OK,
For all you children and Grandchildren out there, I got to know Tom or "Dad or Grandpa" (Or "Papa") when he was a young mountain climbing hard hunting whippersnapper. He was kind enough to let me into his family and friends hunting group and those hunts and times are some of the most cherished times of my life. I have lots of pictures of him hunting in those mountains, (Wet and Soaked after getting lost on Treadway Mountain because 'He knew where he was going" (Remember Trent?) And bent over a stream sucking it dry from thirst. I still go fishing in Rock Pond, Clear pond, Crane pond and hike those woods. Maybe I'll get to see you guys in OK sometime. And then the stories will fly!

2013 DEER SEASON PICTURES

Dates on all pictures wrong:

Devin's muzzle loading doe. Coyotes got to it before we did. With in 1 hour of shooting.

Kevin's crossbow buck:

Colten' buck:

TR's buck:

Shilo's first buck:

Shilo's 2nd buck:

PAPA's:

Girls visit camp:

Misc pictures:

Archery Season

It's September 18th, 12 more days till the opening of the Oklahoma bow season. Looking forward to this archery season. I have a new bow that is faster and quieter than any other I have ever had. It has allowed me to shoot better than I ever have. Four inch groups at forty yards is pretty tight for a bow. Dad will be here next week, I hope it has cooled down enough by the first to at least be able to get in the stand in the morning without being soaking wet in sweat. I am ready to be in a tree as the sun rises.

32 Days..... Going up to the cabin this weekend to finish cutting and marking trails for the boys and I to get to our stands. Got some real good hard wood funnels picked out for this year. Priority number one is to put deven and tc on good bucks for the weekend of the youth hunt. I got it all figured out and I am just gonna drive down the road and drop them off in their spots and see what happens. Priority number two is to see to it that my father has to do minimal work this year leaving free to focus on his hunting. Priority number three put my fathers cousin that is coming down for muzzle loading season in some good spots, God some good ones all picked out. Last but not least are my personal goals for the 2013 season. 1.Going to be selective with bucks. I am only going to kill bucks that are bigger than ones I have killed in the past. 2. I want to kill a good buck with my bow. 3 While bow hunting I am going to kill every doe I see. A hunter in the know always takes a doe. I plan on taking four, and pack the freezer. 4. Hunt harder and longer. Staying on the morning stand till one pm. According to the Oklahoma history books four the last ten years A high percentage of record bucks were killed between the hours of 11:00 and 1:00. Most of all I would be thrilled to see the boys and my fathers cousin to get good bucks. If my father and I get to be apart of the boys getting some good bucks for me the season will be a success. Many memories will be made at the old cabin this year. Counting down the days.....

The Hunter.

When I am not hunting I am thinking about it. It is on my mind cause it is in my blood. When the hunt calls I think of so much more than deer, blood and guts. I think of great memories made in the great outdoors with family and friends. In the corrupt world we live in today hunting the way I was taught to hunt with ethics and responsibility, is probably one of the most pure, honest forms Of self expression protected by our 1st amendment rights and protected by the 2nd. The old adage a bad day in the woods is better than a good day at work is near and dear to my heart. I am a hunter! I believe in the wisdom gained from hard work and reward. So many life skills and lessons are obtained from the hunt. If you get to see a deer or to that's great, If you get to kill one that's even better. But being in the woods at the break of dawn is the best. The cool morning breeze whispers secrets into the ears of those who are listening. Will you be there to hear them?

Getting ready for 2013 seasonI

It's July 18 and already we are thinking about deer season. Both TR (my son) and I are talking about plans for youth season and muzzle loading season. We have a couple new , very remote, areas to hunt. TR is scouting all ready and seeing big buck sign from last year and giant fresh tracks. These areas are nasty, snakey, and seldom hunted. I have found 99.5% of hunters in OK hunt "pretty" places or easy places. Hard to get to spots, rugged ground or steep hills are seldom hunted much.
I was fortunate enough to work a paper mill shutdown in Ticonderoga, NY and made some good money. I bought TR and his 3 sons all new Summit Viper climbing tree stands. No more messing with those ladder stands for the boys. They are ready for climbers and borrowed mine often last year. Finally bought a Remington  model 760 308 pump for my oldest grandson, my favorite gun for deer. They are fast, light, reliable. My brothers Bob (passed 2003), Dick, and I have killed over 200 bucks with them and thats in the North East where bucks come hard, usually running, 1 per licence. With practice and good low power scopes the pumps are deadly.  Now my son and his 3 boys and I all carry 760's of different calibers. (  308, 35 rem, 30-06) Loaded right u get big exit holes with blood trails about 6 foot long!!!!!!!!!! No small calibers ( 25 06, 243, etc) that people in OK seem to like. My favorite 760 of the boys is the 30-06 carbine with a Burris 1 to 6 variable scope.This gun belonged to my brother Bob it has killed a ton of deer. My youngest grandson TC Allen ownes it now and the first time he hunted with it last year, he killed  first buck a nice 8 point buck during youth season. I rattled it in and my son TR was watching TC's back side with his bow. It was abig time for several reasons.
My cousin Walt Chapleau is coming down for muzzle loading season from Kentucky. Looking forward to that.
TR is working out of his own shop this year so should have more time to hunt and that will be good because we really like hunting together.
We are improving the cabin this year so Dawn ( TR's wife), Judy and Sadie (TR's daughter) can have their own 'women's only' place to sleep and be private. Making some other improvements too.

Keep tuned for more 2013 update notifications I will be sending out.

Uncle Howard - Funny & True

No one has posted since the close of hunting season, so I thought I would break the boredom by telling a funny, but true hunting story.

Up until a few years ago, any deer killed in Kentucky had to be taken to a Fish and Wildlife check station to be registered.  In the early 1980s, I was invited to hunt with my partner, David and his brothers. David's family had always lived in rural Kentucky and since it is farming country, they knew dozens of farmers. David and his brothers had eight farms they regularly hunted (before the farmers realized they could make money leasing their land for hunting).  Since they drove deer the way we do in the Adirondacks, I felt right at home hunting with them. Kentucky has a large population of farmland deer and the farmers were losing a lot of money in crop loss and damage, as they still are. The farmers, whose land we hunted on, wanted us to kill all the deer we could.

The first year I hunted in Kentucky, David and I took the whole 10 day season off from work. Opening morning, I was placed on a watch and told to kill anything that came out to me. The boys drove a large 10 pointer and a doe past me and I killed them both. Altogether on that first drive of the season, we killed two bucks and three does.  Most of the guys were going to sneak their deer home without registering them, but I was not going to take a chance of getting caught and losing my job. I thought my hunting season was ruined since I  had no tags to hunt the rest of the season.

David said that he had the solution to my problem. He said that for a case of warm Sterling beer (real rot gut stuff!) his uncle Howard would tag the deer. We loaded the deer and went over to Uncle Howard's. David went into the house and came out leading this old crippled, 90 year old man whose eyes were white with cataracts. Uncle Howard was blind as a bat!  I gave David one of those, "What kind of shit is this?" looks and David whispered, "Trust me."  We loaded Uncle Howard into the Blazer and headed to the check station. I was certain we were all going to end up in jail with David and me fired from our jobs to boot.

We got to the deer check station and David led Uncle Howard in with me following.  The conservation officer greeted us and Uncle Howard told her that he had killed a couple of deer.
She replied, "Lucky again this year, huh Howard?" Uncle Howard said that he surely was.
The lady went out, checked the deer and came back in and filled out the registration form for Uncle Howard.  She had to place his hand on the form where he had to sign and he signed with a X because he couldn't read of write. After we dropped Uncle Howard at his house, I asked David how in hell  he managed to pull that one off. David asked me if I had noticed the bulge in the back pocket of Uncle Howard's bibs. I hadn't. David said that the bulge was Uncle Howard's .32 and no one messes with Uncle Howard when he's packing his .32.

A while later I was having breakfast with the captain of our local State Police post. Since we were pretty good friends, I asked him about Uncle Howard without telling him about the deer. Capt. Mort told me that Uncle Howard had been notorious when he was young. The captain said that he had been told that Howard had been involved in several shootouts in the old days which was not at all uncommon in Kentucky. He said that the old timers who knew Howard said that he was no one to "trifle" with.

Uncle Howard - Funny but True!

Since there have been no posts since hunting season, I thought I'd tell you all a funny story that happened to me when I first started hunting in Kentucky.

 Until a few years ago, if you killed a deer in this state, you had to take it to a Fish and Wildlife check station and have it registered. I was invited to hunt with my partner David and his brothers. We had about eight farms we could hunt (before farmers discovered they could make money leasing their land to hunters). David and his brothers drove deer the way we do in the Adirondacks. We would start hunting about daylight and have enough places to hunt to last us until three or four in the afternoon. Because there was a large population of deer in Kentucky and they were doing so much damage to crops, the landowners wanted us to shoot all we could.

David and I took the whole ten days of deer season off to hunt.  Opening morning, I was on a watch and was told to shoot everything that came out to me. A big ten pointer and a doe came out and I killed them both.  Altogether, we killed three bucks and two does on that first drive. For me, I  thought the hunting season was ruined because I had nine days left and no tags. David spoke up and said that for a case of warm Sterling beer (rot gut) his uncle Howard would tag my deer.

We drove over to his uncle's house and David went in to get Uncle Howard.  He came out of the house leading a ninety year old man, whose eyes were white with cataracts. Uncle Howard was totally blind!  I gave David one of those, "I don't believe this shit," look, and he whispered, "Trust me!" 

We loaded Uncle Howard into David's Blazer and took him to the check station. David led him into the station with me following.  I knew we all were going to jail and be out of work to boot.  The conservation officer looked up and Uncle Howard told her he had some deer to check in. She said, "Got some again this year, Howard?" "I surely did," replied Uncle Howard.  The officer went out to the Blazer and looked over the deer and came back in for Howard to sign the paperwork.  The lady had to take Uncle Howard's hand and place it on the form for him to sign.  Uncle Howard signed with an X, since he couldn't read or write. After we dropped Uncle Howard off, I asked David how in the living hell we pulled that one off.  David said, "Did you notice the bulge in the back pocket of Uncle Howard's bib overalls?"  I said that I didn't.  David said, "That was Uncle Howard's .32.  Nobody messes with Uncle Howard when he is carrying his .32."  Several days later, I was having breakfast with the Captain of our local State Police post.  I asked him if he had ever heard of Uncle Howard.  Captain Mort told me that Howard was notorious when he was young and had been involved in several gun fights which was not uncommon in rural Kentucky in the old days.  Capt. Mort said that the old timers say that Howard was not one to "trifle" with. Judging from the way the conservation officer handled the deer registration, I'd have to say that the Captain and David were telling the truth.

TR kills first real bow (not cross bow) buck

Yesterday I took Dawn up to the sweet spot by the our cabin. I had set up a ground blind and she was using my cross bow. We were in fold up chairs and I was sitting right in back of her. We had a doe come in and she was at 14 yards away. The doe never got broadside so I didn't tell her to shoot. Dawn was still excited and maybe she will get her first deer yet this year.

I was watching football and TR was hunting the sweet spot. He called at 5:30 and said he had killed a buck. I pulled my boots on walked the 200 yards where TR was coming down the tree with his climber. He had shot it at 40 yards and was pretty excited because it was his first buck with a bow. I gutted the deer in my pajamas took a couple of pictures and we were back to the house in 20 minutes.

TR has been hunting hard for his first bow buck. He had been in the tree since 2 pm and it paid off. Nice going son, great shot.

This is the same deer I shot at early in the season. I thought I had missed, but from the the picture below you can see my shot was high, but went thru above the spine!!!

Steve Does it Again - Kentucky Elk Season 2012

Several years ago, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and the Ky. Dept. of Fish and Wildlife reintroduced elk in Eastern Kentucky. Due to the fact that there are no natural elk preditors in Kentucky, winters are mild and high mineral food sources are plentiful, the elk population has exploded with many trophy bulls. I have put in for a tag every year and never have been drawn. My son-in-law, Steve has entered as well, and was drawn about 5 years ago. The above bull is a 7 x 7 that he killed opening morning of the season.

This year, the lucky son of a gun drew out a cow tag. He killed this 400 lbs. amimal on Nov. 11th. The only problem was, it wasn't a cow. He shot it in thick brush and it turned out that the elk had a 6 inch spike on one side and the other was broken off.  He said that he had a clear view of the Elk's head about 60 yards away through an opening in the brush and he did not see the small spike. Coincidently, Steve was hunting on Consol Energy property adjoining my wife, Margery's family farm, which she and her sister had sold to her aunt. Steve called the game warden (who turned out to be one of my wife's cousins) and he reported his mistake. The game warden cut off the spike, issued Steve a fineless citation and told him he could keep his elk. Things like this can only happen in Kentucky.

REVISION Shilo does it again.

I found out this morning that Shilo was not in a tree stand. He was on the ground in his jeans, tennis shoes and a camo shirt. That is why he could quickly take off to get front of the deer. Also deer measured green 147.

Shilo does it again..

Here is the story short and sweet. Shilo is in this stand tonight 12/8/2012 for the first time. He sees a doe followed by a big buck. He dosen't get a shot. He gets down from his stand and runs a couple hundred yards trying to circle in front of the deer. He picks a spot where he thinks they come thru and gets on one knee. The doe comes then the buck 30 yards broadside, his arrow flys, bingo big buck down.

This is typical Shilo and thats why we call him the deer whisperer. Shilo is a great athlete and at 17 is in great shape. Shilo does things normal hunters would not do, but it works for him. This is a great public land buck, Shilo's biggest so far, but we said that 2 weeks ago.

Oklahomas- stupid, lazy, and pessimistic hunter

This Oklahoma hunter decide to go to TR's honey hole to see if there as any action.We had left this place alone to hunt it after rifle season. (Oh my God Shilo just walked in with a huge buck, see next post)Anyway being lazy, stupid, and pessimistic I just took my camera. After all I wasn't going to shoot anything anyway.

Well at 8 AM here comes a huge buck that I think was the "Lost camera buck". He stops at about 70 yards and I snapped a picture.. He was coming but I think the flash spooked him. If I had my cross bow I think he would of stopped then came right under my stand. But when your stupid and lazy you don't kill big bucks.

Oklahoma rifle season over.

TR and Devin killed 2 does this morning. Freezer getting filled.

So far this year.  TC-8 point;   Shilo- 6 point, 10 point, doe;  TR-2 does, 3 point buck;  Tom-doe.

Now on to late bow season.

What a Season!

During opening week of gun season, my son-in-law's brother Jeff shot a big 8 pointer. Our friend, Bill later got a trophy size 10 pointer. Jeff's 11 year old son shot his first deer, a spike horn and Jeff's 12 year old nephew shot a spike, also his first deer. Just when I didn't think it could get better, my 8 year old grandson, Wade (pictured above) shot his first deer, a 150 lbs. 8 pointer. Wade has been shooting since he was 4 years old and is a crack shot with his 22 Cricket. This year his dad, Steve and I graduated him to a 30-30. Yesterday morning, Steve and Wade were sitting in a ground blind. Wade was using the 30-30. At daylight, Wade saw a buck come out of the woods into the corn field about 30 yards from their blind. He asked his dad if he could shoot it since Steve couldn't see the deer. Wade made a perfect shot, hitting the buck in the shoulder. When Steve and Wade went over to see what Wade had killed, Steve said that he about "messed his britches." Later that day, Wade was sitting with me. He was getting cold and whispered to me, "Poppy, I'm cold. I think I have had enough deer hunting for one day. I don't want to shoot another right now." I took Wade back to our hunting camp. He had earned a break from hunting plus he had cookies and a coke on his mind.

Beginners Luck-Brandon's 1st Buck

My 14 year old grandson, Brandon came from Virginia Beach with his dad to hunt with us opening weekend. We sat in my 2 man stand. About an hour after sun up, we saw two bucks chasing a doe up a creek below us. I had installed a remote recorded deer call on a tree below our stand. When we saw the deer, I played two doe-in-heat bleats. The deer stopped running and began trying to locate the source of the bleats. I then played a dominate buck grunt and the deer raced up the hill towards us. I told Brandon to get ready and take both the bucks since we had plenty of tags. The lead buck was a trophy size 10 pointer and the second buck was a smaller 8 pointer. The deer ran within 20 feet of our stand and Brandon had to stand up to shoot because the gun rest was in the way. He shot at the 10 pointer and I saw it lurch sideways, but it kept running. He hit the 8 pointer and it went down immediately. We stayed in the stand approximately 30 minutes before we climbed down to look for the 10 pointer. The leaves were kicked up where the 10 pointer stumbled, but next to the spot was a 6 inch oak with bullet hole through the tree at deer shoulder height. There was no blood or hair by the tree nor could we find any after tracking him a ways. The bullet hitting the tree must have sprayed the buck with splinters and pieces of bullet causing him to stumble. We dragged the 8 pointer up to the camp with my 4 wheeler because I didn't want to gut it by the treestand. When I got my knife out, Brandon said that he wanted to gut it. He said that he wanted to learn it all. I therefore walked him through the process. His killing the 8 pointer caused me more excitement than I have experienced deer hunting in years. 

Oklahoma rifle season update 2

I'm home. It's Friday afer Thanksgiving and I'm about hunted out. Hunted way to much in early (hot) bow season. Gonna take the weekend off then hunt around the cabin the second week of season. TR and Devin still up at deer camp for the weekend. Devin still trying for a deer. We haven't had the year we have in the passed, but passed on several small bucks.

Oklahoma rifle season update

Boys have been hunting hard. I filled a doe permit. TR got 3 point. Shilo (the deer whisperer) killed big 10 point at dark. Were trying to get Devin a buck because hasn't connected yet although he has had chances.

This another first day buck by another guy in our camp.

Adirondack Rifle Season Update

Its been a slow start this year with very little buck sign and hot weather to start with.Now with november half gone temps have dropped and hunting parties are seeing some sign and killing some bucks.A good friend of mine killed the biggest of his life last week.Noel Pelletier came to hunt with us for 3 days and saw a 3 ptr and doe first drive.We all saw deer every day but no bucks with them.I put 2 deer toward watchers on a drive and thought 1 was a buck but noone saw them.Still have time left and am hoping some sign and a buck turn up before its over.I have seen some nice sights and explored some big country this year, i guess thats half of being in the woods.goodluck to ya all..Ill update in the near future....T-MAN

Kentucky Gun Season

Gun season in Kentucky starts tomorrow (11/10).  We put our treestands out early in October to be ready for muzzle loader season, but it was uneventful. We saw a lot of deer, but none trophy status. Our trail cams have consistantly captured shootable bucks, but we did not happen to see them while hunting. Hopefully, gun season tomorrow will be different. We have an agreement in our camp that if anyone shoots a buck and doesn't mount it, he will pay the camp kitty $100. Consequently, we have several nice bucks on the farm that we hunt and no one shoots the small ones.

 I understand what Tom means when he posted that hunting with children and grand children was special. My son Jon, got leave from JSOC (Joint Special Operations Command) and he and my grandson, Brandon will be hunting with us. Jon will use my stand and Brandon and I will hunt from a 2 man stand. Brandon will do the shooting if the opportunity presents itself.

I just got a call from Steve, my son-in-law, while writing this. He went into camp early this morning bow hunting. He said that he just saw the big 10 pointer that we have been getting pictures of. It came out of the woods about 60 yards away, stood broadside to him and ignored his grunts and bleats. It was watching some does across the field. He said that he also saw a decient 8 pointer this morning, but couldn't get a shot.
My adrenaline (?) is beginning to pump, so I'm going to jump off for now. Hopefully, I will have a good yarn to spin come Monday!