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SuperCore Bags a Buck
Sometimes, deer hunting is not about getting the biggest rack. Sometimes it isn’t about anything more than making it out and making it back. If you can buy that, then SuperCore was my hero yesterday. I was hunting Midway. The food plots out there have finally filled out a bit. The deer are liking whatever it is I planted out in the Garden of Stone. There are five different mixes out there, but they all look the same. I’d hunted since first light and seen absolutely nothing. I heard one shot that sounded fairly close about 0815. That turned out … More . . .
O.T. and the 25-06
I’ve never fully written down the experience of acquiring the rifle from O.T. I probably should have while it was still fresh. The details fade over time. What I can say now is that the trip was easily the most poignant experience I’ve had in 40-some years of hunting. I’d known O.T. for over a decade. We’d grown to be friends over my regular visits to get my mowers, etc., worked on. We had a deal where I’d leave off my chainsaw blades to be sharpened and then come back in a week and sit and talk with him. Finally, … More . . .
PODCAST: A Banded Bird at Dead Skunk
I’m now tagged out in 2025. This morning, I went out to Dead Skunk Hollow and set up in some cedars overlooking pasture at the head of the draw. Yesterday, Foxtrot Charlie had gone there in the afternoon and worked a bird for a couple of hours before coming back to camp. While he was in the cabin, stowing his gear, I went out to the Thoughtful Spot. The bird that had given him fits had finally shown up and was parading out in front of the blind and gobbling his head off. When Foxtrot Charlie came out we got … More . . .
Homebrew Black Powder
This is a project that really started a year and a half ago, just before I started Chemo. I had just purchased a Pedersoli Brown Bess musket and went looking for some black powder to feed it. None of my usual sources had any, and I the outlook was bleak. The Goex plant had closed and there was no longer any commercial powder production in the United States. The thought hit me that things were not going well. Given the unfriendly attitude the government was taking towards firearms and ammunition, it might come to pass that I could be out … More . . .
Shaman Gets His Bird
It was a little over a year ago that I trudged out with a bird. The Cancer was back. I was starting Chemo in a few weeks. That might have been my last hunt. Here it is, a year later. The Cancer is gone. I’m still a little rocky from all the poison they shot in my veins, but I was determined to take a bird. Normally, going out to the Honey Hole, I’d have a tag or two filled by the end of April. Usually, I’d have at least one bagged the first week. This year? 16 days of … More . . .
PODCAST: Closing the Deal
This is the first podcast of 2022, and it is a good one. I got out to the Honey Hole just as a roost of hens to my left was pitching woo to a roost of gobblers to my right. Over a half-hour the loudest gob and the most vocal hen decided to hook up. The gobbler practically ran the hundred or so yards between the roost trees, and met up with the hen and her girlfriends at the base of their roost. The deal got closed. I just let the audio roll without comment. I hope you enjoy it. … More . . .
The Savage Speaks Again
It has been since 2014, but my Savage 99 kept its promise this morning. I’ve been carrying it up into the stand for The Rifle Opener since 2003. The Savage 99 in 308 WIN has only been shot at the biggest bucks. I always put it away after filling my buck tag. This morning, the Savage spoke again. You have to understand this was a pretty big thing. I was dealing with existential problems back over the summer. I even got to ask the surgeon that question you don’t want to ask: Will I be able to be in my … More . . .
Hunting the Full Moon
We just witnessed the full moon in October. Folks call it the Hunter’s Moon. Folks also kind of get mixed up as to why. I want to discuss the moon’s influences on deer hunting and maybe shed some light on why we associate the moon so closely with hunting. Let me begin by stating that I never have nor will advocate staying on the couch due to the phase of the moon. Every time this topic gets brought up, somebody pipes up with “There’s no way you’re going to keep me out of the woods no matter what the Moon’s … More . . .
Moose Nails a Whopper
Moose and Remnar went out to the new blind at Dead Skunk this morning. I went out to the Honey Hole. This was Remnar’s first turkey hunt. He had expressed interest in hunting the birds over the winter, but work intervened. I was sitting in my blind at 0738, having a very mediocre morning. All of a sudden a blast came from behind me, followed by a lot of whooping and cheering. What had happened is that Moose had bagged a big one at 25 yards in rather spectacular style. The way it was told to me, they were working … More . . .
The End of the Garbage Pit Bandit
I do not usually miss a turkey. Missing two the first week is unheard of in my long career. However, this morning saw my second since the Opener. The first was due to taking a shot without being properly situated. The one this morning has me scratching my head. The gobblers were already sounding off a good half-hour before legal hunting this morning. It was warmer than it had been, about 48F when I sat down. That probably had a lot to do with it. I had gobs sounding off all up and down on both sides of me. A … More . . .
The Fake Stump
I finally got the fake stump installed at the Honey Hole this afternoon with the help of Moose and the Mooselette. This is the culmination of several years’ worth of planning and fretting. It all goes back to 2016. I had been turkey hunting with my back against the same dead tree for a decade, when the inevitable happened and the old tree fell over. Requiem for the Honey Hole Here is how it looked back in the day: I tried several other trees in the vicinity, but it just was not the same. I finally decided to erect a … More . . .
If I Was the New Guy at Turkey Camp Part I
I wrote a piece back in the early fall giving advice to the New Guy at Deer Camp. At least one fellow, Remnar found it to be good stuff, so I figured I’d try and compose one for Turkey Camp.  In this first installment, I’ll deal with the shooting system (gun, load, sight, and choke) The Gun, The Choke, and The Load Let’s get the gun out of the way. I’m going to say upfront that the gun is the least of your worries. I started with Dad’s 12 GA Winchester Model 12 trap gun, and high-brass 2 ¾ #4 … More . . .
SuperCore Scores on Opener
SuperCore continued his record of Opening Day successes with a fat 8-pointer taken as he came out from behind Broken Corners and heading into Dead Skunk Hollow. SuperCore made a brilliant neck shot and brought the bruiser down about 120 yards from his vantage at Jagendehutte. I was out at Campground and noted his shot as the 14th of the morning, occurring at 0710 ET, about 20 minutes into season. My action was far less substantial but rather humbling. about 0900 I saw one of the local hatracks come through, chasing a doe in earnest. I had heard several from … More . . .
Adventures in Canned Venison
With the Covid-19 plague keeping the Shamanic Dream Team sidelined, I decided to do something to get my mind occupied. There was a back-burner project that seemed appropriate for the situation. One never knows how far things are going to slip before the “S” hits the “F.” From my writing, you know I’m not a big prepper type, but when you’ve got a 200-acre BOL just laying around, I guy like me tends to ponder such things. Time to can some venison! The genesis of this idea came about just at the end of winter. I got on Amazon and … More . . .
Whitetail Feeding Frenzy
I’ve published video off the security camera before. This one come from 2/10 just at sundown. It had been one of those miserable February days. A mix of rain and snow was in the air. All of a sudden every doe group in the neighborhood suddenly decided to come out for a quick feed before dark. This is not uncommon for this time of year. However, I don’t usually have that many at once in this pasture. My guess is that the browse in the woods has started to peter out and the deer are starting to get pressed for … More . . .
Bob’s Model 44 and the Buck
As you all know, my buddy Bob died this past winter. He was an outdoor writer and magazine editor. Out of the estate I managed to snag a minty Ruger Model 44, and swore I’d put it to good use. Bob would have been proud. I nailed a buck with it Friday night– 80 yards, perfect shot, The only down side is that this is the first season in 40 years that I haven’t been able to call Bob to tell him. I miss the old coot. He and a bunch of his now long-dead friends got me into hunting … More . . .
Who Comes to Deer Camp?
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 10 years has been 3-4 hunters, a buck and a doe apiece– give or take. That includes my best friend and my sons and a total of 5-6 deer taken per year. Off our 200 acres, that seems to be about enough. Some years, double that harvest would hardly put … More . . .
Return of the Whitetail in Kentucky
NOTE: 10/3/2021 Well, Hoop-de-Do! I found them.   I was beginning to despair. I discovered that these Art Landers columns had disappeared when KYForward.com folded tent a while back. However, I discovered copies of them on the Wayback Machine. I snagged copies in PDF. Enjoy! Here is a great 2-part article by Art Landers on the history of whitetail deer hunting in the state of Kentucky. Part I Art Lander’s Outdoors The white-tailed deer in Kentucky and the return of a native species | KyForward.com Part II Art Lander’s Outdoors White-tailed deer population flourishes today as a relic of Kentucky’s … More . . .
PODCAST: Wake-up Call
etter late than never, here is the best of about 40 hours of recording. This is not like my other podcasts, because it is just raw turkey sounds with no commentary, no banjo music. The original recordings were from mid-April on a morning where all heck broke loose at the Honey Hole. I had several gobblers come in on me, but I could never get the cross-hairs on them. I selected the source tracks, because they were particularly clean and mixed it so it would be perfect wake-up music.
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Shotgun Vs. Rifle
I have been getting a lot of flak over my recent article on Indiana moving to centerfire rifle for deer in 2015. Fewer, but still a few, folks have been complaining to me about Ohio’s move to Pistol Caliber Rifles (PCR). I would like to set the record straight. 1) If you really have a problem with either decision, I am not the one to be telling. Write your state representative. The truth is, Indiana and Ohio are on there way to the same point, allowing all centerfire rifles in their modern weapons seasons. It has been in the works … More . . .
The Shamanic Portable Stump
As I wrote in a previous missive, I really appreciate the writings of Dr. Ken Nordberg. He, through his yearly almanacs, was very inspirational to me early on in my deer hunting career. I cannot say Ken got me started using a portable stump. IÂ was using my version clear back in the early 80’s. However, when I saw Ken’s description of his method, it made me feel affirmed. First off, I want you all to study Ken Nordberg’s method of Portable Stump hunting and this one, on how to build a portable stump for yourself Then I want to … More . . .
A Visit with Bob
I was on my way to the dentist yesterday, and I got a call– the dentist needed to tend to some emergencies. Could I come a half-hour later? I was only a mile or so away–Â a half-hour early, so I was somewhat committed. I could have diverted and gone over to Bass-Pro for an hour, but by the time I came to where I could turn around, traffic was so bad, I found myself less than a half-mile from my buddy, Bob. Bob is an old retired gunwriter– shooting editor for Gun Dog Magazine several decades ago. Bob is … More . . .
Garbage Bags as a Survival Tool
I want you all to have a look at this article: Man, sons die while hiking in freezing rain ST. LOUIS –  On a weekend trip that was a surprise anniversary gift for his wife, an outdoors-loving Air Force veteran ventured out with two of his sons for a hike on a remote trail. Clad only in light jackets and sweaters, the three apparently didn’t know how rapidly the weather would turn ugly, and that proved deadly. Searchers found the soaked bodies of 36-year-old David Decareaux and the two boys — ages 8 and 10 — on the Ozark Trail … More . . .
Reduced Recoil Loads
From the D&DH Forum Postby MSHunter » Sun Jul 03, 2011 6:26 pm Here is a question for you more experienced reloaders. On Hodgdon’s website they have a sheet of youth/reduced recoil loads. In the paragraph before the load data they state that a medium burning powder be used and that the amount of powder to use be 60% of the maximum load. They recommend this for any load that uses H4198 powder. So my question(s) is/are as follows: Does one select the maximum load within each bullet range and use the 60% rule? For instance a 100 grn bullet … More . . .
UV and Reindeer — finally some real science!
I’ve been about ready to bust for months. Here it is September, past the middle of the month, and no one has asked about UV Suppression. Dang! What’s wrong here? Don’t tell me y’all been listening to me and wised up? You mean I’ve been holding back all this anti-UV vitriole for a year, and no one wants to get me wound up? Guys, this is a sorry state of affairs. Between this and the Bengals winning their opener, you’d think the world was coming to an end. Okay, since nobody wants to ask the magic question, I’ll have to … More . . .
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