9 Point Buck on Opening Day 2015

You can watch a video of the shot by clicking here

Unfortunately my aim was a little high and the buck drops down Creating a higher shot behind his shoulder into the non lethal zone. I was hoping for a lung shot but it did not happen.

After the shot we began trailing him. A huge thunderstorm created a downpour so we had to back out and try to recover the buck on Sunday morning. Several guys went out looking Sunday morning but we could not find or retrieve this buck. I am hoping it is a nonlethal shot and we will see him on trail cameras again this week eating apples.

Recoil Charts

I have had a few people with disabilities ask me about recoil and how I handle it. I thought it would be a good idea to post a couple of recoil charts so that you could match the right rifle or shotgun load to your ability and adapted setup.

Fortunately the brace I have absorbs a great deal of the recoil from a shotgun or rifle. I receive no impact on my shoulder at all. The front of the weapon does rise up with a shot because I'm unable to hold the weapon. When I shoot my crossbow there is no recoil at all.

The shotguns that I use I limit to two and three-quarter inch shells. I do not shoot 3 inch or 3 1/2 inch magnum loads.  I prefer a .243 rifle or .223, but I do shoot a .270 occasionally. For target shooting I still enjoy the air rifle and the 22 LR.

It's up to every hunter to ensure a quick and clean kill. Able bodied individuals or a para may have the ability to hold a rifle or shotgun, better than myself. Being a c4/c5 quad my weapon sits in a brace. My preferred method of hunting is my crossbow. But when I rifle hunt I do it mostly with a .243 and I have been very fortunate that I have not lost a deer with that rifle.

A well-placed shot will bring down a deer every time and a marginal shot may lead to a lost deer no matter what caliber or broadhead you are using. I posted the chart so that everyone has the right information to make a decision on their own. If you want to use a larger caliber I think that's great, if you prefer something a little lighter that's great too. The important thing is we shoot within our abilities, we owe it to the game we pursue to ensure a ethical clean kill. Shoot straight and good luck in all you do.

Recoil By Caliber

Recoil by Recoil Energy

Pheasant Hunt McDonald Sportsmen

On Saturday I went pheasant hunting with the Western Pa Wounded Warriors on a hunt sponsored by the McDonald Sportsmen's Association. The hunt was at the McDonald property and it was fantastic! I had so much fun and met so many wonderful people. The weather was perfect and the club property was beautiful. I knew it was going to be a good hunt when I scored my first pheasant without firing a shot, check out this video!

 

I did manage to take another three pheasants on my own without too much help from Elvira, although she did point and retrieve all of the pheasants.

I was also able to shoot some trap at the club. This is a first for me since my disability. The last time I shot trap was at least 25 years ago. I did not believe I would be able to hit any of the Clay pigeons, but I was able to hit six out of 25 attempts.





After breaking the six clay pigeons everyone congratulated me and I felt like I just won the Olympic gold.  They gave me a new nickname ''the Crusher'' and everyone who volunteered at the shoot ended up signing my sweatshirt by the end of the day.




The club provided a great steak dinner after the shoot and I can't remember when I had so much fun! Everyone there was so nice, it was a perfect Saturday afternoon! I am so glad I had the opportunity to take part in it. I was able to meet some great people and be a part of this great event.  THANK YOU to everyone involved.

Airport Follow-Up

The Allegheny Airport is having a lottery for bow hunting permits this year.  I mentioned it here and  thought it would be great if they included some spots for hunters with disabilities.  So I contacted Senator Matt Smith with the suggestion.

His office just called and said they thought it was a great idea.  The Senator likes the idea of helping hunters with limited accessibility and is working with the airport authority to secure spots in next years lottery for hunters with disabilities (it was to late for this year).

It always pays to make people aware of the issues hunters with disabilities face.  Gaining wheelchair access to prime whitetail areas is exciting news!  Thank you Senator Matt Smith !

The New Accessible Hunter Gun Mount

Here is the long anticipated ACCESSIBLE HUNTER GUN MOUNT in action.  It is an idea that Ed and I have been working on together for some time. 

He made this model by hand and I am so glad  to have it. As a shooter with a disability, Ed understands the importance of top quality mounts.  We could not buy one so we engineered our own.  It shoots like a dream and is safe to roll around with the muzzle pointed down.

We need to paint this mount and make a few more tweaks to pretty it up, but it is finally here, the perfect gun mount!  Check back soon to follow as we move forward with this mount.

MALLORY'S STORY

Mallory suffers from Rasmussen's Encephalitis and has undergone life-saving operations. Rasmussen’s encephalitis is a rare, chronic inflammatory disease that usually affects only one hemisphere of the brain. It occurs in children under the age of 10 (and more rarely in adolescents and adults), and is characterized by frequent and severe seizures, loss of motor skills and speech, paralysis on one side of the body (hemiparesis), inflammation of the brain (encephalitis), and mental deterioration.

Most individuals with Rasmussen’s encephalitis will experience frequent seizures and brain damage over the course of the first 8 to 12 months, and then enter a phase of permanent, but stable, neurological deficits. Scientists currently think that Rasmussen’s encephalitis is an autoimmune disease in which immune system cells enter the brain and cause inflammation and damage.

MALLORY'S STORY

Mallory Mashburn contracted Rasmussen's Encephalitis at the age of 5 and began having seizures. In a short amount of time, the number of seizures that Mallory was suffering from ranged from 75 to 200 seizures a day. Mallory’s mom and dad, Gene and Tiffany were forced to make the very painful decision to try a possible life saving surgery, in which the right side of her brain was removed & which would leave their young daughter suffering the same effects as that of a stroke patient.

After Mallory’s surgery and months of extensive inpatient therapy to help her learn to speak and walk again, she is finally seizure free but Mallory will require therapy and assistive devices for the rest of her life. Mallory has not let the physical challenges she deals with on a daily basis stop her from participating in her love of hunting. In 2012 Mallory began a quest to be the first physically challenged youth to score a turkey grand slam.

She traveled with the WWWO crew to Tampa, Fl. March 22, 2012 to begin the first leg of her journey and killed her Oseola. In April WWWO flew her to Nebraska to hunt for the Rio and Merrium species which she completed in one weekend!

Mallory returned home to Mississipi and in May traveled to Tennessee where she finished with a bang on a great Eastern and therefore making her dream to become indeed a reality! Mallory continues to amaze and inspire us on a regular basis and we are proud to have her as part of the Woods, Wheels & Water Outdoors family.

We hope that her story of overcoming physical challenges will inspire others who are facing their own challenges to dare to DREAM BIG and go out and make their dreams come true! Thanks for sharing Greg! God bless you!

Lisa Crawford, WWWO Secretary/BOD

Ground Blind Stakes

Okay, you just spent several hundred dollars on a super deluxe ground blind.  Here is a $4.00 suggestion on how to keep it from becoming a several hundred dollar camo kite.

Purchase yourself some good quality text stakes like these from Coleman  and always stake down all four corners.  The thin stakes most ground blinds come with do not do the job.  I like to leave my blind up in the field at least a few weeks prior to the hunt when possible and these stakes secure the blind well.

Late Season Hunt

I did manage to get out hunting yesterday with my good friend Mike. We had a fantastic time and the weather did cooperate. The ground blind that Mike set up earlier in the week worked out fantastic. With Mike's help I was all set up by 3:15 PM and ready to hunt. It would not take long and I would see some action. At 4:50 PM I heard some movement coming 45 yards out in front and to my right. I used my pencil in my mouth to take the safety off of my Tenpoint crossbow. I know from practicing that the safety makes a loud click and I was concerned about the noise. The three doe were moving from my right to my left but there was no shot opportunity. As I watched the doe pass by, I noticed two of them were circling back, now moving left to right at 20 yards! As I watched the two deer in my scope the lead doe spotted me sitting in the ground blind. She was not in my shooting lane but I thought I could get an ethical shot. So I activated my BMF trigger activator, releasing the bolt towards her. I heard the bolt hit a branch and was concerned immediately with the shot.  Mike was watching from his treestand behind me. We waited a few minutes and for Mike to get down from his stand. He quickly found my bolt and it was a miss. The broadhead had white hair from the does belly but no blood, fat or anything indicating a hit. I had hit a small branch causing me to shoot under the doe. It seems this is the script for this year's hunting. There is not much time left in this season to redeem myself. But hopefully I get one more opportunity to fill my deer tag. It was a fantastic evening with Mike and I am very thankful for his help.

From Drop Box

Urban Hunting

I hope to do a little urban hunting today with my buddy Mike.  He set up a sweet natural ground blind for me last week.  The plan was to hunt today but I need some of the ice to melt away and freezing rain to stop first.  Wish me luck with the Tenpoint!

Scott's Big Buck

ILLINOIS WHITETAIL ADVENTURE

By Scott Hall

 

   To those who don't know me, my name is Scott Hall and I am a disabled hunter with spina bifida.  I hunt small game, doves and turkey but my passion is whitetail deer.  While most of my hunting is done in my home state of North Carolina, I have also been blessed to be able to hunt in Virginia, Texas, Ohio and most recently Illinois.  My most recent hunt in Illinois is the purpose of this article. 

 

   Those who know me know that I am an avid Facebook user and log on nearly every day to keep up with family and friends, to read all the latest hunting news, and to enter online contests. 

  

   In April of 2012, I entered a Facebook contest to win an all-expense paid whitetail hunt with Trophy Buck Outfitters in Hillview, Illinois.  Having never hunted in Illinois before, and knowing the kind of bucks that come from there, I was hoping against all odds, that my name would be drawn and I would be hunting trophy whitetails in an area where so many Boone and Crockett bucks have been taken.

 

   In June 2012, the date came for drawing the winner of the contest.  When the winner was drawn, I was a little disappointed to read that someone from Tennessee had won the hunt instead of me.  Rather than brooding about it, I quickly dismissed it and just moved on and looked forward to the upcoming deer season in my home state of North Carolina instead.  That is when an unexpected event took place.

 

   One night about two weeks after the contest ended, I received a Facebook message from Andy Chandler, co-owner of Trophy Buck Outfitters.  The message simply said, "Scott call me at this number please.  Thanks, Andy."  I called him back but was unable to reach him.  The next morning the phone rang and it was him.  He introduced himself then asked if I had entered their contest on Facebook?  I replied that I had.  I also told him that I also knew a winner had already been chosen.  He laughed and said, "Well that's why I'm calling, we have had a problem getting in touch with the original winner so we drew another name and had the same problem so basically you're the fifth person I've tried to get in touch with to give this hunt away.  Would you like to come hunt with us?"  When he said that, I could hardly believe it!  My hands started to shake just like they do when I encounter a big buck and my reply was a very enthusiastic "WOULD I?!  YOU BET I WOULD!"  This was just like buck fever.  The only thing missing was the buck.  He said, "Okay then you're our winner, I'll post it on Facebook."

 

  At that point Andy began filling me in on the process of applying for a non-resident tag, buying a non-resident license and habitat stamp.  He also gave me a list of all the things I needed to bring with me.  I hung up with him and immediately called the Illinois Department of Natural Resources where a very helpful agent was able to walk me through the process for applying for my non-resident deer tag.  In September my tag arrived in the mail and I was pleased to see that I had drawn both a non-resident buck tag and a non-resident doe tag as well. 

 

   My dad Ken has been instrumental in nurturing my love of hunting and the outdoors and so I wanted him to come along with me on this hunt to make another hunting memory and to share some time out in God's creation together. 
 

   Finally the day of my departure had arrived.  After leaving North Carolina on November 14th, we drove to Corydon, Indiana the first day where we got a motel room and got a good night's rest, then drove the remaining 250 miles into Illinois the following day.  After arriving, I went to a local Wal-Mart store near where we were staying and bought my non-resident license and habitat stamp.  I was now a "legal beagle".

   We arrived in Hillview, a small community of just under 200 residents, on November 15th and after stopping to ask for directions, we found our way to the Trophy Buck Outfitters Lodge where we were greeted by Andy and his guides as well as the other hunters who would be in camp that week. 

   Situated in the rolling hills and farmland between the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers, Trophy Buck Outfitters has a fully handicapped accessible lodge that sleeps up to 14 hunters.  With two large sitting rooms, two fully stocked kitchens, private bedrooms with 2 beds per room, two handicapped accessible bathrooms, and satellite TV, a hunt at Trophy Buck Outfitters is a trip I will always cherish.     At Trophy Buck Outfitters, meals are provided but breakfast is a do it yourself affair and hunters are asked to take a sack lunch with them into the field because unless other arrangements are made, hunting takes place from daylight until dark and a deer can be spotted at any time of day during the rut.  A deer is not guaranteed at Trophy Buck Outfitters, but the owners and guides go out of their way to place you in big buck areas and make your hunt as enjoyable as possible. 

 

   With a minimum harvest requirement of 130 B&C or P&Y points, there are many trophy bucks in the 150-180 inch range taken there every season.  Hunts take place on several different privately owned farms and there are thousands of acres of land on which to hunt.   Trophy Buck Outfitters does not overbook their properties and there is plenty of room to hunt.  I never encountered another hunter in my hunting area during my hunt which is more than you can say on many properties in big buck states.

 

   After my arrival that evening, I talked with Phil who is one of the guides and he told me that in his opinion, the gun I had brought from home may not be suitable for the terrain on which I would be hunting because it did not have a rifled barrel.  Going into the next room, he returned carrying a brand new 12 gauge Savage Model 212 slug gun.  Holding it out to me he said, "Here! Take this and try it out.  I just got it yesterday and it's never been hunted with but it's sighted in to hit dead on at 200 yards so if you can see him, you can hit him with this!"  I graciously accepted his offer and I am glad that I did.

 

   We turned in very early that night and by 3:30am we were awakened to the sound of guides and hunters already up and preparing for the first days hunt.  My dad and I got up, dressed and ate a quick breakfast then Andy and one of his guides loaded me and my dad and my wheelchair into a van and took us out to our stand location for the day.  After they left, my dad and I settled into the blind and awaited shooting light.

 

  Situated on the edge of a large CRP field with thick hardwoods and brush on all sides, the blind faced east and the CRP field we were on rose gradually from our blind to the top of a ridge some 160 yards distant.  This particular farm we were hunting was over 3,000 acres and we were the only ones hunting there.

 

   In my opinion, there is no better place to be on this side of Heaven, than in a deer blind with my dad.  As the sky started to lighten in the east, the creatures of the forest began to stir from their slumber.  As I sat there in silence, taking it all in, I said a silent prayer thanking the Lord for allowing me the opportunity to be here and listen as the world woke up around me.  As the sun rose above the horizon, I saw a deer about 150 yards away, then another and another.  Slowly lifting my binoculars I was able to make out the shape of a doe then following her were two small bucks, both non-shooters.  I was a little disappointed at the size of these bucks but I knew the area held bigger bucks and the hunt was young and I still had plenty of time remaining.

 

   Just then, the tranquility of the morning was broken by a large fox squirrel who was chattering noisily just to my right.  I slowly turned and scanned the woods to my right then up the field edge in front of me until my eyes caught movement further out.  Raising the binoculars I picked out the shape of a deer.  An old "high headed" doe as I call them, came out fully alert and looking for any sign of danger.  I slowly pulled my camera from my pocket and snapped a quick photo just as she spotted me.  She stomped her front foot, then bounded back into the forest, blowing loudly as she went.

 

   Unfortunately the remainder of the day passed uneventfully with no other deer spotted before nightfall.  Back at the lodge, we found a very nice 150 class ten pointer hanging on the meat pole, and a very happy hunter sitting in the lodge.  He re-told the story of how he was able to take this good looking buck and we all congratulated him on his achievement.  That night around the supper table, I was able to get better acquainted with Andy, his partner Eric and the other hunters, all of whom were from the state of Michigan.  They were all a great group of guys and I enjoyed my time spent with them and with my dad.  After a supper of pizza from a nearby pizza place, we turned in and prepared for day two of our hunt.

 

   Arriving back in the same blind, we settled in again and shortly after sunrise were treated to the sound of a turkey gobbling just behind us and coyotes howling way off in the distance.  A short time later a very large and beautiful coyote trotted out of the timber some 180 yards away.  I had the green light from Andy to shoot one if I saw it, but this one never paused long enough for a shot. 

 

   All during the day we were treated to the sight of several deer but no shooters.  About noon, a yearling six point buck, sporting the smallest six point rack I think I have ever seen, came out in the field.  Sniffing the ground for sign of an estrous doe, he slowly meandered across the field from our left to right before disappearing again into the woods.

 

   About an hour before dark, and with my confidence on a downhill slide, my dad tapped me on my right shoulder and motioned for me to look straight ahead.  I looked and there was that same "high headed" doe we had seen the day before.  I sat motionless this time and watched as doe after doe filtered out of the timber and began to calmly feed in front of us about 160 yards away.  Just as I raised the gun to attempt to fill my doe tag, I caught more movement out of the corner of my right eye.  Glancing over, I saw the glint of antler as a buck strode out of the brush.   I glassed him and saw that he wasn't particularly wide but he was still a good buck.  His rack was tall, extending well above his ears and while he didn't appear to be an old buck, I knew that day two of a three day season was nearly over and with only one day remaining, I did not want to pass him up then go home with an unfilled tag.

 

  I quickly ranged the yardage to be 167 yards.  With the buck calmly feeding broadside and totally unaware of my presence, I rested the gun on the window of the blind and with hands shaking, settled into the gun and eased off the safety.  Placing the crosshairs directly behind his shoulder and taking a deep breath, I exhaled half of it and slowly squeezed the trigger.  At the sound of the shot I heard the thwack as the 12 gauge slug hit home and I saw the buck mule kick with both back legs then take off quickly to my left.  Thinking fast, I doe bleated loudly with my mouth and he stopped dead in his tracks and looked my way.  Ranging him again I saw he was now at 176 yards.  I quickly racked another shell in the chamber and slowly squeezed the trigger.  This time the buck "hunched up" in the middle, lowered his head and took off again to my left.  Stopping a second time, he began to flick his tail vigorously from side to side, a sure sign of a hit.  I ranged him a third time and saw the distance was now 202 yards.  This would be the longest shot I had ever attempted on any deer and especially the longest shot I had ever attempted with a shotgun.  Settling in for the third time I squeezed the trigger and saw the deer run off to the left, this time disappearing from sight. 

 

   I felt fairly confident of the shots but still with the buck out of sight, the presence of coyotes around and night quickly falling, I knew it was important to find the deer as soon as possible.  After calling Andy on my cell phone and telling him I had a buck down, my dad said he was going to go look for the downed deer.  He walked across the CRP field and over the rise and disappeared from view just as the buck had.  A little while later he re-emerged and began waving both hands back and forth over his head.  I thought this signal meant "no sign of him".  What it actually meant was "buck down".  Dad got back to the blind a couple of minutes later, breathless and telling me "He's down but he's way out in the field.  A long way off." 

   The later it got the more anxious I became for Andy to arrive.  Just a few minutes before dark he and Tim, one of the guides, rolled up in the van.  We quickly loaded up then drove in the direction my dad said the buck had taken.  As we scanned the field for sign of the deer I saw a dark shape just ahead.  I pointed and said, "There he is!"  Andy stopped the van, got out and went to the buck then gave me the thumbs up sign.  He and the guide then unloaded me and my chair and after congratulations and a few back slaps, we took a few photos before night fell.  The buck was a nice mainframe nine pointer with a kicker point off his left G-2, making him a legal ten pointer.  He also had a crab claw on the end of his left antler.  A real "character" buck.  He wasn't an old buck, probably three years old, but he was a trophy to me and I was blessed to have been given the opportunity to take him. 

 

After Andy and Tim loaded the buck, we headed back to the lodge.  As news of my success spread in camp, all the guys were coming up congratulating me.  Someone who has never hunted or been in a deer camp has no idea what this is like but to a hunter, it’s one of the best feelings in the world to be congratulated by your peers.

 A little while later, Andy came into the lodge and announced to the whole group that "Scott hit that buck with all three shots and I could cover all three shots with the palm of my hand."  He went on to say that, "The first shot was a double lung hit.  Shot two hit dead center in the heart and shot three was one inch to the right, but also dead center in the heart."  Even after taking three fatal hits, the buck still was able to run 186 yards before collapsing.  This just goes to prove how tough that a whitetail can be.

 

   That night, sleep came easily and I slept the sleep of the just.  I chose to sleep in the following day while others in camp went out in a last ditch attempt to fill their tags.  That afternoon with a doe tag still in my pocket and hearing that there was a family in that community with small children and they had recently fallen on hard times and who could really use some meat, I decided to go out for the afternoon to try to take a doe in order to donate to that family.  I was unsuccessful in doing so, so I opted to donate the meat from my buck instead.

 

  It was sort of a somber mood around camp that last night.  Not everyone in camp had been able to fill their tags, but that was not the reason for the somber mood.  Nobody really wanted the season to be over or for this time to end.  Filling a tag is not the primary motive for going to deer camp.  The primary motive should be having the opportunity to experience God's creation in all its majesty, to form friendships, and to share experiences with your fellow hunting brothers and sisters.  Taking a buck is just a little extra icing on the cake.  While the bucks taken in these deer camps may not all be record book deer, the memories made there are ALL Boone and Crockett size!

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

Pa Turkey Season Fall 2012

It's about to start...  Fall turkey in Pa, I can't wait to take a bird with my crossbow !

SEASON OPENER: Wild Turkey, season limit 1
Oct 27-Nov 16 WMU 2B (shotgun and bow & arrow)
Oct 27-Nov 10 WMUs 1A, 1B, 2A, 2C, 2D, 2E, 4A, 4B and 4D
Oct 27-Nov 15 WMUs 2F, 2G, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 4C and 4E
Oct 30-Nov 1 WMU 5A
 
*Closed to fall turkey hunting: WMUs 5B, 5C and 5D
More details on page 35 of the Digest at http://ht.ly/eA4vX

Pa Early Firearms Season 2012

To participate in the early muzzleloader season (Oct. 13-20), hunters must have a general hunting license, muzzleloader stamp and a valid antlerless deer license or Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP) antlerless deer permit. Hunters may use in-line, percussion and flintlock muzzleloaders during the early muzzleloader season. They also may use scopes, peep-sights and other lawful sighting devices on muzzleloaders during the October hunt.

To participate in the special firearms antlerless season (Oct. 18-20), hunters must have a general hunting license and a valid antlerless deer license, and qualify in one of the following license categories: resident junior or senior license holders; nonresident junior license holder; nonresident adult license holders age 65 or older; hold a disabled person permit to use a vehicle as a blind; be residents who are serving on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces; or qualify for license and fee exceptions under section 2706. Sporting arms permitted include: manually-operated center-fire rifles, handguns and shotguns; 44-caliber or larger muzzleloading long guns; 50-caliber or larger muzzleloading handguns; long, recurve or compound bows; and crossbows.

Buck Season with WMA

Whitetail Management Associates (WMA) held a special disabled hunt yesterday for myself and another hunter Bob. 

WMA had over two dozen volunteers who gave up their first day of the 2012 buck season to enable Bob and myself to go hunting.  These guys helped transfer me into my action trackchair, set up my ground blind in three locations, brushed it in and cut shooting lanes each time. 

They gently pushed deer by me all day but I was unable to get a clean shot as is often the case, due to my limited mobility.  I had deer and turkeys around me all day and had a fantastic day hunting, so it was a successful hunt in my opinion!

Again, thank you to everyone for all you do for disabled sportsman like myself and the conservation of our wildlife.

 

 

 

1st Night Out

Tuesday afternoon I had the opportunity to go hunting with my brother. We went to a small woodlot that we have been hunting the previous two years.

We arrived a little late and decided not to put up the ground blind, we would split up and just sit quietly and see what came by.

About 35 minutes into the hunt a flock of turkeys came walking by. 16 birds, I could not see any beards but they were sure pretty to look at as they all ambled by. I think the wild Turkey is one of the most spectacular game birds in America.

It wasn't long before I spotted two huge groundhogs, well-prepared for this winter with an extra layer of fat. These two hogs were followed by a big gray squirrel who was happy to run back and forth in front of my wheelchair.

The Magic hour was approaching, I looked at my watch and it was 7:20 PM. I looked up again and a four point or six point buck was walking by. The daylight was quickly fading and I could not see if he had brow tines or not.

It wasn't much longer and the hunt was over for the evening. It was a great start to the 2012 archery season.

Pa Elk Lottery

I just completed my Pa Hunting License online for 2012-2013 and decided to put myself in the lottery for an elk license.  I know the odds of being picked are slim but it would be a hunt of a lifetime to go after elk in Pa.

If I am lucky enough to get a tag I know just the crew to take with me.  My brother John and the guys from the wpa wounded warrior group.  Maybe even one or two from Wild Jaeger.com would fly in, who knows.  I'm all excited already, lol.  Wish me luck!

Rage Chisel Tip

Rage just came out with a new chisel tip broadhead.  I am a big Rage fan and will be using them again this fall. The Rage Chisel Tip is available in three versions. The 2-blade Rage Chisel Tip has a 2-inch cutting diameter and is available in both 100- and 125-grain weights. The 100-grain 3-blade has a 1.5-inch cutting diameter. What is your broadhead of choice ?

Nikki's Hunt

Three years ago this little girl was unable to play organized sports or ride a bike and was very limited in her activities, her balance was off. A few years ago she was struggling in school with her grades; today she is one “B” away from being a straight “A” student. A few years ago she could not concentrate and did not fit in.

Yesterday this very same girl took life by the horns and embraced the experience of a life time and fulfilled a dream she has had for over 5 years. She has been dreaming of going hunting.

Nikki is 10 years old and was diagnosed with epilepsy a few years back, before that people thought she just couldn’t concentrate and hoped she would grow out of it. Come to find out her “day dreaming” episodes were seizures. She would have between 30 and 60 seizures a day. They were not violent shakes but rather a stillness and gaze.

WILD Jaeger, Kodabow, J&J Custom Calls, Pitt Rehab, and many individuals gave donations to make her dream come true. John MacCallum of WILD Jaeger took Nikki on her first hunt. The hunts started right at John’s house with safety talks and target practice with Nikki. They would shoot 3D targets in his back yard practicing broadside shots, quartering away and quartering toward shots. She soon became very proficient with her Kodabow (100% American Made Crossbows) and her confidence was showing not just in the yard but in her actions everywhere. It was amazing to see this girl’s smile and her confidence soar.

When the hunt day came on Sunday we knew she was prepared. That morning it all came together, the pig came in to about 17 meters away and she said that was the animal she wanted. This was her first hunting trip ever. She set up her shooting sticks in preparation and set the Kodabow on top. She took her time, squeezed the trigger and followed through just as she practiced confidently. She placed the crossbow bolt exactly where it needed to be.

What a mountain this little girl has climbed. Thank you all for making this happen for her, you have no idea how happy and proud she is and her family. This has changed a little girl's life. People don’t realize how powerful a tool that hunting can be. Its not just about harvesting the animal, its much, much more...

Photograph and write up by John MacCallum

Eds Pa Buck

My friend Ed from the wounded warrior group took a nice buck on opening day.  Here is his story..

As anyone who hunted on the first day of Pa buck season is aware, it was a little damp to say the least. With the mud situation in mind, I decided to hunt from a different stand.

To clarify, for me, a stand is anyplace fairly flat where I can park my Kawasaki Mule, when I’m not using my manual wheelchair.  It helps if there are some bushes I can park behind to break up my silhouette.

If you are familiar with the property that WPA Wounded Warriors leases from Consol, you might know where I mean when I say that I was hunting the south end of the "gas pipe" field.  I set up fairly early and was into my spot by 6:00 am.  It was still quite dark and overcast, but there wasn't much rain.  The temperature was warm enough that I was more worried about falling asleep than freezing.

I was warm, comfortable, had plenty of water and snacks on hand, and was prepared to stay put all day, BUT, a little after 7:00, I saw something to my right.  It was obviously a deer, but at that time of day it was just starting to get light.  There was a little haze hanging in the air, in the small saddle I was overlooking and visibility was not the greatest.

The deer was walking across my shooting lane quickly enough that I didn't feel I had time to use my binoculars, so lifted my .270 model 70, in order to check it out.  I still couldn't see how many points he had, since the rack was twice the height of his ears, I felt pretty sure he was worth shooting.  Besides, having a disabled license and hunting in 2B, I could shoot a buck or doe legally.

I squeezed the shot off, and he never took another step. I chambered another round and waited, but it wasn't needed.  This white tailed deer was down for the count.

I drove down to check him out, it was 72 yards. I quickly found that he was a legal buck for anyone even though he was only a six point buck, because he had no brow tines.  Still, his is the widest rack I have taken, at 15 inches inside and 14 inches high.

He isn't a wall hanger, but I'm more than satisfied.  I am a little disappointed that my buck season was over so quickly, but I still have a doe tag and I’m looking forward to the extended season.

I'd like to tell all those volunteers, who helped to make this possible, how much I appreciate all their efforts.  Without you guys, and girls, it couldn't have happened.

Thank you!!!

Matts Buck

The hunting story from my buddy Matt on his 2011 buck...

The first day of deer season started for me on Monday November 26, just like any other.  I was filled with the anticipation of harvesting a buck. Most people have the dream of a monster buck. I just wanted to shoot a good buck. It has been several years since I was privileged to harvest a buck in Pa. The mesmerizing bony protrusions on the male deer species head has the same spell on me as it does for millions of others in this country. They just seem to have eluded me for so long.

     You see I have shot many buck in my early years of deer hunting. The past ten or so has been a different story. I have a form of muscular dystrophy which is making the hunt harder. I can't walk to deer any more. The deer need to come to me. This is not an easy thing when you have to hunt close to society's ease. There just is not a deer behind every tree 20 yards off the trail. I am fortunate enough to be able to hunt on property where I have adapted a stand for my abilities. This improves my chances of at least seeing deer.

        By seven o'clock on Monday Morning I saw seven doe below me in a flat. I was hunting in a management unit where doe are not legal the first week. Go figure!! Several other doe took the opportunity to thumb their noses at me from a distance that morning. I saw fifteen deer in total by lunch time. This really does wonders for one's emotional and psychological attitude.  

When I see deer I feel like I have accomplished something as a hunter and I am able to fool these animals into coming out of hiding. Especially when I am trying to get to my stand and make more noise than a whole military division would traveling to that stand.

      I had heard many shots throughout the morning and counting them subconsciously has always been something I have done. After every shot I think about the person who either got very lucky with their prize or very upset with a miss. Hey we all have been there. The emotional highs and lows of deer hunting are something every hunter experiences.

      I have never been the type of person who believes in a sixth sense but I can’t explain the urge that I had to turn completely around in my stand and watch behind me more frequently. After scanning around me in a three hundred and sixty degree area I turned back around and there he was. I remember saying to myself “it’s a buck”.

The buck’s rack had a tannish shade that seemed to float above the ground as the buck moved parallel to me. He was walking at a slow pace nose to the ground and stopping to look ahead. I could feel my pulse quicken and my body begin to shake. The buck weaved in and out of the thick cover of saplings and blow downs.

This beast which had eluded me for so long was finally easing along a trail to my left. He would stop every now and then looking ahead. Every time he stopped he was behind some sort of obstruction preventing a shot. I just kept wishing him into a small opening I could see with my scope. If I were able bodied I could just lift sight and shoot. I had my shooting stick propped and my body turned toward the opening sixty yards away.

The buck slowly kept walking toward the opening. The moment of truth arrived, the buck stopped in the opening. I could only see the front quarter of the buck. I positioned my crosshairs on the buck’s neck. The deer was down before the rifle blast faded. There was no movement from the deer but plenty from me. I do not even remember descending my stand but, I do remember falling at least several times making my way to the downed trophy.

When I arrived at my prize I was beaming with happiness. I had just accomplished something that every hunter strives for. I just seem to have a bit more difficulty. I had harvested a Pa whitetail buck. Running my hands over the eight point rack gave me a feeling only known to successful hunters who have completed their quest.

The buck definitely will not win any records but it is a trophy in my book. I do not know how many more deer seasons I have left, but as long as I have any movement in my body and family members to help me, I will hunt.   I sure hope I don’t go through another extended spell of no buck harvests.

Action TrackChair Customized

My Action TrackChair is now ready for bow season, after we made a few customizations. Being a high-level quadriplegic I thought it was necessary to make a few changes that would enable me to hunt for long hours.

The first thing we did was install a four-point harness because I have no  trunk control.  These will easily slip over my shoulders and connect at the chest securing me into the chair.  Then a "T" handle joystick controller.

The second thing we did was remove the standard seat cushion and install the base plate for my be adaptive hunting rig.

Next we put on a much better pressure relief seating system.   The Roho Quatro seat cushion, this is the seat cushion that I use every day in my standard chair .  

And finally we installed the adapted hunting rig from Be Adaptive, now the only thing missing is getting this fantastic wheelchair into my hunting spot .  I am so ready for Bullwinkle !