't even have to pay for college the Navy already took care of that.  :pray:

Looks like you're locked into a great fall Charlie. Now, just don't forget that promise you just made to keep us updated as the season goes!

We'll be waiting!!

Good luck bud!

This is going to be good..!!  I love "Lamb" stories...

Not as lean,
not as mean,
but still a Marine!!!

I know you'll do well because you aren't going to quit!!!

I am looking forward to more hunting stories...

We're glad you are back up to shooting form and hopefully it's not too painful for you!!! Stay safe and stay healthy, and it looks as you're working hard and that usually means you'll be luckytoo!!!

Go get em Charlie!!!

hang in there bud, were all in this together one way or another...Lift your head up high, your friends at Trad gang are with u

you da man, charlie!  

ya gotta do what ya gotta do to keep on keepin' on - and you sure as heck done it.  

good for you, sir!    :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:    :clapper:

:thumbsup:

Best of luck on the new property   :thumbsup:

Sounds like prime real estate to spawn another great Lamb story (or two)    :campfire:

Or THREE.............   :campfire:    :coffee:


Can you tell?...........we really enjoy your stories!

Charlie the new place looks great!!  :thumbsup:  

I love scouting new spots you never know what you will find.  :D

Tracy  :coffee:

Congratulations and good luck with the new property.

The title was made of this story, should be good.  :thumbsup:

Good stuff Charlie  :thumbsup:    :campfire:

Keep up the good work Charlie, can't wait to see ya!

There came a time in my strength training That I figured I'd take a bow down to the river and see if shooting a fish was possible.

It's been a strange year here with the river spilling over into the flood plain for most of the summer.
It damaged a lot of crops and even displaced deer and other critter to higher ground.
The mosquitoes are numerous, small, and vicious. I foresee getting a lot of use out of my Thermocell this year.

In the past I'd be knocking off piles of the little gar that frequent my favorite bowfishing spot.
  (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/charlie/Garredemption.jpg)

Not this year though. I've seen more Silver carp than anything. It doesn't matter much to me what fish I'm shooting as long as the action is steady.

I've got this little Duane Jessop relflex/deflex bow of 55# that Mike Sohm at Magnus had made for me a few years back.
I found that after some tentative shots (halfassed attempts)I finally settled in and started making meat.
  (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/charlie/bigheadcarpandgar.jpg)

It was very encouraging and I spent several mornings shooting fish before the heat of the day came on... it's been nasty hot this summer and I'm glad the spell has finally broken.

gettin old aint for wimps

Charlie, when Terry gets up here, let me know.  I would love to meet up with you two.  Lunch is on me.

Encouraged by the success on the water, I have upped my practice sessions in both duration and number of times a day.

I had found that I had some initial weakness in my bow drawing muscles but they responded quickly to the practice sessions.
What concerned me most was the lack of control in my fingers.
Just to hold the string I've been forced into using a deeper grip on the string than what I normally use.
Not only that but  when at full draw my drawing fingers quickly lose strength starting with my ring finger... once it gives, the arrow is going whether I'm ready or not.

I'm sure that all of this can be remedied by continued shooting and strengthening of my fingers.
For now it is forcing me to shoot much quicker than I like and that just won't do. Call me a control freak if you will.

I will use a two arrow group shot from 30 yards to measure the progress of my accuracy. Here is today's "group".
  (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/charlie/FirstscoutingtriponEd012R.jpg)

I'll post pics every couple of days. As you can see, I need to work on it. I was surprised that although not right where I wanted the shots to go, at least there is consistency.

Very good reading so far!!  Wish you all the best this season Charlie!  Looking forward to some great hunting stories.

This morning was nice and cool and with all of my commitments to wife, family and everyone else that seems to want a piece of my time, satisfied, I headed over to the new property to have a look around.

I was very interested in the area that I'd been told was the thickest on the whole farm. I headed there straight away.
With everything lush and green, I would be looking for ANY deer sign I could find. I'd be paying extra special attention to rubs made in years past and any obvious heavily used trails.

As I expected I found a well used trail on the predominately downwind side of the "thicket" and just within it's fringes.
These were spotted along it's course.
  (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/charlie/FirstscoutingtriponEd007R.jpg)
  (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/charlie/FirstscoutingtriponEd008R.jpg)
  (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/charlie/FirstscoutingtriponEd009R.jpg)

That's the kind of trail I was looking for and I'll be keeping an eye out for more as well as watching for this years rubs to show up.

I put my little Bushnell Trophy Cam along the trail just to see what might be using it.

As usual I had my GPS turned on and tucked into the pocket of my bibs. By entering each rub as a waypoint, I will have a real good idea how it relates to other sign as I find it.
I've used the GPS for many years now to plot trails on my hunting grounds. In time I will have plotted every noticeable trail on the place and what sign is associated with them.
It sure beats relying on my memory.

I was also paying close attention to how the wind was blowing in the different areas I passed through. That's one thing that the GPS can't help with and just another very good reason to have a compass in your pocket.
  (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/charlie/FirstscoutingtriponEd001R.jpg)

Along the way I spent a good deal of time looking up into the trees trying to locate any white oaks  that I could. The ones I did find weren't showing any acorns either hanging in their branches or on the ground underneath.
That's a little disappointing, but I'll keep looking and will surely find a producing tree or two.... deer will home in on the white oaks when they start dropping and it's good information to have.

The woods seem to be predominately red oak. They aren't as popular as the white oaks, but the deer will eat them up as other preferred food sources dwindle.
  (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/charlie/FirstscoutingtriponEd004R.jpg)

Note the brown leaf on the right hand side of the picture. That's a red oak leaf... easily identified by the "pointy" lobes. White oaks have rounded lobes.

By ten thirty my back was starting to talk to me and I still had a healthy hill to scale between me and the truck.
As I made my way in that direction I spotted a sign that I used to ignore, but learned to pay attention to a long time ago.
  (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/charlie/FirstscoutingtriponEd006R.jpg)

It's pretty hard to tell how old that stand is, but it's been there a VERY long time. And no, I don't use them when I find them... can you say, "death trap"?
What I have learned is to not discount what an earlier hunter may have known. When you find fresh sign near one of these relics, you are looking at a historical area of deer movement.
Something to count on.

:thumbsup:    :clapper:

:thumbsup:

Mel... we keep in touch as that time gets closer. I know T is wrapped up in work and stuff at the moment and I'm still focused on September.... just can't seem to think that far ahead anymore.
  :help:
It's gonna be right at the middle of October. I'll let you know.

Don't know how we ever made it through all those Texas Sweat's without hunting together. I think I've been robbed.

I swear, anybody that  TRIES to tell a story like Charlie Lamb needs to be put on probation!

Looking forward to the rest of the story from the master   :notworthy:  

Glad you are feeling better.

I can almost feel that enthusiasm coming through the monitor.  Great to see things starting to turn the right direction for you buddy.  I've enjoyed seeing those bows that went with the rehab process.  That was neat!

Like most here on Trad Gang I've always enjoyed reading Lambs stories, but the thing I have been intrigued by the most is watching this guy dissect a new property.  It has taught me a lot and it is a pleasure to be the fly on the wall and just watch.  

Looking forward to more.

P.S. THANK GOODNESS FOR THOSE CHIROPRACTORS AND PHYSICAL THERAPIST!      :D   Actually in this case the orthopedic surgeons.

The guys you need to watch are the ones that work in those electrical labs.  Those guys are a bunch of fruit loops   :cool:

Chris... looks like I'll be up that way this weekend. Gonna have to knuckle Porter's head. He's gotten all cocky after his bear and boar successes.
  :smileystooges:  

It would sure help if I had the quiver inserts for this bow... which will be coming with me.
  :archer2:

Worked on my map this morning. Added yesterdays information.
   (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/charlie/EdnsplaceaerialR.jpg)

I'm already seeing a relationship between the trail with the rubs and the waypoint named "Maple". Also have another spot in particular that I want to check out next trip... tomorrow.

Forgot to mention above that I did find a scrape yesterday. I'll be paying close attention to that spot as it's central to the other sign I've found so far.

great story Charlie  :notworthy:

Quote... no need to go over on that hillside it's so thick you can't move in there. (duly noted and I will be going in there)...[/QB]

Classic!

This is the stuff you can't possibly learn from someone that hasn't "walked the walk".  
This could possibly be my favorite thread yet, and by the time it's over, I'm sure it will be.  Good for you Mr. Lamb.  If you can get yourself in front of that deer, there's not a 'ganger on here that doubts your deal closing ability.

Great stuff buddy...nobody does it better     :notworthy:

great story charlie!   :campfire:

We didn't get the heavy rain that was forecast, but it has been drizzly on and off for two days now.
I couldn't resist getting out this afternoon and making a few tracks.

Here's the legend for the aerial view of where I went today. You should just be able to make out the map tacks from my sortie the other day.

Blue X... parked truck
Blue Dashes... route walked
Chartreuse dashes... deer trail
Large Chartreuse block... corn field
Yellow X... fresh rub
Maroon (ish) dashes...old four wheeler trail
 (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/charlie/SecondscoutingtriponEd007R.jpg)

Where the Chartreuse, Maroon, and blue dashes come together I found a red oak that was really laying down the acorns. Found some sign of deer feeding on them.

As I left my truck and entered the timber I could see a pretty deep cut running straight toward the bottom of the valley/holler.
Any deer traveling sidehill would find the easiest way across this cut so I started looking. I hadn't gone far when I found the place I was looking for.

The first pic shows the cut looking down it's length. I'm just above a nice flat that bridged it.
  (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/charlie/SecondscoutingtriponEd002R.jpg)

Here is the same place taken from right angles to the cut.
  (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/charlie/SecondscoutingtriponEd001R.jpg)

While not showing heavy travel at the moment, I noted that an old rub marked it... kinda like a street sign that says, "cross gully here".

I took the hint and crossed to the other side and started zig zagging my way down the steep hillside. Along the way I murdered a couple of stumps just because they looked at me wrong... pretty mean, huh!    ;)  

That holler is all mature oaks, hickories, and maple, so the under story is pretty light. It was easy to see for a hundred yards in places. I'd move on to a place where the cover was thicker and the visibility worse.

I did notice that the north facing slope was very steep and rocky in most places. Any movement up that hillside would be in one of a few open spots which were visible every hundred yards or so.

Have you ever noticed that when you are traveling through rugged country that you find deer sign on those routes you pick? Like us they will find the easy way.

Toward the end of the holler I came upon the red oak mentioned earlier and immediately past that an old four wheeler trail.

A deer trail had developed just before I came on that oak. It dwindled as I came within the drip line of the tree and became well defined again once I passed the drip line on the other side of that oak.

Underneath where all the acorns lay, the ground looked disturbed, though no tracks were obvious in the leaf litter.
Within 50 yards I came to one of the farmers four wheeler trails. Though I'd parked fairly close to it, I had no idea it was there before hand.

The trail I had been following disappeared as I entered the motor trail... the deer could spread out and meander more on it.
I once again picked up a sign of a deer trail as I approached the meadow where the corn field was.

Since this was only going to be a short jaunt I hooked around the end of the ridge and spotting an opening in the brush along the woods I ducked back into the hardwoods.
I immediately found an old rub, then another and another and finally found what I'd been waiting to see.
  (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/charlie/SecondscoutingtriponEd004R.jpg)

This little sapling was freshly shredded on the down hill side, as were all of the old ones. If I had to guess (and I guess I do), I'd guess that it indicated morning traffic up the hill to bedding cover... and there was plenty of that on the end of that ridge.

I followed a line of old rubs up the ridge toward the meadow where my truck was, but they petered out after 30 yards or so.

              (to be continued at some point)

Charlie, It's good to hear you are feeling better.  

This is a good one, thanks for sharing.

Charlie, glad to hear you are getting "strong like bull" again.  :D  

Your new property soundls amazing.  It's so exciting getting on a new property.  It's been a while for me but I spoke with a gentleman last night and will be scouting a new property of my own tomorrow night.  It gets hunted but is fairly big for SW MT river bottom country.

I'll be looking forward to more from you from this property.  It's already good reading.!!!!

It's here. Better than a birthday. Better than Christmas. Deer season opened today. That's why at 6 a.m. I was still laying in bed asleep. OK, so it's along story.

I wasn't all that upset about it. I'd planned to be standing in the meadow waiting for first light to make my way to my chosen spot.
Not knowing exactly the best way to get to my spot I'd opted for enough light to find my way in with as little impact as possible.

Remember me mentioning the red oak that was laying down all the nuts? That's the spot I wanted to watch this morning.

When I finally got to the meadow, a thick fog enveloped the hilltop clearing. (It wasn't so thick as to hide the white flag I saw disappear into the timber as I pulled into my parking spot.) It was leaving quickly though and by the time I'd walked down the ridge and baled off it's side, the fog had all but cleared.

The woods were incredibly quiet and recent rain, plus a very HEAVY dew made walking in silently a breeze.... and since I used the word breeze, I should mention that there was none that I could feel.

Of course this being the first morning of actual hunting, my wind checking devices were somewhere else... a bottle of powder would have been just the thing this morning.

It was a pocket hunt. By that I mean that I carried no pack, putting my "accessories" in my pockets. Before the morning was over, I'd made a mental note of the things which would have been handy.

Wind checker... powder.
Binoculars... yeah, yeah, I know.
Compass... so slap me!
Thermacell... wanna see the bites?

It didn't take long to find the oak and settle in about 20 yards away. I'd picked the downwind side as best I could, hung my tree seat and slipped on my Shaggy Longcoat.

Soon I'd cleared away the leaves and sticks that were under foot and trimmed some annoying limbs from beside me with my pruning shears.

It was difficult to sit still with the mosquitoes finding every exposed piece of skin that they could. The long coat didn't provide much protection at all.

The oak tree constantly reminded me why I'd picked this spot as acorns rained constantly from it's high branches. I knew that sound was often a dinner bell for whitetails and I sat with the confidence that something good would come my way.

After a while I had taken note that I wasn't seeing many squirrels. What I did see were distant. It's one of my scouting aids in the early season... if you aren't seeing many squirrels you probably need to find where there are a lot and go from there.

Squirrels, turkey and deer will all home in a "good" oak so where you find one you will often find the others.

Between 8:30 and 9 the slightest flicker of movement across the holler got my attention. A large doe moved into the open from the direction of the nearby cornfield angling up the hill. I tried to will her to me, with no luck.
Eventually something spooked her and she went off in the direction she'd come from blowing for all the world to here.

I again attempted to test the wind direction. It was very faint, but seemed to be favorable for me.
Guess I'll never know what upset her.

The more I looked at the place she'd been walking the more convinced I was that there was a trail or road of some kind over there.

With nothing else happening by ten I slung my seat over my shoulder and meandered over to check it out.
I could have kicked myself. What I found was a four wheeler trail that connected with the trail that came off my ridge.
Further more, two game trails intersected at their juncture and another trail beelined toward a gap in the boundary fence which led down to the corn field.

By then I could feel the wind easilly and started looking for a tree which would give me decent cover and favorable winds.
I found one that was closer to the "hot spot" than I would have liked, but I'm sure it will work. I'll put a stand there in a couple of days.

By the time I'd gotten back to the truck I'd worked up a huge sweat. I quickly peeled off the Shaggy and threw it and the tree seat in the bed of the truck.

I wasn't quite done for the day. I never let a deer sighting go without asking myself WHY. I was going to check out the place where I'd seen the disappearing deer when I pulled in and see if I couldn't find out WHY it had been there.

Since the crest of the hill had quickly hidden it from view it's escape route from the meadow hadn't been noticeable from the truck.
When I pulled over the hill I spotted it immediately. A quick check for tracks confirmed it.
  (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/charlie/EdScouting3003R.jpg)

My farmer friend had entered the timber along the field edge to fell a tree for firewood, thereby breaching the almost impenetrable wall of poison ivy, sweet bush and assorted other shrubs that are the transition between field and woods.

It was a natural!
  (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/charlie/EdScouting3001R.jpg)

I followed the drag trail into the woods and passed the stump and remains of the firewood tree. Beyond that I found what I'd been waiting to find.
  (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/charlie/EdScouting3002R.jpg)

A smile came to my lips as I looked down upon the churned up trail that lay before me. I moved deeper into the woods and the trail got better.
  (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/charlie/EdScouting3004R.jpg)

There had been lots of acorns laying just inside the timber along the first section of deer trail I'd come upon, but past that the even heavier trail came into a maple flat and soon disappeared.

At one point the heavy trail was bordered by heavy undergrowth within 15 yards on either side. I knew immediately where I'd be this evening.

                                           (cont.)

Good luck Bud!! Looks like a great piece of land!

Awesome stuff Charlie!  Hopefully you're rolling a deer out of the woods right now....   :pray:

Great story Charlie and it looks like it's just a matter of time before something hits the ground.  :bigsmyl:    :thumbsup:  

Tracy

Hummm, been dark for a bit in the show me state. Hope it's a good sign Charlie isn't on here telling us how the rest of his day went...  :coffee:

Great story Charlie....glad you're doing better. Skyler said Hello and kill one Quick!

No bloody hands tonight Curt. I'm closing in on them, though!

I got out a little later than planned due to some rain showers that were moving through. I'm not much for sitting in the rain if I can help it.

I checked the radar and it looked as if the rain would be short lived so as soon as it stopped I hopped in the truck and off I went.

Remember the list of stuff I'd forgotten? Well, I went off and left my Thermocell sitting on the table next to my easy chair. Poop!!!
Also had torn the house apart looking for my little bottle of wind checker powder... that had set my mood just a little darker than the clouds that were spittin rain.

Lucky for me that I'd put a little spray bottle of 100% DEET in my pocket... just in case. I hate the stuff, but hate mosquitoes even worse.

I dug into my pack and came up with a little smoke bomb that was left over from July 4 and set it off as soon as I entered the woods.
The wind was steady, but from the opposite direction I wanted it to be.
I'd have to cross the trail and find cover on the opposite side from what I'd planned.

It wasn't a huge deal. I was wearing rubber boots with pants tucked in and I'd given them a good spray with a no scent product before leaving the truck. By avoiding brushing against anything and hopping across the trail when I came to it I was pretty sure I could minimize my presence there.

Soon I had my tree seat fixed to a nice big maple and had cut a little brush to give me room to move quietly and put it out in front to break up my outline.

My mood was still pretty sour and I was sweating to beat the band. I tried hard to beat the mood thing and deal with the heat the best I could.

Around 6:30 I glanced off to my left rear just in time to see a deer pass through an opening a mere 30 yards away. I was able to watch the little buck for quite a while as he piddled around behind me... darned if I know how he was missing my scent.
His rack was dinky and had virtually no chance of fulfilling the 4 point on one side rule that my county has.

He was just too small even if he had been legal. I've got a lot of hunting to do yet and will save my buck tag for something worth shooting at.

He finally moved away and out of my life. I went back to the business of watching the trail out front.
Of course you know how it is. Once you see a deer you will continually check the area where it had been for another one.
That's what I was doing when I noticed a dark shape in almost the same spot the little buck had been when I saw him.

I didn't remember that spot and fixed my gaze on it, hoping it was another deer. Soon a head popped up out of the brush. It was a doe. Now this I had a tag for.
She too fed in and out of the brush and was soon joined by a smaller deer that I presumed was a fawn... oh yeah! My binoculars hadn't made it to the woods either. Sometimes I just hate myself!
  :banghead:  

They too soon disappeared, but in the opposite direction that the buck had taken. Once again I wondered how they had gotten by me without getting a nose full.

As the light slowly dwindled I was startled by a sudden motion to my right front and very close.
A red fox, summer thin and cat like trotted up right in front of me, stopped and proceeded to groom himself.

That was worth the entire day. The little beggar wasn't more than 6 feet from me and clueless. He finally finished his business and trotted off to more important matters.

Right now it looks like I'm going to give both of my new spots a rest in the morning. I'll go in around noon and place a tree stand in a tree that I'd picked while watching the deer.

I'll do a little snooping around to see if I can figure out what the attraction was behind me. Just another page to turn in the grand mystery of deer hunting.

What an awesome thread Charlie! Thanks for taking us along    :thumbsup:

Great Story Mr. Lamb. If I lived closer I`d come drag him out for ya cause I know somethings bout to bleed.RC

Just finished page 5.....will read more in the AM to start my day off....and what a day it will be at some point.  D-Day tomorrow if you get my drift.

  :campfire:

Got your drift - fingers crossed

:thumbsup:

Charlie, this is a good one!  
I'm stuck in Pinedale for another three weeks without either time or tags, so I have to live vicariously until October....Keep it coming.

Sounds like you got your scent under control, at least while hunting.  :laughing:    And your seein' some critters  :archer2:  ,pretty soon huh?

My dad taught me to ALWAYS be truthful, no matter what; I never heard of Mr. Charlie until I starting reading this thread but I have learned since, that I truly missed out on a legend; I have read every word...twice....and catch myself wanting to hear more; for those who have known this gentleman for a period of time, consider yourself extremely blessed; I can only hope to meet Mr.Charlie and share a camp with him;

Mr. Charlie Lamb, thank you for a wonderful thread, for a great story and look forward to a successful end; I sir, am very thankful to meet you(even if it's through a computer) and am waiting for more, a lot more, from you; God bless......arkansaslongbow..........   :campfire:

Thanks for the kind words everyone.

Walt... if I had to be stuck somewhere, I can think of nowhere I'd rather be. Too bad about the time and tags thing.

Keith... I got to thinking about the previous night while on stand last night and it came to me that I'd been taking chlorophyll religiously for the last month, increasing the dosage as time went by.
I'm sure now that it had a lot to do with those deer not winding me. I'm not sure they ever were straight down wind from me...nothin fixes that!
But given the "pooling" effect of low wind and sitting in the same spot, I'm sure it helped lessen my human odor.

Barry.... you are too kind my friend. If you just have to read more and I'm not writing fast enough... I never seem to write that fast... you can check out the "Classic Hunts" (or whatever it's called) on the drop down list. I've got a few long stories on there.

As mentioned before, I slept in yesterday morning. That gave the new place a chance to air out a little.

Around noon I pulled my truck down by the lake and retrieved the ladder stand I had down there. I'd decided that would be a good choice for the new spot.... it's on the perimeter of the property and might be subject to thieves.
They might still get it, but it's old and cheap and weighs a ton. If they are that ambitious I won't be out that much.

Most thieves seem to be to lazy to work, but not too lazy to steal... unless it involves work.

I did a quick scout around to see if I could make sense of why the deer I'd seen the night before were where they were.
Walking directly behind where I'd been hiding on the ground I found another trail. It angled slightly away from it's intersection with the first trail I'd found.
It passed within 20 yards of my first ambush spot.

I'd noticed that all three of the deer appeared to feed their way along with noses to the ground, breaking away from the trail and then back to it. But what were they feeding on. Lots of hickories dropping nuts (enough that you'd want to watch what tree you sat in or under)...that shouldn't be it. Lots of maples, but they weren't dropping any leaves and left nothing else on the ground that deer might like.

Finally I saw what I had been looking for all along. I big white oak stood less than 20 yards from the trail. That settled it.

A nice big maple whose trunk split into two equal size trunks about 10 feet up stood in just the right spot to be within shooting range of the new trail, the oak and the original trail. That's where the ladder stand would go.

In no time the stand was up and I'd done some prudent trimming in likely spots, using the leafy branches to camoflage the stand from the eyes of humans.

Even up at the level of the platform the trunks were almost as wide as my shoulders. That would give me great cover. The two trunks added more concealment potential...deer can't seem to tell that the trunk with the arms and legs is something to be afraid of.

I headed to the house to help the wife finish up a batch of apple butter and to take care of some other projects around home.

Just before 4 p.m. I took my bow out in the yard and shot a dozen arrows. My fingers have improved a lot in just the last week and my shots were on the money from 10 yards to 30. I was ready as I'd ever be.

Within 15 minutes after shooting I was in my stand and cursing the things I'd forgotten.
I'd remembered my binoculars and they hung securely around my neck on their harness... I tuck them into the top of my bibs to keep them out of the way of my bowstring and out of the weather should there be any.

My Thermocell had ridden to the stand in my pocket and it now sat on the back of my stand. I had ONE mosquito buzz me while I was there and I never even turned the darned thing on... go figure!! Oh well, every minute without insect repellent on is happiness.

There was enough wind that I could tell where it was coming from... even though I had a pocket full of milk weed "floaters" to play with.

The only thing I didn't have with me was the bow hanger I'd bought last winter. I couldn't figure where I'd left it.
I mean I'd set it out. Thought I'd put it in the truck. Even looked for it before I got out of the truck.
I had to hold my bow most of the time I was on stand. That's not a totally bad thing.

I had a spare piece of rope in the stand so I tied it around the trunk of the tree beside me and let one end hang with a big old knot in the end of it.
I could put that knot between the bowstring and bow limb and the bow would hang nicely in easy reach. It would also lift off the rope easily with no noise or extra motion.

Time passed slowly with little activity from even the smaller denizens of the forest.
Remember, I said "little activity". Somewhere around two hours after I settled in, I was started by a sudden commotion behind me.

Suppressing the urge to snap my head around I slowly turned to see two gray squirrels playing ring around the hickory.
Twice around and they zoomed up the tree into the upper limbs and just as quickly were tumbling toward the ground in a clinch.
About 10 feet off the ground a small bunch of leaves and limbs seemed to partially arrest there momentum and split them up at the same time.

They hit the ground with two resounding "plops" and were off to the races again. It about knocked the wind out of me just watching.

The rest of the evening was very uneventful and I found myself at home eating supper just after dark. I'd give it another go on Friday.

(cont.)

:coffee:

4:30 in the morning, not a soul in sight, cities looking like a ghost town on a cold and rainy night... and the thunder rolled.

I don't know who else it might be a blessing for. I'm sure there are many for whom it's a day lost due to weather... and that's a shame for them.

For me it IS a blessing. I've needed just this kind of hard pounding down pour to clear the ground of old sign.
When it quits every thing will be new and that, of course, will help.

I've focused on the new spot I found on nearby property. I guess the amount of sign sucked me in. At least enough to make me put a stand near by.

At this point I have two evenings and a morning stand under my belt from that position. That means I'm about to go off to the other end of the property for a while and see what's going on there.
Too much time in the same spot and every critter on the place will know not to go there. Some have probably already picked up on it.

I saw nothing the night before last and the same yesterday morning. And while I hated to do it, I knew it needed to search the area a little more.
Without having the luxury of scouting last winter, I had no choice. I got down from my morning perch and made a big semi circle around my stand.

The foray proved to be educational. I found yet another trail that had been unknown to me and this one was dotted with rubs... old and new. I found them all along the heavily torn up trail that parallels the ridge top.

You see, the spot is a corridor between mature maple with little under story and a steep drop off into very brushy cover.

This new trail followed a side hill flat and as yet I don't know where it goes or what other secrets it might reveal... it is on the agenda.

But patience is key. I'm trying to learn the area without totally disrupting the habits of it inhabitants and take some backstaps from it at the same time.
I'll be able to hunt it smarter and more successfully next year when my stands will have already been placed and the best approach to them considered.

For now I'm staying in one spot longer for the simple purpose of observation. If a prime candidate for an arrow walks by then so be it.

Anyway, last night I got into place quietly, noting the wind would be favorable for both my approach to the stand and for sitting there.

I took the wayward bow hanger in with me... it had been laying on the console the entire time I'd looked for it the day before...somebody slap me please!

It's a very handy gadget on a tree that has no convenient limbs for hanging bows. I can see that it does have a small learning curve. Getting it in just the right spot so the bow is out of the way and instantly available will take some experimentation.

It was a very quiet evening in the woods. That seemed odd to me, but I had no knowledge of the storm front that was approaching.

Even the squirrels and little birds that seem to always be out and around were still.
But as the witching hour approached,activity increased. A squirrel here, a squirrel there, a flock of Chickadees passing through the area... I remained absolutely still as they came. They are always inquisitive and make all kinds of racket when they find you sitting there in peace. Each member of the flock in it's turn coming to inspect and chatter about the new comer in the woods.

With an hour left I paid increasing attention to the new trail down the hill. A deer could easily pass along it and not be seen through the intervening brush if one was not attentive.

My vigilance was rewarded when I spotted the dark form of a deer some forty yards distant. In the gathering gloom it's coat seemed almost black.

A quick check with my binoculars proved it to be a very small fork horned buck. I'm almost positive it was the buck of a couple of days previous. He wasn't legal by state standards and certainly not something I'd shoot in September if he was.

I watched him feed along. He spent long periods of time with his head down feeding... the white oak acorns.

Finally he fed off to who knows where and I returned to being more aware of my surroundings.
A few minutes later a quick glance over my shoulder revealed a doe far behind me. She stared for a long time in my direction, but a quick check of the wind confirmed that it wasn't me she was interested in.

Whatever it was never revealed itself to me and the rest of the evening passed uneventfully.

When I finally pulled into the driveway the distant roll of thunder came to my ears and lightning flashes lit up billowing clouds from within. I'd had no clue this was coming, but I was happy about it and hoped deep inside that it would pass by morning so I could get out again.

At this writing it is still raining and if it will let up a little, I'll put on the rain coat and go scouting.
Nothing like a cleansing rain to remove all traces of man's passing in the great forest realm of the whitetail deer.

My plan at this point is to not hunt this evening. I've got appointments tomorrow which would make taking care of meat difficult if I was successful and I'll be leaving town on Tuesday for an extended deer hunting trip to Kansas.

I love bow hangers. Better yet is a tree stand that you can sit on so your legs are parallel to the ground so you can just rest your bow on your lap.

Charlie, I know for a fact you have some great hunting ahead of you this week in Kansas!

Best of luck to you, Tracy, and his boys!!   :pray:

Hope you guys do a lot of "bone collecting" this week    :archer2:

Thanks Curt! I am looking forward to my Kansas trip big time. I expect the action to heat up considerably.

I'm gonna put this one to rest... may have to revisit it later, but lots of new adventures lie ahead.   :wavey:

Charlie;

Good luck in Kansas and hope you have a safe and successful week there; the other property will be a new world in a couple of months when mother nature puts all of the trees to sleep for the winter; a lot of good stories forthcoming for sure;

Be safe and kill a big one.........   :campfire: