The 'SOLANA GAMES' have begun!!!

[FerretWYO]

Originally posted by Bisch:
Congrats on the doe Gregg!!!!!! Randy, what happened to you is why I cannot make myself aim under them. I just never know which one is gonna jump the string and which one is not (Disclaimer: I also have never hunted those wired deer at the Solana Ranch either!!!!).

Come on with some more guys!!!!

Bisch

I have seen the evidence of it working first hand. So I figured I should stick with what I seen work.  

[Izzy]

Awesome story telling folks and congrats again even though Ive already given you all man hugs and high fives every time you brought a critter back to base.

         Paul, if I could have gotten someone to film that Three Stooges routine with the hog, it would have gone viral on the web. I have to tell you all, the total sum of events that night made one of the coolest hunts Ive ever had. It was great, but then.........., the next hunt came.  

[gregg dudley]

After seeing Bisch shoot I figure those Texas deer just stand there and take it. They figure there is nothing they can do but give up the ghost.

[Izzy]

I think there are some other folks who put some meat on the pole who have yet to tell a tale in the sequence of what critter came in first so Ill just sit back and enjoy these tales before I tell mine.

      Im still trying to put everything together in my head and wondering if it all really happened the way it did, seems like a distant dream already with snow blowing out the window as I type.    

[Mudd]

Every year this has been one thread NOT to miss and this year's is no exception.

Thanks to all who make it happen for us.

God bless,Mudd

[Rob DiStefano]

to say these texas whitetails are "wired" is an understatement - they're plumb spooky, and anything can happen, as gregg just related with his 180 degree "flip flop" deer.

after my session at the road tripod the day before, the next morning david put me up a tree and over a feeder.  it buzzed off at 7am and within minutes a good sized doe materialized out of the bush, danced around the far outer edges of my shootin' hole but never came closer than 30 yards.  she seemed big time nervous and wary and when a pair of 4pts showed up she lit out.

these spindle rack bucks also stayed outside of the feeder, too far away for my shooting comfort zone.  they milled around, didn't really feed much, and then HE showed up ... a Beauty of an 8pt ... with a dark 'n' thick regal rack.  

this bad boy swung to the left of the feeder and grazed the corn but he was covered by the hanging foliage of my tree stand.  he inched closer.  his head was in full view.  the heart races as i apply pressure to the bowstring.  i see his shoulder, his head goes down to feed, i come to full draw, my eyes still reveling in that big dark rack, waiting for his next step and for me to see The Spot, and then ..............

... the dang coyotes started singing their fool heads off in the woods off to the left ... in one smooth motion the 3 bucks picked up their heads, ears and tails stood up tall, swirled around and high tailed it to the next county,

buck-darn-it.  my biggest heartbreak of the hunt.  oh well.

[dragonheart]

Texas deer are a whole other species when is come to being "on edge" and it sounds like the Solana Ranch ones have a heavy dose of "on edge" LOL.  Rob, and all of the hunters thanks for sharing the hunting adventure with us.

[Bill Turner]

Your right "Dragonheart" about the Solana deer being on edge. Funny thing is these deer are not overhunted. The last hunt on this ranch was early December. Also had one in November and October but no group as big as ours. Hard to figure why they are so spooky but they are for sure.

Dang Rob!!!! Those coyotes did you in on that hunt.

And Gregg - Thanks for the compliment but I am quite sure that there were several shooters far better than me in that group!

Waiting for.....The rest of the Story!

Bisch

[dragonheart]

Rob,

Curious which bow in your stable you took on the hunt?  The mohawk, Hill?

[DW]

Great stories so far and some very good ones to come!
Skyler and I have some tales and a lot of plcs too add but I..m at a Trade Show in Ohio so it will be a few days.....Skyler will be around tonight I think.

As usual the group was great. We could not wait each day to return and hear each others stories.
I made some new friends and Cemented others to be stronger.......more later

[FerretWYO]

The next morning had me sitting in the same stand Izzy was in the night before.  Before daylight the critter were walking and I was looking for the sun. Only saw one deer that morning, a little six. Robert was a little discouraged; you will not find guides that work harder for you than these four men.   Having been I guide before I know the challenges they face.  He was thinking constantly about how to put each of us on a good buck.  That evening brought a couple of does in.
With a wind switch in the morning new stands were opening up though.  As we traveled the roads dropping everyone off here and there we got to one stand and Robert looked at me and says it’s a little high.  He was not joking. I got up in the dark hooked up and waited.  
   
I could see one deer just in front of me not paying the feed any attention.  Right about daylight I heard footsteps and from the brush came two bucks. I could tell one was a good deer and he had a slight limp in the front end. As they came in they were joined by another smaller buck.  I looked the biggest one over. Knowing the conditions were tough I decided if given the opportunity I would try to take this buck.  He was not huge but a deer I would be happy with.  It seems sometimes the longest part of a hunt is once you decide to take a shot and waiting for the shot to present itself.  This buck walked away from the feeder and back multiple times staying out of range.  Then he circled to chase the smaller buck away and came right to me.

In this picture the deer was standing just to the left of the prickly pear in the lower part of the frame facing to the right.
 

     I leaned out using my harness to hold me drew and again aimed a little low.  On release he ducked and spun into me just slightly.  My arrow entered high right behind the shoulder angling down steep. I felt fairly confident the shot was good even though I did not see him fall.  The longer you wait the more nervous one gets hoping what he thinks he saw was good. I was no different. Some good friends and Robert kept me in the positive thinking.  I sent Robert a message to let him know. He wrote back just as excited.  
Once we got everyone picked up we went back to my stand. I am glad we had Jack with us since he likes to take pictures I am sure you will see more of this moment later.  Robert asks me if I want to put Taz on the track.  Now I am a working dog fan and I honestly believe the tracking dogs of Solana are as much a part of the experience as the wildlife themselves.  Taz showed his skills three years ago when I got my first buck at Solana on a 200 yard track with sparse blood after the first 20 yards.  I knew this deer would be found with his help.  Because of the angle of the shot there was very little blood trail.  Robert worked Taz on the leash where he stood at the shot and instantly Taz was ready.  With the wind against him he circled back and methodically worked out the track.  Within five minutes Robert showed me the GPS receiver was showing treed and a deer that had traveled 150+ yards and would have been very tough to recover without him, Taz was on my deer.  
   
   
 
I am hoping that Jack and Izzy have one of the group with this deer. I don’t seem to have gotten one of those on my camera.

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally posted by dragonheart:
Rob,

Curious which bow in your stable you took on the hunt?  The mohawk, Hill?

64" sparrowhawk t/d, 52#@29"

[dragonheart]

Cool deal.

[snakebit40]

[Greg Szalewski]

Sounds like a great hunt. Congrats to all.

[cacciatore]

Congrats to all for a great reunion and hunt.
Way to go Randy!  

Congrats, again, on your buck, Randy!!!!!!

Bisch

[House]

Congrats to all...I love reading this thread every year!...Someday...

Travis

[Izzy]

Here you go buddy, hows that?