Ya'll are snake bit on this hunt,but not from the lack of trying.....      

Awesome hunt Charlie(s)!  The camaraderie had to be awesome!  My hats off to Kenny M and Terry for hosting the hunt!  Nothing like good friends and wonderful memories; No one can take these from us in our latter years when we stoke the fire on those frosty mornings!  I'm sure all the "Charlies" will hold special memories!  God bless you all!

Which Charlie J, Yellow Dog?
Would be fun to do now we kind of know the lay of the land.

Great story telling guys!!!!  I wish I could tell a story like that.  Sounds like good times.  

Saturday morning was aprobably the best morning of them all. A beautiful sunrise with little wind. Close to the best day of the week, Charlie if you can insert the picture? It was time to pack and say our goob byes A tearful hug to my son Charlie as no telling when we will see each other again. Then a hearty handshake and hug to Charlie and Tom. Soon we were all headed in different directions headed home.
Glad I was invited to be here to see Charlie and meet new freinds. I headed to my farm in SW WI, to spend the next week with my youngest son. We had a great week, even though the deer seemed to disappear. I only saw 2 while hunting. Unfortunatly I missed on Wednesday the biggest, oldest buck I have even seen in the wild. It was a strong and cold north wind and I had beeen sitting since 6:30. At 3:20 I caught movement at my left of the buck coming out from a area you would have a hard time walking. It was mere seconds from sighting to bow up and draw and release. My string hit my coat sleve and made aloud noise and spooked the buck. I took a few hairs off his back and he was gone. I thought at least I would have a picture as he walked right past acamera. But the chip was blank , dead batteries. so goes my luck this year. Thank you all for Trad Gang and the freindships that develope. I hope to get to know more of you and thank you my son for getting me back into traditional!!

Dad send me the pic, I will post it.

Halloween is and always will be a favorite day to Hunt.  This one was no exception. The close encounter with the deer and Bobcat are imbedded in my memory.

That night we went into town for Pizza.  I guess its a tradition.  I kept thinking everyone in town was weird but kept reminding myself it was Halloween and they dont dress like that every day.  

The next day was our last day at the Lease.

November 1st!

The Morning Hunt, I chose to go back to the tree stand that started it all for me.  Afterall I had seen deer there every single sit.  we had a West wind and the spot would be perfect.  It was a  cold morning oof 30 degrees.  I fuigured deer would move.

Worst case scenario i could remove the stand and save some work later in the day.

As I climbed my stand I saw a deer coming my way.  It was tsill pretty dark and my bow was still on the ground.

I quickly raised it and settled in as quickly as possible.  After waiting for 10 +/- minutes I figured the deer went off to the feild as I didnt see it again.  

I decided to get settled in for the rest of teh morning sit.  

After sitting another 10 minutes I heard 1 lone grunt come from the deer's direction.  After looking back that way and having a bit more light I reaized he was still standing there.  I could tell it was a buck but not much else.

I grunted one time back at him.  He looke din my direction for about 5 minutes and then walked the oither direction meanwhile wagging his tail.  I think if Charlie sat where he wa sthinking of going this moirning he would have killed this deer.

No worries though, I received updates from him.

"deer Chasing, Lots of Grunting"  Also "does in front of me, have to go gonna shoot" or something to that effect.

That was it for my morning and I removed the "omen" stand.  it was a great set, should have killed deer but didnt.  The best part is all the deer I saw, not a single one found me there.

After Charlie had come back to camp, he had a flat tire.  

We went up to Kennys to see who could fix it, while my Dad wanted to find some wood for a bow.  It seemed all too quick and we were back getting ready for what would be the final sit in the woods.

That evening, I wanted to be in the woods early, especially with the reports Charlie gave of the chasing deer.  I opted to back to the same blind as the encounter last night.

Winds were from the West and quite strong.  I knew a big buck lived cklose to here and I wanted a good look at him.

I should have added this in my last post but it slipped my mind.

The stand that was put up on the last evening belonged to Tom Porter. With only two sections used it was low but well tucked in between the trunks of matching oaks. I'll kill a deer from that location one day... I'm sure of it.

Anyway on that last morning when everyone was getting ready Tom slipped away and took down the stand for me so he could load it up.

As he walked up to the stand a doe stood just beneath it. Wouldn't you know it.

I it wouldn't have been for the guys taking care of me my hunt would have ended the evening I took the fall.
Thanks guys! Hunting partners don't get any better than you.

An awesome most memorable hunt. Charlie, glad you survived your fall. A tip for hang on stand users, strip off the cables and replace it with chain, you will never have a problem, those cables just don't last that long.

After reading all this, and enjoying the story telling and the pix....I can honestly say one thing....

I dearly miss Terry's tales of the hunt!

For the last couple years, reading this thread has been a highlight of mine, and to read all this without Terry involved has certainly given me a different feeling than previous years.    :(  

Sorry you had to miss it brother!!

Although you guys barely mentioned him(which to be honest is a little surprising) Charlie and Charlie Jr......you guys will never know how much missed out by Terry not being able to make it  

Ah...no big deal Curt...they had stories to tell....and it just wasn't meant for me to be there.

Lots of stuff going on at work, and  with my girls, and the misplacement of my billfold was the final sign.

I wouldn't have been any good knowing, or not knowing, what all was going on back home, and not being here to help.  Plus, I would have had to get there late and leave early, as I had a big day Saturday, with 22 hours of drive time combined.  I have enough 'rat races' going on it seams.  My mind would have been torn between work, home, and then Charlie....I wouldn't have been worth squat as a hunter even if I'd been there.

My season is over....but for good reason...nother thread....

Enjoyed the read...and will continue reading till its over, cause I still know I missed a good hunt and meeting two more 'Charlies" no matter my commitments that needed tending to here.      

Knock on wood T, there is always next year and some things are worth more than a hunt. Congrats on your daughters big win.

Curt Make no Mistake, Terry was sorely missed.

I know I didnt dance, scream and shout how much he was missed, but that's not my style.

I tend to be on the modest side.  If I said I missed him in camp. I missed him in camp! then you can Multiply that by 100, I just am not one to go overboard simply to prove a point. That is precisely why I am not in sales.

I would like to take this moment to Tell Terry how much I admire him to bypass this trip in order to be a better Father and Husband      I'm Glad there are a few good Dad's in this world. (Curt, your dedication to your family was also mentioned this week)

Terry, Charlie, Tom  and Kenny Thank you again for allowing me to once again be with and hunt with my Dad.  And thank you Dad for coming Down!

The last night was exceptionally windy but we would make the best of it after losing 3 days of a 6 day hunt to rain.

It was quiet, even the dozens of squirrels that frequented this place just a night before were in  hiding.

I sped 2 large Tom turkeys silently moving throug the Wooly. as hard as I tried, I just couldnt call them in my way.

A few hours passed and just before Dark a flock of turkeys came in from behind.  The flew to roost right above my head.  It was fun to watch them jump from branch to branch as they settled in.

Right at dark, from the pasture, I watched a Giant Rack above the fence line at 30 yards.