huntin' lunatic
Active member
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Had a great trip to Mason. Got in late on monday nite so we had to get a motel room. We had to check in at 9am with orientation at 11. We unloaded our stuff at the lodge and chilled a little. That staff at the WMA is a great bunch of fellas. The view and the scenery were breathtaking. We were given maps and shown how to get to our stands. Got camoed up and as soon as we left the lodge about noon, we started seeing wildlife. You will see pics of sable antelope and thompsons gazelle (sp). Ronnie and Jacob were going to be hunting box blinds and Ryan had marked an elevated platform stand on the map for me. Got Jacob set up in his and on the way out found this rub about 50 yds behind Jacob's stand. That dadgum elevated stand was so well camoed that we drove by it and walked by once, it before Ronnie and I noticed it. I loved it. Corned the roads and settled in for the afternoon hunt. It was a litlle warm but the mornings were supposed to be cold. We were on a mangement hunt for 4pt, spikes, or one unbranched antler. Deer started showing up at about 3 o'clock and fed for a while. Sunset was at 5:35 and Mark Mitchell the wildlife biologist, told us we could shoot up to 30 minutes after sundown. I had forgotten my canvas chair and I had to sit on my bottom or kneel, which at times I have found that very necessary. My foot had gone to sleep and I started cramping trying to move quitely. So at about 5:30, I slowly stood up to stretch. I had plenty of branches to breakup my silhouette, so I was not concerned of getting busted. At 5:50 I looked up and out of nowhere there stood a 4pt. I shouldered the 7mag and squeezed, he reared up and staggered back where he came from with his tail tucked. I was miffed that I could not find any blood or find a blood trail. Ronnie showed up and I told him to go ahed and go get Jacob and they could come help me. He had run towards the road so I figured that I would find blood on the road. I started questioning my shot. So I started to look across the road and as I was scanning the ground with my flashlight, I noticed something shining. I thought, "That sure looks like an eyeball". He had expired not 20 yads past the road, belly down. Jacob and Ron pulled up and the celebrating began, but it was just going to get better. .To be continued.
Had a great trip to Mason. Got in late on monday nite so we had to get a motel room. We had to check in at 9am with orientation at 11. We unloaded our stuff at the lodge and chilled a little. That staff at the WMA is a great bunch of fellas. The view and the scenery were breathtaking. We were given maps and shown how to get to our stands. Got camoed up and as soon as we left the lodge about noon, we started seeing wildlife. You will see pics of sable antelope and thompsons gazelle (sp). Ronnie and Jacob were going to be hunting box blinds and Ryan had marked an elevated platform stand on the map for me. Got Jacob set up in his and on the way out found this rub about 50 yds behind Jacob's stand. That dadgum elevated stand was so well camoed that we drove by it and walked by once, it before Ronnie and I noticed it. I loved it. Corned the roads and settled in for the afternoon hunt. It was a litlle warm but the mornings were supposed to be cold. We were on a mangement hunt for 4pt, spikes, or one unbranched antler. Deer started showing up at about 3 o'clock and fed for a while. Sunset was at 5:35 and Mark Mitchell the wildlife biologist, told us we could shoot up to 30 minutes after sundown. I had forgotten my canvas chair and I had to sit on my bottom or kneel, which at times I have found that very necessary. My foot had gone to sleep and I started cramping trying to move quitely. So at about 5:30, I slowly stood up to stretch. I had plenty of branches to breakup my silhouette, so I was not concerned of getting busted. At 5:50 I looked up and out of nowhere there stood a 4pt. I shouldered the 7mag and squeezed, he reared up and staggered back where he came from with his tail tucked. I was miffed that I could not find any blood or find a blood trail. Ronnie showed up and I told him to go ahed and go get Jacob and they could come help me. He had run towards the road so I figured that I would find blood on the road. I started questioning my shot. So I started to look across the road and as I was scanning the ground with my flashlight, I noticed something shining. I thought, "That sure looks like an eyeball". He had expired not 20 yads past the road, belly down. Jacob and Ron pulled up and the celebrating began, but it was just going to get better. .To be continued.
