Bangers 2009 Hunt Blog
Kansas
Well boys, I love this site, post to it occasionally, but ready it ritually. My good buddy talked me into creating a blog of my own, so here it goes...
I bought my tags for KS and NR license for MO on Wednesday, so I am officially ready to go! This is just my 4th year bowhunting and my experience over the last few years has turned me into a much improved hunter and an absolute whitetail fanatic. I spend way too much of my time, energy, and money on deer hunting... BIG BUCK OR BUST!
I will be bowhunting three properties this year. One is in south central Kansas on a good friend's farm, one is public ground north of KC on the Missouri side, and just yesterday I was invited to hunt with another friend and his brother on thier family's property near Smithville, MO. And I also hope to do a late session trip to PA, to hunt deer drives with traditional muzzleloaders at my father in law's deer camp.
I feel like the most blessed deer hunter in the world today. Partly because I have been graciously given access to some great hunting ground, but more so, because I have more opportunity to hunt with good friends and family this year than in all years passed. I want to kill a big buck, just like the rest of you, but this year I really want to take advantage of the time I'll get at deer camp.
I won't drag on too much for this first post, but I like to see pictures in other fellas posts, so I share one... I mentioned above that I spend way too much money on deer hunting... Well, this past spring I bought a golf cart and me and my good buddy Alan turned it into a heck of a hunting buggie. I was a lot of work, but a ton of fun. I can't wait to get 'er in the field!
Now that is wild, love the JD in the back ground. Let us know how that little guy does with the modifications. I have several several battery power parts chasers that I have converted over to a complete different use and had toyed with the idea of converting them over to a hunting buggy. Did you have to change the gear ratio?
Good Luck, Chris! It will be fun reading your blog. I live in Kansas City also and know all about the advantages and disadvantages of that! :)
Some of the biggest deer in KS and MO are right around the 435 loop if you can get some access.
Post some pictures when you can!
Joe Granitesun Kansas City, KS
I appreciate the support fellas! I am glad you like the golf cart Ron. This cart was a 48Volt club car in its past life, with a little more get-up than the typical 36volt variety. I didn't make any modifications to the motor or gear ratio (although I may opt to do that in the future). The biggest changes were to the suspension. I added heavy duty leaf springs to the rear, and tubular arm in the front, and lifted it several inches. I added a battery power gauge, camo, cargo baskets, and a few other things like dome lights and a bow rack. It was mostly bolt on and relatively easy to do. I got most of my parts from everythingcarts.com - great customer service AND prices from those guys, if anyone out there is interested in a similar project. It handles like a champ! Crawls over downed logs and through creeks like its nothing. I am in the process now of adding an ATV wench (I'll probably be working on that tonight).
My father in law was in town this past weekend for a visit from PA. For the last 2 years him and his brother, and also my brother in law have come down to MO to hunt public ground with me. We rent a cabin at a campground about 10 minutes from the property and have a really good time sharing camp there together. Last year, two of us connected on nice bucks. Neither of them were boone & crockett, but Randy's (my father in law) was a 10pt and his biggest deer ever. I have learned a lot about deer hunting from him in the past few years, so it was special getting to be a part of his biggest bow kill last year. The year before that, none of us released an arrow, but both years we have seen some dandy bucks just outside of bow range and had a great time.
Anyhow, the last few years I have been hanging most of the stands early season on my own, so this year Randy wanted to come down and help out. That was the plan anyway… We pulled up to the property Saturday morning and there was a MDC agent there that informed us we were three days early! I could have sworn you could hang stands on public ground in MO starting August 1st, but in fact, it’s not allowed until September 1st. Lesson learned: re-read your regulations every year and don't assume anything works the same way it did the year before!
We made the most of it though. We walk the property looking at old stand locations from years past, and also found a few new potential ambush points. The mosquitoes were fierce and we walked several miles, but it was a good time. After that, we decided to call up my buddy Luke, the same guy who just invited me to hunt with him and his brother on their property near Smithville. He wasn't able to join us, but told us to feel free to head out there and do some scouting. We ended up hanging a stand out there in an Osage Orange tree line that looks promising. My first sit hunting MO will likely be that spot... can't wait!
First though, I need to accomplish a few things. I need to hang three stands on the public ground in MO tomorrow night, once its legal. Furtunately, my buddy Alan graciously offered to help me out with this task, which requires several miles off hiking (would be a heck of a lot easier if I could just take my golf cart, but its not permitted there). Next, Alan and I need to head back to South Central Kansas (aka: deeropia) and plant some alfalfa (we limed about 3 weeks ago in preparation). And then last but not least, I need to get some practice in shooting out of a tree stand. I've gotten a lot of good practice in this summer from level ground, but zero out of a tree stand. It’s a completely different game 15-20ft in the air, so before season opens Sept 15th (in MO), I need to get the 'right' practice in. 15 days and counting boys...
Cool cart. I like the thought of the quietness of using something like that.
Good luck this season!
Okay boys, I have a project for you. Can I get some opinions on the age of this buck? Its hard to tell right now because he's still in velvet, but Alan and I are thinking he is a 3 1/2 year old. We are pretty sure its the same young wide deer we have been seeing over the last two years (if its the same deer, then I've had one encounter with him each year).
The 08 picture is a 3.5 year old deer imo. Do you have a picture of him from this year?
I am about 95% sure these pictures are all the same deer. There is a distinctive point coming off of his base just below his left brow tin in the pictures in '07 and '09. The pic of him in '08 has a hole in that very spot, so it would appear that point was busted off in '08. The picture in '07 looks like a 1 1/2 year old to me, which makes me think he is just 3 1/2 this year. I encountered that buck in '07 during the rut. He made a rub on a three foot tall evergreen right under my stand. At the time he looked like a cues deer, he's body was so dwarfed by his head gear. I am open to opinions though... Once we get pictures of this buck in hard horn this year, I will post them. The velvet pix this year show he gained g4's on both sides, making him a 10. He sure is pretty and will be hard to pass up, but if he's 3 1/2, I think we'll have to let him walk.
Cool cart! Looks like a fun project too. Do you mind me asking what you have into the whole setup? Might be interested in a project like that.
I am leaning more to four and half this season. Because the November of 2008 pic looks like he is three and half. And you can see a good sway in his back this year. In the second November 2007 pic you can see the staining on his tarsal glands suggesting hes a little more in to breeding activity. 1.5 year olds will show hardly any staining. Give him two more years and you will have a boss buck.
KanSASBowHNTR, that is a GREAT observation! I didn't notice the tarsal stain in 2007, so perhaps he was a 2.5 year old. The general consensus so far seems to believe he is 4.5 this year and you guys nearly have me convinced. Once we get some pix of him in hard horn this year, I will be sure to post them.
buckdropper, I'll send you a PM about the cart.
Just giving my observations. Its awesome you have three years of pics of him. I wonder if your neighbors might have a pic of him when he was 1.5. Would sure like to see this buck make 5.5.
KanSAS BOWHUNTER - We have 3 years worth of pics from several deer. That is almost more fun that hunting them. Let's hope he never leaves the property! ;)
Well, the last few weeks has been real busy hanging stands and getting ready for season. I got a few spots claimed on the public ground, and Luke and I got a few hung last week on his piece too. I've never had so many mosquito bites in my life... what we do for what we love! I'm on my second round of poison ivy of the season too... again, total worth the pay off. This past weekend, Alan and I headed to his property in southern Kansas to plant alfalfa. A few weeks back, we were out there and limed the soil. Since then, its rained 5 inches there. We have a clover plot that we started last winter. Its been slow going, but on this last trip we found it looking awesome! Unfortunately the ground was too wet to use any farm equipment for the alfalfa on Saturday, so we end up broadcasting the seed over 9 acres by hand & foot... a labor of love! We also spent some time checking trail cameras. We had lots of pictures, but mostly does and only a few young bucks this time around. They'll be back around though. Yesterday, we were driving the property kicking up a bunch of weeds and something set off my allergies... BAD. I haven't reacted that badly in a long time (my eyes literally swelled shut). I was completely incapacitated for a while and woke up this morning with them still swollen. No pain, no gain boys... it will all be worth it come season! Speaking of, tomorrow is opening day of archery in Missouri. I can't go tomorrow, but Thursday night will be my first night on stand. I am nearly ready. Tomorrow evening I'll be going through my gear making sure I have everything all set. Thursday evening Luke and I are heading to his property near Smithville for our first sit of the 2009 season. Hopefully, I have something interesting to report back to y'all on Friday! There are some nice bucks on his property in Missouri that is for sure. One buck looks to be 7 or 8 years old. Not a huge rack, but I would really love a chance at him! We'll see if one of us gets one.
Alright boys, kill a big one!
"Go afield with a good attitude, with respect for the wildlife you hunt and for the forest and fields in which you walk. Immerse yourself in the outdoor experience. It will cleanse your soul and make you a better person." - Fred Bear
My 2009 season is officially underway! Thursday night Luke and I went out for our first afternoon hunt. I saw all kinds of wildlife. As soon as I walked into the wood line toward the stand I was hunting that night, I spotted three does. They knew something was up, but it took them a long while to figure out what it was they sensed. My camo and scent control seemed to be doing its job, because I was standing on a trail up wind of them! It was eventually the largest doe that blew... she was HUGE and gray (the other two still had their red coats). Once I got on stand I had lots of company. Several turkeys came to roost around me, and I had another doe come up downwind of me closer to sunset. She didn't blow, but must have smelled me (likely my thermacell) and was uneasy the whole time she was behind me, eventually she walked back from where she came. A giant coon also paid me a visit. I was a great night on stand and a heck of a way to open up the season. It felt good to just sit still and listen to the sounds of the woods. Yesterday morning brought my first 4am wakeup call of the season. This time I hauled my golf cart out for her maiden voyage. She did good! Luke's brother Philip went out with us Saturday. This time, he hunted the stand I was in on Wednesday evening, which he likes to call the honey pot. He saw a 4pt. Neither Luke or I saw any deer, but there was a beautiful sunrise that morning and I thoroughly enjoyed the hunt. I used a Primos Camera Arm that my wife got me for my birthday this year for the first time... that thing works great! I get a kick out of using new gear. Unfortunately, I missed a step in preparation and I only caught a few minutes of the sunrise before the battery on my camera died... oh, well... I didn't see any deer anyway. I hope at some point to get some video of a hunt this year... I think it would be fun to have to share with others. Anyway, after the morning hunt we hung a new stand. I am down to one stand left in the garage now, and I know exactly where its going, it will just be a few weeks before I get an opportunity to hang it. Actually, it will be a few weeks until I get another chance to hunt as well, because of work. Plus next week is my wife and I's one year anniversary, so I am taking her on a trip for the weekend... looking forward to that for sure! I'll be back in October... hopefully I'll have a few pictures of does to share. Alan and I try and take a few early season does on his property. Speaking of does, my brother in law Mark, killed two in Maryland this week. Two years ago, he killed several deer and stocked his freezer, so last year, he was only hunting for a big buck. The only one he shot made it over to the neighbors property before dying. Unfortunately, the neighbor wouldn't allow him to recover the buck... I do not understand people like that. Anyway, he sent me a picture message of his does that included the caption "Feels good to kill again." I got a real kick out of that.
Alan and I made a trip to southern Kansas this weekend for our first hunt together of '09. Neither of us killed anything but it was a great trip. Saturday morning was COLD and WINDY. We both saw several deer. Alan actually got a look at the two bucks in the pictures above including the 10pt we are calling "Wideload." Alan says he's huge in person and its going to be hard not to shoot him, but he thinks he's 4 1/2. We are going to give him another year and pray he makes it through riffle season. He also got a quick look at the older 11 point. We checked our trail cameras and actually got some pictures of both of these bucks in hard horn on the south end of the property we are hunting, which I'll post. We think a lot of the deer are spending most of their time in crops to the south of us. We are hoping once the beans are cut and our alfalfa fields get going they will make their way up to us for the rut... we'll see. Alan's dad is seeing a big 12pt hanging around south of the property as well, so hopefully the does bedding down on our ground will draw him north come the rut as well. We didn't get close enough to kill any does this weekend, so we'll head back down in 2 weeks to give it another go. This weekend I am going to hunt Missouri and see what’s shaking up that away. The forecast looks promising… I'll let y'all know!
This is wideload in hard horn. Happy Columbus Day everyone :)
This is the older 11pt. His bases are really burred... I'm thinking of calling him Burly.
This pic shows is burred bases better...
Chris,
Those are some great bucks. Good pics as well. Is my thinking off or are you saying these last three pics are of the same buck you are calling Wideload? I think the last two are of a different buck, a 6x5. That point on the bottom pic that looks like a sticker is what I think is the tip of the G-2 on the 6x5's left side. Is this what you were thinking?
hey doubledrop,
No, they are two separate bucks. The 10pt with the sticker off of his base is the one I am calling "Wideload" and the 6x5 I am calling "Burly," since his bases are all burred. In a thread above there is a picture of the two of them together take on 8.11.09 while in velvet. We have other pics of them together as well, and Alan saw them together on Saturday, so it seems they run together. We think the Wideload buck has potential to be a giant in another year, so we are going to do our best to get him a year older. The 11pt (Burly) is on the hitlist though.
Alan and I went out all weekend and were both successful, killing a doe a piece. We had a lot of fun screwing around with the golf carts too. Yesterday morning Alan got a look at a few spikes chasing a doe that stirred up a ten point we have trail camera pictures of and hope to get an opportunity at. We checked cameras and have more pictures of Wideload, and also pictures of the ten point Alan saw yesterday (We are calling him "Bent Brow" and actually have a picture of him from last year that shows he put on a ton of antler this year). One recent trail camera picture captured his mouth open dogging a doe. The mature bucks are not running around much yet, but it seems a few mature does may be starting to come into estrous. I head back to Kansas with Alan and my dad next in three weeks and we should be in the thick of the rut by then. Next weekend I am going to hunt with Luke and the following weekend is when my father-in-law comes out to hunt the MO public ground with me. I can't wait... its about to get crazy :) I am going to attach some pictures from the weekend. Man, the woods were beautiful and we had some breath taking sunrises and sunsets. I love this stuff.
"Bent Brow" Nice 10pt we are after
Success in the field on a beautiful night!
Congrats, and awesome picture!
Thanks Frank! It only took me three tries with the self timer to get it lined up :)
Well, its definitely that time of year! Saturday morning (Halloween), I went out to hunt with my buddy Luke on his place in Smithville. I had a pretty good feeling, and decided I was going to take my decoy along. Mind you, I have never had luck at all with a decoy. The few times I have had a deer come to one, they have torn off before coming into bow range. But being as that it was Halloween, and the testosterone is starting to pump, I thought it might be about time to give it another go... what the heck, why not, right? Well, it was a perfect morning. I could see a million stars in the sky. It was brisk and the wind was out of the north-west, which was perfect for my stand on the far east corner of the property line, that butts up against a huge ravine and overlooks a huge CRP field... perfect for decoying something in from a long ways away. This morning’s hunt went perfectly according to script... and that is a first for me! Around 8:30, I see long peanut butter colored tines peaking over the tall grass about 400 yards away. Head tall with the sun gleaming off of his sandy brown coat. I grabbed my camcorder and scrambled to put the buck in the frame. Once I managed to get him in the view finder, I hit the grunt tube. He briefly paused and then started veering my direction. He started bobbing his head up and down and then caught a whiff of something (two guesses as to what it could have been), and started to turn north, back on his original course. So I blew a more aggressive tone on the grunt tube. He jerked his head and caught sight of my decoy. He turned on a dime and came in on a line directly to me! As soon as he committed, I threw down my camera and grabbed my bow. He was coming head on, and I came to full draw as he approached, but he hung up quartering to me posturing at my decoy. I watched him bristle up and paw at the ground exerting dominance over my stone faced decoy. It was an awesome thing to witness. After a few minutes, I had to left off. The buck thrashed his head back and forth, flashing his long tines as he side-stepped towards my decoy, which put him at 38 yards from me. I could tell he was starting to get uneasy and knew it was a matter of seconds before the jig was up and he high tailed it due west. So I drew back, and a few moments later he shifted just enough for me to put my sight pin tight behind his left shoulder. He was still quartering slightly too me, but I knew that was my only opportunity, and I knew I would get one lung and liver if I hit my mark. I let the arrow fly and sure enough... I hit my mark. He kicked and lurched forward, breaking my arrow in half as torn into a full speed dash due south. I watching him run full speed for 100 yards, and then slow down just before he got to the tree line on over a terrace. As he slowed, his tail sank to half mast, I begged for him to go down, but he didn’t want to make it that easy for me. As I lost sight of him, I turned my eyes upward, pounded and hugged and then pounded my tree again, praising God for the amazing thing I had just experienced. I felt good about the shot and grateful to have experienced such a hunt, but decided to wait in my tree an hour before looking for blood, since there was a chance I may have missed lung and only gotten liver, with the angle of the shot. Well, it was a beautiful morning, and I replayed the hunting over and over in my head while I was enjoying it, but I only last 40 minutes before I couldn’t wait any longer. I started by looking for my arrow, but couldn’t find it, or any blood. I did find a tuff of hair though. I followed his path as best I could to where I had last seen him, but no blood was any where to be seen. I didn’t get a pass through, and that is always tough for a blood trail. When I got to where he had slowed, I found a few drops of blood. I started to get discouraged and began doubting myself. I looked over the terrace and followed a deer path into a ravine that was in the general direction the buck was headed. But as much as I strained my eyes, no long tines or white belly where anywhere to be seen. As I walked back to where I had last spotted him, and where I had found blood, I prayed that God would help me find my buck, and truly believed that He would. Just then, it occurred to me to look in the narrow tree line that separated the field from a huge ravine. If I was a wounded buck, that is where I would go, I thought. That is where he went. The moment I saw those peanut butter colored antlers, I screamed praises to heaven and knelt beside my buck to pray over my kill. A few minutes later, Luke pulled up in the golf cart. I yelled to him, “I got him!” He ran to me and near tackled me as I told him what had happened and lead him to my buck. It was a great hunt. One that I will never forget. As we were taking pictures, Luke said, “what are you gonna name him?” I said “I don’t know.” He said “you have to name him, you name every buck we get on camera” (this one we didn’t have on camera). Then he told me I had to name him the “trick or treat buck.” I thought that was appropriate, considering how the decoy was what brought him into range. Thus the saga of my “trick or treat buck.” It was a heck of a hunt and a beautiful morning in the deer woods. Its on boys! I can’t wait to see what November holds. I have one more tag in MO and I’ll be heading to Kansas again on the 14th with Alan and my father. But first, on the 6th begins a 6 day hunt in MO with my father-in-law and his brother. I will probably just be hunting squirrels and video tapping nature, but I am looking forward to the time in the woods and also the time in the cabin. I love this time of year!
I should also mention, there when I was doubting my shot and replaying the hunt in my mind, I was reassured that this time, I really did do everything right. I was patient, but cognizant enough to take the shot while the opportunity was there. I relied on instinct and lessons learned on deer behavior from my past experience. I have done things wrong so many times in the deer woods, that it felt really good, for a hunt to really come together the way this one did. When I gutted the buck, I found I had sliced the close lung completely through and obliterated the liver. It was no doubt a fatal hit.
One more with me and Luke.
Great story and great praise! Congratulations!
That ws a great story bangers with a great ending with a nice buck. "happy halloween" never sounded so good i bet. congrats
That is a great story and turned out the way it should have for such a good person. Congratulations!
"Trick or Treat"! Great story. You may consider sending this to Connie L. to post in the KBA magazine. Congratulations. I think it is neat that you got him on video as well.
Justin
Thanks for all of the support fellas! I really appreciate it. Good luck to everyone... its finally November!
Nice buck and a neat story, congrats on getting him on film as well!
Thanks Sito! Footage is terrible, but filming is a first for me this year :) I have watched the video at least 15 times and every time it gets my blood boiling!
Quick update: My father-in-law killed a really nice buck on Sunday evening. It was the first time hunting in the same tree stand he killed a 10 point out of last year. Last year, he was on an all day sit on the coldest, windest day in November, didn't see a deer until around 4pm, when the 10pt came around the corner. This year, nearly the exact same thing happened, except it was the hotest day in November. It was the first deer he saw that night, and it came down the same road, right around the same time. He hit him a little forward, but the broadhead went through the shoulder and the buck only ran about 30 yards. After the shot he sent me a text message saying he shot a nice buck. Once I figured out, he wasn't jerking me around, I rushed over to him to help him track the deer... hoping I would make it there in time for him to find it. The deer didn't bleed much, so Randy was moving slowly and I joined him before he found the buck. As I approached, I said a quick prayer that we would recover the buck. Once I got there, Randy took me to the spot the deer was shot and then to the last place he found blood. A few seconds later he spotted him. The look on his face was priceless.
The buck died in nearly the exact same spot as his 10 pt buck did the year before... talk about déjà vu! He is an awesome buck with long tines and a drop tine coming down across his left eye. What makes him even more impressive is that he was killed on highly pressured public ground. This is Randy's biggest buck ever. We were up late draging him out and celebrating the date with the taxidermist the next afternoon. I can't wait to see him mounted!
Since that night, Randy and I been tinking around in the woods, while Steve (my father-in-law's brother) has been hunting hard. He saw a buck he was tempted to take a shot at on Tuesday, but he held out for a bigger one. All and all, we have seen very few deer. Public hunting is tough! Its cold this morning though, and he is here through Friday morning... hopefully he gets a crack at a nice one. I saw a big 9pt along the road after I droped him off this morning, so hopefully I get a call soon and have to ditch work!
My dad get's in tomorrow and we'll be heading out to SC Kansas to hunt with Alan. Alan checked cameras last weekend and we are starting to see some familar deer from last year. There are some bucks that only come around during the rut, must be. Weather looks promising, so next time you hear from me, hopefully all three of us will be posing with one of these huge bucks. I am going to post some pics of them below. First though... check out Randy's deer. He's a stud!
Haven't gotten a pic this heavy 9pt since last December. We call him "Right Hook." We have some great bucks walking around at night now. Hopefully, we can catch them on their feet during the day next week. Out of all of them, this 9pt is the one I want the most! I guess I'd settle for the others too though ;)
This 11pt is the same buck I have posted pics of before, we call "Burly." He's been around all summer... still around :)
This is a 10pt we have been watching for 3 years. Last year he didn't get any better than the year before, and we figured out late in the session it was because he had a wounded foot. This year, he recovered and gained a lot of mass. We are calling him "Gimpy."
congrats randy...you are making this thing called bowhunting look easy!
Its been an eventful week so far in Kansas. My first sit on the first morning to open up the week proved to be full of highs and lows. I was sitting in a stand known as the poison ivy stand, and about 7:40 in the morning I hear "crunch" "crunch" come from behind me. I turn and see a doe five yards from the base of my tree, standing still looking behind her. Not dreaming my first hunt would produce a mature buck at 10 yards, I reached for my camcorder and waited to see what was sure to be following her. I caught a quick glance of antler as the buck stepped off behind two large evergreen trees, downwind of me. He stayed back there for what seemed to be forever. As the doe moved directly to the base of my tree, and then turned eastward, the buck walked between the two evergreens, and I caught a brief glance at him from the side. At first glance, focusing on the side of his rack, he did not appear to be a mature buck, so I keep on filming... this was a mistake I cursed myself for later on.. The doe proceeded to cross a creek moving directly away from me and soon after the buck followed. I got my first good look at him from 20 yards away, he was wide with lots of points, huge brow tines, rutted up neck, and a big body. This was a mature buck and one that I wanted to shoot! I threw down my camera and scrambled to grab my bow. As the buck stepped into my next shooting lane he was now 40 yards away. I practice out to 50 yards regularly and I am very comfortable to that distance, but the buck was quickly moving out of range. I put my pin on him and hit my release... rushing my shot. The one thing I told myself over and over and over again, that I would not do! Well, in my frenzy to get off the shot, I failed to grunt the buck to stop. The result was a very poorly placed shot. The buck was quartering away, but I hit him in the hind quarter. Fortunately, the arrow somehow still got very good penetration and as I clung to each step he took, griping my binoculars harder and harder, I saw blood running all down his leg. After his initial jump, he was stumbling hard. He moved very slowly, struggling for each step. He was stumbling so hard that for a moment, I thought he may go down right there in front of me. After 1 or 2 minutes of watching him stagger away, he finally made it to some tall CRP about 60 yards to my east. I was mortified. If only I hadn't been screwing around with my camera! This is the rut, I know better!! Well, I sat still in my stand for the next 4 hours. The whole time, I spent watching the CRP for the buck to get up and move, in constant prayer, while also replaying the scene repeatedly in my head and cursing myself for the mistakes I had made. I asked God to have mercy on my faults and pleaded He would remain faithful and help me find the buck despite me not deserving it. While I was praying this, I realized that is what God does, He is merciful and gives us favor even though we don't deserve it. I believed my prayer would be answered and I would find him. It may seem ridiculous to most people to pray over a hunt, but hunting is important to me and I have decided I won't hold back my prayers over hunting, because I know that God knows it is important to me (yes, there are far more important things to pray over... I pray for those things too, and those prayers are also answered. I have found if you believe that He will move the mountain, He often does, but if you do not believe it, He never does). When I got down, I prayed with each step I took that God would lead me to the deer. As soon as I got to where the deer was hit, I found blood. As I looked across the shallow creek, there was more blood. With each step I took, I found more and more blood on the ground. Of all the deer I have shot, I have never seen so much blood, and with such a poor hit! It helped that the deer was unable to run away, and now I felt good I had hit the femural artery that I so desparetly needed to hit. As soon as I got to the tall CRP where I had lost sight of the buck, I decided to take a quick peak over the terrace, to see if I saw the buck laying down. I stepped slowly and quietly, readied with an arrow nocked and my release on my d-loop. As I peaked over the terrace, I immediately saw antler. I slowly, repeatedly, and deliberately pumped my bow into the air and praised God, "I am weak, but you are strong" I exclaimed! I know it will not always happen this way for me, but this year it has... I have another story that I will post later about my father's hunt that also shows how big of a role that faith and prayer has played in my season. This hunt was a humbling experience. I am ecstatic about my buck and grateful for the hunt. This deer season, I have learned several more lessons about bowhunting, but also about my faith journey. I will never forget them. I am posting a few pictures of my buck. He is a wide 9pt, with long brow tines, one that looks like a knife blade, with thick bases, and LOTS of character. I couldn't be more excited. Another hunting experience of a lifetime... mine anyways.
Great story, Bangers. Congrats on 2 great bucks. Like that you know and acknowledge who REALLY is in control. Congrats, again.
Andy
Congratulations, and cool story!
Bangers since finding this site your blog is one of the best, imo. Another great story with a great buck to add to it. congrats on an awesome season
Congrats. Cool looking deer.
After my success and celebration on Saturday, my focus immediately shifted toward my father’s and Alan’s hunts. But, before I tell you more about this week’s events, I want give y’all the background on how I became a bowhunter and why this week has been so special for me. Over the last 4 seasons, bowhunting has become a passion, and I guess it is contagious, because a few years ago my dad decided to buy a bow for himself and see what all the fuss was about ;) Back when I was younger my dad was a member of a hunt club in Alabama and an avid riffle hunter. He tried his hand at bowhunting back then, but the few deer he had in range and took a shot on, he was unable to recover. Back then my dad also took me along on a few of his deer hunts. I would bring my toy riffle along and sit as still as I could, peaking around every tree looking for a deer. It was something that seemed almost sacred and it always stuck with me. I remember how exciting it was when my mother drove us to meet him at the check station and we got to see his deer hanging in the meat locker. Because of these experiences, I always had interest in hunting, but never much opportunity to pursue it. When I was 9 we moved and my dad no longer had access to any hunting ground. My teenage years I did not do much hunting, aside from a handful of trips to southern GA joining friends for a weekend riffle hunt on a buddies lease, or the occasion trek through some neighbors woods with a shotgun loaded with buckshot, seeing what I might stir up. Before my first trip to southern GA with friends, I was talking to my dad about the trip. He said, “good luck, I’m sure you’ll get one. I just wish I was going to be there for it.” When he said that, I knew I really wanted him there for it too. There were a few times my dad and I talked about going on a hunt with an outfitter, but we never really pursed it. When I moved to Kansas City five years ago and met my wife, her dad suggested I give bowhunting a try. She’s from PA and nearly every male in that state is an avid deer hunter, including him. Well, I liked the concept and a few weeks worth of research later, I had a compound bow in hand and had located a near-by archery only public property to hunt on. It only took me one scouting trip to find a honey hole, polluted with deer tracks. So after that, I bought a hang on stand and practiced with my new bow, becoming proficient out to 30 yards. Heck, I enjoyed just shooting the bow so much on its own, getting to go hunt deer with it too was just an added bonus! I took to the woods every chance I got once season opened in September. After my 4rd or 5th trip I saw a doe! And she ran right under my stand! She was in and out of there so fast, I never had time to think, but the next weekend my father and sister were coming to Kansas City to visit and so was my (at the time) girlfriend’s parents. It was going to be the first time the families would meet. One evening the next week, I was praying and my thoughts turned to the upcoming weekend. It occurred to me that it would be the PERFECT time for me to get my first deer. My dad would be there and so would my girlfriend’s dad, the one that talked me into giving bowhunting a try. I just needed that doe to come back by my stand again… and this time I would be ready! I prayed that is what would happen and for some reason, I had absolutely no doubt that it would. The next day at work, I even told a co-worker about my epiphany and the prayer. Well, Friday night everyone arrived in KC and the next morning while everyone was still sleeping, I got up early and took to the woods. About 8am, I blew on my grunt tube and a few moments later “crunch, cruNCH, CRUNCH!” I looked to my right and there was a deer, a BUCK! I grabbed my bow and flung an arrow immediately, completely missing the deer. He circled around behind a tree, trying to figure out what had just happened. I started shaking as I nocked another arrow. I prayed, “Please God, help me hit this deer.” Just as I drew back for the second time, I stopped shaking and went completely calm. Just then the buck crept from behind the tree, exposing his vitals. I hit my release and the buck mule kicked, fleeing back to where he’d come from, at full speed. As he got further away, his pace slowed and his tail drooped. I had got him, I think?!?! From the bow hunters education course I took and all of the magazine articles I had been reading on the matter, I knew to sit still in my stand for 30 minutes and then go look for my arrow and blood. As I climbed down, I found the 1st arrow I had missed the deer with, but my second arrow was nowhere to be found. I don’t get it?!? Isn’t the arrow supposed to be sticking up in the ground with blood on it… bright red means heart shot, bubbly means lungs, and dark and greenish means gut? Where could it be?!? After several minutes of frantically looking, I decided to start looking for blood since I couldn’t find my arrow. But where is the blood? I shot him right here, shouldn’t I see a consistent spray of blood that leads me straight to the deer?!? I mean, that is what they simulated in the bow hunters safety course. Well, I got discouraged, VERY discouraged. God where is he?? I called my dad and then Randy, my girlfriend’s dad, asking for advice. They suggested I come get them so they could help me look. After I picked them up and led them to my tree stand, I climbed up it and showed them where the buck had been standing when I shot him. Surprisingly, Randy didn’t seem to be too interested in that spot and spent no time looking around for my arrow or any blood there. Instead, he asked where I had last seen the deer running. As I guided him to where I thought I last saw the deer, it didn’t take long for Randy to spot a few drops of blood. I did hit him! I was ecstatic. The three of us circled around looking for more blood, but there wasn’t much to be found. After a few minutes later though, Randy yelled “You the man!” I ran towards him and scanned frantically for the downed deer. And sure enough, it lay in the bottom of a 10 foot levy. I jumped up and down hugging my dad and my future father-in-law in pure excitement. Then I nearly jumped straight down the levy to my deer and grabbed those antlers immediately. He was a GIANT! 7 points! My prayer was answered, just as I believed it would be.
The next year my dad, Randy, and future brother in law Mark all came for a long weekend during the early rut to hunt that same public property with me. None of us had any luck that year, but we had a good time anyway. The following year, Alan was kind enough to invite my dad to come hunt with us on his property in Kansas. So my dad put in for the KS lottery and somehow actually got a bow tag! My dad had changed jobs that year and did not have much of any vacation time built up by the time season was in, so he only had a 3 day weekend to join us. That was the right weekend to be in the deer woods though, because the bucks were running EVERYWHERE. My father was fortunate enough to get several deer within range and put hits on two different deer. Unfortunately, we were unable to recover either one. We looked as long and hard as we could, but did not have any luck. One of the deer had a great blood trail, but we followed it for 200 yards and lost the track. The next February while coyote hunting, Alan and I found them both. Both of them were not far from where we were looking, we were just not fortunate enough to find them at the time. This was a disappointing and unfortunate experience, but every experience in the deer woods is a learning experience. And I personally learned something about the types of places to look when you lose a trail for a downed deer. This year, if my dad shot a deer, we were going to find it… I would know where to look…
Well after my successful Missouri hunt on Halloween, I was way more concerned with everyone else getting a buck, than me getting a second one in Kansas. Especially my dad. He was really disappointed after the last season not being able to find either of the deer he’d shot. Despite the bad luck last year, Alan was quick to invite him back this year to give it another shot. In the off season, my dad put a lot of time, money, and effort into getting ready for this year’s trip. He bought silver lined cloths and a range finder. He increased the poundage on his bow and practiced ever chance he could. He had also built up more vacation time, so he wouldn’t be so rushed this year to make it happen. I thought that this year, he really deserved a buck with his bow, and I prayed that if only one of us got a deer, that it would be him. Well, my first hunt of the first morning in Kansas, that I posted about previously, was a success for me, so being tagged out, my focus shifted to my dad and Alan’s hunts.
The next day was cold, windy, and raining. We took my cheap ground blind out to try and hunt despite the elements, but it was too small for us both to fit in and still allow room for my dad to still draw back his bow. We decided to forgo the ground blind idea and my dad went to the closest stand while I milled over the current situation. I texted Alan and he suggested we forfeit the mornings hunt and head to Wichita to get a bigger blind. He was right, it wasn’t worth sitting in the rain the next two days, getting sick, and ruining his opportunity to enjoy the rest of the week. So that is what we did. We didn’t get back in time for the evening hunt, but wisely spent time target shooting and practicing from inside the blind, to regroup for the next day.
The next morning was more of the same conditions. We chose a new spot for the blind and took to the woods. The morning was slow, but around 11am we did see a 6pt cross about 100 yards to our east. Unfortunately he picked out the blind very quickly, so about thirty minutes later, we moved the ground blind under a tree with low hanging limbs in an effort to break it up a little more. It was a long day in the blind without many deer sightings, but we were enjoying spending the time together. As that magical twilight hour approached, I pulled out my grunt tube and whaled a little ditty. Immediately I saw antlers raise up our of the CRP 70 yards in front of us. I whispered to my father, “BUCK! Grab your bow!” The buck looked to be an 8 pt with a broken off brow tine and he was following to young does. The grunt had the does curious and they made their way directly towards our blind. The buck had no choice but to follow them. As the deer closed in, I eased down my binoculars and grabbed my dad’s range finder. Early in the day we decided that if a deer came in that I would tell him the range and grunt the buck to stop and he would take the shot. I had ranged a few distant trees that day, but didn’t have anything else in the field we were parked in front of to range as a reference. Well, as the deer approached, the range finder was giving me fits. Every time I pushed the button I got a different reading. Since we were at ground level it kept picking up the tall grass in the low light. As the buck presented a broadside shot, I told him “20 yards.” He set his pin and released an arrow. Shooting well under the buck. The three deer circled the field, but eventually drew closer to our blind. I had of course not given him the correct range. As the deer actually came to 20 yards, it was apparent that before he had been more like 30 yards away. My dad nocked another arrow and drew back his bow again. The buck eventually calmed down and quartered away, sniffing the ground behind where the does had been walking. Now the buck was ACTUALLY 20 yards away. I whispered the distance and my dad hit his release immediately. It was a perfect hit! I stuck my head out of the blind window and watch as the buck ran out into the CRP and crashed a few hundred yards away. As soon as I saw him go down, I sunk back into the blind had exclaimed, “You got him Daddy! You got him!” We hugged and basked in the excitement of his first buck with a bow, recounting what had just happened. I was an awesome experience and one that I felt in my heart was sure to happen just the way it did, with me there to share it with him. Throughout that day as we sat together in the blind, I had prayed it would happen like this and believed that it would. It did. In fact after we hugged I was shaking like a leaf! I may have been more excited than he was. Because it had been raining all day and daylight was dwindling fast, I suggested we start looking for him after about 25 minutes. I had seen him go down, but he went down behind some tall weeds in a CRP field a few hundred yards away and there were no land marks in the back drop as a reference point. We didn’t spend much time looking for blood since the grass was wet and every blade was shining. We started searching for the downed deer instead and Alan joined us after a while with the golf cart. Regrettably, once it got dark, I lost my bearings and started losing my confidence. We decided to start combing the terraces in the golf cart to see if we could find him in the tall grass. After almost 2 hours of driving around with no success, the cart started to lose its charge. We decided to head back from the night and come back in the morning light to start from scratch, when we might have a better chance of spotting blood and I would be able to gain my bearings. It was plenty cold that night, so the meat would still be good the next morning. Because I had stuck my head out the window, my dad had lost sight of the deer just two steps after the shot and because of what had happened the year before, he became very discouraged. I was very frustrated with myself. I knew that I had seen the deer go down, but because of my excitement seeing him go down, I didn’t take my time focusing on a reference point. I felt like it was my fault and I had messed things up for him. My dad disagreed and told me it was his fault, that he must not have put a good enough hit on the deer, but I saw blood on the side of the deer as he ran off, right in the boiler maker… I KNEW hit put a perfect hit on him. It was a long frustrating night for both of us, but we got up and headed out just after day break the next morning, to pick up the search and agreed to be optimistic. Before we left, we sat in the truck and prayed together that God would led us to the deer.
When we arrived, we approached through the CRP field where the deer had ran towards the ground blind. One the way, we jumped up a coyote that ran 20 yards in front of us. Dang it! Coyotes! We walked over to where the coyote came from and spotted some deer hide. As I flagged the spot, my dad walked on and spotted his buck. The coyotes had gotten to him first. He was disappointed that we had lost the meat, but we were both happy and relieved to have found the buck. Our prayer was answered and my father had his first buck with a bow. I really nice 8 point with a broken off brow tine.
It turns out the buck was laying on the exact line that I had seen him go down, only one terrace further east. The night before, we had driven the golf cart right passed him, just not seen him in through the tall grass. Fortunately, the coyotes hadn’t done too much damage just yet, so we were still able to take pictures. I will post a picture for y’all.
It was yet another hunting adventure for the books. That day in the ground blind with my dad is a memory that I have been wanting to share with him for a long time. I am very grateful to have gotten to share in the experience with him. I can’t wait for the next one, and one day, I hope and pray he’ll get to be there with me, if I am blessed with children of my own, as they take to the deer woods too.
Well, there is more to come… Alan still has a tag in his pocket. My next day was spent in a tree with him and I’ll share that story with you in my next post. I appreciate all of your kind words and support for those of you reading my blog. I am having a lot of fun with it and I am glad you fellows are enjoying it too. Good luck to everyone… kill a big one!
That is a pretty cool story bangers. That is what bow hunting is all about, spending time with freinds and family.
After all of the excitement of my dad’s hunt, I spent the next several days doing whatever I could to try and help Alan’s hunts. From driving deer out of the CRP, to videotaping his hunts, I had a blast. I got a lot of quality use out of my summer project (the ole “bulldog”) my electric golf cart. Combing through the CRP in a strategic push by foot, while howling like a Comanche, and glassing deer from a distance was a really fun way to spend my remaining vacation days, enjoying God’s beautiful outdoors, and spending quality time with a true friend and my father, who I don’t get to see often enough. Wednesday was one of those magical days that you dream about all year. We had a couple of hot does in the area and bucks were running everywhere. I was filming Alan that morning and it was crazy. The first deer we saw were two does that approached from downwind. One of them turned out to be hot. Well, the bucks started filing one by one down her trail all through the morning. One of them was a big 10 point Alan has had several encounters with that we call Bent Brow. In fact, a few days earlier, Alan had put the sneak on this buck and came close to a spot and stalk of a lifetime, but decided to hold out for a more conservative shot opportunity. Well, I spotted this big 10 point and signaled to Alan to grab his bow, while I scrambled to get the deer in the viewfinder. This buck read the script. He came right down the hot doe’s trail and right into Alan’s shooting lane. I had him in the frame of the camera and Alan grunted him stop in the perfect spot. The only problem was that the deer stood at 32 yards, when Alan thought him to be closer to 38 yards away. The perfectly placed 40 yard pin, put the arrow right over his back. A clean miss. Alan couldn’t believe it! We climbed down from the tree and paced it off later that morning when recovering his arrow to figure out what went wrong. The rest of the morning was entertaining to say the least. We had lots of younger bucks in range and another hot doe come in, with three bucks in toe. It was definitely a fun and memorable hunt, considering it was our first time hunting in the same tree together. Later that night we played the video for his dad, and the footage (though shaky) is going to make the highlight reel for their family’s Thanksgiving celebration this coming weekend. The rut activity slowed to a screeching halt on Friday, and Alan decided he had a good season and a good miss and he doesn’t have to kill a buck every year. Besides, a part of him is glad the big 10pt, "Bent Brow" will live another season, since he grew SIGNIFICANTLY from the year prior, and next year has the potential to be an absolute giant. Stay tuned for next year… Alan seems destined to kill this buck and when he does… one of us will tell you all about it. Saturday morning, some of Alan’s dad's old friend cames in town for their annual pheasant hunt. Alan, my dad, and I joined them. It was a good time for sure and I actually scored on my first rooster!
Well I have another tag for Missouri, but in all honesty my season already feels nearly complete. I may make it out a few more times on the weekend, but I am rooting for Luke to bag one more than anything. He had some tough luck during Missouri riffle season and couldn’t find a buck he shot. When bow season comes back in this weekend, hopefully his luck turns around. If it does, I’ll let you know!
It’s been fun boys. A dream season for sure. Thanks again to everyone for the support. Good luck to everyone and kill a big one!
Great season, great read! Cheers to the most passionate bowhunter i know!
Bangers, awesome story and I couldn't agree more about that God wants our relationship with Him to invade every crevice of our lives which certainly includes hunting. I too have learned some profound lessons about God while on my hands and knees trailing a wounded deer. Regardless, congratulations and I'm thrilled for your entire experience. It's a lot more than hunting isn't it.
For those that are interested, I have a few trail camera pictures of the buck I killed. The first pic of mine is from the 2007 season. We had a ton of pictures of him that year and he was a 2.5 year old 10pt then with stickers on his bases. This year he was 4.5 (verified by the taxidermist)and 9pts with stickers, but partially broken off. From the trail camera pix this year we thought he was even older, and maybe on his way downhill. In 2008 we didn't get any pix of him at all. Makes you wonder where they go??
