2020 Season (Work in Progress)
 

Well so far the 2020 hunting season has been good for the most part which is good since we lost power for a week at the house and lost most of the meat we had left from last season.

Have had many opportunities early in archery season but just couldn't get it nailed down until Nov 12. The downside is I was hunting from the ground without a blind or tree to help keep me concealed and instead had to use a tumbleweed the best I could. On the shot I clipped a weed and the arrow hit a bit back. I watched the buck jump and run about 100 yards before coming to a stop, hunching up and lowering his head and new I had hit paunch! Felt sick but new if given time he would expire so I watched him bed down then slipped out. Upon returning in the morning of "Friday the 13th!" He was right where I had left him but with coyotes all over. They had completely devoured him. So no meat in the freezer but I have gotten permission from the Biologist out there to return in Dec and help take out the coyotes. This is public land in Oklahoma with a good but strict management plan so I keep in contact with the Warden and Biologist regularly to help them as much as I can.

I was also invited to hunt a friends property in Indiana so the Saturday after taking this buck I made the 11 hour drive and met up with him. The first morning the wind was very difficult! It started off well enough as I was sheltered from it for the most part in the tree I was using. As the sun started peeking over the horizon however I started hearing what sounded like construction workers dumping loads of concrete. Well lets just say that around 7:30 am I figured out what it was. The wind had gotten so bad it had started blowing trees over. Had 1 just about take me out of the tree I was in and said "The heck with this" and got out of there quick. We ended up having 45mph winds with up to 64mph gusts.

After it calmed down a little I took a cellular camera out and set it up in the corner of the cut corn field then head back to my tree on the edge of the same field but about 120 yards from the corner. While climbing up and getting settled in my cell phone vibrated a few time and I just figured it was my buddy making sure I made it to the spot. After getting set I rested for a couple min and then checked the phone. Turns out as I was going up a dang buck had chased a doe right but the camera and right behind me while I was on the way up and I never seen them! This was at 3pm!! Sat till dark and didn't see a dang thing.

Next morning I headed to the same stand and played with a little buck by calling him in a few times, had a doe with a few yearlings come running buy then finally at 9:30am I glance over my left shoulder and this buck was cruising across the field at just over 200 yards. I seen the size of his body and couldn't pass him up. One shot and he dropped right there and dressed and just over 200 lbs. Finally some meat in the freezer!!

Last but not least the best part of this season that I will never forget is my son joined the Navy and graduated bootcamp back on Feb 14. In early Nov he was finally getting out of "A" school and heading to San Diego for his "C" school and duty station. He ended up surprising us and took leave for a week in-between his schools and came home. On top of that I was invited on a veterans duck hunt and was allowed to bring him with me. He was able to take his first duck using the same gun I took my first duck 30 years ago and I was able to take my first woody!! I highly doubt that anything will top that week probably for many years and the memories made will for sure last me for my lifetime.

Overall I have had my ups and downs and I'm sure I am glad some of it isn't on video.....ha, but I wouldn't change it for the world.

Man those coyotes did a number on him!

Thanks for sharing. Sounds like a blessed season.

-Jake

Got out on a Sandhill Crane hunt this past week that was just awesome! Never been before but when the opportunity came up I couldn't turn it down. Now just gotta find a few good recipe's. The guys that guided us said that the one with the red head needed to be mounted as the colors were unique and and the bird was very old. Not sure what "the boss" will say about it though lol.

I’ve heard they are really good just fried. They get a bad rap for taste but my dad really likes them.

Finally cooked some crane up and it was delicious! Stuffed with onion, bell pepper and mushrooms sautéed with bacon then simmered in a beer and heinz 57 till beer cooked off. Wrapped bacon around breast to cover stuffing hole, seasoned lightly with Montreal steak seasoning and slap you momma then grilled on pellet grill at 375 for 10 min a side.

Great posts, Kelly Guinn. Congratulations on your son.

Ended up finishing off my season with a bang. My son is stationed in Camp Pendleton so I got over there for their Veteran/Military weekend waterfowl hunt. We had an awesome time and I have never seen so many ducks in one place! Knocked a couple birds of the bucket list as a bonus. The pintail I had gotten here at home though a few weeks before our season ended.