Lurkers campfire and deer hunt.

[rice]

I confess, I am a lurker. Don't talk much so I guess that carries over to my internet too. I do have a little story to tell, so if your interested, pull up a chair around the old campfire and I will try and spin a little tale. If I can remember how to make these photos work  
http://s307.photobucket.com/user/CKRADA/media/recurve%20buck%202013/640firepit2013.jpg.html" target="_blank">http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn301/CKRADA/recurve%20buck%202013/640firepit2013.jpg" border="0" alt="Happy campfire photo 640firepit2013.jpg"/>

[rice]

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn301/CKRADA/recurve%20buck%202013/640firepit2013.jpg
Maybe here it is?

[rice]

http://s307.photobucket.com/user/CKRADA/media/recurve%20buck%202013/640firepit2013.jpg.html
testing, testing!

[rice]

will read up on it and try again later.

[Whip]

You're close on the photos.  Just copy and paste the IMG info from Photobucket.  Like this.
 

img code.  copy then paste to to your post.

[Whip]

Now on with the story   :cool:    

[rice]

Ok:
 
Hope this works this time.

[katman]

Those coals are in need of a dutch oven badly, as well as some marshmallows.    

[rice]

Hea what do you know?
Like I said, I have done a lot of reading on here and very little story telling. I have done a few when I had a story to tell. Trad gang has been a lot of fun for me over the years and I even got to hunt on one of the Jan. hunts in Texas with the group and had a ball. Thanks Trad Gang!

I have had a pretty good year this year and have seen a lot of little bucks (we have an 8 point minimum on our club) I saw a couple of good "shooter" deer, but no good shots on them, and very few Does. I had passed on a couple of Doe early in October,since they had young twin fawns with them. But in November, I have not been able to buy a shot at a Doe.
I took off the middle of Nov and hunted for several days. Lots of chasing, lots of Doe and buck sightings, but not any shots. Until late in the week, when this finally happened.

 

Whoops, got to go home.
See I have been reading and learning from you pros!

[katman]

 
You have learned to well.       Congrats.

[Mudd]

[4dogs]

   

[edge2009]

Man how I hate commercial breaks!

[rice]

Well, I am back. Using lap top at home so may be a little slow, and spelling may suffer.

Anyway, I had rocked along not getting any shots, on Nov. 6-10 I was able to hunt, and saw some good deer but again no shots. Weather was to be cold and wet so went back to work on 11 - 12, then back to camp for the rest of the week.

I have a stand that is in a dry creek in an open pasture. Trees are pretty thin along the creek, pasture on both sides. You get the picture I hope because I didn't take one.
The stand was in an elm. A 15 foot ladder stand, it was hid pretty good. Its a rut stand, it connects a big oak ridge to a big creek and runs across a 300 acre pasture. On Nov. 7 the wind was right so I hunted it that morning. Man what a show, had a big 10 point come through at 30 yards but he was running so no shot, I then had a small 6 come right under the stand followed 30 minutes later by a fat forky. More importantly I had 6 Doe and 2 fawn come by right across the creek but to far. But a good sign for later sits.

[rice]

Like I said, the weather got, cold, wet, and windy so I went home and came back on the 12th. The next morning I got up in that same tree, in the dark. Something didn't look right, but I strapped in and waited for the light. When the sun came up I realized half the elm leaves where gone. The wind came up with the sun, and by 8:00 am all the rest of the leaves had fallen off the tree. Not good, had a Doe and a forky come down the trail and both pegged me. I probably looked like a popsickle on a stick  
Now what I going to do? Well, ladder stands are easy to move and across the trail was a small red oak that still had its leaves, so long story short, my buddy David and I moved it during lunch.
Only had a black and white camera with me so the picture is a little primitive, but it looked something like this:
 
 
I decided to hunt it that night, and am glad I did, exciting stuff brothers!

Have to take a break for dinner, be back soon!
Oh! My processor wanted me to try what he calls deer bacon, so the deer pictured above was turned into chicken fried steaks and 4 tubes of deer bacon. Taste kind of like spam, but better!!!
 
Bone a petteat! That's all the French I know  

[rice]

I'm back, That evening I got up in the stand around 3:00 pm. The action started early! 5 doe and 3 fawn cut across the creek to my left, followed by a small 6 point. They moved down the creek straight across from me and a good 8 point came boiling over the hill across the open pasture. He ran off the 6 point, and then chased the Doe over the hill. I was shaking like a possum, well you know  
It was quiet for an hour or so, when I heard dogs barking, pretty soon I had 15 deer run behind my stand. one was a huge ivory horned 8 point. They ran off into the pasture to my left. Not long after 3 Australian shepards ran up through. Thought that might be it but I wasn't leaving, just in case.
30 minutes later, here came a single Doe followed by that buck, and I got set.

[elknutz]

Keep going!  Your good at Pictionary aren't you.    

[Duncan]

You have been studying the Tradgang pros for sure.

   

[rice]

Well, I am going to finish this up now, not real good at long drawn out stories. Tomorrow I have to travel to Thanksgiving dinner, and the next day its back to the lease for 3 days, so here goes:
The buck and Doe crossed out of range and out of my life. It was heck of a night in Gods good creation. back to the campfire and my buddies.
The next morning was another glorious day in the stand! A nice ten point was coming in down wind of me. Now, you may not believe this next part but if I'm lie en I'm die en. But 30 years ago I started dipping snuff to quit smoking. it worked, but although I have quit dipping snuff 10 times, I still can't shake the habit, so I was spitting below my stand. That buck bee lined straight under my stand and started sniffing the snuff. Unfortunately, he turned and walked back the way he came.
30 minutes later, 5 Doe came right to left, on the trail that would come right in front of my stand. All they had to do was go a little more to the left for me to shoot. I put tension on the string and waited.