2013 KennyM lease hunt part 2

[Mudd]

Man! Charlie I'm super elated that was no apparent serious physical damage.

I will be sure to Thank God for your complete healing without much residual soreness.

Take care Charlie, at our age we don't bounce or bounce back the same way we did 40 or 50 years ago.

God bless,Mudd

[RC]

Enjoy following this thread and I`m glad you are ok Charlie. Its a blessing to have that happen and walk away. after a near fall a few years ago I almost gave up the tree stands for good. Things such as this makes me think about that often. keep it coming .RC

[ksbowman]

Charlie, I know what you mean about the falls! They are not as much fun as they are cracked up to be! Thanks God you didn't get hurt bad. Stay safe buddy.

[Cyclic-Rivers]

After Our morning hunt and checking out the new area, we headed back to the cabin to meet Charlie and Camp Mate Tom Porter who arrived while we were enjoying the aforementioned Cheese and Bear Sausage.

Tom is a great guy and I felt lucky to share camp with such proven hunters.  I would share camp with Tom in a heart beat. His humor was much appreciated.

[Cyclic-Rivers]

A quick trip after lunch to the feild to hang the ladder stand for Charlie and a lock on stand for me. We then drove around the South Farm to help Tom find a spot. It didnt take long and we were set to go back to the woods.

I headed back to the North Farm to sit in my new Found tree stand.  Tom couldnt have picked a better tree for it.  I would sit in this stand undetected by deer all week.  Immediately after setting the stand, we found what was left of a shed antler immediately below it.  I was thinking, "Good Omen".  When I showed Charlie L.  He said, "Good Omen".

At approximately 4 pm I saw a good young 8 point buck.  I ma not great at estimateing antler size but would put him at about 100 inches.  A deer I would be satisfied with any day.

He was about 60 yards and had no interest in my grunting. I was hoping he would venture over for a snack under a large dropping white oak situated 23 yards from me.  Deer sign below this tree was pretty heavy.

To no avail, after about 10 minutes he browsed off.  This would not be the last time we cross paths.....

[Cyclic-Rivers]

After another hour or so, a Covey of quail came in on the wing.  I heard the flutter and saw one bird land. after a few minutes, it was evident there was about 8-10 birds.

If you can look close you can see a bird here:

 

While I was focussed on the Quail, I heard a deer 20 yards behind me on the origional trail I dicovered.  It was directly Downwind from me.  I am not sure if it was spooked by the Camera Flash or my scent but it didnt like something.

This young Fork Horn circled me several times trying to find me before venturing off.  He was within 15 yards the whole time but never could find the source of his disdain.  I texted Charlie to tell him the news and he simply replied, "KILL SOMETHING".

[Cyclic-Rivers]

The next morning it was a beautiful 30 Degrees but would warm up to 60.

I sat all morning, entertained by Squirrels.

I told Charlie L. (my ride) I would meet him at the truck at 10:00 unless deer came through.  at 9:57 am, a doe and Fawn walked 15 yards down the same trail the fork horn was travelling.  I let them go, the fawn probably would have been OK but It was really early in the week and I was seeing deer, so they would get the pass.

I arrived at Charlie's Truck at 10:30 where he was patiently waiting for me.

[Cyclic-Rivers]

At Lunch I decided to go with my Dad, Charlie J Sr. to go and find  a new spot.  The stand he had been sitting in, called the bobcat stand was producing but we wanted to see the farm.

We headed up to the South lease and Immediately were into sign.

1 gound blind was built and his tree stand was hung in a great spot.  

His stand was in an area that was next to what Kenny Called "Wooly".  It was thick and we figured deer were bedding in there.  It was 100 yards off the feild and deer were funneling through this area and munchng on Acorns.

There was a couple Bur oaks dropping and also a lot of Pin Oaks.  This area had no shortage of sign including a Sign post rub and the ground was tore up.

It was amazing the difference in Acorns.

 

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Here is the sign post rub:

 

and next to a larger Cedar tree:

 

You can see how the ground is Tore up from recent activity.

 

 

Here is the Stand in a pin oak. Catching them as they would follow around a drainage.

I told My dad 2 deer would die from this stand.  I was almost right!

 

He was into Turkeys almost every sit as well.

[bowhunterfrompast]

Glad to hear you were not seriously hurt, you are very lucky.

[South MS Bowhunter]

Charlie, Thank the Good Lord you were not hurt other than pride and soreness!  Please be careful  

[just_a_hunter]

This is a great thread.

I am enjoying the scenery and great pics.

Glad you landed in a soft spot Charlie L.!

Todd

[Cyclic-Rivers]

That afternoon, I went back to the Omen stand.  approximately 3 PM a yearling deer came crashing past me.  There was no slowing it down.  It was moving out of a cut corn feild from the north and headed to the double draw I was watching to the south.  Honestly I cant even tell you where it went, I looked at its back trail to see what the fuss was about.  

I was hoping a buck would be coming but no luck.

I think after talking with the Deer Master Kenny M. It was a Button buck that had just been chased off by Momma.

I had seen 2 more does browsing around at about 60 Yards but neither wanted anything to do with me.

Just before Dark,  I caught movement off to my right.  It was headed my way.

I was sitting on a  flat inbetween the 2 draws that connected to the south.  This place had so much sign it seemed as if there wasnt much of a pattern.  Deer went where they felt.  If any deer was on the flat with me, I had a good Chance for a shot.

This one was on a course toward the white oak tree at 23 yards.  It wasnt in a rush which gave my heart a chance to calm back down a bit.

I was standing, Bow in hand, at the ready for the perfect opportunity....

[Charlie Lamb]

I'm just sitting here watching Charlie's tale unfold and enjoying every word.
I'll jump back in after an hour or so. The last couple of days have been a whirlwind of activity. Some good and some not so good.

I really appreciate the concern and good wishes from my brothers and sisters here. It's powerful stuff!

Went to the Dr. Monday and had Xrays done of my lower back. Nothing real serious. Mostly just bruising and no fractures.
I praise God for His continued protection. There have been times in my life when I think I have been a full time job for Him.

I'm on rest, inactivity, ice packs, steroids, muscle relaxers and pain killers. So my ambition for writing (and having a clear thought) comes and goes.

I hope this section of the story proves to be a lesson for everyone out there who climbs a tree to hunt.
I was serious when I said I don't hunt without a fall restraint. Can't remember the last time I didn't use one.

So this one time I chose to not worry about it and what happened? I don't know what the odds are on this event. Probably like winning the lottery.
Take it from an old bowhunter. HOOK UP! I was just lucky!  

Now get on with the story Charlie.

[Izzy]

I've sat on the ground due to forgetting my harness more times than I can recall.I won't let my sons near a tree without a harness, I even have schooled them to look up for widow makers when sitting on the ground. Glad you are the OK Charlie. Had a couple falls from wooden stands as a lad and learned good from the second.

[adkmountainken]

well Mr. Lamb i for one KNOW i have been pushing my luck as i have a dozen or so tree stands that those exact cables are rusted/frayed and it takes something like this to really hit home! i will be taking ALL stands down after season and will only use TWO now that i know are safe.

[WildmanSC]

Charlie,  

Keep resting and taking your meds.  The Lord's hand was upon you and I pray He will continue to provde healing.  Our old bodies can hardly handle a stubbing of the toe, let alone a fall from 16' up a tree and landing face down!        Actually, the limbs you felt hitting you on the way down slowed you down a bit and lessoned the force of your impact.  Praise the Lord!

Bill

[woodchucker]

I know EXACTLY how you feel Charilie!!!!!  :(

Years ago when I fell,I was about 25,fresh out of the Marines, Solid as steel & twice as tough!!! So I thought.....

When the old wooden platform gave out from under me,my instincts kicked in to when the Corp sent me up to Fort Bragg to the Army Ranger's Jump School... "Hit & Roll!!!"

Well, I HIT!!!!! Feet... Knees..... FACE!!!!

I lay there in the swamp with my face in the mud, for a LONG TIME!!!!! My knees were KILLING me, and I was SURE I had broke something besides my nose!!! After awhile,I rolled over..... Everything moved, and things were looking better. After a couple,few hours, I was able to stand. With some work,and alot of PAIN, I was able to walk. It was a LONG and PAINFULL walk out of the woods!!!!!

You're a VERY Lucky Man, Charlie!!!!!!!!!!

Somebody,(besides us!) Loves you VERY MUCH!!!!!  

[Cyclic-Rivers]

So this Mature doe is working her way toward me.  She is at 20 yards.  I waited and waited for a closer shot and perfect shot angle.

She appeared to have the fur on her back ruffled a bit and I pondered whether this was the doe I seen a day earlier with the fawn and if the deer that came crashing past a few hours earlier was her fawn she chased off.

She wasnt eating much just slowly walking and assessing the area. She was smelling every twig and tree she passed.

After what seemed like hours but probably 20 minutes she gave me as good of a chance I would get.

I eased the bow into Position. There she was Perfectly Broadside and 18 Yards.  I slowly drew back and held at Anchor.

In my mind I was picking a spot.  I focussed hard behind her shoulder.  I just remember Hearing a loud Crack and never seeing my arrow.  

I watched her bound a few times and then circled safely out around 35-40 Yards.  I could not see blood on her side and she seemed to be fine.  She desperately was looking to find the source of Disruption.  eventually she walked off and it was much too dark to see.

After climbing Down I retreived my arrow.  It was laying 3 feet in front of where she was standing. It was clean minus the Missouri Mud on the broadhead.  I not only missed, I wasnt even Close.

The only thing I could figure was that the string hit my Safety harness. I was wearing it somewhat incorrectly and had a strap I usually tucked in accross my chest.  Sometime during the evening it had worked loose and was hangu=ing there. At the end of teh day, It was me failing to check equipment and failing to make the shot.

It was my Fault and the Doe thanks me for it!

[Cyclic-Rivers]

The next Morning I went back to the same stand.  

Even though we had not figured a general pattern for deer in this spot, we felt it was only a matter of time before something would get killed here.

Every time the wind blew, I had an Osage tree behind me dropping Hedge Balls. They would land with a Thump and every single time, I would turn thinking a deer stomped, busting me.  It didnt matter how many fell, I was tricked every time.  We just dont have these things where I am from.

The wind was out of the west again and this spot was great for that wind direction.

Just as it was getting light, I watched a doe filter out of the cut corn feild.  She doubled back and went up the draw on neighboring property.  This stand was about 60 yards from the feild but I could see well into it.

I was watching that direction hoping to see a buck working the edge of the feild in this secluded corner.

I watched another young deer in the gully to the west of me feeding on acorns that had accumulated in the bottom of the ditch.  She eventually browsed off.

After a little while I watched a small buck feeding on my flat, but he never came closer than 40 yards. He, like the rest was not interested in my grunt tube. Eventually he would feed off the same direction as the yound doe.

About an hour before I climbed down, I watched parts of a deer moving along the brushy edge of the corn feild back up another brush draw.

This was the end of Deer sightings.

I need to add, every morning and afternoon, I was gifted with the serenade of Owls hooting to each other.  They were close, and it was something you could not only hear but close enough to feel.