Couldn't happen to a nicer guy!

[Roughcountry]

Good stuff Charlie      

[kennym]

Keep up the good work Charlie, can't wait to see ya!

[Charlie Lamb]

There came a time in my strength training That I figured I'd take a bow down to the river and see if shooting a fish was possible.

It's been a strange year here with the river spilling over into the flood plain for most of the summer.
It damaged a lot of crops and even displaced deer and other critter to higher ground.
The mosquitoes are numerous, small, and vicious. I foresee getting a lot of use out of my Thermocell this year.

In the past I'd be knocking off piles of the little gar that frequent my favorite bowfishing spot.
   

Not this year though. I've seen more Silver carp than anything. It doesn't matter much to me what fish I'm shooting as long as the action is steady.

I've got this little Duane Jessop relflex/deflex bow of 55# that Mike Sohm at Magnus had made for me a few years back.
I found that after some tentative shots (halfassed attempts)I finally settled in and started making meat.
   

It was very encouraging and I spent several mornings shooting fish before the heat of the day came on... it's been nasty hot this summer and I'm glad the spell has finally broken.

[JamesV]

gettin old aint for wimps

[Irish]

Charlie, when Terry gets up here, let me know.  I would love to meet up with you two.  Lunch is on me.

[Charlie Lamb]

Encouraged by the success on the water, I have upped my practice sessions in both duration and number of times a day.

I had found that I had some initial weakness in my bow drawing muscles but they responded quickly to the practice sessions.
What concerned me most was the lack of control in my fingers.
Just to hold the string I've been forced into using a deeper grip on the string than what I normally use.
Not only that but  when at full draw my drawing fingers quickly lose strength starting with my ring finger... once it gives, the arrow is going whether I'm ready or not.

I'm sure that all of this can be remedied by continued shooting and strengthening of my fingers.
For now it is forcing me to shoot much quicker than I like and that just won't do. Call me a control freak if you will.

I will use a two arrow group shot from 30 yards to measure the progress of my accuracy. Here is today's "group".
   

I'll post pics every couple of days. As you can see, I need to work on it. I was surprised that although not right where I wanted the shots to go, at least there is consistency.

[Kenneth]

Very good reading so far!!  Wish you all the best this season Charlie!  Looking forward to some great hunting stories.

[Charlie Lamb]

This morning was nice and cool and with all of my commitments to wife, family and everyone else that seems to want a piece of my time, satisfied, I headed over to the new property to have a look around.

I was very interested in the area that I'd been told was the thickest on the whole farm. I headed there straight away.
With everything lush and green, I would be looking for ANY deer sign I could find. I'd be paying extra special attention to rubs made in years past and any obvious heavily used trails.

As I expected I found a well used trail on the predominately downwind side of the "thicket" and just within it's fringes.
These were spotted along it's course.
   
   
   

[Charlie Lamb]

That's the kind of trail I was looking for and I'll be keeping an eye out for more as well as watching for this years rubs to show up.

I put my little Bushnell Trophy Cam along the trail just to see what might be using it.

As usual I had my GPS turned on and tucked into the pocket of my bibs. By entering each rub as a waypoint, I will have a real good idea how it relates to other sign as I find it.
I've used the GPS for many years now to plot trails on my hunting grounds. In time I will have plotted every noticeable trail on the place and what sign is associated with them.
It sure beats relying on my memory.

I was also paying close attention to how the wind was blowing in the different areas I passed through. That's one thing that the GPS can't help with and just another very good reason to have a compass in your pocket.
   

Along the way I spent a good deal of time looking up into the trees trying to locate any white oaks  that I could. The ones I did find weren't showing any acorns either hanging in their branches or on the ground underneath.
That's a little disappointing, but I'll keep looking and will surely find a producing tree or two.... deer will home in on the white oaks when they start dropping and it's good information to have.

The woods seem to be predominately red oak. They aren't as popular as the white oaks, but the deer will eat them up as other preferred food sources dwindle.
   

Note the brown leaf on the right hand side of the picture. That's a red oak leaf... easily identified by the "pointy" lobes. White oaks have rounded lobes.

By ten thirty my back was starting to talk to me and I still had a healthy hill to scale between me and the truck.
As I made my way in that direction I spotted a sign that I used to ignore, but learned to pay attention to a long time ago.
   

It's pretty hard to tell how old that stand is, but it's been there a VERY long time. And no, I don't use them when I find them... can you say, "death trap"?
What I have learned is to not discount what an earlier hunter may have known. When you find fresh sign near one of these relics, you are looking at a historical area of deer movement.
Something to count on.

[kennym]

   

[rastaman]

[Charlie Lamb]

Mel... we keep in touch as that time gets closer. I know T is wrapped up in work and stuff at the moment and I'm still focused on September.... just can't seem to think that far ahead anymore.
   
It's gonna be right at the middle of October. I'll let you know.

Don't know how we ever made it through all those Texas Sweat's without hunting together. I think I've been robbed.

[Steve O]

I swear, anybody that  TRIES to tell a story like Charlie Lamb needs to be put on probation!

Looking forward to the rest of the story from the master    

Glad you are feeling better.

[Missouri CK]

I can almost feel that enthusiasm coming through the monitor.  Great to see things starting to turn the right direction for you buddy.  I've enjoyed seeing those bows that went with the rehab process.  That was neat!

Like most here on Trad Gang I've always enjoyed reading Lambs stories, but the thing I have been intrigued by the most is watching this guy dissect a new property.  It has taught me a lot and it is a pleasure to be the fly on the wall and just watch.  

Looking forward to more.

P.S. THANK GOODNESS FOR THOSE CHIROPRACTORS AND PHYSICAL THERAPIST!      :D   Actually in this case the orthopedic surgeons.

The guys you need to watch are the ones that work in those electrical labs.  Those guys are a bunch of fruit loops   :cool:

[Charlie Lamb]

Chris... looks like I'll be up that way this weekend. Gonna have to knuckle Porter's head. He's gotten all cocky after his bear and boar successes.
     

It would sure help if I had the quiver inserts for this bow... which will be coming with me.
   

[Charlie Lamb]

Worked on my map this morning. Added yesterdays information.
   

I'm already seeing a relationship between the trail with the rubs and the waypoint named "Maple". Also have another spot in particular that I want to check out next trip... tomorrow.

Forgot to mention above that I did find a scrape yesterday. I'll be paying close attention to that spot as it's central to the other sign I've found so far.

[smiley]

great story Charlie  

[jhg]

... no need to go over on that hillside it's so thick you can't move in there. (duly noted and I will be going in there)...[/QB]

Classic!

[kbetts]

This is the stuff you can't possibly learn from someone that hasn't "walked the walk".  
This could possibly be my favorite thread yet, and by the time it's over, I'm sure it will be.  Good for you Mr. Lamb.  If you can get yourself in front of that deer, there's not a 'ganger on here that doubts your deal closing ability.

[Guru]

Great stuff buddy...nobody does it better