Trad Gang

Just got in from the woods (10PM). Killed the biggest buck I have ever killed with a bow. Shot it with my osage bow from a ground blind. Pictures and story to follow tomorrow.

Congrats Eric! Thats doin it the hard way!

you tease haha....Congrats, can't wait for the story and pics!

Good Stuff Eric,looking forward for the pics.

Congrats Eric!  :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:   Can't wait to see the pics.

:thumbsup:  Looking fordward to the story and pics...congrats.

Congrats Eric, Looking forward to the pic's and story.  :thumbsup:

Congratulations Eric!    :thumbsup:  

God Bless!

Jim

Way to go! Looking forward to pics and a story!

Congrats!!! Looking forward to pics and details.

Atta boy, Eric! Doin' it right in 'Bama!

way to go Eric!!!!! can't wait for the story nd pic's!!!!!!

Congrats!!  :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:

Hey it's tomorrow...wheres the story and pics? LOL

Super congrats Eric     :thumbsup:      :notworthy:

Excellent....as good as it gets

I'm with Ferret tho...it is tommorrow you know  :bigsmyl:    :thumbsup:

Yeah BABY!!!! Don't ya just love hunting from the ground? I know I do. Congrats and waiting for pics.<><

CONGRATS!!!!!!   :bigsmyl:

Bless your heart. Congrats and bring it on, Eric!

Is it "tomorrow" yet?   :D

:thumbsup:  Way to go!!!   :thumbsup:

It is Frank, lets go wake him up!

Way to go Eric.

Congrat's Eric!  :thumbsup:   Looking forward to the rest of the story and of course, the pic's.

Well done sir, well done!

Cool Eric!  Pics, pics, story story story.....


 :bigsmyl:


David

Wow...all smiles here.  :D  ..congrats Eric  :thumbsup:

He must be out trying to stick another one. Let's see them pic's.

I'd be happy for him if I wasn't so dang jealous!!  :D

Way to go!  Let's see it and hear about...  C'mon, rise and shine, you're burnin' daylight!

where is that boy?  It's morning in Texas, so it's morning everywhere.

Mike

Eric...................

(tinc, tinc, tinc)

Aaaaa  hello. Is this thing on?


Come on Eric, didn't you know sleep was way overrated?  :scared:    :scared:    :scared:
wake up!

Eric, time to get up. I know if ya been huntin' hard it is nice to sleep in, but this is just wrong!! Ya killin' us!!! Shawn

SWWEEET ERIC,
It's good to read a Bama boy did so well. Congrats!!   :bigsmyl:   Now where's the rest of the story?

Congrats!  Waiting..................   :)

Congrats Eric, put the coffee down and start tickling those keys!!!!!!!!  :bigsmyl:    :bigsmyl:

Alright, who's got Erics number give him a call and get him up. I cant wait!

Congrats Eric

And waiting, and waiting, and waiting.....

Congrats Eric! Now get your butt outa bed and post the story and pics!! Looking forward to it along with eveyone else on this site.

Congratulations, Eric.  Way to go.
 :smileystooges:

The deer is still on my truck so I haven't taken proper pictures yet. But to start the story....

I guess you all have noticed my whining and complaining about my back lately and that I have built more ground blinds to keep from carrying my treestand. I found a small isolated hollow on a local management area completely surrounded by 10ft pines and impenetrable briars. I found a point where the hollow pinched down to make a perfect funnel about 20yds wide and built a ground blind about 15 yds from dropping oaks and a major trail.

I took this picture of my blind to add to my "poor man's doublebull" thread but never got round to it. Leaves were green when I took the picture but are all on the ground now. I spruced up my blind with beech limbs that still had dead leaves on them yesterday.

  (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v181/ekrewson/hunting%20stuff/buckblind1.jpg)

This is a shot out of one of my shooting holes. The steep slope of the hollow is 15 yds away. with the short pines about 30 yds away. What a funnel!

 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v181/ekrewson/hunting%20stuff/buckblind2.jpg)

You tease!  Seriously though, congrats and it sounds like you found a perfect ambush spot.

I bow hunted this place twice before. The first time I had two does about 15 yds away one the side of the slope That I drew on but didn't drop the string because this hollow is deep and I doubted if I could get one out with my back problems.

The next time I hunted the hollow I didn't see anything but it turned out that a pack of coyotes was bedded about 200yds up the hollow and started their nightly howling ritual about dark.

After my last trip in I took my pruning shears and chain saw and cut a 4 wheeler trail across the land we lease that borders the mgt area to the mgt area line so I could use power to get anything I killed out of the deep, steep hollow I was hunting. Four wheelers are not allowed on the mgt area.

You Dawg ..teasing us like this...congratulations Eric can't wait to see the pics....gut

Way to go Eric!  Looking forward to the rest of the story and the pic.

nice blinds eric.wheres the big boy.

Eric, congrats! was that ur bow in the pic...Im happy for ya buddy..mark#78

Way to go bud.

Stan

I know your selfbows are second to nobody's. Can't wait to see what it did for you!

Congrats man! Now, get on with the story and pics... you are going to give me a coronary!

Kevin.

Nice, but come on man!!! Shawn

Now common Eric, quite teasing and let's see him.

(http://www.ezphotoshed.com/users/chrisw8658/photos/1132505321-1.gif)

Cogratulations Eric!  But come on man - time's a wastin'!

Good deal Eric! Now the story.....

gheeez, I wonder if he is gettin all the subtle hints to show some pics of the whopper?

It is getting to the point where I just want the pic. I say we all and I mean everyone PM him at 11:30 est. and maybe he will get on with this thing!(LOL!!) Shawn

That is a nice buck Eric, congrats.


Stan

So far this is really starting to sound good.  I like it that you were thinking ahead with the four wheeler and all.

What's really cools is that I remember your thread about the ground blinds and this just seems to be the happy ending to a thread you started some time ago.

Let's hear more.

Stan,

Have you seen somethign we haven't?

Mike

This thread is cruel.  Especially since some of you seem to have telepathic powers.

ben

Just took the pictures, took the deer to the processor and have to go get a back therapy treatment.I will have the rest of the story in an hour or so.

Take yo vicadin and get ta typin!!!

You know those of us that ain't hunted in a spell need a little therapy too!!

A picture or two would be a kind thing also!

Hurry back or we will all need therapy.  :D

Hey Eric, you don't have to reveal any secrets but are you hunting the "River" side of the mgt. area or the Manbone side?
Ken

I have been sitting at my computer so long, now my back is hurting!

Eric, you're killing me here!!!

Well I have been checking this thread all day long..we are fixin to leave and I will have to wait till Mon..Thanks Eric..LOL.....gut

Wingnut, yep.

Stan

nothing yet?

Back to the story.

I needed a north wind to hunt this hollow located on Lauderdale Mgt Area in N/W Bama. The area is bow hunting only except for a total of about two weeks of gun hunting divided into three two day gun hunts and a week long gun hunt in Jan. If one bow hunts this mgt area after gun season starts you have around 14000 acres to yourself most of the time. Two thirds of the area is covered with young pines and impenetrable briars. When they clear cut the land they did leave some hardwood hollows, now hidden for the most part by the pines. The area is foot traffic only except for established main roads which eliminates all but us hard core bowhunters. There are dozens of food plots on the area but I never hunt them, preferring deep woods instead.

Yesterday the wind blew out of the north. I hadn't been to my hidden hollow in weeks so loaded the truck and headed in that direction.

I parked just off the paved road and made a 1/2 mile round about trip to the hollow to keep from disturbing the bedding area between the hollow and my truck. I walked in like a deer, skipping on my tip toes for several steps then stopping for a minute or so. I knew the deer were bedded close so I wanted them to think I was just another of their group.

Loggers were working a stand of pines about 1/4 mile away when I reached my blind. The noise from their skidders and saws was so loud I couldn't hear very well but I knew deer didn't pay much attention to their operation. At 4:00 the loggers knocked off work for the day. The hollow became still and very quiet.

The squirrels became active in the hollow and as I turned to look at the latest squirrel movement I saw a deer at the edge of the pines about 75yds away, next I see horns and think" at least I got to see a buck". He stepped out of the pines and I could tell he was a pretty good deer but doubted if he would head my way.

He started walking down the slope and turned in my direction. Again my thoughts were that he couldn't possibly come my way, but he did. He was walking with a purpose and I now could see he was going to pass through the funnel in front of my blind. The bucks path was from the top left corner of this picture to the bottom right.

 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v181/ekrewson/hunting%20stuff/buckblind2.jpg)

I had my bow up when he entered the clear area in front of my blind but he was quartering to me and I didn't shoot. I started my draw as he stepped out from behing the closest white oak at 8yds but his leg was back and I waited until he took another step. This was an auto pilot shot, gone before I had time to think.

I could see my arrow buried to the fletching in his midsection, a little further back than I would have liked but a liver hit for sure. He whorled and ran back the direction he had come from. I could see the broadhead on the off side. He ran about 50yds and stopped. I was repeating the mantra" go ahead and fall, go ahead and fall" but he didn't and walked slowly down the hollow and out of sight.

After about 5 minutes I heard loud sliding in the leaves in the direction he had walked and thought he was down. Having lost one deer by pushing it too soon I decided to back out using my deer step walking method and give him some time. As I crossed where he had run on my way out of the hollow I found a heavy trail of dark blood.

I jumped a deer about 40 yds from where I had last seen him and started to have second thoughts about my hit then heard more down deer sounds in the direction he walked.I walked directly away from him and back to my truck, planning on a two hour wait before I came back.

When I got back to the hunting camp there were three guys there planning to drive to a nearby cafe for supper so I went with them to kill time. I was torn between giving the deer time and going after it. This area is saturated with coyotes and they waste no time in closing in on a fresh kill.

Two and a half hours later I am back in the hollow following the blood trail, the guys are waiting at their truck to help me if I need it. The blood trail is easy then gets sparse, I cover 50 more yds and the blood trail stops. I get that sinking feeling we all know too well when the blood stops. I shine my light ahead and see him lying dead at the edge of a small creek,not 20 yds from my newly cut 4 wheeler trail. What a relief.

It took several of us to get him on my four wheeler later but he was too big for my Honda to get him up the worst hill. One of the guys had a 500cc 4X4 so he brought it back to bring the deer up to the trucks.

My hit appeared to get one lung and the liver so he was still quartering slightly to me when I shot. I was shooting a 60# osage bow and 530 grain chundo arrow tipped with a Zwicky delta broadhead.

This morning I took a bunch of pictures and donated most of this magnificent animal to Hunters feeding the Hungry, a program that supplies ground deer to local food banks.

Hope I didn't bore you all with the long story. Here he is. The sun has just come up and is making me squint a bit.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v181/ekrewson/hunting%20stuff/bigbuckbest2.jpg)

This is a lousy shot but shows how big his body is on a 300 Honda. This is a big deer for N/W Bama

      (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v181/ekrewson/hunting%20stuff/buck4wheeler.jpg)

NICE ONE. ERIC.
jeffro

that is awesome!!!!

Way to go Eric!!!

Wow thats a great deer!  Congratulations and thanks for the story.  I've done the "deer walk" thing myself, read about it in Stalking and Still-Hunting by Asbell and thought it sounded like a good idea.

Edited to add:  I've been clicking on this thread all day, gotta say it was worth the wait.

MAN,THATS A NICE ONE.congrat on the buck.i hope he is going on the wall.and the story was well worth the wait.john

Congrats.  Great story and great buck.  :thumbsup:

Beautiful buck Eric. My sincerest congratulations, taken the hard way with primitive equipment it is a trophy in spite of it's huge rack.   :bigsmyl:

Super animal!

Great Deer Eric. And with a Self Bow.

Superb!

Great story and an even better deer!!! Congtratulations Eric.

:thumbsup:  Awesome deer! Congrats.

Kevin.

Good Job!! Congrats.    :thumbsup:

Way to go Eric!!!!

Thanks for sharing the story and pics.  (Well, eventually that is...)

That's what I'm talkin about!!!!

Man that is a nice buck and a great story.

Now get that back healed up.

Mike

Gotta get that one mounted! Very cool...getting them on the ground is just an awesome experience.

Nice buck Eric pretty neat to get it with a bow you built.Great story nice little blind,thats the way to adapt.  :thumbsup:

Great story and buck. Congrats.  :thumbsup:

Wow. Nice deer and great story!
  :notworthy:

I just got back to work and couldn't wait to check this thread after seeing it last night.

Eric congratulations, that is a very nice buck and a great story.  :notworthy:    :notworthy:  

Walter Morris

Eric, That's an exceptional buck. You did an excellent job. Congratulations.

Congrats!!  Great Buck and a Great story.  Nice big body.

Way to build the suspense!!!  Great buck, I'm green with envy.    :D

Impressive to say the least. Great story and wonderful buck. Hope the back treats you better but what will you do for an encore.

Congrats and hope your back is getting better.  All the best, Al.

Congratulations and well done all around. Self bow on the ground home made arrow, you know what's missin'? Absolutly nothing!

Nice job Eric, all the way around.  :thumbsup:

:bigsmyl:

Nice deer Eric, congrats on a job well done!  :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:  

David

Eric,  You did it right in all respects.  Planned ahead, home made equipment, and made the shot!
This is the way I like it, and love to hear about.
CONGRATULATIONS!  What a buck.

Eric,
Great deer and thanks for the story.  I am sure the will be thanking you without knowing who they're thanking.
John

Congrats Eric!! Don't get much better than that. Osage selfbow and on the ground to boot. Way to go!!!

Awesome, great buck and great story!! Congrats!!! Shawn

Awesome Job Eric!!!

Brent

that is an awesome deer and a great story.  Congratulations!!!

Great story Eric, enjoyed your hunt very much. Sure am glad for you!

Mark

Way to go!! Enjoyed the story telling as well!!

 :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:

Nice deer Eric,and with handmade equip. too!!  :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:

Really Nice Eric! Congratulations!   :thumbsup:

:bigsmyl:

Simply Outstanding!

Most excellent hunt and deer,

     Marty

:bigsmyl:

Man!!!!  Nice buck and a great story.

Can you imagine how long the thread will be if C.M Sackett kills a buck?

:thumbsup:    :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:      what deer!!!!!!!! mark#78

There has to be great satisfaction in making your own bow and arrow,then going out and building a blind, and taking an animal on public land, fair chase....about as hard and as pure as it gets, Eric!

Congratulations.  :thumbsup:    :notworthy:

Congrats Eric....fine deer, and done in the right way!

Nice.  :thumbsup:

Nice deer and story, Congratulations on a fine hunt.  :thumbsup:

Very nice deer and great story, i am just getting into traditional archery and am already planning to make "natural blinds" in and around hot areas next spring when i go shed hunting.

Thanks for the pics and story.  Keep it up.

Congratulations Eric!! Great buck and story!

Very nice deer Eric!    :thumbsup:
There is nothing like the feeling of taking an animal from ground level with home made gear.  That's one to certainly take pride in.  Congrats.

Great!!!  :notworthy:    :notworthy:

Congratulations Eric. A great story and a very fine animal.

Jerry

Great Buck, It is really nice when it finally all comes together.All the early, cold mornings, the late evenings.All the walking, all the practice.All the strategy put into the hunt, and you beat him in his house!Way to go.
                                   Dane

Way to go Eric,congrats...Jim.

What a great buck Eric. Isn't the feeling awful when the blood trail stops...glad yours ended up with a deer at the end...   :thumbsup:

Congrats! Way to go,,,,

Great buck Eric,,,, Congrats... good story and photos.

Way to go Eric!!!!!  That was a great story and dont worry it wasnt too long, especially if you havent been on the computer for a few days.  That is one dandy buck and a great hunt.

Great Job Eric!  What did he score?

Best Regards,
Gene

way to go Eric...Mac~

Alright Eric! That is one dandy deer hoss! Congrats!!!

JL

Nice buck and story! Thanks for sharing it with us....

Nice buck Eric  :wavey:

Outstanding deer and story  :wavey:    :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:  ....Van

Ground monster! Nice buck, and nice technique!  :thumbsup:

Hey Eric, a great story. Congradulations.

Bob Moon

outstanding  :thumbsup:  way to overcome the set backs with your back.A true champion indeed!!  :cool:

Excellent all the way around!!!

Congrats Eric! Where there is a will there is a way! If I were a deer I would be honored to be taken with one of your bows  :)  .

The Ultimate Deer Hunting Story!

Also: thanks for sharing all of your bowmaking knowledge with us amateurs.

That is a perfect hunt, Eric, what a fantastic accomplishment. That guy looks to weigh at least 200 pounds! Yours is truly an inspiring story.

Killdeer

jeez what a buck, good for you bro.

Awesome story and buck, Eric!  Sorry about the back pain, I've been there.

Ken

Great buck way to go. See there are some big o goodens down here. Tommy