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Brock's deer hunts '12-'13

brock ratcliff

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I did not plan on keeping a hunting journal on here, but heck it's going to be easier than writing it all down on paper!

With the late start I have here, I'll shorten it up a bit; so far I have seen 23 antlerless deer, and 7 bucks. Two of which were shooters. I've taken Mason out a total of four times so far, and hunted about as many without him. 30 deer seen so far is pretty darn good, considering these hunts have all been in the lowest deer kill county in the State!
 

finelyshedded

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Glad to see you post up a journal this year Brock. Sounds like you've been into the deer! I've yet to see a horn so far with 25 hours of ass time. Lol
I'll be checking in buddy! Goodluck to you and Mason this season.
 

hickslawns

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Can't wait to read the thread where you or Mason tags one! Good luck this season Brock.
 

brock ratcliff

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We didn't hunt today. Too many things to get done before we head down to Strouds on Friday, and it was windy as heck. We did run across the road to snoop around a little, and found an interesting little waterhole in the middle of a cornfield. There isn't a decent tree anywhere around, but there is a good bit of sign indicating it needs to be hunted. I cleared out a spot to hunt from the ground, it's on a little bit of high spot and will provide plenty of cover and shooting opportunity. Here are a few pics from our scouting trip and one from yesterday taken with a cell phone through my binoculars... notice the big doe with her white butt showing - she has NO tail!
 

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Fluteman

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Is that a deer view mirror in that last pic Brock? LOL Glad you decided to keep a log! Looking forward to seeing you and Mason with some big deer!
 

Dannmann801

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"...indicating it needs to be hunted."

LOL when I read that...that spot NEEDS to be hunted...them deerz NEED killin'.....
good stuff Brock good stuff
 

brock ratcliff

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I had no intention of doing anything that resembled hunting today. I left the shop about 6:15 to run home and get something to eat other than pizza for supper. I can see our woods (our house sits in a 7 acre woodlot), from the highway. Like usual, I was just gawking over to our woods when my mind screamed "DEER!". There were three of them in the surrounding cut beanfield at the edge of our woods! I called my wife, told her to keep the dog in the house and to tell Mason to get his gear on. I pulled in, went in the garage, put on some camo, grabbed Mason crossbow and a couple of arrows and was ready just about the time he walked out. I explained the situation and the plan, told him to walk exactly as I did and gave him a quick pep-talk. The plan was pretty simple, and if we moved quick it would have worked. I knew exactly where the deer would enter our woods and where they would wind up in just a few minutes... We took off as fast as we could, but couldn't move fast due to the leaves being like tater chips! Mason did well on his first still hunt/stalk, but we fell short. There is a little dip in our woods that I hoped would keep the deer out of our line of sight long enough to get set up, but with having to tip-toe in, it took us a little longer than I would have liked. We were maybe ten steps from where I wanted to be when I saw the first doe's head pop out of the dip. She busted us, game over! Still, it was a good time and we almost pulled it off. It was also a good lesson for Mason....he will learn how to sneak up on deer if it kills me!:)
 

brock ratcliff

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Took Mason to Camp Mrex this past weekend. We had a great time hunting and really enjoyed getting to meet some of the TOO members!
On Friday evening we hiked into the stand that Mason, Mrex and I set up before opening day. Climbed aboard and settled in. About the time our butts started hurting and our backs were getting stiff, Mason mentioned to me that Mrex was nuts - this place didn't have any deer... Shortly afterward, he said "DEER!". There was a doe and a button buck standing at eye level to us about 15 yards dead-down wind! They stared at us, scent checking for several minutes before calming down and starting to feed. Mason readied his crossbow and got it into position intermitently between stare-downs. His scope was on the big doe for several minutes with a tree blocking her lungs partially...he waited. Suddenly the button buck stepped into the clear and without hesitation he swung his crossbow onto it, took aim and fired. We watched it drop. At first he was really upset when I told him he'd killed a BB. He had been so focused on the doe he hadn't paid any attention to the other deer before shooting. Still, he was happy with his prize. Mike came down in the Ranger and helped us get it out of the woods, checked it in at his home, bought Mason another tag and headed back down to the campground.

Saturday morning was relatively slow. We saw one doe up on the hilltop where the BB had died, and she stood and stared down at us for several minutes. I suspect she was pretty ticked off at Mason for killing her offspring.

Saturday evening we went back to the same stand to endure more wind and rain. I told Mason that if the showers moved out and the wind died we'd be in business. Sure enough, the rain stopped and the wind ceased. The woods were dead still. Mason has been battling a bit of a cough. Well, he coughed, and I heard a deer stomp or something over the hill. Shortly afterwards, two deer popped over the ridge. Again, the stare down and scent checking started. Several minutes of that and they settled down to feed. Mason made all the needed preparations to shoot and waited on a good angle. Then, their mommy came over the ridge. Mason realized he was about to shoot another fawn and whispered that he wasn't killing another baby... it would be the big one or he wouldn't shoot! She took her time getting positioned for a shot, and when she did one of the fawns was in the way. I told him his arrow would clear the fawn and to go ahead and kill the doe. He wouldn't do it! He was afraid he may wound the fawn in the process and woulnd't risk it!!! I was SO proud! After a few tense minutes, the fawn moved aside and the doe stepped forward. Mason calmly shot her perfectly, just a shade lower than we would have liked. I felt pretty good about the shot and sent Mrex a text. We got down and checked for blood...there was plenty! Unfortunately, as we tracked her we jumper her from a bed maybe 100 yards or so down the trail. We backed out and returned to camp for the evening festivities. Mason and I returned Sunday morning and found her relatively quickly. Mike called just as we found her and came to the rescue with the Ranger again, saving us a heck of a lot of work!

I guess this doesn't really count in my hunting log, since I wasn't really hunting, but it is what I do the most of these days. I'd much rather take my kid hunting than hunt myself these days. It's still all fairly new to him and the excitement he feels is contagious!

We saw some mighty nice scenery while we out this weekend too. Leaves we pretty even with the rainy and windy weather. Old home sites are always cool too. Our little stand site was suprisingly effective with the minimal movement required with Mason using a crossbow too. The pic of mason is the view the deer had when shot, except he had remained seated to shoot. Great time for sure!

I may get out some this week, but it's not likely I'll be out much.
 

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Ohiobowhunter1

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Mason got it done! Really great story and I think the youngins taught us ol' folk a thing or too about huntin... its the experience that is measured not the antlers and those memories will be etched into his brain for the next 50 yrs +! Great meeing the man that turned me into a walking camp fire! Thanks Brock and Mason!
 

Gordo

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Nice. Great work with your son to get him up to this point. You got him doing it and doing it right! Doesn't get much better then that! He'll be dragging you around the woods one day! Congrats