As you know this old shaman does not make very many product recommendations. When I do, you can bet I’m not being compensated for it. Mind you, I’d love to be a complete advertising whore and throw my legs up for compensation, but no one ever offers. This is one … Continue reading →
In a lot of ways, this Opener started out as a replay of last year. By the time Angus pulled out on his way back to town Sunday afternoon, there were two big bucks on the pole, and neither of them were mine. For the second year in a row, … Continue reading →
I was up early at Camp this AM to scout in preparation for the KY Rifle Opener tomorrow. Some say I’m lazy for doing my scouting from the Thoughtful Spot, armed with a hot mug of coffee and a pair of astronomical binos, but I respond that I’m saving myself … Continue reading →
I know a lot of writers encourage folks to stay out all day. I don’t. A good reason is that I can come in. Deer Camp is less than a mile from my furthest stand, and I can usually call for a pickup and have a truck out in 15 … Continue reading →
I only write this to mark the passing of KY’s Early Muzzleloader Season. It’s over; that is about all you need to know. All in all, it was not as lousy as it could have been. It was not the hottest, although we had temperatures in the mid-80’s. It was … Continue reading →
This past weekend, I got my Hawken checked out for deer season. Not much had changed from the previous year. However, I had a wee bit of Hodgdon Triple-7 left over from 2013. The previous week, I had used it in my .54 Hawken and found that it had gotten … Continue reading →
From the 24HourCampfire: jr1968 Offline Member  Loc: Bolivar,NY I know each White tail is different. Under 200 yard shot trough the lungs, what cal. and bullet grain has been the shortest recovery? Just wondering. Thanks, jr1968. Dear jr1968: One of the nice things about whitetails is that they … Continue reading →
I just watched the countdown timer cross the 8-week mark. It’s now exactly 2 months to the start of Kentucky’s Modern Weapons Season. I stayed home from the farm overnight. It was going to be hot and muggy and thunderstorms have been moving through since sundown Friday. I’ve been busy … Continue reading →
Back when I was wringing out the new Ruger American Predator in .223 REM, I noticed an interesting phenomenon. There was a lot of wind, and my groups were getting spread out horizontally a good 4 inches while the vertical difference was less than an inch. I looked into it, … Continue reading →
I have been compiling a deer log for a number of years. It contains pertinent data on every deer the family has taken since I got my start in the early 80’s. I didn’t start compiling it until about a decade ago, but I knew the dates and times of … Continue reading →
Now that Indiana has decided to take the great leap ahead and embraced modern centerfire rifles for deer, the question is going to be what rifle to buy. I have had a lot of thoughts on that very idea over the years. Dig around on this weblog, starting with the … Continue reading →
What the Indiana DNR failed to do in 2015, the Indiana Legislature has done in 2016. It’s official. Hoosiers will be able to hunt deer with rifles in 2016!
Continue reading →I opened up my web browser this morning, and discovered a hole. I have FireFox programmed to show me the front page of a couple dozen websites using a plug-in called SpeedDial. The little thumbnail for the Deer & Deer Hunting Forum had gone blank. When I clicked on it, … Continue reading →
I mentioned to Angus last week as we were on our way out to Campground that it seemed like everything at Deer Camp had become a ritual. Even the most mundane things, when repeated for a decade and a half take on a ceremonial quality. Last weekend was the yearly … Continue reading →
0630 ET Although it is still dark, it in a little while it will be light enough to hunt. I still have a tag. The end of the season is over ten hours away. Why am I back in town? Why are the rifles already back on the rack? … Continue reading →
We are heading home today from deer camp, marking the end of week #1. It is time to go home, do some wash, eat a big turkey dinner, and watch some football before heading down after dinner on Thursday. No, I have not gotten the big buck. Nor have I … Continue reading →
SuperCore left today before lunch. Angus had to go home for school Sunday afternoon. That left me here at camp to watch the wall of rain roll over the ridge followed by a 35 MPH gust front. When it hit, it was like a bucket of water had been thrown … Continue reading →
So what rifles are you using this year, Shaman? There have been a lot of changes to the deer battery this year. I just thought I would give y’all a quick rundown. Mine: Savage 99, 308 WIN This is the same rifle I’ve been using for most every Opener since … Continue reading →
We have new hunting venues at camp this year. I thought you would like to see some pictures. S10: SuperCore had open heart surgery over the summer, so he’s not quite ready for the long treks out to the Jagendehutte. I remedied the situation by building a blind out of … Continue reading →
I mentioned the 2 of 7 rule a while back. I’ve had a bunch of people ask me about it. I have to come clean. It is not my idea. It is not original. I cannot even say I fully believe it. However, I know the man who seems to … Continue reading →
Even though I have been hunting the early Muzzleloader season in Kentucky for 15 years straight, it always seems to catch me by surprise. One evening in October, there is a mad rush to get home, get packed and get back on the road. There is the mad rush at … Continue reading →
I have a confession for y’all. After several years of refusing to do so, I broke down and bought a new trail camera. It was a Bushnell Trophy Cam Essential. It was on deep discount at Amazon– under $80. It does everything I could think of, stills, video, it even … Continue reading →
It has been quite a while since I wrote anything about the spiritual aspects of deer hunting. Frankly, I have been bogged down so much in the nuts and bolts of things like lead casting and such I have not had a chance to spend the time to really formulate … Continue reading →
It is not every day I get to break serious new ground in deer hunting, but I have found something with Google Earth that I simply must tell. I have been able to find actual deer trails and deer bedding areas on Google Earth. It is not easy, but it … Continue reading →
It is still only the first week in August, but I am already getting ready for deer season. Two new treestands arrived from SportsmansGuide.com. These buddy stands cost less than $90 each and by rejoining the Buyers’ Club, I got the shipping for free. I’ll be scouting for new stand … Continue reading →
