HERE ARE SOME STORIES OF THE HUNT, AS TOLD BY THE MEMBERS IN THE PHOTOS.  STRETCHING THE TRUTH IS ACCEPTED!!! 

Gabe’s Youth Hunt 2007,

Gabe was disappointed that he wasn’t allowed to use his bow for the September 22, 23 youth hunt but he was still excited about going out after his first deer. It was terribly hot and the mosquitoes were thick. We situated a popup blind by a corn field that was recently cut for silage. As I often do out of anticipation for the hunt, I led us out way too early. I was concerned that Gabe might not hold interest because of fighting the bugs and the heat. I have memories of taking him out to the blind as a very young boy and having him fidget and fuss with the lack of patience normally displayed by little boys. But now he was focused. It’s funny as I watched him it really hit me how much he has matured over the past couple of years.

He told me, “Dad, I’m going to take whatever deer comes out. I don’t care if it’s a buck or doe.” We all wish for the perfect buck but I told him we could use the venison so I was happy to help him pullout whatever crossed our path. We were situated for the day with water, snacks and deet. Unfortunately the mosquitoes were so bad we literally had to slather it on to keep them at bay. We patiently watched several pheasant cocks push each other around and one even came within a couple of feet of our pop up. As the sun began to fall below the horizon he said he’d had enough. I told him that this was the magic hour and the deer would show up very late because of the heat. Sure enough, just then we saw three doe appear 380 yards away. Soon after, a little buck followed the chorus of doe. They danced and bounded around the field and I was concerned that our wind would be going right too them as they approached the wind line. I told Gabe I hoped the pop up would hide our scent but we got a lesson in the amazing senses of the whitetail deer. As he arrived to the wind line the little buck leaped straight up in the air and locked his gaze on our position as he landed. He bobbed his head up and down and back and forth to see if he could identify us as we glassed him. They scattered and we were shut out our first day as the sun fell. We made plans to sit in the opposite corner of the field the next evening without our pop up. The next evening we arrived much later and set up chairs in four rows of corn that was missed by the combine. About an hour before dark a doe fawn came out of the woods 20 yards to our right and upwind. She was clueless of our presence which was a good sign. I was surprised that Gabe chose not to take her because of what he told me earlier but I think seeing the little buck on the first day made him aware better opportunities were on the way.

We saw three button bucks ramming their heads together kicking up a large cloud of dust as they sparred in the dry field. It was a beautiful sight against the sunset. Two larger two and half year old bucks came out and made their way out into the field picking at the corn. Gabe was having trouble getting a clear view through the corn in his sitting position. I told him to slowly stand and I took knee as I moved his shooting stick to the proper height. He appeared to be totally relaxed as he said, “I can take him dad.” I said squeeze your hand slowly and he did.

Gabe hit the deer perfectly behind the shoulder taking out both lungs for a quick kill. Gabe said “he’s down.” I didn’t see the deer drop and the other buck bounded directly at us and stopped broadside at 60 yards. I told Gabe to put the deer down because I mistakenly thought this was the buck he had hit. He listened to me and shot at the second buck but missed this one as he was now shaking and living the intense adrenaline rush only hunters understand. He explained to me that his buck was already down out in the field. Although Gabe had two tags, we were fortunate Gabe missed the second buck since we found out later the youth hunt has a one deer bag limit. We laser targeted the distance the next morning and it was 160 yard shot. Gabe used my Remington 870 12 gauge with Remington Premier Core-locked Ultras. I highly recommend this slug because of the longer distance accuracy for a shotgun. I am very excited that Gabe had the opportunity to take his first buck with me by his side. We’ve enjoyed many venison dinners already and have a couple of roasts and some patties yet to enjoy. Dad’s who hunt with their children understand how I feel about this experience. It’s the time we spend that counts.

DARIN'S "TRUTH ABOUT HUNTING" 

November 3rd, 2007.
Although the thermometer read a scant 4 degrees, I opted for my light camos to keep my freedom of movement. I went out the door at my usual 2:45 a.m., I like to hit my stand by 3:15 a.m. to let the deer settle down.
After walking the 3 1/2 miles to my stand (usually only 2 miles, but the wind was out of the east so I took my secondary route), I free climbed the 38 feet to my platform, nocked an arrow and took my motionless stance.
After 2 hrs. I still had about 64 minutes to shooting light, so I took the chance of slowly stretching for 10 seconds.
Another motionless 3 hrs. later I heard a leaf crunch at about 200 yrds. out. I took the usual 4 minutes to turn my head 3 inches and caught movement at about 156 yrds.
I figured he would keep his line for around 36 to 37 more yrds and angle toward me at about 42 degrees. Well as luck would have it that is exactly what he did to about 70 yrds out.

Although that is a routine shot with my bow, I had one problem: Sometime since 10:00 p.m. the night before ( I usually clear shooting lanes out to 100 yrds every night), the wind must have blown a tree down at about 67 1/2 yrds.
The deer was making his way through that mess, so I took a chance at moving a little ( I don't worry that much about scent because I  eat only acorns and drink only water and deer urine for 6 months before season), anyway the only way I could get a shot was to hook my foot around my tree and lean out at a 90 degree angle, unfortunately my $1200.00 hunting boots slipped and I ended up hanging upside down from
my stand, lucky for me I held on to my bow.
The whitetail gods must have been smiling on me, because that buck had stopped at 62 1/4 yards. Although I had to shoot fingers and left handed, I managed to get a shot off when he got to 61 1/2 yards. He went farther than most of my other deer, almost 30 feet, before my double-lung heart shot took effect and he dropped. After my 30 sec. gutting routine I hoisted him on my back and trekked the couple of miles back to the truck.

..........or

Grabbed my camos right after work, busted butt out to my stand. Parked the four wheeler and walked 300 yrds. Put some tinks on my hanging drag. climbed my steps, sat down, cracked a lite. I had already decided to shoot whatever came in for meat. This dumbass 3 point made all kinds of racket so I put down my beer and had my bow drawn when he was at 45 yrds. He went right for the scent and I plugged him at 18 yrds through heart and one lung. I thought I missed because I saw my arrow go flying straight up. The broadhead and 3 inches of carbon were still in his broken shoulder though and he went less than 70 yrds. Had him gutted and in the truck before total dark.

BILL'S FIRST BOW KILL , PICTURE #48

It was late October,06.  I was hunting on a property in northern Lenawee County, with my good friends, Paul and Dan.

We went out for a afternoon hunt, and I was in a tree stand that you could only see 25 yrds around you.   The area was so over grown it was going to be hard to see any deer coming.  At about an hour before dark, my hands were getting cold, so I took off my left glove to warm up my hand and I put the glove on my knee.  When I looked up I saw the buck coming through the under brush, right it front of me.   So I'm thinking, here he comes.   The buck came right at me, I had no shot until he went to his left.  He stopped 10 yrds from my tree, and I had to stand up to make the shot.   As I stood up, the glove that was on my knee dropped to the ground.  I thought the buck would run, but he did'nt.

Where he stopped there was a small hole in the underbrush that I could shoot through, so I took the shot.  The arrow went right through the vitals, and he spun around and ran a short distance then I heard "The Crash".  I then grabbed the cell phone and called Paul and Dan to tell them the good news.

The Buck was only 30 yrds from were I shot him.  What a hunt, and I was glad to share it with my buddies.