Slow Going

Well, it is about halfway through the deer season and I have yet to kill a deer. It's not that I haven't seen them, it's I guess I am too picky with my shot selection. I have passed up 4 younger bucks earlier in the season, didn't like the shot a group of does gave me, and had a nice 120+ 8 pointer at 40 yards behind some brush and trees, but would never step out for me to take the shot. However, I most likely would have waited for him to get in to about 30 yards before I would have drawn my bow back. Which leads me to my next thought...

I am considering hanging up the bow and taking the rifle to the woods. But I guess you have to be able to see deer to shoot deer. The last 3 times I have ventured out into my bottom, I have been blanked. I haven't seen a deer one. And to top it off, as I sit here and type this, Frank Ellis sends me a picture of a great 10 pointer that was taken on his farm this morning. Not to mention all the other "friends" that continue to send/post pictures of their kills. While I rejoice with them, it still keeps me thinking I haven't got anything yet. I feel my chances would be greater if I took the rifle, but I also want to take a deer with my bow. I think I'll get one under my belt, and then take the bow back out afterwards.

In the meantime, I pray that the lack of seeing deer will be fixed with a change of location, and the lack of killing deer, will be fixed by a change of weapon. Hopefully the next time I write will be to let you know I'm putting meat in my freezer. Thanks for your time, and safe happy hunting. Remember when in doubt, don't pull the trigger.

Butterflies

The days are starting to dwindle away until the archery opener for South Georgia. As the magical day draws near, the butterflies are really starting to set in. To top it off, I still have five days until I am sitting in a stand waiting for the elusive whitetail to wander by. I have several reasons for the butterflies, but that doesn't make it any easier.

Reason one: This is the first year since we have owned this 92 acres that I have not had trail cameras out giving me an idea of what to expect. This wouldn't be that big of a deal, but the 98 acre lease next to our place had some guys on it last year that did not let anything walk. So, I am not sure where my numbers are. Doe, fawns, bucks, I have no idea. My neighbor has said he has seen a good number of deer and sign around the place, but I haven't seen it with my own eyes, and to be quite honest I am a little scared.

Reason two: I know there has to be a few deer on there, but the quality is something I am concerned about. Money has been tight (tight really doesn't do it justice)and the food plots didn't get put in, mineral sites did not get replenished, and the natural forage is suffering from lack of rain. I can only hope the existing perennial plots came back up enough to provide a little nutrition for them.

Reason three: My new bow is sitting in the local pro-shop having some stuff tweaked on it. As I mentioned money has been super tight and all my hunting equipment went to the highest bidder. A great friend recently gave me a bow and with the help of our great sponsors, I was able to outfit it and now it is about ready for me. I shot it for the first time two days ago and then into the shop to tune it in. I hope to get it back tomorrow and then practice, practice, practice to be ready Saturday.

Reason four: I have been feeling extremely guilty the last couple years of not allowing my son, who loves the outdoors, to go hunting with me. So, this year I vowed to take him with me at every available opportunity. That means, Saturday morning, opening day, he will be sitting 15 feet to my left on a near tree in a ladder stand, completely in the open. He is 9 years old and only been hunting with me a couple times and we sat in a blind. This will be the first time he will be completely exposed with nothing hiding him but the camouflage. To top it off I have decided to put a small camera in his hands to film the hunt. If it all works out and a deer does come by and a shot opportunity is given and he records it, WOW! is all I can say. Even if it doesn't happen, the time spent together will be a memory we will share.

Not really a lot to worry about I know, but enough to get the butterflies stirring. It all begins in four short nights. We will be sitting in our "hunt cabin" waiting for that next morning, when the butterflies reach their max and the moment comes. I know it will be worth it, and can't wait to see what happens. I would like it to be a perfect dream scenario, but will be happy with whatever happens. Stay posted to find out what goes down!

I have taken the leap

For the last 15 years or so I have been dabbling in creating websites for friends and acquaintances that have heard of me through word of mouth. After graduating college I started messing around with editing video for the churches I worked for and personal use, and most recently the Team Weekend Dreams iShow. I have had offers to edit some commercials for people and build sites for some other companies and have always thought that it would be neat to be able to this this full time. Well, after some prodding from some close friends and my wife getting a really nice raise, the time has come. I have taken the leap and decided to start an outdoors marketing company. Myself along with a couple of friends are creating websites, editing video (for commercials, hunts, "trade show videos", the list goes on), designing logos, and providing print material to help promote a client's business. So if you or someone you might know is in the market for our services please check out Drop Zone Outdoors.

We have priced our services well below the industry standard, but this doesn't mean you will receive below the standard service. We pride ourselves in professional quality products, and always strive for 100% customer satisfaction. Our motto is, "We blow your mind, not your money."

My first turkey encounter

I started trying to kill a turkey about 10 years ago. Piddling around with diaphram calls and going out in the Osceola Forest in hopes of hearing a thunder chicken sound off. But it never happened. Four or five tries and no luck. Then I moved further south and lost interest, began to fish and gave up the pursuit. Now I live in Southwest Georgia and the fishing isn't that great and the hunting bug has infected me again. So a friend of mine 3 years ago took me with him to his place and I started my pursuit again. We ventured out 1 time not hearing the first bird. Last year my neighbor let me hunt his place, he has birds on the place next to him, but I couldn't get them to cross the fence. That would be the extent of my experience. Go out call and hear nothing or hear one half a mile away and that was it.
We have had plenty of deer on our 92 acres but no birds. Neighbors to the east and west have them but not us. Until the call came in last night that I had been waiting for. Another neighbor was riding home and saw birds in a field on our place. It was late and he figured they would roost near there, he was right.
This morning at 5:15 I woke up and headed out. Arrived, setup, and waited for first light. I hooted a couple of times, no answer. Waited a little while and yelped on my Straight Creek Calls slate, nothing. Then it happened, about 10 minutes passed and an owl hooted and he sounded off. My heart started to pound and I hit my call and he cut me off, GOBBLE. I put the call down and switched to my diaphram. He was on roost and about 120 yards away (really I have no clue how far he was but 120 sounds good). I waited until the sun broke and did a fly down cackle and waited. He gobbled back and I knew then it was on. About 5 minutes passed and I yelped, he cut me off again, he was hot to trot. He hit the ground and gobbled again this time much deeper and bigger sounding then before. I actually thought it was a different bird. I yelped a couple more times and he gobbled back and I shut up.
Then it happened I saw movement across the field, coming out of the woods on the road I thought he would come out on, it was a hen. I yelped once more and he thundered back at me and I knew he was right behind her. She popped her head up, saw my decoys and headed straight for them. He came out, puffed up a couple times and went right back down. A good friend told me you can tell if it is an older bird cause they won't stay in full strut too long, so I really got excited, he was about 80 yards and I could just see he had a full fan, but not his beard. He saw the hen heading to the decoys and followed, blowing up and coming down about every 5 step. My heart started racing as I sat there waiting for him to close the distance. I let out a few clucks and the hen came running in, but, he stopped. "Crap, he thinks something is up." is what I started thinking. He started feeding and slowly coming my way. He got to about 50 yards and hung up. He wouldn't come any closer, he was a big bird and by this time I couldn't see his spurs but could see his beard hanging from his chest. It was pretty thick and about 10-11 inches long. By this time the hen had made her way to my decoys so I clucked a couple more times and he popped up his head. I wanted to pull the trigger, but really wanted to have him in about 10 more yards. So I waited, boy was that a mistake, he turned and slowly made his way back into the woods. I yelped, he gobbled and kept walking.
The hen stayed with my decoys for 30 minutes as he walked deeper and deeper in the woods, gobbling about every 5 minutes. Occasionally I would yelp back and he would cut me off with a gobble but just wouldn't turn and come back. I finally slid out undetected by the hen and will return tomorrow for another chance to kill my first bird.
This was my first time getting to see any birds while turkey hunting and to hear him blow up was something I'll never forget. And to top it off to have a hen at 15 yards and watch her, it was truly a fantastic encouter. Hopefully next time I write I'll have some hooks in my hand. Until then, happy and safe hunting.