Buckster, Caleb (Rogers) and myself set up a hunt for the weekend. The plan was to arrive Friday afternoon and hunt until Sunday around lunchtime.
We picked a local wma that was central to us but only I had hunted this wma before. As a matter of a fact I killed my 2nd trad deer on this land 2 years ago and hoped for another one.
After showing Buckster a spot to check out I stayed at camp to get things ready. Camp set up went really quick.
(http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc157/pactac/100_0375_opt.jpg)
I wanted to impress my buddies with my amazing skills with the dutch oven. What could it be?
(http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc157/pactac/100_0376_opt.jpg)
Think they will like this if I don't burn it.
(http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc157/pactac/100_0378_opt.jpg)
:campfire: :archer:
Heck Pac, I thought when ya took the top off it was gonna be "four and twenty black birds...." LOL
Chowder (Buckster's tracking dog) decided to stay at camp with me. He did give me his seal of approval on the roast.
(http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc157/pactac/100_0379_opt.jpg)
The next morning I rode with Caleb so we could try and find a place for him to hunt. A tornado went through this area last year. I am looking over a huge portion of land that had been blasted during the storm.
(http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc157/pactac/100_0382_opt.jpg)
Well my roast went over great. I was very happy with how it turned out. The next night Buckster treated us to tuna steaks. It was absolutely fridgid so we crammed into the camper as best as we could for supper.
(http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc157/pactac/100_0394_opt.jpg)
After a fine meal we got the fire going. Now it was time for tall tales and whatnot.
(http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc157/pactac/100_0395_opt.jpg)
Chowder decided to come over to the fire so we included him into a group photo.
(http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc157/pactac/100_0397_opt.jpg)
I'm getting ready for supper. I'll be back in a bit with the rest of my side of the story.
Looks pretty cool to me, Pac. That's how I'd like to spend part of my retirement years too!
Cannot tell who's who in your photo's, except your 4 legged buddy! lol.... I'm lovin' it! :campfire:
Looks like a great hunt, hope you all enjoyed the time together. I like onions with my roast. Don
Looks like a great time to me.
Frank
thats a darn good time right there,,,,, my friends used to do stuff like that until everyone in the whole group except for me just decided to STOP shooting,hunting,trad shoots..
1 died, 1 got in a bike accident, and 7 just quit stickbows like it was a fad..
Point is--> cherish that stuff and save those memories I wish I did.
Pac,
Good job with the dutch oven....I had one just like that for years. I was lucky if I didn't burn the food.
My brothers and I have done this together for many years. Glad they stuck with it because my experience with my ol' huntin buddies was similar to Tajue17...one by one they all dropped outta sight. Times like those are are priceless!
lucks like fun..
Looks like a good time pac. Hope to get togather again some time. Maybe after duck season is over, sometime in Feb?
BOB
Cool man! Tell me about your truck camper. I have been thinking about one for a little while now. Make? Model? Vintage? Pros/Cons?
Gregg
:campfire: :archer:
Any "after its done" pics of that stew? Looked like a good time.
No better way to spend time around a camp fire! :thumbsup: :campfire:
Looks like a great time.RC
Looks like a great time.Thanks for the pictures
looks like fun!
This is my part of the story.
I met Buckster at the wma entrance and he followed me to the camp spot. Then I hopped in his vehicle and I directed him to a spot that was very thick and I have seen deer there several times.
Once we got to the thicket he went down one side and I went down the other. I wasn't exspecting to see anything but I brought my bow with one judo for stumping and I also had two broadheads stored in the skookum quiver.
As I causually walked through the woods I caught movement coming my way. I didn't really pay much attention to it because I just knew it was Buckster. But heck no it wasn't him it was a big doe trotting along straight to me. I dropped the judo and was grabbing for a broadhead when the doe finally saw me and kicked it into high gear. She crossed about 20 yards beside me and at warp speed I never had time to put the broadhead on the string before she was gone.
The next morning I rode with Caleb so I could show him the lay of the land and help him find a spot to hunt. We went to the area where I killed the doe with the recurve two years ago and I showed him some green food plots. As he explored them I went to the area where I had killed the doe.
As I easeed along I heard a slight noise in the briar thicket. Just then I saw 3 flags as the deer ran to safety. If those deer had kept their cool I would never have known they were there.
After making a huge circle I was back at the truck where Caleb was waiting. He had also seen deer but that's his story.
Today was our last day to hunt. It was realy cold and the winds were blowing hard. I went to my stand and after arriving I put on three wool sweaters and a vest. By 10:00 I had seen nothing, not even a squierrel. I had enough and climbed down.
As I was packing my climber away Caleb walked up and said he had the same thoughts. He didn't know if we were going to hunt this afternoon and had left his stand in the woods at his spot.
I asked for his keys and promised to have the truck warm when he got there. I was freezing and didn't secure my stand the way it should have been. A buckle on my backpack was steadily clonk, clonk, clonking as I made my way back to the truck. When the truck came into view I also noticed 2 deer about 30 yards from the truck. I had to laugh but kept saying that figures.
Once everyone got to the truck I had the heater cranking like I had promised. We piled in and drove back towards the camp site. As we drove along one of the guys said they just aren't moving today. At that moment 3 does and a real nice 8 point bounded out of the woods and in front of the truck. To add insult to injury we could see the camper about 300 yards away. Like I said that figures.
Buckster had to go home but Caleb and I planned to hunt this afternoon. We packed up camp and had a couple of hours to kill so we attempted to get some green wood to burn so we could thaw a bit. All we got was some smoke. At that point we decided the best thing to do was to head home.
I personnly believe it was a good choice to come on home. An hour after pulling into the yard it started snowing and it is still coming down hard. Last week I was bragging about how it was 70 degrees and today we have a blizzard. Like I say that figures.
I know I had a great time. Hopefully, the other two guys will tell their part of the story.
way cool pac :thumbsup:
That looks and sounds like a great time.
Good'ol Buckster. He sure gets around :D
Pac that sure looks like a good time, I need to start planning a tip or 2 like that for next year so I dont go slap crazy with work.
Sounds like fun times.
Mmmmmm. I can smell that stew.
:thumbsup:
I had a great time huntin with ya'll and here is my side of the story.
After scouting all morning saturday I found one great spot but I wasnt clear if it was private or public land since it was close to the boundary and I didn't want to take a chance. Once we got back to camp and ate lunch and did some stumpin buckster asked me if I wanted to go check out a spot that he had found.
All three of us loaded up and headed out to scout the area. Buckster brought Chowder his trackin dog along and we set off down a creek bed and a finger of woods that runs between two fields. We were seein alot of rubs and then I happened to look down and see a spot of blood. We found a couple more drops and noticed that Chowder was already on the trail.
About 50 yards ahead we jumped a doe that we could tell had be wounded. We called pac to see if he had shot one but he hadn't and chowder took off after the doe. We headed in a general direction we thought chowder and the deer went until we started to hear him barkin bayed. We found them in a hole in the side of a creek bed and chowder had the doe cornered in the hole. We could tell the doe was hurt and her back leg had been broken and just hangin by the hide. We made a fast judgement call when the doe attempted to run out of the hole. I pulled my knife and jumped on her while chowder grabbed her only back leg and pull her down. Buckster proceeded to help hold her down while I finished her which took less than a minute for her to die.
We were both excited to see how well chowder did on his first live track. He went to it like a pro. Best we could tell coyotes had an unsuccessfull attack on the doe but had managed to tear off her hind leg. We did not think this doe would live through the night and did what we thought we needed to do to put her out of misery. I was very impressed with chowder and hope I get a chance to see him work again.
Pac will have to post the pictures of the the deer and chowder.
QuoteOriginally posted by gregg dudley:
Cool man! Tell me about your truck camper. I have been thinking about one for a little while now. Make? Model? Vintage? Pros/Cons?
Gregg
It's a sunlite model that I bought new 3 years ago. It fits an 8 foot bed and I would highly suggest a 3/4 ton truck. That's what I have and you can't tell it is back there.
The top raises about 2 feet so my buddy Caleb can stand up in it without hitting his head and he is over 6' tall. While lowered the center of gravity is also lowered and wind resistence is also lowered so it rides smooth.
Pros:
Anywhere my truck can go so can my camper
Airconditioning if there is power available
Heat even if you are just using the on board battery
Stove and refridgerator and running water
For one guy it is just right.
I can also tow my boat for hunting hard to rerach spots on public land
If you look at the photo it comes with 4 bow racks.
Cons
Two guys are doable but cramped
You live in an area the size of a truck bed
Need to plan meals because space is limited.
No toilet in mine but I really don't think I would want one in such a small space.
QuoteOriginally posted by Huntschool:
Heck Pac, I thought when ya took the top off it was gonna be "four and twenty black birds...." LOL
I wish I had thought of cooking cornish hens and claiming they were blackbirds that I had picked up off the ground. That would have been priceless.
Fresh backstraps for supper!
(http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc157/pactac/100_0389_opt.jpg)
thats fantastic! What a plan and what fun you must have had! Keep it up!
"Cannot tell who's who in your photo's, except your 4 legged buddy!"
I'm the good looking one. The other two guys are Barry and Caleb and of course you have already identified Chowder
Duane, sounds like a fun hunt and good dog work. Sian Kwa sent me the link to this thread or I might have missed the story of your teckel. Good Hunting!
Even though none of us got to pull this string back, to me this was a very special and rewarding hunt. I am so glad that Pac and Caleb have already told our story. I am so proud of Chowder and the fine job he did on his first real track, but I didn't want to be doing all the bragging here!
Our deer was truly a "GIFT" and I don't know if we will ever know what really happened to her leg. But I know that we all felt greatful to be the recipients of the blessings and memories that she left has left behind with us! :pray:
The thrill and excitement was more than just an adrealine rush... it was almost surreal watching Chowder work the trail (which in retrospect he was already working well before Caleb and I discovered the small blood smears/drops) in the dry creek bed. Us watching the doe run flat-out on 3 legs, across the field and with Chowder in tow. Then watching her vanish and feel our hearts sink.
Then the next moment filled with more hope and excitment to see Chowder back-track the trail and then get back on it within just a few moments. With Chowder and the deer now long gone... we were left pondering, and asking each other what do we do now? Well, a few minutes later we hear Chowder barking loudly and we double-time it to him, as it is obvious music to our ears that his bark is emphatic and that he ain't just playing around.
As we get closer, we see that the teckle has bayed the doe in a deep creek bed and he is taking turns at it's good leg and throat, each time she tries to flee. 25 lbs. of a really pissed off, lean & men weenie dog is on that deer like white on rice. We run to the scene and I watch Caleb jump on the deer like he is going for the 8-count! (SMILE GOES HERE) My main concern was keeping Chowder away from Caleb's blade, as he is taking the business end to the deer's vitals and then eventually cutting the windpipe.
Of course, bringing an end of any of God's creatures is this fashion is never a pleasant experience. I would be remiss to say that we both were't both a bit sad to end her life this way. But we knew full well after accessing the situation and based on the condition of her leg, that we were doing the right thing.
The entire "deer wrestling" episode probably lasted about a minute. Otherwise, she would have suffered a terrible death to yotes by night fall, no doubt. I am so glad that I talked with one of our great TG'rs last year about getting myself a tracking dog, his name is Ryan Rathaar. He is such a fine person and Ryan's dog OSKAR is a super-tracker, with many successful tracks under his belt, and a cousin to my Chowder. Our breeder is Sian Kwa of N.C. and her dogs are just amazing and she is a really awesome breeder.
I apologize that these photos are a bit graphic, we should have cleaned up the deer a little more, but I hope everyone enjoys them anyway. My thanks again to my buddies Pac & Caleb!
DUAL SUVIVOR... ARKANSAS STYLE
(http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd63/HuntPyramid/100_03892.jpg)
CHOWDER's FIRST DEER
(http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd63/HuntPyramid/100_03903.jpg)
CHOWDER POWER!
(http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd63/HuntPyramid/100_03924.jpg)
Finally, CHOWDER just 13 months ago
(http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd63/HuntPyramid/Pup45jan10-15.jpg)
Great story and time.
Martin
I am trying to understand.........'none of us pulled this string back'.
This is not an archery kill? What killed the deer?
If you look at the left hind leg you can see it is facing backwards. Something basically tore it off and the leg was hanging by some skin.
Neither Buckster or caleb had a bow with them as they were scouting. Seeing the condition of the deer they decided to put the doe out of her misery as quickly as they could with a knife since they had nothing else.
I know neither of these guys wanted to kill this deer but it would have been worse to leave here suffering and waiting to be torn apart by coyotes.
I wasn't there but I believe I would have done the same in that situation.
great story guys :thumbsup:
Bjorn,
"Bows? We don't need no stinking bows" :biglaugh: :biglaugh:
Now that is what life is all about, friends, woods, dogs and lots of bows, lots and lots of bows.
Sounds like a good time.