It's been while since I posted anything as my computer time anymore is very, very limited (two kids with lots of homework and only one computer).
We got about 5-6" of snow yesterday and six of us got after em. Talked to HuntnCarve the night before and he showed up around 7am, so he was one of the 6. He and two others still had buck tags, so my brother, nephew and I were the designated drivers. The woods were extremely quiet and tough to get things going. The deer were holding VERY tight and did not want to move too far. You can see in the first pic below how limited the visibility was. We had deer jumping out of beds within 10 yards of us and cutting back through us pushers. I believe they are getting to know our routines, as we always end up doing the same drives the few times a year we get together. Seems like they don't like to be shot!
Anyway, HuntnCarve Dave shot this doe with a shotgun on about the third drive.
(http://i738.photobucket.com/albums/xx27/daveandbarb2/IMG_1543_zps2aa31ece.jpg) (http://s738.photobucket.com/user/daveandbarb2/media/IMG_1543_zps2aa31ece.jpg.html)
This stream runs along the edge of my property and is usually crossable with knee high boots. The water level was up about a foot so this is how we ended up crossing (at least the hunters crossed this way as the pushers drove up around and drove the woods back). I'm not sure why the one guy insisted on tying a line and only crossing one at a time, and then pulling the canoe back for the next guy to cross, but it is MUCH easier to just do a few dumb things than to argue with him, as HuntnCarve can attest to. :doh2:
BTW, that's him on the near side.
(http://i738.photobucket.com/albums/xx27/daveandbarb2/IMG_1549_zps10ac58d0.jpg) (http://s738.photobucket.com/user/daveandbarb2/media/IMG_1549_zps10ac58d0.jpg.html)
Loaded everyone up and hunted another spot with the same guys hunting and the same guys pushing. Again we were moving a lot of deer, but they were able to slip around us. Managed to move several through to the end and found that Dave tagged another, this time a nice 5 point.
(http://i738.photobucket.com/albums/xx27/daveandbarb2/IMG_1556_zps3f6a8b07.jpg) (http://s738.photobucket.com/user/daveandbarb2/media/IMG_1556_zps3f6a8b07.jpg.html)
And finally my buddy and I pulled this painting out a a pick we did last summer. Got one of those Russian black hats, had HnC don it, and then presented him with his Christmas gift!
Hmmmm
(http://i738.photobucket.com/albums/xx27/daveandbarb2/IMG_1557_zpsa94f1fc3.jpg) (http://s738.photobucket.com/user/daveandbarb2/media/IMG_1557_zpsa94f1fc3.jpg.html)
What an interesting read! Sure pretty country.
In Saskatchewan they call it "pushing bush" when they set up a drive. That's pretty much new to me as I've only been in on one such drive in my life with a group that big. We tried to push a small herd of elk out of a big patch of timber we'd seen them go into. Turned out there were three herds in there-- and none of them cooperated with the drive!
Thanks for posting.
Nice story and some great pictures. Is Dave the only one who killed anything?
Yes John, I was the only one to kill anything. I owe it all to my lucky Black fur hat. :laf: Well actually, I owe Dave, Jeff, Steve, Daniel and Tom a debt of gratitude. More than once they've put me in the right place and run deer by me. They're a great bunch of guys. It was a great day, and I was fortunate enough to tag a doe with my slug gun, and a plump buck with my crossbow.
Upon returning to the creek bank with my prize doe, imagine our surprise to find the canoe missing! I know I dragged that thing a good 10 feet up the bank and away from the water. :shrug: Seems it somehow slid back down the snow pack? Luckily Tom found it about 80 yards down stream. :whew: We can laugh about it now, but for a few minutes there we were all calculating how much a new canoe would cost? :doh2:
In the meantime, I hope all you can be blessed with the type of friends I have. And my your days afield be many and bountiful.
HuntnCarve
Dave
I am glad to see that you are out and killing animals that will make more than one meal (thinking of the groundhogs here). As for the painting, I think that you might have a relative there.
Jerry
Quote from: Okanagan on December 11, 2013, 11:31:06 AM
Sure pretty country.
That's a first, Clyde! All that snow does make it look so pretty, but 300 yards upstream is a wastewater treatment plant, 200 yards downstream is the new "bypass" that opened up last Dec (and really messes up the flow of both the deer and geese), about 250 yards from a housing development directly across the stream, and then we are on the agricultural college I have permission to hunt on. We usually try to do our pushing on the nastiest days.
And Dave was the only one to shoot yesterday (and thanks for all the kind words, Dave - I'm starting to believe you :biggrin:
:laf: I absolutely love it!
I got a little canal I have to pull a skiff back and forth just like that when my buddy goes with me :laf:
Congrats on the deer, looks like there was no shortage of comradry on that trip.
Someone caught HuntnCarve off guard when he was gutting the deer. :eyebrownod:
Thanks for sharing that trip with us
Quote from: FinsnFur on December 11, 2013, 09:06:52 PM
Someone caught HuntnCarve off guard when he was gutting the deer. :eyebrownod:
:alscalls: :alscalls:
I was thinking the same thing - like he got caught with his hand in the cookie jar!
Looks like you guys had a great time. :biggrin: Next time you might get your buddy to use some of his rope to tie that canoe off to something. :shrug: :shrug: :laf:
Pat
Looks like a good time had by all. I see the rigorous months spent eradicating whistle pigs kept Dave in good form. :biggrin:
Good story, good pictures. Kudos to good friends doing their thing together. Plenty of backstraps there.
:congrats: Great times! Thanks for taking us along!
Excellent story, thanks for sharing. Beautiful country you hunt in.