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Picou
Lunker Username: Picou
Post Number: 2093 Registered: 8-2004
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Thursday, December 7, 2006 - 11:21 pm: |
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Wes and I were selected for the antlerless/spike hunt at Garner State Park and along with the bag limit came 2 axis. Fortunately for us, Wes’ lease is literally across the river from the park which gave us a comfortable place to stay during the hunt. Having missed our draw hunt at Richland this year, I was eager to make this hunt with Wes. These public hunts have been great to us and a source of some true hunting memories. The last time I shot an axis was March of 2000 and considering the population of animals on Garner SP I was excited to get another chance at some axis meat. We arrived at the park in time for registration and then had the wait for orientation. We met some of the other hunters and talked about other draw hunts that we all had experienced. After orientation we drew for blind assignments and had time to kill before the first taxi route to the stands was to leave so Wes and I both stuck our rifle on the bench rest and made sure the scopes were sighted in properly. I was pleased to see the .243 my daughter missed the two doe with the previous weekend was still sighted in properly and I had high hopes of getting a shot at an animal. On the first afternoon the park officials walked the hunters to the blinds to show us the shooting lanes and explain where they have been seeing animals. When we walked up to the blind I had drawn there was a group of around 20 axis off in the brush about 120 yards. During orientation we were told that we could not load our gun until 15 minutes after then driver dropped us off. I anxiously waited and watched the clock ticking away the minutes. I had my tripod gun rest set up, a bullet ready to chamber, and already ranged the animals. Ten minutes had passed and some of the axis had moved out of my line of sight. Eleven minutes and now there are only a few left in my shooting lane. By the time twelve minutes had passed they were gone. Frustrated, I went to spread out my corn and unfortunately I spooked off 2 doe while doing it. I climbed back into the stand slightly dejected from what had already transpired and hopeful that something would show up that I could harvest. Shortly after 5:00pm I saw a whitetail working towards me so I positioned my tripod for the area the deer was headed and looked at it through the binoculars. I convinced my self quickly that it was a fawn doe and took my rifle off the rest. She proceeded to work into my corn and fed till dark with no other deer sighted. Of the 4 hunters in our drop off truck there were 3 animals killed and one wounded – all axis. I believe out of the 20 hunters on Monday evening there were 8 or 9 animals killed and 2 wounded. Sure seemed to me that I heard a whole lot more shots than that… Tuesday morning came early and we were again out to our stands. When I walked in by the light of the full moon I spooked off a little doe. I quickly dispersed my alfalfa hay and corn then crawled into the blind and waited. Shortly after sunrise the same little baby doe came in and started feeding. I watched her feed and waited. Finally, a mature doe started working towards my area so I raised my rifle and readied for the shot. She was very nervous and stomped with almost every step. I kept the crosshairs on her and as soon as she stopped in a clear path I dropped her in her tracks. The little doe that had been eating ran off but never out of my sight and then she came back in reluctantly but eventually calmed down and went back to feeding. Twenty minutes passed and out of the corner of my eye I caught movement. At first glance I thought it was another doe so I pulled the rifle back up and as soon as I saw her through the scope I knew it was another baby. I lowered the rifle and let her feed. Then a little buck came in and chased the babies around a little bit then started feeding. It was now approaching 8:00am and with the 3 small deer feeding in front of me I saw something approaching rapidly. I put the binoculars on it and saw spots…. I thought it was an axis doe and my heartbeat started to accelerate until its head cleared the tree and I saw the 2 inch spikes on his head. We were only allowed one axis buck and this was not worthy of bullet. I tended the nursery for the next half hour or so watching the two fawn doe, the little buck, and the spike axis feed and run each other around. Suddenly, the little buck looked in my direction and then trotted off taking the whitetail doe with him. The axis looked up and then went back to feeding. I caught movement to my left and looked over to see a big bodied axis buck strutting down the trail. I saw his white face, hardened horns, and solid body and decided immediately that he would suffice for my buck on this hunt. I raised the rifle and followed him till he stopped then drilled him right behind the shoulder. He jumped straight up and tried to run off but only made it about 20 yards before piling up within sight. Needless to say, I was excited to have a whitetail doe and my axis buck on the ground in plain view. The bad part, I had to stay in the blind and wait for my ride to pick me up. I could not move the animals, field dress them, or go in early. We were to stay in the blind until we were picked up at 10:00am. I still had a solid hour and a half wait until my ride showed up. Well, I guess the nursery had to be re-opened because the axis spike and the two whitetail fawns came back to eat. They finally left after 9:00am and then I saw movement again. Closer inspection revealed yet another fawn doe. She stomped around the dead doe, and was real nervous then calmed and went to eating. I finally spooked her off at 9:45pm so I could get a closer look at my buck before heading to the road to be picked up. We were allowed to go check on our harvest but that was it. When the truck came I loaded my gear and took the personnel to my animals. Three of us tried carrying the buck and after about 20 yards of huffing they decided to drive the truck back into the bush to pick them up. Only one other hunter in our truck harvested anything and it was a whitetail doe. The harvest numbers for that morning were lower than the previous evening but I was not complaining. We put my buck on the scale while the biologist aged the doe I shot and he weighed in at 195 pounds live weight. The doe weighed 97 pounds and he aged her at 5.5 years old. Wes helped me skin and quarter the animals and we did not get back to the cabin on his lease till after 1:00pm. Knowing that the drop-off trucks departed at 3:00 to head out we made a decision to not hunt on the park that evening and drink some cold beer. Wes wanted to shoot an axis doe off his place so we popped up the Matrix on his field and waited. We saw a ton of axis but unfortunately it was not meant to be for him to harvest one that evening. Wes was headed back to his truck when I looked across the field and saw a black pig feeding towards me. I called Wes on the cell phone and asked permission to shoot it. He gave me the green light and told me he was going to drive around the field to try and get the pig over to me. It seemed like the pig was attracted to the sound of the diesel because as Wes approached the corner of the field the pig trotted in that direction. What started out to be a 200 yard shot was now shaping up to be a 350 – 400 yard shot. I waited until Wes had completely cleared the field area in the truck and raised the crosshairs of Wes’ 270 to the top of the pig’s back straight up from the shoulder assuming at the time that the pig was larger and the bullet would only drop 6 or 7 inches. I squeezed off the trigger and the pig started running across the field in my direction then disappeared in the low spot of the field. I heard Wes accelerate in the truck then stop. I looked out the window in time to see Wes jump out of the truck and fire his .444 at the pig. He then got back into his truck and backed up. I met him over there and found the pig with a massive hole behind his ear and hole in the front leg. The bullet dropped a little more than I planned for but it all worked out for the good. We loaded up the tag teamed piggy, picked up the ground blind, and headed to camp to cut him up. We grilled some pork back strap and axis burgers with ice cold beer and capped off another great hunt together. I’m not sure how late I made it but I know I passed out on the couch before 10:00pm… Wes and I have been on a lot of these public draw hunts and each and every one is memorable. These hunts have resulted in a lot of meat in the freezer and a ton of great memories. This hunt goes down in the books as yet another excellent adventure with tremendous memories made. I love hunting but certainly enjoy the hunt exponentially more when I get to hunt with a great friend. Thank you Lord for my family and the waters I get to fish
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Rumbanator
Minnow Username: Rumbanator
Post Number: 53 Registered: 3-2006
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Friday, December 8, 2006 - 8:35 am: |
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great recap, there will be plenty of meat in the freezer for sure, congrats |
Ozziefish
Crappie Username: Ozziefish
Post Number: 340 Registered: 8-2004
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Friday, December 8, 2006 - 9:22 am: |
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Very good...nice work guys OzzieFish "In GOD I trust"
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Wes
Moderator Username: Wes
Post Number: 224 Registered: 8-2004
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Friday, December 8, 2006 - 10:19 am: |
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It was a good hunt. Congrats again on the axis and the whitetail Mike. My failure to get an axis was due to me missing a doe at about 150 yards with the 270. I made up for it though with the hog, hit that dude on a dead run at about 60 yards |
Charles
Moderator Username: Charles
Post Number: 742 Registered: 7-2004
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Friday, December 8, 2006 - 10:24 am: |
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SWEEEET! Excellent job gents! |
Texfisher
Crappie Username: Texfisher
Post Number: 561 Registered: 8-2004
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Friday, December 8, 2006 - 8:12 pm: |
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Very nice axis. Is this one going on the wall next to the other one? If you're richer than me I think we're related. If you're poorer than me I know we're related. My bass club webpage http://texbass.8m.com/
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Picou
Lunker Username: Picou
Post Number: 2094 Registered: 8-2004
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Friday, December 8, 2006 - 8:51 pm: |
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Not this one Tex... These horns are just going to be cut off and used as decoration. They are a good 7 - 8 inches shorter than my existing shoulder mount. This axis though was much bigger in body size than the previous one and much better color. I am having the hide tanned as a throw for the back of the couch. Here is a picture of my first axis harvested at Carta Valley back in 2000 I believe.
Thank you Lord for my family and the waters I get to fish
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Bigun
Lunker Username: Bigun
Post Number: 1174 Registered: 8-2004
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Saturday, December 9, 2006 - 7:36 am: |
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You guys always know how to make it fun. Great shooting Mike. Quit being a mad, little bald man! Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark. A large group of professionals built the Titanic. I forgot the CAMERA!
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Hawlin_bass
Bluegill Username: Hawlin_bass
Post Number: 216 Registered: 1-2005
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Sunday, December 10, 2006 - 6:01 am: |
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Beautiful! I'd love to get an axis. Nice one. |
Simek
Bluegill Username: Simek
Post Number: 136 Registered: 1-2005
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Sunday, December 10, 2006 - 9:33 am: |
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Outstanding hunt fellas. Congrats on a job well done for the public hunt kings! |