Willowpine August Newswire

Each month, we're going to put out a newsletter with current information.  The Willowpine Outdoors Newswire will feature outdoor news, product testing, new gear, hunting dates, rule changes, and stories.  We'll sometimes feature other outdoor companies, and we will do interviews with people in the industry. Some of the newsletters will be long, and some will be short. Since we're so close to hunting season, the next few months will probably be longer than usual.  If you have anything you want to talk about please send us an email at willowpineoutdoors@gmail.com.  We're always looking for people to tell their stories, share their tips, and provide their knowledge with our community. 
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August Newsire Contents:
1. New Deer Hunting Rules for 2012-2013
2. Early Season Waterfowl Dates
3. HuntingIndiana.com Youth Hunt
4. Up North Journal Podcast
5. New Sitka Optifade Waterfowl Camo 


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The 2012 Indiana deer season is set up to see some changes for this year's season. Indiana wildlife biologists seem to think our deer herd is growing, and the number of vehicle/deer accidents is also increasing. With pressure from insurance companies, the desire to keep human travelers safe, and the ideas from hunters and biologists, the DNR has issued the following new rules. You can also review these rules in the 2012 - 2013 Indiana Hunting and Trapping rulebook. You can view the rulebook via online at http://www.eregulations.com/indiana/hunting/.  
You can also pick up a copy of the rulebook at most places where licenses are sold.

The special Antlerless season will begin on December 26th and end the first Sunday of January. This season is only for designated counties. The counties eligible are those that have a limit of 4 or more bonus antlerless tags. The idea is for hunters that are out of school and off work for Christmas & New Years to get out and harvest antlerless deer. In the past this was late archery season, and many hunters do not go out during late archery. Firearms that are legal during the regular deer firearm season will be legal during this special antlerless season. For more information, check out your 2012-2013 Hunting & Trapping rulebook. 

All hunters will be allowed to use crossbows during the Indiana bow season.  In years past, crossbows were limited to approved handicapped hunters.  However, you must obtain a crossbow hunting license. The regular archery license DOES NOT cover crossbows.

This rule makes it so there is one continuous archery season instead of splitting the season into Early Archery and Late Archery. 

In the past, youth hunters could only harvest one deer during their youth season. Not anymore, kids can now harvest more than one.

If you're planning to hunt Urban Zones, you'll have to get an Urban Zone specific license. This license is only good for Urban Zones. You'll also have to harvest a doe before harvesting a buck. The "Earn a Buck" system makes it so more antlerless deer are being harvested in the Urban Zones. Porter and Lake Counties also now have Urban Zones. 

The new deer license "Bundles" were created for hunters that plan to hunt with more than one weapon.  Many hunters use bow, gun, and muzzleloaders.  Now instead of buying a license (at $24 each) for each season, you can purchase a "Bundle" that is good for archery, firearm, muzzleloader, and the special doe season. The license is good for two doe and one buck total. You can still buy bonus antlerless if you want to harvest more than two does. The price of the new "Bundle" is $65.  

Anyone hunting from a ground blind must now have 144 square inches of blaze orange on ALL SIDES of the blind. A flag on top of the blind is not permitted. This goes for synthetic or naturally made blinds. This is only for the seasons that hunters are required to wear orange.

Hunters can now save themselves the hassle of checking in deer at crowded or closed check stations. The IDNR has adopted online check stations. You just go online, enter your CustomerID (CID) number, and check in your deer. The website for checking in your deer is http://www.checkINgame.dnr.in.gov. For annual license purchasers, your CID number can be found in the top left corner of your license. Lifetime licenses holders will have to go to the CheckIN website to obtain their CID number. Traditional check stations will still be accepting deer if you prefer the old fashioned way. 

As a weekday evening hunter this new check-in rule is great for me. I hunt nearly every weekday from 4pm - dark, and if I harvest a deer, it has proven difficult to make it to the check station before they close. Having to be at work at 7am makes it even harder to check in said deer the next morning. An online check station will solve that problem. 

As mentioned above, all the rule changes can be found in your 2012-2013 Indiana Hunting and Trapping rulebook. I have taken the above information from the book. If you see anything that I misunderstood or misinterpreted, please let us know.  


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The 2012 Early Waterfowl dates have been announced. Come September, we'll be watching speedy Green-winged Teal zip by us while our steel shot only barely catches their tail feathers.  Dates below.

For more information: Adam Phelps, Fish and Wildlife, (812) 334-1137, aphelps@dnr.in.gov

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http://www.hunt-indiana.com/

Each year, Hunting-Indiana hosts a youth hunt.  The hunt is for deer during the specialized youth season. This year, the youth season is set to be September 29th and 30th. The event is for 15 lucky Indiana youth hunters. They go out with adult mentors in pursuit of whitetail deer on private land. The organization provides "goody bags" that are made up of all kinds of neat donated products from outdoor companies. For the second year in a row, a forum poster at Hunting Indiana.com has donated a muzzleloader. They have a simple drawing, and the winner (with parental consent) wins the rifle. It's a spectacular prize for these young hunters.  I think it's a wonderful way for some of the adult outdoorsmen to give back to the next generation of hunters. If you're interested in being a part of the youth hunt, check out the thread (listed below) on Hunt-Indiana.com. They're still accepting donations of prizes and goody bag gear. If you or your organization would like to donate, please contact Woody Williams on the site.  If you're interested in having your child be a part of the hunt, check the website to see if there are any open spots, though the best bet is to plan for it next year. Contact us here at Willowpine if you have a child wanting to get out, and you can't find a mentor. We'll set you up with an advanced hunter. Check back in October for the Youth Hunt results.

Pictures from 2011 Youth Hunt

Registration
http://huntingindiana.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=2012youthdeerhunt&action=display&thread=42880
Rules and Regs
http://huntingindiana.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=2011youthdeerhunt&action=display&thread=38362


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Last summer, I came up with an idea that I thought was original. I was going to start a hunting and fishing outdoor talk radio show. I didn't know how to do it, so I decided to check out some podcasts to see how it's done. Much to my surprise, I found a bunch of hunting and fishing podcasts. I realized that my original idea was not so original at all. I dug through about 10 of them before I found the Up North Journal. It quickly became my favorite, and since then I've listened to all 250 episodes.


Up North Journal hosts a weekly podcast that is about and hour long and focuses on the great outdoors.  Mike Adams along with his sons Jacob and Michael, have spent the last few years filling listeners' ears with their tricks, tips, stories, and adventures in the outdoors. Based out of Michigan, the UNJ team spends a lot of time chasing whitetail deer, turkeys, waterfowl, and most other animals that are hunted in MI. They too discuss bow fishing, trout fishing, bass fishing, and other types of angling.  UNJ is sponsored by PSE Archery, Mossy Oak, Dead Down Wind, and several other fine companies. It's a great show to listen to on the way to your duck blind or deer stand. I've spent many of evenings cleaning fish with UNJ as my soundtrack. 




In addition to doing the weekly podcast, UNJ also puts out videos featuring their outdoor endeavors called Beyond the Wild. They have 18 episodes available online, and can be viewed on YouTube, their website, or iTunes.  One thing I particularly like about Beyond the Wild is that it isn't a kill fest. So many hunting shows now-a-days are all about how many and how big. These kill-fest type television shows rarely take the time to teach anyone how they do it. The funny thing is that we all know the pros are good, that's why they're pros! What I would like is to hear the pros tips and tricks to make myself a better outdoorsman. UNJ and Beyond the Wild does this exact thing. They show their way of doing it, and feature much more than just the kill. If you're interested in checking out their weekly podcast, or the Beyond the Wild series, visit their website at http://www.upnorthjournal.com/ .  They can also be found on Facebook at  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Up-North-Journal/115878931769692 .  If you don't have an iPod or iPad, you can still listen to the talk show by downloading each episode directly off their website.


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The New Sitka Gore Optifade Marsh Camo.

Sitka Gear has tossed a new waterfowl camo pattern in the market. Sitka Gore Optifade Marsh pattern is supposed to work from the bird's eye view.  The Gore scientists have made this camo pattern with an almost fish scale-like hexagon pattern. The scientists believe that many of the camo patterns on the market today are too dark, and instead of hiding hunters, it makes us look like an out of place dark blob. You add the slightest movement to that dark blob, and the birds become very weary. They believe this new camo will help blend the hunter from the bird's 45-degree angle downward view. 

Sitka showing that this hunter is no a dark blob.

In the past, I've wondered if hunter's camo is too dark. My thoughts seemed to be proven when Mossy Oak launched their Mossy Oak Duck Blind pattern.  The Duck Blind pattern was obviously a much lighter color compared to its counterpart; the Realtree Max 4 HD, which through my eyes is a much darker pattern.  I also considered that to my eye, we blend great in both patterns, but what about to the birds?  Sitka has seemed to answer that question with this camo. It does however come with a price. Sitka has always been notorious for placing a very high price tag on all their gear. Sure it's good stuff, but my Cabela's Northern Flight late season coat will do me just fine for $85. This comparing to Sitka's late season coat costing $200-$500. I think that I'll stick with my Cabela's gear in Mossy Oak Duck Blind. That is until Sitka lowers the price, puts the camo on other companies' gear, or sponsors Willowpine as field staff.  If you're a Sitka fan, you can add the new Sitka Optifade Marsh pattern with their other patterns; the Optifade Open Country and Optifade Timber. For more info, visit Sitka's website at http://www.sitkagear.com/.

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We appreciate your taking the time to read Willowpine Outdoors' August Newswire. We also very much appreciate your support in WPO. As mentioned above, we're always looking for people interested in contributing their writing, taking pictures, adding videos, etc. If you think you might like to do this, then please shoot us an email at willowpineoutdoors@gmail.com.  If you haven't already, please take a moment to add us as a friend on Facebook. If you like what we're doing, and want to support us, the best way is to tell a friend! Always remember that Nature provides a free lunch, but only if we can control our appetite.  - Joey W. Buttram, Willowpine Outdoors

Willowpine Outdoors Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/willowpine

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EHD Possible in Putnam County

Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD) is an orbivirus that infects White Tailed Deer in the northeastern and Mid-Western United States.

Yesterday I came across a post on the Willowpine Facebook page about EHD. It was written by one of our staffers Carl Etienne. Carl reported that he had came across 2 deer that looked to possibly be the victim of EHD. One buck that was dead, and a doe that he almost walked right on top of.  His description below... 


"EHD has shown it self in Putnam county. I found a dead buck on the property I hunt last night. I went out this morning and almost stepped on a doe that was sick she got up slowly and did not run but walked across the creek. She ended up laying down on the other side of the creek just 20 yards from me." -Carl Etienne (Willowpine Outdoors)


My first reaction was some sort of natural death on the buck, and possible lack of water on the lethargic doe. However I know the property he hunts as Big Walnut Creek running right through it. As well there is a private lake on the adjoining property. This may all lead to EHD.   

Dead Buck Carl Found

According to the Wiki, Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease is an orbivirus that infects White-Tailed Deer in the northeastern and midwestern United States. The virus is transmitted by the Culicoides biting midge. The EHD virus is closely related to the Bluetongue virus and crossreacts with it on many blood tests. The virus has an incubation period of approximately one week, during which the animal may transmit the virus to biting midges. After the development of symptoms the animal dies within 8-36 hours.  This is not to be confused with the brain disease of CWD (Chronic Wasting Disease) which luckily has never been found in Indiana. (More info on CWD http://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/files/fw-CWD_FAQSheet.pdf ).


The symptoms can be different depending on the virulence of the virus as well as the resistance of the deer's immune system. Here are some symptoms, details, and transmission information.


EHD Symptoms
- The deer are acting feverish or depressed
- Have swelling of the neck, head, tongue, and eyelids.

- May have respiratory distress or shortness of breathe.
- Internal hemorrhaging (bleeding).
- Death (often found near water).
- Survivors may exhibit evidence of lesions in mouth and in rumen lining.
- Sloughing hooves (often found during fall hunting harvests).


EHD Details you should know.
- EHD does not affect humans, nor impact the safety of consumed deer. 
- EHD is caused by the bite of an infected midge and once there has been a hard freeze, the insects die off for the winter, eliminating new cases of EHD.
- Outbreaks are often associated with droughts.
- Can result in high deer mortality rates in some areas (Usually <25%, but up to 50% in some cases).


EHD Transmission
- EHD virus is not transmissible to humans.
- The virus deteriorates in <24 hours after death and  cannot be spread from dead deer carcasses.
- The virus does not appear to be a threat to livestock.
- There appears to be no risk associated with direct  exposure to the virus or in consuming a deer that has been infected with the virus.
- To be on the safe side, never kill or eat a sick deer.
- Use rubber gloves to field dress deer. 


Carl reported the dead buck to the DNR, and hopes to obtain some information from the DNR soon. If you have found dead deer, or have noticed deer behaving with the above symptoms, then please contact the Indiana Department of Natural Resources or your areas wildlife biologist. According to IDNR.gov there is no program at the current time to combat the disease, but it is requested that you report. The DNR phone number is (317) 232-4200, or you can visit the DNR Fish and Wildlife webpage at http://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/5454.htm.  
For more information on Indiana EHD view the IDNR FAQ Sheet:
http://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/files/fw-EHDFaqSheet.pdf

-Joey W. Buttram - Willowpine Outdoors


References:
http://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/files/fw-EHDFaqSheet.pdf
http://fw.ky.gov/ehdinfo.asp
http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-10370_12150-26647--,00.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epizootic_Hemorrhagic_Disease

Walleye Journal #1

Walleye Journal – Sunday - April 15, 2012

Wade and I headed out back in April to our best spot in Putnam County.  We arrived around noon, visited with his family, sent his wife on home with the kids, and got geared up for a serious day of fishing.  We got to our spot, which is a creek filled with high rapids and cool water temps.  We bit the bullet and waded into the cold water with nothing more than my Teva hiking sandals and my skin keeping me warm.  The daytime high temp was around 80, so at least from my knees up was warm.  Instead of buying minnows, we always seine them from the same creek we’re fishing.  Our first attempt yielded around 50 crappie minnows.  Our second run provided about 10.  Our third run only gave us about 8 more.  We decided we needed to let the small pool of swirling water restock, and that we’d start with our 70 or so minnows caught.  With the minnow bucket full, it was time to rig up and head to the rapids. 

I paint all my own jig heads, and this day I was using Cabela’s 1/16-oz lead jig heads.  The color I started with is what I call Purple Passion. This is a color I make by mixing Pro-Tec Powder Paint in purple flake with Pro-Tec Powder Paint in white.  The jig was paired with a Thill slip bobber set at about 4 1/2’ deep. This is on my 6/6’’ Medium Action St.Croix Triumph spinning rod and Pinnacle Carrera spinning reel.  Filling the spool was 8lb test Stren Fluorocarbon – Fluorocast line.   My second rig was a rod my grandfather made for me, the brand being a Joey Rod.  It’s a 6’ Medium Light Action spinning rod, garnished with a Shimano Sahara spinning reel.  Again, 8lb Stren fills the spool.  It had the exact same set-up as the first rod, except the color of the jig head is what I call Green Meanie.  Green Meanie is Pro-Tec Powder Paint in candy lime flake with Pro-Tec Powder Paint in white.  With everything rigged up, I tossed some replacement gear in a small Plano tackle box, and headed to the middle of the creek.  

Walking into the water reminded me of its cool temperature, which got me thinking that these walleyes should be active.  I reached the middle of the creek (more like a shallow river), which isn’t as deep as where I entered the creek.  A shelf of rocks made it so I was only ankle deep in the water.  My first cast landed perfectly in the rapids.  I left the bail open, and let the minnow float down river.  My bobber bounced once and then was sucked under.  I yanked the rod towards the treetops, and hooked into a White Bass.  Fish number one for the basket.  Wade was set up next to me reeling in a crappie.  The next hour was slower than usual, catching only a few more white bass and only a couple of crappies. We decided to head down creek a little bit.  We got to a deeper part of the creek and Wade immediately caught a couple of crappies.  He threw a minnow on the bottom and coaxed a catfish into biting.  I was busy fighting a limb for my purple passion jig head and bobber.  Finally, I broke the limb and retrieved them. Soon after, I added to our basket of fish with a couple crappies.  Wade was down a little ways from me when he hollered saying he had caught a sauger that wasn’t quite big enough to keep. We passed the time telling old stories and complaining about life.  The day was going to end soon, and we hadn’t caught a ton of fish.  I said, “Well lets go back to where we started, drown a few more minnows, and head home.” He agreed that we’d give it another try at the first spot with the heavy rapids, and if no luck, head out. 

After a short hike, we were back in business at the first spot. I hadn't used the green meanie jig head yet, and we were running out of minnows pretty quick.  I decided Wade was having better luck with the minnows and that I’d try artificial. I decided to toss the green meanie jig head with a chartreuse Mister Twister plastic worm. I threw it out to the break water, planning to reel it back through the rapids. As soon as it hits the first set of rapids, I felt something hit the lure.  I kept reeling… speeding up a bit to imitate the burst of energy from live bait, knowing its in danger.  This was enough to coax whatever hit it, and BAM! Again I forced the rod to the treetops and hooked into the fish.  The fight was much better than the small white bass and crappies we had been catching.  I figured

it to be a catfish, but to my surprise, it was a walleye. I measured it at 14.3’’, and in the basket it went. Walleye number one for 2012. I casted to the exact same spot and BAM! Another walleye, but this one was 15’’.  Wade changed his lure, and tied on a jighead with a twisty tail plastic worm like mine.  Soon enough he was into the walleyes, too.  We were planning to leave since it was Sunday, and we had to work the next morning, but the walleyes were biting! After an hour we were only a few away from limiting out. The bite continued for an hour or so, and we had caught probably 15 walleye total. Some were too small to keep, but it seemed every cast yielded a fish. It was like catching bluegills off the spawn. Dark was setting in, and Wade only needed one more to limit out.  I had already caught my limit, so I was carrying gear back to the boat.  The bugs were thick, we didn’t have flashlights, and Wade gave up on his last fish.  Had we had another 15-20 minutes of light, I think we would’ve limited out easily. I was more than glad that we decided to try the first spot again. The next day I ordered plenty more Mister Twister plastic worms.  Even though it started slow, this day was one for the books, and it was the only time I’ve limited on walleyes.  Hopefully I’ll have more days like this one in years to come.  I do know that next year I’ll be at the same spot with a jighead and twisty tail on April 15!    - Joey W. Buttram (Willowpine Outdoors)

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Turkey Journal #1

Thursday - April 26, 2012 - Evening Hunt

Sitting & Waiting

Wade and I headed out Thursday evening.  We first went to the property where we deer hunt the most.  Wade harvested a nice tom on this property last year, but we're unsure of the presence of turkeys at all this year.  We moved along a powerline grass median in the middle of the woods.  We got to the main ridge (the same place where Wade harvested his bird last year) and set up our jake and hen decoys.  We decided we'd just sit and call for awhile .We heard something coming from the right. I slowly turned my head to see a doe headed right for us.  Luckily she avoided us, and headed up along the ridge in front of us.  Behind her a smaller doe. The main doe got directly in front of us and started eyeballing the decoys. She came to a dead stop, and started doing the one-foot stomp.  She couldn't quite figure out what our decoys were.  Soon enough she let out a loud BLOW, and with that she spooked.  She stopped about 30 yards further, and blew again, and again, and again.  I looked at Wade and said "she either didn't like the smells, or she's scared of the turkey".  If she's scared of the turkey it may mean that she doesn't see too many of them. I may be wrong, but to me that was a bad sign.  With the blowing, all the ruckus, and no turkey sign we decided to head elsewhere.  We still had a good 2 hours to hunt.

Entering into the pine thicket.

Just down the road is some property my family owns. This is the only place I've shot turkeys.  The adjoining property is a club, and they always have lots of guys hunting. Since it was one day after opening day, I figured the woods would be rattled on edge.  We decided to try it anyway. We headed to the back of the woods to a pine thicket. The pine thicket is surrounded by woods on the South, East, and West sides.  To the North is a cornfield.  As soon as we stepped foot into the pines we see a big tom in the cornfield. We decided to try to get around him by cutting across the South Side of the pines.  The pine needle forest floor made for a quieter walk. We get to the West Side of the thicket, and we can no longer see the bird in the field.  He has either caught us, or just simply moved on.  I do however know where the turkeys used to roost on this property, and we decided to try and catch him headed back to the roost.  We again set up our decoys, and called a little.  We've tried to lean away from the yelping, but instead of stuck with purrs. When the toms aren't cooperating we try to just call lightly, and just enough for him to locate us.


The evening turned into night, and we learned the birds aren't roosting in the same place they used to. We packed up our gear, and headed out. I told Wade that we have lots of time left, and that we at least know there are birds here. As soon as we get back through the pines and into the cornfield we see 8 deer run out of the woods. It's good to see some made it through the deer season. Day #1 was a bust, but it was a great feeling being back in the woods.  


(Joey W. Buttram - Willowpine Outdoors)

Nate Jordan - April 27, 2012

Opening week wasn't a bust for everyone! Congrats to Nate Jordan of Lanesville,IN on his 2012 Turkey Harvest. Hopefully I can talk Nate into telling the story for an article. Nate shot his tom on Friday April 27th. The bird came in at 25lbs, with a 10.5'' Beard, and 27mm Spurs. Send us your pics, and we'll feature your trophies. willowpine@live.com.

The Buck of the Year – Part 2

The season had been a rough one up until bow season ended.  I only let one arrow fly, and because of some tall weeds I made a bad shot on a really nice deer.  Luckily I didn’t let my head fall too far down because I was able to get back motivated to hunt.  I had to remind myself a few times about why I hunt.  I had to remember that antlers don’t feed families, and that it didn’t matter if it was a doe or a buck.  I was just happy to be back in a stand after my 2-year deer hunting hiatus.


Bow season came and went, and it was the night before the gun opener. I was excited to get out because my wife was coming with me.  It’s something we do traditionally on opening day of gun season.  In years past she had only shot at one deer, and a tree stood in her way.  The first time she ever hunted was in 2006. I put her in a climber, and I continued on to hunt a different spot.  She said she didn’t really care for the climbing stand, and she seemed a little lost and confused about what to do.  Hoping to help her a little more this season, I decided I’d sit with her instead of separating.

Amanda and I with her first deer.

The morning of November 12th was brisk, and quite windy.  We pulled into our spot, and geared up.  We had made really good time, and I knew we’d be in our stand well before daylight.  Wade and I had two two-man ladder stands on the property. Amanda (my wife) and I went to a stand that stood at the top of a tall hill.  It was open weeds in front of us, to our left was a freshly cut cornfield, and to our right was a 4-wheeler trail that led down to a creek bottom. We watched as some does moved into the field shortly after daylight as Nature painted the sky.  They were about 200 yards out, and too far for our slug guns. The deer, the field, the cool air, and the array of colors in the sky made me feel so free. Plus I was with great company. Amanda was cold, but she seemed to be enjoying sitting with me this time. A young coyote made his way past us, and Amanda just thought that was the neatest thing.  As soon as he passed I noticed movement about 45 yards in front of us in the woods.  It was a deer’s head. It was a buck! He was just laying on the side of the hill.  I wondered how long he’d been there, and how I hadn’t seen him. However his camouflage was quite better than my own.  I pointed him out to Amanda, and we watched him for over an hour.  He wouldn’t get up.  We called, we made noise, and ever debated on taking a shot where he laid.  Almost and hour and a half after we first saw him I hear a crashing noise on past him.  I was excited thinking it may be a bigger deer.  It wasn’t, it was Wade coming to get us. He nearly walked on top of the deer not knowing where it was. The buck finally jumped up, and ran diagonal in front of us.  He ran right to our shooting hole. I told Amanda to “Shoot Him!” Amanda pulled up her gun, and BANG! The young buck dropped in his tracks!  She was so excited she started to cry.  The wave of emotions came over me also, and I could barely breath I was so happy for her.  Shortly after, we were down standing over him. He was a young 1-1/2 year old basket 7 point; her very first deer, and one my favorite memories.  Hopefully this would change my luck, too.


I’ve taught Amanda almost everything she knows about hunting.  However she kneeled down to him, and thanked the deer for his sacrifice, and that’s something I didn’t teach her.  I then had a reminder of why I fell in love with this girl.   She shed a tear, sad about taking a life, but happy to provide the most organic meal available.   She thanked Mother Nature and the deer again. Shortly after she got to learn the task of dragging a deer!  Even though this will stand the test of time for being one of my best days ever in the field, it still wasn’t quite the buck of the year.


We spent the next day or so butchering Amanda’s buck.  She always loves the task of cutting up the meat.  It’s great to have the help, and from a girl that isn’t afraid to get her hands dirty.  We just put on a DVD, get the TV trays out, and start cutting.  We decided to take half of the deer to the processor for some of their famous summer sausage.  The other half was still quite a bit.  I forgot how much meat is on a buck compared to a doe. I still managed to get out those couple of days that we were butchering, but with no luck. The rut was in full swing, and the weather was shaping up nicely.  Everyone around me was harvesting deer, and it was looking to be a great season for a lot of folks.  Monday came and I was back to work.  The place I work is very lenient on time off, and I am able to leave at 2:30 each day to hunt the evenings.  I only missed about 4 days total in bow seasons, and I hadn’t missed a single day of gun.  I hunted every day that week, and gun season was slowly coming to an end.

Keeping warm doing gun season.

Thursday, November 17 came and now I was knocking on D-Day’s (Duck Day) front door. That’s typically when the deer gear gets put up, and the waterfowling gear comes out.  I figured I’d hunt over the weekend, and then call it quits to start focusing on ducks.  That day I was out of work a little later than usual leaving at 3:00pm.  I picked up Wade and we headed for our spot, the same spot Amanda shot her deer.  However, I went for my normal stand about 100 yards from where Amanda and I sat.  I was basically on a creek bottom in a funnel of hills.  I hunt these funnels a lot.  This particular spot is the same stand where I wounded the buck in bow season.  It was cold, and we had a slight wind from the north.  Conditions were perfect.  The night was fast approaching, and I was dug into a pretty good John Connely book.  I finished the chapter I was reading, and closed the book.  As soon as I unzipped my pack I heard a fast paced crunch.  I looked up, and running right down the trail was a nice buck.  My first thought was that I had to make quick action if I was going to harvest this deer. He was headed right down the main trail.  I pulled up, clicked the safety off, aimed and BOOM!  He stopped. Looked my way, and ran again.  Collecting my thoughts… and then BOOM… shot number two…  He jolted, kicked, stopped again, I expected him to fall, but he looked back at me while swaying like he was woozy.  “Screw it,” I thought. BOOM! Shot number three. With the third shot he sprinted away, but he again stopped, looked back at me, looking even more like he was hurting.  “What the heck is going on!?" I asked myself. "I know I definitely hit him on shot two, maybe one, and most likely three.”  This was the wildest thing I’d ever encountered.  “Screw it,” Reload.  BOOM…. Shot number four.  He ran again, but with a lot less intensity. He made it out to a grass field, and was looking back through the woods at me. He staggered and swayed, and I started to wonder if he'd fall right there. Remembering all the bucks that got away, I thought again. “Hell, I’ll try... Not going to hurt anything now”  Through the woods  “BOOM” shot number five, and with that he finally was out of sight.  My phone was vibrating from Wade texting, he thought there was a war going on at my stand.  I texted him back, and as soon as I put my phone up…. CRASH.  I heard the deer fall.


Now if that isn’t the wildest thing you’ve ever read, just wait.  Wade got to my stand and made some wise crack about my buck fever and awful shooting.  I told him I knew I made a good shot, but it wasn’t enough to drop him.  Then I made several more trying to seal the deal, but I knew shot number two was good. In all honesty I probably could have stopped shooting after number two. I didn't want another deer wounded, and wanted to seal the deal. Number one was taken so quick I wasn’t sure.  This was a running deer after all.  What I couldn’t believe is that the shots seemed to stop him each time. That was what I couldn’t comprehend.

Follow the trail.

We walked to where he was and we found blood.  We also found gut matter, so I knew I had made a fatal, but hard to track shot. Shooting full speed running deer is tough, but I knew I hit him.  We followed blood about 40 yards to where he was in the grass field.  That’s where our property ends and another owner’s property begins.  Luckily our good friend owns and hunts the adjoining property, and he decided to come help track it.  With permission, Wade and I followed the blood up to the woods.  We walked in, shined our lights, and there he was lying in snake grass.  He wasn’t quite expired, and he stared right back at us. I got a good look at him then. He was a decent 8 pointer with a rack taller than wide. I was happy with my decision. We backed out hoping he wouldn’t get up. This boy was hurting, but I couldn’t maneuver to get a shot in him on the ground.  So we back out and went to the truck hoping he’d die and not suffer too much. Wade said he thought he heard him get up, but wasn’t sure.  He was only about 75 yards from my stand at this point.

My buck of the year.

We ran to town, got a soda, and met up with the other landowner.  We took an easier route back to the last spot we saw him.  He was so close to death we thought the extra time was plenty. With rain in the forecast we had to go that night, otherwise I would’ve just gone back in the morning.  When we got back to the last spot we saw him…. Wade was right, and the buck was gone.  He managed to get up and move out. Even more respect for this tough creature was gained then. We searched the area for about 45 minutes, we couldn’t find any blood past where he was laying down. In the back of my mind I again knew I wouldn’t find him. Such an awful feeling.  Every buck I’d shot and harvested from this point and before had dropped on the first shot. Every buck that has run after the first shot has gotten away, so I almost expected not to find it.  We were talking about leaving because darkness was coming quick.  I decided I’d take the next day off and look for him. Wade and I were about to head back when the other landowner hollered “I’ve got blood!”  It was about 45 yards from where the deer was laying.  We followed that blood over a creek, and to hill that was basically straight up. There was really good blood headed up the hill. I went around to a cut out in the hill that was a little easier for me to get up. I peaked over the hill and shined my light, and there he was.  Again looking at me, and still not expired.  He wasn’t moving though.  He was hurt, and I felt bad for him.  I looked at my phone to see the time, and I had less than two minutes before shooting light ended.  I hollered to make sure everyone was clear, and I pulled up the gun.  Finally shot number six was the fatal blow.  It was about time that my luck had changed, and this bionic deer made me work for it.  He put me through an emotional roller coaster, but I was glad to finally harvest my buck of the year. I honestly wouldn’t have had it any other way. This was one tough boy, and he did everything he could to survive. Again I have an immense amount of respect for this animal.

My buck of the year.

After getting him home and skinned, we found four holes in him.  I figured I missed on the first and the fifth. The first was hard since he was in a dead sprint.  The fifth was through the woods.  I know the second was the best shot. He was a tough deer to run the way he did with three shots in him. All four shots were in about the same place. One was a little high, and two were back around the first rib on his rib-cage. I probably didn't lead enough when he was running. The fatal and last shot from when he was on the ground was diagonal through the lungs into the heart. I learned a lot from this deer, and mostly to BACK OUT if you know it’s a gut shot.  With rain in the forecast I had to make a tough decision, and I didn’t want to chance it on this deer.  Hopefully in years to come I’ll have a smoother story to tell. For now this deer isn’t just the buck of the year, but the buck of the decade, that ended an era for this Indiana outdoorsman.                     
(Joey W. Buttram – Willowpine Outdoors)

The Buck of the Year - Part 1

Over the last 10 years, I’ve spent numerous days in the deer stand. I’ve walked hundreds of miles, climbed countless trees, and spent a whole bunch of money chasing the elusive whitetail buck. I’ve never fancied myself a “trophy hunter.”  I’ve always been happy to harvest a doe for the freezer, but that doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy finding a nice buck. There is something majestic about the harvest of a buck. From the first moment you see him walking in on you, to walking up on him expired, to driving him around to show your friends, to the check station guys telling you good job, and most of all, to the table. It has been rough the past few seasons, but the 2011 deer season changed the game for me. 

My First Buck - 2004

I started deer hunting when I was 16 in 2002. Before then, I had only hunted a few times, but I never really got hard into it until 2002.  Since 2002, I had harvested only a handful of bucks.  My first buck was a 5 point half rack. He was a great first buck, and I love the memory every time I see him hanging on my living room wall.  It seemed like it took forever to harvest the first one, but it seemed even longer to top that one.  For many years everyone around me was harvesting nice deer.  I wasn’t sure if it was my shooting, my spots, my equipment, or my plain and simple bad luck.  I began to think about these reasons, and through the process of elimination I learned it was my shooting mixed with a little bad luck. I knew that I had a good knowledge of the animal I was chasing, and that I knew how to hunt that animal.  I’ve always had pretty nice equipment, and I almost always harvest a doe each year.  I’ve had MANY big bucks under my stand, and have either not got the shot or missed.  It seems I’m a prime example of someone with major buck fever. I’ve missed a lot of 120-130 class deer. I even had a typical 170+ Illinois buck that was seconds away from getting shot but had been run out of the woods by a tractor. During the 2008 deer season alone I missed seven 120+ class bucks. That was when I decided I needed to take a break from deer hunting, and focus on the ducks and geese.


In 2009, I only hunted gun season, and never got a shot.  In 2010, I didn’t hunt at all for deer.  In the summer of 2011, I realized I had some unfinished business in the deer woods. Even though I know my problem was my shooting, I still decided to start fresh. I headed to the Matthews bow store and traded in my 2002 PSE Carrera for a 2011 Mission Endeavor.  After a lot of shooting I was right on, and ready for bow season. I had never felt more confident in my shooting.  I even went and bought a Hunters Safety System vest. I equate some of my bad shooting to my slight fear of heights. I’ve never felt comfortable 20’ in a tree, and I can’t make a good shot when I’m nervous of being up high. I thought a vest would help end that fear, and it did. I wanted to eliminate anything that might cause me to miss.  With new equipment, a new spot, and a new attitude I was headed to the field in October. 

Early Bow - 2011

The season started very slow. Between October 1st and October 30th I only saw 6 deer, and only 2 shooter bucks, none of which I got shots on.  The first weekend of November, I decided to hunt Friday night after work.  The pre-rut was in full swing, and I knew that I should see some deer.  The trail I was on had scrapes and rubs lining its edge, and it is a deer highway come rut. Throughout the year the deer seemed to be coming from in front of me, and then cut up a trail on a hill before my shooting hole. When I heard a crash to my left I knew I was going to be letting an arrow fly.  I looked left, and there was the best buck I’ve seen all year heading right for my shooting hole.  I knew only had a few seconds to stand and shoot.  He was moving quickly, and I pulled back.  “MAAAH!” I said, stopping him in his tracks.  The pin was right where it needed to be, SHUNK… THUD! He was off in a dead sprint. I nearly fell out of the stand I was shaking so badly. Running away all I could see was rack. He was headed right towards Wade (my closest 

Wade New - 2011 Buck

hunting buddy).  Minutes, later Wade called and said he shot him, too.  I walked up to Wade and we found blood.  It wasn’t much, but it was enough to track.  It was a little watery and it was definitely not what I would call “good blood”.  At first we thought Wade was the only one to hit the deer because I hadn’t found blood at my stand.  We backed out and went back to my stand. After searching we realized that I had definitely shot through weeds, throwing my arrow off.  We found 2 fletches just laying in the tall weeds with no blood on them. The weeds didn’t seem nearly that tall from the stand. After searching we did find blood just a little bit up the trail.   Therefore I hit this guy, but it still wasn’t a good shot.  We tracked for over 2 hours. All the time I’m remembering 2008, and I just know we aren’t going to find him. I remember asking myself “why did I get back into this?” “I need to just focus on ducks, which I can hit.”  We were up and down hills, hollers, and fields. We came to an open grass field, and we lost blood. We decided to back out for the night hoping he was lying in the grass field.  The next morning we went back to the start where I shot, and started completely over.  We found good blood, and went up next to Wade’s stand.  We found his arrow in the standing corn with no blood.  He missed, and our second (hopefully fatal) shot was nonexistent.  We searched for half the day.  Walked every row of corn, every inch of grass, every creek, every pool, every pond, and found nothing. This buck got away, and right then I asked Mother Nature to heal his wound hoping he’d make it the rest of the season.  There is no worse feeling than only wounding a deer. I was so close, and history truly does repeat itself. I told myself 2011 was going to be a dud, and I was NEVER going to harvest a buck.  I contemplated selling my equipment, and I just didn’t understand why this happens to me. After talking to my dad, my wife, and Wade I decided to stop feeling sorry for myself.  I left my pity party, shot my bow, and was back in the stand the same night.  

(End of Part 1. Look for Part 2 Coming Soon!)