Lovin' It

Halloween Treat For Me

2010-10-31T22:19:00.000-04:00

Last weekend’s break from hunting was much needed for both Phillip and I. So I was ready to put my game face on for a very chilly Halloween weekend. I packed on the CLOTHES thick!! We pulled out from the house at Saturday morning at 5:45am. Had about a 30-45 minute drive. I was getting things ready in my backpack as we drove down the interstate to Twiggs County. I suddenly realized that I didn’t grab my snake boots and Phillip didn’t pick them up either. I know I probably didn’t need them with this cold weather, but last time I “almost didn’t wear” them was in 2008 when I had a personal encounter with a 5ft Timber Rattler. AND not to mention it happened on the way to the same stand I was gonna hunt that morning! I figured I would be ok in my rubber boots for a cold morning hunt. Another 5 minutes goes by and realize I left my cell phone at the house too! The morning was NOT starting off right at all! We finally got to the huntin club. I sure was craving some hot, yummy coffee…but we all know what will happen if I drink that! So I had to pass on the fluids for the morning. Phillip let me borrow his cell phone and he used his work phone. We geared up and pinned in our spots on the map. Phillip went to the stand he killed his big 9pt buck out of last year and I went back to the INFAMOUS “P” stand! (“P”= pee….don’t ask! LOL) This is the stand I hunted religiously last year. But also the same stand I mentioned above where I killed my snake in ’08; the same stand I had a granddaddy long leg crawl down my face; a squirrel almost land in my lap; a funky spike walk right underneath me; , and many more great moments I won’t have time to mention. The stand is in a great spot! It’s right in the middle of white oaks; clear cut to the left; pines to the right. It’s a really long walk from camp, but it’s always worth it.

I haven’t hunted this stand this year yet, but I was ready to get back to a familiar place. I made really good timing getting to the stand. Phillip hunted it the night before and told me he had a young 8 point buck sneak up behind him. The buck came in and was smelling the CODE BLUE scent lure that Phillip dragged in. But Phillip let him walk because he looked a little too young for him to shoot. Not to mention our club rule: “You shoot him, you mount him!” So I remembered his story about the buck as I climbed up the tree. I took my time getting in a secured position. I felt like I was in an astronaut suite! It was cold and I didn’t want to rush myself. I strapped my safety harness to the tree, hung my back pack up, and took a deep breath as I sat down and lowered the shooting rail over my head. I took my buck grunt out and maneuvered it over the clothes on my left arm. This was my only choice since this grunt didn’t come with a neck string. I didn’t know what to do with it and I knew I would need it. The elastic band came in handy. I then placed my gun in my lap and propped the barrel on the rail for a quick and easy aim. I got everything settled in. I took a deep breath and slipped my neck gator up over my mouth. I was very warm and was looking forward to a great morning. I rest my head back and gazed up at the stars. I see an airplane and watch its lights flicker. It was beautiful. The stars are prettier than diamonds. But day was breaking.

About 10 minutes after daylight, I lost patience. I picked up my left arm and blew in the buck grunt a few times. I really wanted to see if I could draw in that 8 point that Phillip saw the night before. I laid my arm back down in my lap and waited. The squirrels were rustling in the leaves and birds were looking for breakfast. I was really hoping nothing would sneak in behind me. I guess it was about 20 minutes later when I hear something in the pines to my right. It was about my one o’clock position. I watched intently. Something is walking in the pine straw and some limbs popped. I focus harder. Then…I see brown fur through the trees!! I slowly rest my arms down off the rail and put my hands on my gun. I watch and wait. It takes a few more steps but I couldn’t see anything. It was making its way in the pines and getting closer. I waited some more. I see brown fur step out from the pines and cross the foot path (still at my one o’clock). I saw something white! And NO not his tail….yep --- antlers! I didn’t even see how many. I just KNEW this was that 8 point buck Phillip saw. The buck sniffs on some bushes where Phillip had that CODE BLUE. I am now shaking and breathing heavier….I gripped my gun tighter and kept my eye on him hard. I slowly lifted my gun up to get ready. He would stop and look in my direction…but I think he was looking past me on ground level. He sniffed some more and was looking around. He was behind several bushes and a big oak tree. I lifted my gun up some more to get it level. He is now at my twelve o’clock. His head peeps out behind the tree. I see antlers. I don’t know how many! I didn’t care! He was a big deer and I wanted him! He looked up again to scope the area. He looks my way again and I froze! I was shaking worse and I could NOT get any air in my lungs! I kept taking deep breaths but I swear I couldn’t breathe! I stayed still….he looked my way again. He finally lowered his head. He decided what he wanted wasn’t there and turned around. My heart sank as he started to walk back the way he came. But I wasn’t giving up! My IMMEDIATE thought was “Nuh-uh! You aint getting away from me!” I picked my left arm up and blew in the grunt twice. My hand quickly found my gun as I watched him slowly walk around some bushes and a few trees. I placed my gun on the rail and secured it in my right shoulder. I lowered my head and made sure I wasn’t too close to the scope. I look up again and I now have a clear view of his head and body. I rest my cheek on the stock and keep both eyes open to watch him. He stops and lowers his head behind a tree….leaving enough left shoulder and the rest of his body for me to shoot. I’m shaking and my heart beat is the loudest thing I could hear. As soon as he stopped behind that tree, I didn’t hesitate. My cheek was already on the stock and I closed my left eye. I put the crosshairs on him. I squeezed the trigger and let him have a bullet from my .270! He kicks his back legs and white tail goes up! He runs off! I tried to reload but my gun was stuck. I look up and listen. I heard him running, then it got quiet. THEN, I heard a loud crash! I squeezed my fists and looked up and said “THANK YOU JESUS! Lord I hope I didn’t miss him!” And I almost cried of excitement! I knew I had him! But I was nervous I missed. So I sat there in disbelief for a minute or two. I txt Phillip’s work phone: “I shot him! God I hope I didn’t miss!” Our texts continued for the next 5 minutes. It was 7:45am when I shot him. I called my mom and woke her up in the bed and whispered “HEY! I just shot a buck!” We talked for a few minutes and I told her the story! I hung up with her and Phillip wanted me to get down and look for blood. It had been 20-30 minutes, so I figured it would be safe to go look. I left my back pack in the tree, reloaded my gun, and climbed down. I was so excited! My feet touched the ground and I was pumped! I walked down to where I thought I shot him. I couldn’t find any blood! There’s a creek that wraps around and my heart sunk again. I sure hope he didn’t cross that creek ditch. I kept walking back around the edge of white oaks and pine trees. There was an evident path to the right. I kept my eyes peeled. I was feeling sick to my stomach. No blood. I walked 40 yards. I looked up and there were some briars right in front of me. I had a feeling. That wasn’t the path I needed to take. So I stepped to the right to go around it. I looked down as I watched my step……BLOOD! We got blood! I text Phillip to let him know. I followed a decent trail of blood drops that led me into the pines. I walked another 20 yards. I look up and find this small green bush splattered with blood! My eyes got as big as pancakes! I stared at it forever! I think I even squealed! I stopped and went back the way I came. Phillip said he was on the way and wanted me to meet him. So I went back to my stand and got my back pack down. I took off some layers and set everything, but my gun, there by a pine tree. I took my camera out of my back pack and had it ready. I walked back towards camp and met Phillip. We walked back down the trail to my stand as I told him my story! He kept asking questions and I was just too excited to answer! We got to the stand and I re-enacted everything for him. I handed him the camera to hold. I had another bullet chambered just in case we jumped in. I took Phillip back to where I found blood and showed him what it led me too. After he saw the splattered blood on the bush, he noticed a blanket of pine straw right behind it that was kicked up and turned over. It led us to more blood. We walked another 10 yards. Phillip was in front of me looking on the ground. We followed the blood through the pines. It was gorgeous in there! Phillip was watching the ground. So I looked up and took a quick survey around us. I see him! I whispered a shout “PHILLIP! PHILLIP! THERE HE IS!” I point to the left another 5 yards away! There he was lying on the ground! Phillip turned around and we hugged with excitement! SMOOCHES and HUGS! We practically ran to him and I had no idea he was as big as he was. He was HUGE to me! We high-fived as I grabbed a set of 9 points! He was beautiful! He had a big neck and body! He weighed about 200lbs. We were both tickled pink! We snapped a couple of pictures right there where I found him! We were stunned! Phillip confirmed that this buck is NOT the 8 point buck he saw the night before. It was definitely two different deer and I shot the bigger one! The entry wound was further back than where I wanted it. It’s in his mid section. It blew through his ribs, blew out a lung, and came out right in front of his right shoulder! The bullet didn’t get any guts! So the shot was better than we thought! Our celebration began as we headed back to camp for the four-wheeler. We watched the taxidermist (Travis) cape him out and clean everything out of him. I was in amazement and was right there next to him while he was cleaning him up. I touched his wind pipe and his heart. Saw his blown up lung. And got more educated about deer parts as Travis cut away. I was so intrigued (and HAPPY)!!! He will be shoulder mounted and proudly displayed in our living room with Phillip’s buck! I can’t wait! It was a great morning and I thank God for these moments and for allowing us to enjoy the time in the woods. Hard hunting pays off and makes up for all the bad days! Last time I shot a buck was a small 6 point back in 2007. I KNEW I would see something better sooner or later out of my “P” stand! What a great Halloween treat!!!

Pickin Up The Rifles

2010-10-18T18:19:00.001-04:00

It was a tough weekend for me. Rifle season opened up and lots of outta-town club members showed up to hunt. I took my bow Saturday morning and hunted a food plot. Didn't see nothing. I have no idea why I hunted a food plot. I should've been in some oaks somewhere, although the acorns haven't started dropping hard yet. But the deer are moving through there. It was quiet Saturday morning where I was. I did hear a few gun shots off in the distance so somebody got to take home some deer!

Saturday night I sat in a BIG, comfy condo stand! Lots of room to spread out and be comfortable! It was a nice change from those lock-on stands I've been sitting in. I had plenty of room for my STUFF! The stand was amongst a jungle of brush and white oaks. About 150-200 yards out in front of me is a food plot. I could see a little bit of green. But not much. We need some rain bad! Well I didn't see anything that night either.

Sunday night I went to a BEAUTIFUL oak bottom that is downhill on the property side...nobody has hunted down there yet. I was excited....until I got in this stand. I probably shouldn't be posting this, b/c this is NOT safe hunting! Treestand safety says not to sit in any homemade stands. Well....I sat in one. It was only about 13 feet high. Very small platform with an old office swivel chair that was screwed down securely into the stand. I hated not being higher up in the tree...but worse than that- my feet were half on and half off the platform. It was a small space. At least I had arm rests to prop on. But I felt like I was leaning forward the entire evening! I was very uncomfortable. But I toughed it out and sat patiently. I checked out SEVERAL of the trees in there and I'll be going back with my climber! Had a frisky squirrel jump in my tree and I heard him coming down towards me. I could tell he was running closer and closer down towards me. He got so close I could hear him purring. It freaked me out! So I moved a little bit to scare him off. LOL I just don't want to risk a squirrel jumping on me in the stand! LOL I never did see any deer that night (wonder why!). I didn't realize it was dark when it was! I figured I would get down b/c it was too dark in the oak bottom for me to see. It looked like it was still daylight above the pines behind me. So I stook up to get my gear together and something bright and shiney was gleaming down on me and the rest of the trees. I looked up.....the moon! Dawg-gone-it! Moon played tricks on me again! So I laughed and made my journey back up the steep hill that helped make up my lack of exercise that week! It was a beast to go up!

We had a couple of other guys shoot some deer that weekend. One guy shot a BIG 8 pointer with his bow. A 17year old outta town club member shot a 7 pointer! He and his dad were tickled pink! And we were all excited for them! They were giggling like girls the rest of the night! It was awesome for them to share that together this past weekend down here in Georgia!

Well I might take this next weekend off. I need a break. And rut will be kicking in soon! Things will be getting wild out there! Sure can't wait!

Columbus Weekend Update

2010-10-13T07:57:00.000-04:00

Saturday morning I sat in a stand that I haven't yet hunted this year. I've sat in it the past two years, but never saw much out of it. But my hubby always did. Anyhow, I didn't see nothing that morning. Only heard one walking through the pines at daybreak. It stopped and pee'd. Then later on I heard one blowing in the
distance. She was raising cain. Probably blowing at a coyote or something. She wasn't close enough to see me. It is pretty thick back off behind me where she was. So I figured she was blowing at another animal.

Saturday evening I went back to the tall 30ft lock on I've been hunting on the property line. I keep seeing small deer out of this stand. This is the stand that I spooked a turkey out of the other weekend. As I was walking to the stand, I had about 100 yards to go. I topped the path and took one last look before I went downhill into the bottom. I glazed over the clear cut and what little bit of the food plot I could see. There was a deer standing there in the food plot end closest to my stand. I froze and slowly squatted down. I didn't know what to do. My release was in my backpack which was on my back. My bow was in a bow-sling over my neck and shoulder. I was trying to figure out what in the world to do. I looked back up. The deer was looking off in the woods. I figured I could probably get my stuff off somehow or another. I tried reaching around to slowly get my bow sling off first. It just wouldn't come off. I looked back up and the deer was gone! I looked around again to double check. I slowly stood up. Didn't see nothing in the food plot. Wasn't sure where it went. Then I heard something in the clear cut to the left of me. the clear cut runs down to the edge of the food plot. It is thicker than caro syrup! I heard something and was looking -- sure enough! A deer was in the bushes eating like they always do! I slowly squatted down again. I took took a step back and got myself closer to the edge of the path I was on to hide myself some more. I just could NOT get my stuff off my shoulder and back. I have no idea why. LOL I peaked back up - the deer was only 15 yards away. This would've been SOOOO easy. I think it was a doe. Wasn't sure yet. But I was having a tough time deciding whether or not to take my bow off, take the bow sling off, get an arrow out, then unzip my back pack to get my release out. I was worried that by the time I did all that the deer would be in my lap! So I took a deep breath and thought "I'm gonna be mad at myself, but what do I do?" So I slowly stood up but kept crouched down and walked slowly down the path and to my stand. It had to have seen me. It didn't blow at me and it didn't appear to have run off. But it could have and I just didn't hear it as I climbed my stand. I was hurrying to get up in the stand.

Finally got in my stand and got set up. Didn't see anything until 6:55pm. A small doe had come out into the food plot to eat. She was EXTREMELY skiddish. She went back into the woods after 10 minutes. Finally another doe came out of the clear cut and into the food plot. Then another deer. So I was watching 2 deer come towards my end of the food plot. I put my release on the loop and scooted to the edge of my seat. I was ready. Time was at stake b/c it was ALMOST too dark to shoot. They kept getting closer. After another 5 minutes, she was finally in range. I checked my pin site and kept watcing her. I waited until she got quartered away from me so I knew I would get lungs and hopefully heart! Well.....*sigh*....I didn't take a shot. It was too dark and I didn't want to risk it. I was aggravated. But that's huntin.

Didn't go Sunday.

Monday - that's a whole other animal. I almost got shot at by some idiot at our other honey hole we go to. This man lets us hunt is 15 acres behind his house in another county. Phillip and I were putting up a 2 seater
stand and clearing out small trees and limbs for a shooting lanes. We had been working for an hour or so. Well we swapped so that I was on the ground and Phillip was in the stand telling me what to cut. All of a
sudden, a small 22 rang out. We froze. We heard the bullets hitting the leaves and woods towards the end of our food plot. Sounded like the man shot something small. Sounded like we heard a small yelp or squeal. Maybe he shot a coyote or racoon (racoons aint in season yet!). It didn't seem far off. Heard the bullets through the leaves. We waited a good minute or so. We figured he stopped. So I walked on down into the food plot and up into the woods where the trail camera was. Phillip wanted to have a clear shot from the stand into the woods where they come from. So as I wave my arms to show him where I was, the shots rang out again! I ducked down...the bullets were coming through. Phillip hollars at him to stop. That people were over here in the woods and that his bullets were coming through the woods. Guess he got mad and he deliberately started shooting like crazy again! The bullets were whizzing through the woods to my right....They were hitting leaves and limbs a few yards from me. I ducked behind a tree!! He wouldn't stop and I screamed "STOP SHOOTING!!" b/c those bullets were getting close! He finally stopped long enough for me to come out. We got on the 4 wheeler and went back to the truck and waited. Called the land owner. Ended up trying to go back 3 times and everytime we got back there on the 4wheeler and shut it off, he would start shooting again. We ended up calling the deputy up the road. She came out and we explained what happened. We just wanted someone there to help us. The deputy went to his house. He says he wasn't shooting. So he denied it. He was the only one home and the other neighbor wasn't home. That was enough for us to leave and not come back. Deputy came back to us and talked with us while we loaded up the truck. We got all our stuff up and left. We'll go back another day and get the stand. We won't be going back. We can't risk getting shot!!

That night we went to the hunting club. I sat in my climber in an oak bottom. Didn't see or hear a thing. It was boring. Tough weekend. Next weekend should be better -- the moon phase will be changing and hopefully giving us better chances at some deer.

More to come.........

I Love War Paint (& Hunting!)

2010-10-08T22:39:00.001-04:00

I had left work Thursday afternoon and went straight home. Threw all the chili mixin's in the crock pot, let the dog out, changed clothes, and loaded up the truck, and got some drinks in a small cooler in about 15 minutes. I just couldn't get to the huntin club fast enough. Left the house and had to put my "makeup" on in the truck. Finally got there and Phillip was already at his stand. It's hot. Thank God I wore short sleeves. Threw my zip up jacket in my back pack just in case. Loaded all my gear. Game face was ON!

I didn't rush to the stand. I had a good walk to get there, but it was already 5:00 something. I took my time down the gravel dirt road, keeping my eyes peeled for snakes. It was pretty hot and the sun had the insects buzzing again. Took easy steps. Tried not to make much noise. I crept around the corners and down the road, listening to everything around me. I was getting closer to my stand. About 100-150 more yards to go. I heard a flock of dove jump up and whistle off somewhere in front of me. I looked up to see them fearfully flying out of the food plot. So I stopped to watch. Wasn't sure if any deer had beat me down there. I took a few more steps. Then something MUCH bigger jumped up and flew off!!! A TURKEY! I was excited! (sure can't wait to shoot one). So I eased down the hill, and around the oaks and clear cut edge. I slowly walked in, checking out the place. Left to Right. Food plot looks good. Clear cut sure is thick! Hard to see in there. All was clear. (so I thought) I took a deep breath and started up the tree. Took my time for safety reasons. Finally reached the top. Whewee! Caught a whiff of my arm pits as I reached up to grab the last climbing stick. Scent-free deodorant is useless. Doesn't cover B.O. smell. And REAL deoderant is nothing BUT smell!

Thank GOD for long legs. I stretched over and stood on the lock-on platform. Hung my bow up on a climbing stick, secured my safety vest to the tree, and then set my back pack in the seat. I quickly took out some MUZZY Bow Hunters Set up and sprayed all around me and the leaves! I had to cover up the B.O. that was lurking from my body. I screwed in the EZ Hanger. Set my backpack on it. Took my bow sling off my bow and hung it up. Sprayed myself one last time with SCENT AWAY Earth Scent. I slowly turned around and sat down in the cushion. I felt good. Not a lot of noise, except for the crickets, bees, and sacadas (they sure are loud). Checked the wind one last time. Took 1 arrow out and set it in place on my bow. Strapped my release on my hand. Took out my phone and txt phillip that I was in the stand and ok.

I started to bring up the FISH & GAME FORECAST on my phone whenever I heard something out in front of me. Sure enough I looked up in the woods of the property line and saw a body of brown fur! I quickly put my phone up. Clipped my release on the loop. My left hand gripped the bow handle tightly. I watched. It came out from the wood line into the food plot. Made a quick HEAD CHECK. Yep - it was a dang little spike. It had itty bitty pointy spikes that were about ½ inch long. He looked like a little devil. LOL so I watched him eat. I also watched his body language and after several times of picking his head up, ears up, and watching that clear cut, I knew something else was out there. This has happened all too fast! I JUST got in the stand and put an arrow on and a deer pops out! I had to check the time! it was 5:48pm. Deer were on the move. Prolly shoulda been in the stand a little earlier but I drove as fast as I could from W.R. to Macon to Twiggs county!

The devil spike kept a stiff stance and was locked on the clear cut. I watched out there and kept watching him. I couldn't see any bushes moving in the clear cut. He finally made his way to the edge of the clear cut. Its so thick you can hear them walking and breaking bush branches! I heard the same noise from another area close, but couldn't see what bushes were moving. Them deer sure blend in better than camo! I kept my eyes peeled on the clear cut bushes. FINALLY as the spike takes a few more steps into the bushes, I see he walks right past another deer. I see it! Then I got to thinking: "That deer was in there the whole time I walked by! It sure pays off to be sneaky!" I watched this one since I wasn't gonna shoot devil spikes. It was small. I watched these two for about 30 minutes. I had to make a HEAD CHECK on this little deer. Couldn't tell if it was a button head. But he kept scratching between his eyes and ears --- so I figured if he was a button head, then its probably itching where they're trying to grow. I dunno. Could be wrong. Just a wild blonde guess. He was small. I watched him eat in the food plot and walk around my tree. I didn't feel like shootin a small deer that night, but it was awesome just watching some deer!!

I kept my eyes and ears peeled. Dove would spook off flying. Squirrels were barking. Surely something else was coming?!?! I sat patiently waiting. The flies were getting on my nerves. One wouldn't stop landing on my hand. It was tickling me. It was getting to be around 6:45pm. I heard some people talking off in the distance. Thought it was Phillip and another club buddy. They were talking pretty loud! I was getting frustrated! I hate to move around much at all in my stand. But I couldn't take it any longer!! I slowly reached into my side pants pocket and pulled out my cell phone. I txt phillip and asked him if that was him talking. After I hit the SEND key, I thought I heard a small noise. I put my phone down in my lap, face down. I turned to look over my right shoulder. There's a path that goes back up behind me along the property line. As I turn to look and barely ease my head forward - I saw nothing but dark brown and 4 legs! I couldn't believe it! Of all times I had been moving and sent one stupid txt - there is a deer behind me! Of course when I looked over my shoulder and spotted her, she had spotted me! She was still and locked down in my direction. I froze and watched her. She took a step forward and kept a close watch on me. She didn't blow or run off. She actually took a few more steps forward and walked into the woods to her right (my left). She still walked my way, but she took cover in the woods. She was pretty quiet. She never came out around me. I have no idea where she went but it wasn't anywhere near my shooting range! I was MAD! Mad at myself for worrying about other people talking out there and trying to txt. If I would've sat still, she would've came on down that path, walked right underneath me into the food plot and right into a PERFECT window for me to take a shot!

I took a deep breath. The sun was setting. I saw another deer or the same devil spikes come back out into the food plot on the other end. It was too far away for me to see and I didn't have my binos out. So I waited until it was too dark for me to shoot. I quietly got all my stuff back together and packed up. I headed back to camp empty handed.

**Come to find out - it wasn't Phillip talking. He was still in the stand. He didn't see anything. The people were heard talking was a house that's not too far from the property edge.

Don't drink (coffee) and hunt!

2010-10-05T22:32:00.003-04:00

Got off work and headed to the house. Changed into my camo and grabbed my bow…and a cup of coffee! Drove out to the huntin club – anxiety made it seem like a 2 hour drive! Got there in just enough time to see Phillip all packed up and about to walk to his stand. Gave each other a “good luck” smooch and he headed off. I got all my stuff together and walked my way (500+ yards) to the stand in the very back of the property. We call this stand the “persimmon stand” since there is a HUGE persimmon tree right next to the stand. There's a trail camera down there too and got great pics this summer. This had to be the most difficult stand I have ever climbed in! It’s a lock on- about 30 foot high in the tree. But to get to it you have to climb the screw-in tree steps that seem to be spaced 3 feet apart!!! You can pull a butt muscle climbing up this tree! So I took my time and hugged the tree like it was chocolate cake. I did NOT (and COULD not) let go! Finally got up there (typing this is making my hands sweat just thinking about it). Immediately strapped my safety harness in. Got everything set out and last but not least, I put on my special makeup (war paint). (Didn't want to risk wearing my face mask again and missing another good shot!)

Once I got settled, I realized I was sitting in the wrong stand for the wind direction (it was NNW last night). So it was blowing into my back. I was tempted to stand up and turn around to face the tree the entire time, but I decided to remain seated. Besides, the strap from my best to the tree would've got in my way! Around 6:30pm or so, I had turned to look over my right shoulder and saw a deer in the food plot. Couldn’t keep my head turned that way for a very long time b/c it was killing me! So every few seconds I turned to look. It appeared that the 1st deer went behind some brush, then another one appeared at the far end of the food plot. Then I think they both went into the woods which is the property line. They were a good distance off for a bow shot. But not for a firearm! Not long after that I heard something over my left shoulder. CRUNCH. CRUNCH. I looked to my left and all I can see is tree limbs and leaves. I have tons of cover for me, but was a disadvantage to see anything. But I squinted and found a small opening between the branches and saw nothing but brown fur about 50 yards away. Looked like a big body deer. Couldn’t see the head. It was probably a buck!! But who knows? It didn’t walk my way. Instead “it” walked the opposite way. I was kinda surprised b/c the wind was blowing towards me. I figured “it” would’ve walked with the wind through the oaks, vines, and persimmons. I made sure it wasn’t coming my way before checking out the food plot again that is behind my right shoulder.

I didn’t see anything else until about 20 minutes later. I thought I heard something to my direct right. Nothing. looked over my right shoulder and saw a small deer eating towards this end of the food plot. Watched it and had to make sure it wasn’t a button head. She walked right below me but behind my tree. She looked small. Figured I could take a shot at her once she came to my left but she there was too much brush. I checked over my right shoulder again and saw another small deer coming to the end of the food plot. Looked like another doe. Just had to be sure it wasn’t a button head. Then I saw a BIGGER doe eating at the end of the food plot. “I WANT HER!” is what I thought. So I watched them. About this time my bladder started SCREAMING at me! (dang coffee! NEVER AGAIN!) It got so bad I was shaking!!! I had to concentrate. Both deer took the same path as the first little deer. Mama has a white spot on her right hip. If I had been standing up, facing the tree, I could’ve shot her. (and maybe could’ve relieved myself). But since I was sittin, I had to wait for her to come around behind me. I was a frog’s butt hair away from relieving myself right then and there just so I could STOP shaking to take a shot!!! After much concentration and muscle tightening, the “urge” went away. Ugh…it was horrible! So now I could get back to the deer……they kept walking away from me. they stayed between the clear cut and the line of trees. They never came into the peaceful oaks to hide and eat.

Phillip saw lots of deer too! He even saw a small 7 pointer we captured on camera this past summer. He drew back on a doe! He whistled three times, but she never stopped. So he couldn’t get a clear shot on her. But we really enjoyed seeing deer tonight!!

Lessons learned here:
1) don’t drink coffee again before a hunt
2) stand up and face the wind – even if it is for a hour and a half
3) go hunting during the week when nobody is there!! you see more deer!

Crazy Week

2010-10-04T08:30:00.001-04:00

Its been a crazy week with Phillip’s sisters surgery, watching her 3 kids, and my family coming in town. BUT – we were able to sneak away Saturday for a morning hunt. Weather was BEAUTIFUL and felt great! I had to wear a light zip-up sweat shirt. I went to the same place I’ve been hunting (food plot #4). Phillip went down below camp to his favorite 30ft high stand. I got in the stand WELL before daylight. Had enough time to gaze at the stars and thank GOD for everything He’s given us. When I was strapping my safety vest strap to the tree, I heard a doe at my 11 o’clock softly blowing. Don’t think she smelled me since I am in scent free stuff and I spray myself down good. She must’ve heard me rustling in the tree. So I stopped to listen to her, then I very quickly and quietly finished getting everything set up. It was a beautiful morning and as usual, I watched tons of birds. I got a text from Phillip saying he got all the way to his stand and didn’t have his arrows/quiver on his bow. So he walked all the way back (500 yards) to the truck. He didn’t want to walk back by any other hunters so he stayed at the truck and didn’t hunt. Well, I was hungry and getting sleepy. And I knew I would be due for a bladder relief soon. I never saw anything from the deer stand. So I called it a morning and got down early. Walked out of the food plot and back up the logging road. It goes up-hill and has several “breaks” of dirt piles in the road….not to mention its covered in tall grass/weeds. So I’m headed back up the logging road and as I topped one of the mounds of dirt, I looked up to survey the path….saw something move behind some tall grass. And I immediately stopped. As soon as I stopped, her head popped up. She was broadside to me. With the sun in my face, we stared each other down for 30-45 seconds. I didn’t want to scare her too bad and didn’t want to be aggressive. So after giving her almost a minute, I VERY slowly stepped one foot forward….she turned and took off in the pines! She didn’t blow. So I was glad she finally ran off. I had my release in my back pack and my bow in the bow-sling over my shoulder, so I wasn’t ready for any shots. Guess I’ll have to start leaving the woods with my bow and arrow in hand – ready for anything! I made it to the 4wheeler and headed back to camp. Found Phillip asleep in the truck.

Lone Hunter...I mean, Huntress

2010-09-27T08:36:00.000-04:00

It's the third weekend of bow season. I left Phillip at home Saturday morning (he was “on call” for work so he stayed at the house) and headed to the huntin club. Went to a lock on way in the back of the property. Its right on the property line. It overlooks a little food plot. I'm surrounded by white oaks and a clear cut to my left. At 7:05am I saw a deer walk from another lock on that is about 100 yards opposite of me. The deer walked to me…through the food plot and then right by my stand. It went up the road/path that I come in from. I couldn’t tell if it was a small button head that hadn’t broke skin yet. I let it walk. Then 15 min later a little button head walked right underneath me. He walked to the food plot and nibbled. Then went into the woods. Little while later I took a bathroom break in the stand (LOL). Then 8 something, I watched a small deer in the woods…..just on the other side of our property line. Looked like a small doe. She was too far in the woods and too many branches in the way to make a shot. I got down at 9:30am b/c my bladder was screaming again. Saw some “speed meat” on my way back to camp. Would've shot it but it's not season yet! LOL

I didn’t go huntin' Saturday afternoon b/c me and phillip went to another county that we hunt and planted 2 food plots. We were hot, nasty, and tired from that. So we went home. It is just too hot right now!! We didn’t go Sunday afternoon since it was raining. We planted those food plots at perfect timing! Rain will do them some good!

UPDATE: Bloody Arrow

2010-09-22T22:22:00.008-04:00

Well – they found my deer last night. One of the guys was out there hunting and shot a doe. Upon looking for her they found mine. She ran 300 yards away from where I shot her. The coyotes already got to her. One of the guys said I must have gotten excited b/c the entry hole was near her hind quarters on the left side and came out behind the other hind quarters. That would explain no blood trail!

Phillip and I kept thinking about the shot. One of two things happened:

1 - my face mask deflected the arrow when I squeezed the trigger. Causing it to fly slightly to the right.

2 - One of the mechanical blades on my Ramcat broadhead was popped open and not down. So when I squeezed the trigger to let the arrow fly, that third blade was catching the wind differently - making it steer right.

Either way - I'm dying to get back out there and do it again! Gotta get some meat in the freezer!

Bloody Arrow

2010-09-20T22:18:00.001-04:00

Saturday morning I headed back to food plot #4 (where I was last weekend). Climbed up the tree and got in the lock-on. Strapped on my safety harness to the tree. Got everything out. Sprayed down again with cover scent. Sat down and the last thing I had to do was put on my face mask. As I slipped it over my head, I realized it was breaking day…..but still dark. As I put my hat back over my head and slipped my pony tail through, I looked down the food plot to my right and noticed a dark spot out there. I sat still for a few seconds and starred at it....trying to see if it was moving or not. Sure enough it was! I didn’t even have time to txt Phillip to let him know I had gotten to the stand ok. I was the only one hunting the new side of the property – phillip and the 2 North Carolina guys were on the other side away from me. So I had it ALL to myself! Anyways --- so the dark spot is moving. I verify it’s a deer. It comes into the food plot down the middle. Slowly. Eating as it walks. It comes towards me and gets closer. I can start to see a little better. Nothing else has come into the food plot. I kept checking its head – no buttons. It’s a small doe. As she gets to my one o’clock position, I decided I will shoot her. I let her walk around to my 10 o’clock. I picked my bow up twice....each time the top cam swipes across the leaves in the tree that come around over my head. She looked around, but NEVER up at me. So I draw back again, put the pin on her shoulder. THWACK! She takes off running around in the food plot. Her tail is tucked and she is running crazy!! Her ears are tucked back as well. She hits the woods to my right and I hear her crashing and running around…..she makes her way further into the woods behind me. I turn around in my stand. I can hear her still crashing, but getting slower. The last sound I hear comes from over my left shoulder. I txt Phillip. I get down 35 minutes later. Got to the ground. Found my arrow on the ground COVERED in blood. It was a sure shot!! But I look around in the food plot and didn’t see any blood on the dirt. So I walked back to the 4wheeler where I had parked it. Rode back to camp on the other side. Put some stuff up. Waited on Phillip and other club members to go help us find her. All 5 of us looked in the food plot. NOTHING. Couldn’t find any blood. . The woods behind my stand start to slant downhill and go into a creek bottom. We couldn’t find no signs of blood or her. We never could find her.

I shot her at 11 yards. Bad thing was she was quartered TO me, not away from me. I should’ve been more patient and let her turn some more. It was fun and I’m ready to do it again. Just hate I couldn’t find her. The rest of the day we planted 10 food plots. We didn’t leave until 8:00pm. we were very hot, tired, and aggravated! So we didn’t get to hunt Saturday night and on Sunday we didn’t go at all. We needed a break from the heat!

2010 Bow Season Begins

2010-09-13T22:10:00.001-04:00

I hope ya’ll can keep a secret! Saturday mornin I didn't see nothin. Neither did Phillip. Saturday evening I went to a food plot on the other side of the property. It had some old left over, knocked down corn stalks. Not many at all. It was a big food plot though. Few peas coming out of the ground and TONS of American Beauty bushes around! I ended up seeing two fawns and a mama. They were fun to watch. Mama just better be glad she had to fawns with her or else she would be at the processor! Then - right at PRIME TIME.....a buck came out to my right. He was 48 yards away. He came to the edge of the food plot. I saw antlers and my heart started racing. He turned and went to his right (further away from me). He ate in some green grass stuff for a while. Had to wait until I didn't see him anymore to get down. Then Sunday night, I watched the same mama and 2 fawns. They ate all around the food plot and in the bushes right below me for the longest time. Then at 8:19pm, I looked to my right and I barely saw 2 dark spots moving. I picked up the binos and quickly saw one of em was a buck! Not sure if it was the same one b/c it was so dark I couldn't tell. Well -- I thought it was still barely daylight b/c the moon had everything lit up! I couldn't tell what the other deer was. If it was a buck, it didn't have antlers like the other one in front of it. So i kept my eyes on the one buck. I put the binos down. Struggled to put my release on my loop cuz I couldn't see. Both deer walked down the middle of the food plot my way. As soon as the buck walked at my 1 o'clock where some brush hid me, I drew back. Then he stepped out into the opening I had....and I went to look through my peep site to put a pin on him...I couldn't see nothin!! I was like "HUH?" so I looked again through my peep -- NOTHIN! so I looked back at him with both eyes - I could see him right there...about 18 yards. I saw him enough to know it was him!! But I looked at my bow and my fiber optic sites weren't glowing at all anymore!! As bad as I wanted to pull that trigger -- I didn't. I let off and was sick to my stomach. But its a good thing I didn't shoot and miss or shoot and wound him. I wanted him so bad! But I didn't mess up this spot. Besides, I didn’t realize it was dark and past the legal shooting time! LOL Dang moon will play tricks on ya! LOL So iInow have me a good huntin spot to keep a close eye on! I'll be back to that food plot again! Keep your fingers crossed for me and say a prayer!!

Fishin', Scoutin', and Bloggin'

2010-04-20T11:05:00.007-04:00

We went fishing last Thursday at one of our local lakes, Lake Tobosofkee ("Tobo" for short). It was a beautiful day, but not many boats in the parking lot. We hit several coves before we got the first crappie in the boat. By the end of the evening, we ended up with only 2 crappie and 1 twelve inch bass in the livewell. So we threw them back and would wait until we had our limit to keep and clean 'em.

I also have one particular story about that evening....I caught a decent size bass bare handed!!! Here’s the story……. we came out of this cove and we were just drifting while Phillip was messing around with his new fish finder. Well, I noticed something and he said "it looks like a dead fish." So as we drifted closer, he noticed fins were still moving. We drifted closer and closer and realized it was a bass. It was floating upside down...belly at the top of the water....fins barely moving.

Well, I realized it wasn't all that small! So Phillip said, "Pick it up!" I leaned over the side of the boat and couldn't quite get his mouth opened and I guess I spooked it so he slowly swam back down a few feet. So Phillip kept messing with his fish finder and I kept looking for the bass to float back to the top, which it did and I saw it on the other side of the boat. So Phillip trolled closer to it and I reached over the side of the boat and I couldn't get his mouth open so I just picked it up with both my hands and put it in the boat. So then I opened its mouth and was like "OMG!! OMG! I've never held one this big before!! And it was the easiest one I’ve ever caught!!" HAHA!

And that’s when we noticed this junky stuff on the side of its gills. And its eyes were sunk in. It wasn't healthy at all.

So phillip took a couple pics of me holding it. And after I played a prank text on my mom, we put it back in the water. I guess it was diseased. But it was still fun pretending.

Then this past Sunday, we went out to our huntin club to take a tour of some property we will be hunting on this year. It was BEAUTIFUL!! Tons of areas where the white oaks and pines meet!! There are some GREAT spots to hunt out there!! I can't wait!! There was just too many good spots to choose from!! Well, along our ride down the main 4wheeler road, I found a turkey egg just laying there. Since I didn't want a coyote to eat it, I brought it home. If I had an incubator I'd baby it until it hatched! But oh well. I am thinking about tapping a small needle in the top and draining it out so I can keep the egg.

On our tour to food plot # 6, we came around the corner and low and behold was THREE gobblers! Of course we spooked 'em. They ran and flew off and I watched in amazement!! I was like a kid doped up on candy the rest of the afternoon!! I was so excited and now I am pumped about going out and shooting me one!! I hope I can go in the morning! If I do, I'll be sure to post pics and a story!! Hopefully a video too!

Grunt-N-Strut Hunting Club

2010-04-20T10:33:00.000-04:00

We are excited about this upcoming 2010 deer season!! We have combined our previous 300 acre lease with another 900 acre lease to have a total of 1200 acres of PRIME hunting land!! Grunt-N-Strut hunting club is leased from the largest and most geographically diverse private landowner in the nation, Plum Creek.

The lease is on the Jones/Twiggs county line just outside of Macon, GA off of Highway 57 and is 1200 acres of prime deer country. The land mostly consists of 4-12 year old pine fields with hard wood bottoms and fingers filled with white oaks muscadines, and persimmons. The fingers filter up from large bottoms into these pine fields. There are 6, 1 acre food plots and several other plots that have been established with travel routes in mind and have been getting hit HARD! There are no hogs on this property. There is roughly 3000 acres of QDM in the surrounding area including this 1200 acres and all have food plots planted on power lines and throughout the other sections of woods.

The property is split into arhery and gun hunting. All 1200 acres is accessable to archery for the entire season. Upon opening of muzzleloader season, 600 acres will be available to gun hunting. The other 600 acres will remain archery for the remainder of the season.

We are getting work days scheduled so we can begin planting food plots, fixing and relocating tower stands, and later, we will hang tree stands for the upcoming season!! We have a lot of work to do and we take pride in the land we are managing to ensure a successfull hunting season.

We are proud to announce the newly created website for Grunt-N-Strut hunting club. Check out what's going on and be sure to view some photos in the photo gallery of previous deer taken!! Just click here: http://sites.google.com/site/gruntandstrut/

**We still have TWO membership openings available!!! If interested, please let me know.**

Crap!

2010-04-08T09:39:00.001-04:00

CRAP is for "crappie." Some of you may know 'em as white perch. We've been trying to hit up one of our local lakes for crappie. It's kinda hard though to catch 'em out there sometimes because there are so many people out there riding boats, tubing, jet skiing, water skiing, etc. So the lake gets pretty active. But we still try anyway since it's close to the house. We really need to go to Lake Oconee where we can get our limit, which is 30 per person!! We need to load up the boat! Anyways - these pics are from last Thursday. I rushed home from work and changed clothes. My sweet hubby had everything ready and all my tackle and fishing poles in the boat. His dad came along with us. It was beautiful weather and felt so good to get on the water. I put the first crappie in the boat using a white hal fly. Phillip put the second one in the boat using black/blue chartreusse jig. We hit a couple different coves and finally put some in the boat towards dark at the last cove we went to. We ended up with only 12 in the livewell. But it's better than NONE at all!! But if we were catching mosquitos, we would have limited out! I had more skeeter bites than crappie bites!! You guessed it, I forgot the THERMACELL! DUH! We went out again Easter weekend for a bit. I only stayed for an hour or two. I had to get back home and prepare Easter lunch for the next day. I did catch one good size crappie and missed another one. Everybody is catching them on the black/blue chartreusse jig. Although I have been using a blue/white chartreusse jig. They love that chartreusse tail!! Well - I hope we can really lay into them soon and get some REALLY good pics!

St. Patrick's Day Cake

2010-03-18T19:58:00.000-04:00

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!!!

So. Isn't it obvious? I've been watching TOO much CAKE BOSS!!! OMG!! Buddy makes some MARVELOUS cakes!!! I LOVE IT! So I guess you could say I got frisky and wanted to make my own fondant cake. And what better time than St. Patrick's Day?? So...here's my FIRST fondant cake ever.

I colored my cake mix two different shades of green. Cooked my cake mix, let it cool. Then the next night I started kneading the fondant and mixed in a light shade of green. Once I layered the light green shade fondant over the cake, I set the top cake piece on top of the larger cake piece. I then colored some more fondant a darker green and kneaded it all together until I had a darker shade of green for the shamrocks. I used a VERY VERY small heart shaped cookie cutter to make each leaf of the shamrock. Place three of them next to each other and BAM! A SHAMROCK! For the stems, I just cut very small strips and placed them on next. Then, I piddled with GUM PASTE. That stuff is weird. Not sure if I'm crazy about it. But once I had some in a non-sticky consistancy, I kneaded in some yellow and orange food coloring, rolled it out, then used the top of an orange juice container to "cut out" round circles. I then placed my coins on the cake. Then I topped them off with some yellow, edible pixie dust. I tried to cover the shamrocks in green pixie dust, but it wasn't showing up well. Then I placed skittles all around the edges. I mixed up water and confectioner's sugar and piped a small line around the lower edge. Then placed the skittles on the sugar. That way, once the sugared icing dried up, the skittles would be "stuck" to it. So there it is! Sounds simple, but LORD it was a task.

Wonder if I could make another cake...with trees....some deer....candy corn....and a HUNTRESS on the prowl!! Mmmm!! Sounds delicious to me!!

Purty? Or Dinner?

2010-03-16T14:16:00.000-04:00

I really can't decide....is he just purty? Or could he be dinner? Just can't shoot one until this saturday, the 20th! So I guess he'll just have to be purty for now!!

Seriously though, I was in God's country this weekend......south Georgia, where everything is slower, more relaxed, and a lot more prettier because of the greenery. I mean, uh, scenery! I really enjoy going back "home" to see my family and friends and getting out of the hectic city I live in. This past weekend, my best friend and I decided to ride around the woods and take pictures. When we went next door to her brother-in-law's house, I quickly spotted a solid white turkey! I just had to get pictures with him. Even though I usually see these things featherless and skinless in the grocery store, he was just purty to look at. I really enjoyed the experience of hearing him gobble, strut, and drum right in front of me!! I did try to catch him a time or two, but he was too quick and I didn't want to step in any chicken or turkey poo. The female turkey stayed away from us while we harrassed this young'n for a couple of shots.

Laundry Room Renovation

2010-03-07T21:37:00.005-05:00

WOW! What I thought was gonna be a weekend project turned into a TWO WEEK long ordeal!! But I'm so thankful I stuck with it and finished it!! It's pretty scarey to see at first. But that's what makes it AWESOME and more appreciative in the end!

Since we don't have a garage and our shed is pretty small, we tend to "throw" a lot of things into the laundry room. But not only did I need to re-organize and re-model it for us, we hope it will be more appealing to a "buyer" some day!! After I finish my little projects, we'll be putting our house up for sale!

So, I started out by stripping everything out of the laundry room. Had a run-in with a couple of stripped screws. Man! What a pain! I got my dad to come over and help me get them out. Oh yea! I also pulled up the old quarter round. Then I worked on spackling all the holes and any other "imperfections" in the walls. Then came ONE of the fun parts!! I was FINALLY able to put my NEW CHRISTMAS present to good use!! Hubby got me a fantastic electric sander! I LOVE that thing!! So I got everything sanded down. I can't tell you how much of that spackling dust I inhaled! *GAG* After I had everything sanded down, I moved on to cleaning up the entire room: wiping down the walls with a washcloth, sweeping, and vacuuming the remaining things I couldn't get.

Then I started painting. I first painted my ceiling. Gave it a FRESH new look with a coat of paint. It takes me FOREVER to paint in the trim because I take my time and I'm still practicing on "cutting" it in so that I won't have to use tape! And I have to admit, I didn't do so bad this time either. So after I painted the baseboards, back of the door, door frame, and window frames, I started painting on the walls! After the walls, I worked on cleaning the circuit breaker cover. It had old white paint on the edges.

After several trips to Lowe's and back, I finally got a couple of new face plates for the light switches and electrical outlets. I also bought my cabinets and other stuff I would need later on. I ripped up the old floor and my hubby put down some stuff for the uneven floor. I'm not sure if the stuff in the jar is called "floor patch" or if that's just the term for fixing the floor. While the days keep passing by, the clothes kept piling up! It was a mess. I finally moved the washer and dryer back in for a day or two to wash some clothes.

I took a day off work this past Thursday so my dad and I could get some MAJOR work done. I moved the washer and dryer BACK out into the kitchen. Dad and I took the water heater out. He sweated off the copper pipes where the new flex hose would go. Took up the remaining old linoleum that was under the water heater. Dad cut the quarter round and I painted it. Dad sanded down the floor patch stuff. It was about as hard as cement! Nasty stuff! I cleaned up and completed painting the walls and trim behind the water heater (where I couldn't reach from my first go round). I shaped and cut a piece of the new floor to fill in the hole/space where the old water heater has set..other people that have lived here before just cut plywood and linoleum to fit AROUND the water heater instead of underneath it. So the little circle area was lower than the rest of the plywood on top. So I put in a piece of new flooring in there to fill up some space. I put in the new floating vinyl floor. Dad worked on the fittings (or whatever it's called) for the water heater. We put in the new quarter round. Then, set in the new drip pan, installed the water heater with new FLEX HOSE and a new electrical tube thingy (looks like a trachea to me). Made the circles in the wall look more appealing by placing flanges and a plastic piece of the holes. Swept. Brought back in the washer/dryer. Hooked everything back up. I gradually moved everything back in and washed some more clothes! I still have to install a clothing rod to hang wet clothes on to dry as well as a curtain for the window. But for the most part, it's done and I'm glad this BIG project is behind me! WHEW!

Oh yea! If you're wondering where all the stuff went that was stuffed in that room, I put everything out in our storage shed in the backyard and moved my Christmas boxes out from the storage shed to my father-in-laws place!

BEFORE PICS:

AFTER PICS:

Good times at Bass Pro Shop

2010-02-16T21:26:00.000-05:00

Couldn't help but post more pics of me and my nephews!! Especially while we're having fun at Bass Pro. Just a week or so ago I posted a blog about my nephew who just got his first mallard with his dad (he didn't shoot it of course! he's only 4 years old)! As you can tell from the other post, my nephew LOVES duck hunting....and now I found out over the weekend his little brother is gonna LOVE to hunt deer!! The oldest nephew even recognized a big coyote (stuffed, of course) on a clothing rack shelf! I LOVE IT!! I can't wait until the younger nephew gets to go huntin with us! I don't think his mom will let him go just yet. But when she does feel comfortable, I'll definitely be in the stand with him one day! And not to mention I'll have my other nephew by my side to help get the ducks back to the truck!! I love my little guys!! They make me proud!!

We snapped a few pics next to the flying duck and dove decoys. Later on, I leaned in for some smiles with my nephew while we checked out the infamous fish tank in Bass Pro!

Deer in the Rice Field

2010-02-06T16:56:00.000-05:00

1 lb. Ground Deer Sausage*
Instant Rice
1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup
salt/pepper to taste

*Substitute ground deer sausage for regular ground deer (but it's way better with the sausage!)

Cook the deer meat completely in a pan. Meanwhile, prepare the instant rice -- depending on the # of servings you need for your family. I use the 4 serving instructions.

After the deer meat is thoroughly cooked, pour the cream of mushroom soup over the deer mixture and mix well. Stir on Med Low to Low heat, allowing the soup to get warm. Once the rice is ready, stir in the deer/soup mixture all together.

Grab your sweet tea and enjoy!! YUM!

New Duck Hunting Generation

2010-02-03T23:46:00.001-05:00

It's tough living away from your family, but thank God for cameras, computers, internet, and email! And just like any proud Aunt would do, I have to brag on my nephew! Him and his dad (my brother) got their first mallard Sunday! I didn't think someone made waders that small, but they do! The look on my nephew's face is priceless and an image of a true DUCK HUNTER!

Ever since my nephew was born, he has been influenced by his parents, me and my husband, and other family members. We have surrounded him with duck calls, duck toys, camoflauge, and his latest Christmas present was a camoflauge hunting vest. Yep! A cute, small one to fit him so he can retrieve the birds for his dad! I can't be more proud of him and his excitement for the outdoors! He's only four years old and he can use a duck call better than I can! And get this: his first word was "quack." It's so awesome to see my brother teaching him and preparing him for the new duck hunting generation that is to come.

I'm so thankful that God has blessed us with the freedom to hunt, fish, and enjoy the great outdoors, not only as individuals, but as family. I thank God for my brothers' influence on me when I was a little girl. I didn't do much hunting, but fishing was our favorite thing to do. Since my brothers have grown and began their own families, my husband has influenced me with a love for hunting. Most of our dates are spent either in the woods hunting or on the boat fishing. As I have grown to love the outdoors more and more each year, I truly hope that I have a positive impact on my neices and nephews on what hunting and fishing is all about.

When I see these pictures of my nephew, it makes me smile, laugh, and thank God my nephew is in my life. I'm sure you, too, have these moments. The moments that make you proud and thankful. And you just can't help but brag on 'em!!

Blog Help!

2010-01-15T15:54:00.000-05:00

What setting do I need to change?!?!

When a person comments on my blog, I am not seeing the comment below the blog. You have to click on the link "1 comment" (2 comments, etc) to have it pop up in a new window. But I want the comment to appear below my blog after I approve the comment. ANY BODY know what setting I have set incorrectly?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Ducks Fly Over

2010-01-11T13:10:00.000-05:00

We have had some really cold weather the past couple of weeks. Been in the 20's just about all day! But probably the only people who head out in the extreme temps are hunters! We've been duck hunting on our weekends, but still have yet to shoot our limit. My hubby and I went out Saturday morning. It was a cold, cold, cold, cold (did i say it was COLD?) morning. It was 20º and we were looking forward to calling in some ducks! We layered up and loaded up our waders, decoys, and a shovel.

We got to the water hole and just as we suspected, it was frozen over. Phillip got in the water and used the shovel to break up the ice where the water wasn't running. I took 7 decoys out and gave 'em to Phillip to throw out. We loaded up some shells and took our spot in the water against some trees. We were about 30 feet apart.

I patiently waited for daylight. When it was time, Phillip started slowly calling. I let him call for a few minutes before I join in. We finally heard some gun shots off in the distance. My heart started pounding. I was sure something was going to fly over any minute now. I stood with the stock of my shotgun on my hip, calling, and waiting. I finally heard a faint whistle. I look up to see 4 ducks fly over about the same time Phillip told me to get ready. They ducks were too high. We hit the calls. They didn't turn.

So I took a deep breath and got ready for the next group of ducks to fly over. We called some more and heard the same gun shots off in the distance. We waited. No ducks.

So we decided to call it a morning. I sloshed through the water to the bank and we both set our guns against the trees. Phillip took his duck call lanyard off before we got in the water to retrieve the decoys. We were about 5 steps in the water when I hear Phillip say "Anna, look! There's two flying in! Be still!" I immediatly froze! I looked up to see two woodies flying in. They look committed. But before they made their decision they decided to fly around one more time. I hit my call. When they flew around some trees, we ran (as fast as we could with waders on) back to dry land and got our shotguns. We squatted right there and looked back to see if they were coming. I hit the call a few more times. Here they come....I can see they start to cup their wings and their little webbed feet get ready for the landing. They're coming in close! Just as they decide to dive down, their feet straighten back out and they keep flying! I am in shock! We both look back and I started calling again......nothing. We couldn't believe it. Those two woodies were on top of our heads! I looked at Phillip and he looked at me. We were mad at ourselves for going in the water without our shotguns and not being ready. Lesson learned!!

We gathered up the decoys and the rest of our gear. We had water frozen on our shotguns and now our gloves. We quickly made it to the truck and headed back home.

Better luck next time!

Snow Talk (Part II)

2010-01-11T12:52:00.002-05:00

Yea...um....we didn't get any snow!

LOL

I had to go to work Friday. *bummer*

Snow Talk

2010-01-07T15:32:00.001-05:00

Everybody is in a frenzy about the weather that's comin. If it gets too bad, then I may not have to go to work in the a.m. (Friday). Sure hope it snows enough where they tell us to stay home. Ya see....us Georgian's don't know how to deal with snow. We only get one good snow fall maybe once a year....sometimes every 2 years or longer than that. The folks in north Georgian get more than us....so us dirt grinding, mud-boggin southerners just don't how to deal with the slick, icey stuff! We panic and stock up on groceries like Armeggedon is coming. All the gas stations are packed with honking, impatient rednecks. And the smarter folks get out in the woods to hunt! Never know if big boy decides he wants to come play in the snow! Last year I recorded myself shooting my bow in the snow out in my backyard. I'm such a nerd, I know. But I just wanted to know what it was like to try to hold my bow steady, aim for the target, and keep snow outta my face all while freezing in the wet cold white stuff. It was fun, but I sure would like to try a REAL hunt in the snow! I'm much better in the warmer weather. LOL So, if it snows and I decide to shoot in the backyard or hit the huntin club, I'll definitely try to post pics.

Bloggers Block

2009-12-07T21:23:00.000-05:00

I have bloggers block.

Or maybe it's just that I've been too busy to "think" of something new to jot down. It'll come to me. I know it will. I just have Christmas stuff on my mind and trying to get everything done BEFORE Christmas....not after!

*sigh*

Once again.....Merry Christmas!!

Time 2 Shop

2009-11-28T21:11:00.000-05:00

I hope everybody had a great Thanksgiving and enjoyed their time with their family and friends!! I had a great time with mine and coming home was such a relaxing time. Phillip and I filled up on turkey, ham and other fixings with his family, then we decided to head to south GA to spend some long over-due time with my family! We shot skeet and caught a few bream in the pond! The cold weather ran us off and we came inside for a hot cup of coffee!!

I did a little shopping with my mom and sister-in-law while I was there and realized, yet again, how behind I am on Christmas shopping!! I said last year I would start REALLY early and have it all done before October! Weeellll......with all the huntin I've been doing, I haven't had time to shop....let alone clean my house! *sigh* I have picked up only a couple of things while I've been out shopping for regular every day things. But I don't think the few items I've picked up has put a dent in what all I need to get for Christmas. I wish I had it all done and didn't have to beat my head against the wall on what I'm gonna get everybody. *sigh* I guess I could make it really easy and buy gift cards for everybody! LOL I really gotta get my game plan together and get a Christmas list figured out!! I hate waiting until the last minute and having to fight crowds. I hope ya'll are doing better than me!! I just don't know WHAT to get and can't seem to find my motivation!

On this Merry note.....December is almost here!
Merry Christmas!!

How Pumpkin Pie is Made...

2009-11-19T12:48:00.002-05:00

New bow has arrived!

2009-11-17T21:25:00.001-05:00

I finally got my new Elite GT500 all set up and was able to pick it up and bring her home. It shoots AWESOME!! Maybe I should have lost my other bow sooner!! Haha I'm only teasing! I couldn't come home and practice because it was raining and nasty outside. Besides, with the new time change, it is dark by 5:30pm anyhow!

I can't wait to start practicing and really get to know my new bow! I still have to go back and pick up a Quickie Quiver they ordered for me. Oh! And I still have to get a hard shell bow case and some broad heads. THEN I think I'll be done!

It's hard to see in the pics, but the pattern on this bow is the AT Edition. The limbs are camouflaged in Realtree AP and the riser is all matte black. It's currently accessorized the Bone Collector sight from Extreme Archery and it's soooo easy to work with! I highly recommend it. I have a 28" draw length and am currently pulling 45lbs. Lord knows I hope I can pull 50lbs in a couple of weeks. I'm such a weakling, but don't tell anybody PLEEEAASE! Well - here's some pics of my new bow...ENJOY!

Remember what was in the cooler?

2009-11-13T18:10:00.012-05:00

You DO remember what was in the cooler back in June...right?

I wish I knew the exact type of turtle that was in our yard, but I have no idea how to find out! But that Sunday afternoon I logged on to the computer and did a search on turtles and when they lay their eggs. It said once they lay their eggs it will be about 3 months before they are ready. So of course, I watched the spot on the ground almost every day. I was counting to see something change in that little spot in the ground around September.

Well summer passed and September rolled around. I started keeping a close eye on the spot. Every day when I went to work, got home from home, checked the mail, or let the dog out, I would always check to see if something had changed. But so far, it was still the exact same.

We all know that August and September is usually the hurricane months, so after a few days of heavy rain fall, I would check on the spot to see if any predators tried to dig up the eggs. I feared a raccoon, a cat, or skunk would come along and get the eggs out of the ground before they hatched. Thankfully, no predators got a dinner out of this one. But I was getting worried because it was now October.

One weekend we had a very heavy rainfall for about two or three days. I came home from work and was getting some stuff out of the backseat of my truck. As I walked around the tailgate, something caught my eye! The spot in the grass was no longer smooth and even! There was a perfectly, egg-size small hole!! I squealed! The babies had FINALLY hatched!! I believe all that rain helped soften the ground for the baby turtles to dig their way out. My heart sank yet again for thoughts of any free roaming cats, birds, or other varments snatching up a quick meal. But that's why they call it a "food chain!" I didn't leave with negative thoughts though. I just hoped they made it out and into a ditch or some woods close by.

I've heard that it's good luck if you find a turtle shell. So is good luck twice as lucky if you have a mama turtle pick your yard to bury her eggs in? HAHA! Who knows?!

Spiders, Coyotes, and Squirrels, OH MY!

2009-11-09T17:21:00.120-05:00

This weekend's report doesn't involve harvesting a deer. I wish it did, but like most of my stories, it always entails a laugh or two.

I decided to hunt the same lock on stand Saturday morning and evening and Sunday evening that I hunted the previous weekend. I just know there is a buck or two passing through the pines and making his way through the 400 acre hunting club that we hunt on. I’ve been tempted to hunt somewhere else other than that stand…like on the ground further in the pines 75 yards before the lock on, or on the 200 yard foot trail that leads from camp to the back where the lock on is located.

The stand I've been hunting is on an oak tree right in the middle of other oaks that are raining acorns right now! To the left of the oaks is a clear cut and to the right of the oaks is nothing but planted pines. The trail path divides the pines and oaks. It’s perfect and it's beautiful in there. It’s a long walk from camp…..and it gets spooky in there at night. Don’t do what I do and let those bright eyes trick ya at night!!

Saturday a.m. my hubby, Phillip, helps me with a Code Blue scent drag to the stand. That stuff sure smells purty! Phillip was on call this weekend so he wasn’t in any rush to get to his stand. That morning I was wide awake and ready to see some deer! Once it was daylight, I heard one gruntin’ about 4 or 5 times. I could tell he was behind me from where I came in at....possibly around the spot where I started the scent drag or maybe a little closer. He never came to me. I saw a doe mid morning. I hit the doe bleat can 30 minutes later and not long after that I heard something over my right shoulder. A deer was coming out from the pines. I could tell it was slowly coming, so I sat still, waiting patiently. It crossed the path, and came into the oakes right below my stand. I turned on my camera to record him. It was a small little spike. His horns were so small they looked like little thorns off a rose bush!! LOL He eased into the welcoming oaks and ate some breakfast. I recorded him walking around before he crossed the ditch. He eventually made his way out peacefully.

All that morning I was laughing at all the squirrels chasing each other. One squirrel got spooked and went running across the ground…..hit a stump, flipped, and then ran up the tree he was trying to get to!! Took everything I had not to bust out laughing!!! I watched two squirrels chase each other up a dead tree! It's so funny how LOUD it is when they do that! I know I don't want their claws to get a hold of me!

I forgot to mention we had a cold morning. It was low 40's, possibly in the 30's. I can't exactly remember. I just remember preparing myself for a VERY chilly morning! So of course I had on several layers, foot warmers, a neck gator and a very warm, thick beanie hat. I left my hair down that morning since I could tuck most of it in the neck gator, helping with insulation. After a few chipmunks tricked me into thinking I had a deer coming, I took a deep breath and felt an itch on my face. Ugh! My hair was tickling my face. I figured that some pieces of hair was starting to make it's way out from the beanie hat and neck gator since I was turning my head left and right. So I sat their and desperately tried to not move or raise my hand. I just HATE moving in the stand. I never know when a deer is gonna sneak up behind me! Ya know? I feel the tickle run down the right side of my face. I thought it was gonna get in my eye, but it didn't. Next thing I know something falls in my lap and the itch is gone! I look down and OH MY GOSH! It's a granddaddy long leg spider! He's in my lap and I'm holding my breath! With my head down, I look up with my eyes to make sure no deer are around b/c I this spider has to GO! I count to three...one...two...three!! I snatched his leg and THREW him out of the stand!! I froze! Hopefully nothing saw me if anything was around! I took a deep breath! I couldn't believe I had a granddaddy long legs crawling on my FACE! UGH! I think last time I sat in this stand I had a spider crawling on me. THIS was starting to get a little creepy!

I finished my morning hunt. I could tell there were some deer crossing the path back behind me that morning. That’s why I think I need to move and sit on the ground somewhere further back (up in the pines on the hill BEFORE I get to the stand). OR!! Put up my new climber somewhere back there!! But, I'm gonna give this lock on in the back the benefit of the doubt!

Saturday evening I walked to the same stand. I thought I was gonna have another snake encounter (as I did last year) b/c where the path winds out of the woods and out along the clear cut edge, it gets bright and sunny out on the path. It was right before where I shot the snake from last year. I was walking on the trail and went around the one corner and something scuffed from the path and into the brush and then I coulda swore it came back out into the path. When I heard it my heart sank and I had kept walking to get two steps away. I stopped and turned around. I couldn’t see anything. If it was a snake, I wasn’t sticking around to find out. I QUICKLY made my way from the hot, sun stricken path and into the shadowy pines. They led me along the big oaks where I began to drag the Code Blue scent again. While I was trying to cool off from the afternoon heat, I saw something out of the corner of my eye. I noticed something on the brim of my hat. I waited a second and then something fell in my lap (yes, again!). I looked down and had another spider crawling around in my lap! Except this time it was one of those little small, black jumpy ones! He was a little bigger than the average small ones we see around our house. He kept jumping opposite of where I would swat at him. I never knew where he went, so I was praying I got him brushed off my pants and that he didn't crawl in a pocket or anything!!

I didn’t see anything until 5 something. I caught movement straight in front of me way in the back. Saw one....then another. It was two deer coming in to feast on acorns. They calmly eased in and walked straight in the ditch. They eventually made their way through the ditch and circled around the area until dark, eating acorns the whole time. From what I could tell they were both does. I had to wait until well after dark for them to leave. Phillip and I were txting each other. He had to go help another huntin' partner get a doe that he shot out of some thick brush. About the time I was ready to stand up, I heard something WAAAY off in the distance behind me. Sounds like a coyote?? Not sure. So I sit there and wait. It’s pretty far off. But I wait to hear which direction it’s going b/c I have a far walk back to camp; a 200 yard walk The eery noise sounded like it was coming back from camp. So as I intently listen, it sounded like it was getting closer. The closer it gets, the howl or “noise” it makes sounds more and more like a horse neigh. So now I can tell it’s right behind me up on the path somewhere...or it could be in the pines. I sit there and I txt Phillip again, but Phillip couldn’t come b/c he was helping Kerry. I sit there with my red light on looking back behind me...my gun is ready. Now I hear another one in front of me waaaayyy off in the distance. It’s coming towards me. “NOT ANOTHER ONE!” I thought! I’m freakin’ out by now. Coyotes make me nervous. Guess cuz the guys have spotted a HUGE one at the club (the size of a small deer). So the one I hear behind me is making this neighing sound but sounds like it’s calming down…..or slowly beginning to stop making the noise. Not sure if that means it’s gonna sneak up on something (me!) or what! Sooo...I whistled……I whistled again….and again. It finally went silent. I didn’t hear the 2nd one anymore either. Now I don’t know what to do b/c I don’t know if they just stopped making noise or if they scurried off. One of the guys was up at camp waiting on me. His keys and other huntin' stuff were in the truck, so I really needed to get back to camp. I finally just said "The heck with it!" and stood up…..whatever was down there scurried into the pines and stopped. I scuffed my feet on the metal stand. It scurried some more. I still couldn’t see whatever it was. So I got everything in my backpack --- unlatched my safety harness, and climbed down. Once on the ground I turned my head lamp light on to the bright white light. I couldn’t see nothing around me. I went to get the drag hanging from a tree and made my way out of the woods. Needless to say – I was walking pretty fast. And everything is so dry in there I'm sure I sounded like BIG FOOT coming through there at the pace I was going! I got back to camp in less than 2 minutes and there were 3 guys up there just talking. They said “I thought we were gonna have to come get you!” I said “Well ya’ll didn’t hear them coyotes?!?!” One of em said “Yea I heard em! I think there was a pack of em that made their way through here!” At least I made it out safe and sound that evening!

Sunday evening I went back to the same spot. I pulled the scent drag AGAIN. A lonely doe came in around feedin time. She ate acorns in the ditch and on the other side of the ditch forever. One time she got stuck in the ditch and I felt bad for her b/c she was trying to jump out and she couldn’t get out!! I started to laugh, but then felt bad. LOL She eventually got out. She eats until it gets dark. ANOTHER deer behind me comes in from the pines and comes into the ditch. I can hear em drinking and picking up acorns from the water. It’s dark and I have no idea if it’s a doe or a buck. So I don’t wanna get down and spook it. I txt phillip. He comes to get me b/c I wanted them to hear him walking through woods and run away…I didn’t want them to hear me in the stand and get spooked from me being up there. LOL

So even though I didn't harvest any, seeing a few deer is better than not seeing any at all and having a few "pest" stories to tell is always fun (after the fact)!

Sisterhood of the Rum Creek Gang

2009-10-05T14:33:00.020-04:00

I had the opportunity to go on an all ladie's hunt at Rum Creek WMA in Forsyth, GA October 1-3. A couple of us gals from the GON (Georgia Outdoor News) chat forum decided to meet up at one of the campsites and hunt it up! The thread started out with the announcement of the hunt, then the planning, then the final count of who would be attending, and finally to what food and camp items we all would be bringing.

We couldn't start hunting until Thursday, but we were all meeting at Rum Creek Wednesday evening. I lived the closest and didn't have that far to drive. The other ladies were coming from North and South Georgia. I couldn't wait to leave work and load the truck up! Although it was hot outside and I had a LOT to load up, including the trailer and four wheeler. I couldn't hardly focus at work. I had been texting Becca, the youngest of our group, all day about our trip. All I could think about was camping out and shooting a deer!

I finally left work early and drove as fast as I could to the house. It took me a couple of hours and some sweat but I finally got everything loaded up! I text Becca to see if she was almost to my exit. It was about 4:00pm. She text me back to tell me that in the midst of packing her stuff she bumped her scope and had to go to the gun range and re-site her gun. She didn't get to leave until 5:15pm and it was gonna take her about two hours to get to me. So I rode into town and filled the coolers with ice and made sure the truck and four wheeler had plenty of gas. I drove back home and played the country track pack of Guitar Hero until 7:00pm. I closed up the house and kissed my dog goodbye. I was headed for Rum Creek!

I met Becca in a theatre parking lot on the exit where I live. We talked for a few minutes and then hit the road. We called the other ladies to let them know we were on the way! We finally made it to the camp site. We said HEY to the other four ladies and hugged every one's neck. Debbie and Pat had been there since Tuesday afternoon so they had camp already set up. We had a total of six ladies from the GON forum in our group. I started unpacking and set up my tent. Tomi set up her tripod and camera and we took some group photos! My favorite is our "Shades and Blades of Glory" picture! After pics I helped myself to a plate of delicious food that was prepared by Wanda and Tomi. There was potato salad, some sort of bean salad mixture, and a Boston butt! I made banana pudding for dessert! Lets just say we didn't starve over the next couple of days.

After supper, Becca and I decided to drive around Rum Creek so she could put her climber up and I could find me a spot for mine. She knew right where she picked out her spot....or so she thought. It was almost 11:00pm but we were wide awake with excitement. So we did one big circle around the WMA and we hit the area where she was going last. I really wanted to hunt near the Duck Marsh project pond, but the gate was closed and I wasn't sure how to get around it. We drove around to a couple of different places, and everywhere we went we found bright eyes or flagged ribbon. I didn't want to hunt around a bunch of other ladies so we kept looking for another spot. We drove and drove and drove that night. We finally ended up at the area where she scouted and before she grabbed her climber, we took a bathroom break. It was 1:45a.m. and we were getting silly!! The temperature dropped and thankfully she had a couple of pull-overs in her backseat. We started walking down the road to look for where she would be hunting in the morning.

As we were walking and watching the ground for deer tracks (and snakes), I would look up every now and then for spider webs. Sure enough I saw one a couple of feet in front of us. "Look!" Becca jumped and snapped "WHAT?!" I laughed and said "It's a BIG spider web and I didn't want us to walk into it!" She said, "Oh! You scared me! I didn't know what you were looking at!" So we walked closer to discover a huge spider devouring his late midnight supper!!

We thought it was cool so we walked back to the truck, grabbed our cameras, came back and took some pictures! After it posed for us, we kept tracking through the trail in search of Becca's special spot she picked out. She said it's right by the water and there are TONS of deer tracks. I couldn't wait to see it! We kept walking and she said there was a big wash out in the middle of the road, but we never saw it. She said "I always do this!" I said "What's that?" And she said she forgets things and can't remember the exact details. We walked all the way to the end of that road until it came out to a power line. She said this wasn't the right road. We walked back to where the truck was parked. We had taken the road to the right. I told her lets take the other road and but she said she would rather come back the next afternoon when it was daylight. And since I didn't have a spot picked out, we decided to head back to camp, get some shut eye, sleep in, and head in to the woods when all the ladies was coming out. Before heading back to camp, we stopped at the check in station to count how many ladies were checked in. There was a total of 36 so far, but by the end of third day, I believe there was a total of 42 ladies that were checked in!! I was so pumped to see that list of ladies!! It was great!

On the way back to camp, we saw three deer crossing the gravel road into some people's yard. They were playing and apparently teasing me and Becca! I tried to take some pictures, but I couldn't zoom and focus in fast enough. We drove on to camp and tried to sneak in our tents. It was now 3:30a.m. I about froze that night. The temperatures dropped to the low 40's that evening and our fire had gone out. We only had an hour worth of sleep before the other ladies were going to get up. Once I heard them wake and my bladder telling me it's gotta go or else, I just couldn't go back to sleep. Me and Becca stayed at camp while we wished the other 4 ladies GOOD LUCK. I cooked us some breakfast over a camp fire while we relaxed and talked about where we would go scout for a place to hunt that afternoon.

It was almost lunch and we got dressed to head out to the woods. We figured most of the other gals were getting out for a hot meal and to take a break before heading back out for their afternoon hunt. Becca and I loaded up and started our hunt for a place to hunt. We drove to a couple of places and picked out a great spot for Becca! Next thing you know, we get a phone call that Debbie shot a doe.....and that she got her truck stuck!! So we jumped in the truck and headed to the other side of Rum Creek.

We found Debbie's truck sittin on three wheels with Wanda watching Tomi singing choir hymns in the bed of her truck and Pat trying to figure out the best way to tie rope from her truck to Debbie's. Debbie had drove down the road to go get her deer and she was trying to straddle her truck over a terrible washout in the middle of the road. Her front right tire had slipped right into the wash out, leaving the back end up in the air. Of course that meant the gas wasn't where it needed to be so she couldn't crank the truck up. Pat hooked up the rope. Wanda, Tomi, Becca, and me all piled up each other on the highest point of the truck bed to get it weighed down as much as we could. Debbie put the truck in neutral. And on the count of three, Pat puts her truck in drive while Debbie attempts to crank the truck and steer all at once. First attempt we failed. But the second was a successful pull from the washout! Of course this called was a Kodak moment and we helped Debbie get her doe loaded to the truck.

Me and Becca headed back to camp because we were ready to get in the woods. We got dressed and headed out. She drove out to the honey hole she found and I loaded up the 4 wheeler and rode down from camp where I found a side road that didn't look occupied by other huntresses. I parked the 4 wheeler and headed down the trail. I saw some fresh deer tracks and they were BIG. I was excited. I put my climber on a strong pine, but kept having problems getting it up the tree. It was so hot that I couldn't wear a t-shirt or my face mask so I had to cover myself up with war paint. I think I had more flies around me than Debbie's dead doe! I never saw nothing that night, but I kept hearing something behind me. I never did see what it was. I eased out of the woods at dark and went back to camp. No one else shot anything that evening. We started the fire for a great hot pot of chili and smores!

The next morning we all headed out at 5a.m. Becca and I found another great spot and we trailed out. I saw several deer tracks on my way in and was really excited about this area. Becca hiked the opposite direction from me. There were oaks on one side and pines on the other. I climbed up a pine in my climber and finally could see everything around me. The only thing I got that morning was bird poop on my deer grunt! Becca didn't see anything either, but when I met up with her, I helped her move her climber to another tree. She ended up seeing 5 turkeys that evening in the same spot!

We headed back to camp to eat some lunch. A couple of the other ladies showed up for a quick bite before heading back out to the woods. It was time for me to pack up camp and head back home. I was leaving a day early because my husband was flying back in town and had to pick him up. I said my GOODBYES and took a few last pics with the girls and wished them GOOD LUCK. I drove away with lots of memories from Rum Creek and new bond and outlook with female hunters. I always thought it was great, but now I think it's even GREATER that there were so many out there! It really opened my eyes to how I really want to help with getting more females involved in hunting and to continue with the ones who do!

I pulled in the driveway with a sigh. I couldn't believe it was over already!! The other girls were still out there hunting. I was worn out but ready for a HOT shower in a scented bar of soap!
It wasn't long that I got a text from Becca saying that Debbie shot another doe right before dark and they were all trailing it. The deer went into a thicket and all the ladies went in to help track it, except Tomi and Wanda. They knew someone needed to stay on the road in case someone forgot where they walked into the woods. They got separated as they went deeper into the woods. Two other ladies that were hunting near them that afternoon were with them also. Tomi and Wanda walked out of the woods by themselves with only her flashlight. They walked a long way on the logging road in the dark until they found the dirt road. Then they walked about a mile or two on the dirt road until they got to the road that led to their trucks. Tomi and Wanda stopped at a house and got a ride to Wanda's truck and then went back down to where they came out of the woods. It was midnight when Debbie called off the search for the deer. They called Becca and told her and Debbie to listen for Wanda's horn on her truck so that it would help them know which direction to come to. Well....Wanda had to stop honking the horn because a "not-so-happy" man came up in his truck to ask what all the horn blowing was all about. He was slightly peeved. There were some houses right below where they were and they woke them up and he was not happy at all! But Wanda told him there are 5 friends in the woods and they sort of lost their way when tracking a deer. The man informed Wanda that there were 5 people down at the house trying to sleep and that she had better stop honking the horn! Wanda was only honking ever so often. She said it was a good thing no one was injured because he wouldn't have offered to even help! But the ladies handled it themselves and they didn't need his help anyway! So Tomi and Wanda honked the horn a few more times and then Becca, Debbie, and whoever else was in there finally came out to them....at 2 in the morning!

There will be more from the Sisterhood of the Rum Creek Gang!! And more ladies are joining in with us! This was a hunt and camping trip I'll never forget and can't wait for more!

"Wild Willie"

2009-08-24T19:59:00.006-04:00

It was another busy three day weekend at the 2009 Buckarama show in Perry, GA for Final Skinz. Friday nights are usually a slow to moderate crowd. The early birds like to get there, find the goods, the sales, and register for any contests early and get out before the crowd hits on Saturday and Sunday.

During my Saturday morning business ventures in one of the other buildings, I decided to walk around to see what booths might be drawing for a free whitetail hunt or who might have some new t-shirts and camo for the ladies. As I began to squeeze my way through the crowd, my cell phone rang. Unaware of my surroundings, I quickly dispersed out of the mass of hunters and hid myself amongst some clothes racks in a booth.

After the phone call, I placed my cell phone back in my pocket while being greated by the sweet lady in the booth. She asked if I needed any help and I told her I was fine. Without showing my embarrassment, I looked up at the banner hanging to see what booth I had rudely envaded. I stopped. I looked around. "No way!" I was standing in the Duck Commander / Buck Commander booth!! And nobody else was in it but me!! HA! I had no idea they were there this year! So of course I immediately began thumbing through t-shirts, hats, duck calls, DVD's, CD's, tank tops, and even the signs!

I decided it would be best to keep some money in the checking account for bills, so I only purchased a t-shirt for my hubby and their newest DVD "Duckmen 13: Fear The Beard" (killer DVD by the way!! Better go buy it!). By this time, the lady's significant other was there and was helping out as well. They were both so very friendly and inquired about my tank top displaying Final Skinz. All three of us began talking and getting to know one another as if we should have been friends sooner.

Next thing I know, they tell me that "Willie" was gonna be arriving at 11:30a.m. My eyes widened and my mouth dropped. I said "What?? Are you serious?!?" They said he was on his way in from the interstate and should be in around 11:30a.m. So I told them I would be back for a picture!

So sure enough I headed back to the DUCK/BUCK Commander booth at 11:30a.m. for my picture with Willie Robertson! When I first got there, I patiently stood there and watched him sign a few autographs on some hats for other fans! I honestly don't think half the crowd KNEW who he was b/c they were all walking by just looking. I was astounded that I was there at that moment! Anyhow - I was introduced to him and he was just as nice as I'd ever imagine. He had no problem with me taking a picture with him. (I think we actually took three pics!) It was great! He then started asking me about the new Buck Commander bow and if I had seen it yet. By the time he started showing me the bow, a few more fans were walking up. The bow looked AWESOME, but as with any "star," he had more fans to meet and shake hands with. So of course I told him it was GREAT to meet him and I took off. I consider myself lucky to meet him. Hopefully I can meet the rest of the Duckmen one day! What a dream it would be to hunt with em! But like Willie says, you gotta be quick enough to keep up or else they'll shoot down the birds before you've even got your safety off!

Thanks Willie for taking the time out to speak to me and for this awesome pic!! Next time = it's camo face paint in the pic!!!

World's Smallest Deer

2009-08-19T14:09:00.007-04:00

During his field study in the Myanmar’s Hukawng Valley in 1997, an American zoologist, Alan Rabinowitz, discovered a new species of Cervid. Rabinowitz was examining what he thought was a young deer carcass of another species; however, after further review and DNA analysis, it was actually the carcass of an adult female. This new species is called a “Leaf Muntjac.” It is also referred to as a Leaf Deer, or Putao muntjac, and is a small species of muntjac.

Leaf muntjacs are found in dense forest habitats and eat mostly fruits. An adult leaf muntjac stands at just 20 inches high at the shoulder and weighs less than 25 pounds. Both the male and female have distinct canine tusks. The only thing that can separate the look of a male from a female are the un-branched antlers that are about 1 inch in height. The young muntjacs remain hidden after birth until they can move around with their mother. An unusual feature about this species is their offspring do not bear any spots. Local hunters called it the “leaf deer” because the body could be completely wrapped by a single large leaf. This species is the world’s smallest known deer. The leaf muntjac population has reduced considerably due to hunting.

Leaf deer are not to be confused with the Muntjac, also known as Barking Deer, which appeared 15-35 million years ago. They get the nickname "barking deer" because they make a deep, bark like sound as a warning if they sensed a predator nearby. Species of the Muntjac can be found from India and Sri Lanka to southern China, Taiwan, Japan, and Indonesian islands. Muntjac inhabits tropical regions.
They have no seasonal rut; therefore, mating can take place at any time of the year. Males have short antlers, which can re-grow, and they tend to fight for territory with their tusks. Tusks are unknown in British wild deer and can be discriminatory when trying to differentiate a Muntjac from an immature native deer. They have huge eyes, which allow them to see in the dark. There are eleven known sub-species of the Muntjac family.

Huntin My Way Out of a Flood

2009-08-12T14:35:00.003-04:00

I’m on the hunt and it’s not for whitetails. Bow season doesn’t open up here until September 12. I am on the prowl for camouflage pants with an inseam longer than 34 inches. I need at least a 36 inch inseam to reach my feet and to cover the tops of my boots. I have searched high and low for pants long enough for the upcoming hunting season. While it’s still warm enough outside, I can get by with the “almost long enough” pant because I just tuck them inside my snake boots. But whitetails are not the only animal I’m after. So I may not always be wearing snake boots and pants that are just not quite long enough are not a good look. No matter where you are.

Our local stores do not have much of a selection here on female hunting apparel. I guess the demand here isn’t that high, which I would have a hard time believing. I’m in the south and I have recently met a group of ladies who love to hunt and be in the outdoors. One of our local stores is a big, well known, chain and they only have ONE rack of hunting apparel for women! That ONE rack consists of pants, t-shirts, long sleeve shirts, jackets, overalls, and coveralls. Yes, I said ONE rack! The t-shirts seem to fit well; however, if I get the same size in the long sleeve shirt, the sleeves aren't long enough. They barely make it to my wrists. Why is that? And for the coveralls to be long enough, I have to put on an XL, which gives a decent length, but both my husband and I could fit in them. If one piece of clothing is long enough, it’s probably too big somewhere else. If it fits me everywhere else, then it’s probably way too short in length! Go figure!

Another option I have resorted to is buying the XL shirts in the little boy sizes. They fit my upper body and give a three-quarter length sleeve. OH! And it’s cheaper!! The length is good for in-between seasons when the temperatures are changing from one extreme to the next during the day. But if I need to wear men’s camouflage pants, it’s usually not a problem finding an inseam long enough…..or a crotch long enough. Men’s pants are higher wasted and baggier than what I am used to wearing.

The women’s pants I have bought I have had to take home, take the hem out completely to the fringe, and sew one straight hem line across the bottom to keep the fringe from coming unraveled any shorter. Needless to say, I hate to spend a lot of money on pants that I have to bring home and re-stitch myself. My wardrobe is a complete mix of patterns since I am not able to find pants long enough in one pattern that has a matching shirt.

Let me just say that I am not complaining of my height whatsoever. I wouldn’t trade it for nothing! I am just complaining that there are not camouflage pants that come in a “Tall” for women. If any readers out there know where I can hunt me down some long camouflage pants, I know you won’t hesitate to email me! I’m desperate for some long camouflage pants! (I have this same problem in jeans! LOL) It's dry here in GA and no signs of a flood!

What's in the cooler, hun?

2009-06-21T13:12:00.016-04:00

I came home from church only to find my husband, Phillip, in the front yard with the camera in hand, standing over a small cooler. He wasn't able to go to church with me that morning because of some family business he needed to take care of. Without him being at home, he would not have been able to witness this act.

I park the truck and get out to see what he's smiling about. As I slowly approach the cooler, he tells me he was on the phone talking with "maw" (his grandmother) when he looked out the kitchen window and saw something in the yard. He walked outside and eased closer to the mysterious creature. Suddenly he realized that it was a turtle digging in the ground! It was obviously a female burying her eggs. Phillip said she had somehow made the dirt muddy enough to dig up and throw behind her. Her eggs were placed in the hole and then she used her legs and covered the hole back up.

What amazed us both is that you can hardly tell where she dug the hole. She placed the grass and dirt back as if nothing had been there! When she was finished, the spot just sort of looked like a dry patch of grass. But it all blended in.

Phillip decided to put her in the cooler to keep her from venturing off into the road! He didn't want her to get ran over by a car and of course, he wanted to show her to me when I got home! I couldn't resist holding her and taking pictures with her!