Devastation...................and a little doe
 

A freak October storm has dumped a couple feet of heavy snow on us here and and with the leaves still on the trees the destruction was massive. Everyone was caught completely off guard because weathermen are useless. There are hundreds of thousands of people still without power (5 days later) and the melting snow is now flooding all the basements with powerless sump pumps.

I stayed up all night during the storm trying to save anything in my yard that I could. My shed, gazeebo, and morning room were destroyed as the 100 year old trees in my yard gave way to the storm. Standing in my yard at 4 am trying to save whatever I could under the glow of freakish lightning and transformers blowing up/catching fire is a surreal nightmare that I will never forget.

I gave up and went to sleep only to awake to disaster.......power lines covering my driveway, travel bans, hundreds of thousands of people without power and my snowblower 400 feet away in a crushed shed. My house has been like a shelter because I was lucky enough to be one of the first areas to regain power. I never knew so many people could sleep in one house. We sent a couple guys to PA with $5,000 to buy as many generators as they could and that has helped. Thank god for venison in the freezer and my wood burning stove.

People suck.

We have been through fights at gas stations and grocery stores, and now have scumbags posing as FEMA agents trying to scam people. Nice to see people band together in the face of adversity :eek:

I couldn't take it anymore and left yesterday to go climb a tree..........ANY tree. I went to 2 of my spots that I spent hours on hanging stands and trimming lanes only to find them destroyed.........one of the trees is laying on the ground with my stand still strapped to it. Needless to say my spirits were not boosted. I went back to the truck and got my climber and jumped up a tree.........at 5:00 a little doe walked out and I shot her at 20 yards. At least I can replenish the freezer.

Don't know how much (if any) more hunting I will do with all the clean up that needs to be done before winter hits. The damage is horrible and now the rapid melt is making it worse. The tree damage from this storm is awful........this area may not look the same for 20-30 years. At least I got up a tree once.

NOT the way I saw this season going........that is for sure.

I don't even know what we would have done without my 4x4 and wood stove. It was 45 degrees in my 72 year old mother in laws house by the time we got to her to bring her over.......she was bundled up in her winter jacket and about 5 pairs of pants just sitting there crying watching her basement fill with water.

This blows.

Things are starting to get back to something resembling normal but hundreds of thousands of people still have no power and the clean up hasn't even started.

Good Luck to everyone lucky enough to be hunting.............enjoy every minute you can in your stands.

I am aiming for at least a day or 2 during the rut just so I don't go insane.

RE: Devastation...................and a little doe
 

What's left of my gazeebo.

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My poor target :(

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My wife yelled at me for not smiling.

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So I smiled for her.

RE: Devastation...................and a little doe
 

Atlasman,
I have really sorry to hear about the destruction to your home and community.I knew it was bad up there but I didn't have any sense of how bad.I wish you and your family and your community well in restoring your properties and your lives back to normal!

RE: Devastation...................and a little doe
 

Woa....
Talk about devastation!
Good luck and may you recover from all your losses.
Nice doe by the way, shell be some good eatin!:)

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My cheap old practice ladder stand weathered the storm:)

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Wow man, I didn't realize you guys got hit so hard up there. best of luck getting things up and going again.

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Nice doe

I know we do not see eye to eye, but if you need anything let us know. We are all still on the same team!!

Man what a storm, devastation is unreal!!

- classy post, ghemry

RE: Devastation...................and a little doe
 

Sounds like Ice Storm.

Happened here about 10 years ago I think.

Same thing, tons of snow, tons of ice, devestated everything.

Sorry to hear you're having to go through it, but I'm glad to hear things are starting to get a bit better.

Congrats on the doe!

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Sorry to hear of the troubles. My entire fathers side of the family lives in Cheektowaga and they got hammered too. They had to all go to my uncles house where he bought a generator and he now has about 10 people staying with him in his 1200 square foot house. Best of luck to you and congrats on the doe.

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Im here cleaning up with you, sure did change the look of the woods. Hope things are back to normal for both of us soon.

RE: Devastation...................and a little doe
 

Sorry to hear about hard times I couldn't even imagine. What a mess up there.

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Man, that really bites. Especially since you were so prepared for the season. At least no one was hurt. And great that you could get out AND get a deer. Hopefully things will mend faster than you think and that you'll at least get out for the rut. Good luck.

RE: Devastation...................and a little doe
 

Wow, I didn't realize how bad it was either. Best of luck with the cleanup and all that goes with a situation like that. Congrats on the good looking doe.

RE: Devastation...................and a little doe
 

I had NO IDEA this happened to you until Ghemry told me (I returned on Sunday.....after 9 days in Mexico).

Dude...I am REALLY sorry. I wish I'd known about the generator thing.....I have a great one that you could have used (had someone been able to get 1/2 way.....which I would still do. say the word if you need it).

If you can think of ANYTHING I can do....I mean it....let me know (Including a place to hunt if you can swing a couple of days. I've got a few deer down here.)

I really hope you see brighter days SOONER.....rather than LATER.

Jeff

RE: Devastation...................and a little doe
 

Holy cow, how did I miss this post? I'm so sorry to hear about that! At least you got out and got yourself some freezer food. Man, I had no idea.

Hope the cleanup is going okay and things are starting to get back to "normal" now, whatever your new "normal" will be. :(

Prayers and thoughts comin' your way...

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Atlasman,

I am so sorry for all of your loss. Man , I cannot imagine what it must feel like, but I will put you and yourfamily and friends in my prayers.

I hope you get things straightened out really soon.

God Bless,

RE: Devastation...................and a little doe
 

Sorry about your luck man.

On the lighter side, all the important things are still there for you and your family. Your lives, your home and your 4x4!

Facing these situations either kills you, or makes you stronger, we're glad you're still here!

Congrats on the deer. Nature has a funny way of providing with its offerings during hard times.

About ten years ago we had about five inches of freezing rain, hail and sleet in Virginia over the holidays. Hundreds of thousands of people lost power. Many, like my in-laws were without power for weeks afterwards. We spent the Christmas holiday at their home with one small 3000 watt generator, and we were about three hours from home in a pretty remote part of the state. Once their road became impassable and food was at least short enough to start having to plan meals accordingly, I poached a small deer. I had a license and it was the season, but I'd brought my new 30.06 that my wife had gotten for me for Christmas only to show her uncle, who is also an avid hunter. But we were in shotgun only territory which I have never hunted. My wife was pregnant with our first child at the time and I did what I had to do. We (our family and neighbors) picked the young doe clean. Everyone knew what I had done was illegal, but no one spoke of it. It changed the way I've felt about hunting to this day. I've always been an ethical hunter, my father raised me that way. But Ifelt a real connection when I was in real need of help and this fine animal presented its self for a good cause, and gave its life. I've had four children since that time and if they choose to hunt, I will raise all of them to be responsible and respectful hunters.

Best wishes and good luck to you and your family

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killer primate:

I practice good hunting ethics and I have a teenage son to set an example for, too.

YOU did NOTHING wrong in my eyes.....and, in fact, gained my respect.

"Ethics" is doing the right thing.....when even the WRONG thing isn't against the law. It also works both ways.

I'm glad you shared that story.

Jeff

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Best wishes in your recovery......hope it all turns out to be alright.

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Atlas,

Sorry to hear about the weather troubles you are having, I can only hope you, your friends an family get things cleaned up and back to "normal" soon. I also hope you get back into the woods soon as well.

If you find yourself in Illinois I always have a place for you to hunt.

Congrats on the deer.

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Seeing posts like that make me realize how lucky we have it here in Missouri. I admire your strength and spirit.

It really pisses me off to hear about the people trying to scam the victims. The roaches out there that do that deserve-I am not going to say it. For anyone to take advantage of people like that really burns my a##!. You can bet that those jerks didnt grow up hunting because they never learned to respect others.

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Yep hope you all recover soon!!

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At least you can still practice from your ladder standin the snow brother!:eek: Seriously, I hope everything recovers well for you.

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wow dude, i'm sorry. Let me know if there's anything I can do to help.