22 - Official Team The Timber Rattlers Thread

[tschaef]

I'm still in the game; my 3 day shotgun hunt turned into a 1 day hunt do to a massive snow/freezing rain storm at the farm, I went out the 1st 2 days but basically hid from the storm in a snowbank and cursed myself for being stupid enough to go out when I couldn't even see out past 30yrds, it got that bad!
Yesterday was nice, and I had a pair of small does at 23yrds for the longest time presenting shots, but the shotgun hunt was bucks only, I would have taken one if I had my bow. Later in the day I got excited when I heard crashing and a doe lept out of the ceders and ran past with noise behind her, I got ready for the big buck coming, but it was a huge coyote. Moments later I heard the pack start howling in the direction they came from, I'm pretty sure they separated the pair I had seen earlier and took down the other doe. Even after telling the story of the coyote chasing a young deer in deep snow my host still won't let me shoot the yotes, he's too much of a dog lover.

Anywho, I still have a tag, but limited time. Don't count me out yet! Its coming down to the wire so I'm not letting a legal deer pass, buck or doe, but who knows, the big boy is out there, he may be the next to walk past within range.

[tschaef]

I hope I'm not the last team member still hunting, if so we may not win it this year

There is enough snow up here that the deer are yarding up already, too bad they aren't using the farm I normally hunt.
A friend from work that took a buck and doe last weekend w/crossbow has invited me to hunt one of his ladder stands tommorrow morning while he takes down his groundblind, it'll be a short hunt but in a good spot. I need all the luck I get now, only a few more short sits till I'm done.

[iamyourhuckleberry]

Merry Christmas teammates. The Nelson wish each and everyone of you a Joyous Holiday. God Bless and happy hunting.

[tschaef]

Happy New Year everyone!

Looks like the contest is over, at least for us.
I hunted as hard as ever this year, but the early deep snow was my downfall, the deer all yarded up in the big woods neighbouring the farm I have permission for, and I didn't have a backup property to hunt. I took one shot that missed high when a small buck loaded his legs to run, and passed on a few does. I'm dissapointed, but not discouraged, I'll be out in the fall of '08 armed with the lessons I learned this past season.
Congrats to all that scored, and to the rest of us: thats why its called hunting, it wouldn't be the same if it was easy.