The Hunting Times

NOT a paid sponsor.  Purchased the clothes with my own hard-earned cash.  Was actually on the very first guided hunt with Ian (Boom Town owner) after he had earned his guide license.  Happy to support a new and growing business. Why?  Weren't we all here once?  Trying to navigate this thing called Life.  If I, in any way, can throw a few bucks at Ian's dream and help in some small way, then that's what I do.  Consider it yourself.  You can check out the site here:   boomtownpredatorpursuits.com – My Store I know your first question is, Purple?  Why on earth did you choose THAT color?  And trust me here, don't take my word for it, check with the experts.  Here is a Deer Vision Expert discussing how deer see.  Trust his life's work, not my anecdotal evidence.   A Deer Vision Researcher Explains What Your Camo Is Actually Doing Our granddaddies hunted in red plaid clothing for Pete's sake.  Don't get me wr...

 Educated as a Mechanical Engineer and trained as a Six Sigma Black Belt, I love data.  Data is neither good nor bad.  It is just data.  And as long as it's collected accurately and properly, it cannot be refuted.  You may like it or not, but that's a human emotion you attach to the data.  There is just no arguing with data.  It is what it is.  Based on that, I wanted to know why my Apple Watch Ultra II, Strava, and my Sig Sauer rangefinder do not agree on distances... I have a thousand-yard range set up on my property.  I know exactly how far 880 yards (one-half mile) are from the target to direct line of sight of my marker.  Well, to within 1 yard (3 feet) as sighted by my Sig Sauer Kilo 2200 BDX rangefinder.  This Kilo model is accurate to within 1.5 feet out to 500 yards and to within 3 feet (1 yd) beyond 500 yards.  So when the rangefinder, using Lightwave DSP Technology, says my marker is at 880.1 yards, I believe that I ...

 So RePhil and I met over at Michael's house to load up at 4:45 am.  We hit the road for our 1:45 drive to the strip mine pits in Clinton, IN where Davey was camping.  We were not 2 miles down the road when a doe jumped in front of Michael's truck.  At first it crossed the road.  Then it turned around and tried to go back from whence it came.  Mistakes were made.  The truck hit her almost center with her head wrapping around the front quarter panel.  Michael had already hit the brakes and we were doing less than 30 mph.  There was a collision.   We stopped and exited the truck.  RePhil and Michael surveyed the damage on the truck.  I walked back to check on the doe - saying a quick silent prayer that it was not my new truck that took out the deer!  Not that I'm hating on Michael's truck - in the least.  He has a steel bumper and there was hardly any damage.  It would have been very expensive had it been my t...

 Had the gang gather here at the Ranch at 0630.  Let them all pick their spots and the shooting began.  We didn't get a group photo, which I now regret, but you can see some action shots.  There were six hunters (Kathy, Alex, Nick, Zach, Harrison, and me) and five non-hunters (Will, Hadley, Mallory, Wes, and Hailey).  More doves than years' past, but lots more fun!  Enjoy the photos... First dove of the day and Wes is acting as the "dog" Mallory and Will set up in the sunflowers. And according to Will - freezing to death! Will is getting his Hunt On Will waiting on the dirt pile for some action Must be some birds nearby Will putting on a stalk Nick is claiming:  One shot = One bird BUT - this is Kathy's picture of her one shot = one bird. I'm thinking I may have reared a bunch of liars in my family! Nick is stalking the power lines hoping that the doves land in the dead tree! (L to R) Harrison, Alex, and Will are coming back from the curve. They were t...

Well, it is muzzleloader season in Indiana.  And after a brief 9 days in Cancun, I am back out in the woods.  We don't need any more deer for us.  I am hunting a nice doe to turn into salami for gifts.  As Indiana rules go, you are allowed ONE buck for the entire year.  It can come by any legal method, but you only get one.  Me?  I already shot a buck so no more for me. So out I go on a 30F (-1C) evening with plenty of wind.  I stay on the top at Marshall's and walk along the Bailey property line.  I jump a small 6-pt buck on Bailey's N end and he runs N into the Killing Finger.  Hopefully he hasn't pushed any does out! I get to the finger N of Bailey but S of the Killing Finger and post up overlooking a ravine, the bottoms, and the Killing Finger.  And I wait.  For the first 90 minutes I see nothing but squirrels and a single rabbit.  Then, four bucks walk out and feed S of the Killing Finger (in the cornfield across the ...

Four of us went out this morning - two to Marshall and two to Neal.  We started in the barn at 6:45 am.  Legal hunting light was 7:20 and we only had a 5 minute drive anyway.  We had a toast - see previous post - and then headed out. I walked to the bridge and cut in along the creek.  I wasn't 15 yards into the grass when a small buck came walking directly at me.  I dropped to a knee and waited for a good shot.  He kept coming until a car passed along the road - then he grew suspicious of me, exposed in the grass.  When he turned quartering to, I put a 300 BO through his left front shoulder.  He ran maybe 50 yards and dropped. At about 9:30, Nick started walking S to help me drag the buck while Alex and Harrison walked off Neal back to the truck.  Nick jumped ten deer and they scattered at his attempted shot.  No more deer.  Nick made it down to the bottoms and pushed three doe to me.  When one turned broadside at 20 yards, I p...