Well I've made it through the first two family Christmas get together's! Both we're a great time, and I couldn't ask for a better family both immediate and in-law to spend them with. I apologize for the delay in getting a few of these stories to you. Between work, the holidays and this crappy weather I haven't been out near as much I wanted to. Now I am glad to bring you tidings of good joy and let you know my father scored on a nice 8 point we had been keeping tabs on most of the year. He was fortunate enough to take him down on December 6th. I was working later and couldn't go with him so he went alone and with out a camera! I've gotta get him a hat camera at least for next year, we can't have deer going down with no footage. But anyway, he sat a long time producer set we call the skid tree. The first year we gained access to this property there was an old wooden skid that was nailed into the branches from a previous hunter, hence the name. This tree sits on the point of the woods that is connected by two ridges leading up out of a 30' deep ravine and creek bottom into the crop field. And 80 yards to the south is a heavy fence crossing that separates the crop field from a livestock pasture. This area doesn't get hunted a lot as it's primarily an evening stand only, it's hard to get in and out of undetected and is at the opposite end of the property from our 2 acre bean field. But that night the wind was perfect for that stand and the signs were showing the deer were crushing a small turnip plot that was put in 10 yards from the stand. This spot is probably as big as a full size pickup truck. He arrived at 2:30pm and settled in. For the last 3 weeks all the action has been concentrated to the creek bottom, so of course that was the way he was facing as the burnt orange sun slowly began it's decent to the other side of the world. The strange sound of loud crunching broke the silence. Dad said he thought to himself, that's way too loud to be a squirrel and if I'm not crazy that has to be a deer eating turnip bulbs. Now this stand faces North, the creek bottom is do East and the turnips are hidden on the South side of this 100 year old oak tree. So whether the deer just appeared in the field or slipped over the ridge an into the field from the side fo the tree you can't see, we'll never know. But as he peered around the trunk from the west side of the tree and saw 6 does and the 8 point standing 10 yards away eating turnips just on the edge of the woods. Now the gun was still hanging up and he had to turn a full 270 degrees to make this happen. With no leaves on the trees in December and 14 cautious eye balls looking around, I have no idea how he made this happen. But a very stealthy move had this buck standing in the cross-airs of the Knight Disc Extreme at a mere 15 yards. Needless to say, he rode back to Brownsburg in the Chevy! So congrats Dad, and next year either take a camera, take me, or don't go! Ha Ha. There is two video's attached here. One from a duck hunt, Brian & I had a few weeks ago and the after shot of Dad's buck. I'm heading out tomorrow after an urban buck that has been giving me the slip since September 15th. But he recently left two fresh rubs in a new area I feel very confident he's been bedding and hiding out in. With a South wind and snow "supposedly" blowing in tomorrow afternoon I feel I've a got a small advantage on him if everything plays out right. I will be trying to punch this final tag until the very last day of season so I'll keep you posted as to how the hunt is going. Again, I hope y'all had a very Merry Christmas and will have a safe and Happy New Year.
-ASMS
