The Joan Leonard Memorial Bunny Hunt 2008 (FINAL THANKYOU!!)

[Stone Knife]

Good idea Joe, I better say some things just in case this thread gets locked. Thanks to Shawn and his family for doing such a fine job, the work load must be unbelievable but the organization is fantastic. This hunt is such a blast, it gives me a chance to get away and just have a good time hunting and carry on with a great group of people but all the while it is for the good of children that really need some help. Thanks to every one.

[adkmountainken]

many, many thanks to Shawn and family for all the hard work, you are a giant among men my friend! this is by far the BEST hunt and time i have had. it is so nice meeting all the poeple that one talks to on Tradgang. words can not express how much fun i had and what that hunt ment to me.

[Tim Kosteczko]

bbassi, thanks for posting some pictures, i am really glad that emily likes her new bow. When i first won the bow i didn't know what to do with it, i knew it was a beautiful bow that should be shot and in the hands of someone that would appreciate it. that night in the hotel i tried to think of someone that would know what they had with a bow such as that. however, i was unable to come up with anyone, when i  started asking around i am glad you were sitting next to me as we stuffed our faces with all the DELICIOUS food.
 
I know i was successful in finding someone that will appreciate the bow. The bow gets what it deserves and someone who deserves the bow gets it.
Congrats Emily and ENJOY!

[LAR43]

Tim's post is what this weekend is all about. The bunnies just make it a lot more fun!!

My right knee & hip are lettin' me down & walkin' is downright painful, but I won't miss bein' there! No matter what.
Shawn, you know how I feel about you & your family.

Thanks all!

Larry & Greg

[Keith Deters]

Brent,

Tell Emily to be carefull in the woods with her new bow, especially if she plans on wearing that hat she has on in the first pic outside......

[Shawn Leonard]

I am gonna leave her up a bit longer in hopes Curt and Kathy finish some things up. I kno wthey are busy and Curt is feeling lousy but I would love to hear a lil' more form the two!! OOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH YEAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! Shawn

[Killdeer]

I do have some more pics and video, but this mail count has me working long days. My step-mom is going to have a procedure done today at the hospital and I will need to check in on her and dad tonight.

Shoot, why not let us prattle for a year?  :confused:  
Killdeer

[Guru]

.....where was I?

 Since we'd lost so many hunters and it was later than we figured, Shawn decided to stay close to the house and hunt a couple small pieces close by.
 First we'd head across the road and do the "kids hunt". The drivers went one way and us sitters went another. Shawn said "com'om Curt, let's get on that corner". That's the corner where I'd filmed young Adam sling arrows at 5 different bunny's as they ran by us to escape the drivers. I remember I could see Gary and Timmy K. to my right, and Tom "swampbuck" to my immediate left,and Shawn was over there somewhere too.

 We got ready for what we hoped would be another good push. This is when the "prophet swampbuck"  spoke....

....."how cool would it be if you break your jinx and kill your first JLMBH bunny, which would make it #17(break the record for the most), and do it all with Miss Faith".......

"Man that would be real cool bud, and I'd also have an arrow for 'Whip'". Joe Lash had asked me for an arrow for one of his St. Judes arrow boards....

...And we heard the drive begin.......

[Killdeer]

I was back up at the top, watching a bunny sneak back to the first brushpile. It started getting noisy down there at the bottom...

Killdeer  

[Huntrdfk]

I hadn't gone 15 yards into the push when the first bunny broke out in front of me, and I let out the all familiar "Bunnyyyyyyyyyyy"..........


David

[Huntrdfk]

HEY KEN,

I know what you did........        


Thank you.


David

[Aram]

 
I could hear the commotion come down the line. Then saw the bunny... Chris to my right shot and missed... I swang, shot and missed, the bunny headed towards Tim K. and decided to come out of the brush and cross the path right between Tim and his father.     That was one brave bunny: took on a team I sure wouldn't want to mess with. After all the commotion stopped I saw the bunny safe, unscathed and headed for the next county... Too bad.  :(   I was already late for my return home but I had to stay just to help break last years record. One can't hang around Shawn and not be inspired to keep going.  

[Aram]

AS the drivers passed me I got to watch. And I'm glad I did. Curt's hustle and endzone dive would have been worth filming.    
So, did he score?  :confused:

[Tim Kosteczko]

Aram is rite on the money with that analysis, that sure was one brave bunny, i heard killdeer yell "BUNNY", watched chris line up and fire, saw aram let one go, i see the rabbit coming my way get ready and manage to keep the tradition of the weekend going by having another near miss. next like aram said it turned to come across the trail we were on headed straight on with dad.

What is funny about this part was when we set up dad showed me a distinct bunny trail coming out of the brush, he decided to set up on that trail. he even stayed on the opposite side of the trail to get better shot in case a bunny did come out there.

as luck would have it the plan worked to perfection...except for the part where the arrow flew between the charging bunnies ears as it ran by at six inches completely unscathed. still gotta love when a plan ALMOST works.
             

[mcgroundstalker]

And to think, I missed all this last of light bunny action cause I was back at my truck a-scared    of the dark!

This Bunny Hunt Is The Best Trad Event Of The Year! Thank You Shawn and Family!

... mike ...    ...

[adkmountainken]

David,
    don't know what yout talking about man!  

[drewsbow]

I do   :rolleyes:    :rolleyes:

[Killdeer]

Somebody gonna tell me?  :confused:  

Killdeer~the story of my life!

[Guru]

.....your input is appreciated.....it was cool getting to see all this happening to my right, especially the bunny squirting between Gary and Timmy       , as I kept an eye peeled for anything coming my way. Then I saw one hopping toward me from my right,looking to cross in front of me. At first I thought it would try to cross the trail as the other bunny between Gary and Timmy did, but this one stayed in the brush and was closing fast as I readied for what I hoped would be another opportunity for Miss Faith.  
 
   I readied for the on-the-run crossing shot at about 10yds....as I swung about to start my draw....I still can't believe this happened...it stopped!  I drew and shot in one smooth motion and my arrow hit with the sound I'd been waiting to hear for almost 5 yrs.....a crunching thud!

  As I exclaimed...."I got'um!!!!",I immediately started to go after him,and as soon as I did he took off!!!  What happened next I can only describe as pure adrenalin! I dropped Miss faith and  started bulldozing everything in my path,there was no way this bunny was getting away!
The best way I can describe(and how I descibed it to Terry on the phone) is that I went after that bunny like he just stole my wallet!

He was running with my arrow sticking out of his head!

After about 10yds in I lunged at him and grabbed the arrow and he came off the other end! No way...I lowered my head and crashed in some more and could feel things biting into my face but it didn't slow me down a bit! After about 5 more yds I caught up to him and quickly dispatched it with my gloved hand......I had my bunny!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 I picked him up and came out to Tom bleeding a bit from the side of my face,but just ecstatic!!

 I'd finally killed a JLMBH bunny,it was the record #17, I had an arrow for Whip, and I'd done it all with Miss Faith!!!!!!

 And some of my best bunny hunting buddies were right there to share it with me. I still feel as proud of that bunny as any critter I've ever killed anywhere in North America....

 

 

 


  This is my last pic.....

 

[Huntrdfk]

One of the many things that makes gatherings like this what they are, are things like that Ken......good people do good things.

I could hear the yelling down below as I bulled through the brush, but still had no idea what had/or was about to happen........

David