Well I came back early from hunt camp on Friday, News Years eve day. My cold had worsened badly and I couldn't stay in my stand anymore. Coughing sneezzing just doesn't make for a good day of hunting. Between my diabetes going crazy and the stomach virus in the early part of my season and then this last sickness, bad year for deer or should that be me?

I went to the doctors on saturday and had an upper respiratory viral infection. Oh great. I am on the mend.

But actually the worst part of this last trip was missing Bullwinkle. I was in one of my evening stands in a piney area and in runs Bullwinkle. He had to stop as he came to the clearing and he was a very mature buck with a wall hanging rack. I did everything right. I lined up my sight to the sweat spot and pulled the trigger just right and he did the old mule kick and ran off. I felt great and wasgoing to let him bleed out. I collected my stuff and started my track in about 30 minutes of the shot. I could find no blood, but he left a good disturbed trail to follow. I track him for a while and never found any blood. I got worried that I may have missed him and this really bummed me out. I went back to the originaly spot I shot and looked more closer. I found lots of white hair and no blood. A few feet away I noticed a long trough in the ground of about 6 or 7 feet long and that told a bunch. I shot very low and gave him a nice haircut. What I forgot to mention is he was only about 20 yds away when I shot. The worst part is I missed him, but the better part is he will live another day and I didn't wound him.

This, along with my sickness didn't make for a good day. But folks remember I am an optimist and there is always next year. Oh and we still have the rest of the years hunts: Coyote, Crow, Squirrel, Spring Turkey and oh yes whistle pigs.

know the feeling well. for me, sickness, injury, and lost equipment. did jump a couple deer while bow hunting, could not get an shot off.

It happens to the Best of Us and Im sure most of Us have been there and done that. I hope you get over your Illness Fast, GOD Bless You and Have a Happy New Year!
(BP)

Dang rafsob, seems like you boarded the wrong train and ended up on the bad luck express. Hang on to that optimism - it's the only way to live. I hope you collect Bullwinkle in 2011 and get to show us a picture of a scar across his lower chest.

That is the best that I could hope for Semi.

Thanks for the support there BP. I will make it through this garbage and press on. I got a lot on my plate at hunt camp. Plenty of work and hunting to do and oh yeah having fun while I am at it.

Corey, I for got to mention that I arrowed a nice doe during my bow season and never found her. Had a good through in through, but no deer. I guess I have some bad karma coming back at me.

But I am still high on life even though I grow old. Remember it is better then the alturnative, the eternal dirt nap/

Sorry to hear of your problems. Hope you feel better. Not only health wise, but hunting wise. There will always be next year.

Just got to keep on keeping on, least thats what they say. Have never found out who they is though.

Yep not alone this year was a bad year seem I been down for the count myself
almost came to close got a bad blood infection stayed with me for a least 6 weeks was in the hospital for 5 days and still I am not myself
well always next year
I did take a doe with my 38-55 other wise that all she wrote

Well once when I was going to the one of the Air force NCO academies at Bergstrom AFB, Tx., I did meet they. He was a two star general and he was quite a character. His opening was something like " Well I am glad to introduce THEY and it is me!" Well at least that was who they was in my chain of command in 12th AF.

Lonewolf, hope you are doing much better now and hang in there pal. I hate those days in the hospital. Did a lot of it when my heart went south on me three times.

I am working on getting a nice Malcohm style scope set up on my H&R 1873 in .38-55. I load my rounds up in BP and lead cast bullets and find it is much more fun then shooting the smokeless powders. I don't know, maybe it is just me but I am having a ball shooting it that way.

My only problem now is finding a good gunsmith to do the work on the mounting. Once I get it up and running it will go into the woods next year and go looking for Bullwinkle again. And hopefully nail that guy and put him on my wall.

Hang in there - better days will be coming.