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Stressless's 2021 Season Journal

Stressless

Active Member
2,128
85
Keene, OH
Mooch shower up last nite, got his stuff together. Up and out this AM many young 1.5 yo aggressive bucks bumping around in the cooler wx, Mooch had a decent buck at 30-40 ydrs couldn't really tell from video.

Out again this evening two different stands, one up today by where I saw Niles and he video'd him...

 
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Stressless

Active Member
2,128
85
Keene, OH
First hot doe was around the farm yesterday evening.

Nice buckjust ran all the way across the top of a field - stood out in the open field looking .... wow! Another one, shooter all the way across that opening.... very cool.

First doe must popped

Dang just had Dutton walk across that lil opening 120 yrds but he was in sun on that green field-postcard perfect. ... and I had the glass up...

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This was just after he walked thru another plot...
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It's started fellas.
 

Stressless

Active Member
2,128
85
Keene, OH
....and the big boy got himself shot. Feels good on a cool rainy morning with all my tags notched. A min to catch up on the status.

Mooch arrived at camp Monday night, he's shot two bucks here- he hadn't hunted archery until his first time to camp hunting 2015 - he's still working full time, two kids in High school so his time isn't his own. He was going to hunt thru Thurs and head home Fri - tomorrow.

On Tuesday My Cadet rolled into camp - lil' background, when I was a Capt, Stationed at Peterson AFB CO the USAFA had a program, "sponsor" familes, military families that offered our home to the infrequent times a Cadet could leave the academy grounds and unwind. we only had our son Zak at the time and signed up - Bob, My Cadet was selected as he grew up in Conneaut, OH - I grew up in Greentown, OH - anyway I took him hunting antelope and elk and stayed in touch throughout our careers and became good friends - he's now a Retired LTC LoL - I am OLD! Oh and when I say retired, he and his Mrs. RETIRED at 45 y/o buy buying houses where stationed and then renting them to pay the mortgage - 5 homes paid off, sold, invested and now on a life of leisure.

Bob wasn't hunting - just wanted to roll into camp for a couple days.


Rolled back to camp, my 91 y/o mom and her companion, my neighbor Cliff that we share farm chores, Mooch and My Cadet all had lunch and visited, I put the card and look who pops up -
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Mooch and I get our gear and get a the yearly Camp happy snap - then head out.

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I get ready and head to the stand about 1530 as I want the falling thermals to just about start and went back to Swamp, got in and setup - oh and I went to the big field door and scored another dozen milkweed pods - started tossing milkweed and winds were hinky, like breathing back and forth so instead of waiting for them to settle - which I wasn't sure they would, I bailed and went to the North side of the creek (South facing slope) where they were still rising and got setup. Beautiful stand, Beech Stand - I hauled a chainsaw up in Sep and cut a 6" limb out and moved the stand to be correct for the movement I thought would happen in the plot.

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Thermals and wind were working perfectly for hunting in the bottom. Witching hour hit and the only deer I saw that hunt was a large buck, he stepped out at the bottom left of the plot - shooter - popped into mine, but that was about 65 yrds.



He started meandering up the plot - pawing the ground and making a lil scrape every 20' or so and grab a couple mouthfuls of plot salad, I took a chance and pulled the phone for a quick snap as he didn't appear to be in a hurry.

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He hit the licking branch at 30 yds - but looked like he was just gonna keep heading up the plot - and it was a quartering to shot - which is a no-go for me. Bow in hand and hooked up, he continued up Bottom Plot, stopped and looked back at the licking branch= I drew back, he started back up the plot and passed the 20 yd mark I had ranged.

To "Baaaa" or not to "Baaaa" that is the question - kinda screaming in my mind as he got parallel with me. good form, good sight picture, 20 yrd pin right where it needed to me, watching him walk and he took that front foreleg out for another step - release. Saw the arrow hit true and thru and thru.

My first thought was That's a dead deer running. Second was that's the first deer I shot walking - arrow was buried in the ground on the far side of him at 18 yards.

I heard him run in the dry leaves for about 2 seconds - he ran outa sight and stopped, 5-6 seconds later - seemed like a week passed - I hear a step - then crash. Rain was about 30-45 mins out so I made the call to trail after only about 5-10 mins just in case -

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I dint think there was any doubt... and there wasn't// ran about 40 yrds and stopped in a thicket... died right there.

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Got it all done and iced the crap outa them 6 20# bags stuffed into the cavity. Here's the happy snap me and Dutton - 13pt!

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My guess was 131 Net, Cliff stopped over for steaks and wine before he headed home. His expert guess came to 132 Net We think about 149 or so Gross - so I'm calling it a 150 .



Up and processing today with Mooch and Bob (My Cadet) so the task will go quickly. I'm all tagged out so that's a wrap for Stressless Archery 2021.

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