Bro's does 2007

October 11 2007........I was set up on a ridge top with 100 acres of corn to the south and a creek and gully to the north. I new the deer were coming out of a thicket to the west and hitting a soybean field east of me. Just before last light, 2 yearling deer passed right under my stand. A few moments later and nice mature doe was heading on the same path. I arrowed her at 5 yards. She mule kicked and headed south into the corn, crashing all the way. My buddy Rick and my younger bro, Dan came out to help me. The hit looked great, as there was a spray job 4 corn rows wide. We found her about 60 yards away. Perfect heart shot.....A nice mature doe to get out of the herd. Doe management is very important in deer hunting. Not only does it keep the population in check, but also keeps the herd ratio in check. Michigan has a very skewed buck to doe ratio that is not healthy. An over-abundance of does, and the harvest of mainly young bucks can have a large impact on the herd in a bad way. This is evident in our Michigan herd vs Iowa or Illinois. We have the genetics and food to grow big bucks, however most hunters are trigger happy killing young bucks, yet passing a nice doe. Our thought process must change if we are to establish a healthier deer herd.

October 20 2007.....My younger bro, Dan, was perched 22 feet up in a tree with corn to the north and river bottoms to the south. Corn was now the food source of choice, as most of the beans were now picked. It was a perfect night for hunting. He arrowed this big doe at 15 yards. My son ,Hunter, and I were called to help him track her. We found her within 60 yards, my 6 year old son leading the way!! What a fun and exciting time for all of us!!!!

Here are a few of the many hundreds and hundreds of deer pics that I have for 2007. This was the first year that I put the camera out in the summer for velvet pics. I got a few good ones for the area that we hunt. Its amazing to watch the stages of the antler growing process. I only have one camera out most of the year, but I wish I had 25!!!! As usually, Hunter and I are taking scent precautions with the rubber boots and scent eliminator spray. If you start spooking these bucks now, you may push them to a new area and never get a chance to hunt them. You are invading their bedrooms, and they won't tolerate it. By trying to minimize your disturbance in their area, you have a much better chance at them later. The preparation starts in the summer, not October 1........

These are 2 trail camera pics that I got form behind my house in July of 07'. I never would of guessed that we had a pair of gray fox back there. I was very surprised......especially because they are day pics....Cool!!!!!

Here's a few pics of wood ducks that were taken by my trail camera in the spring of 07'. Not only do these ducks naturally nest here, but we also have approx 20 wood duck boxes that a buddy of mine maintains. He also bands the females off their nest for the USFWS. Needles to say, there are a bunch of birds that hang around here. So I attached my camera to a tree along the river that our farm owns up to. This area is like a back bayou off the main river. I run a "homebrew" camera that has a faster trigger speed, and better pic quality, than a commercial unit. This was my first attempt and they turned out pretty good. I have big plans for 2008 with this.....I want to get a pic of a banded bird, showing the band we put on......

Here's a couple of buddies from fall of 2006, Gary and Rick.....The top buck is a very typical 8 point with a 19" spread. Very nice buck for the area he hunts....buck of a lifetime. Gary arrowed that deer the last week of October one day ahead of us arriving at the cabin. There is was sitting by the window, waiting for us to show up. We walk in and he's just a grin'n......Then we notice that giant hanging in the back yard....Wow!!! Ricks buck came from the same area on opening day of gun season. I was hunting at our farm around home, and at dark, I see a truck drive on the property. Gary and Rick get out and said he killed a nice doe that morning and were dropping it off at the processors. I ramble on about my day, and finally ask to see the "doe". Punks, they got me......Big solid 8 pointer.....Way to go..... You have to remember that were we all hunt is heavily pressured, and most deer don't make it past 1.5 years. Lots of spikes, forks and basket 6 pts are killed every year. Only a few deer make it to maturity, and they are even harder to hunt. There may only be one or two days a year they are kill able. Most are totally nocturnal, and seldom move during daylight. Proper scent control, hunting the wind, keeping the pressure off, being quiet, are just a few of many areas that need to be addressed to kill a big boy. They are not STUPID!!!

Just a few random pics from the fall of 06'. Who doesn't like big buck rubs......and the thought of arrowing what made them. I had to throw in a pic of me on the way to my stand. The camera was set up over a scrape that my brothers 7 pt pic was taken at. The last 2 pics are a buck that was photographed when his velvet was just starting to peal off, and then again a few days later with a branch in his rack and hard horned.....pretty cool. Trail cameras are not only a great way to find what hangs out in your hunting area, but a great excuse to get in the woods........

November 2006

This is my son Hunter.....he his my pride and joy!!! I love it when he wants to tag along with me in the woods. We've been out together deer hunting, turkey hunting, spotting deer and setting out trail cameras. How proud of a dad I am to be able to share Gods woods with my son....This is time that is precious and humbling. I hope that as he grows we can strengthen our bond as father and son, as well as hunting buddies!!!!! Love ya lots, Bubba!!!

Younger Bro's Big Buck Down...

Sat. November 4 2006

This is my brother Dan, he also has a passion for bowhunting. I helped him haul this brute out of the river bottoms on our farm. This pig came in all rutted up, and he arrowed him at 5 yards, dropped him right there. I was at home and he called.......he was pumped up. I told him to relax, enjoy the time and not fall out of his stand, I would be on my way. Beautiful buck...way to go!!! Unbeknowst to me at the time I had a pic of this buck on a trail camera 3 days earlier!!!

October 1 2006....Opening day of Michigan's archery season. I hunted with my brother Dan at our family farm. It was a Sunday I will never forget. The sun was out. It was 55 degrees with a 5mph SSW wind. I debated were to hang that night pacing on the ridge top. Finally I settled in 22 ft up in a 10" tree on the west side of the farm. I had soybeans up the hill to the north, and thick river bottoms that went for miles to the south and west. I knew they were hitting the bean field hard this time of year......7:15pm a basket 6 pt came through the thicket within 5 yards to the west of me.....I let him go up the hill to the beans. Wow, first buck of the year!!! 7:40 pm another deer from the thicket....Big Buck!! He came to the base of my tree and looked up at me!!!!! I remained calm, drew, and shot straight down between his shoulder blades...After a 1 hr wait we started to track with our flashlights. We stopped at the ridgetop and said a prayer. It was on....Dan and and I found him after 10 minutes. Amen, thank you Lord.......10 points with kickers!!!! A very exciting day in the woods!!!!

Turkey season 2006....My good friend, Rick, guided me on this hunt behind his house. He had roosted the birds the night before. Daybreak came and the birds hit the ground about 150 yards away from us. After some sweet talk'n to them they spotted my decoys....it was on!!! 2 Toms came a runnin' at my jake decoy. They wanted to show my deke who was boss....Unfortunately for them, my Rem 870 12 gauge is the boss!! First turkey, what fun. We celebrated by golfing 9 holes!!! Thanks Rick