Really, you can’t blame them. The National Weather Service is doing the best it can with its long-range forecasting. However, if you look at what they were thinking the KY Rifle Opener was going to be as late as early October and what the forecast is now, you got to … Continue reading →
Friday night I was able to get down to camp well before sundown. I was treated to about a dozen deer and 10 turkey hens and 3 gobblerout in the pasture. A good number of the deer came up close to the house. Just after sundown, 2 rather large coy-dogs … Continue reading →
Looking from the outside, one might ask why we even show up. I’d have to go back and look to see when we last shot a deer during Kentucky’s early Muzzleloader Season. This year was much the same. However, I would say everyone had a great time. At our camp, … Continue reading →
This past weekend was a busy one for our camp. Originally, this was supposed to be a simple trip with Moose coming down on Saturday to help me set a few deer stands. Angus then decided to help out. By the time it all netted out, Moose’s and Angus’ new … Continue reading →
I went to point to the story of honorable #2 son’s first deer hunt, and I found that it was missing. I had pictures, but that was it. It was a seminal moment in both our lives, so I felt it bore setting down properly before the details have fully … Continue reading →
Several times I have commented to y’all about all the stupid hunting stuff that I find rolling around in my head. These are just bits of detritus that I have picked up over the years. A good number of them have come from my long-time acquaintance with O.D., the local … Continue reading →
Right now, I’m all alone at the farm. KYHillChick and Angus are down on the KY/TN line at the family reunion. Moose has a friend or two down at the campground. I’ve hardly seen them all weekend. The plan is for KYHillchick to stop at Sonny’s BBQ in Richmond on … Continue reading →
As I mentioned at the beginning of the summer, I inherited a Ruger Model 44 Carbine from Bob’s estate. Since then, I’ve been slowly working towards turning it from a safe queen to a working deer rifle. I met Bob in 1982. I probably saw the rifle for the first … Continue reading →
With all the really good bottom end deer rifles out there, folks are beginning to lose sense of what it was like to own a deer rifle that couldn’t hold to a pie plate at 50 yards. As I opined here on the 24hourcampfire: Current Rifle Accuracy You have to … Continue reading →
Look what I found on Archive.org The Hunter’s Handbook There are all sorts of hints and tricks and recipes for guys going to deer camp in the 1880’s. Views: 0 Related posts: Deer Blind Reading Suggestions Recipe Corner Report from Deer Camp 2014 So you want a new deer rifle … Continue reading →
I used to publish a set of goals for the upcoming deer season. That was back when folks were paying attention to me more, and I was stuck for writing copy, and there really were big mountains left to climb in my deer hunting career. Now that I am not … Continue reading →
Life changes you. I can remember one of the highlights of my life was being taken to the 1970 All-Star game. I heard as well as saw Pete Rose bowl over Fosse at home plate. To this day, I can close my eyes and see Pete and Fosse like it … Continue reading →
Now is about the time of year that a landowner should start thinking about who is coming hunting in the Fall. Hunting is an important management tool. Every year, a guy like me should be thinking about how many hunters, how many deer, what sizes. The answer for the past … Continue reading →
What makes a good deer rifle? I’ve been contemplating this now since the first Reagan administration. Every time I pick up a rifle, I’m pretty well judging it based on how well it would take a Whitetail. However, for all that mental energy, I do not think I have ever … Continue reading →
Kentucky Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Lisa Tolliver lisa.tolliver@ky.gov 1-800-858-1549 Kentucky’s Crossbow Deer Season Extended Changes take effect with the 2019-20 season FRANKFORT, Ky. (June 4, 2019) – Kentucky deer hunters will have a longer period in the field with their … Continue reading →
As you may remember, my dear friend Bob passed away over the winter. His widow let the Shamanic Dream Team have dibs on his collection. Bob was a collector, mostly of Rugers and mostly pistols, and most of these were well outside my budget. I chose two deer guns. The … Continue reading →
With the Polar Vortex about to sweep down from the North, and the Super Bowl nearly upon us, I thought I would check in. I normally look at Super Bowl Weekend as the half-way point in the wait between the end of Deer Season and the beginning of Turkey. It … Continue reading →
From: 2019 Licenses on Sale FRANKFORT, Ky. (1/12/19) — Licenses and permits to fish, hunt and trap in Kentucky in the coming license year are on sale now. The 2019-2020 license year starts March 1. License and permit fees for Kentucky residents for the 2019-2020 license year are unchanged from … Continue reading →
I sent the Mauser from Hell out for a new safety. Hibberd’s Armory suggested I try Nathan Fleming at Legacy Gunsmithing. That was just a few weeks ago. I called Nathan, and he sent me a quote, and two weeks later, the Mauser is back and the new Timney safety … Continue reading →
Let me be clear: This season sucked. It sucked in so many ways it hurts to think about it. Not everyone in Kentucky feels this way. That’s fine. I can believe our problems were localized, possibly self-inflicted, whatever. It still sucked. I’m looking at the final harvest numbers for November. … Continue reading →
At 0915 Sunday, I was just putting the finishing touches on what I thought was going to be the last post of the season. The fog had started to roll in before 2200 the night before. It had been an iridescent pea soup at 0600. A full moon and fog … Continue reading →
It says over in the right column, “On this day nothing happened, ever.”  That’s not entirely true. I just don’t write about it all that much. The Shamanic Deer Team woke up this morning with just 10 hours left of the season. They’re all out trying one last try. I … Continue reading →
For the first time in a week, the Shamanic Dream Team went afield this morning with reasonably good weather. From Sunday to Friday it was cold (about 15 degrees below normal) and wet. Along the way we have had to face rain, drizzle, graupel, freezing rain, driving rain, snow and … Continue reading →
This was the coldest Rifle Opener we’ve had. Temps dipped down to 24F, and there was a steady cold west wind most of the morning. Shooting was light; there was 1 shot per 3 minutes, but outside of a few blazing minutes here and there, it was dead. The eleventh … Continue reading →
I woke up this morning and started to feel the rush. Things were piling up.  I started getting that caged-animal feeling at 0400. I went down to the Reloading Cave and sharpened knives, and cased up some of the deer rifles. The Opener is just a week away. The whole … Continue reading →
