http://www.granttaylorphoto.com

Contributors

Ramon Bell

Rob Freyer

Bob Hooven

Bill Howard

Mark Huelsing

Darren Johnson

Randy Mabe

Amanda MacDonald

Jenny Nguyen

‘Papa’Scott Perrodin

Albert Quackenbush

Steven Rinella

Ryan Shoemaker

Gretchen Steele

Nick Viau

Bow Adventures The e-Magazine for Archery

Enthusiasts

A monthly online publication.

Publisher/Editor

BillHoward

Cover Design

AlbertQuackenbush

Advertising/Marketing

BillHoward

Circulation

BillHoward For free distribution to

your bowhunting group or organization, contact BillHowardOutdoors@gmail.com

for information and instructions.

Any reproduction of copy or images without prior permission from Bow Adventures or its contributors is strictly forbidden.

©Bow Adventures2012

On Target with Bow Adventures Subject: #deertour 18 - Meet the Huntographers 22 – 30 Deer Year

Rob Freyer 35 – Stickbow Hunter’s

Perspective Nick Viau

Columns 08 - 20 Questions Steven Rinella 45 – Habitat Insight Darren Johnson 53 – Mock Rubs Ramon Bell 54 - Cookin’ with Camp Dog Pot Roasted Wood Ducks Scott Perrodin 62 – Project Game Cart Albert Quackenbush 66 – Food For Hunters Venison Bourguignon 68 – Bowfishing Slam Coastal Bowfishing 73 – We Are Warriors Archery after Cancer Gretchen Steele 77 – Target Bow 101 Amanda MacDonald

Features 12 – Muley Mania Randy Mabe 40 – Summer Sausage

Hogs in the Heat Bill Howard 43 – Rewards of Quality Wildlife Management Bill Howard 48 – Colorado 5x5 Bob Hooven 69 – How to Effectively Pack for a Hunting Trip Presented by Stowaway2 Cargo Systems 79 – 100 Miles Ryan Shoemaker

Reviews 06 – MeatEater by Steven Rinella Bill Howard 51 – Big Deer Hunters Doe Stick Bill Howard 55 – Rinehart Targets Mark Huelsing 58 – S4Gear Jackknife Albert Quackenbush 71 – Alps Outdoorz Pursuit Backpack Bill Howard

Cover: Huntography #Deertour2012 Inset: MeatEater by Steven Rinella

This Page: Mark Huelsing of Huntogaphy #Deertour2012

http://www.themeateater.com

Bill Howard

A few years ago after the opening day of

dove season I taught my oldest son how to

clean a bird. Cleaning animals is not my

favorite part of the hunt, but it is necessary if

you are going to eat what you kill. It was

messy, but we got all the dove cleaned,

marinated them overnight, and that Sunday we

had a feast. If I remember correctly, we had

about eight kids in the neighborhood over at

the house trying their first dove meat.

Since then we have had a staple of wild

game meat, ranging from buffalo to bear to

deer to alligator. My son even cleaned and

fried a squirrel he had taken a couple of years

ago. Again, it was messy, the hide was ripped

to pieces and the grease from him attempting

to cook his own meat clogged the drain pipe in

the kitchen, but I was proud of his effort.

A few weeks ago I was forwarded a book

titled “Meat Eater” by Steve Rinella. Rinella

is the host of the television show of the same

name on the Sportsman Channel and was the

host of the show ‘The Wild Within’ on the

Travel Channel. If Rinella is anything, he is

not an apologist.

Rinella believes what you kill, you eat, and

what you eat, you kill. Part biography, part

philosophy, part history, Rinella explains what

a true outdoorsman is supposed to be.

Rinella began as a trapper in his youth,

thinking that a great life would consist of

living off the land. He studied and idolized

such people as Davy Crockett. He delves into

subject matter consisting of why frontiersmen

such as Crockett did what they did and how

they survived.

He explains how one can become so

consumed by the end game that shortcuts, or

ethics, can be compromised. He then explains

how those same mistakes helped him mature

and appreciate nature.

In one particular chapter, Rinella discusses

what many label as a hallmark of fishing.

Rinella always loved fishing and enjoyed

showing others up at times. After being

convinced a true angler can only reach the top

after fishing for bonefish in the flats off of

Mexico, Rinella and his brother hiked and

hitched south of the border. Rinella explains

how they survived off the land and water for

much of the trip. At one point, Rinella has an

epiphany. Here they were, fishing on

hallowed waters for prized game fish, and

starving. The only meals were the ones they

caught, and bonefish just did not make a great

meal. How did his passion turn into something

where he was hoping something edible would

grab the line rather than the targeted species

they trekked so far for?

The book is enlightening and real. It offers

a reason not to trophy hunt but rather a reason

to hunt for sustenance. With wit, insight, and

great storytelling, Rinella makes contact with

the reader in ways that even a non-hunter can

understand. Bringing in his personal accounts

of childhood and relating historical tales of

early America makes Rinella the perfect

hunting partner or fishing buddy, even if he is

not there in person. And based on his

experiences and wisdom, I would bet he would

be the first to grab the skinning knife at the

camp so I could stand back and watch my least

favorite part of the hunt.

Meat Eater went on sale September 4 and

can be found at most book sellers. BA

1- How long have you (been an archer or)

bowhunted?

SR- I grew up around archery. From as far

back as I can remember I was shooting long

bows, recurves, and compound bows. I started

bowhunting for deer when I was eleven,

though it took me a few years to kill one.

2- What/who started you in

bowhunting?

SR- My dad. He started bowhunting in

the early 1950s and was very active with

Pope and Young throughout his life. Also

the Muskegon Bowmen, an organization

near my home. He’d take my brothers and

I to shoot in leagues and silhouette

tournaments when we were really young.

When I was five, he took us to have lunch

with Fred Bear in Akron, Ohio. There was

never a doubt that I’d be a hunter, and that

I’d hunt with a bow.

3- What was the first game you

harvested with a bow?

SR- Squirrels, for starters. But I started

killing deer in my teens with a bow. We

ambush hunted from trees.

4- What was your most difficult hunt?

SR- Dall sheep are tough, both

mentally and physically, though I’ve never

hunted them with a bow. My most difficult

bow hunts have been every archery elk

hunt I’ve taken. When you’re chasing elk

on foot, so many little pieces have to fall in

place that it sometimes seems impossible.

But then you get that lucky break, and

everything falls into place, and it’s heaven.

5- What was your favorite hunt?

SR- Some of my favorite hunts happened

when I first decided to hunt for all of my own

meat. This was back in 1994, when I was in

college in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. I

killed a doe and a buck with my bow that fall,

and just devoured the animals within a couple

months. Those experiences changed my life.

6- How long do you prepare for a hunt?

SR- I get to do a lot of hunting; I’m chasing

game almost 150 days a year. Between hunts, I

spend more time recovering from a previous

adventure than getting ready for the next.

7- How do you prepare for a hunt?

SR- I make lists and pack very carefully.

And if I have a few weeks between hunts, I’ll

work out for an hour a day several times a

week. And sometimes I run, though I get

bad shin splints and have shied away from

running lately. As long as we’re on that

subject, I’ll say that poor physical fitness

destroys more guys’ hunts than just about

anything else.

8- What archery gear do you use?

SR- I shoot Mathews bows, and use

components made by Schaffer Archery.

For bowfishing, which I’m a big fan of, I

use a lot of Cajun Archery gear. My

favorite apparel for archery hunting is the

merino wool stuff by First Lite It is super

quiet and resists odor. I’m also a big fan of

Vortex binoculars. They’re a great

company and have a lot of great guys

working for them.

9- What is the one thing you have to

have on every hunt?

SR- A hunting license! Besides that, I

use a lot of gear pretty religiously. To

name a couple items off the top of my

head, I always have a multi-tool and a

Havalon knife and a pair of binoculars. .

10- What game do you wish to hunt but

never have?

SR- For some reason I really want to hunt a

warthog in Africa. They look tasty, and I’d like

to have one of those skulls for my book shelf.

11- What game do you want to hunt again?

SR- Dall sheep, again and again. Those

animals get under your skin. A ram can take a

blow to the head about 40 times greater than

what is required to fracture a human skull. In

other words, they are some tough critters. And

I feel most at home in the

rugged alpine

zones, where

you’re faced

with constant

danger.

12- What is

the one thing

regarding

bowhunting you

could do without?

SR- I can’t

think of any

complaints that are

particular to

bowhunting. When it

comes to hunting in

general, I’d be really

happy if guys who hunt

fenced enclosures would

quit calling it “hunting.”

It’s more of a combination

between farming and

hunting, so why not combine

those words and call it “harming?”

13- Choose 3 people to take on a hunt with

you, 1 living, 1 deceased, and 1 non-hunter.

Who would they be and why?

SR- 1) Living: Jim Harrison. He’s my

favorite writer and an avid hunter. If it wasn’t

for his novels, I probably wouldn’t be doing

what I’m doing today. 2) Deceased: Daniel

Boone. That man took a lot of hunting secrets

to his grave, and I’d love to spend a year or so

with him back in the mid-1700s. 3) Non-

hunter: The president. I’d like for him to see

and understand what responsible hunting is all

about. I’d want him to

understand the reverence

that hunters have for the

land and the animals.

14- Do you have

any superstitions or

rituals that must be

followed for each

hunt or

preparation?

SR- I like to

eat a meal from

my kills while

in the field. At

the risk of

sounding

overly

spiritual, it’s

my way of

showing

the

animal

that it will be

honored and used

properly.

15- Any other hobbies you'd like to share

with us?

SR- I’m an avid fisherman, whether it’s

halibut at my cabin in Alaska or bluegills from

my mom’s dock with my little boy standing

between my legs.

16- What is your favorite thing about

archery or bowhunting?

SR- Getting really close to big animals.

17- What do you dislike the most about

archery or bowhunting?

SR- Bad hits.

18- Ever have a hair-raising incident or

scary situation occur while hunting?

SR- Yes, many. I used to worry a lot about

grizzlies, as I hunt Montana and Alaska pretty

heavily. But now I relish those run-ins, as I

enjoy being near the bears. In my old age (I’m

38), I’ve come to realize that the real dangers

in the outdoors are things like getting too cold

or slipping in steep country. That’s what I’m

paying attention to nowadays.

19- What is one bit of advice you would

give to a new or young bowhunter?

SR- Eat your kill. It fosters a level of

respect that will help you become a better

hunter.

20- What are your bowhunting goals for the

next year?

SR- I want to kill a deer with my bow on a

buddy’s property in New Jersey. And then I

want to drive that deer through the Holland

Tunnel into Manhattan and cook it at a really

fancy restaurant. Serve it to people who have

no idea about hunting. That’s how we win the

war. I call it venison diplomacy. BA

One of my “dream bow hunts” has long

been a spot and stalk mule deer hunt set upon

the rugged landscape of one of our beautiful

western states. So, this year when I was

invited to go with two friends on a DIY hunt in

eastern Wyoming, I jumped at the chance.

After applying for the tag in March, I had to

wait until June to find out the results of the

draw. Although previous years had resulted in

a 100% success rate for applicants, I was

still anxious until the results appeared on

line and I saw that I

had drawn a tag.

The hunt had

been scheduled to

begin on opening

day, September 1,

2012 with everyone

arriving in Wyoming

two days prior. This

would allow time to

acquire supplies, set up

camp and do some

preseason scouting. A vacation was planned to

allow for 12 days of hunting, giving us a great

amount of time to take a nice mulie with the

bow.

My two hunting buddies had been on

several mule deer hunts in this area, but it

would be my first spot and stalk bowhunt for

the gray ghost in this unit. Being confident of

us all drawing tags, I had begun preparations

for the hunt months in advance. Knowing I

would be hunting each day alone, I reviewed

operation of my Garmin gps, had my bow

tuned up at the pro shop, inventoried my

hunting gear and began reading everything I

could find about spot and stalk mule deer

hunting with a bow. I also watched any TV

show or video I could find about mule deer

hunting. Along with this I began a rigorous

exercise routine and began practicing with my

bow for hours each week, shooting out to 70

yards. I did all my practicing using practice

broadheads that represented the actual

broadheads I would use on the hunt. All was

looking great, and then the phone call came.

One of my hunting partners called and the

conversation began with

this sentence: “Hey Man,

I’ve got bad news…we

didn’t get a tag.” I

couldn’t believe it! I

asked what happened

and he told me the

Wyoming

Department of

Wildlife had

decided to cut back

on the number of

mule deer tags because of the

severe drought and wildfires that had

hammered the eastern part of the state this

year. He told me they had tried to get an

antelope tag, but they also were sold out

because of cut backs. After trying everything,

my friends were unable to acquire any type of

tag applicable to the unit we had planned to

hunt. As we finished our conversation, reality

set in and I knew I was faced with a question,

“Do I go alone or stay at home?”

When a planned hunt goes from 3 people

down to a solo hunter, a lot of questions arise.

Logistics, finances, the camaraderie and the

work load all come into play when deciding on

going alone. After a couple of days making

phone calls, working out some details and

weighing out decisions, I decided to make the

hunt alone and go at it aggressively.

I flew into Denver on August 30th, rented a

4x4 vehicle and drove 4 hours to Douglas,

Wyoming. I spent the night there, purchased

supplies for about 5 days and drove on to the

ranch the following morning. After being

shown the boundaries of my (huge) hunting

area, I found a small area of cottonwood trees

and set up camp. With a few hours of daylight

left, I scouted the area with the use of my Zeiss

10 x 42 binoculars and saw a few

mule deer does. Soon the sun

was setting on the vast prairie

and it was time to eat a little

supper, get some rest and be

ready for opening day.

My first night in camp

was a very restless one.

The wind blew hard

against the tent walls

and coyotes howling

under a full moon, sounded

like they were within 50 yards of

camp. My wind up alarm clock went off at

3:45 am, waking me from a light sleep. The

first thing I put on was my Buckmaster

headlamp and under the green glow cast inside

the dark tent, I began dressing in my Mossy

Oak camo. Next I reached for my Cabela’s

snake boots and shook them upside down just

in case any crawling creature had camped out

inside of them. Yep, there’s rattlesnakes living

around the small patches of sage that grows on

the Wyoming prairie. And I didn’t care to

encounter one inside or outside my hunting

boots. And, don’t forget about the cactus that

waits for the opportunity to stick you

anywhere it can. I carried camouflaged knee

pads inside my backpack and they were a life

saver for making a stalk across the open plains.

Eating a light breakfast while making the

20 minute drive to my parking spot, I reviewed

my mental plan for the first days’ hunt. I was

going to make about a 45 minute hike to a

mound of land that rose up in the open prairie

and spend time glassing the surrounding area

for a buck worthy of a stalk.

Sitting in the dark on top of the little

mountain for about 30 minutes gave me time

to position a cushion between my bottom

side and the rocky hillside, set

up my spotting scope and

ready my

binoculars for

a possible

long set. I

had read

stories about

mule deer

hunters spending

hours glassing,

looking for a buck

to show. I was also

aware that the 90 degree

temperatures plaguing the Wyoming

prairie was going to drive the mule deer to

shady bedding areas before the sun had a

chance to rise very high in the beautiful blue

western sky.

As the skies turned from dark to a light

gray, my first sighting was a group of elk

including one 5 x 6 bull and 8 cows feeding

about 700 yards in front of me. On both sides

of the mound I sat on were many antelope

feeding amidst the scattered sage. I thought at

any minute I would hear the thunderous

hooves of a thousand buffalo come charging

over the hills with a band of Indians shooting

arrows from the back of wild ponies. That

vision may have come from reading too many

Louis Lamour books, but the landscape sure fit

the bill for such a western painting.

Thirty minutes after light I saw my first

mule deer buck which joined the herd of elk as

they fed over a small green bench. My

spotting scope proved this buck to be smaller

than what I wished to pursue so I continued to

glass. Moving to the eastern side of the mound

I glassed across a thousand yards of open

prairie looking

for movement.

The rising sun

made it

difficult to see

clearly and as I

thought I saw a

deer size figure

out about 800

yards, I had to

make sure with

my spotting

scope.

Through the

sun’s glare it

was impossible

to see details of the bucks rack, but one thing

was obvious. The buck had an impressively

high rack and I was ready to make my first

attempt at stalking a Wyoming mule deer.

The sun was feeling warmer on my skin as

I began my slow stalk that took me in a wide

arch to the left of the buck. My decision to go

left was based on the fact that a deep canyon

lye to my left and the rising temperature would

encourage the buck to head that way looking

for a cool bedding spot. Bent over and making

myself as small as possible, I walked slowly,

stopping occasionally to glass the buck’s

movement while hoping to cut him off before

he made it to the canyon’s shade. Luckily the

high rack became more visible as the

Wyoming gray ghost began a lazy walk in my

direction.

Within two hundred yards of the canyon, I

began crawling on hands and knees glad to be

wearing the knee pads as I picked my way

through small clumps of cactus. Using my

range finder I kept tabs on the distance

between

myself

and the

buck. At

90 yards

my heart

was

beating

fast as I

imagined

myself

getting

within

bow

range of

this

beautiful buck. But, as I made my next move

to inch closer, the buck jerked his head erect

and stared a hole through me. There was no

cover to hide behind except the sage brush that

stood about 10 inches high. I froze with my

head looking down hoping my camouflage

would pull me through this difficult situation

and the wind would continue to hit me in the

face.

I waited for the buck to bring my first stalk

to an abrupt end, but amazingly he went back

to feeding after a long stare. I didn’t move but

let him feed by me, hopefully forgetting about

the object lying on the open ground a short

distance to his left. As the buck moved away

from me I began crawling again. The dry

landscape crunched as my shaking right hand

supported my body and I slid the bow forward

with my left hand. After another short crawl,

the buck raised his head and looked back at me

again. I knew I had pushed it to the limit and

would be lucky to ever draw my bow. When

the buck turned and began walking away I

quickly came to my knees, ranged the distance

at 61 yards and drew my Mathews bow.

The white wrap on the arrow shaft

disappeared in the bucks’ left flank and the

arrow exited the opposite side passing through

the liver. The buck ran about 10 yards then

walked 500 yards across the dry plains before

disappearing into the dark canyon. I walked to

the arrow and confirmed the hit then sat down

to collect my thoughts. I decided to wait 45

minutes before looking for sign of the buck.

It was 8:30 am when I made the shot. At

10:30 am I found the buck bedded against the

opposite side of the winding canyon 250 yards

north of where he entered it. Using my

binoculars I spotted one side of the bucks’ rack

before fully exposing my body. Now I had to

back out and make a hike to the other side of

the canyon and try for a shot straight down on

the bedded buck. One hour later I was placing

my boots as softly as possible on the rocky dry

ledge overlooking the buck bedded 15 yards

straight down. Drawing my bow and bending

my body for the most acute downward shot

I’ve ever taken, the arrow struck the deer

behind the left shoulder and the buck exploded

out of his bed and down the narrow canyon out

of sight. Again I sat down and waited as the

adrenalin drained from my body and fatigue

sat in. I felt good about the shot, but waited

another 30 minutes before moving in the

bucks’ direction. One hundred and twenty-

five yards down the canyon I found the

beautiful velvet racked mule deer lying

beneath one of only a few pine trees found

growing in the rocky landscape.

I could not believe this hunt had come

together as it did. I thanked the Lord for my

wonderful success and thought about my

understanding wife as I sat there holding the

bucks high rack. It had been only 52 hours

since I left my home in North Carolina and one

of the biggest decisions about making this hunt

happen had been, “go alone….or stay at

home.” BA

Equipment used on this hunt: Mathews Z7 Extreme

bow, Scott release, Montana Black Gold sights, QAD

rest, V Force Victory arrows, Rage 2 bladed

broadheads, Zeiss binoculars, Nikon’s Archers Choice

range finder, Garmin gps, Primos backpack, Nikon

spotting scope, Cabela’s Alaskan Guide tent, Cabela’s

snake boots, Mossy Oak camo, Canon Power Shot sx

120 camera

http://www.huntography.com

Willie Urish @outdoorfreaks

I am an outdoor junkie who is enthralled with hunting and fishing. From an early age I

joined my father on hunting and fishing trips around our home state of Illinois, and 13 short

years ago our family purchased out own hunting property. We have since sold it and purchased

a bigger piece, which luckily is where I currently call home. We have also added another family

farm, in western Illinois.

I make a living helping run a small manufacturing

plant near Springfield, Illinois. I am in charge of sales,

marketing and all media actions that the company does,

and could not enjoy it more. It allows me the flexibility

to take short trips throughout the year to scratch the itch

of hunting and fishing. I am extremely excited to be

apart of the Huntography family, and really appreciate

the grassroots vibe that is stands for. Early November

can't come soon enough, as I have thought about my Huntography hunt everyday since Rudy

asked me way back this past Spring. It is such a joy to be apart of the Huntography folks, who

exude the pragmatic part of hunting that is missing in today’s hunting world.

Mark Huelsing @soleadventure

When I was young my brother and I used to

spend weekends "in the country" at my

Grandparent's property. Their single-wide trailer,

which sat in a 3 acre cut, was our home base of

operations for adventures that included catching

crawdads in the creek, shooting cans off the

fence posts, and fishing for largemouth in the

farm ponds.

Just down the gravel road from my Grandpa’s

property was Charlie’s house. I still remember

the day that I – armed with my Grandpa’s .410 shotgun – crossed the electric fence that set the

perimeter around Charlie’s cattle and crossed into a heavily timbered hollow. It was then, and

there, that I became a hunter.

Hunting was set by the wayside as I transitioned from childhood and in to my teen years,

when I became more interested in playing sports and chasing girls than I was with pursuing

wild game. But after high school I was drawn back to my roots…back to the woods.

Several years ago I picked up my first bow and the casual hobby of hunting morphed into an

intense passion for hunting animals with archery equipment. Now I like to say that, “I am just a

regular guy with an irregular passion for bowhunting.”

I love to share my passion for bowhunting with others through writing. I blog at

SoleAdventure.com, have a weekly column at WiredToHunt.com, and also contribute to the

Driftwood Outdoors and Bow Adventures magazines.

Jessie Coe @bowhuntercoe

I'm a country boy that loves hunting. I'm young

and have a LOT to learn. I also love sharing

passion for hunting. As I go through life learning

all new kinds of stuff, I try and teach what I have

learned to young teens like myself. I have been

blessed by Yahweh in my efforts. He has put me in

positions that most kids my age could only dream

of.

My father, mother, and my two oldest brothers moved down to West Virginia from

Michigan in 1990 to pastor a small Baptist church here in Morgantown, where he still pastors

today. My dad was the one that had first took me into the rugged hills of West Virginia.

Looking back at the videos we have, I know where my passion for hunting came from.

Justin Morrell @foggymtnmeander

Hey everyone! I am Justin Morell and I am from

West Virginia. I grew up in rural Preston County and

currently use my family’s land there to hunt. I recently

moved to Morgantown, WV, about 45 minutes from

my hunting spot. I recently got married to the woman

of my dreams and she only helps fuel my love for the

outdoors daily. Even with the move most of my free

time in the fall is spent in a tree stand in Preston

County, WV. Actually, I can’t lie, most of my free time

is spent in the woods of Preston County prepping, running trail cameras and scouting for the

upcoming season.

I’d love to tell you I have been hunting my whole life, but I haven’t. I grew up hunting with

my grandfather and uncle but I “took a break” during those middle/high school years. Thanks to

a few great friends I found my way back to the woods again after high school and since then I

haven’t stopped. At the beginning of this journey, I started my blog, Foggy Mountain

Meanderings, to help chronicle these adventures. Hunting, in recent years, has become more

than a hobby, it has become an obsession. There is nothing like watching that first light peak

through the forest and silhouette the frost covered mountains making the woods come alive. To

me hunting isn’t just about the kill; it is about the whole experience.

The first picture is a picture is with my first bow kill this past 2011 WV archery season. The

second is a picture of the largest buck I have killed to date. Both were taken on Foggy

Mountain.

Blog: Foggy Mountain Meanderings - Hunting, Fishing, and Foraging West Virginia.

http://www.foggymountainmeanderings.com/

Facebook: Foggy Mountain Meanderings -

http://www.facebook.com/FoggyMountainMeanderings

Randy R. Mabe (336)908-0699 HuntRMabe@aol.com

www.BroadheadKennels.com

SPOTLIGHT: ROB FREYER

@BIGBUCKPW

A Year of Thirty I’ll Never Forget

Hunting season for most of us is that time

of year we’re always waiting for, and that time

of year that gives us those memories that last a

lifetime. Well the 2011-2012 hunting season

certainly wasn’t short on those as it was the

year I successfully harvested 30 whitetail deer.

This was no small feat as I had to travel to

several different states, log tons of hours in

stand, be persistent, and stay motivated. At

certain points of my journey I wasn’t sure I

would make it, but the constant motivation

from my family, friends, and social media was

more than enough to help me accomplish my

goal.

My journey to thirty began in South

Carolina at Buck Run Hunting Lodge as the

season opens on August 15th down there. I

have been going to Buck Run for the past three

seasons, and this year will be my fourth. Pete

and Sandra Simmons own and operate Buck

Run, and have become good friends of mine,

so traveling down to SC is more than just a

hunt, it’s a time to reminisce with good

friends, and more good times. Last year was no

different than prior years, everything was

great, and time was going by way to fast as

usual, but on my final evening hunt there was

some magic in the air. It was a full moon that

day so to better my odds, I got the guys to drop

me off in stand at noon, I am always one that

likes to play the odds. Now keep in mind it

was 95 degrees when I got dropped off, and it

didn’t cool off for a long time, but I was

determined to get my buck. After about 6 long

hrs, I finally started to see some deer move, a

few does, then some bucks, but I was waiting

for that velvet trophy I so desired. As I

watched the corn field in front of me, I saw a

buck stand up, then another, and another, and

before I knew it I had about 20 bucks standing

in front of me about 200 yards away. I

cautiously hurried to pick out what I thought

was the biggest one, placed my crosshairs and

pulled the trigger. Deer scattered everywhere

as I came down off the recoil, and I had no

idea if I hit the deer or not. As I watched the

deer empty the field, the last buck was moving

a little slower than the others, and didn’t go in

the same direction, could it be? YES, I had

finally done it, I put a trophy velvet buck on

the ground.

Heading home from that trip was easy as I

was riding high on adrenaline from a hunt of a

lifetime if you ask me. I couldn’t be happier

than I was after harvesting a beautiful velvet

10 point. Already on the ride home I was

putting together plans for my hunting at home,

coming up with strategies, and deciding which

deer I wanted to go after. Keep in mind that it

was only August 18th and Maryland’s season

didn’t open until September 15th so I had

plenty of time to prepare. I already had two

bucks on the hit list, and my goal was to have

them figured out by opening day.

It’s now September 15th, opening day in

Maryland for the 2011 season, and I’m on my

way to one of my hunting spots in Annapolis,

MD. Not my ideal spot for big bucks, but I was

on a mission to harvest a doe, and I wanted to

scout for one of my big boys on a close

property after the morning hunt. As it got day

break I had 3 does feed into range, and I

successfully harvested one of them completing

my goal for the morning. I got the doe to the

truck, and headed down the road to my other

spot so I could check out what was going on. I

carefully slipped down into the woods to check

my camera as I had been monitoring the place

regularly, and to my surprise the big 8 point

I’d seen earlier in the year was still in the area.

Mental note, I need an east wind to hunt that

spot, and that’s not an easy wind to come by.

As the next few days went by, I was also

keeping track of another buck I had been

watching all summer on another farm in

Baltimore County, called The Big 7. He had

been very visible all summer long, as I caught

him movements on trail cameras, video, and

even glassed him a few times. In between

doing all this I managed to take a few more

doe, and waited patiently for the right

conditions to go after either of my hit list

bucks.

September 20th blew in on an east wind,

and I almost fell apart as I knew I would

finally get my chance to go after the big 8

point buck. Somehow I had to figure out how

to make it through the work day without

falling apart. I started the day with a scent free

shower, some coffee, and lots of motivation

because I had an appointment with the woods

that afternoon. As the day progressed I kept an

eye on the temperature as I was praying it

didn’t warm up too much. I’m sure you know

what I mean when I say the day couldn’t end

quick enough, but it finally did as I found

myself parked at my spot, changing clothes at

my door. Yes, I had to do what I had to do, and

that is to take a scent shower with a spray

bottle. I gathered my gear up, and slowly

headed down into the bottom where my

camera had been capturing all the action, but

this time it would be me. It was around 80

degrees that day, not too bad, but I still had to

be careful to not get sweated up as I climbed

the tree. I spent nearly a half an hour setting

up, so not to make the warmth my enemy. As

the temperatures started to fall, the deer began

to move off the ridge from where they bed.

First I had a few doe come by, then a spike,

and a few smaller bucks but not what I was

looking for. After watching the deer for around

20 minutes one of the small bucks threw his

head up as he caught something on the ridge. I

stared hard, and could see feet walking my

way, and as they got closer I could see antler,

BIG antler. Wow, it was him, and he was

coming right for me. I grabbed my bow,

positioned myself on stand, and waited for my

moment. He slowly but surely made his way

down the hill, but as older, wiser bucks do they

never come all the way in. He got to the base

of the hill in all his glory lifting his head to try

and catch a scent that wasn’t right, but not on

this day cause I had waited for the perfect

wind, and no matter what he did nothing could

save him now. As he fed around the other deer,

I watched and waited for my shot, not only did

I have to watch him I had to pay attention to

the half dozen other deer that were around.

This buck only fed for a few minutes, and

began to make his retreat, so it was now or

never. As he turned to walk away, I slowly

came to full draw, lined the pin up on his side,

and very softly bleated at him. He stopped

quartering away and in that split second my

pin found his last rib, and my finger pulled the

trigger. My arrow plunged deep into his chest,

and I knew it was over long before he could

have even realized what had happened. I

watched him make his way back up the ridge,

but the mighty king expired about 60 yards

away. What a hunt, all the scouting, checking

cameras, waiting for ideal conditions, well it

had all just paid off.

So it was September 20th and I now had 4

deer down only 6 days into the season. In

Maryland in my region you have to shoot 2

doe before you can purchase and harvest

another buck, so that is exactly what I did. I

belong to a management association in

Maryland called Tri-County Deer Management

Association and it is our job to manage the

deer population for people that give us the

opportunity to hunt. Being in the association

provides me with lots of properties to hunt and

lots and lots of opportunities to shoot more

doe. So I was off, doing what I do best,

harvesting deer, scouting for bucks, and

harvesting more deer. My focus was of course

the Big 7 point, one of my hit list bucks. In

between all my doe slaying, I didn’t lose focus

and I still kept checking my trail cameras

trying to pin point this big guy. It all came

down to an evening sit, actually it was just a

quick hunt in the field as I was hung up after

work. I was hunting from a tree in the middle

of a horse pasture, so it was ok to arrive late.

This would turn out to be one of my best last

minute decisions I’ve ever made. As I was

getting settled into my stand, I look across the

field to the upper field, and there he was, the

Big 7. He had come out of the woods right

where I had a ladder stand placed along the

field edge. Check mate, I knew where I would

be hunting the next evening. The next

morning as I awoke the first thing I did was

check the wind direction to make sure I could

hunt the Big 7, and yes it was perfect. As the

work day drug on all I could do was picture

how I hoped the hunt to go. Finally the day

was over and I had a date with the woods. I

arrived to my property with a light rain coming

down, so I quickly got my gear together and

hurried to stand as I was a bit worried the rain

would make the deer move earlier. While

setting up, and preparing for my sit I happen to

notice movement in the woods, and to my

disbelief it was the Big 7, he was up moving

already, and I wasn’t even set up completely. I

watched as he did his thing, and as he fed off, I

quickly finished getting ready, pulled my bow

up, and prepared myself mentally for what the

night might have in store for me. I was hunting

the edge of a field, so I grabbed my

rangefinder to check some distances as judging

distance in a field can be very deceiving. I

distinctly remember scanning a clump of grass

at 54 yards on the nose, and a few others that

stuck out to me. I was ready and the wait was

on, I was almost certain I would see the Big 7

again before the night was over. It wasn’t long

before I saw my first deer, it was s few doe

across the field in the thicket, then I had a few

small bucks come out right under me and they

began feeding in the field along with the doe.

As I watched the deer in the field out popped

the Big 7 from the wood line about 45yds

away. Immediately my heart started pounding,

and my hands started sweating, so I had to talk

myself down, and focus on the task at hand. As

I managed to get control of myself, the Big 7

bedded down in the field, what nerve, how

could he do this now. Well I just stood there

watching, locked and loaded and ready to go.

A half hour later he finally got up and

began to feed again, slowly moving out in the

field, but as he moved my direction he was

also getting farther at the same time. I watched

and repositioned as I needed to, being as

stealthy as I could so I didn’t get seen by him

or the other deer in the field. I was surrounded,

and now I had two small bucks within 5 yards

under my stand. I was waiting for my moment,

as daylight was fading fast, and as I watched

him he ended up standing right on that clump

of grass I ranged earlier. I glassed the field,

and verified the other deer were not looking,

so I slowly drew my bow back, took aim, and

put my 50 yd pin right behind his shoulder. I

took a deep breath, and as I exhaled I slowly

pulled the trigger releasing the arrow at the old

brute. Seconds after the shot, he dropped a

little, turned and bolted out of there. I watched

him run down the field and disappear into the

woods, still unsure about the shot. The shot felt

good, but at that moment, that’s all I could tell

myself. I gathered my gear, climbed down, and

hurried over to that clump of grass 54 yards

away. After looking around that clump of grass

for about 15-20 minutes and no blood, I began

scanning the field as I tried to follow his path

as he ran off. Still nothing, and now it was

dark, so I got out my flashlight, and began zig

sagging across the field as I headed back to my

grass clump. BINGO, I got blood, yes I was

so excited, but didn’t forget to carefully

examine the blood. The blood was a nice

bright red, with lots of bubbles, so this told me

it was a vital hit, and the search was on. After

approximately 125 yards of search through

briars, and crawling through thickets, there he

was, a true monarch. I had done it, it was

September 30 and I had two of my hit list

bucks down, and the Big 7 was my 7th deer of

the season so far.

As if things couldn’t get any better, I had

three trophy quality bucks down, and four doe,

but I now come to the most exciting part of my

story. In just a few weeks I had Rudy with

Huntography coming to film me, for the

Season 2 of Deer Tour. From the moment I

met Rudy until he asked me to be part of Deer

Tour I felt humbled to know such an amazing

individual, and to be part of something so

special. My goal from this point on was to

prepare for the arrival of Mr. Huntography, a

guy I feel so blessed to be able to call my

friend. I spent the next couple weeks checking

cameras, scouting fields, and doing everything

I could do to ensure Rudy and I had the best

hunt possible. I did take a quick detour for

Maryland’s early muzzleloader season and

harvested another doe.

So it’s now October 25th, I got juicy

backstraps on the grill, and I’m anxiously

waiting for Rudy’s arrival. This man Rudy,

what a champ he is, going from state to state

filming people non-stop, not getting any rest,

yet he just kept going and going. I’ve yet to

meet someone else so determined to make

their dream a reality, but I can tell you this, if

anyone can do, believe Rudy will make it

happen. It got to be around 9:30pm, and Rudy

finally showed up, as I was getting worried my

man might be having problems. I ran outside

to greet the man I had talked to so much via

Twitter and over email but hadn’t yet met. Our

meeting was like two old friends getting

together after years, I felt like I had known him

for years, and I did my best to make him as

though he was home. After our greeting, and

helping him unpack his gear and get

everything in the house we sat down for

dinner, and I went over the plan for the am

hunt. The next morning came quick, but much

quicker for Rudy, no the less, he got his gear

together quickly, and we were off, cameras

rolling. We made our way into the woods, got

set up, and just waited for the sun to rise. We

heard several deer move on through in the

dark, so I myself was ready to explode as I was

so excited to be filmed by Rudy, I couldn’t

wait for daylight. As light broke, we could see

deer feeding around, but nothing in range, until

a piebald spike walked right in to 10 yards and

just stood there and fed. I was torn as I knew

Rudy wanted me to shoot, and I had never shot

a piebald, but he was only a spike, and I just

couldn’t do it after all the years of

management I had put into my property. A

little while later we had some doe fed on

through but again, just couldn’t get a good shot

so I decided to not let an arrow fly. An hour

after all the deer movement ceased we headed

out to grab some breakfast. After some much

needed rest we headed back out for our

evening hunt over my food plot. Not long after

getting set up the deer begin to pour onto the

field. We had deer everywhere, except where

we could shoot them. The majority of the deer

were making their way onto the field at the far

end of the food plot, and then we had a very

nice buck step out as well. We were so

occupied watching those deer we didn’t notice

the deer that had popped out 10 yards away

right below us. I motioned to Rudy, he saw the

deer and got into position. When I knew he

was ready, I drew my bow, doubled checked

with him, and released my arrow. The lighted

nock immediately showed up the hit was good,

and we watched the deer run off to only drop

no more than 70 yards from where I shot her. I

can’t even explain the feeling of

accomplishment I had, to harvest a deer on

Deer Tour with Rudy filming was just

unprecedented. We got down, thanked god for

such a great experience, and then went to

recover the deer. I can’t thank Rudy enough

for an experience I will never forget. Keep

your eyes open for Huntography, this

movement is going to change what you know

about hunting, I can promise you that.

Not long after Rudy left I was back on a

tear whacking and stacking doe after doe until

it was time to leave for my trip to Bone Yard

Outfitters in IL. We headed out of town on

November 10th hoping to catch the rut in full

swing in the Midwest, definitely one of my

dream hunts. I left the great state of Maryland

with 12 deer under my belt, and not very

happy that my first IL deer was going to be

unlucky number 13. Hunting in IL was slow

that week, as the temps were up a bit, and the

majority of the deer movement was happening

at night. I continued to hunt hard all night, and

I even hunted a couple mid-days sits since the

rut was on and you never know what’s going

to happen. Finally toward the end of the week

some cooler air moved in but I only had one

day left. Unfortunately the cooler air didn’t

help my cause, and I was unsuccessful on my

last day in IL. Feeling pretty down, I was

completely surprised as our outfitter graciously

offered us one more day on him, as he felt bad

the conditions were so bad. I was so pumped I

could hardly sleep that night, even though I

was up at 3am every morning that week, my

adrenaline had me on fire. Getting up that next

morning was easier than every other that week,

as I was determined to get my buck. The

morning hunt was slow, only seeing a few doe

and some small bucks, it was up to me to make

it happen on my second last evening hunt. I

hurried through lunch as I wanted to get back

on stand ASAP, I needed every advantage I

could get. After being dropped off at my

evening spot, I carefully examined the area,

picked my spot and made my way to the tree I

wanted. I carefully and quietly put my stand on

the tree, and began my climb. I had to be as

quiet as possible as I was in a funnel along a

creek bottom between three bedding areas all

leading to a corn field behind me. While

setting up, I had just pulled my bow up, and

was in the process of bringing my camera up I

caught movement out of the corner of my eye.

It was a doe making her way toward the creek,

and oh yeah there was a buck behind her, and a

pretty nice one at that. The doe hit the creek,

and followed it away from me, and of course

the buck followed. Not good, I immediately

began grunting at him, which he didn’t like,

but still wouldn’t come my way. I then began

snort wheezing at him, followed by a sequence

of grunts, it definitely caught his attention but

still nothing, he did not want to leave his doe.

This went on for 15 minutes, and being the last

night I had nothing to lose so I kept getting

louder and louder. Finally this buck couldn’t

take it anymore, and turned my way, hair

standing on his back, he marched toward me. It

was one incredible site, just like something

you’ve seen on TV. This buck had enough, and

was making his way toward me looking for a

fight. He made it down into the creek bed, and

disappeared for a minute, so I grabbed my

bow, and positioned myself for the shot. I

stared down in the creek just waiting for him

to appear, and all of a sudden I saw antlers

coming up out of the creek. He was definitely

coming, and as I watched him come out of the

creek my knees started shaking. This buck

walked up to within 10 yards, but he was

quartering on to me, and I didn’t really have a

shot. Luckily for me, he turned around to look

for his doe, which gave me the perfect

opportunity to pick my shot. I drew my bow,

and placed my pin tightly right behind the

shoulder, and fired. The arrow slammed into

the buck, and he took off with half the arrow

sticking out. My initial instinct wasn’t good, as

I thought I hit the shoulder, and just as I was

about to get sick he stopped about 50 yards

away, and started looking around. Strange I

thought, and just as I got really worried he

started wobbling and then fell over. I was over

joyed with emotion as I started fist bumping

the air several times. What a feat, I couldn’t

believe I had made it happen on my last

chance second last night. When you get a

second chance, stay positive, and you can

always make the best of any situation.

As far as I was concerned I was already

having the best season possible, and there was

really nothing I could do to make it any better.

My passion for hunting had brought me to a

point I had never been to before, so I just

wanted to keep going and going. Some of my

friends had mentioned earlier in the season

about shooting 30 deer, and had I ever done it

before. I hadn’t really thought about it till that

moment in time. I manage five different

properties, and there were a lot of deer around,

so I made my mind up, that is what I was

going to do, go for thirty. My quest was on,

and I was hunting as much as I could, making

the best out of every hunt, and having the time

of my life. I still had a few shooter bucks on

my mind, not to mention a tag left, but the

possibility of seeing them that time of year was

pretty low. I kept my focus on harvesting doe

at every chance I had, and the numbers were

really starting to add up.

One particular hunt that comes to mind on

my quest to thirty is a New Year’s Eve hunt

because I promised a whole group of people

fresh venison for the New Year’s Eve party. I

had one particular spot that I had been

watching a group of doe on the camera, and I

hadn’t messed with them for weeks. I got up

that morning, verified the weather was good,

and I was off. I got in extra early to make sure

not to spook anything, and yes it was time for

a nap, after I tied in first of course. As the sun

started cracking through the woods, I caught

movement down in the bottom as some deer

were heading my way. As they got closer I

could tell it was a few large doe, so I grabbed

my bow and got ready for battle. The doe

eased their way my direction looking and

sniffing all the way, as with most deer that

time of year they were on full alert. I had the

perfect wind so no worries there, it just took

some time before these smart ole girls got into

range. I waited and waited so they would calm

down, and I would be able to get a good shot.

Finally after what seemed hours I had my shot,

so with all their heads down I drew my bow,

picked out the biggest one, and released my

arrow. The arrow disappeared into the deer and

buried itself in the ground before she knew

what hit her. She turned and ran the direction

she came, and I heard her crash not far at all.

As quick as that happened, I heard some other

deer running my direction, and before I knew

it they were standing right under me. I was

dumbfounded at how this all came about,

never the less I grabbed another arrow, and

repeated what I had done just a few moments

before. That deer ran up the other direction and

out of site but this time I heard nothing even

though I know I made a good shot. Wow, had

this really happened, a double on New Year’s

Eve, could this get any better. I gathered my

gear, and got down to recover the first deer. As

I followed the blood trail on the second I soon

knew why I didn’t hear her crash, as I found

her laying in my landowners front yard next to

the driveway. To say the least that was an easy

recovery. Now the work was ahead of me as I

had to turn those deer into tenderloin for the

grill. My hunt that morning, and the

overwhelming gratitude for the venison at the

party made it one of the best New Year’s I’ve

ever had.

It was now January, one month exactly left

of the season, and I had 24 deer under my belt.

I kept plugging away, and the deer kept falling,

25, 26, 27, 28, and 29 all seemed to go down

with no problem at all. So what always

happens when you’re trying to accomplish a

goal, you know it never comes easy, and it

sure as heck didn’t come easy for me. All I

needed was one deer, with almost two weeks

left, and I just couldn’t get it done. My quest

for thirty had brought me to the very last day

of the season, and I was so nervous as I had

come all this way and I truly wanted to

accomplish my goal. The morning was slow

that day, so I found myself in a last chance

situation once again, but now I could really

feel the pressure. I had the last evening

planned with my buddy Tim, which was great

as he was one of my biggest supporters during

my quest. We enjoyed a good lunch together

and then headed over the property to get ready

for the last hunt of the 2011-2012 season. I put

Tim in one of my best stands, but I went where

I knew I had the best shot and it was the same

place as my New Year’s Eve glory had taken

place. Once set in our stands, we were so

pumped we spent the next hour text messaging

each other, anticipating the evenings action.

Things got quiet, I hadn’t heard from Tim for a

while, and nothing was going on my way

either then all of a sudden my phone vibrated.

DEER DOWN, DEER DOWN is what I saw

when I checked my message. My man Tim had

gotten it done, and I was so stoked for him, I

almost forgot for a minute my dilemma. I gave

Tim a quick call, and congratulated him on his

deer, and told him to go ahead and get the deer

out of the woods, that I’d just meet him at the

truck. At this point I was starting to lose light

but not my spirits; I hung tight hoping for the

best. The next thing I knew I was looking at

movement down through the woods, could it

be, oh yeah it was deer moving my way. The

sight of those deer was an instant charge in my

system, I was up and boy was I ready. There

were two doe heading my way, and this time

there was nothing to decide, whoever

presented the first shot was getting it. The lead

doe made her way into the opening, and as

soon as she wasn’t looking I quickly drew my

bow back, legs trembling and all. As I placed

my pin behind her shoulder, I thanked god for

that moment, and then let my arrow fly.

Perfect shot, broadside through both lungs, and

she didn’t make it 50 yards and as I watched

her go down I knew I my quest was over. I

immediately called Tim, but I was so pumped

I’m sure he could of heard me from the

parking area phone or no phone. I was honored

to share that moment with Tim cause nothing

makes the outdoors any better than family, and

friends. It’s been really hard to put into words

all the feelings, emotions, and frustrations that

I dealt with over the 5 months it took me to

achieve my goal. It was a long hard road I

traveled to put 30 deer on the ground, but the

feeling of accomplishment I had was second to

none.

Shane Muller @smuller8

My name is Shane Muller, and ever since I

can remember I have spent my life in the

outdoors. I live in a small town called Elkton in

Cecil County Maryland. My Dad and two

grandfathers have hunted since they were young

kids, and they have passed the tradition on to

me. Ever since I was 4 my dad has let me join

him in the woods. I have hunted a lot of animals

from Pheasants to Ducks and Geese, to Turkeys

and Deer. But without my dad getting me

involved at such an early age I wouldn’t have had all those amazing opportunities. Up until this

past year I was able to go out every weekend and hunt, but this past year was my first year in

college. And being away from home made it challenging to get out. But I made it all work and

spent a lot of wonderful time in the woods. I even harvested a nice buck this past season! I

would say that my favorite part about hunting is not just killing an animal, but how relaxed and

stress-free I feel in the woods. Also how relaxing it is to be in a tree stand to watch the sun rise

on a crisp November morning. That is the real joy in hunting I believe, spending the day

outdoors with friends and family. Nothing is better than that. I think that if someone has the

opportunity to spend a day in the woods, you should take it. Even if you don’t see deer or kill

anything, you still get the rush of being a part of something that has gone on for centuries and

being a part of the outdoors. I love the outdoors, and I will continue to hunt until for the rest of

my life. I would like to thank my dad, Jeff Muller, Rudy from Huntography and Bow

Adventures for providing opportunities like these.

Facebook: Shane Muller, http://www.facebook.com/shane.muller.18

And search for Whitetail Chasers TV on facebook for my teams page!

Blog: http://wtcoutdoorstv.blogspot.com/ Whitetail Chasers TV

Will Jenkins @thewilltohunt

I'm more than excited to be on yet another season of

Huntography. I'm just a regular guy who start out

blogging at TheWilltoHunt.com and was blessed to

have Rudy come out last year and follow me around in

the woods. I hunt some private land here in Central

Virginia where I live with my wife and 2 kids (with a

3rd on the way!). This year I've also started hunting a

few spots in Maryland. I was recently selected to be a

http://www.thewilltohunt.com

Staff Blogger for PSE Archery which is a really exciting to be a part of. You can see my posts

over there weekly. I'm also the Managing Editor for Virginia Huntography.

As you can imagine I mostly bow hunt but do break out the gun every once in a while during

gun season. I grew up gun hunting and only started bow hunting about 4 years ago. I've really

come to enjoy hunting deer in the early season here in Virginia when they are nearly as

pressured as they are during gun season which allows people to run deer dogs. My season has

started great with a deer down in Maryland already and can't wait for the season to get rolling

here in Virginia.

In just over a month I'll be meeting up with Rudy and hunting with fellow Virginia

Huntographer Zac Stovall in the western part of Virginia. It's ridiculous how excited I am to

hunt out there. I've always wanted to hunt the mountains of Virginia and I finally get to do it

and one film with some good friends.

Zac Stovall @ekrawler

Born and raised in the small town of Glade Spring,

Virginia, I developed a passion for the outdoors at a very

young age. My family owned a few farms and I there was

nothing I loved more than riding my 4-wheeler down to the

river to fish for whatever would bite, coon hunting until the

sun came up and most importantly chasing whitetails in the

Appalachian Mountains. When I turned 18, I made a decision

to leave the mountains I grew up in and entered the Air Force.

After a 6-year enlistment and no idea where my life would go,

I heard the mountains calling my name and I decided to return to my homeland.

As of now, I live in Blacksburg, VA where I am currently a student at Virginia Tech and will

be graduating this December with a degree in journalism. Luckily when I moved to Blacksburg

in 2010 I was able to rent a house in the heart of the New River Valley that has allowed me to

reconnect with my hunting and fishing roots. Behind my house there is a tract of property that I

am allowed to hunt and have seen some of the biggest bucks of my life. When I’m not in the

woods or on the New River, I can be found exploring the outdoor possibilities in the southern

Appalachian region through and documenting my adventures through blogging, photography

and online videos.

Blogger -> www.feeldtrips.com

Adam Kujacznski @firstlightgear

Adam “Opie” Kujacznski has been living as an

outdoorsman since he was able to first wield a BB gun at

the age of 8 years old. For the 20 years since then he has

been living out his passion as a hunter and fisherman

around the United States. From his die hard passion as a

Whitetail and predator hunter in the midwest to his transient

lifestyle as a fly fishing bum in the summers “Opie” is a

quintessential outdoorsman.

“The essence of being outdoors pursuing my passions is the relationships that i build along

the way and the experiences I get to share with the people i care about” says Kujacznski. “The

other aspect that i truly enjoy is participating in a sustainable lifestyle...living off the land,

feeding my family and taking only what i need to survive from this great planet of ours. There

is a responsibility to conserve the things you love when you are an outdoorsman and that adds a

level of duty to all of us who calls ourselves outdoorsmen and women.?

Adam is a seasoned Whitetail hunter and can be found throughout the fall up in his treestand

with his bow chasing monster whitetail bucks. During the winter months he spends every spare

minute preying on the predators of Michigan. He is also a committed steelheader and fly

fisherman and can usually be found on the Pere Marquette river casting flies for Trout and

Salmon.

Gmail: firstlightgear@gmail.com

Email: opie@firstlightgear.com

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/FirstLightGear

Website: www.firstlightgear.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/firstlightgear

SPOTLIGHT: NICK VIAU

@NICK_VIAU

Huntography: A Stickbow Hunter’s

Perspective

I stumbled upon the making of Hunto-

graphy Season Two on Twitter last year

without any prior knowledge as to what it was.

I noticed that several of my closest Tweeps

were using the #DeerTour hashtag frequently,

so I began using it to be social. I assumed it

was some kind of ongoing hunting

conversation. When I realized it was a guy

named Rudy (@huntography) traveling all

over the country, filming non-professional fair

chase hunters, I became addicted.

I followed every moment of it from that

point on. The concept seemed to spread

beyond the documentary itself. I began sharing

the progress of my hunts, and others began

sharing theirs as well, regardless of being in

the documentary or not. Ultimately, it didn’t

matter, which is the beauty of the product. It is

an ongoing, reality hunting movement, not just

a documentary.

I wanted in, and was initially thrilled when

asked. Moments later, reality set in, and I

wanted to back out of the whole thing entirely.

That was months ago, and I’m still feeling

twinges of anxiety as our scheduled November

16th date creeps closer.

There are plenty of reasons to justify the

anxiety. I’ve always been a little hesitant when

it comes to sharing things about myself with

other people. Hiding behind this keyboard is

one thing, film is something else entirely.

Huntography fans will be meeting me face-to-

face and vice versa. You are going to get all of

me, bad or good. I do not act well enough to

reflect anything otherwise.

What scares me more than anything is my

choice of gear. Not because of its lack of

efficiency – hunters have been proving the

opposite for centuries – but because of the

community behind it. I am a traditional

bowhunter, and to say we are underrepresented

in today’s hunting media would be an

understatement. Diehard fans clamber for a

glimpse of a stick and stringer on their

television screen. Should one of us find

ourselves on an outdoor program, it sets the

entire traditional community abuzz in a matter

of minutes. I’ll have to contend with that, and

hope I give them something positive to chatter

about.

Then there is the matter of preparation, or

my lack of thus far. One would think I would

be making plans, prepping gear, scouting,

building blinds, and hanging stands; routine

things everyone is doing this time of year. I

have done very little in that regard aside from

selecting my hunting bow, prepping my

arrows, and shooting regularly. Life, in the

http://www.lifeandlongbows.com/

form of a busy work schedule, my brother’s

wedding, a family reunion, a busy two-year-

old, a complicated pregnancy, and the recent

birth of my second daughter has proven too

much for me to balance

with hunting.

Others may be

able to do it, and

with busier

schedules. I haven’t

quite got it figured

out yet. I guess I’ll

need a few years of

practice.

Truth be told, I

don’t obsess about the

season as much as most. I got into this to shoot

my bow, and get away from the hustle and

bustle of modern society. I find my heart

thumps a little bit harder, and I am more alert

if the whereabouts of game is unknown. I hunt

several different Michigan locations

throughout the year, all of which are different

scenarios entirely, so mystery is commonplace

for me. I’ve come to embrace it. Scouting

wouldn’t help me as far as

Huntography is

concerned anyway. I’m

hunting with a friend

on land that is

unfamiliar to me, and

during Michigan’s

rifle season, so all

bets are off. It is

fixing to be a whole

lot of fun regardless.

I have no doubt the

company I’ll be keeping will make sure of

that.

But let’s park my anxieties on the shelf

before you get the wrong idea. I want you to

understand how utterly ecstatic I am to be a

part of this. Having a

stickbow hunter on the

tour is awesome. It is

good for traditional

bowhunting, and it is

good for Huntography.

In fact, the pairing of

the two makes perfect

sense, as they share a

focus on the hunter

and the pure hunting

experience, rather

than the kill itself. They are also both

refreshingly minimalist in their design and

approach. One of my favorite aspects of

traditional bowhunting is the do it yourself

element it celebrates. The absence of large

camera crews and elaborate production gives

Huntography the same vibe: a man grabbed his

camera and set out to film hunters. I love that

aspect of it, and hope it never changes. There

is nothing wrong with professional hunters or

their productions there is just plenty of them. I

want Huntography to

remain different.

Could Rudy have

found a more efficient

stick flinger than yours

truly? Absolutely, I

know several who are

better hunters with

better hunting situations,

but the point of the tour

is to showcase the

average hunter. I hit the

bullseye in that regard. We have our share of

accomplished bowmen writing books and

making videos, but traditional bowhunting

needs guys like me to show that it is possible

to obtain traditional gear, become proficient

with it, and have an adventure. If anything, I’m

living proof of that.

If I can accomplish one goal through

Huntography, it is to show how enjoyable,

fulfilling, and obtainable hunting with

traditional bows can be. Given the opportunity,

I may be able to demonstrate how lethal they

are as well.

I encourage you to tune in this November to

see the results. Follow me (@Nick_Viau),

Rudy (@huntography), Opie (@firstlightgear),

and the rest of the Huntography family on

Twitter or Facebook to share our experiences

in real time. You’ll be a part of the

conversation before you know it.

You may even be a future huntographer.

Facebook:

www.facebook.com/lifeandlongbows

Website/Blog: www.lifeandlongbows.com

Where I hunt: Cheboygan, Michigan and

Grand Rapids/Rockford Michigan (state land)

Don Romig @iowabowguy

A Pennsylvania native I began my hunting career

in the Keystone State back in '83. Annual trips to the

mountain counties for the rifle seasons quickly led

to a desire for me to extend my deer hunting

opportunities. I picked up a bow in '85 at age 15 and

an addiction was born!

In 2006 my employer offered me a career

opportunity in the great state of Iowa. We moved

out in July and never looked back. Shortly after

relocating I purchased a small piece of whitetail heaven! Some heavily timbered ground with

stream, pond, lots of cover and plenty of acorn factories. It even has a perfect interior location

where I planted a foodplot.

To date my wife and I are still adjusting to the laid back way of life here in Iowa. The many

great hunting opportunities IA has to offer has made the transition well worth the adjustment in

my book.

My wife Dena and I currently live in Council Bluffs, IA. I bow hunt as often as possible for

whitetails and usually take 2 weeks of vacation from work during the bow season to chase big

bucks. Dena likes to chase turkeys and is considering taking up a shotgun for the first time

during this years deer season.

What I find most exhilerating about bowhunting is the chase leading up to the kill. I'm

consumed with all of my preparation from late winter to early fall. When things finally come

together on a crisp November morning time stands still! I live for those moments. BA

Bill Howard

Hogs are smart compared to other animals,

they are observant, and when cornered, they

fight.

Just a few years ago I was trying to set up a

dog hunt for wild boar in the mountains near

the Tennessee state line. After talking to

several hunting clubs, guides, and groups,

most said they would not go after hogs on

purpose. Finally, one person who lived in

Tennessee but had a guide license in North

Carolina agreed to take me. I asked him why

so many people were skittish about sending

their canines after a pig and what he responded

with was enlightening.

“The hogs can’t climb trees like bear. They

turn and fight.” They are just too dangerous

was how the response was parlayed to me. I

asked him why he agreed and he told me that it

pays well when taking someone out, and he

was accustomed to providing care to his dogs.

Care was later explained to me from a brief

encounter his dogs had the year before. After

striking a track, the dogs surrounded a 450

pound hog. The hog proceeded to gut each

and every dog in the pack. The tusks tore

through the flesh and left them the on the

ground for dead. He quickly got back to his

truck and grabbed a first aid kit. He then

would push the insides back in and sew the

bellies back up. The hog got away.

I ended up not being able to make the hunt

do to some circumstances with the gentleman’s

personal life. But I still longed to experience a

hog hunt.

Last weekend I was invited to hunt a

cypress swamp near South Carolina for feral

hogs. I did not have much notice, but I did not

need much either. This would be a hog hunt

with the bow from stands. I wondered just

how many I would see.

I arrived at the camp site just after 5:30pm.

Feeders were set up in multiple locations to go

off at 7:00pm. This land is a deer hunting club

once gun season comes in, and the owners

wanted the hogs gone. According to my host,

the hogs would eat all the corn and leave

nothing for the deer.

The night before I shot a few arrows to

check my sight and make sure I was

comfortable. I own a wild boar 3d archer

target, so I visualized the ‘kill’ zone and

started at 40 yards. I was told the average shot

would run around 15 yards. After shooting 40

and feeling good, I moved up to 30 yards, then

20 yards. It was a good practice session and I

felt good about the vital area. I also taped a

small picture that showed where the vitals

were on a hog to the lower limb of my bow.

This was primarily to remind me that the vitals

sit differently in a hog than a deer.

My host shot several arrows while I

changed to my camo. Then around 6:00pm we

headed out. It was hot and muggy with the

temps in the mid 90’s. I was worried about

scent control as I knew pigs had a superior

sense of smell. I was given a bag that had

some hog attractant to lie at my feet in the

stand to use as a cover scent. I was also told

the main scent I had to worry about was my

boots. I was wearing rubber boots, known to

not carry odors. But for pigs, they can even

pick those out.

The feeder went off at 7:00 pm and I

remained alert. After another 30 minutes, I

noticed something to my left in the wood line.

It was brown and pulsating. After studying it

for a few seconds I could

tell it was a hog. The

pulsating was the hog

taking deep sniffs of the

ground where I had come

into the stand. Three more

followed him and they

were overly cautious. As

they approached the

clearing where the feeder

was they turned away.

They continued around

the clearing and I could

finally see their full bodies

about 25 yards away. A

larger black boar was

closest and leading the

group. The brown one,

slightly smaller, stayed to its left and would

step forward in stride with the black one. I

continued to study their movement. The way

they were moving side by side, I would not

have a clean shot if the arrow were to make a

pass-thru.

So, what if I made the shot where the pass-

thru, if there was one, would hit both in the

vitals. It could be done. The closer hog was

slightly taller. I would need to aim at the top

portion of the lungs on the black one, and then

if the arrow passed through then it should hit

the brown pig near the lower lungs and heart.

The opportunity presented itself.

I released the arrow with its fixed blade

broadhead. I watched it fly as the fletching

stopped short in the front hog. The whole

group took off, much faster than you would

expect from a robust round animal with short

legs. I texted that one was down even though I

was trying for the double shot.

After sitting for

another 30 minutes I

headed down the stand

and to where I shot the

pig. I followed a nice

blood trail for about 10

yards and then it split.

Two different

directions. Hmmm. I

followed the one on the

left first. Another 10

yards and I found the

brown one on the

ground, heart exploded.

He was the back pig. I

had hit both.

I backtracked and

followed the other trail.

15 yards away in a briar thick lay the black

one. Blood bubbled around the location where

the top of the lungs would be located.

I had taken a double with one arrow on my

first hog hunt.

We went on to hunt the remainder of the

weekend. I easily saw pigs out number deer 5

to 1. The land was infested with them. And

up to this point I had never seen a wild hog.

But I have seen summer sausage. BA

Bill Howard

Brian was in the stand early that Monday

afternoon. For the last hour, he watched as a

small buck and doe grazed in the field in front

of him. They were skittish, seeming to

understand something was not quite right.

However, the wind was

to Brian’s favor and try

as they might, Brian’s

scent would not be found

in their direction.

Then, in just a matter

of moments, the field

was populated with

another four bucks and

one more doe. Brian

sensed his target would

be showing himself soon.

After all, Brian had the

‘big one’ on camera at

consistent times since he

began scouting several

months earlier. But the

story does not end here,

nor begin here.

Brian first learned

how to hunt deer when

he was 8 or 9 years old.

His uncle, Jesse Lennon, ran a household of

13. Uncle Jesse taught Brian how to hunt.

Hunting was a necessity for the Bladen County

family as a means of survival. The deer meat

provided many meals for a family of that size.

About fifteen years ago Brian took up

bowhunting. He appreciated the technique and

it provided a way to hunt a longer season. Just

six years ago his mindset changed.

By providing for his own family, the deer

meat was not as much of a priority in his

hunting excursions. He became much more

serious about

bowhunting and his

chance to come

closer to the game

he was pursuing.

He also began

managing his land

and game to allow

for a healthier,

stronger, more

mature herd.

His

management paid

off.

The opening

weekend of bow

season in 2010, just

three years after he

began his plan,

Brian connected on

a mainframe 9

point whitetail

measuring 123 inches. Pope and Young record

book takes entries at 125 inches and larger net

score. Just a couple of inches kept Brian’s

efforts from making book. But all was not

lost. In fact, everything was working out

perfectly.

Opening weekend of bow season in 2011,

Brian was again in pursuit. Proper scouting

and management techniques once again paid

off. Brian connected on a 10 pointer. This one

measured 138 inches, easily making it one of

the bigger deer taken in North Carolina during

the year by bow, and making Pope and Young

record book.

Now, here in 2012, Brian was waiting.

Brian supplemented his herd with a mineral

site throughout the year. In June, Brian began

putting out corn to offer another food source

and establish a

routine for the

deer that grazed

on his land. His

trail cameras

showed a buck

developing a

huge crown.

Brian

recognized the

deer. It was a

nice 8 pointer

the previous

year. He passed

on it when he

took his record

book buck.

So Brian

waited in his

lock-on stand,

five bucks and 2 doe were near him. He knew

the big one should be showing up soon as he

did each day on the camera photos. He

anticipated a splendid opening day just a

couple of days earlier, to the extent of having a

friend there to film the hunt. Unfortunately,

two different storms passed through the area

late in the day. When lightning started

flashing, the linesman for Piedmont Electric

realized it was time to go. The buck would

have to wait for another day, but he would not

wait for long. This would be the day.

The monster stepped out and moved to the

corn. Brian drew his Mathews Z7 Extreme

bow armed with a Rage 2 blade 100 grain

mechanical broadhead at 5:12pm Monday,

September 10th. Just twenty one yards

separated Brian from the trophy he had

watched for over two years. At over 300 feet

per second, the

twenty one

yards was

traversed

quickly by the

arrow as it hit

its mark.

Brian Rhew

paid tribute to

the 192 pound

Orange County

buck shortly

afterwards. The

mainframe 9

pointer with 3

sticker points

measured 146

7/8 inches green

(green means

the score is not

official yet as the rack is required to dry for 60

days before an official measurement can be

taken). Now Brian had a once-a-lifetime

trophy and a freezer full of venison. Uncle

Jesse would have been proud. BA

Darren Johnson

When Life Hands You Lemons…

As I drove down the gravel drive, the feelings

of disgust became overwhelming. 2012 was

supposed to be the year where all of our hard

food plot work came to fruition. It was the

sixth year of a long-term plan to create high

quality deer and turkey populations on the

1,000 acre property that I help manage. Earlier

in the spring, we had cleared land to create a

new plot, one that was sure to help attract and

retain our antlered and feathered friends. We

meticulously mowed and sprayed our existing

plots to get them weed-free and ready to plant.

The seed mixes were carefully selected to

maximize resources available to the wildlife.

We even decided to subcontract our planting to

a local farmer to ensure that it was done

efficiently and on time.

It was shaping up to be a great year. That

was, until the wheels started to fall off…

First, as you know, the weather has been

absolutely obnoxious this year. A very warm

winter with next to no snowfall created a dry

spring that decided to turn cool with very little

moisture. As May rolled around and warmed

up, the dry spell continued. The farmer

showed up with his equipment, took our seed

and proceeded to plant away as we looked to

the sky for rain.

The dry spell in June intensified and

temperatures skyrocketed. Soil moisture levels

became so low that many seeds wouldn’t

germinate in the soil. Those that did struggled

to pull enough nutrients out of the ground to

stay healthy. On top of this, I came to the

conclusion that our local farmer failed to plant

three of our food plots as he was hired to do.

One of my partners strongly disagrees with

this notion and we continue to butt heads about

it today. Either way, the drought tolerant

weeds took over the plots and the land is

virtually useless to deer and turkey in its

current state.

Of the three remaining plots that were

planted, one was a pure soybean plot that

thanks to the drought, has a few beans and a

lot of weeds. The bean plants are less than one

foot tall and didn’t produce any bean pods due

to the drought. With one bean plant every four

to five square feet, the wildlife don’t find this

plot worth their while and have abandoned it.

We haven’t seen a deer or turkey there in

months.

The second planted plot is a sunflower plot

designed to help the doves and other game

birds. It is holding its own considering the

record high temperatures and concrete-like

soil. The birds and squirrels do visit there

some but for the most part, it is a large weedy

flowerbed.

The third plot was supposed to be another

soybean plot. I had high hopes for this new

plot as it runs parallel to a deer travel corridor

and I expected it to do great things to help

retain any deer travelling through the area.

Unfortunately, due to a communication error,

the plot was planted in sunflowers rather than

beans. The sunflowers have grown to be about

30 inches in height with virtually no seed

heads. Additionally, they didn’t germinate

well and we average one plant per four square

feet of plot. Occasionally, the songbirds will

visit the plot but that is about it.

So that brings us back to the title of this

month’s column and my current feeling of

disgust. Sometimes the most well intentioned

things just don’t go according to plan even

though the hard work and commitment are

there. When these dreaded times occur, and

life throws you lemons, you just have to

regroup and find a way to make lemonade.

Even though we are now post-Labor Day,

your less than stellar food plots don’t have to

remain that way. There is still time to plant

alternatives that will help you and the native

wildlife later this fall and winter. Time is short

but there still can be a Plan B if you choose.

There are three plants that I consider head

and shoulders above the rest when it comes to

late-season food plots. They are widely

available, easy to plant and provide great

nutrition to our wildlife friends.

My favorite late-season plant is turnips.

They are fast-growing and very tough plants

that are absolutely irresistible to deer. Deer

will largely ignore them until just after the first

heavy frost, when in response to the cool

temperatures, a chemical reaction changes the

taste and they become like candy to the deer.

If you happen to be sitting in a deer stand

overlooking turnips on the morning after the

frost, you can see a season’s worth of deer in

one sitting. Combine this with good pre-rut

timing and it can be a magical day.

Another favorite is cereal rye. Not to be

confused with ryegrass, this plant is a cold-

tolerant grain that will continue to feed the

deer from fall all the way through late-winter.

If possible, be sure to apply fertilizer in

October or November to ensure that you are

giving the rye the nutrients it needs to thrive.

It supply much-needed nutrients to many

different types of wildlife.

My final pick is radishes. While I don’t

personally care for the taste

of them, the deer love them.

Chocked full of nutrition,

they can help a herd thrive in

tough winter conditions.

Fast-growing, they are a

very good late-season

planting option. Like

turnips, when the deer hit the

radishes, they come in force.

Nothing beats sitting in a

stand overlooking a radish

buffet as the rut blooms.

If you find yourself in a

situation like mine this year,

don’t give up just yet.

Where you can, mow down

your unproductive plots,

spray with a good herbicide

like Roundup, and get the

planter ready to go again

with a late-season food plot

seed. You will be turning

life’s lemons into lemonade

by helping the wildlife and

your hunting opportunities at the same time.

Good luck and happy planting. BA

Bob Hooven

The majestic mountain views surrounding

the last few road miles to the cabin began to

erase the memory of the 1900 grueling miles

we had just driven. We stopped only for gas

and an occasional sandwich. Now the

anticipation of the hunt was almost a reality.

Upon arrival at Dunton, Co., it didn’t take us

long to unload our gear, change clothes, and

mount the ATVs. We would go our separate

ways to explore and listen for the bugle of the

bull elk. This evening wouldn’t be spent on

long hikes as we needed some time to adjust to

the new 8,500 to 11,000 foot altitude.

There were six of us on this hunt, traveling

in two separate vehicles. We would be

hunting in the San Juan National Forest unit

71. Our arrival date was Friday September 7th

and departure was planned for Saturday

September 15th.

Saturday morning began our first, dawn till

dark, day of hunting in the high country. We

would try all of our skills and techniques to

locate, sight, and get within bow range of a

bull elk. Being in good physical shape can’t be

over emphasized. Those seep mountains, low

oxygen, and fallen trees would test me over

and over again. During the next five days I

tried everything I knew including bugling, cow

calling, setting up ambushes at water holes and

well used trails, to just hiking the mountain

sides.

The sixth day started, as usual, before

daybreak. But it would be different because a

bull elk would be heading my way. A 40

minute ATV ride to the top of a nearby mesa

would put me within range of a bugling bull.

As I descended the mountain to close the gap,

the bull just kept getting farther away until he

was out of hearing. Now, it was almost lunch

time so I decided to hike back up to the ATV

before eating. I was about half way back when

I heard the sounds of sticks breaking above

me. I immediately nocked an arrow. Seconds

later a cow elk ran down through the timber,

with her tongue hanging out, and stopped

within ten yards of me. She slowly turned

away and continued down the mountain.

About the time it dawned on me that

something was chasing her, I heard more limbs

breaking above me. I came to full draw with

no target in sight. I only had to wait a couple

of seconds before this bull came running and

lunging past. There was no time to think it

over or size him up. The predator mentality

was taking over my response. I triggered the

release and the muzzy broad head thrust

forward as the bull lunged toward me. As the

arrow entered forward of the shoulder, I

thought that I would never retrieve this big

animal. To my surprise, the blood trial

revealed a fatal wound that folded him up 150

yards farther down the mountain. What a day

and what a hunt. Oh yes, now the real work

would begin. However, I met another hunter

that was camped at the trail head that was

willing to help me quarter and pack out the

5x5. This hunt will surely qualify to check off

one on my buck list. BA

Bill Howard

Deer hunting, specifically bowhunting for

deer, requires a lot of hard work and a fair

amount of deception. By deception, I am

referring to proper camouflage, grunts, bleats,

and antler rattling, and of course, scent control.

Without proper scent control, a bowhunter will

never get a deer

within range.

Big Deer

Hunters

(bigdeerhunters.

com) offers a

variety of

products to

assist in scent

control. Wood

scented soaps

and cover sprays

can hide your

odor and help

get you in close.

They also have a product that I was very

interested in trying, the Doe Stick. As one

person put it on twitter one day when

referencing BDH’s Doe Stick, “it’s doe

pee…on a stick”. Think of it as a stick of

deodorant or antiperspirant scented with a

mature doe in heat. Now, don’t get me wrong,

DO NOT wear it as an antiperspirant! It is

actual doe urine.

The thing I like about what BDH has done

with its Doe Stick is it allows for multiple

uses. Not multiple in numbers of times, which

of course you can, but multiple in the ways of

using it.

First, you

can take the

Doe Stick and

rub it on the

base of a tree,

shrub or even

the ground.

The waxy doe

urine lasts.

Second, you

can remove the

top of the stick,

take a hook or

paperclip and

put through the hole at the base, tie it to a

monofilament line or small string and attach it

to a limb. The scent will flow with the breeze.

Based on just these first two uses, you can

see it would work much better than the one or

few use sprays on the market. The sprays

administer the scent,

but as the liquid dries,

the scent dissipates

also.

My favorite way to

use the Doe Stick is

this; rub it along the

bottom of you hunting

boot. Instead of using

a drag, the scent sticks

to your path and

covers any scents you may have attached to the

boot.

Why is this my favorite way? Twice this

fall I have had a deer (one doe and one young

buck) come in from a direction I was not

expecting. I watched as the deer approached

the path I took to my stand. They both stopped

suddenly at my path, smelling the earth below,

then raising their heads high to try to catch any

scents on the wind. Both turned, followed my

path to the stand, and approached within 5

yards of my location.

Now, the doe was

likely seeking comfort

of other deer. It was a

little early for rut, so I

believe the young buck

was following the trail

more as curiosity than

raging hormones. But

the fact is, the stick

worked in covering my

scent, and the deer followed the scent rather

than continuing on their path or worse,

scampering off letting out warning screams or

blows.

The Doe Stick and its big brother the Bid

Daddy (made with mature buck urine and

tarsal gland) can be purchased for $15 from

BigDeerHunters.com. And for $15, they go a

lot further than the $10 sprays out ther e that

attempt to do the same thing. BA

Ramon Bell

I’m sure you’ve heard off mock scrapes and

rubs. But, have you ever tried using them?

I’ve used them on occasion, but until a

couple years ago, never really made a

conscious effort to remember to employ the

use of them on a regular basis. Especially

“Mock Rubs.”

It’s really very simple, and all you need is a

pocket knife or a small folding hand saw. I

carry both with me in my fanny pack every

time I go to my deer stand. Once you’ve

chosen the tree or location of your stand, find a

small sapling about one inch, or so, in

diameter. I prefer small hardwood trees like

ironwoods, oaks dogwoods or even a red cedar

sapling. Small pines are OK too. I just don’t

like using them. It should be located about 20-

25 yards upwind from your stand. Baiting for

deer is legal in North Carolina. Sometime I use

bait, and sometime I don’t. When I do use it, I

carry a small cloth grocery bag with 6 to 8

pounds of shelled corn in with me each time I

go hunting. I don’t pre-bait. I know hunters

who pour out 50 pounds of corn at stand sites

every 2 to 3 days. This is a big waste of corn,

money and time. And, all they’re doing is

feeding the does, squirrels, turkeys and other

forest critters. By the time you get to the stand

the next day, the deer have a full belly and

they’re not hungry. Actually, I believe does

will take over a heavily baited location and run

the bucks away from it. You also lay down

your human scent every time you traipse in

and out of the woods going to bait your stand.

A deer’s sense of smell is phenomenal. They

will smell your tiny corn pile that you put out

when you go to your stand to hunt. There’s no

need to haul a 50 pound bag of corn into your

stand a day or two before every time you plan

to hunt it.

Now, back to the subject of this article..

Mock Rubs! About 5 yards from you mini-

corn pile, but still upwind from your stand,

scrape the bark from a small sapling. Scrape it

down to bare wood. Start about knee-high and

scrape the bark off up to about waist high. You

know what fresh cut wood smells like! When

you can easily smell the fresh sap seeping from

the sapling you just scraped the bark from, you

can stop. Immediately climb up in your stand

and get ready for action. I’ve had deer come to

this setup within minutes of getting up into my

stand. Deer can smell that fresh running sap

too, and I believe they interpret it to mean a

buck has just created a new rub. For a doe in

heat, she may think there’s an eager boy friend

nearby. A buck may think there’s a rival buck

nearby that has just invaded his territory and

made a fresh rub. Either way, I am convinced

that this works to attract deer, both does and

bucks, to your stand site. Of course, it works

best during the rutting season, from late

October through early December. The best part

is it costs nothing except a couple minutes of

your time to prep the sapling and maybe a

“buck’s” worth of shelled corn. If you go back

to hunt this same stand on another day, simply

scrape a little fresh bark from the same sapling

again before getting back in your stand. BA

Wild Game Recipes presented by Papa Scott’s Camp Dog

Pot Roasted Wood Ducks Ingredients: • 2 or 3 cleaned wood ducks • 1 lb. smoked pork sausage cut into bite size pieces • vegetable oil, enough to cover the bottom of pot (I like to use cast iron black pots) • 1 large or 2 medium onions, chopped • 1 bell pepper chopped • 1 or 2 cloves of garlic (optional) • 1/2 cup of pure orange juice • Cajun Seasoning to taste I use (Camp Dog) original blend. • 8 oz. of golden cream of mushroom soup to thicken gravy.

How to cook: Season ducks a couple of hours before and refrigerate until ready for use. Pour oil into

pot and heat. Once oil is hot put ducks in and start the browning process. Brown the ducks slowly for about an hour or more if needed adding a couple of ice cubes as needed to keep from burning. It's ok if it sticks to the bottom a little, this will help make a nice brown gravy. Once you are satisfied that the ducks have browned enough remove from pot and add sausage, brown them up then add onions and bell pepper and get them browned up nice and slow while stirring.

Once this has browned up nicely cut the ducks in 1/2 (poultry scissors work well) then add back to the pot. Pour in orange juice and 2 cups of water and cover. Cook in oven at 375 on top of stove for about 1 1/2 hours or until ducks are tender. Check often and add water as needed. Add golden cream of mushroom soup about 15 minutes before cooking time expires.

Serve over white rice along with sides of choice. Enjoy!

Mark Huelsing

“Buy once, cry once.”

Have you ever heard that saying? The idea

behind the phrase is that buying quality gear

may hurt you once, because of the cost, but

it’ll be the last time you ‘cry’ about it. On the

other hand, if you buy a cheap product and it

doesn’t perform as you anticipated, or it

breaks, fails, or simply doesn’t last, then you’ll

find yourself with a real problem to cry about.

I’m a cheapskate at heart, but over time I

have come to see the wisdom in spending on

quality from the start. I still like to get a deal

whenever I can, but sometimes you just have

to pony up and make a smart investment in a

product that will last. I’ve learned this lesson

the hard way – by making a lot of purchasing

mistakes.

When I started bowhunting I wrongly

assumed that any old target would suffice.

After all, there is nothing special about a

target. It is just a chunk of material that needs

to stop an arrow. Right?

I failed to account for the fact that arrows

impact the target with an immense amount of

energy. When an arrow is launched from a

70lb compound bow it flies fast and hits hard.

These same arrows penetrate, and often pass

through, the flesh and skeletal structures of big

game. Why in the world would I think that

“any old target” would stop dozens, hundreds,

or even thousands of arrows?

The “great deal” that I got on my first

archery target quickly turned into buyer’s

remorse. I set out to learn from that mistake

and I began to do a lot of research, hoping to

find a target that would last. My research lead

me to Rinehart, and though the price stung a

little bit, I went ahead and made the purchase.

Looking back now, years later, I would tell

you that it is one of the smartest purchases I

have made out of all the bowhunting gear I’ve

purchased.

One of the key features that make a

Rinehart so great is the self-healing foam

material they use in their targets. This material

stopping arrows exceptionally well and it heals

itself when you remove the arrow. Arrow

removal can be a little stiff when the target is

brand new, but not so bad that you’ll need an

arrow puller or arrow lubricant. And, after just

a few dozen shots you’ll find that the target

has been broken in, and arrow removal

becomes effortless.

In addition to handling field point tipped

arrows, Rinehart’s self-healing foam stands up

to both fixed-blade and mechanical

broadheads. Broadheads cut into the foam

nicely, and can be removed with a clean cut as

well. Eventually these broadhead impacts will

begin to cause some wear, but I’m truly

impressed with how many shots my Rinehart

18-1 has taken from broadheads. I don’t know

an exact number, but I can conservatively say

that it has been well over 1,000.

Let’s take a quick look at the three Rinehart

targets that I use regularly…

The Rinehart 18-1

The first Rinehart that I purchased was the

“18-1” target. I’ve owned this target for

around 3 years now, and though it may look

like it’s been beat to hell (and it has!), it is still

stopping arrows. I’ve got my money’s worth

out of this target…and then some!

The 18-1 is my favorite “do it all” target.

The 18-1 gets its name from the fact that the 1

target has 18 sides to shoot at. Measuring in at

15”x15”, the 18-1 is big enough to be a

suitable target for practicing from a wide range

of distances, yet small enough to lug around

without breaking your back. It’s a great target

for backyard shooting or for throwing in your

vehicle and taking to hunting camp.

Rinehart offers a one year guarantee on the

18-1; if you can shoot out all 18 sides within a

year, then your authorized Rinehart dealer will

replace it. Good luck shooting one out in a

year though!

The Rinehart Woodland Buck

The Woodland Buck is Rinehart’s 3D target

for the budget-minded shopper. Have you ever

taken the time to read reviews of 3D deer

targets that don’t cost an arm and a leg?

Honestly, it’s discouraging. I searched high

and low, looking for a quality 3D target that

wouldn’t set me back more than $150 or so. In

the end I decided to purchase the Woodland

Buck and I’m glad I did.

The Woodland Buck features a replaceable

shooting core that locks into the deer body.

One side of the core is contoured like the

exterior of a whitetail deer, but the other side

features the contour of the whitetail’s inner

organs, which is especially helpful for

understanding shot placement. The core is

made of Rinehart’s self-healing foam and will

handle field point and broadheads, from both

broadside and 45° shot angles. The rest of the

target body is made up of Rinehart’s Solid FX

foam. This material doesn’t heal as well as the

self-healing core, but it will still stand up to

errant shots that miss the vitals. The Solid FX

foam is used to keep the cost down, but also to

lighten the target so that it is easy to maneuver.

One thing that I was hesitant about when I

was looking at the Woodland Buck was its

size. The target is meant to simulate a 100lb

whitetail deer, and though it is smaller than

many other 3D deer targets, I am actually glad

I didn’t get anything bigger. I like to move my

target around, and even transport it in my

vehicle, so the smaller size and easy to remove

upper body are perfect for me. And while the

overall body size isn’t too large, the insert is

plenty big. I regularly practice with this target

from long distances and I have no problem

keeping my arrows inside the self-healing

core.

If you are

looking for a 3D

target that will

last, but you don’t

want to spend a

fortune, my

opinion is that the

Rinehart

Woodland Buck

is the best deal

out there.

The RhinoBlock XL

My newest Rinehart is the RhinoBlock XL.

This target is a tank! The RhinoBlock features

6 shooting sides, 4 of which have a variety of

high-visibility target zones, while the other 2

sides feature a textured 3D deer mid-section.

The RhinoBlock XL – and its slightly smaller

cousin, the RhinoBlock – are both made out of

Rinehart’s legendary self-healing foam.

In addition to the varied target faces and

generous size, my favorite feature of the

RhinoBlock models is the replaceable core. It

will take quite some time to shoot the core out,

even with dedicated broadhead use, but it is

always nice to know that you can refurbish

your target for a fraction of the cost of a new

one. I have no doubts that I’ll be shooting this

RhinoBlock for

years to come.

The downside to

the RhinoBlock

targets is that they

aren’t as light or

portable as the 18-1.

However, if you are

looking for a target

that you won’t be

constantly lugging

around or traveling

with, then I think that the RhinoBlock is the

smartest investment that you can make.

If you are tired of targets that won’t last, or

are difficult to use, then you really need to take

a look at Rinehart targets. Remember that the

cheapest product isn’t always the best deal,

and sometimes getting the best value means

spending a little bit more. I’ve definitely

found that to be the case with archery targets.

Buy once, cry once. BA

Albert Quackenbush

Whether it is to film for you to show your

friends or to try to get it noticed by someone,

getting a hunt on video seems to be the biggest

craze. I have tried filming my hunts using

different video, but some of the cameras are

bulky and expensive for most of the budget

conscious hunters I know. This is where I

think S4Gear came up with a solution that fits

almost every compound bow hunter I know.

Most of us have a Smartphone and S4Gear

jumped on that. They came up with a bow

mount for your Smartphone called the

JackKnife and I've been testing it out over the

past couple months with good results.

My first impressions of the JackKnife were

very good. The product looked very easy to

use. Right out of the box I was impressed with

how small it was, but I was cautious when I

saw all of the

knobs and moving

parts. There is no

sheen to the mount

as it is black

plastic and it is

also very

lightweight. Any

bowhunter will

tell you that

having lightweight

gear is a must,

especially when

it’s mounted to

your bow.

It installs very easily to a sight mount or the

side of a compound bow with one of two sets

of provided screws. You can actually relax the

tension on the knob and move the JackKnife

frame away from the mounting bolt holes to

allow easier and faster installation. It only took

me about a minute to get it installed.

The product features shown on the S4Gear

website explain it rather well.

Universal Design fits all bows with

AMO standard sight mount, right or left

handed -- even with quiver & sight

installed.

Highly Adjustable cradle mount fits

virtually any Smart Phone with or

without protective case.

Compact Design folds flush against the

riser when not in use and still fits in

most bow cases.

Quick Detach to easily remove your

phone for storage.

Oversize Knobs for easy adjustments

even when wearing gloves.

Protective Foam Lining holds your

phone securely in place while guarding

against shock and vibration.

After you get the JackKnife mounted to

your bow it’s time to fit it to your camera

phone. Again, this was very easy by using the

knobs to open the grip and sliding the phone

in. The orange you see is soft foam that holds

your phone in place. You lock that down and

then it’s on to the back of the Jackknife for

fine tuning.

One of the features I really liked was the

ball joint knob on the back that allows you to

position the camera at virtually any angle

exactly where you want it. I tried it many ways

and it was great! You can position it horizontal

or vertical. I did it both ways to see if there

was any difference in video quality, noise, or

difficulty in getting it set up how I wanted it. I

found no differences and was rather pleased at

how easy it was to set up.

I have been testing the mount with an

iPhone inside a Lifeproof case. (I also tried my

old Android and the JackKnife adjusted down

to that, too.) The mount does indeed hold the

iPhone, case and all, firmly and it is easily

adjustable on the fly. You can rotate left/right

with the larger knobs very easily, even with

gloves on your hands.

With the ability to view and share their

footage filmed right from their bow, its social

media live in the woods!

View your shot placement before you

track your animal.

Use your Smartphone as a training

device.

Sight mounting bracket placement

records video from the "hunter's eyes".

Use in addition to other cameras to

incorporate split screens in final video

pieces.

This is good for short yardage shots only. I

can’t fault the JackKnife because these are

limitations of the phone itself, but I don’t want

anyone feeling mislead. Videoing from under

30 yards is acceptable, but after that most

camera phones don't capture good video

beyond that. I tried a few shots out at 6o yards

and you couldn't see the shot, or the impact of

the hit. Once I moved in closer to 30 yards it

got better. It was even better at 20 yards. I

normally practice between 40-60 yards and

move out to 80 as well. I could not video from

my phone well at those distances. I attempted

to, but it was a waste of time as you couldn’t

view the target well enough.

Here I was set up at 100 yards.

The one thing I did notice, which I have

found with many camera mounts for your bow,

is that you can see some degree of vibration in

the video while filming. If you want to video

your hunt it is something you will have to

make peace with because it happens often.

Something very cool to try that isn’t

actually videoing your hunt is to Skype with

someone while hunting. The person you are

chatting with can view whatever you are

shooting at, or if you reverse the camera they

can view your reaction while you are hunting.

I understand you want it to be quiet and the

person on the other end would have to be

quiet, but it’s an interesting idea. My dad and I

have discussed it and we are going to try it at

some point for fun. Have any of you tried it?

What were your results?

The cost of the JackKnife is $44.99 retail.

In my opinion that is very high. The entire

camera mount is plastic and while it has

moving parts that certainly have to be put

together at the factory, I think this should retail

more toward the $25.00 range. I think more

bowhunters would consider something like this

if the price were lower. BA

Albert Quackenbush

Road Closed. Those were the signs my

hunting partners and I encountered on our first

scouting trips of 2012. A quick phone call to

the Forest Service and we found out we could

hike them or utilize a mountain bike to travel

on them. They were only closed to motorized

vehicle traffic.

‘Necessity breeds invention.’ ~ Author

unknown

At one of the trailheads, we encountered a

Road Closed sign, so we opened the map and

saw that the spot we were looking to get to

was a good three hour hike in. After discussing

it, we packed up and headed home. It was

middle of the day, well over 90 degrees and

our water supply was getting low. No, we were

not dejected or giving up. On the contrary, on

the ride home we had devised a plan to get to

the spot easier, faster and it was going to be

fun doing it.

Our plan seemed simple. We would

mountain bike in. Plenty of hunters do it, so

why not us? One of our goals

was to do it for as little

expense as possible. We also

decided that we wanted a tow

cart to cart our backpacks in

and carry out any wild game

we killed. Now we just had to

get some ideas on paper and

figure out how we would do

it.

The first task was simple;

Find a Mountain Bike. Each

of us figured on going to

local garage sales and getting

online to see if we could find

some inexpensive mountain

bikes. The very next week at archery

practice, Brett said he had some good news.

Brett came through and got me a bike at no

expense! It turns out his neighbor was

looking to get rid of two he had sitting in his

garage. Instead of tossing them in the trash

can he saved them at his cabin and Brett

would pick them up later. Score for the

home team!

Secondly, and most importantly, we

started looking at cart options. We would try

to only use our resources, ingenuity and

crafty skills to find parts to build our game

cart. I drew up some ideas for using a utility

cart and shared the idea with Brett. He even

thought it was a good idea at first. We drew up

plans, made notes as to what should be on the

cart, what shouldn't, how much it should

weigh, etc.

After letting that simmer in my brain, I felt

that a utility cart would not be exactly what we

would need. The more I thought about it the

more I saw my wallet getting lighter. We

would need to weld some metal to the frame,

buy a swivel kit to attach the cart to the bike,

and figure out how we wanted to reinforce the

sides. Seeing as our main goal was to not have

to spend lots of money on material to build I

felt I needed to expand my search area. That

was when I thought about using a wagon

frame. A quick post to Facebook and one of

my friends Erich Giardina responded that he

had a metal wagon that he had used for hauling

tires around his shop and it might be perfect

for me. He sent over some pictures and a price

of $40. It looked perfect and the price was

right. I was sold!

Arrangements were made for us to meet

and instead, Erich and his friend, Mike Kimler,

surprised me by delivering the wagon to my

house. It was a welcome surprise and it was

great to get to chat with both he and Mike!

Once I saw the wagon I knew it was going to

be a great start to our project.

Erich had a few surprises in store for me.

First off, I mentioned how we were going to

buy a swivel kit to attach to a bike. He

proceeded to show me where the handle comes

apart and can attach to a swivel connection.

That will work perfect when attaching it to

a bike! The second surprise was that the sides

all come off in sections. They are held together

with Cotter pins, so you can customize it for

each trip. I was stoked! Then, Erich pulled the

biggest surprise of all as he donated the

wagon! Yes, you read that right, he gave it to

me for nothing so that I'd have a cart to pull

out any animal deep in the forest. What an

awesome gesture and boy am I thankful to he

and Mike for bringing it down. They not only

saved me a trip to pick it up, but he saved

overhead expense. I am going to be sure to

share some game meat with those two for all

they have done.

Erich is part owner of Erich Giardina /

Mike Kimler Motorcade International. They

have whatever anyone might need for car

/truck/suv/and side by side off road vehicles.

Wheels, tires, off road gear, etc. They can ship

to any state and offer specials to Hawaii

including freight. Great company and great

people for anyone interested!

Before we got too deep into the project,

Brett and I gave the wagon a good once over.

The wagon measures 4’ x 2’ x 1’ deep and the

only thing that needs to be fixed is mending

some peeled away metal mesh on one of the

panels. An easy fix if you ask me. A rubber

mallet and some effort helped me pop out the

panels.

Now we had to figure out the hard parts.

How would we connect it to a bicycle? Would

we take the front wheels off to reduce friction?

Would we leave them on for better traction? It

was time to start doing the hard work!

The hinged walls of the wagon are

fantastic. You can drop down all four sides at

once if you’d like. Once you drop down all

four sides, you can remove the plastic liner at

the bottom. I weighed the pros and cons of

leaving this in and I believe I’ll be leaving it in

to catch any fluids and loose items that may

drop in.

A major challenge and decision was to

decide if we wanted to leave all four low-

clearance tires on the wagon. We originally

decided to remove the front two tires

completely and replace the rear tires with

BMX bike tires, but there was already 14” of

clearance with the current tires. The one

advantage to thinner wheels would be less

friction and enable us to move faster. The

other idea would be to go with solid tires and

eliminate the possibility of a flat. Erich

mentioned this to us and it’s a great idea. What

I haven’t decided on is will we do it with the

tires on there now or will we switch to BMX

tires and buy solid tires for those?

Brett and I will put our heads together and

decide in the next couple of weeks how to get

the brunt of the work done and hopefully put it

to good use. You can read up on Part Two of

the build in the next issue. Until then, enjoy

the rest of the Fall 2012 issue of Bow

Adventures! BA

Venison

Bourguignon By Food for Hunters

Or "Venison Burgundy" in

English. As many of you may

know, Beef Bourguignon is a very

popular dish, not only in France but

here in the U.S. Believe it or not,

this recipe belonged to the French

peasantry, only to be slowly adapted

into "haute cuisine" or "high cuisine" later on.

We slowly stewed chunks of venison in

burgundy and brandy, along with lots of

bacon, veggies and then flavored with a

"bouquet garni" of fresh herbs. What resulted

was a deeply flavorful dish perfect on top of

homemade mashed potatoes. This is a great

meal for those romantic candlelight dinners on

the back porch.

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cooking Time: 2 hours

Ingredients:

- 1 1/2 - 2 pounds of venison roast, cleaned

and cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes

- 6 strips of bacon, chopped

- kosher salt and freshly ground black

pepper, to taste

- 2 medium carrots, diced

- 2 medium onions, diced

- 1 bay leaf

- 2 cloves of garlic, lightly crushed

- 6 sprigs of fresh thyme

- 2 sprigs of fresh parsley, plus more for

garnish

- 1 (4-inch) piece of celery stalk

- 3 tbs. of all-purpose flour

- 1 tbs. of tomato paste

- 1/2 cup of brandy

- 2 cups of burgundy, or other dry red wine

- 1 (14.5 ounce) can of beef stock

- 2 tbs. of unsalted butter

- 8 ounces of button mushrooms, cut

however you like

- cooking twine

1. Preheat oven to 325° F. Over medium-

high heat, brown bacon in a Dutch oven.

Transfer bacon bits to a plate, but leave the

drippings in the pot.

2. Dab

venison with

paper towels to

dry. Lightly

sprinkle salt and

pepper over

venison cubes.

Fry in bacon grease until lightly browned on

all sides. (Fry in one-layer batches.) Transfer

venison to the plate with the bacon.

3. Add diced

carrots and onion

to the Dutch

oven. Add a

pinch of salt and

pepper. Cook

until softened and

slightly browned, about 8 minutes. Stir

occasionally.

4. Meanwhile, make a "bouquet garni."

Tuck garlic inside the celery stalk. Nestle the

bay leaf, thyme and parsley on top of the garlic

and tie securely with cooking twine.

5. Once carrots and onions are

cooked, return the venison, bacon

and all its juices back into the pot.

Add flour and stir for a few minutes

to coat evenly. Stir in tomato paste.

6. Then

add brandy.

Scrape the

bottom of

the pot.

Let it

reduce by half, about 3-5 minutes. Stir often.

Next, add wine. Let it reduce in half again,

about 10 minutes. Stir often.

7. Once wine has reduced, add beef stock

and the "bouquet garni" to the pot. Give it

another quick stir. Cover and cook in a 325°

oven for 1 hour and 30 minutes.

8. Meanwhile, melt unsalted butter in a

pan. Cook mushrooms over medium heat until

soft and the liquids evaporated, about 5

minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Mix

mushrooms into the Venison Bourguignon

after it comes

out of the oven.

Combine well.

Discard

"bouquet

garni."

Click on the pic to go to video!

How to Efficiently Pack for a

Hunting Trip brought to you by StowAway2.com, providing

the highest quality hitch mounted cargo

carriers and racks on the market.

Hunting requires a significant amount of

gear, and there’s always the chance you will

bag a kill that will take up space in or on your

vehicle. Packing for a hunting trip, therefore,

quickly becomes both an art and science for

many seasoned sportsmen.

Ultimately, practice is the best way to

determine what you absolutely need on a

hunting trip. The more hunting experience you

person have, the better you will become at

packing efficiently. Still, reviewing the

guidelines below can help you refine your own

approach to packing for a hunting expedition.

How to Pack for Your Next Hunting

Trip

First, a general packing tip: We recommend

creating a packing checklist. This preliminary

step guarantees that you will have everything

you need once you reach the wild. As you

pack, go through your list and check off each

item.

Next, group items according to where they

will be packed. Experienced hunters

recommend a day pack for on-the-hunt items;

a duffle bag for clothes and small

consumables; coolers for food and game; and

lockable boxes for ammo, guns and archery

gear. Finally, depending on the size of your

vehicle, you may benefit from having a roof-

mounted or hitch-mounted cargo carrier to

contain all of your camping gear.

In the day pack, include:

Lighter and waterproof fire starting kit,

including matches

Flashlight with extra batteries

Knife for cleaning game

Camera/smartphone

Binoculars

Compass, maps and/or GPS system

Water bottle

Meat bags, dressing gloves

Hunting license

This pack should also include outdoor

survival necessities such as a small first aid kit,

toilet paper in a baggie, a space blanket, lip

balm, sunscreen, insect repellant and energy

bars or trail mix.

In the duffle or rolling bag, place your

clothes for the trip. Some avid hunters

recommend scent-eliminating systems such as

Scentnote, which make it much more difficult

for animals to smell you coming. Don’t forget

to pack your hunter orange gear in this bag to

ensure you remain visible to other hunters. As

you select what clothing to bring, favor fabrics

such as wool and fleece, which will keep you

warm even when wet.

In the coolers, pack food for your journey.

Don’t forget to bring an extra cooler or two for

game. You could also consider a hitch-

mounted cargo carrier than can double as a

cooler for your game (note: you’ll want to

shop for these, not all can act as coolers).

Double-check that you have everything you’ll

need for cleaning your kills, including hunting

knives, zip-close plastic bags and a sharpening

stone. Hunting aficionados recommend

bringing a portable generator and a vacuum-

packing system, but this is excessive for

beginning hunters who may not bag a kill on

their first few trips.

In the lockable boxes, pack your

ammunition, weapons and other hunting

accessories such as a bipod or shooting stick.

Think through what could go wrong in the

wild, and pack accordingly. For instance, what

will you do if your bow string snaps? Better

pack an extra one just in case, as well as pliers

and a bow stringer.

For a multi-day excursion, your list will

also include camping gear. It’s not easy to find

enough space for everything a memorable

hunting trip requires. Rooftop cargo carriers

are a popular solution for this common

dilemma, or you can opt for a hitch-mounted

cargo carrier.

Rooftop Cargo

Carriers vs. Hitch-

Mounted Cargo

Carriers

Using a rooftop or

hitch-mounted cargo

carrier is akin to adding an extra trunk to your

vehicle. Both will provide plenty of extra

room. However, each storage solution poses its

own advantages and drawbacks.

Rooftop cargo carriers are helpful, but

they decrease gas mileage through drag, and

gear isn’t easy to access when it’s on top of

your car or SUV. (Most truck beds do not

provide a large enough mounting surface for

rooftop carriers.)

A hitch-mounted cargo carrier’s rear

placement does not decrease gas mileage, and

its rectangular shape makes it easier to pack

bulky items. There are also models that feature

swingaway frames to still provide access to the

rear of your vehicle. And, some can even

double as coolers for your fresh game.

Regardless of whether you choose a rooftop

or hitch-mounted cargo carrier, take a few

moments after your trip to reflect on what

worked and what failed as far as hunting

storage was concerned. With a little awareness,

you can continually improve your own

approach to packing for a hunting trip. Just

think: The better you get at packing, the more

quickly you can get out in the backcountry!

BA

Bill Howard

I am a sucker for testing three items;

flashlights, knives, and backpacks. As for

backpacks, I look for packs that can be used

for more than just hiking and camping. They

need to be multifunctional. I very seldom

‘just’ hike and camp. Hiking and camping is

usually a byproduct of hunting and fishing.

Because I mostly bowhunt, I need a pack

that allows the carrying of a bow. Many packs

are firearm accessible, but a bow requires a

different configuration in order to hold the

wide footprint of the limbs of a bow.

I have been using a Alps Outdoorz Pursuit

pack for the last 6 months. It has proved to be

more than adequate, tough, comfortable, and

has the ability to cover each of my needs.

When I first received the pack, I looked at

the different pockets, the zipper opening s that

allow access, and the utility compartments in

order to ‘design’ my layout of equipment. I

adjusted the straps for fit and comfort. The

chest strap is slid up and down on runners built

into the shoulder straps for quick adjustment.

Then I pulled out the gear I would need for a

three day backcountry hunt.

That is when it became fun!

The main pocket of the pack has a

hydration bladder sleeve. The suction tube fits

nicely through the top of the pack and has

clips to hold it in place down one of the

shoulder straps. The pocket is pare enough to

hold a change of clothes or layers . I placed

my knives, heat pads, main flashlight, food

packs, and other supplies in the compartment

with no problems.

The outside utility pocket stores my other

survival equipment and quick use items. The

pockets offer plenty of space to separate

different things. I have my Lifestraw water

filtration straw in one pocket, have the CRKT

Eat-n-Tool and a Fox40 whistle attached to the

inner hook, and it also has a large sleeve for

maps and such.

The waste strap has two pockets, one on

each side, that can be used for a cell phone,

small rangefinder or binoculars, or even packs

of nabs. Think of them as small gadget

compartments that you can access quickly

without having to remove your pack. At the

base of the waste straps where they connect to

the pack, there are two net style pockets, one at

each base, that are also useful for something

like a larger rangefinder.

A compression strap/sleeve is placed on the

main face of the pack. This is what holds the

bow or firearm. Nicely I would like to add.

Several magnets sewn into the bottom of the

pack pull loose revealing the butt sleeve that

holds the bottom of the bow or stock of the

firearm. A strap around the top of the sleeve

can be loosened or tightened for a secure fit on

the weapon. The compression sleeve fits over

the top of the bow or firearm holding it in

place and tight to the pack. To the side of the

pack there is a quick connect strap that can be

used to hold the string of the bow to further

prevent unwanted movement.

Straps are located on each side of the pack,

one to hold the bow strings, the other to use

how you wish. I chose to see how it would

work with my tent. The easily held the tent

snug without being in the way. The weight

distributed well for comfort also.

At the very bottom of the pack is another

zippered compartment. A hunter orange rain

cover is released which is large enough to

cover the top portion of the pack and anything

attached to it.

Overall, the

Alps Outdoorz

Pursuit pack is an

easily configured,

comfortable pack

that can be

utilized by the

hunter, both bow

and firearm, and

the hiker/camper.

The pack is well

constructed, able

to withstand the

abuse given by the

outdoors

enthusiast.

Padding on the

waste strap and

back of the pack,

along with quick

adjustment straps

supply the

comfort needed

for long trails

even with excess

weight in the

pack. BA

PREFACE: This isn’t meant to be a how

too guide for returning to archery after

mastectomy; because the mastectomy

experience is intensely individual with

individual and unique challenges. This is

merely my experience and from that I hope

that others can learn, find some help, and most

of know that it is possible to return to archery

after a mastectomy.

Breast cancer and all that it entailed were

nothing new to me. The youngest of three

sisters, I had already been helping my two

older sisters fight the dreaded disease for

several years. I can’t even say I was surprised

when I heard the words BRCA1 positive (the

breast cancer gene) and bilateral mastectomy

when they flew across the doctors desk at me.

Deep in my heart I knew it was coming.

As odd it may sound when I met with the

surgeons about all the options one of my first

questions was, “So, will I still be able to use

my bow after this? Will I still be able to use

my shot gun?” I’m sure they thought I was

raving lunatic, but luckily I had a pair of the

best surgeons in the country filleting me and

they understood how important my outdoor

lifestyle - my life outdoors - was to me and

considered that a priority when selecting the

type of surgery and reconstruction I would

have.

Fast forward from all slicing, dicing and

remanufacturing of my bust line. It was a

long process, I was restless, and more than

ready to return to rebuilding my upper body

strength, retraining muscles, and rerouting

nerve signals. I started physical therapy as

soon as receiving the green light from the

doctors and made sure the therapist understood

that one of my goals was to be ready to be in

the tree stand by fall. Thankfully once again

fate was on my side and the therapist

understood clearly that I would work harder

towards that goal than any he had so it was

huge part of the plan.

We began with simple stretching and

strengthening exercises, and slowly progressed

to using resistance bands. Looking back I wish

I known about the product Bowtrainer back

then. Instead we made a jerry-rigged version

of our own using resistance bands and my

bathroom door.

That’s when I hit the wall – no matter what

I tried, because of the extent of my surgery and

reconstruction, the physical motion of drawing

back was uncomfortable, it just plain felt

weird. To be completely honest, it felt like the

implant on my right side was migrating

somewhere under my arm and hanging out

around my elbow.

And being honest once again, I gave up. I

decided that returning to archery just wasn’t

going be something I could do. I would try

periodically, feel like a wimpy weakling with

an implant roaming around loose, and walk

away frustrated and sad. I tried talking to

various archery shops, archery manufactures,

and that was difficult. As men they simply

didn’t get it, and as men; talking about breasts

and mastectomies and implants for God’s sake

made them incredibly uncomfortable. Eyes

would glaze over, they would fidget, and with

a decidedly deer in the headlights look flee to

the safety of a sudden urgent phone call or

bow emergency in the repair department.

Then it happened…….

One late summer afternoon when all the

fellas were dialing in bows, practicing, getting

ramped up for the right around the corner

opening of archery deer season, while I stood

there snapping photos, kicking dirt, and in

general pouting, complaining and feeling left

out ; my friend Scott Huschle of DownRiver

Outdoors said “ G – have you talked to Karen

Butler from Shoot Like a Girl? I bet she could

help. “

WHAAAAT???? There are women in the

archery world that could help me figure this

out? How did I not know this? Had I been

living on some other planet?

Huschle

generously

gave me

all of Ms.

Butler’s

contact

information

and I raced

home to fire

off an email.

Suffice it to say

that may have

rank among one

of the most

important e mails I

have ever sent in my

life.

Ms. Butler was

quick to reply with

many great ideas as well

as much compassion and

understanding. Something I had not

experienced from the many archery resources I

previously explored.

As luck would have it, Butler would be in

my area soon, at the huge annual Hunting and

Fishing Days event held in our area. I couldn’t

wait to meet her in person, try some bows that

she suggested and see what we could come up

with.

I found a woman archer to talk to about the

situation, not just a woman archer but one of

the best and one who has made it her mission

to introduce and support women in archery.

That hot September Saturday that Karen

Butler spent a great deal of time and effort

working with me gave me a renewed hope that

I could indeed return

archery. She also helped

me to realize that while I

could return archery I

might not be able to

return to what it was

before, but where there

was a will there was a

way, a bow, and an

archery activity.

My biggest

issues came with

trying to use a

compound. It

simply didn’t

work for me.

No matter

how hard I

tried to

rebuild the strength,

to retrain the muscles, pulling

it to break over cam and then holding it

just wasn’t in the cards.

But between Ms. Butler and my friend

Christine Appleberg , of Illinois Bowfishers, I

learned that I could indeed use a recurve, I

could use a long bow, and holy smokes, I

could fling arrows like madwoman using one

of the Genesis 0% let off bows.

Yet being able to pull the required 40

pounds to hunt eluded me. Not only was a I

dealing with issues from the mastectomies, I

had been diagnosed with MS and that further

hampered my upper body strength.

It was standing by a spillway sticking gar

that I had an epiphany of sorts; maybe I’ll

never be able archery hunt for large game

again. Maybe I will with lots of hard work,

exercise and sheer will, but until

then I can certainly target shoot

and bowfish . I accepted that

and realized any archery is

better than no archery!

Here are few tips for

women returning to archery

after mastectomy. First

and foremost discuss it

with your physician to

insure that you are

ready and that there are

no medical reasons

why you should not

begin working

towards the goal of

sticking that arrow

in the bulls eye.

Ask your physician for a referral to

physical therapy that can help you develop a

plan to strengthen and rebuild the muscles,

nerve pathways, and endurance needed.

Start small. Picking up your regular hunting

bow and giving it a pull is likely to not be

successful initially, and can increase your

sense of frustration. Try one of the Genesis

bows used in the NASP or a light draw weight

recurve initially. Baby steps. Baby steps. Each

small victory will help to increase your

confidence.

Reach out to other women archers, such as

Karen Butler and Shoot Like A Girl.

As your strength and resolve grows try out

every bow that crosses your path. Be the most

annoying and time consuming customer that

archery dealer has ever seen. There IS one out

there that will work for you!

Accept any limitations as they come along.

Can’t pull enough to hunt game, but can pull

15 or 20 pounds? Find a bowfishing

organization, learn to

bowfish. I promise you

the first time you

see your arrow

dance and that

carp or gar flop

and fight, you will

be renewed and

know that indeed

archery is still

possible.

Allow yourself time

– the journey for me

from the first arrow out

of my nephews recurve

to standing on the platform

of a bowfishing rig flinging

arrow after arrow at

invasive carp was a several

year adventure.

Most of all love yourself, celebrate every

day, and in the words of one my best outdoor

mentors Deb West of Brownwaterdogs “

YOU CAN DO IT!”

Remember – the fierce Amazon warrior

women cut off a breast in order to make them

better archers and stronger warriors.

We are warriors too! BA

Amanda MacDonald

When you are new to the sport of archery,

or want to try a different type of bow it can be

somewhat daunting. There is already some

great technical information out there, but I

want to begin with the things that may seem

like common sense, but are rarely mentioned

for some reason.

Buying a target bow is like buying a pair of

shoes, it needs to fit your purpose. This is not

a multi-tasker. Heels for a wedding won’t

work for everyday work boots. If you plan to

be shooting lots and lots of arrows, you need to

be comfortable and be able to use your body

properly to avoid overuse injuries. The best

advice I ever received was to try a bunch of

different makes and brands of bows and find

out what felt right for me. You might have to

drive a bit to find a shop that can help you, but

it’s worth it in the end. A good target shop can

help fit you if you are new to the sport and

make sure you have what you need. If you

have no idea where to start, look up the clubs

that do well at the state level and find out

where they go. If you have the chance to visit

one of the big national tournaments, the big

manufacturers are there with inventory that

you can compare and handle. Avoid the big-

box sports stores, as they don’t carry target

equipment.

There are plenty of good, lightly-used bows

for sale online - don’t buy someone else’s

mistake unless you know exactly what fits.

Shoot it before you buy it whenever possible.

You may have your heart set on a particular

bow to find out that you hate the grip and it’s

noisy when you get it home. You will be

surprised at how different brands feel in your

hand. The wall may be too aggressive for you

or too mushy.

What NOT to worry about. Don’t let an

overenthusiastic clerk try and talk you into

something that shoots faster than anything else

in the shop. Chances are you will be using this

bow at a stationary target at 20 yards. That

target's not going to drop under your arrow and

boogie out of there before you can nock

another arrow. If you get the hard sell

approach, walk out and go somewhere else.

Any of the higher-end target bows out there

have enough speed to get the job done well.

Most bow manufacturers now make good

quality target bows and they have really big

marketing budgets. Don’t get swayed by which

manufacturer has the most shooters in the

final, or who has the sexiest ads, or what the

shooter in the next lane has. Get what fits

YOU.

Guys, I know most of you will ignore this

anyway, but ladies pay attention. Draw weight.

I take some teasing with my “toy” 30 lb

compound bow from the new guy in the next

lane. It usually stops when I out shoot them.

You only need enough to get the arrow in the

target without shaking 60 times and to not be

tired after 70 arrows. Yes, lots of people shoot

their hunting bow, or a hunting bow set up for

targets. Unless you shoot on a very regular

basis, 3-4 X a week, or are in good shape, a

60lb bow is not much fun to use for targets.

I’m actually getting a lighter set up for my

recurve this fall because I am anticipating less

time in my schedule for regular practice.

If you are a small adult or female, it can be

a challenge to find something that has a low

enough draw weight to pull comfortably and a

short enough draw length. Fit is key. Youth

bows can be a good place to start if you are

brand new, as they are less expensive, very

adjustable, and can be upgraded when your

skills outgrow it next season. My nephew is

hunting with my original bow. I do not

recommend using your husband’s or

boyfriend’s hand-me-down bow when he

upgrades. It will be an exercise in frustration

for both of you. If you are really unsure of

where to start, check out what the pro ladies

are shooting and select someone close to your

size. Most manufacturers are getting on board

making hunting bows that are female-friendly,

but you have fewer options to pick from in the

target compound bow group if you are very

petite. You may need to go up a bit in draw

weight, but try not to compromise length, as it

will not work as nicely in the long run.

Recurve archers of all sizes have it a bit

easier as bows are modular; from the length

(short, medium, long) and power of the limbs

(you can go up by 2 lb increments) to the riser

height (22” to 28”) depending on how much

weight you need to shoot (18 m vs. 90 m) to

get the arrow to the target with enough power

behind it. You might decide you need a shorter

riser with a medium limb to get enough power

behind your arrow to hit 70 or 90m. Many very

competitive archers have two set ups, one for

indoor and one for outdoor.

Why are target bows longer than hunting

bows and why is this important? The obvious

first answer is that today’s hunting bows are

designed to be lighter and shorter making them

easier to shoot while hanging out of a tree

stand. Longer and somewhat heavier translates

to smaller, slower wiggling when you are

aiming, aiming, aiming. A longer axel-to-axel

measurement when combined with a long

stabilizer and V-bars all work to slow down

your natural movement and give you smaller

groups.

Another variable you'll hear about is the

distance between the bow grip and the string at

rest, AKA the brace-height. The brace-height

determines the angle of the string from the cam

to your anchor point as well as how much

energy you can store in the bow at full draw.

While it's true that a larger brace-height can

make a bow more forgiving, it isn't nearly as

important as finding a bow that fits your draw

length and pulling power well.

Bow cams come in many forms and all do

the same job - store energy. Your draw length

will likely determine which cam you'll need so

again, try lots of different bows to see how

each feels during the draw, let-off and hold

phase of your shot.

Lastly, be sure you buy your new awesome

target bow from a shop that can set it up

properly for you. A great fitting, high-tech

bow won't hit the broad side of a barn if it isn't

set up and tuned correctly (so even online

shoppers will need a good local bow shop).

Target archery is a brilliant sport and having a

tool that erases all variables but one (YOU)

makes it much more enjoyable. Happy

shooting! BA

Ryan Shoemaker

"Wars are not won

by evacuations."

~Winston Churchill

Over the course of

100 miles I repeated the

quote a thousand times.

To me it meant sticking

with it no matter how

bad it got. To date I

have finished every ultra I've entered and I

wasn't about to let that go. I made a

commitment to myself and I was prepared to

"win the war." Running a 100 miles was the

hardest thing I have ever done in my life,

period.

A runner once said “If you have a

weakness, a 100 miler will find it” and now

speaking from experience I can say I have

never heard anything more truthful. Below is

my story....

The set up…..

The Burning River 100 was something that

when I signed up I really wasn’t even sure I

could do. Before this the furthest I had ever

run was 50 miles and after that I felt decent at

best. Thinking back I could have probably

went another 10 or 15…but another 50? I’m

not so sure. So using 0% logic I bucked the

odds and registered. The elk hunt this fall was

going to be a doozy with destinations over 9

miles in and elevations over 12,000 feet. I

figured a little extra prep wouldn’t hurt, plus it

would be good to see what I was made of.

Preparing for the race I broke it down into 3

major sections….first 50+miles to Happy Days

(64.1), Happy Days to Covered Bridge (85.5),

and Covered Bridge to the finish (101.1). I was

pretty comfortable with myself up until Happy

Days but after that I really wasn’t quite sure

what to expect. Using my best guest estimate I

planned to be at Happy Days at 6:51pm (race

clock 13hrs,51mins) and the finish at 5am

(24hrs).

I had 5 drop bags that I planned to access

during the race which would help me resupply

with essential items. Wilderness Athlete gels,

Hammer nutrition perpetuem, socks, Badlands

Reactor, headlamp, etc. My lone shoe change

was scheduled to take place at mile 54.

My pacer Dave and I were scheduled to

meet at the Happy Days aid station near mile

64 (for those unaware a pacer is a runner that

can run a portion of the race with you). Not all

runners have pacers but I was lucky enough to

find one, and Dave was worth his weight in

gold (Dave, I know you’ll read this and I can’t

thank you enough for helping me!!).

A quick rundown of events looked like

this…start the day at 2am, leave the house at

2:45, bus ride to the start 3:45, race start at

5am. By my pace schedule I was planned to

wrap up by 5am the next day. A far cry from

the 28hrs, 51mins, and 42secs it took me.

The first 50+ to Happy Days….

“To give anything less than your best is to

sacrifice the gift.” – Steve Prefontaine

When I saw this quote at mile 40 it literally

gave me chills. Someone at the Ottawa Point

Aid Station (AS) had made the sign and

slapped it to a tree. It was the last thing you

saw before disappearing again into the woods.

To this point I had been going since 2am

(up for 12 hrs and running for 9 of them) and I

still felt strong. Hammering down the trail I

repeated the quote….”don’t sacrifice the gift,

don’t sacrifice the gift”…. In my plans I was

right where I needed to be. The first 35+ miles

had rolled on smoothly and I was now on my

way to the Snowville aid station scheduled to

arrive around 3:27pm. I had knocked out a

touch over 40 miles and had a little more than

60 left to go.

Rolling on the miles I chipped away at it.

Snowville…Boston #1…Boston #2 and it was

on my way from Boston #2 to Pine Lane (one

stop before arriving at Happy Days to meet

Dave) where things started to fall apart. 3

miles into a 4.2 mile section my stomach

decided it had had enough, and I went from

feeling good and being positive, to complete

misery and just trying to survive. I just kept

putting one foot in front of another trying to

get to the next aid station.

Finally arriving at Pine Lane I sat down to

pull things together. I was now in my first real

battle with pain and losing some major time

along the way. Knowing all I had to do was get

to the next aid station (Happy Days) I forced

myself to get up and move on.

Looking at my watch I was running over an

hour late and I knew Jor and Dave would be

worried. Walking away I asked an aid station

volunteer to text Jor to let her know I was ok

and on my way. It wasn’t until about a mile

into the next section I realized I gave the

worker my cell number not Jor’s.

In route to Happy Days it went from worse

to impossible. First, I continued to linger on

the thought that my family and Dave would be

worried, so I was worried. And second, dealing

with my stomach was just consuming me. I

could barely run and now had fallen into the

dreadful cycle of run/walk/run and there was

nothing I could at the moment to escape it. I

didn’t have mental or physical strength to

break through it. I tried to battle on.

On the forever journey to Happy Days I

was finally caught by Tammy who was pacing

Simon from Germany. As they rolled by I

forced myself to get in behind them and run. It

was everything I had. Nearing the aid station I

caught a glimpse of someone running down

the trail at us. It was Dave. God bless him,

knowing I was in trouble he left to find me. As

we ran together we caught up and took

inventory before finally arriving at HD.

Happy Days (64.1) to Covered Bridge

(84.4)….

Before coming out of the woods to Happy

Days Dave got me up to speed. He said my

family was there and were worried, but ok. He

told me that he was talking with Jori and asked

her “no matter how bad he looks, don’t let him

quit”. I laughed as I could only imagine what

Jori was thinking.

Arriving at Happy Days I walked up, sat

down, and Dave started to bring me food. I

knew I needed to eat but to be honest it was

the last thing I wanted to do. I hit my drop bag,

ate some potatoes, and drank some ginger ale

before walking over to see Jor and my brother-

in-law Brad. We didn’t stay long. Knowing I

had to get out of there I

said my good byes and

grabbed my headlamp. I

had now been at it for over

15 hours and it was starting

to get dark.

Walking out of that aid

station I can honestly say I

had no earthly idea how I

was going to make it to the

next one, let alone cover the 35 miles left in

the race. At this point I felt sick and exhausted

and trying to figure out how I was going to

make the last 35 miles just made me feel even

more sick and exhausted. I felt like a walking

zombie. As we hit the trail head we flipped on

the headlamps.

Plodding down the trail dodging rocks and

boulders I asked Dave if he would lead. This

section was 6.8 miles long and I didn’t even

feel like I could think anymore. We pushed

on….turn after turn, hill after hill, downhill

after downhill until finally arriving at the next

aid station (Pine Hollow). I walked up, sat

down, Dave got me food, and we left. The

whole stop wasn’t 5 minutes. We were back at

it into the 3.3 mile loop that would bring us

right back to Pine Hollow at mile 74.2.

When we left Pine Hollow I was really

struggling keeping things together. Physically

my stomach was still upset and mentally the

remaining 35 miles almost seemed too much to

even get my hands around. As we plodded

down the trail I just stared at the 10 foot circle

created by my headlamp. What the heck I was

doing out here? Why on earth did I think that I

could do this? Like 98% of the other normal

people in this world I should be at home in my

nice cushy bed. I had now been running for

over 20 hours and the

majority of every

thought bouncing around

in my head was negative.

I was about as down and

out as I have ever been.

We finally emerged

from the dark timber to

an open meadow full of

glow sticks lining the

trail back to Pine Hollow for our second stop.

Walking up I heard the familiar voices of Jori,

Brad, and Darb. Looking back, this was a point

and time that things really turned around for

me. I walked up and sat down. Dave started

bringing me squares of hot grilled cheese

sandwich. Hammering away at the food I told

them that over the course of the last 15 miles,

suffering through my stomach issues, I

realized this was the most stupid, idiotic,

ridiculous thing I have ever done. At this point

even I myself couldn’t believe I was doing it.

We all joked and laughed before getting up to

go. 74.2 miles done, 26.9 miles to go.

Covered Bridge (85.5) to Finish

(101.1…or 103.1 “unofficially”)

As we moved over the next sections (Covered

Bridge #1, Covered Bridge #2, O’Neil Woods,

Merriman) things became more and more

weird…..towards the end I had been up for

over 30 hours and it was really starting to

catch up to me. I was tired, beat, and

something was going on with my left ankle

because it was starting to swell. Every time I

would sit down at an aid station it would get

harder and harder to get moving again. These

sections were all pretty uneventful with the

exception of taking two wrong turns at

Covered Bridge #1 which in the end cost us 2

miles and 40 minutes.

After 27 hours of being at it we finally

reached the last aid station around 8:30am,

95.4 miles down, 4.8 miles to go. I used an aid

station volunteers phone to call Jori and let her

know I was heading towards the finish.

Leaving the final aid station I could hardly

believe it was all coming to an end. As Dave

and I walked we talked about the many low

points, high points, wrong turns, and the

insanity that running 100 miles is all about.

Many of the moments over the course of the

last 4.8 miles seemed surreal.

As we neared the finish I could see Owen

and Jori. I could hear them yelling and see the

smile on their faces. I will never forget looking

at Jori as I heard everyone start to clap. I

walked over, grabbed Owen, and asked Jori to

walk with me. Whether they know it or not

they were with me every step of the way. The

two of them are the most important things in

my life and I wanted them to share in this

moment with me as I crossed the finish line.

Official finish time 28hrs, 51mins, and 42secs.

I had done it. I finished my first 100 miler.

Next up in 5 weeks is the whole reason I do

what I do…..elk hunting the mountains of

Colorado with Pops and I can’t be more

excited! After this 100 miler I’m ready and so

is Pops. He’s been working hard and I couldn’t

be more proud of him. All that work is going

to pay off when he puts an arrow through his

first elk! Stay tuned, stories from the elk trail

coming soon. BA

http://www.piranhabowstrings.com