High Country

Feeders are a secondary system for me...I have family fill the gravity feeders (from a ATV) feeders on Thursday if I am hunting on a Saturday (so about two days)...generally does not have a problem (though coons and squirrels) will feed on the corn too... Generally only does and small racked bucks go to the feeders during daylight...I cover two major trails leading to the feeders to pick off the bucks that are following the does... NO pictures of a good buck at my feeders--maybe because of the way I put out the corn... Attract the does and the bucks will follow though!

I am biased by my own results... I took a 200 yard quartering away shot on a doe (turned out to be a button buck) this past year at Fort Knox in KY (the deer would not stop as it passed me due to all of the shooting / hunters in the area). The 300 grain Hornady SST hit 2" right of point of aim and flipped the deer (which never moved). The slug traveled the length of the deer exiting in front of the right shoulder...massive expansion... I have had great results with the Hornady SSTs... For disclosure: I shoot a Remington 1100 12-gauge with 2.75" chambers...I have a secondary Remington fully rifled barrel with rifle sights...the receiver has been drilled and tapped and I have a 3-9 x 40 Tasco (it is cheap but works) scope mounted. I have been told the SSTs do not perform well from a smooth bore though... I like that set-up as the rifle sights provide a back-up system since you are only allowed the one gun at Fort Knox and cannot leave the base for a backup if it fails...

Use a ground blind... My son and I have formed many wonderful memories (though he has not harvested any animals yet)...and there have been some set backs... Remember to encourage but don't push...

I have tried several different types...personally I have had more dramatic results with Tinks 69... My uncle swears by 207... The key for me is not to use it before the October full moon...it seems to alert / scare deer before then...even year old estrus scent...

I live in the central KY region...and hunt mostly on public land...I know of two very good Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) that have a lot of potential for very good bucks... One is very remote the other near a large urban area...I have killed deer on both WMAs...

I hope it was staged...hate to think of the alternative! If it was staged, the "DJ" deserves a prize for acting...the speechless part is very convincing...

Hard Rock (1960s-1980s)...such as Aerosmith, ZZ Top, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Heart Classic Rock (1950s-1980s)...such as Eagles, CCR, Bangles Modern Rock...learning to like some of it...Katy Perry, Brittany Spears, Nickelback, Green Day Outlaw Country...Waylon Jennings, Hank Jr., Willie Nelson, etc Classic Country...Garth Brooks, George Strait, Brooks & Dunn Modern Country...Lady A, Carrie Underwood, Faith Hill Celtic...anything by Celtic Woman...really love listening / watching that group Gospel...love the old-time Gospel as well as some more modern Hymns Classical...mostly the Germanic / Russian composers...especially the Classical Thunder pieces

I have a 16# Warren and Sweat climber...works fantastic...but does cramp you after a while...(this is the stand I take on Fort Knox military base hunts)...weight is a factor when you are going into a new area or have to walk for a ways... I have a 30# Summit Super Slam...much more comfortable...a good all day, rut hunting stand...the weight is an issue but it is well balanced and not really hard to carry... I have a 45# Tree Lounge (with Bow Adapter)...which is a lounge chair 20' up in the air...great for rifle / muzzleloader / crossbow...not so good for bow...too much movement... unfortunately, it is not the best balanced and is heavy...so I use it for all day hunts in areas where I can "drive" to the stand site... If I were to buy a new climbing stand, I would probably choose the Summit Viper for both weight and relative comfort...it seems to be a pretty good compromise...

I have a whole collection of knives (from my KaBar combat knife to a field dressing tool (FDT))...I usually carry several... 1. A spring-assisted USMC safety knife (with seatbelt cutter)...normally carried in my truck for emergency use 2. A Leatherman Supertool...which is my primary knife for hunting...a 4" blade with a saw blade and it works beautifully...turns field dressing into surgery (much more precise/cleaner)...plus it is pliers, screw-drivers, etc 3. A set of knives from Buckmasters/Rack magazine...one is a lockback 4" pocketknife, the other a 6" fixed blade with gut hook...these are usually in my back / fanny pack... 4. My KaBar combat knife...does not get much use on deer anymore, but is excellent with camp chores...also is usually in my fanny pack...

I always begin rattling after muzzleloading weekend in KY...this weekend in fact...start out like two young bucks (think skinny, basket racked 8 pts)...lightly rattle with a bit of a peak about 2/3 the way through...grunt and rake leaves (if on the ground)... As we get closer to the rut, increase intensity and volume...(as more does come into estrus the bucks become more aggressive)... I has worked for me the last three years...rattled in a nice 140 class 12 pt last year... Four years ago, I tried to rattle in a 120-class 8 pt that had bedded across the woodlot from my stand...he would respond each time (rubbing trees, making a couple of scrapes) but would not move in my direction...eventually, about the fourth sequence in two hours, a nice 6 pt came into the woodlot and proceeded to get in a fight with the 8 pt (both were about the same body size)...absolute distruction...more noise than you CAN make with either a rattle bag or a set of antlers, tree branches snapped, leaves shredded, their bodies being slammed into trees...after about 30-45 seconds of the mayhem, I heard some branches breaking off to my left...that is when the MAN showed up...160+ class 10 pt (over 200# body weight...about twice the physical size of the other two)...he ran over near the other two and snorted once...they both stopped fighting, looked over at him, flipped their tails up and ran (they really did not want to play with him)... Sadly, I shot just beneath him at 45 yards The hard point is that he was likely hearing my rattle sequences and could tell they were not real, but responded very quickly to the real thing... I always consider my trips hunting an education, with big bucks the professors...everyday hunting is a new learning experience...

I have heard that a few bp substitutes are cleaner than Pyrodex (Jim Shockey's American Pioneer Gold brand of low sulfur powder, etc), but the Walmart's / Kmart's don't carry it...so it would require either a nice little trip out-of state to a Bass Pro or Cabela's or a substantial Haz-Mat charge for shipping for me... The shockwave bullet performed beautifully on deer...complete penetration through both shoulders, about a 3 inch wide hole (entrance side) + 1 1/2 inch exit...the deer wheeled and went about 10 feet after the shot... You might try the super-glide sabots for them (I never have since trying the powerbelts)...I think TC even recognized that the original sabots were hard to load... My father has tried a whole bunch of different ML bullets and settled on the Powerbelt 295 grain HPs after a very memorable year of hunting...couple of deer, a massive boar, etc and all were DRT (Powerbelt 295 gr HP + 120 grains Pyrodex RS + TC Grayhawk rifle).

Shot placement is the largest piece of the archery puzzle...I actually switched from Muzzy MX3s to the Rage 2-blade...my affair with the Muzzy's began with three kills (all falling in sight) though none left a blood trail (though I recovered all three arrows)...then I lost the next three deer (same center rib-cage broadside shots) because none left a blood trail (still recovered all three arrows)... I have never figured out why I could not get a blood trail with Muzzy heads... First day out this year, the Rage opened a 2+ inch wide hole all the way through and the doe ran about 40 yards before stopping, looking around and falling over, leaving a massive blood trail.

While crossbows are fast (Ghost 350), sound is still far faster (@ 1100 fps or so)...so effective range is only about 40 yards or so...otherwise, the deer will react and not necessarily predictably... I am shooting the 2-blade Rage with good results... Keep a bolt with a "dull / blunted" field point on it and a target to unload the Xbow...much safer than letting off by hand...

I have a Wolf...I set it up to hunt at Fort Knox military base (though I tend to use my Remington M1100 shotgun) that has strict requirements... 250 gr Shockwave with 100 gr Pyrodex RS delivers very good accuracy (> 2 inches @100 yds) and delivers good results on game... but is difficult to load, especially after a few shots... 240 gr Powerbelt Aero with 100 gr Pyrodex RS delivers good accuracy (> 3 inches @ 100 yds) with good performance on deer... and is much easier to load The fun part of a muzzleloader is trying to figure out what it really likes...unless the Army tells you what to shoot!

I tried that the other day...every deer that passed by noticed the blind and went on alert...only one doe snorted (and a spike buck was curious enough to walk up and stick his head in to say hello)... My father has had good luck with blinds, but he puts it in a week before the season opens, brushes it up and leaves it all season...so the deer are used to it...