McAlester AAP! Daily Updates starting 10/18/2012 live updates from the hunt to come.

[Jeramie]

Edit: I’ve decided to turn this into a running blog about this hunt. It’s a very big deal in Oklahoma and several P&Y bucks are shot on this hunt every year. My hunt is Mid October and I will be updating from the tree too as things happen. Follow it if you want to know how it builds up and ultimately works out! 09/25/2012....

So McAlester AAP (Army Ammunition Plant) is a huge draw in Oklahoma. Its a drawn hunt only and can only be hunted with a bare bow (stick and string). I grew up shooting recurve, pretty much because I couldn’t afford anything else.

Still, I haven’t shot a recurve in a LOOONG time. The date is sneaking up on me so yesterday I finally took the time to get out there. I didn’t do too bad. At 20 yards I was getting consistent kill shots with pretty much 4 out of 4 arrows. I amped it up and stepped back to 35 yards. I was still hitting solid 1-2 out of 4. I will not hunt from this distance but if I keep practicing out to that range I figure the 20 yard shot will be a chip shot. I did eventually miss and smack an elm tree with one arrow and ruin it but overall for my first serious arrow fling from an recurve in many years I was pretty impressed.

I will keep this updated as I get ready. I have about 2 1/2 weeks before I head that direction... I really let this sneak up on me but the old instinctive shooting kicked in and I am good out to 20-yards without a doubt!

[dbHunterNY]

i'd be practicing a LOT! definitely keep us posted it's a heck of an opportunity on some huge bucks. hope you get to thwack a nanny too! good luck!

[Jeramie]

If a slick head comes by and the rule is in place ill thump one too... What a reason to come back next year!

Ive put together the list of things I need and am currently putting everything together for the hunt... Can hardly wait!

[Ohiobucks]

Good deal! What kind of bow/arrow combo are you shooting?

[MCH]

Good luck bud! I've got a couple of friends that make the trip annually. They haven't stuck a big one yet, but they shoot does every year. I think this is like their 4th trip in a row?

[Jeramie]

Im shooting my Dad's old American Archery recurve 42lb with antique easton aluminums. It actually shoots really well. Those old recurves dont need much frill...

[Jeramie]

I have a fried that is on his 3rd trip. He is later in the season but he has a blast. Im hunting Hominy and he ends up in Deer Creek... Im finding little to no information (no one wants to share). I have no idea how we it is down there but I know it has been different. There are a lot of variables so im spending time looking at google maps, finding ponds and funnels, etc.

[Jeramie]

Ill start putting putting updates on here Pretty regular until after the hunt.

09/25 - Ive been on Google Maps looking at the area im hunting and suddenly I feel very, very small. The area I drew into is 8,680 acres. Ive read that the typical ways to hunt arent as productive as these deer arent as scared of people as other deer in the state.

To top that off I have to pull this off with a stick and string at a 20 - 25 yard range. wow... I will really have to take a hard look to figure out what areas I want to hunt but as of right now with the vast area there are TONS of areas I would believe would hold deer.

They have advisors at the AAP that answer questions. Im now guessing I may have to pick several areas and ask them about them when I arrive.

So now I pose the question.... hunt thousands of acres of hardwoods or open fields at the edge of timber? In the areas I hunt the doe come out into the fields but the bucks lay back in the timber. This place has plenty for them to eat so it may be like finding a needle in a haystack.

[Jeramie]

Sometimes things work out.....

I went out to shoot last night. Im trying to shoot as much as possible right now. I have around 3-weeks until its on like Donkey Kong!

I noticed my neighbor standing at the edge of my place yelling at his bird dog who had crossed and came over to my side of the fence. I went to talk to him. Ive know this guy for years and he noticed I was shooting a recurve so he asked if I had put in for McAlester. I told him I had and drew out for Hominy. He got all excited and told me he had hunted there three times and had a map of the best places to hunt according to the guys on base (White Hats). I am headed over this week some time in the evening to mark my map of those same places.

At the same time I shot about 100 arrows last night. Its really coming along. Ive changed my form to match the recurve and was much more consistant last night. Things are looking much, much better. If I keep this up I will be deadly easily at 25 yards and would even consider 30 yards in the right conditions!

To add icing to the cake, I bought a Colman folding camp cot from a guy on craiglist for $20 so I dont have to mess with an air matress. Picking it up after work.... This hunt is looking GOOOOOOD.

[dbHunterNY]

the map will be like gold! i'd hunt closer to the fields for a shot at a doe and just to get a feel for things and work your way back into the timber as time goes on.

[rhine16]

Getting ready for McAlester AAP! Daily Updates, live updates from the hunt to come.

Glad you're updating it like this. This hunt is something I tell myself every year I want to apply for, and then forget to the following year. Good luck to you! I'll be keeping up with this thread

[ckrich]

Sounds like things are shaping up nicely! Man I hope you get a shot at a good one, like Phantom 14! I wouldn't look at the top 10 list tho if I were drawn there, it gives me the shakes just sitting here in my office. :jaw:

[Jeramie]

Youre telling me.. last years harvest bucks are SICK! There are some incredible bucks. I know there are thousands of acres and only a handful of those type of bucks but as it has been said before, you cant kill one from the couch.

Link to some of the harvest from last year....

http://www.mcaapcontrolledhunts.com/

[ckrich]

I'd like to believe that place holds giants that have never been seen, or have been mistaken for others. I really do need to get a recurve and start putting in for this thing.

[wtnhunt]

Good luck Jeramie. Some of those arsenal properties can have some monsters due to the limited hunting and the obvious lack of pressure. One not too far from here I have seriously considered taking the class to be able to hunt. Place was closed to hunting a few years after Sept 11th 2001 then opened back up to archery and shotgun/ml'er. Some good deer killed there every year.

[Jeramie]

I'd like to believe that place holds giants that have never been seen, or have been mistaken for others. I really do need to get a recurve and start putting in for this thing.

Buy a cheap one from BP... it doesnt take much more than 40+ lbs and the ability to hit a paper plate at 20 yards. I will continue to hunt with the Ross but will always keep the stick and string around. I will gladly pay the $5 a year and put in for the hard to get hunts... if nothing else you build up points now and will eventually be picked for some good hunts.

Youre right William. Oklahoma honestly has great genetics. Huge bucks are killed here every year. The problem is that we (as a state) do not restrict the harvest size. Anyone can kill a spike sitting beside 20 does. If there were some restrictions put in place we would have some awesome deer.

[arrow32]

Getting ready for McAlester AAP! Daily Updates, live updates from the hunt to come.

Can't wait to see how this hunt turns out. It's already sounding very good. Will keep checking for updates.

[hutchies]

Congrats buddy............I'm a little jealous. Just hoping to have time to hunt this year with the new job. Knock down a big one for me while I'm working.

[Jeramie]

Im working on it Hutch.... I havent hunted much in 3 years because of the kids. I told the wife its changing this year. I miss it too much...

[Jeramie]

Gathering gear up like crazy! I am really limiting how much I shoot my compound as I dont want to get spoiled. I bought some new arrows, need to fletch tonight. Got a hip quiver earlier, starting to buy supplies ill need for a few nights stay....

Its starting to come together! Wont be too much longer.

[Turkeygirl]

Best of luck to ya Jeramie! Really looking forward to seeing how things play out:)

[dbHunterNY]

any updates? not sure if this happened while i was away on honeymoon. How'd you make out?

[ckrich]

I believe his hunt is this week, not sure of the exact dates.

[dbHunterNY]

yea i think it was the week of Oct 19th but wasn't sure.

[Jeramie]

Hunt is this week! Great ready for updates gang.

Ive been busy trying to get ready at the house and I dont have anyone to relieve my work here at the office so I am working overtime to get everything done before leaving work.

I will begin live updates on Thursday when I settle in and start scouting.

Ill pin this to make it easier for me to find from my Blackberry.