2016 Catch-up Thread...and an apology

[Scott Barr]

Dang.  I was drinking up all your stories.....and then came to the end. Thanks for sharing with us.

[Patknight]

Congratulations ...Too you both!!!

[Guru]

Kansas!

It was finally time to hit the air....I was off to Kansas for my long awaited and needed trip...8 days of hunting with my buddy Tracy(KSTRAPPER)!!!
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I was greeted with a big smile, and big bro hug....and we were off to Tracy's house to drop off gear. Then off to check trail cams...
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Tracy had this cam at one of his newer properties,over a hot scrape...it did not disappoint!
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"Moose"
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"Tank"
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We continued to check cams...
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I decided to just chill for the rest of the day, un-pack, ready gear, and shoot a bit.

One of my new little buddies I made on the trip...
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[Jayrod]

I been waiting on this one!!  

[KAZ]

[Guru]

Checking out "Buck Ridge"...
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Another new property we checked out...
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Sunset over the beans...tomorrow we hunt!
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First morning Tracy and I hit "The Clearing"...the scrapes there were getting hammered...it's one of Tracy's "money spots"...
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Great double set in a cedar,on the edge of a clearing...this stand has produced some big boys over the years for Tracy...
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We saw some does and a nice 2 yr. old 7pt...back home I'd have probably shot him....not here...


After a nice breakfast, we went off to check out a tree for a stand to hunt Moose and Tank...

This is when I was introduce to one of the coolest little kids I've ever been around...Tracy's grandson Tristan...
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Trail cam check mid day in the clearing showed that a buck called "Longbeams" had visited the clearing the evening I arrived...it's where we would have hunted, if the wind was right....longbeams is the deer I really wanted....even though Tracy sent a million pix of deer that were more impressive.....for some reason....in my mind...Longbeams stood out...
He was old, huge in the body, rubbed up back with a wide long beamed, but short tined rack...he was everything I wanted in a Kansas buck... he ruled the area as well...he was Tracy's most photographed deer...I'll tell you now...he's impressive in pix...

in person....well....even more   :eek:  

That afternoon, we would head back to the clearing...no Longbeams...but I think we saw a couple does...

DAY 2...
Morning day two found us in the timber, another money stand called "Buck Ridge". Another great spot that has a tn of history with Tracy and the deer he's seen and taken there...

I was in a ladder stand, Tracy was above me in a hang-on...

The sky had barely started to lighten when Tracy heard something coming...

As it closed I found it thru my Leica's, doe...about 40yds. away...then we heard it....

A low, but loud grunt and some crashing from behind the doe....she took off down the hill to the east behind the stand...and out steps LONGBEAMS!!!

 There he was,30yds. away, Longbeams in the flesh.....after all the pix and talk of this deer....now he's just standing there in all his glory....

I thought for sure he would follow the doe, so I was set to shoot that way.....he grunts and turns to the west....he's gonna walk right in front of me...he's at 20yds. and closing!!!!

Since I was set to shoot behind the stand, as he turned and had closed to about 15yds. and was getting to be broadside....I would have to move a bit to make the shot...

I barely moved my bow to start my draw....

He caught me....I can't fathom how...but he did...gone!!!!!!

Only thing I can figure it it was very low light and my bright feathers kinda glow in that light, and maybe I was a bit lower than I usually hunt....but still....I never doubted it....he was dead....but...bucks like him don't get to be his age by not paying attention!

Surprisingly, I was not too disappointed....it was only morning day 2....it was still early....and it was nice to get my first look at a true Kansas bruiser...Longbeams was everything I thought he would be!

[Buckeye1977]

[23feetupandhappy]

[K.S.TRAPPER]

Here's old LongBeam for reference

 

6.5yr old and pictures don't do him justice.

Tracy

[KAZ]

Ready...      

[Guru]

Evening, day 2...

I would be by myself this afternoon....back in the clearing...

An hour or so before dark, I start to hear walking in the leaves....and after a bit of careful listening, I could tell is was way to steady to be one of the one thousand squirrels that were in this area...deer were coming to the clearing from behind me.

Turned on all the vid cams, kept checking behind me......and could soon make out a doe coming almost straight to me...

As she got closer, I could tell something was behind her.

She stopped at the edge of the clearing to survey the scene....then behind her, I saw a rack!

I eased my bow into my hand as the doe eased out into the clearing, and the buck took her place at the edge checking things out...ten yards away!!!

As soon as I got a good look at him, I knew I had a dilemma.....he was a gorgeous buck, with a beautiful tight, 10 pt frame, decent tines,and a few stickers....would probably be my biggest buck....but....

He was clearly a young buck...no more than 3.5 yrs. old....straight back, thin neck, narrow thru the body and head........I was torn!!!!!

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Over the next hour I watched him chase does around in front of me...closer study thru bino's showed he had 13 pts...
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I came to grips with the fact that although I would have loved to shoot this deer, and would have in a heartbeat about any place else(especially around home)....he just was not the deer I'd come to Kansas for...I waited till pitch black....and walked out...knowing I'd made the right decision,but still second guessing a tiny bit...

Tracy was waiting by the truck....and I couldn't wait to tell him about "Lucky".


The next day we hunted in the morning...then went back to get a stand  up for Tracy's son Tress,in the area we'd scouted yesterday.

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Three generations of Potter men...
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Tristan, Tress, and Tracy...
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That evening I tried the Clearing again...but didn't see much....it was time to give that stand a break....as good as it is....no stand is immune to overhunting....

[Guru]

To keep this thread going, and because I have limited time to write....I'll finish this off in pix...

I will say though.... I had two more encounters with "Longbeams"(one very close), saw several other shooter bucks, and passed up more bucks than anyone deserves over the next few days...


A good rub at "Buck Ridge"...
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An "allday'r at "the Bench" stand...
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[Guru]

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On the second to last day, the morning Tracy shot his massive buck....I shot the only arrow I released at a critter on the trip....I put an arrow thru a beautiful reddish coyote....watched him run off down the ridge. I thought he'd be just out of sight.

After a great morning trying to double up with Tracy (I had Longbeams 100yds behind me just abusing a doe for over an hour) I got down to claim my "prize"....to this day I can't figure it out....but never found the coyote...
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One more day to go...

[Guru]

The morning hunt was slow...I saw some deer, but nothing close...

The last evening, I went back to the Clearing for one last shot....it had sat idle for a few days now....so hopefully things would be good...

But the slow morning, turned into a slow afternoon and evening...

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Before I knew it, and before I was ready for it to be over....the sun set on the last sit of my Kansas hunt...
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[Guru]

The next day was travel day....I day I always dread, and love when my hunts with good friends are over...

Dread, because I have to part ways with special people in my life...and love because I was going back to my loving family, the most important people in my life!

This one was going to be tough...

We had some time to kill before Tracy had to bring me to the airport....so we rode around....then went catfishing at one of Tracy's local spots...Tracy is an expert catfisherman!!!!

We caught several of these...
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But this wasn't about the fish....it was about two good buddies....brothers really coming to the reality that it was almost time to say good bye.

Although neither of us wanted this trip to be over...it was...

We just sat and visited...reeled in some fish that were eating some seriously stinky bait, talked about the great times, talked about the encounters, talked about what we could have done different, talked about "next year"....we just talked....smiled, laughed, and enjoyed the beautiful morning!

[Guru]

To finish this up, I'll copy something here that I wrote and posted on Facebook, from the stand, the last evening hunt of the trip...

"How can 8 days go so fast...my last evening hunt in Kansas! I get choked up as I write this thinking about how two guys that met each other on a trad website(Trad Gang)could possibly become such good friends thousands of miles apart.
 My buddy Tracy has not only shared some of the best whitetail hunting on the planet with me... he's shared his home and his wonderful family.

 Such a good man that been through hell the last few years.. he deserves every bit of good that becomes him! He's like my brother that I never had...I can't ever thank Tracy and Marla enough for all they've done for me...I will miss you all!....#ilovekansas"

Thanks to Trad Gang...I have a few "brothers" now...

[Kopper1013]

Very nice sounds like a wonderful trip. I admire how you can set a goal and pass on beautiful deer that don't meet that goal, while everyone's goals in the woods maybe different sticking to them give you/others integrity, well done.

[glenbo]

Thanks for sharing an outstanding hunting trip. Great details and photographs as we have come to expect from you Curt. When I watched the video of the buck you passed on I questioned your sanity. You have some serious willpower (unlike me). Great hunt!

[Buckeye1977]

Great hunt and story as always! Nothing like a good enjoyable hunt with people who are close to you. To that the harvest is second!

[KAZ]

Well done to all involved, great trip! Thank you for sharing it with us.