JALA RUT

So, this year is my 41st bow season and I love it just as much now or more; definitely my favorite season and time of the year. But as I got older and after some shoulder injuries, and a shoulder surgery, this year was the toughest and sorest year I have ever had pulling back my bow. My Dr said that I need a full shoulder replacement but I'm trying to hold off on that. While bowhunting this year, I've seen a few and passed on some small bucks. Until last week, I finally had a mature 8Pt offer me a 10yd shot, following in a doe and my shoulder hurt so bad, I couldn't even pull my bow back on 3 tries. He eventually walked off with the doe having no idea I was there and all I could do was watch him walk away. Still a great close encounter but heartbreaking that my shoulder wouldn't allow me to pull my bow back. Next year I'm going to look at lowering poundage a little on the bow and try to time my cortizone shot better with bow season. Anyways, with my shoulder failing me, I took the rest of that week off from bowhunting to wait for the crossbow opener on Saturday. On Saturday, with about half an hour of light left, a different, smaller 8Pt offered me a 30 yd shot with the crossbow. I was able to collect my first ever crossbow harvest. 30Yd shot, double lunged, ran about 70 Yds and dropped. A decent 3.5 year old 8Pt. Love this time of year. Good luck all...Hunt safe, hunt hard, hunt ethically, and have fun out there!

Sitting in the airport waiting for my flight....wish I was sitting up against a tree listening to the woods wake up. Good luck to all out this last weekend of the season.

Finally back out today after a crazy work week and commitments keeping me out of the woods yesterday. Since I leave for vacation in FL next Saturday, this will most likely be my last outing for the season, unless I can sneak in a quick morning hunt before work this week. Today can only be out until about 10 for a wedding this afternoon. The woods have been void of turkey gobbles or turkey chatter so far this morning but we'll see. Good luck all.

Glad the work week is done. Been dying to get back out there after them and it'll be a 3 day weekend! Good luck all.

Well yesterday was a bust, no turkeys seen or heard but the deer were active walking around me at least, to help pass the time. Even had this buck come by starting this year's new antlers. So far, this morning is starting off like yesterday with no gobbles heard from the roost. Good luck all, beautiful morning to be in the woods!

Other than a couple gobbles from the roost way, far away from me, today was one of those days that feels like turkeys don't exist. The weather was finally pleasant and I was expecting the turkeys to be on fire today ... but they didn't get the memo in my area. Nothing seen or heard, working it right to the noontime whistle. Still awesome to be out there. Hopefully they'll be more cooperative tomorrow. Good Luck all. Should be a good weekend! Yesterday, I did get a nice pic of a deer that got to about 6 yds from me before it realized something wasn't right...LOL

Yates County on Italy Hill

Quiet morning, nothing heard or seen until I fired up this jake at 10:36. He came in hot to some cutting and I decided to take him home with me.

But at least no rain finally

All quiet here so far. Good luck all.

Peroxide paste after boil and light pressure washing

Did 3 seperate boils and powerwash after each. Was never a true boil, more like a good simmer, for about 3-4 hours each, with some Dawn dish soap in each boil to pull oils out of skull/bone, to lessen chances of those oily spots bleeding through whitener.

Finally had time to get to it. Was planning outside but it was a super windy day and figured what the hell...the Mrs did not have the same, no big deal attitude...LOL

Just rinsed off the peroxide paste, finished doing my own Euro mount of my buck...from field on 11/20 to mount on 12/11. I think it came out pretty good!