How does everyone like the new format for the posts? I hate it. I think the pages are all messed up. Page 27 is not the latest page??!!!

never mind. somehow clicked on the "tree" setting for the posts.

Black would be great. large or XL would be great.

Going to try to upload a picture of the other "main" hunting spot. The road running north south in this one is the same one that runs north south in the other picture. There are about 1.5 miles between the south of the first picture and the north of this one. Most of the ground is either that soil conservation piece or pasture.. There is continuous aisle's of trees from north to her.. The hedge lines are very thin but some have some very good cover (Trees that were bulldozed into piles when the new fence was put in. Great for ground hunting.. Not so great for tree hunting, lol. The deer tend to walk along that eastern fenceline, tuck into the edge of the small 3 acre woods, and than cross the road and wind their way though that 13-14 acres of woods until they come out somewhere. I have the main exit pretty good but at the south west corner it comes to a point and I see a lot of action there.. Lots of big tracks.. The good news maybe bad, trying to figure it out is the field all around the 40 (I own the 40, 23 acres in corn, 13-14 in woods the balance in roads and road sides) is going to have all feed removed from it basically. The cornstalks are being baled and haueld away for livestock beding. This means, I think that the deer will head out the west side of the woods and cross the road.. We shall see, might not make any difference at all.

Lite blue line is an old dilapitated fence

Did some scouting this weekend. Found a few decent setups on the one property, only one rub and one scrape so far. They just got done logging, and there are a lot less good trees to climb. I definitely need a set of sticks and a hang on, my climber will be very limited at this place. Otherwise I am fairly excited to hunt here, I just hope its not too crowded. Then I was over at my other hunting spot and saw a pretty nice 10, that should be solid in the 120's. That got me pretty pumped.

Large or medium t-shirt should work for me.

Its kind of strange. When I first started seriously scouting I saw tree after tree that I thought was just perfect for a climber, but all I had was a couple of hangons and some sticks... Well. I finally go out and buy a climber and now all I see are great trees that can only be handled by a hangon... Grrr, I think I need to invest in about 3-5 more hangons, or get so building some.. And lets not even talk about the places that are great for ground blinds and I don't have one.. Murphy's law is going to be in full affect this year I think, lol. Oh well, am starting to see a lot more deer around now, they are starting to move with the cooler temps, the corn crop starting to be picked and the beans that are around basically being harvested already. I am going to guess that my 60 acre Alfalfa field is going to start getting hit pretty soon... Not going to take a fourth cutting this year, just not worth it. Might run the cows over it in the late fall, after a good freeze so they can clean up the steams but that is November or so.

L or XL shirt for me...let me know how much $$$ I owe you

Hey guys, I think I will buy the T-shirts seperately today (camo) I just talked to the T-shirt guy and he has the artwork done, hes going to email me it today..so I can show you all. If we like it we could even use it as our logo I was thinking..

Anyway the screening is going to be about 8.50 bucks a shirt and then I will buy the shirts seperately ..... I said from the start that I would like to do this for everyone..and you guys have all offered to pitch in as well, so I am just gonna pay for everything and who ever CAN send some money..great if you cant, NO problem I will cover it.. He says if I get him the T-shirts tomorrow he will screen them by Friday...I am waiting for him to email that artwork... so I can share with you all...


Man did I have a night of hunting last night... I MISSED MY BULL!!!!!!!!!!!! Shot right under his heart.... I estimated the shot at 40 yards and after I retrieved my arrow I stepped it off and it was 46-47.... I am very comfortable shooting elk at 40... I was shooting down hill..steep and just miss estimated the yardage...heres the story...below..

Last night was Unreal.... I logged all day... busted out of work at 3 pm.. stopped at moms since her house is closer to this hunting area than mine.. got cleaned up and headed for Indian Mountain.... (where i killed my buck in 03) anyway I get up there get out of the dodge..get all prepped and walk in... on my 1 mile hike into my stand I see elk tracks everywhere..leading to my stand..that sits on a big mile long ridge in the back corner of a clearcut on the top ...in a saddle... As I am approaching my stand I smell elk...heavy smell..the tracks are so fresh they are smoking! LOL

I get into visual distance of my stand which is situated right on the edge of the cut....in that saddle.. I think..I better toot on this cow call, these elk are close.. I hit my Hoochie momma and immediatly I get a bull to respond! Its only 4 pm! I am thinking.. Ok.. do I want to hunt elk or whitetails..this evening???? LOL

I go ahead and climb into my stand to get up high so I can cow call some more to see if a bull will approach me...I call a few times and the woods starts going NUTS... 2 different bulls get fired up (they sound small) and then the big boy lets a baaaaaaaaaaa euuuu euuuuu euuuuuu..... cows are talking and I am thinking..I best get out of my stand and hunt THAT BULL! So I climb out ... within 5 minutes I can hear the big bull rounding up his cows as they are all chirping and he heads away from me and the two other satellite sounding bulls. I starting jogging down the big ridge line to try and intercept the big bull and his cows..because I know he's LEAVING..

On my way I stop and cow call and locate.. I run into 3 cows..so I hold up and call...it isnt 3 minutes and a nice younger 4x4 bull emerges... 50 yards dead ahead of me..mean..they are all periodically talking.. I hear the Herd bull leaving fruther and fruther away.. So I decide..heck with these little bulls I am going after that big boy... So I just bust right through those elk bugling with my voice and cow calling... they are all so fired up they run off a bit then hold up..below me...

Next I see a rag horn bull coming coming up the clearcut fire trail right too me... Then as soon as I see him.. I cant believe it there are two whitetail bucks..heading out into the clearcut from the timber.. I am thinking YOU GOT TO BE KIDDING ME.. here I am making all this noise and all the other elk are too and these bucks arent even paying attention to us... One buck looks pretty good, so I decide to use elk talking to get closer.. remember this rag horn is coming right too me as well! So I have a rag horn coming at me..as he passed the bucks.. I have a big herd bull in the bottom bugling and I just have passed another bull and cows... WHEWWWW EEEEEEEEEEEE YEHAAAAAAAA ...

I get up on this rock cliff...sneaking and cow calling and peak over at the bucks..they are 15 yards..they both look up and stare..either is what I want.. so I just smile at them and move for my big herd bull... I see the rag horn bull right after that and look him over..I think...Nope its that herd bull or bust...

Well in all this comotion and I see the herd bull come out of the bottom with his dozen or so cows..he herding them around the moutain I am standing on...I have a perfect opportuntity to bail over the back side and cut them off..So I bust right by the rag horn.. running>>>> LMAO It was funny He looked at me like WHAT IN THE HECK Is that... I am in my guille suit... I bust down the back side of this ridge and get set up ... and here come the elk...RUNNING>>> I pick a nice opening and can see generally where they are going to pass.. NOW THIS ALL HAPPENS In about 3 seconds..from when I first get crouched down.. and here come the cows.. I know th e bull is coming... and here he comes!!!!!!

The are busting butt.. as the bull passed a big pine.. I give out a big ole bull elk eeeewwwwwwwww with my voice ...and he stops.. I simultaneously go to full draw and put my 40 pin on him.... ( i had estimated that pine he passed at 40..) I put the the 40 yard pin on him.. hes staring at me..this all happens in a split second.. I hit the release....and ................airball!!!!!!!!! right under his heart... missed him clean by 2 inches.. I am like chit.. as he busts out after his cows..he bugles...at them.. I dont think he really new what I was.. I retrieve my arrow and step it back to where I shot.. 46 or 47 yards... I miss estimated the yardage...

So then I think..ok..hes gonna gather those cows.. I am gonna go after him again.. Then another bull bugles..right behind me and hes coming fast.. hes trailing all these elk... I get set up behind pine..and here he comes.. out walks a spike...bull.. I just watch him... he walks by slowly at 12 yards.. I let him pass ... then I see the herd bull below me..coming back under me about 100 yards down the hill with all his cows.. He is hauling butt!!!!!!!!!!!!! I try stopping those elk.. but they are hell bent on getting back around the other side of the mountain... I just sit down and take a deep breath.... wow what a night.. I as glad I had a clean miss...

Well, Shed, tough break but I am glad for you that it was a clean miss. Otherwise you would probably have had to call in sick to work today to track all day... Oh well, hopefully you will get another chance at "your" bull.

The shirts sound great, you want us to PM you addresses to send them too? Money is a fun thing right now. Yesterday, for example, I sold 44,000 worth of cows and bought, 44k worth of feed.. I was cashheavy for exactly 14 minutes.Doesn't matter, I willsend you some money for the shirt probably, but only if it fits and I like it

Shed - "Shirt-tail please..." J/K

I've been practicing out to 50 yards this year, and no matter how fast your bow is, you need to be +/- 3 yards on your judgment. Previously, 30 yds was my max, so I was new at this.I grossly underestimated the need for accuracy in judging distance for long-range bow shots. So, in that regard, I guess I can relate, b/c without stepping it off, I'm almost always off by 5-8 yards with my "guesstimate," and often miss the mark by 6-10" - more often than not, I underestimate the yardage and hit low.

Don't get down on yourself, it sounds like you had a whale of a good time, and it gives us a little ammo to jerk your chain a little bit. Judging yardage is hard, and it's even worse on the incline/decline. There are times in hunting when you have tomake your best guess on the fly, poke and hope.

This year, I killed my spring bird at 48 yards, and I judged him at 35. I was laying in the weeds, and my depth perception was all screwed up in the low light with the weeds in my face. It happens.

The guys on Buckmastersget the benefit ofa guy leaning over their shoulder with a Leica, whispering "33.5 yards." In the real world, we have no such luxury.

Quick, IL, thanks guys...honestly a clean miss like that doesn't bother me a bit as far as after the fact goes. I never feel embarrased to talk about those things..its likely going to happen if you bowhunt enough...I miss judged the yardage...simple as that..my windage was perfect..

Yes quick.. I had sprinted down that mountain to get set up. dang I am still laughing at that rag horn bull when I ran by him.. to get to that herd bull....then once I gotknelt down..had to estimate when those elk would come by... just as I knelt down..here they came..hauling arse.. LOL Elk hunting is just so drastically different than hunting earlly season whitetails.. its almost opposite in many aspects.. I always take heart shots when in doubt.. that way I aim low.. I either get a good hit or clean miss... I did the same on a nice whitetail buck off the ground years ago.. clean miss right under his brisket.. thats bull is the second animal I can think of off the top of my head that I have missed.... so the flight of the arrow has been pretty good to me from a percentage stand point..

I wouldnt have taken that shot if that bull wouldnt have stopped.. I was kinda surpised he did actually.. because they were really moving.. but he did and it was steep downhill.. anyway he gave me every opportunity to get him and it just didnt work out. No regrets here, I would take that shot on an elk anyday...standing still at 46-47 yards.. yeah I would have loved to have had it ranged...but honestly like you said in the real world.. I didnt have time to range that bull even if I had had ...a range finder..... or whisper a few words to a pal.. or anything like that... it was one of those.. "everything happens in a few split seconds.." situations.. getting in on a herd bull amongst all his cows.....is not an easy task.. those sattelite bulls both of them probably would have been in trouble... They offered a much differnt set of circumstances.. I just chose to pass them up... surely the 12 yard spike bull ..broadside.. that knucklehead just sauntered right on by me not even aware of me LOL ...

Yeah why dont you guys all pm me your shirt sizes.. again.. thanks...

IL, I hear you in regards to cash...heavy.. one minute and even the next.. I see that with my logging business.. I just spent all summer paying of my new dozer I bought in June. the good thing is now..next summer.. I dont have to pay one off!

Man fellas I bet your all ready to get hunting! just around the corner for most you, I cant wait to get read about all your hunts..

Oh geeze..I forgot to tell you guys I had a dandy buck 5x5 in my back pasture this morning.. My wife is calling dibs on him and told me I have to leave him alone! .. when rifle season opens.. hes a very nice 130 class and is periodically feeding there in the mornings..... she is excited...

I am just slamming through these post so excuse my typos and what not..

Troy