2003 Deer Hunt - A Bowhunt In Progress

During the 2003 Deer Season I used & evaluated the following equipment: Grim Reaper Broadheads | BowTech Pro 40 
Fine-Line Bowquiver |   

Bowhunting With Zan Christensen
A Four Day Late Season Bowhunt from January 2 thru the 5th. 

An action packed 4 days of bowhunting with Zan Christensen (Zano) in the San Antonio suburbs. Big bucks, good company and deerhunting done right. We got into the "Warrior Buck", the "Blurry Buck", the "El Toro Buck", the "Windy Meadow Buck", and "Big Boy". To The Hunt...

Back To Bowhunt With Billy Don
by Tony Dukes 

Tony Dukes returns to bowhunt Billy Don Van Cleave's Wild Horse Prairie Ranch on New Year's day and huntsthru Jan 4. Here are some big buck pics and the eventful daily hunt logs. TO THE HUNT...

Bowhunting At Home
Dec 30, Morning - 24 degree and all is well ...
Wild turkeys were gobbling and talking at daybreak. 
At good light 2 does came along the fence on my side. I'm ready to shoot another doe but I like to let the first deer that I see pass on through. It puts "safe" scent in the area for other deer. So let them through I did.

Next the sixer from yesterday came up and stopped and looked back. I took a pic of it and noticed another deer's shoulder in the brush. It stepped into the open and the sun shown on it's antlers. A 1 1/2 year old with a nice 8-pt rack. Three more years and this nice buck should be a real bomber.

A big flock of wild turkeys came in without a sound and I spotted one with a long beard. They milled around everywhere and I couldn't find the longbeard, several of them drank in my small homemade water hole and others picked around and I got this pic of some. Then the birds started leaving. I saw the longbeard and drew. They were bunched up and, not wanting to risk shooting some hens, I had to let down.
Right then two does walked into the group of turkeys. The does turned in my direction. I moved out of the Double Bull's shooting window and drew. Just a minute ago I drew and my without a sound. But this time my arrow rest made a metallic sound. The closest doe got jittery and backed up. Then they left.

A doe with two fawns walked down the fence in front of me. Then a second group of wild turkeys came through and walked under the fence and disappeared on the opposite side. There were some very young, undeveloped jakes, so I passed them by. A button buck and two doe fawns came from the other side and walked in front of me. A longhead doe was with them but it went behind me. Two more does appeared in the distance but didn't come my way.

The Duck and his brother Paul arrived. Duck saw a good 8-pt but passed because it had short brow tines.

Mid Day: I checked my arrow rest and the Muff material that I put on the fins had come off of one, which accounts for the noise when I drew. I use a Bodoodle Zapper so I removed the material form all 3 fins and applied nice, quiet, soft, new Muffs to the fins. 

Afternoon: The wind began blowing hard and nothing happened at the Point. The Duck saw 3 does enter the oat field at last light. Paul zipped.

Dec 29, Morning - Back At The Point
Nothing moved until after 9:00 when 3 does came down the opposite side of the fence. I was ready but I didn't get a shot. 
Afternoon: At 1:30 I was back in my Double Bull blind at the Point. No turkeys came through today but I saw 15 deer. A sixer drank water 3 yards from me. I tried to get a picture but my camera battery went on the fritz. Later a doe came toward the water. I drew when it was 12 yards from me. The doe co-operated nicely and turned broadside. I put my sight pin on the right "spot" and released. The arrow went over the deer! At dark I found my arrow, it was sticking in a steel pole on the gate. That Grim Reaper is a tough broadhead. 
Back at home I turned on the outdoor lights and shot and arrow at my target. Ten inches high! The next three arrows did the same. I reset the sight and am back on target. All this traveling can be tough on the equipment.

Dec 28, Morning - One Double Beard Wild Turkey To Go Please! - I zipped at the Hammer Hole but saw a bunch of wild turkeys near the Point when I drove to pick up Timm. He had a good morning. First he saw a wide 8-point that was dogging a doe through his section of woods, they didn't get close enough. Later a 6-pt with an injured foot bedded down within sight. Then Timm saw two does coming toward his stand. Things were looking good until I drove up and spooked them.
Mid Day: Timm helped me set up my Double Bull ground blind at the Point. 
Afternoon: Timm hunted the Hammer Hole. A bunch of wild hogs came in but they smelled him and spooked. At dark he got down and on the way to the truck Timm walked into a bunch of wild hogs, they grunted and thrashed around and Timm kept right on walking.
At the Point, I had been in the Double Bull 10 minutes when the white hen group orf wild turkeys came in to my water hole. Birds surrounded my blind and I spotted two gobblers with 5-inch beards. I got ready and then noticed a longbeard gobbler with a double beard. It was on the opposite side of the fence at the Point and I didn't want to shoot through the fence so I waited. The longbeard didn't cross to my side and all the birds left in the direction of the river. Twenty minutes later another group came, this one was mainly jakes and some had visible beards. Then, back in the woods, I saw a fan ... and another. Five longbeard Toms were coming but they didn't cross the fence to my side. (Here's a pic of 3.)
As times passed I saw 5 does and 1 black boar. They were close but not close enough.

Dec 27, Morning - I dropped Timm off at T.E.'s Folly and I went to the river. At daybreak the wild turkeys spoke up. Their beautiful music filled the air amd continued as dozens of them flew down and gathered up their groups. I saw a bunch but no gobblers came close. Timm saw a doe and a yearling and the doe pegged him when he tried to draw. 
Mid Day: We set two new stands, one at the Point and a 2nd at the Slew Hole. And we saw 2 bucks at the Point. 
Afternoon: Timm hunted at the Point. He saw the group of wild turkeys that has the white hen, he counted 48 of them. They passed by 65 yards away. I zipped at Shoemaker's Fence.

Dec 26, Afternoon - I just dropped Timm Getts off at the Point. We saw two large flocks of wild turkeys on the way out. A gobbler was strutting around, showing off. Now I'm gonna take a shower and decide where to hunt.
After The Hunt: - Timm saw dozens of wild turkey for most of the afternoon but not close enough for a shot. A big wild boar, a black one weighing 250 pounds or more, walked by on a trail 15 yards uphill from my stand. It had it's nose to the ground and was trailing something. Trees and limbs were in the way of a shot. Just before dark some hogs smelt me and spooked. My clothes are in the washer right now. Timm and I ate nachos and other good stuff at Ortega's Mexican Restaurant in Hamilton. (If you go there tell Debbie that Robert sent ya.) 

Trophy Whitetail Bowhunt with 
Billy Don Van Cleave
To The Hunt Home Page

Two bucks from the hunt.

What A Hunt!
On Nov 19-21 Tony Dukes and I both had thrilling bowhunts with Billy Don Van Cleave. His 7,500 acre Wild Horse Prairie Ranch by Burnet Texas has definitely got the "mucho grandes" type bucks. Day #1 got off to a big buck start and put me on 5 bombers. Tony Dukes changed his stand until he found the buck he has been looking for this season, he got a little surprise too, a mountain lion at 3 yards! Check the hunt on its Home Page..

Dec 13 - Saturday: (Morning)  At sunrise I was just about to the river stand ground blind when I surprised a big bodied buck. It jumped the fence into the adjacent field and stopped. I stayed behind cover and got in the blind. At better light a buck came up on the right side of the blind and stopped 5 yards away. It was large but had a narrow 6-pt rack. As I reached for my camera a flock of wild turkeys walked out of the woods to the West. They boldly walked right past the buck. He got visibly nervous and moved on as did the turkeys. Fifteen minutes later the hunt turned to "All Good."  To The Hunt

Are Wild Turkeys Out When It Rains?
Dec 12 - Friday: The weather was mid 30's and overcast with frequent rain showers all day. On the morning hunt I saw a black wild hog on a nearby trail. When it was 15 yards, but still in the brush, it smelled me and retreated. The afternoon hunt and pics were way better. NEXT

Dec 11 - Thursday: The moon is full, the rut is over and all the deer are laid up during the day. Didn't see a deer today. I'm switching to wild turkey hunting for a few days until the deer get off the noctournal kick.

Dec 10 - Wednesday Afternoon: A lone doe was on the scene this afternoon. When I got in my truck and turned around I saw a bomber, a real Big Boy buck. He just stepped back into the shadows and let me drive away.
Dec 9 - Tuesday Afternoon: High winds, the air was full of clouds of swirling sand much of the day. I hunted in the afternoon and the temp dropped 20 degrees. No deer but I saw a huge flock of wild turkeys in a cedar break.

Dec 8 - Monday Afternoon: A full moon again. It's in sight before sunset too. I hunted Shoemaker's Fence and heard a big wild hog commotion. Didn't see them. No deer either. BUT I did have a surprise visitor trot by, at 8-10 yards, the big gray fox that kills the kittens of my mouser cat, litter after litter.

Sunday Afternoon: I hunted at December Tree this morning and afternoon. There was no activity at the scrape. 

Saturday Afternoon: I saw one doe. It is full moon time again.

Friday: Broken Tine Buck ... Again
Afternoon: At Showmaker's Fence I had 3 does come in close, two were mature longheads. The "broken tine" buck (see below) approached them when I first saw them. He was way bigger and heavier than they were! That got me thinking that if he came into range I outta put my tag on him. But he kept his distance. 
Morning: At the Point this morning I saw over 20 deer on the travel trails that are too far away for a shot. The temperature was droping fastt and it put the deer on the go. This afternoon I'm hunting at Shoemaker's Fence.

Thursday: Nice crisp, cool morning. Pleasant afternoon. I heard a lot of wild turkeys but didn't get any hunting action of the deer or turkey kind.

Wednesday Afternoon: The instant I saw the buck in the trees and noticed its stiff legged walk and  the width of what I could see of the antlers I hooked my release to my bow's string loup. As he stepped clear of the brush I got a clearer look at the rack. Four points on the right side and two on the left!  He put the pressure on me too, he walked up close to my Double Bull blind. Then I saw the deal, he has a broken brow tine on the right and two broken points on the left. Quietly, I sat my bow down and got my camera. Here are 3 pics of the Broken Tine Buck. When I first saw him and the low sun angle lit his face up. Next when he was standing very close by. And last, several minutes later when he was looking around. 

Tuesday Afternoon: I had web site business stuff to do most of the day but made it out late so I went to the river and got in my Double Bull blind. I saw one group of jakes and heard several fly up about 100 yards away. On the way to my truck I stopped on a hill and glassed the big trees along the river. Wild turkeys were roosted all over the place in those trees.

Mr. Big Stuff!
This time of year if you see a large, dominant buck like this big 10 point you can never count on ever seeing it again. But you might, it can happen. We'll see.

Monday Afternoon: Two does and a sixer came to the December Tree scrape. Mr. Big Stuff didn't show today.

Sunday - Mr. Big Stuff!
Sunday afternoon I sat in a stand on the hillside above December Tree's scrape. It had visitors; 5 does, a couple of young bucks and ... Mr. Big Stuff -- the wide and tall 10 point that I wasn't able to get a pic of before season. I didn't grunt or call, I have a stand near the scrape and I'll be there all this week.

This deerhunt looks like a hog hunt!
The last few days when we go out to a deer stand we see more wild hogs than deer. 

Thanksgiving Weekend 2003
Bryant Gets A Double Header
Afternoon:  Twenty minutes after Bryant Askew sat down in his tripod seat by the middle pond 4 wild boars appeared on a nearby cross trail. They were all the same size so he picked the one with the best broadside shot angle. His arrow went through the ribs and the hog ran back down the trail and fell down in 50 yards. Two hours later he saw another group of hogs  coming. To Bryant's Hunt...
Morning:  23 degrees this morning! Pretty cold. John and I zipped. Emily saw three flocks of wild turkeys. Bryant saw turkeys and a distant doe. 
November 28, 2003 - Right place -- Right time!
John Askew settled into his tripod deer stand at the bottom of the Rock Ledge area. Soon a 9-point walked by on the woods trail near John's stand. He was a nice 2 1/2 year old but John wanted an older buck. Later 9 wild hogs came down hill to the trail. John drew, aimed and shot the lead hog. It grunted one time and dropped on the spot. TO John's Pic & Hunt. He walked back to camp and we recovered the hog and took this pic. His daughter Emily sat at the Point and saw 40 wild turkeys and several deer. John's son Bryant hunted the back and saw some does and a young 8-point. 

Nov 24: Deerhunt Turns Into Wild Hog Hunt
I was driving out to deer hunt and a group of hogs crossed the farm road a good ways ahead of me. I parked. I didn't have my camo on yet but I didn't take time to put it on. I scooted along after the hogs in a black T-shirt and jeans. They stopped regularly so I caught up with them pretty soon. To The Hunt

Bowhunting The Ohio Rut With Crabby

Dennis Crabtree with his 2003 Ohio buck. 
Nov 12-20: Our 10 day online coverage of the November bowhunt during the Ohio rut. Photos and logs: 2003 Ohio Bowhunt.

Nov 10 - Afternoon: A lone doe walked down the fence line and doddled around about 12 yards away from my Double Bull blind. I took a pic of the doe. and since it was by itself, and it wouldn't spook any deer, I had the perfect opportunity to harvest a mature doe. I drew, put my pin on the deer's vital area, and touched the trigger on my release. The doe jumped in the air and ran down the fenceline and jumped the fence. My shot was right on and I was sure the doe was down already. I didn't blood trail, instead I walked along the fence looking for it. No doe was in sight so I circled through the woods. Nothing. So I went back to the fence and crossed it. The doe was laying 10 yards from the fence in a shallow ditch and had been our of sight. After tagging and field dressing it I hung the doe up with a Hang Em' High hoist from Rope Ratchet and let it cool down overnight. 

Nov 9 - Afternoon: Still overcast and drizzly. Another perfect "deer" afternoon. A young buck was the first deer through my area. Later on an 8-pt showed up. 
Nov 7 - Afternoon: Very overcast and occasional light drizzle. A perfect afternoon. I hunted the Rolled Wire and saw 5 does and did the "yes" and "no" thing when an impressive 8-pt walked under me. But I settled with "no".

Tony Dukes Bowhunting Report From Sweetwater Creek Bowhunting Ranch
Tony bowhunts with Tyge Floyd, of Texasoutdoorsman.com and reports in about their 2 1/2 day hunt. To Tony's Bowhunt Report

Bowhunting Missouri Bucks With "Possum"
Tony Dukes & I bowhunted deer at Possum's Trading Post Outfitters.  To the hunt Home Page:

Trophy Bucks In North East Missouri
Pictures from Possum's Trading Post Outfitters trophy photo book. The pic above is Jamie Anders and his Missouri bomber. GO
Possum took us on a tour of local area big bucks. I gotta say these deer are a must see. This area in Missouri is trophy country. Buck Pics

An Interview With "Possum"
I interview the man with his finger on the pulse of those famous North East Missouri Big Bucks. GO

Deerhunting With Keith Warren

Keith Warren invited me to bowhunt on his TV show. We hunted Hidden Valley Ranch and saw lots of mature bucks and took some fine deer pics. We hunted too, and it was all good. Mark Denman videoed. Warren Hunt Home Page

Oct 16 - Day 20 - Rick's Birthday Hog
Morning Hunt: Crash, in the dark a group of wild hogs startled Rick Philippi as he made his way to his stand this morning. The hogs left. Rick waited and after good daylight came he heard more hogs. They appeared on a nearby trail. Rick drew and put an arrow through the vitals of the largest hog. To Rick's Hunt Pic. Meanwhile the Duck saw several does at Myron''s Corner.
Afternoon Hunt: The Duck & I saw does. Rick saw a mature, big bodied, heavy racked 8-pt. It walked by 8 yards away, directly down wind, (the Scent Loc suit really works) but Rick passed. 

Oct 15 - Day 19
The Duck, Rick Philippi and I hunted today. We all saw deer but no mature bucks.

So How Is Steve Bartylla Doing This Season?
I'm sure you're wondering if Deerhuinting.net Q&A answer man and outdoor writer Steve Bartylla is getting any whitetail action this season. Steve's Wisconsin Bowhunt

Oct 14 - Day 18
I hunted the Rolled Wire (no deer seen) and Shoemaker's fence (3 does). The Duck went to the Canyon (lots of wild turkeys) and the Dry Up Pond (2 bucks and 2 does). 

Oct 13 - Day 17 - Buck Fight
October 13: Early in the afternoon Donald Duck heard a buck fight in the brush behind him. The noise stopped and deer came toward him. Two bucks and a doe appeared. One of the bucks stopped in front of Don's stand and smelt the ground where Don had laid a scent trail with his drag. Then the two bucks commenced sparing, but they were out of sight again. They shoved one another back and forth for a long time. Finally they worked their way around in front of Don and he took these pictures.

Oct 12 - Day 16 - The Duck Takes A Walk
The Duck watched as a doe came into view in the brush 15 yards to his right. Behind it he saw antlers, nice ones. But not the set he saw yesterday. (That Buck.) Don raised his camera and took a few pictures. Later at camp when we looked at them I recognized the June buck. I hunted December Tree and saw nothing. John Askew came down and he didn't see any deer until dark. Here is the buck Don Saw.

Oct 11 - Day 15 - A Big One
Morning Hunt: The Duck & I both zipped. 
Afternoon Hunt: 4 flocks of wild turkeys came through my area at the Point. The Duck again saw 3 mature bucks at last light. He took pics of them and 2 of these bucks are looking good. Check Out The Bucks Here.

Oct 10 - Day 14
Morning Hunt: The Duck took pictures of wild turkey and deer, does and a young buck, near the Dry Up pond.
Afternoon Hunt: Early in the afternoon 2 does cruised through my area. Later, as the sun neared the horizon, 5 does came from the South. One doe walked right up to my blind. Then a lone Spike buck checked them out. One of the older does walked up to him and stood in front of him. I got pictures of it, here are the best of today's deer pics. The Duck saw 3 mature bucks. One was a bomber 10. But daylight faded before it was in range and he didn't shoot.

Oct 9 - Day 13
Day's Hunt: Rick Philippi hunted the Casablanca and river stands. He saw a couple of does and 2 flocks of wild turkey hens. The Duck saw a doe at the dry tank. I zipped.

Oct 7 - Day 11
Morning: Roger saw 10 deer. He got a shot at a big doe ... but missed. I zipped.
Afternoon Hunt: June's Biggest Buck Comes on Down
The June buck walked out of the woods and came to me like I had him on a string. He really put me to the test but I passed. He will really be something special the next few years and I am still wanting to see one of the 10 points. Here are the pics. Later on the Spike waunder through and stoopped to work a scrape on the wood's edge.
Roger saw 2 does this afternoon. This is his last day to hunt.
Rick Philippi and Donald Duck will be down to hunt tomorrow. 

So, How Is Doug Crabtree Doing This Bow Season?
Without a doubt I;m sure you are wondering what kind of season my Grand Slam wild turkey hunting bud Doug Crabtree is having this year. And, judging from the picture you can safely conclude he is having a great one. Here is the story about how he located this buck, scouted it and put himself in the right place on opening morning. To Doug's Hunt...

Oct 6 - Day 10
Morning: These 3 words cover the morning hunt ... rain, thunder and lightning. The wrong recipe for hunting in treestands. 
Afternoon Hunt: Roger saw 4 does in the December Tree area. A Spike came into my area and chased after two does who came up (separately). Three others appeared on the hill he went after them. The lead doe intercepted him and routed his horny self out of the area.

Oct 5 - Day 9
Morning: Roger hunted the December Tree area and saw a doe urinate under the tree. That's means rut activity is beginning right now. He also saw a llarge black hog. No shots though. I saw one doe.
Afternoon Hunt: Roger and I passed several deer driving to our stands but didn't see any while hunting.

Oct 4 - Day 8
Morning: No deer sightings this morning.
Afternoon Hunt: Roger hunted the Hammer Hole and saw a buck in the nearby trees. Wild hogs came into the area. Several young pigs crossed close to Roger. A large hog stopped in the brush and waited several minutes before shorting loudly and calling back the young pigs. The all left. I zipped this afternoon.

Oct 3 - Day 7
Morning:  At the Treesuit stand a bunch of wild hogs walked close to my tree. I didn't want to shoot and risk spooking deer that might possibly be in the area, I should have. The rats went to my food plot and dug up a 20 yard square of peas and oats. The Duck saw 2 does and a flock of wild turkeys. Robbie saw 2 bucks and 4 does. After the hunt the Duck set up a bow he used to shoot so Roger could shot it.
Afternoon Hunt: Robbie went to the bottom of the Canyon at 1:30. I took Roger to the December Tree area. The Duck went to the Dry Tank. Robbie saw 2 bucks and 4 does. Roger saw 3 bomber bucks out of bow range. I saw 9 does, a spike and the long tined 6-pt that has been hanging around.

Oct 2 - Day 6
Morning: I drove to the airport and picked Roger Mullins up there. He had sent his bow & arrows via UPS but the package did not arrive yet so he could not hunt today.

Afternoon Hunt: I hunted with the Treesuit in a tree that is right where Big Boy came from. No deer showed today. The Duck had a big group of wild hogs circle his area. One walked up underneath his tree. A mistake, a well placed shot, almost straight down, and he got turned into pork chops. GO

Sept 30 - Day 5: 
Day 5 - Big Boy!
Afternoon Hunt: The 6-pt with the high rack and long tines was the first deer I saw. Later 4 does came to the food plot. Daylight faded as 5 mature bucks entered the area. One was a huge 9 or 10 with a wide, tall, heavy rack. It locked horns and fought with a buck. Every buck was within bow range but there wasn't enough light for a sure shot. Still, it was all good -- just seeing these fine bucks this afternoon.

Morning Hunt: A Bomber 10 Point:  He came out of the gulch to my left, his tail was up and he was trying to cut off a doe. She ran behind me and he zipped by in front, right through my shooting lane, but too fast for a shot. The biggest buck I've seen all year. Ten points on a light colored, almost ivory rack.

Sept 29 - Day 4
Afternoon Hunt: 5 does got close to me the last half hour of daylight. A buck watched them from the woods as dark thirty came.
Morning Hunt:  The Duck and Paul left this morning. I set my alarm for PM instead of AM and consequently didn't wake up.
Sept 28 - Day 3
Afternoon Hunt: A young buck walked by the Duck's stand at the Canyon. Paul saw 2 flocks of wild turkeys. I zipped.
Morning Hunt:  Turkeys flew down nearby at the Duck's stand by the dam. Paul and I zipped. Returning to camp they saw wild hogs and stalked them. Paul got a shot at a 300 pounder but missed.
Sept 28 - Day 2
Afternoon Hunt: Pics Too
No deer sightings for the Duck and Paul. I was in the thick of it and got deer pictures of them including 2 of of the bucks I saw. A bomber 8-pt buck came in at last light. I didn't shoot.
Morning Hunt:  The 3 of us saw exactly no deer. Paul had hogs come through Myron's Corner but when one was a couple of steps from getting shot it smelled him and they retreated. The Duck saw a group of 15 wild turkeys at the Canyon. I zipped.
Sept 27 - Opening Day
Afternoon Hunt: The Duck hunted the Dry Tank and saw more turkeys. Paul saw a wild hog at Myron's Corner. Neither saw any deer. I hunted the treestand on the far south side of my food plot. A dozen plus deer hung out on the north side. Two 8-pts, the June Buck 9-pt. Then a bomber buck with a bigger body, and a wider and higher rack chased off the bucks. It was hard to tell because of the brush but through my binoculars I counted 10 points. 
Morning Hunt: The impossible happened this morning. The Duck and his brother Paul are down. No one saw any deer this morning. The rancher is planting oats in the fields right now and that might have had something to do with it since we were all in adjacent areas. The Duck had 3 flocks of wild turkeys work through his stand area, so that was a good thing. After the hunt we ate at the Red Barn Restaurant. We'll see what happens this afternoon.
 

2001 Scouting Pictues: 
June - September
The pictures and logs of the 5 months of scouting I did for this buck -- see pictures of him and many other bucks and deer Click Here.