Well, I just finished eating "Buck Tag Soup." Wow, what a season. It seems like yesterday Rob and I were hanging a stand set in puddles of sweat and now I peel off more layers than the Eskimos.
The season for me started well before the opener with food plots.
As the season started Rob and I set out to get a kill on film, while he was gracious to give me most of the camera time as he had killed on film many other times, it was him shooting and me on camera, thatgot it done for us on a nice mature nanny.
My home property target was this big gal. She is a wise ol chick. A few close run ins with herwere all I needed to fuel a hatred. I had a chance to smoke her with the 30.06 in gun season, but was greedy as more deer where pouring into the field at last light. (she always leads about 50 yards out in front) For the record, I wish I had she busted my in second season. I have her ondeath row fornext year.
Mid October brought a road trip down to Wild's Outfitters (twildasin)
Rob and I took off on a Friday at 11am and made it to York, PA in time to shower and head out for the evening hunt. I nearly took my first deer on film all by myself, but she walked off the edge of the frame right as I shot. Matt / PA, myself, and twildasin pulled a triple play that Friday night. It was a fun weekend.
Here's my doe.
Yes, this was the "Radical Hysterectomy" for those of you keeping score at home.
After the trip, it was time to get down to serious business and Rob and I put away the cameras in order to up both of our stand time in hopes for a buck. Although, I had several encounters with good bucks, up until the second to last Friday, I had not had any shots. I had a cameraman with me to witness the spectical and capture the mess.
We had been in the stand for like 5 minutes when this guy comes running out from right where we walked in.
We watched him go back where he came from (downwind) and as we were, we had this better buck chase a doe right at us. I'll admit it, I got rattled, stopped up and blew the shot. He will haunt me a bit this off season. This pic is when he came back and swung downwind of us while looking for his girlfriend.
I tried to shake it off and the following morning in the rain and fog up on the mountain, I shot my first archery bird at 41 yards. Sorry for the pic, I don't know why we didn't get more. The bird and I were soaked, so I just had Mike strap him to my climber.
On the last day of the first season, in between rain downpours, I shot an 8 point that I was sure and still am, is dead. A downpour minutes after the shot ruined a blood trail, regardless I was sure a short search would turn him up. After two days and 8 guys later, I still think he is dead, but he is a ghost. I looked everyday at least in a small capacity hoping, but I am told these things happen, I just didn't think they did to me.
Gun season was fun with the gang as usual, but a tag remained. With two weeks off around Xmas, I hunted more this past second season than ever. With a trade show trip to leave for on Sunday morning early and the snow to plow tomorrow, I am calling it right now. 2008/2009 is in the books....somewhere near 191.5 hours in the field. What a year. Thanks to all who were part of it.
Now.......when is 3D........what are we planting......where we putting cameras at? Let's get going on 2009/2010.
Cheers guys.