And So It Begins

[slow motion]

Darn it!

Thought the leaves looked too green.

Enjoy the rest of holidays.

Should we expect to see you back on Mr. John’s farm in ‘24?

Certainly hope so. I passed on my request for a continuing lease opportunity in the Christmas Card I sent him. Pretty sure he's not a member here so that should help me.

BTW I sent a Christmas card and a gift card to the neighbor whose beans were ,shall we say, affected by my activities.

 

[Jim Boyd]

Money very well invested.

I am sure Mr. John will love to have u back. You have gotten past the hard year.

Year 1.

That is when you would have discovered if something terrible was wrong.

It is a big farm and hard to get around on but you know the place now and you know what you are up against.

Looking forward to ‘24!

 

[Roebuck]

Heading to Southern Illinois for my first out of state whitetail hunt. I had decided to try something different this year. Originally thought I would try South Texas and started a thread looking for advice. Before I found what I was looking for and opportunity came available in the leases section here in the here in the forum. By the time I responded all spots were filled. Oh well I'll keep looking. Still wasn't sure what I was looking for anyway dumb luck and no small amount of poor judgment on their part I got a message that a membership had opened up. 13 members on a 1600 Acre Farm. Still haven't met everybody but we have a group text and most days somebody will post pics from their cell camera. Seems like a really good group and I believe they all are supportive and Hope that we all succeed. The goal of the group is to harvest five or older and 150 in Deer. They're doing their best to educate me on field judging as I have never seen a hundred fifty inch deer on the hoof you are most likely of five plus year old. A bit apprehensive but I've been assured that if I'm happy with the buck I shoot they'll be happy too. We've had a few work days but there's still a little to do hanging safety ropes and such. I'm still about an hour south of Nashville what should be in Illinois in a bit. Archery season opens on Saturday so wish us all luck. Members are all scattered all around the southeast but besides myself there are four other form members @Jim Thompson , @bubbabuck , @jcooley380 , and @bilgerat

Enjoy your new lease. Enjoy it all, the work days, the early morning starts, the days you blank, watching the sun come up / go down, being at one with nature, and then those really special days when you get your 150 plus Buck.

I reckon if @Jim Thompson and @bubbabuck are on the lease, then it must be a great piece of real estate. We gonna see some Live From The Tree from this property?

 

[slow motion]

Enjoy your new lease. Enjoy it all, the work days, the early morning starts, the days you blank, watching the sun come up / go down, being at one with nature, and then those really special days when you get your 150 plus Buck.

I reckon if @Jim Thompson and @bubbabuck are on the lease, then it must be a great piece of real estate. We gonna see some Live From The Tree from this property?

Thanks man. Had some great hunts and if anybody gets a chance to meet JT or Bubba they are good people.

Where you headed I’m the UK. I’m way out west in Herefordshire, if you get this way we can hunt vampire deer. Useless billies know all about vampire deer.

Also thanks for the invite to hunt Vampire deer. If I ever get back that way I'd like to "buy you a pint". I believe that's the correct way to say it. Post up some more of your adventures from across the pond when you can my friend.

 

[slow motion]

I occasionally, , have what I call a mishap. As i was hunting at the back of a large field i drove the 4 wheeler close and hid it in the weeds a few times. This particular farm has places, because of the shape of the fields, where it doesn't get planted. So those areas grow up in weeds 6 to 8 ft. high. Still finding cuckleburrs. Thats where you can hide an atv. Dont think the sound bothers them that much as i heard them periodically on surrounding farms. Just farmers doing there thing. Been wrong before though. One particular evening as I was driving back to the truck I ran out of gas. As I'm walking back I can hear the conversation I had with Sweet Thang a week or so before.
Her: Your 4 wheeler has a gas leak.
Me: No that's those cans beside it.
Her: Are you sure?
Me: 100%
Told yall I've been wrong before. Now next day after the morning hunt I head out across this field with a can of gas.

There's a ditch that bisects this field. The crossing is at the far end so I decided to walk the short way and look for another possible crossing. Now I've posted before about my luck swinging wide in both directions good and bad. Sometimes one wide swing will even lead to another So as I'm following this ditch, no other crossing for an atv by the way, I walk up on this. Shame this young buck died while still at least partially in velvet but I thought it was cool and wouldn't have ever seen it otherwise.

While im on the subject, another mishap



So one evening as the wind was finally right I decided to hunt a section of woods that I had only hunted once on my first trip up and hadn't even seen much of. No stand in there yet so I took a chair and lucked up on a blowdown for a natural blind.

Not long after I sat down a doe came trotting down a trail that passed a few yards in front of me. Just behind her and keeping pace was a 7 point. Decent width but short tines. Beautiful deer but his body wasn't bulked up. I guessed at 3 yr old but remember I've been wrong before. Easily in range but not what I was looking for. Now I'll pause to explain something. I started this quest with the goal of a 150 or better. Course I didn't fare too well at that. Sometimes a Redneck has just got to do what he does. So now I'm hunting the one that flips the switch in my brain. Sometimes they seem to call to you. Now back to the woods. She picked me off and turned he followed her and they disappeared deeper into the woods. Now this particular spot I was sitting in had places I could see into the field. So I'm seeing deer in the field. A buck, can only tell with binos, is chasing a doe. Finally she runs out of the field and he stops. Then he starts my way. Now he was maybe 3 or 400 yards out but he's closing. Young 8 pt. but my heart rate gets up even when I see a fawn. He's still coming and watching the woods. Suddenly the woods exploded with chasing. Apparently he was following along with the other bucks chasing what I guess was the doe he was chasing in the field. Her closest pursuer was a tall 10 point that would have been the one I wanted had he been alone. Second in line was a short tined 8 that looked like his rack was 2 ft. wide. Always liked a wide rack. His body was massive. Closest he got was 60 or a little more. The 10 was around 35 or 40 when he crossed an opening but was on a dead run. Finally the chase led back toward the field. I grabbed an old grunt call I hadn't used in years. Realized immediately why I bought another one. This one was finicky and wouldn't work without a little force. In the excitement I finally blew too hard and it made a sound. Now if you've done it you know. Best I can describe it is a duck. The chasing instantly stopped. They all froze for a minute or so. Then slowly ambled off. Last I saw the bucks were milling about near her and the doe was feeding in the field. No shots offered but a crazy exciting hunt. While I've see chasing before and even 2 or 3 small bucks pestering does I had never seen 4 chasing the same doe at a run and over a long distance. Saw it a few times more.

Hadn't posted a food pic in this post. So one of the afore mentioned venison sausage biscuits and a cup with Pop.
More to come

 

[slow motion]

Tough day at work today. Nothing i haven't done 100 times ir more but for some reason it kicked my backside today. Gettin old. So im sipping bourbon and relaxing. About to grill some chicken and green stuff so just a bunch of pics this eve.

Warned you food is a big part of my hunts.



Also proof something eats hedge apples.




Thought they were an understory tree kinda like buckeyes in Ga. Got a pic somewhere of them hanging in a tree 40 ft or more up. I'll look for it later.
Just a sunrise pic
Pics of different terrain. I'm taken aback by the different trees and vegetation. I know I'm odd but I own it.


Remember how far this looks down. It will be important later along with the pic of the rocks in the stream posted earlier. Why was I in the stream bed? All in good time my pretty.

 

[flatwoods]

Note to @slow motion , avoid parking under the hedge apple tree

 

[slow motion]

Note to @slow motion , avoid parking under the hedge apple tree

How's that foot healing brother. First @Jim Thompson then you. My friends are dropping like flies. Keeps up yall may start having mishaps too. Could be catching.

 

[flatwoods]

How's that foot healing brother. First @Jim Thompson then you. My friends are dropping like flies. Keeps up yall may start having mishaps too. Could be catching.

Doing better. Took a stroll in the woods today.

 

[slow motion]

Wrong forum? Yes. Tired from a long day? Yes. Using that as an excuse instead of telling the truth that youre lazy? Yes. Liquored up? Yes.

Grilled chicken. Seasoned and them hosed down with cheap hot sauce.

Supposed to be zucchini but turned into a bunch of cucumbers. So broccoli and chucked up Granny Smith apple. Seasoned with garlic salt and fine ground cayenne pepper.

Just before removing from grill added some Colby Jack cheese.


Not bad.

 

[slow motion]

So back to the trip. As I was leaving the woods from all that activity I was pumped. Already thinking about tomorrow. So distracted I didn't notice the vine that caught my foot and I tripped banging the xbow. I always bring a target but this time forgot it. On the phone with my wife later she asked what are you going to do. Hunt for a few hours then go get a target. Start judging me now cause you know what is coming.
It's November 10th and I'm on an oak ridge. Stand backs up to a steep drop into a creek. Best I remember there had been a good bit of movement that morning already when a buck comes running full speed across the creek and away from me out of sight. I reach for my pack that is hanging on the side of the stand becae there is a can call in there. And I'm thinking it's worth a try. I'll pause here and say to @JB0704 and @NCHillbilly and any one else who followed that thread, while I was back in Ga. at the time I wasn't at Don Carter. I'll add though sometimes they work. This buck is proof.

Or maybe it was a coincidence. Truthfully sometimes anything works as I'm about to explain. Had the pack hanging on the delta bolt used to adjust the shooting rail. What I needed was down in the bottom pouch. I twisting it around and the pack drops. It proceeds to slide all the way down to the creek. If you look closely in the first pic you'll see it.

Zoomed in

And Pop's thermos.

Well apparently that buck heard this and thought it was chasing and came running to investigate. Tall and wide. Came almost to the base of the tree. Stopped. Spotted me and ran back but stopped at 20 yards on the nose broadside. I shot. He ran but stopped at 40. Couldn't get cocked before he walked away. The stopping and walking away concerned me as it isn't natural behavior. Gave it a little time and got down. Blood was there and easy to follow.

Pretty soon it got less and less.

Finally it was a speck here and there. Sometimes 20 yards apart. Searched all day and most of the next. Never found him. Found a bed with 4 specks in the leaves. That time of year any of them could be bleeding so no way to know if even him. When I later checked I was shooting high. Like to think he is alive and well but it's more likely he died and I didn't find him. So judge me how you will. Nothing you can say I haven't already thought.

The creek has steep banks in most places and i would have just left the pack in the creek but Pop's thermos was in there. The other side was somewhat lower so after giving up the search the next day I put together 15 feet of ladder stand ladder an ratchet strapped it together. Couldn't tell how deep it was as the water was dark and the surface covered with leaves. Turned out to be just over my boots. So I got wet feet but didn't have to swim.
Ladder from the top. Just can see it by the tree.

Ladder from the creek bed


View up to the stand. Tough to find in the pic. Look in the White Oak in center and look low. Ill point it out in next post but im out of space in this post.

 

[slow motion]

Stand.

Ladder into creek close up.

Got to get to work. More later

 

[NCHillbilly]

Man, hate to hear that about the buck, but it happens. It’s happened to me and about everybody else who has pulled the trigger on a bunch of deer.
Great story and narrative and photo essay, I’ve been enjoying it a lot!

 

[slow motion]

Just had a revelation. If I drop anything into that creek again I'll call @bfriendly cause he could rappel down. Get my stuff and climb back up. He's a climbing machine. Don't believe it. Check out his video on saddle hunting.

 

[slow motion]

Man, hate to hear that about the buck, but it happens. It’s happened to me and about everybody else who has pulled the trigger on a bunch of deer.
Great story and narrative and photo essay, I’ve been enjoying it a lot!

Thanks man. You bout got moved in to the homeplace? One day I'm gonna drive up and break bread with you my Hillbilly brother.

 

[NCHillbilly]

Thanks man. You bout got moved in to the homeplace? One day I'm gonna drive up and break bread with you my Hillbilly brother.

Working on it. It’s a process. And you’re welcome any time.

 

[flatwoods]

Working on it. It’s a process. And you’re welcome any time.

Don't get him started @NCHillbilly
He likes to eat. I have seen your cooking.
You'll never get rid of him.

 

[slow motion]

So there was a thread awhile back started by @notnksnemor and it contained a poll. Title was the animal or the experience. While I love the hunt the total experience is what makes it special. Sering a sunrise or sunset. Listening to the woods wake up if i manage to get in early. Rocks. Trees. These are the hedge apples way up in a big tree I mentioned earlier. Cant tell it here but they were around 30 feet up and the tree was much taller than that.

Finding where beavers have been in the present or past.

Strange bird nests.

The gourmet cuisine.

The people you meet are always a huge part of the experience too and I was about to go visiting. Tried to meet up with @Jim Boyd last year but the logistics didn't work out. He and his brother Ron were a bit North of me this year. They were getting ready to head home only having a few days left and invited me to come up and eat. My instructions were to bring myself a potato for baking and if I wanted anything to go with the burgers they were grilling. Stopped at a small town grocery store. Pickings were a bit slim. Having only recently discovered that I like asparagus cooked with olive oil and sea salt got some when I saw it. Now I typically just oil, salt, and throw on the grill with whatever I'm cooking. So I'll apologize at this point as Jim ended up with a frying pan and having to cook it on the stove top. Not sure your brother would have grilled it anyway judging from the face he made when he saw it. Imagine I was the butt of a few jokes after I left as a result. So back up just a bit. Jim gave me an address. I followed it to the shack they were staying in. When I saw it I felt so sorry for them having to sleep in such a place. No actually as hunting accommodations go it was the Taj Mahal. So first impressions. Always felt Jim to be a serious no nonsense kind of guy. Boy was I wrong. The Boyd brothers are a riot. They had been drinking a bit already so that probably helped. We shared a good meal and had a great time.

Next I met another member here. @flatwoods hunts in the same county as me and came down to pick me up at the motel and show me around the town a little. I get lost in the little town most mornings heading to the farm and he's been hunting around this area for some time. Was talking to my wife and she said how do you know he's not some nut? Told her if he is we should get along good since I'm one too. So he calls to tell me he in the parking lot.
Me: Are you driving a van with blacked out windows?
Him: A rape van? Chuckles No I'm in my truck.
Me: Should I bring my own rope and duct tape?
Him: We'll work that out. What's the odds of 2 of us being in here anyway.
Funny guy. Showed me around the town a bit and then we went for supper.Dont remember the name of that restaurant but that meatloaf and gravy was delicious. Another great time.

Had a few more hunts and saw a few more including another nice buck but though I would have liked to stay longer I had been gone awhile. Sometimes you just get the feeling it's time to go home. I'd had that feeling for a bit. Once again I felt somewhat defeated but for a different reason this season. We have a joke. On married with children Peg once said AL you know I can't sleep without my knees in your back. I know Peg. Knees in my back or not it was good to be home. Made a couple friends. Learned more about how the deer use the property. Hope to get back once more this season and hunt there again next year. I'll keep adding to this if I'm blessed with more Midwestern opportunities. Last pic is overlooking an old fallow field. Never really hunted it even though Jim's advice from the beginning was to pay special attention to that area.

It's been a bit since all this took place and I omitted some details that are in LFTT and included some that weren't. Possibly made chronological mistakes as well. If you've stuck with me this far then thanks for your interest. Perhaps it was mildly entertaining.

Later peeps.

 

[flatwoods]

I enjoyed it @slow motion .
We ate at Nick's in Jerseyville.
Food up there ain't like around here but Nicks is decent. Been there a long time.
If we had more time I'd have taken you across the river but you might have gotten a bit nervous then.
I could tell we'd get along just fine.
You're always welcome in my camp.

 

[Jim Boyd]

The people you meet are always a huge part of the experience too and I was about to go visiting. Tried to meet up with @Jim Boyd last year but the logistics didn't work out. He and his brother Ron were a bit North of me this year. They were getting ready to head home only having a few days left and invited me to come up and eat. My instructions were to bring myself a potato for baking and if I wanted anything to go with the burgers they were grilling. Stopped at a small town grocery store. Pickings were a bit slim. Having only recently discovered that I like asparagus cooked with olive oil and sea salt got some when I saw it. Now I typically just oil, salt, and throw on the grill with whatever I'm cooking. So I'll apologize at this point as Jim ended up with a frying pan and having to cook it on the stove top. Not sure your brother would have grilled it anyway judging from the face he made when he saw it. Imagine I was the butt of a few jokes after I left as a result. So back up just a bit. Jim gave me an address. I followed it to the shack they were staying in. When I saw it I felt so sorry for them having to sleep in such a place. No actually as hunting accommodations go it was the Taj Mahal. So first impressions. Always felt Jim to be a serious no nonsense kind of guy. Boy was I wrong. The Boyd brothers are a riot. They had been drinking a bit already so that probably helped. We shared a good meal and had a great time.

Man, we loved that you came up to see us!

No, it is not the Taj Mahal but it is cozy and that family treats us like kin folks.

Yes, the adult beverages were flowing then and they will be if you visit 2024!!!

If u think two Boyd’s are a hoot, if you can time it right next year at the overlap, you can get 3 for the price of 2… but my older brother is sedate compared to us.

I love the broccoli and asparagus - Ronnie not so much. He will tell ya it turns folks gay but you know that already!!!

Love your thread and your updates. Make me remember the Midwest all the better!!!!!