2008 Season Comes to an End

The 2008 hunting season came to an end last Thursday here in Missouri. Once the dust settled 08 ended up being one of our most successful hunting seasons ever. Logan went on his first official duck hunts at Ken Gold HC and is hooked. Both Scott and I are looking forward to many more seasons in the blind or stand with Wee-Man.

Combined we shot 20 whitetails (Scott 6, Pete 9, Brian 5), 1 Fall Rio Turkey (Scott), and 1 gianormus TX pig (Pete). Not to mention all the waterfowl and pheasants Scott and Logo piled up in MN and the random varmints that crossed our paths. Scott killed his largest whitetail to date with a bow. Brian shot 5 deer, which is the most in one season for him. And he recorded his 1st archery kill in several years. I personally set a personal best with 9 whitetail kills, although I didn't get any of those Northern MO Big Guys to cooperate. Hopefully next fall!!! I also killed my largest hog to date, she was pushing 300 lbs. For the record that brought my life time total to 23 hogs killed in 4 shots, not a bad average if I may say so!

Lucky for us the spring snow goose migration should be gearing up in the next 4-6 weeks here in MO. Shed hunting is only about 2 weeks out, and the next thing we know it will be April 20th and the turks better be on their A game or they are going to get some serious carbon & lead poisoning! Oh yeah... I'm heading back to TX for more hogs at the end of February with Ralph and Bobby.

Not to mention we couldn't have Brian being the last post of the 2008 season!!!

MO Smoke Pole

With the Missouri Muzzle Loader season coming to a close this past Sunday and our Texas trip scheduled for this weekend, I decided to ML hunt as much as possible through the weekend in hopes of shooting another big doe for the freezer.

12/5/08 BS 155 - A.M. Sit - My Ladder Set

I was able to sneak out for a couple hours before work on Friday, so I took full advantage and was in my set by 6:30am. The temp was hoovering around 12 degrees with a northeast wind at 5-7mph. The morning was crisp and clear with frost covering everything. I had a mature doe come out in the corner of the field to the north at 7:30am. She started feeding straight away, but I didn't have a shooting lane. After a few minutes of devouring beans she went crazy, it was like her feet caught on fire! The doe started jumping around and running all over the field. She made it all the way to the east treeline before turning around and running all the way back to the west timber. She never did stop long enough for a clean shot opportunity. At 7:40am I caught movement in the east treeline. A small 4 point stepped out onto the field. His left side was broke off, but he had a good body for a 1 1/2 yr. old. He licked several branches before walking across to the west timber.

12/6/08 BS 155 A.M. Sit - Ground Action (East side of the farm)

I had to work at 10am this morning, so I was only going to be able to hunt until 8:30 or so. Brian and Brad were bow hunting the BS 70, so I decided to hunt the east side of the BS155 farm. Nobody had been in there all year, and I had personally never been over there. I set up on the north end of the bean field in some tall grass. The temp was 33 with a west breeze of 6-8mph. There was no action off the bat except for rabbits and tree rats. At 8:00am I decided to sneak into the timber and take a look around. The west timber was covered up with trails and good sign. There is a lot of under growth and big oaks throughout the draw. I setup on a little pinch point and had a good 8pnt and doe come by about 10 minutes after I was set up, but they were moving with a purpose and never presented a shot.

12/6/08 BS 155 P.M. Sit - Ground Action (East Side of the farm)

Of course I had OU fans in the store 30 minutes after closing time, so I was scrambling to get out for the evening sit. The wind switched out of the northwest during the day and was gusting at 25mph all night. I set up on the southwest corner of the field overlooking the timber draw and field. I spotted 2 huge cedar trees that had been rubbed recently. They were the biggest trees I've seen rubbed in 4-5 years (remember this!!!). No movement to speak of except tree rats and birds.

12/7/08 BS 70 A.M. Sit - North Fence Ground Blind

Dennis and a friend were hunting the BS 155 property this morning, so I decided to hunt on the BS 70 property. The temp was 22 with a southeast wind of 8-12 mph. I got to the farm early so I could get across the field before there was any light coming up. I was set up in the blind by 6:20am and sat back and waited for shooting light. At 7:00am the skunk that tried to get in the blind with me a couple weeks ago walked out in front of me at 15 yrds and headed off across the field. At 7:12am I spotted a deer coming out of the middle section of timber to the west. It was a good 2 1/2 yr old 8 point and he was quickly followed by a 1 1/2 yr old 6 point that was busted up on his left side. Both deer began to feed east towards the south set. The 8 point went on alert and quickly headed in to the east timber once he crested the ridge of the field. The smaller buck continued to feed in that direction. Once he made it to the edge of the east timber all hell broke loose. 3 mature does and a yearling doe came busting onto the field. The 8 point was hot on the trial of the smaller deer. He was chasing her all over the corner of the field. The bigger does kept chasing after the buck, almost like they were trying to protect the little one.

After several minutes of watching this circus and trying to get a deer to stand still long enough for a clean shot, I grunted one of the big does to a stop. She was slightly quartering to me at 53 yrds, so I settled the cross hairs just to the left of her brisket and squeezed of the shot. The smoke pole barked and instantly I was surrounded by a whiteout. I jumped up to get out of the smoke and almost knocked myself out on an overhanging limb above the ground blind. After regaining my composure I was able to see my doe drop about 30 yrds into the timber. She absolutely smashed a tree on her death run and went ass over tea kettle to the ground.

I was stoked since this was the first muzzle loader kill of my career that the coyotes didn't get to first!! It was a solid finish to the MO muzzle loader season and my eighth deer of the year. With Texas just around the corner I think I'll take a break this week and get back after it in Throckmorton, TX Saturday evening!

Final Day Success - Minny-Mo Buck #4

11/25/08 - Today was the last day of the 2008 MO modern firearms deer season. I've been hunting hard all season, but haven't seen any shooter bucks except the one I wounded during the archery season. I decided to hunt the BS70 farm, since Pete and I have taken 6 deer off the BS155 farm in the past couple of weeks. There was a slight east wind and the temperature was 26 degrees when I climbed into the south set.

Just before 7am 2 does and 2 doe fawns entered the field to my north. They milled around the field eating and playing for about an hour. Around 8am one of the big does headed south down the field edge, while the other three cut into the timber and walked right under my set. I kept thinking that a buck had to be here somewhere.

About ten minutes after the does filtered into the timber I looked to the south and spotted a deer feeding just around the point of timber I was set up in. The deer was about 75yrds away, but I couldn't tell what it was. I assumed it was the doe that had headed south earlier. To my surprise the deer turned out to be a buck and good sized buck at that. He continued feeding around the point of timber which was going to bring him within 30yrds. of the set, so I sat back and waited for him to get out in the open. Once he cleared the point I could see five points on his left side and that his right side was busted up pretty good, but he was a mature shooter. I was starting to get a pretty good case of buck fever as he approached my shooting lane. As the buck entered the lane I softly grunted and he stopped perfectly broadside at 25 yrds. I squeezed off the shot, the buck jumped and ran right at me and stopped 10yrds. from the set. I couldn't see blood or any sign of a hit, so I chambered another round. The buck had started heading south at this point, but he stopped about 40yrds. out and looked back in my direction. I took the opportunity he presented me and anchored my second shot right in the wheelhouse. Ol' boy could only hold it for about 20yrds. before taking a dirt nap right on the field edge.

I was extremely jacked-up about putting a mature shooter down and instantly started burning up the phone lines. The land owner brought his kids outs to see the buck and Pete & Brad showed up about 20 minutes later to take photos and help get the big guy loaded up. The BS farms have been great score for Pete & I this year. We have harvested 8 deer (2 mature bucks, 2 mature does, 2 doe fawns, and 2 bbs) of the two tracts this year. We only hope Dennis will keep allowing us to hunt out there!

MO Firearms - 2nd Weekend

11/22/08 - Brian and I headed up to New Cambria Saturday morning. The weather was perfect with 30 degree temps and a slight SSW wind. I had a doe and yearling doe come running by from Brian's direction around 7:00 am, neither of them ever stopped for a shot opportunity. That was the only action to speak of for the morning sit. I did jump a yote on the way out, but he never gave me a shot.

We decided to head back to the Blue Springs farm for the evening sit. Roger's brother-in-law gut shot a "big, big buck" behind the pond on the North meadow. He ran across P-Hwy and we never found him. Not sure if he was recovered after we left or not.

Brian hunted his ladder set in the P.M. and had a couple of does milling around. About 5p.m. the land owner and a buddy shot at a 9 point just NE of Brian's set. Brian saw the buck run out the south end of field about 200 yrds. out.

11/23/08

I met Brian at the parking area of the Blue Springs farm around 5:30am. The temperature was 32 degrees with a 8-12 mph SSW breeze. The morning started out very slow with no activity other than turkeys clucking until 8am. I had a small doe prance across the field from the SW corner by my set. She never stopped, but something most have scared her because I could hear her running in the timber for about 30 seconds before she popped out on the field. I went back to Yatz and continued scanning the area every couple of minutes. At 8:30am I spotted 2 deer working south just inside the east treeline. The two young deer eventually came out in front of my set at 150 yrds, and began to devour beans. I watched them for about 15 minutes in the bino's, it was pretty cool watching them eat anything they could find in the field. My goal going into the day was to shot one more small doe for the freezer, and one of these poor souls was going to be the unlucky recipient! I couldn't be 100% positive if the bigger of the two was a doe or a button buck, so instead of making the same mistake I did last weekend I opted to shoot the one I knew was doe. Brian sent me a text at 8:43am saying he'd seen a spike and that he had to leave by 9, and I replied "cover your ears". I made a perfect double lung shot at 141 yrds. The little girl tried to hold it, but after 40 yrds she went down right in the field.

In all it was an extremely slow weekend for deer movement, but I accomplished my goal of harvesting a small eater doe and deer #7 of the 08 season is in the freezer.

Shana came out on her 1st rifle hunt ever Sunday night. We hunted the BS-70 farm and set up on the North fence line in a ground blind. We didn't see any deer, but we had fun. Shana was dominated by Yahtz, welcome to the club! Hopefully we'll get her out a few times durning the ML season.

MO "08" Gun Opener- Minny-Mo Buck #3 Down

11/15/08 - The opening morning of the 2008 Missouri firearms season greeted Brian and I with 33 degree temps, sleet, snow, rain, and 25-40 mph winds out of the NW. It was cold to say the least, probably the 2nd worst day of hunting conditions I've ever hunted in! We hunted on a new farm located in Blue Springs, MO. We didn't get permission until early November for the property, so scouting time was very limited. We went in last Tuesday before the rain and hung two ladder stands. One on the North end of the property and one on the South end.

I had 3 does come into the field before shooting light and they fed in the picked beans for 25 minutes before moving off to the northeast. They were followed shortly by 2 big does that fed into the field from the southwest corner. I was so temped to shoot the biggest one, but it was so early and we knew there were a couple good bucks on the property, because of pictures the land owner had on his trail cameras. The wind and snow/sleet kept up most of the morning, but I continued to see several does and yearlings work in and around the field.

Around 10am there was a shot on the neighbors property and at 10:30am I spotted a hunter walking through the bedding area to my south. I yelled at him twice and he turned and looked both times, but continued to walk east through the bedding cover. At 10:45am the trespasser popped out of the east side of the field with a friend (not in orange) and walked directly over to my stand spooking 2 does that had been feeding to my north. He proceed to tell me he had hit a good buck around 10am and that he'd jumped the fence to our side. He said the property owner's brother had given him permission to look and he didn't know anybody was hunting, he apologized about messing up my hunt and headed west with his buddy. I figured this would be a good time to eat lunch and try to warm up.

Brian and I were back in the stands by 12:20pm. Around 1:30pm I spotted the two big does from the morning working down the treeline to my northeast across the field. They were +200yrds out, but headed my direction. Once they worked inside 175yrds I was going to take a shot, when I noticed movement to my left. There was a good buck coming out onto the field. He started to run east across the field and I could see through the binos that his front left leg was broke just above the knee joint an flopping in the wind. The buck spotted the two does and charged another 80yrds across the field towards them. He stopped about a 190yrds. to check out the two does one more time and I touched off the shot. The ol' boy didn't even try to hold a second bullet on the day. He went down in his tracks and I was shook-up. I knew he was a good deer, but I really had no idea how big or how many points he had, it all happened so fast.

I called Brian and he came over and met me in the field. We took some photos and drug ol' boy into the treeline and climbed back up into the stands. The action slowed down for a while, but around 3:45pm I started seeing deer working around the field edges. At 3:58pm a small deer popped out 90yrds north of me in the field. I wanted to shoot an eater deer, but there were several trees and branches preventing a shot. Because of the 30 mph winds I decided I could probably climb down and slide up to the field edge undetected and get a shot. My plan worked to perfection and I was actually able to stalk up to 50yrds before putting to boots to deer #2 on the day. I called Delany to tell him the news and that I was going to go pickup the 4wheeler at his house. While we were on the phone I spotted two deer looking at me from over the top of the field. I set the phone down and let the .06 barked again, deer #3 of the day was now down in it's tracks also. Despite the wicked weather conditions it was an amazing day, with 23 deer and 13 turkeys spotted and three deer down including my 2nd biggest buck.

11/16/08- Day two of the 08 MO firearms season treated us much nicer than day 1 did. It was still cold with temps in the low 30's, but the wind had switched out of the SW and laid down to 7-10mph. My goal for the day was to harvest a mature doe. Around 7am I spotted 3 does and little 6 point about 400yrds to the north. I watched them for about 15 minutes before they headed back into cover. Around 7:40am I was writing in my journal about the day 1 events when I noticed movement straight east of me. Two matures does popped out of the draw and started feeding across the south end of the field right towards my set. I let the biggest one get to 60yrds before I dropped the hammer on her. The big doe held it like a champ and she took off running right me. She made it to about 25yrds before taking a serious nosedive right in front of me (picture from my stand).

After the doe went down I went back to finishing up my journal entries. As I was finishing my notes up the doe that had come into the field with the one I shot popped back out with another good sized doe. They couldn't figure out what happened to the downed deer and wandered around the field for 5 minuted checking everything out. They eventually moved off to the northwest. Around 8:20am I spotted two does getting dogged by a little buck about 300yrds to the northeast of my set. At 9am I shut it down and picked up the 4-wheeler, because I had some serious butchering time to put in. In all it was a great weekend in "Urban MO" with 33 deer and 13 turkeys seen, and 4 deer in the freezer.

Minny-MO Buck #1 Down In MN

I arrived at the Annandale property around 3 PM on 10/24/08. Had cloudy skies, cool temps in the low 50’s to upper 40’s and a south wind at 5-10 MPH. The wind was suppose to be out of the N/NW all evening but never switched until after dark. Thanks again weather.com! Because of the forecast I climbed into my center woods stand. The south wind was a bit iffy, but I should have been O.K..

After a slow first hour and a half I noticed movement to my left. I spotted what I thought was a descent 8 point buck about 60 yards south of me working the bottom of the hillside. I think the deer caught a brief whiff of my scent, but not enough to put him on alert, instead it seemed to peak his curiosity. It looks like my Scent Lock clothing was paying off! The deer started up a path that led directly to my set, the whole time it was walking dead down wind of me. At 30 yards the buck gave me a brief broadside shot but quickly turned and continued walking directly to my set. Finally at 5 feet from my set the buck turned broadside and gave me an almost straight down shot. My arrow flew straight down and never touched the deer. Everything happened so fast that the deer never new what happened. He took a quick step back and started to look around.

I think the deer caught me move for a brief second as I reached for a 2nd arrow, but after a minute or two of staring each other down the deer started working his way straight east from my stand. At 15 yards the deer stepped behind a tree and gave my a 2nd opportunity to come to full draw. When the buck stepped out from behind the tree at 17 yards my Hoyt was waiting for him. This time there was no messing around. I hit him about 6 ribs back as he was quartering away and my arrow came out perfectly on the opposite crease. "We have a broken heart!" The deer did a mule kick on impact and took off running to the east. It feels nice to be lucky once in a while!

After settling down, making a couple phone calls and waiting about 45 minutes I started my track job. The deer made it nearly 200 yards with no lungs and a hole in his heart. I guess he wanted to try and hold it. Luckily for me the spitfire opened him up proper and the track job was fairly easy once I got my big spot light. After a 30 minute track job I found my 1st buck of 2008! The deer ended up being a big bodied 7 point. Not the biggest rack in the world, but he can ride in my truck…I mean mini van any day of the week. After pulling the deer to a field edge I left him for the night and returned the following morning with Logan and Jake to take some pictures and finish the drag. With temps in the upper 30's Friday night the deer would be fine. Below is a picture with me and the two future deer killers on Saturday morning. Another highlight to my 2008 hunting season. My week trip to Missouri is next week!

Delany Strikes Again - "Brooklynn's Deer"

10/21/08 - Brian and I headed out to the Blue Springs property we got permission for this year. We both had a good feeling about the evenings hunt, because a big front was moving in from the west. We got to the farm around 3:40pm suited up and headed to the stands. The temp was around 56 with strong winds out of the east/southeast at 20-30 mph. Brian was going to hunt his north stand and I decided to hunt from the ground, because of the wind and close proximity of both Brian's sets.

Brian made a couple of mock scrapes around his set and noticed a lot of rubs right around his stand. The evening started off slow with no activity until around 5:50pm. I had 11 does work in from the north of me. They were feeding in the green field about 60 yards out, but angling right at me. Another 25 yards or so and I'd have a shot. At 6:12 my phone started to vibrate and it was Delany. I sent him a quick text and asked him what his deal was. Brian texted me back and said he had a doe down, and for me to come over. I told him to stay put, because I was covered up in deer. Another 10 yards and they were going to be in range. About 2 minutes later all the deer went on alert looking back to the east, and I knew Delany was no longer in his stand. After the deer took off I packed up shop and headed over to Brian's location.

Brian had 3 big does work in behind his set, but they knew something was up because they kept looking up at him. The lead doe skirted Brian's position and headed into the field to feed. The other two does stayed back and kept eyeballing Brian. After several tense minutes the deer seemed to relax a little and Brian took advantage of the chance. The first doe was now 31 yards from his set in the bean field slightly quartering to him. Brian drew back without being detected and made a great shot on the big doe. She took the full force of the Rage and headed out the northeast end of the field, but she wasn't going far.

Once I met up with Brian he went to get the rig, so we could hopefully get her and ourselves out of the field before the rain hit. I trailed the deer for about 60 yards into the woods and found her piled up underneath a dead fall. This is were the fun starts!!!

By the time Brian got back the rain was coming down pretty good. We took a few pictures and started dragging the big doe the 300 yards to the truck. The rain continued to fall and picked up into a downpour for about 15 minutes. By the time we had the doe field dressed and everything loaded up the bean field looked like soup. Brian put the Chevy to work and after several tense minutes of tearing up mud, beans, the two track, and Brian' s transmission we finally crested the top of the field and made it home safely.

After getting back to the house and hanging the deer Brian couldn't help notice he had on his "World's Greatest Dad" shirt. It's been his lucky charm since turkey season, we've had three kills in 3 outings with that shirt. God knows it has nothing to do with Brian's outdoor skills!

Going into this fall Brian had a good feeling his luck was going to change. He had dedicated this season to Broolynn Delany, the daughter he and Melissa lost last fall prematurely. She must be looking down on dad, because he's putting a great fall together so far. Keep up the good work Brooklynn, dad needs all the help he can get!

A "Little" More MO Venison in 2008

10/18/08 - I headed over to Mid MO to hunt with Ralph and Bobby this weekend. I hunted the No Seat set Saturday morning with no activity except for the tree rats. The temperature started out around 45 with highs near 65 by mid day. The wind was all over the place at 5-12 mph. There is a lot of sign around, but with the crops still in down south of us that is were most of the deer are still hanging around.

Saturday evening I hunted the Ladder Set. Saw several turkeys, but no deer activity to speak of. The food plot looks great, but there are areas that we need to open up so the sun gets to them. Ralph had a doe and yearling come in from the north on him, but they never got close enough for a shot.

10/19/08 -After an evening of roasting dogs and cocktails at Eddy's farm, we hit the woods again. I hunted the new NW Ladder set. The temp was 41 with an east/southeast wind, but by 7:30am the wind switched and was coming mainly out of the northeast at 15-25mph. I had 4 turkeys roosted across the fence from me, but they pitched into VanDyke's field and headed north. At 9:35am I spotted two does working south in the cedars, they were about 70 yards to the east. They made it to Ralph around 10am, but he didn't see them until it was to late, and they ended up sliding past him without a shot opportunity.

I met Bobby back at the trucks around 10:30am and when Ralph made it down he said there was a "good sized" doe up on the Hill Top trail, and that she didn't spook when he walked by on the main trail. The wind was blowing hard out of the northwest at this point, so I decided to try a stalk on that deer. I took one arrow and headed back up the trail to the the Hill Top. The wind was perfect and the woods were very noisy, so any sound I made was covered up. I snuck up the trail to the Hill Top set and about 15 yards from cresting the ridge I spotted the top of the deer's back. It's head was down and it was right behind a large oak tree, so I decided to see how close I could get. At 9 1/2 yards I was directly behind the big oak and could hear the deer eating acorns. I drew back and the deer worked out from behind the tree headed west. Once the deer's shoulder past my pin I touched off the Rage tipped "Black Widow" Maximum Hunter. The shot was right on the heart and the deer only went about 15 yards before going down.

I know it's not the biggest deer in the woods, but it was a great stalk, perfect shot and will make some good eats.

Delany Finally Ends the Drought !!!! No Joke!!!!

During the summer months I was real optimistic that my 8 year drought of not getting a deer with my bow was going to come to an end. My wife and hunting buddies didn't think so, but I had a good feeling about it. I finally bucked up and bought a range finder, which limited my excuses if I did miss. Not that missing deer has been my problem, I just haven't been presented with a lot of opportunities over the past several years.

I was headed just North of Marshall, MO on October 11th to hunt a new property that I have permission for. My friend Jud and I hung a set early in September overlooking a bean field where three draws all meet up. Without a lot of scouting it looked like a good spot to start, worst case it would be a good observation stand. The temps were in the mid-50s with a slight S to SE wind. On the way up I was seeing a lot of deer in the fields which got me all worked up for the morning sit. The day started out slow with three coons being the only activity right off the bat. I am very sentimental so I decided to let the coons pass. Once there was good light I noticed some branches that I hadn't cut in September were blocking my view of the entire field edge. I kept having to lean out to check the field edge and thinking that deer would be right on top of me before I saw them.

Around 7:20am I saw 4 deer in field about 130 yards out and headed my direction. I got out my range finder and checked several yardages so I'd be ready if they kept working my direction. As the deer got closer I realized this may be the end to my long archery drought and the adrenaline started pumping. I could hear my heart pounding and the anticipation was at a fever pitch. As the deer approached the branches that had been blocking my view, I drew back the Hoyt and prepared for the shot. The first deer into the shooting lane was a doe fawn, but she was quickly followed by a mature doe. The doe stopped at 23 yards slightly quartering to me. I settled the pin just off her front shoulder and touched off the shot. The arrow flew true and I watched the Rage chew her up with a complete pass through. She tried to hold it, but after 5o yards or so she took a dirt nap.

Even though it was early and there were some fresh rubs near the stand, I had to get down and start burning up the phone lines. I was all jacked up after waiting almost a decade to end my archery drought. It was a great morning in the MO woods, and now Delany is finally on the archery board!

I have to dedicate this hunt to my idol Pete Eisentrager, without his guidance and tutelage over the years none of this would be possible. I would also like to mention Pete's brother Scott who has been my spirital guide in my quest to break my 8 year drought. Without the two of them I would still hunting with the wind at my back and storing my clothes next to my lawn mower. You guys are the greatest, seriously. BD

MO Archery 2008 - On the Board!

9/19/08 - I arrived at the North MO farm around 4:45pm. I talked with Roger a while and he said he's seen more deer this summer than ever before. This got me even more fired up to get the season started. I hunted the North set because of the SE wind at 5-10 mph. I got into the set around 5:30pm and settled in for the evening hunt. There was no deer movement at all. I did have a coon climb the tree next to me around 7pm and cause a racket the rest of the evening. A disappointing start.

9/20/08 (AM setup) - I hunted the Ridge Top set this morning. The wind was out of the East at 7-10 mph with temps around 57, which worked out perfectly for this set. There was heavy fog driving into the farm and it got worse as I headed towards the bottom fields. The acorns were pouring out of the trees and the squirrels were having a field day collecting their winter stashes. I didn't see any deer, but the ridge top was covered up with tracks and sign. The fog moving through the timber made for an exceptional sunrise and morning sit. I got down around 9:45am and hung another set west of the meadow pond and set up a ground blind on the SE edge of the meadow.

(PM setup) - I got into the ground blind set around 4:45pm. The temps were in the upper 70s with a strong E / SE wind, which was perfect for the setup. Around 6:45pm I spotted a good buck working up the levee from the north. When he was about 80 yards out several yotes topped the meadow and appeared to chase after the buck. He was not going to have anything to do with them and took off in short order to the south. He ran by the blind at about 50 yards in the bean field. It looked like a good 140+ 8 or 9 point, I couldn't get a good look at him to be positive. Right at last shooting light I was starting to pack up the video camera when I looked to the West and saw antlers approaching from the back side of the pond dam. I'm almost positive it was the same giant 10 I saw several times last year, but he added a lot of tine length and mass. He stopped on top of the dam at 36 yards, but was facing straight towards me and didn't offer a shot opportunity. He proceeded to drop down onto my side of the dam but took the wash out just South of the blind and passed me at 13 yards, but all I could see was his antlers. So close, yet so far away!!! He made it to the bean field were I glassed him for about 5 minutes until he feed North out of view. It was an amazing encounter. He had no idea I was even in the world, so I'm very optimistic he'll make another appearance before the season is out, and hopefully I'll be waiting.

9/21/08 (AM setup) - On Sunday morning I was greeted by overcast skies, temp of 63, and a SE wind around 8mph. There was a little fog in the bottom fields, but nothing like Saturday morning. I setup in the Meadow Pond set hoping to catch deer coming back from the fields to bed. I had a deer walk up on me right after I was in the stand but it was to dark to make out what it was. There was very little activity besides squirrels and acorns falling. I was only going to hunt until 9am, because several tree limbs had fallen into my shooting lanes, and I didn't check this stand before the season started. I figured I could get the shooting lanes cleaned up before the rain moved in. At 8:53am I decided it was time to get down. I took the arrow off my bow and grabbed my quiver off the hanger and set it in my lap. When I turned to grab my bow I was very surprised to see a big doe walking along the pond bank right at my set. She had me in a bind at this point. My mask and gloves were off, my quiver was laying across my lap, and I didn't have an arrow nocked. She kept heading NE and walked right into the main shooting lane. I grunted at her and she stopped perfectly broadside and looked back in my direction. I decided to give it a go. I took an arrow out of the quiver and got it nocked without her picking me off. I came to full draw with my quiver still resting across my legs and settled the 20 yard pin on her. Lights out, the shot was absolutely perfect and she didn't make it 30 yards before tipping over. The Rage in the Cage was to much for her to try an hold. I got down and picked up my arrow and decided to follow the blood trial, even though I saw her fall. There was literally blood splattered 3-4 ft. high on everything she passed before she expired. It capped a good first weekend to the 2008 MO Archery season. I'll be back next weekend with Scott and hopefully get to catch up with the big 10.

Pete's Fall 2008 Hunting Road Trips

9/6 - 9/8 - Early Goose Season, Barry, MN (Scott, Logan, Pete)
9/19 - 9/21 - Bowhunting, New Cambria, MO (Pete)
9/26 - 9/29 - Bowhunting, New Cambria, MO (Scott & Pete)

10/10 - 10/12 - Bowhunting, Williamburg, MO (Ralph & Pete)
10/18 - 10/19 - Bowhunting, Williamsburg, MO (Ralph, Bobby, Pete)
10/25 - 10/26 - Bowhunting, New Cambria, Mo (Pete & Brian)

10/31 - 11-9 - Bowhunting, New Cambria, Mo (Scott, Pete, Ralph)
11/15 -11/17 - Rifle, New Cambria, MO (Pete)
11/21 - 11/23 - Rifle, Williamsburg, MO (Ralph, Bobby, Pete, Shana)
11/27 - Bowhunting, New Bloomfield, MO (Pete)
11/28 - 11/30 - Muzzleloader, Williamsburg, Mo (Ralph & Pete)

12/6 - 12/7 - Muzzleloader, New Cambria, MO (Pete)
12/12 - 12/16 - Bow & Rifle Hunt, Throckmorton, TX (Scott & Pete)
12/20 - 12/21 - Duck hunt, Rockville, MO (Brian & Pete)
12/24 - Duck hunt, Rockville, MO (Pete, Shana, Brian)
12/25 - 12/28 - Bowhunt, Williamsburg, MO (Ralph & Pete)

1/3 - 1/4 - Bowhunting, New Cambria, Mo (Pete)