Hunters Safety

During this past week I have been taking hunters safety at a local conservation club.
Day 1, Monday:
The first day of hunters safety. The intructer's introduced themselves and they started things off with the 3 cardinal rules of firearm safety. They stressed these rules over the next four days of class. They also stressed that a safety is a mechanical device that can fail and that most firearm accidents happen in the home.

Day 2, Tuesday:
Today we got to shoot the guns. There was three gun choices... 4 10, 20 gauge, and a 12 gauge. I chose to shoot the 20 gauge. The bullets were bird shot so it didn't kick much. I was the first one to shoot of the day. I was a little high on the paper target but I blasted the clay pigeon haha. After the shooting we went around to the other side of the building and did "field activities" the first was safetly getting in and out of a duck boat with firearms. The next was crossing a fence with firearms, both were done with partners. Then we went to the treestand one and it was wearing a harness and treestand safety. The last was walking side by side with firearms. I forgot what we did after being outside....

Day 3, Wednesday:
Wednesday was probably my favorite day, the CO came and talked for over an hour and a first aid instructer came and taught us about hunter safety, there was also a quick lesson on handguns. After that we all went outside while one of the instructers gutted a sheep. And once the hide was off he said that their almost identical (sheep and deer). It was also very lovely when he snapped the legs and head off. Haha. There was a lot of younger kids in my class and they all had their hands over their mouths.

Day 4, Thursday:
The final day and day of the test, a quick lesson on muzzleloaders and videos on hunting accidents. Then we took the test, it was 50 questions and took me about 10 minutes. After everyone was finished the instructer went over the questions, I only got two wrong. So I passed and got my hunters saftey licsense. Nobody in the class failed and 17 people got 100%. Afterwards my Dad took me to get ice cream yum.

By: Mindy

My new bow

I recently got a new bow and it's the PSE bow madness XS and I am soo excited to shoot it. Once we get it all set up I can test it out and get ready for this fall! Before the XS i had a Bowtech Diamond Edge and I really loved it. But soon I was going to outgrow it. My draw length is 27 or 27 1/2 inches and the Diamond Edge goes up to i think 28". But like i said earlier, I am super excited to shoot my new bow!

My Up North Hunting Trip

By: Mackenzie Adams

On our way up to the lodge we were talking about the lodge and where we were hunting. Then Mikey said,” There it is!” So of course since I hadn’t been here since I was four years old I said, “There’s what?” Then dad said, “There’s the dirt road that leads to the lodge!” Then we turned onto the dirt road and then I knew we hit the county, that’s when I thought that this weekend was going to be great. When we got up ahead the road there were those trees that are very tall and only have the green bristles at the tops of the trees. Then there was an empty field, wait it is not an empty field it has deer in it and there was about eight deer we saw on the way to the lodge. There is also a pretty big lake and a small pond we have a great view from the window in the living room slash dining room.

The Lodge

The lodge is huge it is a two story and when you walk in the front door there is a hallway and on the end on your right is the room we were staying in, there is a sink, bunk bed and a full bed. I am staying in the bottom bunk while dad and Mikey sleep in the full bed. When you go out the hallway and go straight that is the living room. It has a long table and chairs and two small tables and chairs. There is also a flat screen TV, four couches, a rocking chair, three padded rocking chairs, and there is a fire place. Next to the living room is a kitchen. There is also a storage room where we store everything. Last but not least is up stairs it has wooden stairs going up and there is two rooms and one room leads to a secret room that leads to the storage room. There is also a small wooden door that leads to the attic. Then next to the cabin is John’s house.

Now it is the fun part we go hunting. We put on all of our hunting gear then we sprayed down with Dead Down Wind sent eliminator and we started to head out. We got to Mikey’s spot and dropped him off and we got to our spot and on the way to Mikey’s spot and ours there were tons of deer tracks. There were so many I couldn’t count them all. We got to our stand and climbed up into it. It took about two or three hours until we saw the first deer and it was a huge buck. Then another huge one came out behind the other buck and they were very curious about something and just ran off before they got close enough to shoot. About thirty minutes after that, three deer came out of the back field and we couldn’t tell what they were. They finally came close enough to tell what they were and there was a doe and two of this year’s fawns. Right after they came there was six does that just all came out of the back field at once. They got about fifty yards away from us and something spooked them off too. After that there was this spike that came and ate and ate and ate those clovers. He comes when we get there and before we left, he left. Before we left there is a trail on the left side of the middle field. On that trail was a big buck and he would not move so we had to wait and wait and it got so dark it was hard to see him so we just left. We walked over to Mikey’s stand and we talked to him earlier on a walkie talkie and he said that he shot a deer. Since it was a pass through shot we went out and tried to look for it, but there wasn’t a lot of blood spots we could look at to find the doe, so we had to wait till the morning.

Waiting For Deer

The next day dad and I went out and we barely saw anything. There was a big buck came very close to our blind. Dad almost shot him but since his bow was so cold that it creaked and the buck heard it and ran away. Then about thirty to forty-five minutes after that the little spike came through and there he was eating clovers again. When he left there was a doe that came out and did not get close enough to shoot. That is all we saw that morning. We came back and Mikey was still sleeping when we walked in and we woke him up and Mikey, dad, John, and I went to look for his doe and all we found was one drop of blood. We never found the deer. John said he should find it within a week from the birds. After we went out to look for the deer we came back and ate lunch.

Little Spike Looking For Clover

Then we went out for an afternoon hunt when we got out there and we walked into the field to get into our stand. There was a buck under our blind and five does in the left field and when they saw us they all ran away. We got up into the stand and then spike came back out again to eat those clovers. After about thirty to forty-five minutes until we saw the next deer it was a buck and then he must have sensed something because all the sudden he just ran away. Then here comes spike again to eat those clovers. When he was eating a doe came out in the back and just started to circle around and went away and when spike ran off we left. We picked up Mikey and we saw a flash light shin on the ground and dad went to go get him and Mikey thought we were going to leave him there; how funny!

Still Waiting For Deer

The next morning we did not go out so after we woke up we ate breakfast and watched some football after we ate lunch we went out for and afternoon hunt. It took about two to three hours until we saw the first few deer. There was the spike again and three does. Then after that it got to where they wouldn’t come out then there were four does. There were two yearlings and the mom to the yearlings and then there was a year and a half old doe; last year’s fawn. She was right there to where I could get a clean shot at her. So dad told me to stand up so I stood up and he was standing up too. He had my bow in his hand so my arms wouldn’t get tired. When the doe wasn’t looking I took the bow, clipped on my release and dad said, “When you’re ready let it fly!” I couldn’t see the deer so I had to take a step up really quietly. I could see where I was going to shoot and it was a good thing I didn’t shoot or I would have hit her in the stomach. She moved and then moved back and I shot her and I heard the arrow go into her. Dad was watching her and he saw her fall and he said, “You got her!” Then I said, “Really, oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh!” I was shaking so bad. We went out to go get pictures and video. We saw where I shot and I shot kind of high. My dad thinks I hit an artery and her diaphragm and cut off her breathing when I hit it. After we took pictures Papa field dressed it for me. Then we took it back to the cabin and hung her on the deer pole. When the ladder hit the pole Mikey said that when he heard it he knew someone got a deer. Then Mikey came out and watched us clean her out. Mikey was videotaping dad and I talking about my deer kill. Then we went inside and it was already two hours after I shot the doe.

My First Deer And I Got It With A Bow!

I called everyone that I basically knew. Everyone was so excited. Then we got too tired to stay up so we went to bed. In the morning we stayed in and around nine-thirty we went out and we were butchering my deer. We also saved the hide from the deer to get it tanned and we are also saving the skull so I can get the skull boiled. Mikey is going to boil the skull for me. For the deer hide a taxidermist named Bill is tanning the hide for me.

Now It Is Dad's Turn

Well after we butchered my deer we went out for an afternoon hunt. We went out and even though I already shot a deer I want to go hang out in the stand with dad and hopefully watch him shoot a deer with his bow. Well like we always do we saw spike there again feeding his way through the winding fields. Then when he got close enough to see his spikes he turned back then I just happened to look back at the trail and I saw something small and white. When it came closer we could see the black on it and it was really a skunk. He was such a funny little skunk. He saw that spike and he went over to him and was just following him around. He also spooked off a pretty big doe. After he did that we got a call from the radio from Mikey and the first thing I heard was “DEAD DOE DOWN!” Then dad said, “Awesome you got one!” Then Mikey said, “YES!” Then dad said, “we will be over in about an hour. We waited that hour and we did not see anything. We left and went to Mikey and he was on the ground flashing his light we went and found him and went to his deer. Then it was a perfect timing John came with his four-wheeler and we put it on the back of his four-wheeler and over to dad’s truck. We took video and pictures before Mikey field dressed it. When he did, he hit the gut sack and it stunk so bad. When he popped it you could hear the air coming out of it. Then when he got the guts out we put it on the back of dad’s truck and took it to the cabin. When we got there we hung it on the deer pole and cleaned it out and then went inside. We were eating dinner and doing the pod cast at the same time. Then we just went to bed because we got so sick.

Mikey's First Deer With A Bow

The next morning we did not go out because we were to sick and Mikey butchered his deer. When he was done we just packed up and left. We went to this zoo like place on the way home that had a bear that I wanted to see but he was tucked up in his pen. Then we got something to drink and a snack for the road. When we got home we unloaded and settled in. We ate dinner and talked about the weekend. That was my birthday hunting trip and my first deer. Best birthday ever!

If you would like to see the whole hunt on video you can view it on Episode 5 of Beyond The Wild at: http://www.upnorthjournal.com/

Wow, What and opening weekend at deer camp

First Day: November 12:
My Dad woke me up early, around 7:30am if I remember correctly. We got all the rest of our things packed and loaded up in the truck for deer camp. We left soon after. We got up to deer camp around 11:30am. The first thing my Dad and I did was say hi to Jack and Sandy (Mom and Dad of hunting buddy Ned) who's house we were staying at and went out and hung treestands on places we call "The Trail Of Terror" and "The Leaning Tree." All went well. Then we set up a blind on some private property. So Thursday afternoon my Dad and I loaded up and went out to hunt the Trail of Terror. My Dad put some "doe in heat" pee (from Mikes Magic) and we got up in the tree stands. It was pretty quiet for a while, we were hitting the grunt calls and doe bleats and the deer seemed to be pretty still. Then at dusk we heard a deer. My Dad told me to stand up. I did. And here comes this huge bodied buck walking on the trail of pee my Dad set up. You could hear him sniffing. He moved pretty slowly, I was getting buck fever, only my right leg was shaking though! But my heart was pounding!!!! I was standing for about 10 minutes and he wouldn't come into range, and it was getting pretty dark out. At last the buck started to walk away, but my Dad called him back with a bleat. He still never came into range. All the sudden something spooked him and he did 3 or 4 bounds. And came back. I finally decided it was to dark to shoot so I turned my bow light off and sat down. But that buck did not want to leave! He kept sniffing that doe pee my Dad put out. At last we heard him walk away. He was a 6 point. We were stuck in the tree in the dark because of Mikes Magic! So my Dad and I started to get down from the stand when he realized he forgot his flashlight at the house, so we were walking through the woods and through the field in the darkness. I decided while we were walking in the field to put my hand in front of my face so I wouldn't get hit with little trees that were in the field. When I moved my hand away from my face I got hit with a little tree in the face.
So that day was a wrap and we waited for the next.

Day 2 (MORNING): November 13:
My Dad and I got up at 5:15am to get out in the woods. We had breakfast and headed out. We were in our stands and situated by 6:30am. It was a pretty quiet morning and I was cold so we had decided to start heading in around 9:00am. WRONG CHOICE!!!!! So I was halfway down the ladder and my Dad was standing in the tree stand bending over so he was practically mooning the woods... only his pants were on when this doe comes walking out about 15 yards in front of us, broadside. She stood there and stared at us for 15 minutes. And neither of us moved an inch. At last she walked away. So after that I wanted to stay out so I climbed back up and not 10 minutes later a 4 point walks out. I stood up so I was ready to shoot only he came on the opposite side of the tree I was on. He stared at my Dad and I for a while and bounded away. We think he got spooked by my Dad moving. And then not 10 minutes after that a mature doe walked in the woods. I saw her first so I stood up. My Dad didn't see her until I said something. The sad part is she never walked onto the trail, she stayed in the woods. After those three deer we didn't see anything so we went in around 10:00am or 10:30am I think.

Day 2: Middle of the Day:
My Dad and I decided to go to this place called "The Pit." Its a spot where we can safely shoot guns. So what my Dad had me do first was shoot the .30-.30. It was the biggest gun I have shot. I shot it and I loved it. I wanted to keep shooting it after I shot about 10 rounds out of it but we were running out of ammo. My Dad then shot his Tikka T3 300 Short Mag. And then he let me shoot his .380 pistol a Ruger LCP . I shot it once and I didn't like it. There is so little weight to that gun there was nothing to absorb the recoil. Then my Dad shot his .454 Raging Bull handgun. He was sighting it in at 100 yards. That thing shook the whole truck. Then I shot my 20 gauge with slugs. I didn't like it. It came off my shoulder. But that also could have been my fault for not placing it correctly on my shoulder. I shot a few more rounds out of the .30-.30 again at an empty bottle of bleach someone left out at 100 yards. The first shot was good. The second shot practically blew the thing up. It split in half. And after that we had to leave to go back to hunt

Day 2 (AFTERNOON) November 13:
My Dad and I headed out to the trail of terror. He put more pee out. (I know by this time I am making it sound like my Dad peed everywhere) We got up in the tree stands and it was actually a pretty peaceful night. Not a sound from a deer, only squirrels and a partridge. But around the sunset I'm not sure what time, a young doe came in behind us. She never came close enough for a shot but I don't think I would have, she was pretty small. Nothing really came out after that.
By the time we got back the other 2 people that were coming up (Ned and his son Mitch) to deer camp had just gotten there. So all six of us at deer camp ate and went to bed. My Dad and I were going to be the only ones getting up for hunting in the morning though.

Day 3 (MORNING) November 14:
My Dad and I got up at 5:15am again and did our same routine as Friday. We got out in the stands around 6:30am again and sat quietly. The morning was very quiet for deer, we only saw squirrels. There was NO activity! My Dad even put pee out to. But hey, that's hunting. I had fun though. We decided to let the Trail of Terror sit that night to settle down for Ned and Mitch to hunt it opening morning. The rest of the day we watched football.

Day 4 (MORNING AND OPENING DAY!!!!!!) November 15:
My Dad and I were set up in the Field of Fear which is right by the trail of terror. Only we were in a blind. Not a tree stand, Ned and Mitch were in the Tree stands. The mornin was still but around 8:20am my Dad and I were moving around and the sunlight was on us when my Dad looked out and saw a buck. Now I don't have a doe license for gun season. This buck was big to. Probably a 2 year old. His rack wasn't massive or anything but it was atleast a 6 point. For some reason, I can't remember why my Dad was holding the gun. So when my Dad spotted it he handed me the gun but the buck was already trotting away. It's depressing though because I had the gun cocked and ready. (It wasn't really depressing though that was just a figure of speech) So I was lively and awake after that! I wanted to see more!!!!!! But we didn't see anymore, when we came out Ned and Mitch hadn't seen any deer either. The whole morning we only heard 51 shots (I was counting) way down from last year, we had that many shots the first morning last year!

Day 4 (AFTERNOON OPENING DAY!!!!!!) November 15:
My Dad, Ned, Mitch, and I all went out around 2:00pm that day. My Dad and I got situated and were waiting and waiting and waiting. But nothing came out all night. Not a deer. Not a sound. There isn't much about this night to say. Ned and Mitch didn't see anything either.

Day 5: (MORNING: FINAL DAY AT DEER CAMP) November:
My Dad, Ned, Mitch, and I all got up at 5:15am and got ready for our final hunt at deer camp 2009. Once we got out to our blind bright and early we waited for a while. Around 7:30am I took my Dad's binoculars and was scanning for deer. Something caught my eye. A doe. She was pretty to. About 50 yards away. I kept saying that I wished I had my doe license. But she kept looking behind her. My Dad and I were hoping it was a buck following her. But it wasn't. It was 2 babies and another Mama. we watched them for a while and once they walked away I told my Dad I was glad I didn't have my doe license because I would have shot that doe and have felt awful because the babies and the other mama were waiting in the bushes behind her so we couldn't see them. One of the babies would have been without a mama. That would make me feel terrible. After that happened we didn't see anything the rest of the morning. She sure was a pretty doe though. Ned and Mitch didn't see anything again.

WRAPUP:
So overall I am okay that I got stuck in a tree because of Mikes Magic and that I was stuck on a ladder because of a doe and that I didn't shoot anything because that is hunting. I had so much fun.
And a big thank you to Jack and Sandy for taking care of us at deer camp and a thank you to my Dad for taking me up and thank you to Mikes magic for the extra bottle of pee. Wow that stuff works....
BY: MINDY
November 16 2009

My Youth Weekend Hunt (Back in September a little late)

Day 1
For the youth weekend hunt my Dad and I went out to our normal hunting spot, where we would hunt in the normal season. My Dad had gotten our treestands set up a few days earlier i think, i can't remember. Well for the first night we went out and got in our stands. (For my hunts my Dad puts a treestand above mine so he can videotape and helo me if I need it.) It was actually pretty warm out. I had to take my sweater off because I got so hot. I was hunting with a crossbow. I was pretty excited. I like shooting that crossbow. So I had the crossbow in my lap and was waiting and waiting and being patient. My Dad said every once in a while that he heard deer. I couldn't hear anything but I believed my Dad and patiently sat and listened. My Dad was right, I started hearing things to. Unfortunetly no deer came in that night. I wanted to go in a little early that night so my Dad and I headed in. Sadly, we kicked up a deer. And by the sound of it, it was a mature buck. It was Snorting and Wheezing at us. Although it was in the swamp. I would have never had a shot at it. That and the crossbow was no longer loaded. But that sure was an adrenaline rush! I had never heard a deer do that before!

Day 2
Day two started out pretty much the same way, only it wasn't as warm, I had my sweater on this time. I was still using a crossbow for the hunt. So when my Dad and I got out the second day it was evening again. After sitting a few minutes a heard signs of deer activity, although they were distant that sure was promising! So my Dad and I didn't hear much for the rest of the night except chipmunks and a few squirrels. And again, we went in earlier than we should have, but that was my choice. My Dad and I were cautious as we approached the swamp. But we didn't run into any deer.

I may not have shot anything, but thats okay, I enjoy spending time with my Dad and in the Woods.

BY: MINDY
10-28-09

Shooting some crossbows

Sometime in July (i haven't posted for a while) my dad, and Mike had a crossbows test at my house. it was a lot of fun to be able to shoot the crossbows.
The first one i shot was an Excaliber. When I shot it was very loud. I liked, but didn't love it. It was very vibratey and so the small kick was harder than i expected. The Excaliber was rather hard to pull back so my Dad did.
The second crossbow I shot was a PSE Sidewinder. Which happened to be my favorite. If this makes sense. It shot more like a rock and was quieter than the Excaliber. Which I liked alot. The Sidewinder was probably the hardest to pull back so my Dad did.
The third and final crossbow I shot was a ten point Titan is the easiest to pull back but was my least favortite to shoot. when I shot it the pully thing to pull it back hit my collar bone and it hurt so I couldn't concentrate on the noise or how it shot.

But now I have declared the PSE to be my favorite and i am asking my Dad for one because I liked it so much.

By: MINDY!!!!!
August 21st 2009

A Hunter's Dream

Okay, i absolutly love to write and so I decided to write a poem about hunting. It is not very long but I thought I might as well post it.

A Hunters Dream

As day breaks the hunter stalks silently through the forest.

The deer perks his ears up and the turkey gobbles in caution.

The hunter moves in as the deer turns broadside.

This is a hunter's dream.

By: Mindy