River Camp 2007

[gwhunter]

So me, zyrotec, 1 wheelie bow shooter, and another "non-handle holding" Tradgang user/selfbow maker head off on our now annual float in/float out deer/turkey hunt.  We will float approx. 2 hours to our desired camp site, hunt for 3.5 days and float out 5 miles.  We have many good memories from last year.  I will try and post some pictures and a story once we get through the weekend.  Wish us luck.

[Kevin L.]

Good Luck!! Sounds like a great trip.

[zyrotec]

Kicking off the First Day ... Left To Right
Non-handle holding selfbow maker, Wheelie bow shooter, GWHunter, and Zyrotec




And the First of two very wet and chilly nights ...


Trying to warm up food on the very frigid final day ...


Award Arrow Presentation ... Left To Right
"Best Camp Hand" And "Best Hunter (should read most determined)"


Floating out ...


Four Deer Crossing the River ...


Click here To see them trying to climb the steep river bank
http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff224/zyrotec/Rivercamp%202007/PA280886.jpg

This yearling was the only one that could get up the bank


To see all the photos in no particular order go to
http://s237.photobucket.com/albums/ff224/zyrotec/Rivercamp%202007/

[Mike Bolin]

Looks like agreat time. I'd love to do a float hunt sometime! I checked out the rest of your pics-nice! Thanks for sharing your trip. Mike

[Izzy]

Wow, waht camera did you use for those deer?

[zyrotec]

Mike,

It was a great time. I highly recommend it. Soon GWHunter or I will elaborate on what we saw.

Herkimerhunter,

The camera is a Olympus E-510 that I acquired while deployed to Iraq. In our hunting area we see Bald Eagles all the time and I brought the camera in hopes of catching one. There was one that flew about 30 yards away from us while we were floating, but unfortunately I couldn't get to my camera quick enough.

[Kip]

Looks like a great trip.I use to do a lot of canoe camping and hunting but lost some areas to posted signs we would go to.That green canoe looks like my Old Town camper.Brought back a bunch of memories.Thanks Kip

[gwhunter]

Day one:  Day one brings us floating in the rain.  This has become all too typical, even though it was still very much enjoyable because it is fall, the leaves are changing colors, and we are in God's great outdoors.  The anticipation is high for the weekend.  We get to our camp site and get camp set up.  We have about 2 hours of time until dark, but the weather looks like it can just open up rain on us at any time.  I think we all stayed pretty close to camp, but we all did go out and hunt.  I climbed a couple of hundred yards up a ridge that looks over a few fields.  There is a well used trail with deer droppings and sign the whole way.  So I get off the trail about 15 yards, tuck myself onto a tree (I am using a tree seat), and hope for the best.  I forgot my grunt and my rattle bag back at camp, but not my turkey call.  Nothing eventfull happened for over an hour, but all the sudden I saw movement about 100 yards off.  It was a turkey walking straight up the ridge.  I let out 2 kee kees and the lone hen came running.  I prepared for the shot when she was about 50 yards and at 15 yards she went behind a huge hickory tree.  I drew and held, but she only poked her head out long enough to look dead at me, spook, putt, and fly up in the tree 15 yards away.  Man I love this!  Better luck next time.  Shortly after that, the rain comes.  I didn't want to soak my boots, so I headed back to camp.  On the way back to camp, I noticed about 10 deer in the field.  I tried to get into position on them, but it was a huge field and I had no luck.

Day 2:  The rain that started on day 1 hadn't let up and only stopped long enough for me and zyrotec to walk about 1.5 miles in to a previously placed treestand.  Once in stand, the rain started again.  We stayed on stand for about 6-7 hours while the rain came in waves.  Luckily for us, we had bought those camoflauged umbrellas that you can get for less than $20.  We actually got them for $10.  Anyways, that day those things were worth $1000, because I didn't get wet once.  We headed back to camp.  On the way, zyrotec saw a trophy 10 point at 50 yards.  I called him a liar, but he insisted.  We never made it back to camp, because on the way, we saw deer in the field again.  I went 1 way, zyrotec the other and around the field we went.  From there, it was uneventful for me.  I was the first at camp but was quickly met by Mike and Ryan with stories of their adventures.  Mike, aka "Walks with Deer", saw the deer in the field and decided to try and take one.  So he tried the ol indian trick.  You know the one that exploits their lack of depth perception.  You can walk right up to a deer in a field, if they don't see move, you are in shooting position the whole time, and you only move when their head is down feeding.  The crazy man went from over 100 yards, through the middle of the field straight to to the deer, and got to within 35 yards before she walked off.  Amazing!  And, the rain stopped too!

Day 3:  This is our last day to hunt because tomorrow we float out early.  I get up and it is dry for the 1st time.  The morning is uneventful, except a Sasquat sighting, but that is another story!  I hunted with "Walks with Deer" and Ryan that morning, but at lunch, I decided to stay on the ridge and sit for a while, and they headed back to camp.  I sat in a nearby saddle that we frequently spook deer at while walking between ridges.  It is also close to where Zyrotec saw that big 10.  After finding a good rub line in the area and attaching my tree seat, I decided to do some rattling.  After my 2nd sequence, 30 minutes after I sat down, I grunted.  Much to my suprise I see a 10 point buck 60 yards away looking dead at me.  He pinpointed me, but since he didn't see another deer, he turned and walked the other way.  Man, he was coming directly my way.  All I can say is that I was mad at myself.  Ten minutes later, and 1 chocolate bar, I catch movement from the same directions.  It is a flock of turkey at 60 yards.  I get situated for a shot but realize there is one only 30 yards a little bit more to my left.  I slowly move my bow into shooting position on the closest and when she is at 20 yards I draw and shoot.  She must have seen me draw, cause she was gone before my arrow even got there.  Soon after, I was dejected and needed some lunch.  We had taken MREs for the float and some Chicken with Black beans and Rice was on the menue.  While cooking this up, and understand I am only about 200 yards from my previous setup, I hear rustling behind me.  I turn to find 2 of the turkey that I had spooked, 1st by shooting and then running at them to bust them up.  So I grab my bow and try and get back around down the ridge in the direction they were walking but never saw them again.  I was back at camp 1st again and started the fire.  By this time, I heard all the other guys walking back.  They all hunted the field.  This time Ryan, aka "Walks with Deer too", has tried the Ol' Indian trick and got to within 40 yards of a doe.  Maybe the same one, but who knows.  But before he could get a shot, a younger buck came out of the brush and was trying to coax the doe back into the woods to get a way from Ryan.  The buck was snorting and stomping and the doe just sat there eating.  Finally, the buck came all the way out to the doe and circling her to get her to follow him.  If it hadn't been for that bucks heroics, we may have eaten venison, but it was not to be.  But what a truely incredible time we had.  God, Friendship, stories, fire, bows, arrows, awards, boats, homemade equipment, we had it all.

Day 4:  We floated out and saw 5 Bald Eagles, 4 deer crossing the river, some huge trout/bass/catfish, and had a great time.

[VTer]

Very cool! Thanks for posting.

[bentpole]

Sounds like a great camp! Thanks for sharing.

[JEFF B]

wow!!! what a time you guys had awesome.    and thank you for the pics.