Trad Gang
Topic Archives => Memorable Hunts => Topic started by: BradLantz on November 07, 2008, 12:32:00 AM
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I'm leaving in the next hour or two for my 2008 Kansas hunt. I've been going out there several years now, love the people I hunt with, the country, the big bucks, all of it.
This is a huge hunt for me. I have struggled in the past on traditional hunting, having went back to compounds and all. I've lost a couple of animals too. Anyway, long story short here I am, shooting very well, practicing from my tree stands, changed my equipment and I'm shooting a Zipper recurve, 52# or so, 28" ICS 400 weighted shafts, 100 gr brass inserts and either Steel Force 2 blades or Zwickey's - total arrow weight is about 680 grains.
Western Kansas, farm country, we'll be hunting the creek bottoms. Here are some camtracker photo's of what we can expect to see :)
Mark saw 10 bucks today, one was a 160" 10 and the other a 170-180 thumper of a buck. No shots, but the big bucks are moving. This should be an incredible hunt. The weather is turning bad, highs in the 40's, snow/rain, high winds - brutal weather to sit in, tough weather to hunt in but fine fine deer hunting weather!
I'll update each night. I'm not holding out for a monster buck, I won't shoot a small one either because of the way the people I hunt with hunt. Their goals are much higher than mine are is all!
That crab claw buck though .... wow I love that unique rack ! ( top photo, picture taken this morning !! )
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(http://i33.tinypic.com/2cwn9nd.jpg)
(http://i38.tinypic.com/4hutxt.jpg)
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(http://i35.tinypic.com/2e3d845.jpg)
(http://i37.tinypic.com/140j9xz.jpg)
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(http://i34.tinypic.com/aff09g.jpg)
(http://i33.tinypic.com/2pyrxoj.jpg)
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Beaut animal, that one!
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Thanks Brad, this is going to be a fun.
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good luck....don't even think about the past struggles bud....get'um close and hammer'um!!
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Wow! Looks like you're in for a great hunt. I'll be following this one along looking for updates! :thumbsup:
Convincing yourself that you can do it and having complete confidence is half the battle - sounds like you are ready!
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Brad... pay close attention to what my buddies Guru and Whip are saying. They are right on the money and they are killers.
Don't think....DO!!
:thumbsup:
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I'm jealoous! I should be there as I type, but Hurricane Ike added an extra week of "vacation" onto my bank account. Have a great time and good luck.
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Good luck! Where in western Kansas will you be hunting?
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I'm shivvering just waiting on the outcome!! :biglaugh: :biglaugh:
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headed that way myself this afternoon! can't wait!!
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Good luck Brad! Glad to see you back shooting traditional. It will just mean that much more to you when you put one of those Kansas monster bucks down!!!
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Best of luck to ya!!!
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Hey Brad, I have a trail camera picture of a buck that is somewhat similar to your crab claw buck. This buck does not have the real pronounced crab claw and lacks some of the height and mass but it still reminds me of that crab claw buck.
(http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m174/bohuntr77/SquelerStandOctearlyNov087.jpg)
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Forget the past, pick a spot and let her fly. What do they say on that TV commercial "You can do it". Good luck. I can taste the backstrap already. :archer:
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It took me 11 hours to get here, I left at 2:00 am. LONG drive. It took 10 minutes to leave and off to hang stand we go.
Driving into the ranch we saw this buck
(http://i33.tinypic.com/2hxwzzq.jpg)
I hung one stand in my favorite magic tree spot. Hot scrape 5 yards below me, 7-8 yards to the trail they use. NICE.
Driving to stand #2 we saw Pinchers - the buck I posted that I said was unique and I liked. BIGGER than we'd thought he was geeessh !
(http://i36.tinypic.com/2rzoowo.jpg)
Stand #2 hung, off to stand #3 in a place that doesn't get hunted. Sweet looking spot, we jumped bucks going in to scout it and saw does too. A bend in the creek bottom, standing corn on one side, alphafa on the other. Trails beat down and monster scrapes and rubs.
I chose a bit cottonwood to hang the stand.
I did get to hunt 2 hours tonight in another location, saw one little 8 points.
Still, 2 shooter bucks we saw today just hanging stands !
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Wow!!
The anticipation is great, and I'm not even hunting there. Good luck!! :thumbsup:
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Heck of a day - Alvis shot this mongo 160"+ 10 this morning at 8:20 am, home made longbow and arrows :) Tickled to death for him
19 1/2" inside spread, 24" main beams .... really carried his mass just a fantastic buck !
(http://i38.tinypic.com/kbt05g.jpg)
I saw one little buck this morning, but this afternoon I sat in my cottonwood stand. Seconds after sitting down a big 8 bounded through the creek bottom, and I had to shoot over a limb to get him and hit the limb! 1" away from getting that buck. :( I saw 2 more smaller bucks and rigth at dark a MONGO buck came in to 15 yards, no way to shoot ..... he was just like the above buck but with 12" tines !!!!!!
Tommorrow is promising and cold !
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Congrats to Alvis for shooting such a fine buck.
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That 10 looks a lot like the picture above of the driving in buck. Good luck tomorrow.
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I think you are right, Shaun! Get a good one, Brad.
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good luck but most of all injoy!! :notworthy: :D
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Wow! Beautiful deer. Wouldn't mind hearing more about that bow, looks nice.
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:bigsmyl: :thumbsup:
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I think Shaun hit the nail- cetainly looks like the same buck to me as well. Congrats and good luck.
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Congrats :thumbsup: to Alvis
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yep, same buck in the picture that Alvis killed. I think they tallied 163" even gross for anyone who cares about score.
I saw 5 bucks this morning, bunch of muley and whitetail does ... one 125" 8 came in and tempted me but after seeing that hoss yesterday I didn't shoot. I saw one shooter 8 this morning across the creek from the cottonwood tree stand, maybe the same buck I missed yesterday?
I moved that stand, to a funnel corner that every deer I've seen has went to or came from. 12' high, 5-15 yard shot, edge of standing corn ... and a series of scrapes and licking branches under a tree that are fresh, pooped in and smelly. NICE !
High hopes for tommorrow morning, because we have weather coming in tonight, 70% chance of t-storms, 33 low and 42 high - and that stand has to have a north or northwest wind. That rain turns to snow Monday night into Tuesday is the forecast.
We also hung another stand at Johnny's place. Creek bottom stand overlooking a scrape, but the ridge above the alfalfa bottom is tore up. I might move that one next chance I get. It will be tonights stand
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I saw 3 bucks tonight and 16 cows :( Slow evening.
Mark had a dandy buck by and it had its left side snapped at the brow tine - he said about the same size as his Dad's buck (Alvis)
Mark's area got busted up when a group of hunters were looking for a hit 10 pointer, so driving around they saw 7 bucks out chasing does around.
So the time is now, the weather is coming and tommorrow morning I sit the corner where I moved the Cottonwood stand - looking forward to that (not looking forward to 35 degree rain)
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Good luck BradLantz, your in the right area.
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A huge factor in killing big bucks is hunting where they are. Sounds like you're there. When he comes in tommorrow, forget the past and drill him. Good Luck Brad, Trap
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I shot 15 yards tonight after it got very dark at one of the tarsal glands off Alvis' deer - all 3 were grouped in the size of my fist - very good shooting for cold shooting for me.
Here is another of Alvis' deer - until you get your hands wrapped on a 160+ buck its hard to describe just how big they are !
(http://i36.tinypic.com/205ceah.jpg)
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I've known and hunted with Alvis and Mark since the 70's you're among class acts!He has a huge nontypical I'm sure you've seen. Ben
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The wind won't turn right for me to hunt the corner stand until tommorrow afternoon - thats the area that's had no hunting the previous years and where I saw the huge buck 2 days ago.
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36 degrees and cold rain right now - I moved my stand from Johnny's bottom where the cows were to the upper edge of the alfalfa bottom overlooking a bunch of scrapes. It's rained so many they'll freshen then scrapes tonight?
My apologies on the previous post of a buck picture- Mark's buck wasn't a trad kill, I was just so tickled he got Pinchers.
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Hope you get a monster. Having property to hunt with deer like that is amazing. Biggest thing i have seen in the last two weeks is a raccoon that weighed around 30 lbs. Best of luck...
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You are truly blessed to be able to access such fine property. I am a lifelong resident, and have hunted the north half of this state for 15 years(mostly public) and can honestly say the best hunts I have had have been out of state. The sweet spots like you have found are indeed unbelieveable.
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YU-KON - Do it...maaaaaaaan
Jerbear
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This is what I saw when I walked out the door - about 150 yards from the house !
(http://i37.tinypic.com/211mo12.jpg)
35 degrees and rain - this was one of the more difficult afternoon hunts I've had. What saved me I think was that my back was to the wind/rain. I saw 3 bucks, 3 does, nothing shooter and nothing close enough anyway. Between the cold, lightning flashing and rain .... tough afternoon.
Also, I've never seen slicker snotty roads in my life when it gets wet. I got in my non-4wd Sequoia, put it in drive and slid towards the ditch. I worked it a bit and got deeper and deeper, finally sliding to a 50 degree angle and stop. Great. I wasn't all the way in, so I put it in reverse, gave it hell, backed up to the opposite side of the ditch, back in drive, and right down the middle of the grader ditch. Well, I tried to whip up into the field and hit something, so back down into the ditch and attempt to go up onto the road. Miracle I made it - honestly I don't know how it worked but it did !
I've got to go back and take pictures of that fiasco ....
Tommorrow afternoon is my hunting the previous cottonwood stand location where I saw that monster buck, and several other bucks. The wind will switch late morning. I'll be in that stand and honestly I believe I'll get a shot tommorrow. That area is that good.
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Still seeing big bucks by themselves?? I am headed out west in 9 days, hoping the bucks will have started leaving the does and searching again. The greasy roads suck... especially when the ditch is deep! Hope you get a shot tomorrow, I find myself thinking about your hunt more than my own! Good luck
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Mule deer just take your breath away don't they? I can't believe how thick the neck is on that one. Good luck with your hunt. Chad
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tough morning - I had 2 does and 3 fawns by, and then 45 minutes alter a dink buck and that was it. 34 degrees and misting rain sucks.
this afternoon might be it - I'll be hunting the stand where I saw the big buck a couple of days back and also shot at the big 8. I opted to not hunt it this morning, but I'll likely hunt it almost exclusively the rest of the hunt as long as I have a N, NW or W wind.
Big Bucks are being seen all around, at all times of the day, with and without does. I've seen a bit of buck dogging does, but both Mark's big buck and Alvis's were by themselves.
Sun has come up at 11:20 am - this could be the afternoon and in fact I'll be a bit surprised if I dont have a shooter buck by me tonight - that stand should be HOT !
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That mule deer is a HOSS! His neck is huge....
Good Luck and get it done!
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tough afternoon - facing a 15 mph wind, 36 the high and not seeing hardly any deer .... get this miserable day over with and tommorrow can't be worse
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Nice buck...real nice...just stick it out something will happen.
As far as the roads go you need one of these bud
(http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg163/jerbearyukon/BC%20Pinz%20trip/IMG_1567.jpg)
:bigsmyl:
No problem then
Jer Bear
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That's a hoss mulie!!!!
Jerry...please resize your pic to no more than 640 pixels wide. Thanks.
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Well, how did this morning go? Looking forward to the next update.
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Just finally got back to this thread things look promising Brad!!! That mulie is just a pig!!! Good luck and keep us posted.
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gads that is getting depressing :(
I sat on my morning sweet stand and saw 1 dink 8 point whitetail, 7 muley does, a few more off in the distance muley does and then a dink 3 point.
So thinking that the full moon means mid-day moving, we came back, ate a quick lunch and took off for the stand aqt 11:30 am and the deer were already out in the fields
A new stand "Vicks" and I rattled in 2 shooter 8's right off the bat, no shots though. Big one was maybe 135". I saw another 8, 2 hunters who kinda messed things up for a while and then a small buck at dark.
Day 5 over - how come thinking about a hunt, planning a hunt, anticipating a hunt .... how come we never remember after 5 days of hard hunting how it can feel to still have a tag unfilled? Everyone is seeing big bucks, shooter bucks .... not me :(
I have no idea where I'm hunting in the morning
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Why are you depressed? You should be having the time of your life.
I've never experianced the number of animals and quality of animals that you are experiancing and never will in my hunting areas of northern MN. I'd give my left "you know what" to be in your shoes.
Relax and enjoy the process of traditional bowhunting in a wonderful place. Things will happen when they happen.
Enjoy, Chad
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I know you havent forgotten our "walking with weapons" six day experience in Quebec yet we called the "Lackabou" Hunt and fishing expedition.
Think about that every time you get upset. At least you are seeing stuff.
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Naw, I'm not depressed, today I had a fox squirrel come along a branch, and he groomed himself and nibble things and gave me a nice show before perching about 5' above my head and chattering at me.
I'm having a great time its just I'm by nature a not so patient person and I've put in 5 hard days of hunting and still have an unfilled tag. Don't get me wrong, I don't HAVE to fill my tag to have a successful hunt but I sure would like to!
Tommorrow its warm until noon, then the SW winds shift to N-NW and a cold front blows in hard.
Have I mentioned I don't like cold? being from Arkansas hunting 30 degrees and 15 mph winds are tough. Its a different kind of hunting, different country for sure. I really love coming out here, forgive my lapses when a bit of frustration eeeks out of me.
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Thanks for the share Brad...wish I was there with ya! My one trip to the Coldwater area was one of the best hunts I have ever had....deer or no deer...an experience I'll always enjoy looking back on. Good luck!
BTW- it will be in the 30s here when you get home... LOL.
Bob
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There is a clear, defining moment in a hunt,where you can have incredible feelings of accomplishments or incredible feelings of failure.
I had 3 of those moments today.
#1 I was hunting the spot where I'd seen the big buck a few days ago and shot at that big 8. Not the same tree, same area. Not long after daylight, I heard a twig snap and literally through the grates of my stand there stood a large 10 point buck. big buck, very heavy, no questionsa asked shooter. He started to move from my left to right, and I was trying to figure out how to shoot him when at about 12-13 step as I drew he did a slight quarter to my left and I released. My arrow hit a branch, breaking it, and the beautiful buck bounded away.
Twice in one week - unreal :(
Biggest buck I've ever shot at, maybe 150" +/-
#2 I sat there until about 10:30 and went back to the truck, maybe a 10 minute walk, to eat a quick lunch to get back in the stand.
Before I got back in, I cut down the branch that cost me earlier, and laid out a tarsal gland on one side of the trail and doe pee on the other.
Into the stand I go, and I hang my cat quiver on the backside of the tree, my bow above me and started to settle in. I reached around, grabbed an arrow and it hung the quiver, jerking it off the hanger I had it on. it didn't fall, but now I've got this quiver in my hand, can't hang it back up behind me ... so I bring it around and into my lap. Get my arrow out, look up ..... OH MY. 25 yards and coming is this huge, HUGE whitetail buck. He's frickin massive, I mean, huge mass, all the way out, his horns aren't even round, they're kinda blocky its so massive. His G3's and G4's were longer than his G2's, and his right beam G2 and G3 had stickers coming off.
That deer guys, was 180-185" or bigger. By far the biggest buck I've ever seen and I've got a damn catquiver in my lap and the bow hanging above me. I watched him turn left to the tarsal gland, right to the pee, walk around me and when he did wind me he took 3-5 minutes to get out of there. He didn't blow but very very suspicious.
No way for me to get a shot. None. :(
#3
Right at dark, the big 8 I shot and hit a branch on a few days back came through, moving quick, in the corn and I had to mahhhhhnt to stop him. Very nice buck, 140" 8 point I imagine and the shot was soooooo perfect until the buck jumped the string and my arrow flew harmlessly over the back
I shot at, and missed, a 150" 10 pointer, a 140" 8 pointer and had a B&C within 12 steps ..... I had an incredible day deer hunting, and found every way I could to botch filling a tag.
I simply cannot believe my luck :(
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Hang in there Brad. If it was easy it wouldn't be so much fun or satisfying when it works out. Enjoy the incredible bucks you saw today and get ready for tomorrow. You are obviously in the right spot and something good is going to happen.
Steve
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Yeah, I can't believe your luck either - you're making memories that will last the rest of your life!
Don't worry Brad, I do understand your feelings and frustrations. As you know better than anyone, the difference between success and failure is so very very small. When it is meant to happen it will all fall into place, and we will all be there looking over your shoulder. Just enjoy it until then!
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I got up this morning to strong North winds and 40 degrees. Of course, my stand faces the north which meant I was in for a long windblown day in the stand.
Not long after daylight I had a small 8 come right by like they were all suppose to ;) and then not long after that a small buck bedded at about 15 yards from my stand. Great. He was fun to watch though, seeing how deer behave when they're at rest, watching, ears moving but other than that they're almost 100% still. He head bobbed a time or two as his eyes were closing, he must have had a long night !
About the time he bedded another 8 point and a doe bedded out at about 75 yards. The 8 worked the scrape hard, so I kinda felt the doe was smelling good.
At 8:15 am a nice buck came along the creek bottom. He busted the 8 point out and the doe, and chased the doe by at 20 yards. No shot. I could tell he was a nice 4 point on one side, the other side looked messed up.
All 3 bucks chased the doe up the creek and all was quiet for about 3 minutes.
Back down the creek he comes, and I knew he would hit the trail coming right to me.
He did, and at about 6-7 steps from my tree I started my draw, and guys all I could see was deer! I gathered my focus in a split second, and drew and shot. I kinda snap shoot anyway, and just like that the arrow was out, down, and I could see blood right where I wanted the arrow to go.
He runs off 30 steps at the edge of the creek and stops, looking back. Good looking shot, and after 15 second he bails into the creek.
Dead deer in creek I'm thinking and I get my phone to call Mark to come help. He shows up, maybe 20 minutes later and we walk to where my deer fell - no deer.
What the heck ? I'm baffled, because I SHOULD have blown both lungs out. I got complete pass through, double lunged deer don't make it far. So we start tracking, a very easy job too because blood was everywhere, and the deer went to the creek, crossed it, up the steep bank on the other side and across the edge of the creek.
Now I'm getting this sick feeling. We come to the edge where the alfalfa bottom is and he made it to the other side before piling up in the edge.
:)
I'm tickled to death. He's not the biggest I shot at this week, there isn't a "score" and he's not in the same class as Alvis or Mark's bucks but I had an incredible trip, saw a lot of bucks, had opportunities that don't come often but he's a very special deer to me and I'm tickled to death with him.
(http://i37.tinypic.com/a1r3hs.jpg)
(http://i38.tinypic.com/29oh66r.jpg)
He would have been a fine 8 point, he's got over 5" bases, coral looking bases and brows, very rough, the ones side has a club thing going to the back of the neck, knarled up .... interesting deer for sure. None of the landowners/farmers had seen this buck, no idea where he came from.
I killed him with a Zipper 51# @ 27" recurve, ICS 400 weighted shafts and I switched to a Thunderhead broadhead mid-hunt. 680 total grains, and it blew through the top of one lung, through the bottom of the other and was laying where I hit him, 100% pass through. I shot out both lungs and that deer ran an honest 250 hard yards - amazing.
Even after hitting 2 limbs and having a deer duck my arrow I still felt I could do it. But even having great confidence there is nothing like actually DOING it, you know?
3 archery hunters, 3 tags, 3 bucks down this week. 2008 will be one of my most special years, I killed a big gobbler this spring, an Arkansas 8 point and then this buck with my recurve, and I have a lot of Arkansas hunting yet to do, and Alvis and Mark both tagged ..... helluva year guys, it really has been.
(http://i35.tinypic.com/2aiopd4.jpg)
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good for you for sticking it out, Brad!
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Nice job Brad!!! Way to hang in there!!
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Way to go Brad.
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:clapper:
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Sounds like you are having a hoot
Jer Bear
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:archer:
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Great Job Brad!! Congrats. :clapper:
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Glad to see your hard work and patience paid off. Congrats!!! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
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Real nice deer and fine hunt. Not all hunts are measured by inch scores. Sounds like you might have to upgrade to a larger memory chip, lots of good ones from this season.
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congrats!! :clapper:
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:thumbsup: :thumbsup:
David
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Brad thanks for sharing your hunt with us. What an awesome hunt you had. You know those other bucks may have been bigger, but no way did they have more character. That is one cool looking buck. No doubt he will remind you of this very special hunt. :archer:
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Congrats! :clapper:
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That is a hunt anyone would love to do. Plenty of game, with your friends, meat on the pole. You can't ask for much more.
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Thanks everyone
Missouri Sherpa - Since I started traditional archery I've contended that P&Y score of a rack does not often correlate to the quality of the hunt. I had a terrific hunt from day one moment one all the way through to the end, high's, low's, frustrations and elation in the end.
I've battled with shooting traditional, not the "shooting" part of it, the killing animals part and this buck will be one of my all time favorite trophies because of the whole hunting experience.
I had a long detoured route home, drove an extra 100 miles, watched my wife finish 2nd overall women's in a 5K and happy to be home.
I have deer to process tomorrow :)
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:thumbsup: :D
Congrats Brad thanks for the good read.
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I learned a few things on this hunt. You're suppose to on every hunt, right ?
I had a hoody thing that helped keep my head warm on cold mornings. That and my balaclava ... keeping my head warm was very important to staying in the stand on windy, cold mornings.
I took a thermos of hot tea this year. That helped if i got the shivers.
680 grains total arrow weight blew through a +/- 200 pound Kansas deer. I've never shot that heavy, and I've never had a pass through. Coincidence ? Likely not :)
Therma-seat's will be on every stand I have next year.
The most important thing I learned is I CAN stay on a stand almost all day, and had I not been there at 11:20 am I'd not have had the rare pleasure to see a Boone and Crockett type buck at 12-14 yards.
next year, it will be drop Brad off at 6:30 am, pick Brad up at 6:30 pm and unless you get a text message from him in between, he's hunting :)
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Great story!! congratulations!!