Southern Indiana 2008 (recap)

[Billy]

Well, it started a bit wet, but here is what I got from it....
Setup by 2 pm Friday up the trail by 3. Came back into camp and found John Scifres and children setting up.
Saturday, I went out just before legal light. I hunted three ridges. There was lots of sign and acorns. Plenty of squirrels and chipmunks. 2 shots; 0/2 on squirrels. One deer sighted far too far for a shot.
Saturday,midday..watched as John worked an osage blank into a bow; with hatchet and file.
I was working a little osage/red oak blank with a scraper. John's became a shooter, mine is still in progress..
I went up the hill to do battle with a red squirrel. He seemed to be dropping "bombs" from on high as I launched anti-squirrel missiles..
He 'dropped' a walnut right between my toes in my brush blind: I had no top on my brush blind; and I promptly missed him 3 times...I did however, see a doe on my way in. She was about 30-35 yards off the trail,no shot...tried to get out of her way but, downhill she went, blew at me from 80-90 yards and just walked out of sight.
Don't know what the rest will say; I am blown away with the beauty and bounty of the forest down there.
I will be making the trip again next year, hopefully for a few extra days!!
I will try to get some pics up in a bit..Hope some of you will consider joining us next year.
Saturday evening brought 'Hackbow' and 'the Jersey Boys' into the campground.
Darren and I hunted and stumped -stumped mmostly-
The Jersey boys will be in to tell their story later....
'tecm-tha' stopped in Sunday just as I was breakin camp. Darren and I got to shoot Roland's Korean horse bow!! WOW!! That thing slings an arra. My 500ish  and Darren's 900 grain arrows were zingin' off our knuckles. Thanks, Roland for the chance to see Darren draw that thing to 30".
           

[wollybear]

wish i could have made it billy,sounds like you wear with good company.dont ever give UP"  just think what it might be next time!      

[Hackbow]

I just got in. Great trip. Greater folks. After John and Billy left on Sunday, I visited some friends who live nearby, then headed back out to the woods. Billy's right about that horse bow! It was 70# @ 28" and at my draw it was really throwing the arrows down range. I was surprised at the lack of any stack, although at 75-76#' I don't know if I could tell the difference. Thanks again Roland for letting us play with it for a while.

Billy and I had met Randy (one of the guys from NJ) on the trail in the morning and he told us of a buck he rattled in to 20 yds but wanted to try for something more mature. I had decided to get agressive with calling after his story and wasn't going to be as discriminating if given the chance. I followed a bench around one of the area's many "knobs" to catch a glimpse of a lone turkey feeding away from me. I figured if I could walk up on a turkey, then it was a good bet that I hadn't disturbed any deer in the vicinity. I was getting ready to set-up for a rattling sequence when I caught a little movement near the turkey. It was a buck! He was pretty young and hopefully stupid. I quickly got ready and smashed the antlers together along with a loud series of grunting and raking of briars and saplings. He was about 80-85 yds away and came charging in just like I knew what I was doing.

But alas, he stopped at about 40 yds to hone in on the fight's whereabouts and then the wind shifted (more like swirled...as it had been all day). Even this young and stupid buck knew what he was smelling wasn't good for him. So he bailed quickly and I said goodbye to my first chance of the day.

I set up a couple more times but had no response that I could see. As the light started to fade I was a little more than a mile from camp and thought I should head back. I dropped into the drainage that originated in the saddle where I started this hunt. I caught some movement a ways off with a deer feeding parallel to me and the creek. The wind was right...at least for the moment...and I had a chance to work my way ahead of the deer for a possible ambush. I hadn't gone 5 steps before the wind changed again and I saw my latest opportunity waving the white flag of self-satisfaction as she slowly ran off, letting me know that she was the winner.

The wind was pretty intense and the acorns and hickory nuts were dropping like rain. I'm sure it caused the deer to be a little more cautious and I only saw 1 grey squirrel on the ground. He took off just as I was drawing to take a shot. The temps were comfortable and the woods beautiful. I wished the Jersey guys good luck at their camp last night after Pete, Sean and Randy regaled me with stories of hunting in bear territory in NJ. They said they really like that Indiana doesn't have bears! Their plan is to stay the week and hunt hard. I hope they can close the deal. Like them; Billy, John and I decided that it will take a week to do battle with public land deer in these hills. Its a whole different challenge to hunt in the big woods vs. farmland. I've not done much of it and am looking forward to spending time next year giving it a real effort.

For the second year in a row, the campground was nearly empty except for some crazy trad bowhunters. If you want to enjoy a nice camping area, some beautiful hunting ground, reasonable license fees and some pretty fair company then you may want to consider joining us next year. I'm not 100% sure, but I'd guess it'll be the last week in October again. Hope you can make it.

[Curtiss Cardinal]

I was really depressed that I couldn't make it again this year. I've just had the rottenest luck the past two seasons, becoming unemployed right before the season started both years. If I'm still in Indiana next year I'll get there if I have to walk.

[trapperDave]

had to miss out on it myself due to family health problems. Next year.....

[Billy]

Hey Hackbow, which saddle did you drop out of....??

[stevewills]

didnt know anything abot it,im the only one in my hunting group that shoots trad.so woulda been nice to be around my own.anyone seeing bucks chasing?seen a few good luck all

[stevewills]

oh ya where did you guys hunt

[Billy]

we were; and the jersey boys still are hunting,jackson-washington state forest; from the primitive campground. it's basically, brownstown,in. about 20 mins west of seymour ...
stay tuned for next years dates..

[Hackbow]

Billy.....same saddle as morning hunt. Took the trail to the right at the old tower and then skirted the knob to the left. I ended up walking up the drainage that you and I met at in the morning.

stevewills.....this is the second annual and it looks like there will be a third. We had threads about it both years inviting anyone to join us. We camp and focus our efforts on the Jackson-Washington State Forest properties just outside of Brownstown.

Curtiss & Dave....hope you make it next year.

[stevewills]

live close too there grew up in seymour,shoulda went to clark forestry,or hardy like shooting fish in a bucket during early season archery

[stevewills]

im all for it,wherever

[John Scifres]

Hey all.  I had a great time with you and my kids too.  Next year, I am taking a week of and really hunting hard.  It's funny, last year it was all about hunting and I had fun.  This year, it was more about camping, the kids, and making bows and I had fun.  It's all good and I am glad the Good Lord saw fit to grace us with His bounty.  What a beutiful campground that is so underutilized it is almost a pity.

Steve, we were in the Knob Lake campground south of Brownstown.

See ya next year,

John

[pcappy08]

Hey all, just got back in from the drive...First billy and hackbow it was great to see you guys again as usual too short look foward to all being there for the week next year.  As you guys said the wind was a little hampering on deer movement especially and combined with warm daytime and evening temps the bucks were shut down....we did see one real nice 8pt (about 20" wide) walking the roads of the park at night...my dad saw another 6pt that was real heavy horned offered no shot...and Sean saw two bucks the last day that were out of range....all in all it was a great week...It took a little longer than last year to find the heavy sign but the scrapes and big rubs (found a few in one corner on trees the size of telephone poles) were there and in the end i would say we saw around 70-80 deer between the three of us but were holding out for some of the larger bucks we had located....as usual they had different plans       but all in all was a great trip and am looking foward to doing it again next year!

Again if you ever end up driving out this way billy send up a shout and we will get out and do some shooting or time willing get in the woods and chase some deer

Hackbow it was great swapping stories around the fire cant wait to do it for a week hopefully we get a little bit better weather next year.  If your ever in Jersey give a shout.

See you guys at camp next time!

[Billy]

Pete,Sean and Randy...
Glad to have seen you there.
Hurry up October; we'll do it all over again!!
Hope your trip back was smooth...talk atcha soon....

[Hackbow]

Thanks for the report Pete. It was good meeting your Dad and seeing you and Sean again. It sounds like you guys are really getting to know the spots well and will be connecting on some of the big boys soon. I'll have another chance down there around Christmas when we visit my wife's family.

As next year gets closer, I'd like to have at least one big get together where we can have a meal and swap stories.

[John Scifres]

I didn't get a lot of hunting pics but here is one with the little kids:

  That's Emily (12), james (11), and Laine (7).

And one of the big kids:
 
That's Bill Kellums, John Scifres, and Darren Shue.

[Billy]

That first group was a joy to be around...
the second group; well look at them.. :D  
what a crew            
Glad to have been part of it !!