Grounded in Excitement: Bush N a Bag Doe

[Molson]

A while back Big Jim had a post about the "Bush N a Bag" cover/suit that he was now carrying.  I had not heard of the Bush N a Bag before but thought it looked like a great multi-use product.  As luck would have it, a friend of mine who works for another agency stopped by my department while training a new hire a couple days after I read Big Jim's post.  During our conversation he mentioned the Bush N a Bag and that he knew the owner of the company.  I had no idea that a local Ohio company was producing this product 20 minutes from my house.  A few days later my buddy dropped one off to me so I could try it out.

I've hunted in the Bush N a Bag off and on for a couple weeks now and have had numerous small bucks and turkey within yards, sometimes feet, of me.  At the end of the season I'm going to do a full review of it on the Product Review forum.  I can sum it up here by telling you this is one well made, incredibly versatile, effective product!  Now on to Saturday's evening hunt....


I set up on the ground wearing the Bush N a Bag as a suit in a bunch of phragmites  where several trails cross a gas well drive that runs up the middle of the property. Here's a view down my shooting lane:



The rut has not really kicked off around here and I've been waiting for an opportunity at another doe but kept seeing small bucks. About an hour or so before dark a group of four does came through about 30 yards out and headed off to my east.  Not to long after that, I saw a shooter come out and cross over to the other woods.  I couldn't make out which deer he was but he was on a trail that would bring him up to my hunting partner Mike's stand so I didn't call to him.  Turned out he did walk right up to Mike's stand but he caught his wind and left in a hurry!  

At about sunset some small bucks and a couple does walked by me at about 15 yds but they were all quartering on as they crossed my shooting lane.  A few minutes later a lone doe came out across from me and walked off to my right.  Within a minute she appeared right in my shooting lane broadside 10 yds away.  I drew back and let the Grizzly tipped Heritage 150 fly and heard it hit one of the reeds.  The arrow kicked to the right about 8" but the four fletch stabilized it quick and the arrow zipped through her mid section well back of where I wanted it. The doe kicked up in the air, landed and ran straight up my shooting lane right at me.  In the time it took me to think, "Oh Sh....t!!!!" she was jumping over my right shoulder missing me by a foot!  I waited until dark which let my heart settle down then found the arrow and confirmed where I thought the shot had hit.  I met up with Mike and decided to come back in the morning and find her despite the snow and rain.

The next morning we walked to the back of the phragmites and started looking.  After looking the way we thought she ran and finding nothing I circled back around the other side of the phragmites and was surprised by what I found:



The razor sharp Grizzly 190 left one heck of a trail to follow considering the shot placement!  She died in her bed about 60 yds from where I shot her.  The spot I was in was completely visible from her location.  If we had looked around at all after the shot there's no doubt we would have bumped her and she may have left the property.



It just doesn't get more exciting than ground hunting!!!

The bow was my 53# JD Berry Taipan (custom finish!), Heritage 150's and Grizzly 190's.  There's no doubt having razor sharp heads and following up properly makes the difference on hits like this.

[Irish Archer]

Congrats! Good job with the doe.

[Guru]

Way to go Tim, that's awesome bud        

[pitbull]

Another trophy doe, Congrats!  

[rastaman]

Way to go sir!      

[DannyBows]

Well Done!

[lpcjon2]

Great job!

[broketooth]

ground hunting is really exciting. thanx for taking us along great pics too, ruddy

[4runr]

Way to get it done Tim!!

[Jason Kendall]

I have been thinking about one of those, are they hard to shoot out of when properly trimmed?

It appears it worked well for you, nice shooting!

[Hooper]

Great story. Congrats on a nice doe!

[joe ashton]

way to go....Joe

[Wannabe1]

Outstanding! Congrats and thanks for sharing.      

[BigJim]

Not hard to shoot from but you do need to try it in the yard before hunting with it. You may want to tweak it a little. Trim a little, add an armguard, etc.

Nice story,

Bigjim

[Dirtybird]

Nice Tim, I'm interested in that review.  Congrats and good luck the rest of the season.

[Molson]

Originally posted by Jason Kendall:
I have been thinking about one of those, are they hard to shoot out of when properly trimmed?

It appears it worked well for you, nice shooting!

They are not hard to shoot out of at all.  I haven't trimmed this one and I'm shooting a 64" bow.  I just tuck the extra fabric up under my bow arm and back.  Its easy to modify with nothing but a few feet of paracord or shock cord and some knot know-how.  It works great as a suit, ground blind, or cover for your tree stand. It's a bit cumbersome to move (walk) around in but it's not made for stalking.  It dries in no time.  I was sitting in 3" of water  Saturday and the whole bottom of the suit was soaked.  I shoved it in the bag and it was dry the next morning.  It's an excellent product that pretty much works however you want it to!

The first time I used it I had a tall six come out straight across from me.  He walked directly at me and I kept waiting for him to realize I was there.  He didn't.  He turned off onto the trail in front of me at about 8 yds.  Never had a clue until he eventually walked behind and down wind of me.

[DeerSpotter]

I purchased one from big Jim about three weeks ago ,I hunted in it for about two days ,I set it up as a ground blind between some trees that worked out just fine ,I wore it ,And it does not get in the way of shooting ,It is longer than normal ,But if you take a piece of rope or belt.And put it at the length that you wanted it,it works out fine .

One thing that big Jim told me ,Is to wash it a couple times ,I did not find that mine made noise,I did wash it a couple times but I did not use heat on it for drying it ,I just air fluff it,dries really quick .

If you're thinking about one ,I would get one before they realize it and raise the price ,It's a nice piece of equipment ,And for taken in the woods I have a Cabela's Transporter fanny pack,It has place on it for Tying up extra clothing ,And weighing 2 pounds or less ,It's really easy to take the Bush in a bag .

I think from the time I ordered mine from big Jim to having it at my door was four days.Good service


Carl

[maineac]

Congratulations!!

[pdk25]

Great job, Tim. Hope you run into a beast next week.