Trad Gang
Topic Archives => Memorable Hunts => Topic started by: JC on October 03, 2008, 03:55:00 PM
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Some months ago, Kim and I discussed donating another hunt for the St. Jude's auction. We were dissapointed that Brian Halbleib and Fred Gimble did not have much luck on their hunts with us the previous two years but their gracious thanks for the good time they had anyway prompted us to try yet again. Allan Devore won the hunt with a generous donation for the kids and we set our minds that we would work even harder to make this a great trip for him.
During the auction, Bob Morrison had bid on the hunt but the price quickly left his, and most folks budget. I had joked with Bob that he come along as "celebrity guest", which met with much laughter from Bob. I ran the idea past Allan, who admitted his addiction to Bob's bows, and the deal was set...Bob would come if we had to drag him. We set about planning hunting spots, meals, sleeping arrangements for two.
Fast forward to yesterday, 10/2. Work had held me up more than I wanted and I was running late. Bob drove around in circles so he didn't get bored until I could meet him at my house. Meeting me with his impish grin and blue eyed squint, it was sure good to see an old friend again.
Allan arrived not long after in his rental car and after a quick tour of the hacienda, we began to unload their gear and unpack. It didn't take long before we had gathered the objects of our obsession and the tales began flowing like hot coffee on a cold morning...soothing and comforting while at the same time invigorating. It was a veritable Morrison feast...
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v701/recurvhuntr/St%20Judes%2010%202008/Picture005.jpg)
Rod Jenkins Safari Tuff was represented as well.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v701/recurvhuntr/St%20Judes%2010%202008/Picture002.jpg)
Kim had also run late from her job at the school so Bob and Allan had to make do with ribs and roast chicken from someone else's oven. We didn't hear any complaints from our travel weary guests as they licked their fings clean.
The necessities out of the way, we of course returned to more important things...
As the strings were stretched and the muscles limbered, it became apparent that any animals unlucky enough to pass in range would end up having a very bad day. I snapped some pics and just happened to get three successive shots of each shooter's release...
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v701/recurvhuntr/St%20Judes%2010%202008/Picture007.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v701/recurvhuntr/St%20Judes%2010%202008/Picture008.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v701/recurvhuntr/St%20Judes%2010%202008/Picture009.jpg)
It was already shaping up to be a memorable hunt filled with laughter and many smiles...
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Good tale JC and its just getting out the gate, looking forward to the rest of the story. These guys look serious with that fine form and top of the line gear, you may be too tuckered to write for a few days trying to keep the hunting spots and vittles in front of that crew. Good Hunting!
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Let the fun begin. JC, please let Bob know that the bow arrived, thanks.
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Hope to see you guys some time this weekend!
Best of luck on your adventures.
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Send Kim to the store that Bob do like food
(http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l101/GUNSMITHAMMO/Comptons1.jpg)
:biglaugh:
Joe lets see a picture of the JC\\Morrison grip please :D I heard so much about from Vance.
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Looking forward to this one. :campfire:
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Awesome tale shaping up...
Like the fletching covers?
Are those Safari Tuff??
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Hey Joe and Family!!!! We'll be keeping up with this one closely.....Good Luck to Everyone........Talk to you soon.
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:clapper:
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Push yerselves away from Miss Kim's table, ( almost impossible by the way ), and go make something dead for us ! One of those bucks you posted earlier from your trail cam would work just fine. Looking forward to good pics and story to go along with it.
nocams
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:thumbsup:
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Great story thus far JC. I think Bob lost some more hair since the last time I saw him.
You know what they say when you have that many Morrison bows in one place don't you? Dead critters!!! Best of luck.
Mike
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Best of luck to all of ya!
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Not being there is as bad as it gets! Looking forward to this one.
:thumbsup: :campfire:
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This sounds like a gathering that means business! Good luck to everyone...Doc
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Good luck and waiting to hear more and more!
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You write so well JC you make us all feel like we are there! Keep writing and my best wishes for a great trip!
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Sounds like the trip is already a success and the hunting hasn't even started! Looking forward to following along on this one!
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I was really excited to be the high bidder on the hunt at JC's and Miss Kim's, and was even more excited to get to spend the time with my good telephone friend and bowyer Bob Morrison. I was finally going to get to meet all of them in person, as well as Chase and Conner Coots, who are two fine boys. The Coots are a wonderful example of the kind of intelligent, well-informed, hard-working, Christian families that represent the best of America. And Bob Morrison is cut from the same cloth. I could not have spent a weekend of hunting, eating, shooting, talking and just plain relaxing with a better group of people. By the time I left, I had become close friends with all of them. In life we are always hunting for something. This past weekend my best hunting was rewarded by being able to take with me the close friendship with five of the best people I have ever had the privilege to know. If someone does not consider that to be the ultimate successful hunt, then he has the wrong goals in his life. I want to thank JC, Kim, Chase, Conner and Bob for one of the best hunts and best experiences of my life.
JC mentioned that we were all shooting Morrison bows. Actually, the house had Morrisons scattered all over it. I had brought a Cheyenne and an ILF Mini 14 with the Dakota "C" longbow limbs. Bob brought two ILF Mini 14 bows -- one with Dakota limbs and one with recurve limbs. My ILF is only 56 inches long and draws smoothly to my 29 1/2 inch draw length. Bob had the same 56 inch length in his longbow and a 54 inch recurve. His draw length is only 26 inches, so it was amazing to me that I could shoot the same short bow he was shooting. That short ILF riser using the "C" limbs gives a fairly long working limb that lets me shoot a short bow with no problem. JC and Chase were both shooting 56 inch Morrison bows too -- Shawnees with the "A" risers and "B" limbs. All of us had the new foam core, carbon backed limbs and we all agreed those limbs were the best we had ever shot. Bob suggested that I not shoot JC's or Chase's Shawnees because the "B" limbs were too short at my long draw and it was possible to overstress the limbs. JC's draw length is only 27 inches while Chase draws about 25 inches, so they are fine with the "B" limbs. The bows performed exceptionally well, and all the shooters did their part too as we spent many sessions putting arrows in targets and roaming around doing our "stump shooting". Bob and I kept telling JC that the ILF with the Dakota limbs was our favorite bow and that he ought to get one. He told us that his Shawnee was his all time favorite and he had no intention of getting anything different, especially since he had other bows sitting on his rack that he rarely shot after getting the Shawnee. We encouraged JC to try Bob's ILF bow that was tuned to shoot Bob's arrows at a draw length just an inch shorter than JC's draw. On the first shot JC hit his rubber target about two inches high of center. After JC adjusted his brain for the sight picture of the bow, the next judo point tipped arrow literally blew a hole through the exact center of the target where it had been weakened by prior broadhead penetrations. JC's third arrow went through the same quarter sized hole without even touching the rubber! Needless to say, Bob went home with an order for a new ILF bow with the Mini 14 riser and some foam core, carbon backed Dakota "C" limbs for JC! It is an unbelievable bow and is my favorite of all of Bob's creations. It's Bob's favorite too.
Chase is going to be a fantastic shooter as he gets older and can hold his own with the adults already. We enjoyed all the hunting and shooting we did with this fine young man of 13 years. Conner promised to go out with us next time we are there. This time he was distracted by football practice and his post workout relaxation with video games. Chase and Conner are a blessing to JC and Kim and are good examples of their traditional Christian upbringing. We could not have asked for two finer youngsters to spend time around.
JC and his family have a beautiful log home that they helped build themselves on a lovely, hilly acreage in northern Georgia. They have all sorts of animal pets in addition to the wild animals that roam the woods and pastures surrounding their house. We hunted the first morning on nearby public land and then did the rest of the hunting on the Coots land. JC had shown Bob and me numerous trail cam pictures of deer around the stands we would be hunting from, so we knew deer had been in those spots. Unfortunately, someone must have told the deer that two out of state hit men were headed their way, because none of the ones in the photographs ever dared to come around the stands while Bob and I were there. We did see a few deer wandering around at a distance when were driving down the roads, walking back from our stands or sitting around the house, however none of those deer seemed interested in getting within range of our arrows. Bob kept kidding JC by saying that if JC would come up to Ohio, Bob would put him on some deer that he would actually be able to shoot. JC and Kim were sick about the fact that no deer were willing to sacrifice their lives to satisfy our craving for blood, but Bob and I assured them that the hunt was a great success without meat on the game pole.
One of my favorite times of the trip was our stump shooting session following our final hunt on Sunday morning. Bob, Chase, JC and I headed for the woods with our bows and arrows and big smiles on our faces from three great days together. Bob was the first one to pick a target -- a gray spot on the ground about 25 yards in the distance. JC shot first and hit the center of the spot. A loud noise erupted. Unfortunately, Bob had picked a rock to shoot at! Now JC had one trashed arrow. The rest of us decided to pick a different target. Most of the shots proved that if a deer had come within 20 yards of any of our stands it would have ended up in the freezer. Those deer were wise to avoid us. Bob had brought along several of the new Extreem 300 grain three blade broadheads he is now selling. They are super tough and very well made. JC and Bob shot them through many targets, into the dirt, across rocky surfaces and otherwise subjected them to more abuse than any broadhead should ever be required to experience. Surprisingly, there was almost no damage despite these informal torture tests. The only indication of any use at all was that the broadheads got dirty and a little less sharp and one of them had a tiny flat spot on one blade edge where it had struck a rock with sufficient force to cause sparks to fly! Even at $25 each, I placed my order for half a dozen. I know the only way I will ever need to replace any of those six is if I lose them because they are virtually indestructible. JC shot one of them all the way though the base of a sapling without any damage to the broadhead, however he destroyed his second arrow shaft trying to get the arrow out of the tree. Scratch two arrows for JC!
I was glad to be able to spend lots of time talking to JC and Bob about traditional gear and learn many things from their wealth of knowledge. Terry Green was supposed to show up and hunt some with us, but he got tied up with other things and couldn't break away. We all missed seeing him and getting to spend time with him. Terry missed some fun shooting and some great food that Kim fixed up for us with occasional help from JC. I think I gained a pound or so each day I was there. I know if I stayed there a few months I would double my weight. I thought I was going to be deprived of having any of Miss Kim's famous chocolate chip cookies since none appeared until shortly before Bob and I were scheduled to leave after lunch on Sunday. But sure enough, just before lunch we smelled the cookies baking in the oven. In addition to enjoying them as our lunch desert, Kim packed us care packages of the cookies to take with us. Those cookies are as delicious as they are reputed to be.
With some sadness, Bob and I packed our bags and put them in our vehicles. We hugged all the Coots goodbye and gave a fond farewell to a great hunt with a wonderful family. I can hardly wait to see Bob and the Coots again in the future and to share more good times with them. I can't say enough about how great these people are! Thank you JC, Kim, Chase, Conner and Bob for a wonderful time together and for a successful hunting experience despite the absence of any kills. I will treasure the memories!
Allan DeVore
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Great story Allan,,,sounds like you and Bob had a great time with JC and his family.
Where are you pic's :bigsmyl:
Chris
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Chris,
I'm still in Georgia working after the hunt and won't be able to post pics until I get home to Oklahoma. I hope you get to meet JC too because he is a great guy. The Mini 14 ILF with the foam/carbon limbs cannot be beat. Get the "C" limbs if your draw length is under 30 inches and you will have an unbelievable 56 inch bow that is great for tree stands, ground blinds or anywhere else that the quarters are tight. If you like your other Morrisons, you will love a little ILF like the ones Bob and I were shooting on this hunt.
Allan
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Now that is the way to do it combine some vacation time with business.
Think I may have to call Bob and see if I can get one to try out. I have been lusting over them here recently but was waiting to hear what people who have them thought.
Glad you had a great time on your hunt.
Chris
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Sounds like another great hunt and visit at Rancho Coots. If you guys keep eating and not killing deer, I should only have to outbid Vance for this next year.
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This is the 1st chance I have had to comment on a very successful hunt with JC and Allan. We didn't harvest any animals but we did have a great time. Nothing better than being around some great people and doing what we like, hunting and talking hunting, shooting and playing with bow stuff.
I have to thank the Coots family, I felt as I had known JC, Kim, Chase and Connor for much more than a few days. Very good people..... Kim's cooking is something else, I sure didn't lose any weight even with the added hiking.Thanks Kim I did have a couple cookies left for Barb.
It's always nice to meet people that you talk with on the phone and build a bow for them and them actually meet them, Allan is very evolved in learning all he can about Trad archery. With his life experiences he knows to enjoy all of your interests: Archery, the hunt, friends.
Thanks Again JC and Kim I had a great time.
Bob
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Sounds like you had a great time Allan. I have had the pleasure of spending time with both Bob and JC. Hard to find two finer Morrison shooters than those two. Not much that moves that JC can't anchor with his Morrison. Sounds like Miss Kim kept you all well fed. Bob likes eatin way more than hunting anyways!
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David,
JC and Bob are both excellent shots, and I have to give JC the edge, especially when he was shooting Bob's Mini 14 ILF longbow and arrows. It was fun trying to keep up with the shooting of those guys. Fortunately, I can send an arrow down range as fast from my bow as JC can from his higher poundage bow because my draw is 2 1/2" longer. Now if I can just keep my arrows as close together.....
Miss Kim made it harder to climb up and down the hills after eating all that food. We even got to eat some deer steaks despite not harvesting the meat ourselves. JC says he would weigh 600 pounds if he stopped walking and kept eating all the food Miss Kim fixes for him. Bob didn't lose any weight on the trip either. You are totally correct in saying that spending time with Bob and JC is a pleasure. So is shooting that great little Morrison ILF longbow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I only got it 3 days before the hunt and I was already shooting it better than any bow I own within an hour after stringing it up.
Allan
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Finally picked this story back up, Allen sounds like you had a ball. I certainly agree that you won't find much better people to share your traditional bowhunting with than JC & Bob! I've been privy to share Miss Kim's culinary delights too. Some day I might even get the honor to actually share a table with the entire Coots Family. Great Hunt...Doc
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Doc,
JC had more than one of your beautiful knives with him at all times and promised to use them to clean any deer we shot. Unfortunately, we did not get to see your knives in action, but at least we got to admire them. Any chance you get to spend time with the Coots and/or Bob Morrison, you will be glad you did, and dinner time is definitely my choice for being with all of them together! Kim can flat out cook, and JC helped out on the grill. Shooting Bob's bows was also a treat for all of us, and there were plenty of Morrisons around to shoot. Bob and I brought two each, JC had a couple or more of his own, and even Chase had his own Shawnee with Dakota limbs. It turned out that all of us ended up shooting the longbows - Bob and I with our ILFs and JC and Chase with their Shawnees. Those bows can really send some arrows to the aiming point and get them there fast. If JC and Kim donate the hunt for next year's St. Jude's auction, you can bet I will be bidding on it!
Allan
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Anybody reading this ,that kinda knows J.C. knows that you were treated royally.Looks like you had a great trip and yes it is not always about the kill.Kip
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Great story on an obviously wonderful and successful trip! Thanks for taking the rest of us along!
Claudia
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Claudia,
I hope you have just as good a time on your St. Jude's hunt at Doug Campbell's place as I did at JC's. Whether an elk falls to your arrow or not, the hunting, the companionship,and the communing with nature will be the true measure of your success. But you already know that better than most of us!
Take care,
Allan