Joan Leonard Memorial Bunny Hunt.....Last Years(06) (Teaser)!!!

[Guru]

A few more from day 1....

 


 


3 of my buddies......Mr. Leonard,Joe Skipp,and Huntrdfk...

 


The "huntmaster" .......

 

More later....

[Wapiti Chaser]

A big Thanks again to Shawn and Family. Without all of there hard work this would not be possible. It's incredible if you think about the beginnings of this hunt. Three years ago eight of us got together to have a Bunny Hunt hosted by Meathook. Fast forward three years and it's a two day hunt that has raised over $1600.00 for St Judes and countless friendships have been formed. Shawn I know the story you want to tell. When I went to tell my wife I got all choked up. All I can say is what Larry did was perfect and I'm sure will stay with you the rest of your life. A lot more memories were made this year. When I held the Little Delta Bow I could feel the history. I was unbelievable !!! The second arrow I shot from the LDB wentright through the the hole in the IRON ARROW MUNCHER. I also hunted with it Saturday am and drove a Judo into a small tree that jumped in front of the rabbit I shot at.
I would have hunted with it all weekend but passed it on after my shot. I hope all that wanted a chance to hunt with it got to. I also want to Thank Curt for the arrow he made and I won in the Raffle. It is now hanging proudly next to Ferret arrow. I wish I had a chance to meet everybody but the weekend flew by ! I also can't remember names (just ask Curt) but Thanks to all. Oh ya Aram your son has the drive to hunt !!! He didn't want to quit. I think we will hear many stories about him in the future. Tom, Sonny and I got home about 10 pm. We made good time until we were almost home and drove into the snow.  Now there's no wind and about three inches of snow on the ground what a day to go rabbit hunting  !!

[southpawshooter]

Whew,,,,,,,,,what a great time.  This has become more than just a hunt, it is a very recognizable event on a grand scale.  The friendships and memories from this will last a lifetime.

There is no way to say Thank You enough to Shawn and his family for hosting this event, but Shawn, thank you from the bottom of all our hearts.

[Huntrdfk]

Wow!  What a great time.  Shawn, Mr Leonard, Cindy, thank you once again. What you do to welcome all of us into your lives is simply an amazing thing, and we are all richer for it.  The friendships that I have made from this hunt, including yours, never would have happened without your generosity. Thank you again.

As for the hunt, it was cold, it was tough and I am beat, but what a great hunt it was. We were like a bunch of kids when those first rabbits were shot, what with all the hooting and hollering going on. How cool was that?  I was right near Tom when he shot that rabbit between the eyes, that was so cool.  Not five minutes later, standing in the same spot another rabbit ran the gauntlet, coming so close to Tom and I that we couldn't shoot, he tried to kick it as it went by!  Aram's son Ru was amazing.  He is simply a hunting machine, never stopping.  You can hunt with me anytime Ru, and I am sure a lot of people that watched you feel the same.

I need a break, coffee's done and I need one bad.....got home last night just after ten and prmptly fell asleep on the couch, crawled into bed at 1230 and just got up at 8:45!

David

[Huntrdfk]

Here are a couple of pics of guys climbing out at the end of a push.  Jeff(Tippit) told me that this was the thickest place he had ever seen, this push was probably 250-300 yards long, and it was all like this.....now you now why we were physically beat..

First one is of Greg and Curt making their way out..

 

Second is of four more trying to find their way out...

 

It was brutal in there!

David

[Guru]

The start of day 2....

 
 


After that push David is talking about...

 

 Like "Tdog" said earlier,the way Shawn hunts has changed the way some guys think about how they hunted for rabbits.They were just walking,looking for rabbits.This hunt has opened a lot of eyes about how rabbits should be hunted.Don't get me wrong,there's a lot of rabbits....but without us getttin' right in with them,we wouldn't see half of what we see.it's brutal,but it's worth it!!!

This is the future of our sport, Ruo(I think that's how it's spelled),son of "Aram".He was unbelieveable,he hunted,pushed,shot,and busted brush right along side the best of us.He's smart,loves to make his own archery eguipment(his father Aram is a very talanted bowyer),and has a lust for hunting that is unbelievable.He's a throw back to the old days.So few kids,these days have what he has.He was a very deserving recipient of a few gifts.A vest and a hand muff from me,and an unbelieveably nice back quiver from Keith Deters.He's the kind of kid ya just can't do enough for,and he truely deserves and appreciates it.
Here he is with the LDB.....He got a shot at a bunny with it too.....The future of bowhunting, holding a part of history....

 


Shawns Dad waking from his nap in back of the truck......

 


Waiting to load up...Tippit,Woodchucker,and Jeremy....

 

[Keith Deters]

What a fantastic weekend.  Shawn and all of his family are the most gracious of hosts.  This hunt would be nothing without them. My thanks go out to you all.

It was great to see old friends and meet new.  You're all a tough bunch and it was my pleasure to hunt beside you all.

The highlight of the weekend for me was a special moment between two great friends that I won't soon forget.  Shawn will have to tell that story though, you won't be disappointed.

Here's to next year,  may it come quickly.

[swampbuck]

Mornin folks      

Let me start with a BIG THANK YOU !! to Shawn and his faimly for hosting this event.What started as 8 of us gettin together has grown into a truely special event that is not only great for all of us but a FUN fundraiser for St Judes..1100 this yr 500 last...thats sweeeeeeet....Thanks to all that donated to this worth while cause.

Bob and I made great time on the way home last night just under 4 hr,s without hitting snow till we got to our neck of the woods.I only managed to get off 1 quick shot at a full bore runnin bunny but had a blast just the same.I'm sure Sonny my beagle had a great time too even though I'll be pickin burrs out of him for several more days.He got bloodied up same as some of the rest of us going thru the #(@#$@$&*@(!@* multi flora rose which there seems to be an over abundance of LOL.

It's actually hard to figure out where to start besides the obvious that I did cause we had such a good time....My legs are whipped my hands cut up even thru leather gloves LOL I'm quite sure I'll be popin burrs for a few days outta me as well as the dog...took a couple outta my face last night and can feel some in my head still...excellent time by all.....

Ru,(sp??)Ya made my weekend the way ya got right in there it's great to see that in a young man these days and if 1 of your shots woulda connected OOOOOOO BOYYYY that would been sweet! Lookin forward to huntin with you again someday ya done real real good.

Again THANK YOU to EVERYBODY for the memoeries that will last a life time...to coin a fraze(sp LOL) "priceless"

[joe skipp]

Good afternoon....Still picking thorns from my hands and nursing my left eye. Talk about tough stands of briars to push through! Shawn, Cindy and "Pop", THANK YOU ALL FOR A TERRIFIC WEEKEND    It was great seeing old friends and shaking the hands of new ones.
I'll try to post some pics later. The brutal cold on Sat didn't slow anyone down and the 4 rabbits taken that day was amazing, especially with the winds. I was extremely happy to shoot the LDB since I didn't get drawn to hunt with it. What a piece of history! Thanks 4Nolz...I even missed a rabbit with it...I would have arrowed him but the sun was in my eye, the briars were tugging at my bow arm....nose running...etc...ya get the idea. I just flat out missed!
Dave...that plan you and I worked out on the moose hunt...I'll be calling Lisa tonight and after that, Chuck probably will have to back out!! Also Dave..we have to stop getting caught in all those briars together, did ya notice Jeremy watching from above....rumors could start flying.."Briarback Mountain"...Talk to ya all later!

[Huntrdfk]

"Briarback Mountain"...I love you man, but I ain't going there Joe!

Chuck isn't going to like this one bit!    

David

[Jeremy]

I was watching for bunnies!!  I finally broke through that tangle and was hoping you'd push some out!

I can't thank Shawn and his family enough for inviting us all out for a weekend and putting on an AWESOME hunt!!!  It was great to see old friends and meet some new guys, finally putting some faces to the names I've been seeing!

The conditions Saturday were brutal, but worth it!  I'm still digging thorns out of my hands and arms, those pics still don't show how THICK some of those patches are!!

My boss isn't at work today, so I'm calling it a day to go home and get some much needed rest - I'm beat!

[Shawn Leonard]

Ok guys Thanks for all the compliments. I know there is a lot of hunting stories to tell and a lot more pics. and such to be added but I am gonna tell a very special story of how this began and what it has become. I started this hunt 3 years ago as just that a hunt. It now has become much more, it has become a "Gathering" a gathering of friends and family and of a bunch of Damn good bunny hunters. Two years ago we decided to start a raffle to benefit the kids, this was only made possible due to my Mom. If it was not for her we would not have this great Gathering. You see whern I approached dad about the first hunt he said "Ask the boss"!! So I asked my Mom if we could hold the hunt from their house and reluctantly she said Yes. She bitched the whole month leading up to the hunt but when it arrived and she got to meet all the great people, she told me you have to do this every year, "It was great having everyone here"! So last year I decided with her OK, to make it a two day hunt. That brings me to my first of many stories. At that first two day hunt a very special person showed up to hunt with us and offered up a beautiful knife for the raffle table. It was a pressure locking knife made out of antler and I do believe a saw blade(Correct me if I am wrong). It turns out everyone there wanted that knife but only one person was lucky enough to win it!(It wasn't me). Well unbeknownest to me, my Mom asked this guy to make me one of these knives and offered to pay for it. I in turn just happened to give this person a couple sets of deer horns from deer I had taken that season. Well the time passed and I had basically forgotten about the horns and the knife and had no clue about my Moms request when Saturday morning this guy shows up with his son and presents me with one of his knives and not only that but it was made from one of my antlers. This may not seem like a real emotional thing but he also presented me with a letter explaining what I just described and the conversation between he and my Mom. You do not know how much this means to me and no words can desribe how it makes me feel and I want to Say Thankyou to this very special person Mr. Larry Raynes(LAR43). Larry, I Love Ya man!! As I said you will never know what it means to me and my family!!! Thanks again!!! I will be back with some more later!! OOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHH YEAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

[Aram]

Mr. Leonard, Shawn, "C" thank you all for your hospitality. This was soooo much more than I had pictured. As for Ru, I don't see him getting happier than that. You guys did really work magic on him: he's starting a lot of sentences with "Next year...."
 

Ru really appreciated the gifts, the camaraderie and the encouragement he received over the weekend. I was happy to see the admiration he had for Mr. Leonard and the bond that was forming between them. He also received a pair of camo coveralls from Mr. Leonard. That, along with the vest and hand muff from Curt, and the beautiful basket quiver from Keith... don't know if we've met a more generous, well wishing "gang".

      :rolleyes:  Ru will turn thirteen in two days   :rolleyes:   , I know that no celebration will top the memories of this hunt and of the people he met. Thank you all!!!   ...............................           ..........................................

Thank you Jeremy also for the bamboo laminations. I was thinking on the way home: what a thoughtful gift, more than I can just keep to myself. I'll post some pictures when I get the bow going and you and I will have to come up with a worthy purpose for it.    
Maybe Ru is onto something: "Next year............"

[Guru]

This is "The Man",Mr. Larry Raynes, "LAR43". A man I am very proud to call my friend.I too last year was a proud recipient of a beautiful friction folder from larry that I put to good use .....

 

Larry brought me to tears when he did what he did for Shawn.It was a moment I was glad to witness.I've been saving these pix till Shawn told his story.

Here's "The Man",that we've all come to love.....

 

 

With his son Gregg, another guy I'm proud to call my friend.Out of the same mold as dad......


 

 

[Shawn Leonard]

Thnakyou, Curt!! OOOHHHHHH YEAHHHHHHHHHHH!!! Shawn

[JC]

WOW, not only a cool hunt, but one heck of a heart touching story there guys....thanks for lettin us in on it. Tip of my hat to ya Mr. Raynes.    And another for all you who donated for such a worthy cause.

[Bill Curlis]

Larry is the real deal. A real class act.

[LeeNY @work]

Shawn, I'd like to thank you and your wife for a wonderful time. As always your dad is still a hoot to hunt with. It was really nice meeting old friends and meeting new ones.
1100.00 dollars for the kids at St. Judes was wonderful.
I had an outstanding time saw more bunnies than I've seen in a long time, even got to shoot at one. On the one drive saw the same bunnie 4 times. Swampbuck's dog Sonny did an out stand job of keeping the rabbits circling.

Can't wait till next year already.

I just don't want to go to Briarback Mountain!!!!  

[bjk]

Bill, we missed ya Pal...and I'll step up, as well...Larry is first rate.

A bunch of good guys with some great donations and talent...alot of good times were had and memories made...man, what fun!

[recurver]

Yes Mr. Raynes you are in deed a CLASS ACT.


Bryan