I would like to bring your attention to a Dave Petzal column over at Field and Stream In the Presence of Death One of the things I talked about on this season’s Gun Nuts is an (apparently) common ritual on many of the TV hunting shows. When hunter and guide … Continue reading →
From Deer & Deer Hunting Hey guys, this will be my first hunting season and I have chosen to go after the deer with a bow. I have some basic knowledge on deer hunting and have become a fairly decent shooter with my bow. I live in New Hampshire and … Continue reading →
I’ve mentioned the Shamanic Reloading Cave over the years. You may or may not have this idea of it. Occasionally I’ve even taken a picture or two inside of it. However, y’all probably have never really seen it. In reality it never fully existed, at least not as a single … Continue reading →
Well, I’ve got a new deer rifle rifle– went down to the farm over the weekend to get it. I’d promised O.T. I’d be down first week in August for it. O.T. called earlier in the week to ask about my health, so I knew he hadn’t changed his mind. … Continue reading →
Dear Shaman: I am a fairly new deer hunter, looking to purchase my first deer rifle. I’ve been reading the magazines and I’m pretty sure I want. . . . . . blah. . . blah. . . I figure I need it to be flat out to at least … Continue reading →
If you’ve been reading this weblog for a few years, you will already know i usually go on hiatus about this time of year. It is usually hot. I’m usually not going down to the farm all that much, and I have not started seriously reloading for deer season. Well, … Continue reading →
I’ve been using treestands throughout the bulk of my deer hunting career. For the past decade or so I have gone almost exclusively to a buddy-style ladder stand. 15 footers get me far enough off the ground to be innocuous to the deer. They are a lot safer and easier … Continue reading →
I went back and reviewed the Outdoor Life article again, and I am not saying they are wrong, but there are some ideas worth discussing. First off, here is the article again from Outdoor Life referenced in the previous post: Best Deer Hunting State: Kentucky Takes Top Spot in New … Continue reading →
According to Outdoor Life Magazine , Kentucky is now the best place to go trophy deer hunting. Here’s an article: Kentucky touted as No. 1 state for trophy bucks by Outdoor Life magazine I greet this with mixed feelings. On the one hand, I am happier than ever that … Continue reading →
A mentor of mine on the subject of outdoor writing told me what his mentor told him: save everything you write for 8 years, and you will never have to write an original piece after that. You will spend the rest of your career re-purposing the first 8 years. Then … Continue reading →
I have two new additions to the official shamanic deer battery. Both are customized Mausers from friends. One is a 8X57 K98 that I picked up from SuperCore, who was downsizing his inventory over the summer. Mauser 25-06 The other is O.T’s deer gun. My buddy O.T. is call it … Continue reading →
You know, with all that was going on at deer camp last weekend, I kind of forgot to mention some important deer-related stuff. Yes, it still is a little poopy, but . . . well, you’ll see. I was out doing my first bit of serious scouting for turkeys and … Continue reading →
You gotta figure that having a 100 year-old farm house for Deer and Turkey Camp would have consequences, some of them unforeseen. You also have to figure that being away from a house for 3 months– things are going to change. I came back to camp Friday night after being … Continue reading →
As I set this down, the countdown is passing exactly 8 weeks until The Opener. It has been a month since my last post. I was quite unwell– worst case of flu I’ve had in 20 years. It left me creeping around for weeks. It was just the wrong time, … Continue reading →
There is a lot going on despite Deer Camp being closed for close to a month. Believe me, I miss it. Turkey Camp will not open up until nearly March. I just started the countdown to the start of season– 14 weeks. Yikes! Y’all have been very busy. This humble … Continue reading →
I am putting the deer rifles away for the year. Yes, my tail is still dragging, but I figure coming away with a zip is better than it could be. A day spent at Deer Camp is usually going to be better spent anywhere else. My mind still wanders back … Continue reading →
I could have been out for late ML season in KY this weekend, but between the rain and the dismally few deer that seem to be on the property at the moment, I figured that it would be better to stay home, clean guns, and count the ammo. It has … Continue reading →
I look back now on that nice 10-pointer I had standing broadside to me in October and I have to wonder.  If I knew I would be sitting here today with no tags filled at the end of season, would I have shot?  Was there something more I could have … Continue reading →
Forty Years ago, I remember a writer for a fishing magazine proposing a time machine for every tackle box. You get to the bait shop and everyone is saying “You should have been here last week. Boy, were they biting!”  I was reminded of that when stopping in to the … Continue reading →
First it was the Reds, then the Bengals, then the Republicans. There is a lot that sort of thing running around this year. Deer hunting can have years like that too. A good part of it is the expectations. The Reds really looked like the could go all the way … Continue reading →
“. . . The stockings were hung by the chimney with care” Actually, the clothesline IS filled with hunting socks at the moment. Last night Angus did his last load of hunting clothes. Preparations have been going on for some time. Last weekend, I was out at camp, puttering around … Continue reading →
It was back in 2005 when a bunch of us regulars on 24hourcampfire.com were discussing the problem that hunters face when it comes to Christmas. You get all this cool stuff for presents, but then you have to wait until the next year to use it. I suggested that the … Continue reading →
It all started back last Sunday. I was up in my stand, getting to the end of my second morning of hunting in KY’s early muzzleloader season. I had the .54 Hawken along. It was a nice bright morning. I’d seen a few doe over the weekend, but nothing worth … Continue reading →
Angus was out for KY Yute Season yesterday. We did not bag anything, but we had a good time. The trip brought up a whole lot of issues, that I feel need airing. First off, as you know, Angus is a bagpiper. He’s not just a good bagpiper. He’s a … Continue reading →
It is just a little past sunrise, but there is a quite a bit of ground fog this morning. I sent Angus out scouting a new spot. We call it Lazy Boy. Part of it was because we’re trying to standardize the naming scheme of all our stands; this is … Continue reading →
