Bowman’s Buzz -...

Bowman’s Buzz October 2011

The Official Newsletter of Suburban Whitetail Management of Northern Virginia.

Copyright 2011 Suburban Whitetail Management of Northern Virginia, Inc. 1

Well folks, we sure found the gas pedal this month! We are absolutely stacking deer in October. Nice work! We have outdone September, which was still a great month. What’s even better is that we improved our recovery percentage over September also. We’re still behind the pace we set for October in 2010, but who knows maybe we will catch up between the time I write this and November 1st (we would need about 17 more deer to beat October 2010). It’s doable! This October has been an interesting one for us. Rut activity started way back at the beginning of the month for some deer and seems to still not have hit for other deer. Patterns are shifting and deer activity is heating up in new and different areas. This is consistent with rut predictions which called for a more spread out rut this year. So the moral of the story is, check all your properties frequently in the coming weeks. You never know where or when an explosion of deer activity will hit!

Stackin’ Em!

Profiles, Plans and Placement.....2 Good Eats……………….……...3 Bowhunting Badass…................4 About Character……………….5 Snapshots ……………………..6 DIY Corner ……………………..7 Cringe! …………………………8 Hunt Logs..……………..............9 …of the Month………..............17

Inside this issue>>

A few reminders as we head into prime time … 1) Guarantee your shots. That means frequent

practice, careful shot selection, and, yes, letting deer walk from time to time.

2) Represent SWMNV – be safe, courteous, discrete and professional at all times.

3) Use the planner; coordinate your hunts. This is particularly necessary in the parks where there are so many of us in the same area. Let’s work together instead of against each other.

4) Follow the rules! We have a lot of rules and authorizations to keep straight these days between our DPOP permit, the parks DPOP program, and regular DGIF tags. If you have questions ask and if you’re not sure figure it out before you hunt. Consequences for noncompliance include game violations and jeopardizing SWMNV … we don’t want to go there.

5) Get out often and enjoy yourselves! This is the time of year we have been waiting for!

Texas Lawn Ornaments You know what they say - everything’s bigger in Texas. I can’t imagine they have a bigger deer problem than we do, but the deer they do have in their yards sure are bigger up top! And they make themselves right at home. Check out these pictures of Scott Schuler’s sister’s yard…

Scott counted

more than 100

deer in a 3-block area!


Complete And Update Your Profile

Is your profile up to date on the web site? Check it and see. To be a member in good standing you must have the following: 1) Your name and contact info 2) Your latest hunting license info 3) Emergency contact info 4) Driver’s license and vehicle info 5) A profile photo Check the web site and make sure all of this is up to date. Send your profile photo to Chris Walker and he will update it for you.

To Change Your Password: Change your login password to the website to protect our data. To do so, try to login using an incorrect password. You will see a link to “Request your login information.” Follow the link, enter your email address and you will be sent a temporary password. The login page will prompt you to use that temporary password and create your new one. Your password is totally secure and encrypted. Nobody (not even the system administrators) can see it. So you’re on your own if you forget it! But then again, you could just repeat this process if that happens.

Meat & Bones Kevin Wilson stumbled across this cool picture of a deer carcass that has been sawed in half. It is an interesting real view of where things are located in the deer’s body; not a drawing like we usually see. Take a good look and think about where the dense areas of meat are and where bones can be when the deer is turned or positioned in different ways. Or just think about how to butcher your next deer more efficiently! This one certainly looks well aged and delicious … I’m getting hungry.

Hunt Planner Made Easy Use the online hunt planner to avoid conflict and supplement communication with your fellow SWMNV hunters. Here’s how to use it: 1) Click the “+” nearest to the time slot you want to hunt. 2) For the Brief Description enter the name of the property 3) For the Full Description enter your name on the first line, hit enter 4) On the second line of the Full Description, list where on the property

you will be (ie:“ladder by garage”). Add other comments if necessary. 5) Update day and time if necessary. Set the Duration on the last line

(hours and minutes are separate). Click Save. That’s it! Following these 5 easy steps keeps the planner free of clutter and makes the property immediately visible with more details available just by hovering your mouse over the property name.

1 2

3 4

5


Deer Shepherd’s Pie I’ll be honest – this is not a quick or easy dish. But it is awesome! My advice – make a whole lot and freeze it. You’ll be jonesing for it after a long cold day on stand. Ingredients: • Venison – ham, shoulder or neck, cut into ½” cubes • Potatoes • Beer (a spicy dark one, like a Christmas stout) • Mushrooms (chopped into ¼” chunks) • Onions (chopped into ¼” cubes) • Carrots (chopped into ¼” cubes) • Garlic (3-4 cloves, chopped very fine) • Fresh rosemary – chopped fine • Fresh parsley – chopped fine • Corn – 2 cans or kernels shaved off of 6 cooked ears • Paprika • Chicken stock • Flour, milk and butter

Toss the venison, beer, chicken stock, onions, mushrooms, carrots, and half the garlic in the crock pot on high for 4 hours or low for 6 hours. The liquid should just cover the meat; adjust the chicken stock amount accordingly. Boil the potatoes. Drain them in a colander and sauté the rest of the garlic in a little oil in the potato pot until the garlic starts to turn golden. Turn off the heat and add the rosemary. Return the potatoes to the pot and add the parsley, half a stick of butter, and some milk. Mash them up with the skin on, adding milk to achieve the desired mashed potato consistency. Pour the cooked meat and its liquid into a large pan with tall edges or medium saucepan. Now you will turn the liquid into gravy. Turn on the heat and let the liquid start to simmer. Add ½ stick of butter and stir as it simmers. Sprinkle flour in slowly as you stir and it will thicken. Bust up the flour balls so there are not dumplings in your mixture. When it is thick enough to drip off your spoon instead of running freely, you are done – remove it from the heat. In another pan put a slab of butter and the corn. Add salt and pepper to taste. Toss for a few minutes until flavors are mixed. Pour the meat and gravy into a large pan or casserole dish. Layer the corn on top. Then layer the mashed potatoes on top. Sprinkle paprika across the top. Bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes. Remove and let sit for 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Accurately Determine the Weight of Your Deer As DPOP participants we NEED to collect accurate biological data about the deer we harvest. Your choices for weight are to weigh it with a scale or tape the chest. Too many of us are selecting “ROUGH ESTIMATE”. This is not acceptable unless the deer has been mangled by coyotes and the weight cannot otherwise be accurately determined by scale or tape. Keep the chart at left handy for reference. This is the chart we should all be using to determine our deer’s weight with a chest tape. Smart phone users can go here to download the image and save it in your phone for easy reference. http://www.parsonsoutdoors.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/girthchart.jpg

http://www.parsonsoutdoors.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/girthchart.jpg

http://www.parsonsoutdoors.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/girthchart.jpg


On the morning of October 4th Gregg Brown decided to get up and go hunting. Hunt he did … he tripled! That afternoon he went out again – and got another deer. The next morning he went out again – and got another deer. This continued throughout the week and he doubled on the morning of October 7th, following up with another harvest that evening. Four days, EIGHT DEER!!! Is this because Fairfax County has a bad deer problem? Partly. But I think we can more accurately say that Fairfax County’s deer have a bad problem, and his name is Gregg Brown.

Bowhunting

Badass

of the Month:

Gregg Brown

On October 15th and 16th Crooked Run Orchard participated in Farm Days, as they do every year. And just like every year the owners and SWMNV clients, the Browns, had a ton of attendees and desperately needed help with things like directing traffic and greeting guests. A big thanks to those in our ranks who once again helped out. The

Browns really appreciate it and it goes a long way for the image of SWMNV. The following members dedicated their valuable weekend time to assist Crooked Run:

William Phillips, Scott Schuler, Forrest Terral, Tony Goodman,

Don Monday and his wife, Charles Abbington, Steve Moore, Scott Gaillard and Sebastian Hill.

What if I Lose a Deer? Rarely, but inevitably, deer go unrecovered. So what do you do when this happens? Follow these steps: 1) Give your all to recover it and get help. 2) Comments, comments, comments – list all of the details of the hunt and recovery efforts in your logs.

3) Call your district leader and the training officer (Bogos) to explain what happened 4) Come up with a rectification plan. Bogos can help you with this. 5) Get it straight - practice, limit your distance, fix your gear, do what you have to do before getting back in the woods. And feel free to explain numbers 3,4 and 5 in your logs!

New member Jake Ledford gets his first Virginia bow kill on video! A nice Quantico doe. Way to go Jake! http://youtu.be/UblQjxPRQT0


An Illustration of Character This month I had to go pick up some extra jawbone tags from Vicky for the park hunts, and I figured I would hit the Post Office across from her trailer to return some Cabelas gear that wasn’t working out. I hit the Post Office first and queued up behind a guy who was about to define his character for all of Fairfax. He was quiet in line; all I noted was his “SUICIDAL TENDANCIES” hat, extensive tattoos, shaggy hair and a pair of spigot washers lodged in the gaping holes in his ear lobes. But none of that fazed me; I have lived long enough to know that a cover like that doesn’t tell you anything about the book. Then I heard him raise his voice to the postal worker, rudely ordering her around and telling her he wasn’t going to wait in that *bleeping* line again. There had only been one person in front of us and it was about a 2 minute wait. As the manager came over to ask what the problem was, this character told him “nothing dude, just go back to whatever it is you were doing, nothing’s wrong you’re just profiling me. You should know what that’s like, dude.” The disrespectful and racially charged tone of the quip was not lost on the manager, a black man, who maintained his composure and asked to speak to the guy outside when he was done with his transaction. I finished my transaction as he continued to instigate and implicitly announce to the Post Office that he had not yet received the sound butt whomping he had been ordering for several minutes now. How the manager retained his composure is beyond me. I don’t know what went on when I left, but several minutes later when I came out of Vicky’s trailer I could hear him screaming loudly from across the street, now outside the Post Office and continuing to shout profanities at the manager and anyone who attempted to intervene.

This incident reminded me what the low end of society’s spectrum of “character and integrity” looks like. While I have been referring to this guy as a “character,” he made it abundantly clear that he has none, and that he would probably not be missed had he never entered this world. On the other end of the spectrum there are folks with utmost honesty and integrity, whose upright character might even seem to go unnoticed, but which makes a huge difference in this world. Given the circumstances SWMNV members face every day, it is clear why we try so hard to be sure we are filling our ranks with people on the high side of this spectrum. Most of the time we are out there on our own and have to rely on our internal moral compasses to guide us into doing the right thing. I couldn’t help but wonder what disaster would ensue if somebody put a bow in this guy’s hand and let him hunt around here. You are reading this because you are a part of Suburban Whitetail Management of Northern Virginia. That means you have proven yourself a marksman and proficient bowhunter. But it also means that it is clear that you are a person of upright moral character and integrity. You can be trusted to follow the rules, do the right thing, report things honestly, and take the hits you’ve earned, even when nobody’s looking. And as a bonus, you can rely on everyone else in this organization to do the same thing. That’s a pretty special thing in this day and age, with guys like jerk-wad at the Post Office walking our streets.

-SG

Layin’ the Smackdown

http://youtu.be/UblQjxPRQT0

http://youtu.be/UblQjxPRQT0


SWMNV Members Wackin’ and Stackin’

Mike Lovejoy bags his first SWMNV deer!

John Mason with a nice coyote he took with his crossbow

Dick Riemer takes a break from the parks and confirms that our clients still have deer problems!

Chris Roper with a big & wide stud he smacked a couple weeks ago.

Bob Livingston turned 80 this month!!! Still out there hunting hard!

Fred Brinson + teal t-shirt = dead deer. Every time.

Willy in his skivvies, swimming for a deer I shot that ended up in a pond. Good man, that Willy…

Bob Flanagan with his nice heavy October 8pt


With Rob Bingel

My wife just bought me a new Archer's Choice Rangefinder. Although it comes with the neoprene cover it doesn't have a cover for the eye piece. If you're like me you get leaves and tree bark in your pack. To help keep the eye piece covered I thought of putting a soda or water bottle cap over it. It fits like it was made for it! If you lose it by chance they are plentiful. It also looks like it will fit most other eye pieces also.

There's my tip for the month. If you have any questions or comments feel free to email me at: [email protected]

Mossy Oak Plyboard

Looking for an ideal material for your next shooting house or woodworking project? How about camo-clad plywood? Rob Bingel found this stuff at Lowe’s. Pretty cool!

DIY Eyepiece Cover


Keep at it Rookies! I recently hunted with some new SWMNV members and watched some of them come up empty handed and some harvest their first SWMNV deer. Some are well seasoned hunters, others new - this doesn't seem to matter. I just wanted to put this column together for all those struggling through a slow period early in their membership. I logged my first hunt with SWMNV at the end of April 2009. I hunted hard and often, trying to get my first SWMNV harvest for almost six months In that time I logged nearly 60 hunts, rarely getting an opportunity and only occasionally having to let down or let deer walk still looking for that perfect shot. But then it happened - I got my first. And another about a month later. The following year, 2010, I continued to hunt hard, logging over a hundred hunts. It started out slow in the first half of the year but in the last half I harvested 10 deer. This was pretty good, but I was definitely on the low end of the "hunts per harvest" ratio. In 2011 I experienced another lull early on, but since May things have been going really well.

What am I doing differently? Probably a lot of things. What have I learned? 1) Lulls are common and happen to everyone 2) The 2 critical elements are picking the right tree and being able to capitalize on an opportunity (practice, practice, practice) Being successful in the suburbs requires something very different than success in the big woods. I can't articulate a magic tip, but it is a different environment that requires adaptation. To some extent the nature of the property matters. Smaller, more urban properties can be more challenging. But to a greater extent you will learn, as I think I have, to understand how deer move on your properties and pick the right tree at the right time to make success happen and bring home some deer. All you can do is keep getting out there and learn from your mistakes. Hunt with the veterans from time to time. Keep at it, hunt hard, and success will come. Just look at all the “First SWMNV Harvests” we’ve had in the newsletter the past couple of months!

-SG

This photo has been floating around the internet lately. It was reportedly taken on a cell phone after the guy took his friend to Bass Pro Shop to buy his first bow. The clerk was 'assisting' him in zeroing it in, and, after shooting several arrows, making adjustments etc., the clerk accidently handed him an arrow that was too short. When he drew back, the arrow tip fell down onto his hand and he somehow released it. They rode to the hospital with the bow in his buddy's hand because it impaled his finger also! OUCH!!!

Ouch! If you’re looking for a new way to season your venison I highly recommend Famous Dave’s Rib Rub. This stuff is awesome on chicken and pork and, figures, it is also awesome on venison. For some tasty venison just cut your backstraps into single serving sizes, rub them with this stuff, let them sit for a bit, then grill or sear to perfection. This rub has a great combination of spices and does not contain much salt. It complements venison very well. -SG

Tasty Goodness


Brad Beggs 9/23/11 I had a half rack spike come out of the pines at 7:30. He was limping very badly and almost fell over. He walked straight in front of me at 15 yds and I put an arrow right through him. He ran 15 yds and stopped. He started to wobble and ran another 15 yds and crashed. I waited in the stand to see if some more does would come out. Sure enough I had 5 more come out, but they never got within 30 yards. They will live to see another day, but their days are limited.

Sue Hoover 10/1/11 It was rainy and cold but the deer were still moving.I had two deer walk right in front of my stand at 18 yards and I shot the first big doe and she only ran about 40 yards.

Gregg Brown 10/4/11 Small buck on the property when I arrived. At 7:30 a doe followed by two fawns came my way. I shot the last fawn. Sliced the heart so it ran, with blood pumping out, back the way they had come. I was worried that she would get off the property, but she died just before the property line. When I recovered her a fox was already checking her out. About a minute afterwards the doe was trying to figure out what happened. She smelled the arrow and eventually gave me a broadside shot. Her reaction to the shot made me think I had missed. As she walked behind my tree I nocked another arrow. As I was ready to draw on her again her back legs gave out and she went down. The second fawn came back to see what was happening and gave me an easy shot. She traveled 15 yards and crashed. About this time the lawn service showed up, so I collected my arrows and dragged the deer out of sight for gutting. Nice morning.

Dave Kowalewski 10/1/11 Spooked three deer from the bottom of my stand again. Grunted and the 4 pointer came back. 15 yards, quartering away. The arrow struck him a little high, front lung but caught an artery which helped him expire within 35 yards. Its always nice to be on stand for 5 minutes and have a quick harvest. 55 and rainy.

Ira Hutchinson 10/22/11 Was on the west side of the far east woods. Saw five turkeys about 5 PM.

Humble log … but Congrats Ira!

1st SWMNV Harvest

Congratulations Ira Hutchinson


Whit Wagner 9/30/11 I did not know that there was that # of dumb deer in Beacon Hill. Love those slick tricks and I may never change. William you may look like a homeless person but those slick tricks work.

Sue Hoover 9/30/11 Shot a big old doe with a fawn and Dana shot the fawn.

Robert Hoover 9/30/11 Only saw one deer but gave me a good shot.

Dana Gagnier 9/30/11 The deer was hangin around feeding and then I saw movement to the right it was Whit's second deer expiring,the fawn then came into range but vitals where behind a tree then it walked under me and stopped for 30 seconds and walked into the brush...20 minutes later it came back out walked directly under me stopping for a moment to sniff my rope that was hanging from my stand then continued out to 16 yards presenting a good quartering away shot and that was the shot I had been waiting for...soon after I had to fish Whit's THIRD kill of the evening out of the pond...awesome hunt!

Eric Whyne 9/30/11 Arrows 4/4 A lady took a shortcut through the woods and right under my stand. She didn't see me. Had a guy walk up to my truck and start whistling for me. Left a note on my windshield and asked me to call him. I called and he was concerned about us driving on the grass next to his house. Was enthusiastic about us hunting and asked me to kill them all. By the way, Eric is well on his way to killing them all, having taken numerous deer in Difficult Run. Keep it up Eric!

Gregg Brown 10/4/11 Hunted with Taylor. Had a lone buck come my way at 6:30. Took a 19 yard broadside shot. The deer crossed the creek and started up the steep hill. About a third of the way up he stopped and appeared ready to drop. He then climbed to the top stopped again, looked like he would drop, but didn't. Upon climbing down I found the nock end of the arrow with no sign on it. We climbed the hill picked up the blood trail and followed a good blood trail for about 70 yards. At that point we decided to get out of our hunting gear and return to the last blood. We tracked a difficult trail for 350 yards when Taylor saw eyes in his light. I saw the deer get up and could tell it was my deer. We picked up the trail again and bumped him one more time. We knew we had a muscle hit with some saliva in the trail as well so I wanted to push him. At 9:30 we decided to back out figuring his last run was an death run and not want to chance pushing him off of the property. I found the deer the next morning about 100 yards from the last sighting. Recovery log will provide details.

\

When this Loudoun County Kill Squad puts on a Team

Hunt,

the deer better beware!

Great job Whit, Sue, Rob and Dana for taking SIX DEER in ONE NIGHT on the

same property!!

THREE!! Three dead deer!

Ah, ah ah!

FOUR!! Four dead deer! Ah,

ah, ah!

FIVE!! Five dead deer!

Ah, ah, ah!

SIX!! Six dead deer!

Ah! ah! ah!

Team Hunt Of The Month!!


Eric Huppert 10/3/11 GOOD LORD what a way to end a day! After running a few errands this afternoon, I rolled back to the H's place around 4:30ish to finish out the day in the stand I moved this morning to the pinch-point. I no sooner got settled when I heard something behind me. I slowly looked down and saw two does directly under my feet and the third was just over my shoulder. Apparently she must have seen my movement, because she started chicken-walking from my six-to my-twelve and back. The other two right under me were oblivious as to why, but there was not a damn thing I could do but sit and watch. They eventually wondered off behind me, across the upper septic field and down toward where this stand was earlier in the day....go figure! About twenty minutes later another -lone- doe came through the pinch-point, but behind me and too far for a shot and headed in the same direction. Somewhere around 6:00 pm a caught movement directly ahead, down low in the ravine. It was a buck. But he was in absolutely no hurry to get anywhere. With so much foliage still on the trees it was hard to see him, but I did manage to get a glimpse of his head-gear. It was a wicked looking ten point! Well, actually he was a half-rack ten...because his right-side antlers were all jacked up. Could this be the big boy I hit and lost last year? It would make sense, as I hit him in the left shoulder last year, but never found him. Only my arrow with about the four inches and the broadhead missing. I think this could be him! In any case, he never came close enough for a better look. He disappeared back into the ravine. Finally around 6:30 or so FOUR MORE DOES came from the west-neighbor's yard and headed down into the ravine beyond the north-neighbor's property. In the end, I came away with no deer, but at least I saw plenty... I'd say it was a good day in the deer woods!

Michael Lovejoy 10/5/11 My guide Kevin Cummings witnessed me get my first Virginia Deer. Thanks man!

1st SWMNV Harvest

Congratulations Michael Lovejoy

Rudy Hassall 10/5/11 Noticed the 5 deer in the backyard of W's. As they were watching the doe expire. They then trotted off towards the S property

1st SWMNV Harvest

Congratulations Rudy Hassall

Glenn Rankin 20/7/11 Could not get a shot at the big doe so I took the smaller one. First SWMNV deer.

1st SWMNV Harvest

Congratulations Glenn Rankin


Scott Gaillard 10/8/11 5/5 Wow what a morning in the park! I needed another antlerless to earn my park buck, which I thought I'd get as a fawn moseyed into my lane. But I watched it walk off at full draw because it never turned broadside. Then Sebastian shot one. Then he starts telling me about this big 8pt walking toward me and I start cursing that fawn for not turning broadside. Turns out the 8 circled him a bunch, then chased up a group of 8 does that came right over to me. I shot the lead doe at 15 yards (at 9:59, after saying we should get down at 10am), watched her walk off hurt bad, arrow looked great, so I called it a kill. Knocked another, buck came in just a few minutes later and I took him at 13 yards. He also walked off hurt, bedded in view, then walked off. Lots of bikers and a guy with dog off leash. I talked to the guy with the dog, asked him to walk around the deer, he seemed to support hunting. We gave them some time. The doe's trail was light despite several huge splatters of blood early on. The buck's trail was good. I just started walking around a bench on the hill and stumbled into the doe. Lucky! Then as Sebastian came over and we were talking about how lucky this was, we heard thrashing, and watched the buck die 40 yards up the hill. Talk about luck! The doe was enormous and so was this buck - both my biggest deer ever with a bow. He turned out to be a 9pt, almost a 10pt. One of my best days hunting, ever. I usually avoid putting my own logs in here, but this hunt was AWESOME! Also, if you don’t typically hunt in pairs or groups, I recommend it. I was sitting on my duff, facing the wrong way, preparing to get down when Sebastian told me these deer were coming from behind me. It really helps to have eyes at your back … and it doesn’t hurt to have help getting deer out of the woods either!

-SG

Scott Schuler 10/18/11 Had a guy with a white and black poodle walk up to me as i started climbing my tree in Clarks Crossing. He said "I'm really glad to see you here as I live close by and the deer are coming up on my front porch to eat my potted plants". I told him we were working with Fairfax County's deer management program and he said "great!". Had 3 teenagers play within 50 yards of me for over an hour and they never saw me. That certainly kept the deeer away. Helped Forrest drag another deer out. That's like four deer in 24 hours! Congrats. Forrest wanted to pass along that Mark Leigh in Hamilton will not take any deer for H4H that has any fox bites out of it. A fox got to his deer's ham and anal cavity and due to rabies concerns, Mark cannot accept these deer. May want to pass this along to everyone.

Dick Riemer 10/18/11 Took a break from the parks today and it really paid off. Harvested a 100lb doe at 7:05am and a 96lb doe at 8:05am. Turned out to be a great morning on one of our smallest properties. The property owner was delighted. Good lesson for all of us – remember to hit your regular properties during the park season! They’re still hot! -SG


John Hoover 10/6/11 There was a tuba player walking up and down the road. I think we have seen it all now.

Bob Flanagan 10/11/11 I had scouted 4 properties in the morning...this one looked most promising...at about 5:00 I saw 2 deer coming down the pike...then they look a left hand turn to look for acorns and milled around for some time....later they move away...at prime time...these 2 spikes came right into my shooting area....I popped the one...the other ran away...I waited for some time and lowered my pack, at the same time I saw a deer profile in the woods about 35 yards out..the 2d deer was hanging around...soon it started wandering around looking for the first deer...big mistake...it came to within 15 yards and after being hit .. ran in a circle and dropped about 30 yards from my truck ... now double work began and John Hoffman gladly took the deer ... will look for some deer jerky before long.

Kevin Cummings 10/8/11 Had 4 does come in from field 2 headed to me but the must have winded me and decided it would be best to stay out in the field and not come down the path of death. As I was watching them a lone doe came in from behind me. I watched her for 15 min and she finally gave me a 17 yard quartering away shot. The G5 T3 did its job again!! she ran about 20 yards and expired quickly. Great morning.

Whit Wagner 10/8/11 If I were a little quicker I could have had a shot at the second one because I should have been nocking a second arrow as the first one was going down. I am as good once as I always was but not as good as I once was.

Mike Rotchford 10/17/11 Several deer seen east side of creek by second bridge at 6pm. F20. Chris R. gave me a heads up and 10 minutes later doe and fawn down. Thanks to Chris for all his assistance getting deer out and home. Great afternoon. Both weather and deer cooperated. 4 arrows in and out.

Forrest Terral 10/17/11 Team Hunt with Kevin Wilson. Followed Hon's lead and hunted over fresh blow downs. Kevin and I set up 60 yards apart and settled in to enjoy a beautiful fall afternoon. Lots of dog walkers in the park and kids were tormenting dogs to the south. No sign of deer until 6:55 then 4 appeared. Let 1st one walk under me and up hill, number 2 and 3 fed at 15 yards while I slipped a Trick through number 2. She trotted 15 yards and fell over. Number 3 trotted under my stand while I knocked another arrow. I drew, aimed, and shot.... then horror of horrors.... I missed my mark and the deer trotted away with an arrow dangling out of his left shoulder. Although Kevin and my stands were set with backs to each other, luck was with us. The deer trotted to a spot 20 yards behind Kevin. I whispered quickly into the radio and Kevin was able to make an outstanding assist, punching an arrow through the center of the sucker’s heart. Thanks Kevin. Deer 4 was still standing 15 yards away from me, but due to cover between us I was unable to make a shot


Steve Barry 10/18/11 Based on the wind I set up in a new tree downwind of the normal trail. Sure enough, 7:20 a doe and fawn came down the trail. Fawn was in lead and came in broadside at 17 yards. I drew and stopped him and as I was about to release he lifted his rear leg to scratch his ear. Seemed to go on for quite a while. I was worried I was at draw too long but he finally put the leg down and I felt steady enough to hold the pin on target and release. He ran about 30 yards and stood there and then ran again (did not hear a crash). Since it was early I sat in my stand for another hour and half and got down at 9. Found arrow and good blood with a little gut material - looked like a low exit (white hair). I tracked the increasing amount of blood and at about 60 yards from shot impact jumped the deer and watched it cross the road and run to another property. Since I would have to back out and get permission from the other land owner and come back later after the deer had time to expire, I went down to the edge of the property to mark the last place seen on D's to know where to start. There I ran into and spoke with a guy grating the gravel road - nice guy and he wished me luck. After he left a sheriff's car came along (there is never traffic on that road - figures it would get busy when I am tracking a deer). The deputy asked if I had any luck and we had a nice talk which included listening to his food plot theories and seeing his trail cam pictures of deer. As we stood there and talked he walked across the road and saw some blood and then said "there's your deer". As I looked up, it jumped up and ran further into the woods (it was laying in a stream next to the road). The deputy wished me luck and left. I obtained permission to access the property from Doug (neighbor) and went home to give the deer some more time. After returning in the afternoon, I quickly found the deer. As I was leaving I decided to let Doug know I found it and thank him for the access to his property. He invited me in and asked me to stop at their church bake sale on Saturday. His wife told me about all the cooking she is doing and gave me a huge plate of cookies - super nice people. I guess I'll be hitting the church's bake sale after the hunt on Saturday!

Steve Barry 10/17/11 Beautiful afternoon/evening to be in the woods. When I arrived the neighbor's lawn service was there mowing and leaf blowing. Saw one in the hard woods as I walked in but didn't expect much to go on with all the noise. The lawn crew was done at 5 and by 5:30 I saw the first deer. The one I took came along about 30 minutes later with a fawn. It came right down the best trail based on where I was located and I was able to stop it at 17 yards with a bleat. The only problem was it stopped right behind a small bush that covered the kill zone and I was at full draw. She paused for about 10 seconds and took a couple more steps. I was able to stop her again, this time with a clear look at her chest. At first I thought I might have shot a little low but it turned out to be a heart shot - she made it half way to my truck.

Eric Huppert 10/15/11 Bitchin' morning hunt before flying out to Georgia! Met Billy Sepeck for a morning hunt around 0630. I set up in the north-west hang on stand and Billy set up over by the lower septic field. Around 0730 I sent the first arrow toward its intended target, which resulted in a hole through the heart. At approx 0750 my second arrow drilled its intended target with AUTHORITY! Both were does. The first crashed & burned just a few feet from the north neighbors back lawn, so we grabbed her first to get her away from sight. The second only went maybe fourty yards, stood and looked back for a second and then stood up on its hind legs and fell over backwards...shes dead Jim...Recovered both arrows and both deer. While field dressing the first deer, two more approached from the north to watch. Helluva morning. Much thanks to Billy for the strong-man drag job and field dressing, wash out and loading chores. My only regret is he didnt come away with anything...maybe next time bro.


Eric Whyne 10/22/11 Arrows 4/4. About 8am a fawn came running in my direction, spooked and looking back. Moments later I saw a jogger on the trail that had scared her. She kept an eye on the jogger as I drew back and put the pin on her. She dropped right under my stand, died very quickly. An hour later an adult doe came in looking at the fawn, stomping and staring. She kept looking up at me and down at the fawn. She stomped her way into range and then turned to leave. I put an arrow through her quartering away. She ran off and I didn't hear her drop, but saw the arrow enter and knew it was good shot. Waited a long while and then eventually had to get down to chase a fox and a racoon away from the fawn. Walked in the direction of the doe, but didn't see her. Alright, back to basics. Went back and found blood and trailed her for about 100 yards. She had dropped in a depression under a log. She was a big deer and was already pumped up on adrenaline from the jogger and the fawn when I shot, that probably carried her so far. Got the deer cart and took my time cleaning them (my wife is out of town today). The fawn broke my arrow. Recovered fletches, entire shaft, and broadhead by kicking through leaves. Nock is missing. Drove out to Mark's and dropped them off for H4H. Notes: The deer are onto us. This makes 8 kills for me in this park and I've been seeing far less deer when I go out. Normally I wouldn't expect deer to be spooked by a jogger or look into the trees, but these deer did both of those things. It might get challenging to get a kill here very soon.

Rob Bingel 10/25/11 Arrived at 5:45 am. As I was getting in the stand I had a deer blow at me and run off blowin the whole way. At 7:00 am I had a deer walk to my right at about 30 yards. All I could see was the white belly, too dark still to shoot. At 9:00 I was looking to my left and a EAB button buck came walking up at less than 20 yards. I sent an arrow through him a little far back but it did the job. I waited a 1/2 hour to track and retrieve.

Mike Day 10/13/11 Got caught in the monsoon! Rolling thunder for what seemed to be half an hour. Moderate rain started, then it got so dark I could barely see my pins. A doe and 2 fawns showed just as the sky opened up into one of the hardest downpours I can remember! The fawns were racing around but the doe was freaked out! I drew on one of the fawns, but realized there was ZERO chance of tracking. I let down, waited until they moved out of sight, then drug my soaked body back to the truck in defeat! Smart move, Mike! I’ve been on the dumb end of that decision point and wish I had let down instead … -SG

Whit Wagner 10/22/11 As I was going up the tree a painter came down and started painting the fence about 75 yards from me. I should have gone home but I am too stupid.


Andrew Patacca 10/20/11 I was going to meet Mike R at Wakefield but got out of work late so i decided to head of to the property close to my house. It was late and I knew there wasn't much sun light left so i hunted in my jeans and a camo jacket. I was in the stand and saw the neighbor come out from the house next door but we never made eye contact. About 10 minutes later a little buck comes up to the stand at 12 yards and I hit him perfectly broadside for a double lung shot. 10 minutes after hitting the deer i see 3 police officers coming in the next door neighbors yard and they are looking into the woods. I guessed that they were looking for me but a minute later as they entered the woods 3 more officers came with assault rifles and were starting to fan out through the woods. I figured that with me having my crossbow on my lap I should just sit in my stand and wait for the officers to move out so i could get out of my stand without them pointing their guns at me. After they passed through the brush i got out of my stand real quick and left all my things at the tree and went over to introduce myself. The officers said they got a call that someone had a gun in the woods and it was just the neighbor mistaking my crossbow. They were very nice and I ended up talking to the guys for about 15 minutes just shooting the breeze. Mr and Mrs E came out with their daughter when the 8 police cars pulled up in their front yard but we all had a laugh about the situation. I told them that I hit a deer really well and they were very excited about the herd being reduced. I searched for about 45 minutes after dark but it was just too thick and I did not want to upset anymore neighbors so I left for the night. I came back first thing in the morning and found the deer about 45 yards from where the police jumped the deer the first time when they entered the woods. It was a very exciting hunt and watching the police with their assault rifles fan out underneath me and not even see me was exciting as well.

Dave LeValley 10/22/11 On my way to the stand, I got a good look at a huge Barred Owl - it was very cool. This hunt started out bad and got worse as the morning progressed. At about 7:15 am two black dogs went tearing through the woods intent on finding and chasing every deer away from the area. They caught my scent and did rings around the tree I was in, then ran back into the underbush barking and chasing deer. About 15 minutes later, their owner came walking under my tree with a large cup of coffee in her hand. Just like her dogs, she never looked up. I thought an encounter might be avoided until she set her coffee cup down on a big log and started to sit down on it about 15 yards from the tree I was in, so I said Good Morning. Once she got over her shock, she asked alot of questions about the Park Hunts. It was apparent she didn't have anywhere to go and couldn't seem to comprehend she might be bothering me. Eventually, she wandered off in the direction of her barking dogs. While she was gone, a COYOTE came within 12 yards of my stand. No doubt scenting the lady's dogs, it laid down a heavy scent of it's own, including a foul smelling s#@t I could smell up in my stand. About 30 minutes later, yup - here come the blacks dogs. Again, the owner came by about 15 minutes later. Evidently, she thought of more questions because she stopped to talk to me again. I did get a laugh, when one her dogs took his time rolling in the COYOTE s#@t. I didn't see any deer the rest of the morning - can't image why.

Wild & Wacky Stories From the Stand …


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Mike Lovejoy found this floating around the internet. Here’s the story … Some prankster played a practical joke on his brother’s trailcam. A few weeks ago he took his memory stick out of his trailcam and added the "Photoshop enhanced" deer in the first picture. It didn't take long for the story and picture of this deer to make it across Richland County. He was going to let it go on all fall and keep adding pictures but he figured he better let his brother know that he had been punk'd. His brother was even telling people that he was sure that he'd seen this buck standing out in the field. LOL This week he added all these pictures to his trailcam. Take note of the date line on the last picture.

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