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Topic Archives => Memorable Hunts => Topic started by: bawana bowman on January 16, 2009, 09:46:00 PM

Title: Alabama hunt fills freezer
Post by: bawana bowman on January 16, 2009, 09:46:00 PM
Made my first trip to Alabama this season Jan 2nd.
Here's the results:

Picked a stand location where three mountain water runoffs intersected a creek bottom running along a large field leading to the bottom green fields. Set up about 10 yds back from trails, large oaks on mountain side still dropping acorns. Was appx 15 feet up using a Loc on spirit stand.
Sunday Jan 4th appx 5:35pm, Doe enters creek bottom with intentions of going to bedding area up mountain. My Monarch Imperial (62", 80lbs @ 29") changed her plans,  (http://i546.photobucket.com/albums/hh403/hlewis2/DSCF1686.jpg)   :thumbsup:  
Broadside shot behind left shoulder appx 12 yards she traveled 15 yards and dropped. 2216xx75 and Bear broadhead. Seems to have had a recent run in with either a barbed wire fence or perhaps coyotes, her neck had some very recent damage, but didn't look like gunshot. But it is smack dab in the middle of Alabamas gun season.

Monday Jan 5th 10:40am, same stand location. After watching the same 10" spike since 6:05am appear and disappear in and out of the field about 7 times all morning I made the decision to leave the stand and drive 32 miles to the closest adult beverage store to harvest a large dark rum. I took three steps down from my stand and suddenly saw some movement coming down the draw from the highest bedding area. Slowly reclaimed my perch. After what seemed like an hour I spotted antlers sneaking through the thicket into the creek bottom. As he walked past me at about 22 yards I was presented a quartering away to the right shot. I picked my spot, drew, and released. He jumped straight up, ran about 30 yards and stopped. Started swaying side to side and them dropped. One attempt to get up and then dead calm.
Here's where I found him.   :archer:
(http://i546.photobucket.com/albums/hh403/hlewis2/DSCF1729.jpg)
this is the result after dragging her about 250 yards through the wet brush and mud. she weighed in at 130lbs on the cabelas game scale.

Overall it was a great and interesting trip, can't wait to see what the next trip the last week of January has in store!!!
Title: Re: Alabama hunt fills freezer
Post by: Landshark160 on January 16, 2009, 09:54:00 PM
Good shootin'! Congratulations!   :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Alabama hunt fills freezer
Post by: bowhunterfrompast on January 16, 2009, 10:03:00 PM
Congrats  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Alabama hunt fills freezer
Post by: SKYLER W on January 16, 2009, 10:09:00 PM
Good Job, Harold!!!!  :clapper:  What part of the state were you hunting???? Skyler
Title: Re: Alabama hunt fills freezer
Post by: JAG on January 16, 2009, 10:10:00 PM
And some folk say the deer hunting in the "Heart of Dixie" is not exciting!
 :clapper:
Title: Re: Alabama hunt fills freezer
Post by: BowHuntingFool on January 16, 2009, 10:17:00 PM
Congrats on the success! Nice log splitter in the background!
Title: Re: Alabama hunt fills freezer
Post by: bawana bowman on January 16, 2009, 10:25:00 PM
Was hunting in Blount county, I believe off county rd 5, not more than 1.5 miles away from I-65. Appx. 42 miles North of Birmingham.
That particular log splitter is brought over from Atlanta, Helps keep an old guy like me feeling young in the morning. Sure beats using an ax and wedge!!!
Title: Re: Alabama hunt fills freezer
Post by: Bjorn on January 16, 2009, 11:11:00 PM
What a great hunt!!
Title: Re: Alabama hunt fills freezer
Post by: Orion on January 16, 2009, 11:20:00 PM
Now that's laying em down.  Well done.
Title: Re: Alabama hunt fills freezer
Post by: Jerry Wald on January 16, 2009, 11:34:00 PM
THat's amazing. I can remember when they gave us multiple tags in Alberta when I lived there.

Nice going

Jer Bear
Title: Re: Alabama hunt fills freezer
Post by: bawana bowman on January 17, 2009, 12:07:00 AM
Alabama has a two deer a day limit in this county. Either one antlered and one doe or two does per day. 4 years ago the limit was the same and I got my limit each day for the 3 days I was there.
Gotta love Alabamas ability to produce large Deer populations.

Florida also has a two a day limit. Although I've only got my limit once in Florida, in 1982 I shot 2 does within 2 minutes on the old Tomoka WMA, just as the sun started to rise on opening day of archery season. Funny thing was I was only about 3 miles from the Daytona Speedway, and 300 yards away from the Tomoka State Prison!
Title: Re: Alabama hunt fills freezer
Post by: Chris Surtees on January 17, 2009, 02:17:00 AM
Sounds like a great hunt...congrats on the fine deer   :thumbsup:    :clapper:
Title: Re: Alabama hunt fills freezer
Post by: Guru on January 17, 2009, 06:39:00 AM
Congrats    :clapper:
Title: Re: Alabama hunt fills freezer
Post by: Whip on January 17, 2009, 07:48:00 AM
Nice shooting!  :thumbsup:    That's the way to fill the freezer!
Title: Re: Alabama hunt fills freezer
Post by: 4runr on January 17, 2009, 07:55:00 AM
Well done Sir!
Title: Re: Alabama hunt fills freezer
Post by: JoeM on January 17, 2009, 08:26:00 AM
Congrats on the fine deer!!  Where those dressed weight or live weights?  Seems like the scale was being a little generous   :)   Enjoy all the venison this winter .  Joe
Title: Re: Alabama hunt fills freezer
Post by: Bonebuster on January 17, 2009, 08:38:00 AM
Getting too close to your longbow is down right DANGEROUS!

 :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Alabama hunt fills freezer
Post by: bawana bowman on January 17, 2009, 09:14:00 AM
JoeM,
Those were all "Live weight". If I ever get a 200lb dressed weight buck in this part of the country that boy would become a full body mount!!
Hal
Title: Re: Alabama hunt fills freezer
Post by: Ybuck on January 17, 2009, 09:17:00 AM
Congratulations!  :clapper:
Title: Re: Alabama hunt fills freezer
Post by: straitera on January 17, 2009, 09:27:00 AM
Done well Harold. Good shooting! Good creek story too.
Title: Re: Alabama hunt fills freezer
Post by: CareyE on January 18, 2009, 10:39:00 AM
Congratulations!!
Title: Re: Alabama hunt fills freezer
Post by: yellow bow on January 18, 2009, 01:51:00 PM
:clapper:    :clapper:
Title: Re: Alabama hunt fills freezer
Post by: Pinecone on January 18, 2009, 05:20:00 PM
Congrats on a fantastic hunt and some darn good shootin'!

Claudia
Title: Re: Alabama hunt fills freezer
Post by: bawana bowman on January 19, 2009, 08:13:00 PM
Leaving the 22nd to try again for 9 more days. Don't know exactly how much hunting time I'll get in, this will actually be a working trip. Helping a buddy with his guide service in south Alabama, but I will get to hunt some.   :thumbsup:    :archer:
Title: Re: Alabama hunt fills freezer
Post by: Blackhat on January 19, 2009, 08:30:00 PM
:thumbsup:  Well Done!    :clapper:
Title: Re: Alabama hunt fills freezer
Post by: Brian Krebs on January 19, 2009, 08:41:00 PM
kwell !! well done !! congrats !!   :thumbsup:    :campfire:    :archer:
Title: Re: Alabama hunt fills freezer
Post by: snuff on January 19, 2009, 08:46:00 PM
yep we have alot of deer here ,you are about 15- 20 minutes from me  i live in north jefferson county 7 miles from the blount county line , good shootin,enjoy the meat.
Title: Re: Alabama hunt fills freezer
Post by: Irish Archer on January 19, 2009, 08:47:00 PM
Congrats to you!
Title: Re: Alabama hunt fills freezer
Post by: Benny Nganabbarru on January 19, 2009, 09:27:00 PM
You sure are shooting a good bit of bow, there!

 :thumbsup:    :archer:    :clapper:
Title: Re: Alabama hunt fills freezer
Post by: bawana bowman on January 22, 2009, 07:25:00 PM
Ben,
I've been shooting 65-80lb bows almost exclusively for the past 35 years. I do occasionally shoot 50-60lbs, but have always preferred heavier weights.
Lately I've been having a problem with my left shoulder, and have been shooting a 55LB kodiak or 55lb Howatt stick when it acts up. But still go back to the heavier bows when it isn't hurting. And No it wasn't hurt by the heavier weights.
I use to be a PBS Regular member and still hold to the belief that a hunting bow should be 50lb minimum.   :archer:
Title: Re: Alabama hunt fills freezer
Post by: bawana bowman on January 22, 2009, 07:28:00 PM
I hope that last statement doesn't cause an uproar.
But I feel anyone can shoot heavier weights if they are just willing to spend time developing their shoulder muscles.   :)
Title: Re: Alabama hunt fills freezer
Post by: Teacher_of_the_Arcane on January 22, 2009, 07:40:00 PM
SALUTE!!!
Title: Re: Alabama hunt fills freezer
Post by: redant 60/65 on January 22, 2009, 08:06:00 PM
Nice shooting    :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Alabama hunt fills freezer
Post by: Traditional-Archer on January 22, 2009, 08:59:00 PM
:jumper:    :jumper:    :jumper: