OFFICIAL 2013 SOLANA RANCH HUNT THREAD

[BDann]

Here's another real trophy from the hunt!
 
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I saw this cool T-shirt hanging on the bed long after Gregg left for the airport. You'll notice that he was wearing this shirt in one of the previous photos. I thoroughly scanned the bunkhouse for that pimptacular hat/jacket combo, but no luck there.  He also remembered to pick up the awesome Randall knife from the nightstand.    

[Bowhunter4life]

I love this thread, so much happens that you have no real idea has happened even while you are there...  Just not enough time in the day to convey it all...

Congrats to all so far!

Back to my miss adventures...  Thursday morning hunt was a great stand I've hunted before.  Randy, it is the one you shot your buck out of on the 2008-2009 hunt.  Nice ladder stand with a well covered lane to the feeder about 25 yards away to the left, with another lane directly in front of me with a 10-15 yard shot there.  Now we are planning on looking for my gutshot buck from the night before after this hunt so I'm not looking for a buck deer on this hunt as I may have one down already...

First deer into the feeder is a good 8 point that must have had his antlers injured in velvet as the G2 on the left side had a big knot coming off the base of the main beam and the point went straight out the back level with the ground.  Unique to say the least.  Does and yearlings filed in, probably 8 or 9 total deer now feeding... Then I see antlers first coming in from in front of me.  Very good 10 point with no broken points enters the scene.  Reminds me a lot of your 9 point Randy...  A few minutes later I hear the twang of the barbed wire fence behind me and a great 8 point walks into the scene maybe 10 yards to the left of my stand... very wide, very heavy, and very tall.  Main beams were the only thing this guy was lacking.  Old deer, easily a shooter as were either of the other two bucks below me...  I did draw on all three at one point or another during their stint under me, but with a buck possibly down I never loosed an arrow.  Was more preserving this stand for another hunter to get a clean sit and possibly shoot one of these very good/great bucks.

Robert came and picked me up, and we headed over to the scene from last night.  Upon looking at the scene, there was no sign on the ground in any direction.  With Roberts experience from this location we did a grid search of the area with no luck finding my buck...  He may turn up, but the duration of the rest of the hunt we didn't see any buzzards forming.  I also hunted two more sits in this same area.  One from the same stand Thursday evening with does and yearlings seen and the hogs from up above came in late.  Took a shot at one of the hogs in the dark, sparks flew off a rock and after being picked up found the arrow and it was clean...

Disappointing to say the least, but Robert gave me the go ahead to shoot another buck if given the chance.  So, I was still Buck hunting...

[gregg dudley]

I left half of my worldly possessions in the bunkhouse when I packed to go.  I packed in a hurry because I knew Conny had to drive all the way to Louisianna and I didn't want to hold him up.  One TBOF shirt is a small ransom to pay for the return of all the other stuff that you guys brought me at the airport.    :D

[bornagainbowhunter]

The hunting was great, the food was awesome, but the people made the trip.  Some traits just don't show up in posts.

Wither its the wise cracks from Dudley, the passion Terry has for making all feel welcome and have a good time, the enthusiam the Bisch has, the desire for perfcetion Gary has, Brian's suble but very comical sense of humor, or the many other traits these guys had...you just can't describe it.  I can think back about every person I met.  They all have an outstanding attribute that defines them, but at the same time, we all have like passions, like hunger for the chase, and the desire to see your fellow bowhunter excel.

[Terry Green]

Originally posted by gregg dudley:


CLick the picture to play the video.

       

Anyone who didn't watch this one till the end really missed out....hearing Gregg talk about it was REAL....not any of that 'studio made up after the fact stuff'.....you can tell from the trembling tremors of his voice how pumped he was.  Really cool Gregg....really cool!!!!!

[Bowhunter4life]

As said earlier, Friday morning it rained like a cow relieving itself on a flat rock... Most stayed in camp, but a few did make it out into ground blinds...  I was one of the former...  Well needed sleep was a blessing.

Got to shoot with some other members while we prepped for the afternoon hunt.  Soda cans, water bottles, 3D deer, nothing was safe...

Afternoon hunt was still drizzling, but not the downpour we had in the AM.  I found myself in another stand that I had never seen on the ranch.  Very nice setup with a tripod stuck into thick cover.  Feeder was about 25 yards away in a small opening in thick cover.  Wind was in my face, all looking good...

Again Roberts truck was still in hearing distance when I saw movement straight out in front of me.  2 does a button buck and a small 4 point came off the ridge in front of me and started feeding on the corn Robert had dispensed before leaving.  Another 2 does, and 2 yearlings worked into the area about the time the feeder went off the first time.  All fed until the feeder went off the second time.  Right after that another small 4 point came into the area, along with a good 8 point with a broken G3 on the right hand side... tall, heavy, but narrow... probably right at the ears inside.  They all milled around, and the two 4 points sparred a little.  The 8 point worked right over to me, less then 15 yards, drew on him several times but never dropped the string.  

Right around a half hour before dark, I had several pigs work into the area and all the deer worked out...  There was one hog that had obviously been shot previously as he was dragging his hind legs from about mid body back.  Didn't slow him down in the least.  Eating and pulling himself around with his front legs.  Since the deer were out of the area I went into pig shooting mode.  There was a 80 pound or so silver male that had my interest.  Eventually he moved into position broadside to partially quartering away at 15 - 17 yards.  Drew down and burned a hole in the pocket and let the arrow loose.  At the shot, he jumped forward and away from me and my arrow went right between his front legs less then an inch under his chest!

Kicking myself again for the missed shot I waited alone in the rain until Robert arrived to pick me up after dark...  Arrow confirmed what I had saw and was clean sticking in the dirt...

[gregg dudley]

Thanks, Terry!  

[Bowhunter4life]

Saturday morning found me in a box blind a few hundred yards from the tripod stand I'd sit in the first evening and Thursday evening where I'd shot the buck.  Before the sun was completely up I could see forms of deer out in front of me nibbling on the feed Robert had dispensed.  The sun finally rose, and there were 8 does and yearlings out there, a small 8 point and a smaller 6 point out there feeding.

Now, I haven't moved within this blind, and the deer eventually fed right up to it... but, every single one of them was facing the blind and every few seconds one of them popped their head up and looked right into the shooting hole I was watching through.  It was then I noticed they were all formed in a semi-circle facing straight at the blind I was in... obviously they have been there when someone else had hunted there and probably took a shot...  

So, no shots taken Sat morning, but 10 deer seen...  As said before, no buzzards gathered that may be pointing me to my poorly hit buck from the first night...

[Bowhunter4life]

Saturday evening I found myself in another stand that I have never seen...  500 or 600 yards away from the stand I shot my 11 pt. buck out of on the 2008-2009 hunt.  Rather open area, with the ladder stand tucked nicely in the cover along a tall ridge where when I look to my right I was almost eye level with the terrain.

Ten or fifteen minutes after being dropped off a doe and two button bucks walk right out from under my stand.  Obviously came through the thick cover to my left and right out into the feeder.  When the feeder went off they didn't even really move a muscle...  Shortly after the feeder went off, a good 8 point walked out of the thicket to my left and up to the feeder.  He never got into my shooting lane to offer a shot, but was fun to watch.  Another doe and button buck came in from my left also.  All feed their fill through both of the feeder sprays.  

About 20 minutes before the sun went down I hear pigs up on the flat to my right.  25 or 30 hogs moved through the thicket to my right not offering a shot...  

Quite a few animals seen, but no shots taken.

[gregg dudley]

Originally posted by BDann:
Here's another real trophy from the hunt!
 
[/url] [/IMG]  

I saw this cool T-shirt hanging on the bed long after Gregg left for the airport. You'll notice that he was wearing this shirt in one of the previous photos. I thoroughly scanned the bunkhouse for that pimptacular hat/jacket combo, but no luck there.  He also remembered to pick up the awesome Randall knife from the nightstand.      

Please visit the Traditional Bowhunters of Florida facebook page and "like" us!  Thanks for the advertisement, Brian...  

[katman]

So there I was Saturday night in the carpet blind with 5 bucks easing into the corn. 2 shooter 8 pts, one wide but not to tall the other tall but not wide, but both with good mass and body structure. Others were a 6 pt, 4 pt and spike. They all acted nervous twitching around, jumping out 10-15 yards for no apparent reason then easing back to the corn. Had the wide eight 22 yds slight quarter away and put tension on the string, heck they all bounced out again. Slowly they worked in and the wide 8 came back to the same spot. Ok there's the shot draw, anchor aim low. I had practiced at home aiming off the body but it is sure hard to do in real time, just don't feel right. Anyway picked a rock about 3 inches below chest behind front leg and let her fly. Shot looked good, slightly right but correct elevation. BUT THIS SOLANO BUCK DID NOT READ THE SCRIPT. He stood still and I watched the arrow fly under his chest. What the heck? All bounded off and watched the empty feeder site until dark. My bad for not reading the deer correctly. Quartering away, head down feeding, easy to second guess but I listened to many who shot over these deer.

Sat the same feeder the next morning but in a tripod since the wind had changed but the 2 8's did not return but had several small deer to watch. Just before pickup time I hear a soft purr and cluck, heck its a tom coming in from behind left, Ok here we go, he needed about 5 yards to clear the brush but spooked at the sound of the guides truck coming to pick me up. Oh well exciting for a minute. Here is a pick right before I got down. And the live oak limb the tom needed to clear.
   

I learned lot about these deer and will be better prepared for my next foray in reading the deers attitude. Sometimes I think its a guessing game but playing the odds I will be aiming low, how low depends. All in all a great experience with some wonderful people, not a bad apple in the bunch. If I could get a translator I would have enjoyed David's, guide, jokes more. Do not know what language he uses, but he sure had us rolling and  belly sore from laughing a couple nights at diner.

Thanks a bunch guys for a truly wonderful time. And a very special thanks to T for making ALL this happen.
Gery

[Izzy]

You dont need to know what Davids saying, its just a riot hearing him talk.  

[leatherneck]

Sounds like fun was had by all. Congrats to all who harvested and told their tale. I lost track of who killed what!lol

[bornagainbowhunter]

I don't recall anyone telling the story of a very stylish and graceful decent...

It was like poetry in motion.  Any chance we could get a first hand story?

[katman]

Where is lowcountry archer?

[Terry Green]

Originally posted by leatherneck:
 I lost track of who killed what!lol

It aint over....more tales to be told......

[Terry Green]

Wednsday night was a 'no shot' for me....waiting for a bigger buck, like I would the rest of the hunt...but then the stories unfolded under the pavilion and around the diner table....if you haven't experienced a group hunt diner storie telling....well.....you need too.  Hard to find one with a character like David Shepperd interjecting his TX humor and wit!!!!  As Katmat said one night 'PRICELESS'!!!!  Yes, again, he is worth the price of admission.

Anyhow, the next morning everyone was up at at em....ready to go for our 1st 'dawn hunt'.  I was taken to the far end of the Rumsey field.  Last time I was there we let my dad out and we ran off two big boars that afternoon at his stand....

I was further toward the end of the field just in the woods at a corner, and I was expecting action to say the least.....and I got it.

Before the feeder went off, I had a young 6 pointer with longhorns and now brow tines....he fed a bit till the feeder went off and he bolted a safe distance awaiting the feeder to stop spinning....but seconds later, he bolted again for good.....here they came.....

[gregg dudley]

Steak night!

 

Getting to ride in the truck with Rob was a treat.  Rob keeps the tradgang technology trucking along and he is a lot of fun to be around.

 

 

 

 

 

The guides:

 

[gregg dudley]

 

 

 

 

[Terry Green]

NO mistake....I was getting BUM RUSHED by a herd of hogs......

They just PILED IN ....with no fear of ANYTHING.....

Bad Mistake!!!

There was a few bigger ones, and a bigger spotted one, but I know too well what can happen around hogs the longer you wait....wind change, or one smells your track, or where your knee drug across a limb....

Soon as I got a shot I wanted...I let it rip with the virgin Lost Creek NAT I had chosen for that mornings hunt.....I'd shot ONE practice arrow 'spot on' in front of Jeff Berberick at some 20 plus yards or so...and I turned to him and said..."I'm done"....so this was the 2nd arrow out of that bow....

PERFECT!!!.....or so that's the sceen I saw that was etched in my mind...and he bolted forward about 10 yards and stopped completely out of sight behind a cedar for about 5 seconds, then reversed travel across the field behind the feeder paralleling me to the right still toting the arrow.....

With the 9 inch flo yellow wrap, I could plainly see there was plenty of penetration, and placement was as I thought.....

Here's a view of the stand....