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A near perfect weekend in the woods!

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#1 ·
shooter22
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Posts: 479
(11/6/01 1:22:27 am)
Reply | Edit | Del All A near perfect weekend in the woods!
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My annual handicapped hunt sponsored by the Corps of Engineers of Stockton State Park was another near perfect weekend. Friday we packed most of the day all our goods for what would be a weekend of hard living. Hard!, yeah, right! We made up camp with our tent and cots with 12" foam covered by comfortable sleeping bags. Once camp was set up, 1187SF(shotgunner) made one of his patented camp fires. Just after sunset was the darkest part of the night. Sitting near the fire we heard deer all around us grunting and snorting. We obviously were invading their space. Too bad for them, we were going to stay. We sat there with fire-poking sticks in hand, trying to place the logs in the perfect position. It is strange how two people sitting on opposite sides of the fire have differing views as to what is a perfect position for a certain log. As the last log was nearing its last breath of oxygen to burn, we retired to the tent to get that power sleep before the hunt in the morning. 1187 falls asleep as soon as his head hits the pillows. Me, I am just a but more on the psyched up side. I fiddled and twitched all night. I managed to look at the clock at least twice every hour. As the alarm struck 3:00 am, I was jarred out of my total sleep that consisted of about 2 hours. We dressed and then drove to the meeting place for the hunt. Breakfast was served and the hunting stand locations were handed out.

We headed to the stand before the break of dawn. Quietly we gathered up all our gear and set up for the excitement to come. I was in a corner blind looking over a heavily wooded valley and creek. Shooting lanes were to say the least narrow. Unfortunately, the wind was at our backs for the morning. We saw deer, but only after they had winded us, and had taken flight with tails held high. We went back to deer camp to request a location change. We spent the afternoon watching another patch of woods with no luck. Just shortly before dark, we moved back to our original stand. The wind had died down and the light was perfect. With the mornings of heavy fog, the leaves and the rest of the woods were amazingly quiet. You could not even hear the squirrels moving. Finally, 1187 and I decided to call to get some action. He started with a buck call, I followed with a doe, then a fawn in distress. We followed this with a series of similar calls, then waited. Very shortly after, a nice doe comes crashing through the woods. She was in such a hurry she never noticed us. I blew the fawn call once more and she turned and come back our direction. 1187 could barely see her through the binoculars. I turned down the power on my scope and started searching. Finally, I spotted her butt. I located a good opening just near the kill zone. I gently squeezed the trigger and down she went. This was the first time that I have seen a deer go down in the scope with the 300 win mag. Usually it bucks me hard and I lose sight. I had just managed to make a 120 yard shot through a cantelope sized hole in the woods. We checked her in and she went 100lbs field dressed.

That night we ate quick and made a small fire and went to bed about 8:00pm. I never twitched, moved, or anything till 3:00 am. Man, that felt good, probably the best night sleep I have had in years. Up at 3 to do it all over again. New day, different stand. The wind was more in my favor this morning. We sat and watched a small spike cross to our right. He finally worked his way completely around us, to a position just 25 feet to my left. My brother spotted him and he helped my get turned over the next 30 minutes. Every time the deer put his head down I turned a bit. After about 45 minutes of this the deer had played with us enough, he snorted and took off like a Rosie O'Donnel was after him. I waited about a couple hours and decided to eat my lunch. I was munching on an apple, and Pepsi, and Dave was doing cookies and Dr.Pepper. He looks in the woods to our left and says man that's a big squirrel. Oh, wait, its got horns. I have still got my apple in my mouth and the deer is walking out of my line of sight. Dave finally blows his grunt call and the deer stops. I am now out of position. I have to put the 300 win mag on my biceps and hang out the stand to my left to see the deer. I pulled the trigger and the gun spun me around something terrible. I asked Dave, "did I get'em?" "Yep, He said. Dave said that he jumped about ten feet in the air. He waited a few minutes and went to look for blood. He walked about for a while looking for blood. He could not find any. So he started a circular pattern. After about 80 yards he found a small patch of blood. He follower it and found the deer down near the water in a thick brush pile. I was afraid that I might have missed the deer, because it was quartered away and I had to aim back to get the vitals. Once again, shooting through small holes in the forest. He dragged the deer to the trailer and back to camp we went. He field dressed 20 lbs heavier than the doe. His rack was a small 5 point. I realized a long time ago that this state park hunt his not about trophies, but helping control deer populations. With that in mind, I am more than happy with my weekend. It was spent with some very special people and will always be a special time in my life. I have made some good friends there. Much like the friends that I have made here. I posted our address for those interested and hope that some might join our group.

It was much like a weekend in August. A weekend spent with great people, doing what god had designed us to do.. hunting, bonding, helping our fellow man, and learning to respect nature and wildlife. I can not begin to say how blessed I am, to have the kind of people in my life that I have.

I thank you all for being a major part of my life. Good friends sure make life easier going.

There will be deer sticks at the shoot in the spring or summer.

shooter22


twins
V.I.P. Member
Posts: 137
(11/6/01 2:10:34 am)
Reply | Edit | Del A near perfect weekend in the woods!
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Congrats on the successful hunt. Making me jealous, shoting a deer and using a rifle to boot AND getting to go camping at the same time!

I finally used up the film in the camera and got it developed. I will have to find a way to hurry up the techs doing the warranty work on my pc so I can post from home and get the pictures from Stockton on line.

Thanks for the story Kevin, always a pleasure!

Bob In St Louis
Senior Chief Moderator Staff
Posts: 1299
(11/6/01 8:17:55 am)
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Good going Kevin! Sounds like you will have some good eats. It may be about population control for the deer, but it also benefits the belly!
Crusty Cruffler of Fine Spanish Pistols - Eibar Rules!

LIKTOSHOOT
Senior Chief Moderator Staff
Posts: 2724
(11/6/01 8:33:53 am)
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Congrats 22, I`ll take those kinda deer.....any day. LTS
America, we are the symbol of Freedom and Liberty......

shooter45 us
*Senior Chief Moderator*
Posts: 1003
(11/6/01 8:36:00 am)
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Congrats on a successful hunt. Great story.

tuckerd1
Moderator
Posts: 683
(11/6/01 9:15:40 am)
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The weekend sounded PERFECT to me!

ruffitt
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Posts: 484
(11/6/01 11:24:02 am)
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ezSupporter
Re: A near perfect weekend in the woods!
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Durn Blast you Kevin!!! Ya done went an got me all fired up fer shootin one'a them there eatin sized venison tastin critters,but I gotta wait another 9 days. Our season dosen't open til the l5th. I'll be goinup on the 13th to check things out and make sure the camp is fit for habitation and the firewood is all stacked in the wood shed.

Congrats on your success,I know of no better way to have your spirits lifted than to have a successful hunt. Makes all the misery of life worth it dosen't it?

Regards
RuffItt

HerbyJr
V.I.P. Member
Posts: 156
(11/7/01 11:40:33 am)
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Kevin, Great story...thanks for sharing!
You are getting me all excited about my upcoming hunts. I hope to be as successful as you.


H.

warpig883
Moderator
Posts: 1030
(11/7/01 12:20:43 pm)
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Congrats on your hunt. You also have me all fird up to go. Me and a friend are heading for western South Dakota on the 13th.
I am not happy unless I am miserable

kdubaz
Senior Chief Moderator Staff
Posts: 765
(11/7/01 11:55:47 pm)
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Well, you're one up on me 22 - (or, does the doe count as two?)

Glad to hear you had such a good time and enjoyed yourself!

I'm off to New Mexico this coming Monday for a mule deer hunt on the 14th. Hope to do better that the whitetail hunt here in Ariz. It's awfully dry and warm out here, so the hunting isn't the best.
Keep below the ridgeline!

gpostal
Senior Chief Moderator Staff
Posts: 1112
(11/8/01 2:37:56 pm)
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congratulation shooter ,sounded liked fun ,nicely written story too

the real fredneck
Moderator
Posts: 479
(11/8/01 2:48:24 pm)
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Congratulations shooter, sounds like a great weekend

cointoss 2
Moderator
Posts: 80
(11/8/01 10:27:50 pm)
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ezSupporter
Re: A near perfect weekend in the woods!
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Shooter, sounds like it was just what the doctor ordered: stay in tent, male bond and shoot deer. Unless maybe you can get hotchie mamas in camp, He! He! Seriously, glad you got your deer.
cointoss2

reedbuster
V.I.P. Forum Host
Posts: 314
(11/9/01 12:05:47 am)
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Good Job SHOOTER, Sounds more like a perfect weekend to me. Congrats!
Browning-The Best There Is.

Zigzag2
Senior Chief Moderator Staff
Posts: 1376
(11/9/01 8:18:35 am)
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my sentiments are the same... Congrats on your hunt, and sharing it with us!

Zig

BGH228
Member
Posts: 3
(11/23/01 3:16:33 am)
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ezSupporter
Re: A near perfect weekend in the woods!
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Once again congrats and thanX for sharing it with us!








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SXSMAN
V.I.P. Member
Posts: 208
(11/23/01 7:31:54 pm)
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Damn,I gotta check this forum more often.Another nice story.Thanks for not making me
cry this time.


Ima Miscreant

Chairman
Member
Posts: 1
(2/8/02 12:09:04 am)
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Hey, Shooter22 & Ruffitt! I made it here! Thanks for the invite - I'll be back.... (No, that's not an Arnold impression) hehehe

Great story, Shooter. I got skunked this year :p

shooter22
*TFF Staff*
Posts: 896
(2/8/02 5:23:33 pm)
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Welcome chairman, Glad you found the place. Feel free to join in at any time. Most of the guys here are normal, the rest we keep fairly heavily medicated.


kdub01
*TFF Senior Staff*
Posts: 232
(2/8/02 11:13:49 pm)
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Puddum-up, puddum-up! (Snort, wheeze!) I'll fight ya' with one hand behind my back! No, I'll put both hands behind my back!

Oh, sorry - ! That was the Wizard in Oz - not the Chairman!!

Welcome, Chair - stick around and commune with us saner (Hmmmmmm.......) folks here on the board. Watch out for LTS - he's allus lookin' fer someone ta' BITE 'em!!!!!!

Chairman
Member
Posts: 4
(2/9/02 10:41:58 pm)
Reply | Edit | Del I told you...
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...I'd be back.

Thanks for the welcome.

I'll be seein' y'all around the forum. I'm gonna go check'em out, now.




Page 1 2
shooter22
*TFF Staff*
Posts: 904
(2/9/02 11:42:23 pm)
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The door is always open. Good to have you here.


ruffitt
*TFF Senior Staff*
Posts: 712
(2/10/02 9:23:24 am)
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ezSupporter
Re: A near perfect weekend in the woods!
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Yeah Rick, don't be gone too long.
RuffItt
 
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