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Old August 15, 1999, 07:11 PM   #1
Rob Pincus
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Join Date: October 9, 1998
Location: Hotels
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Originally I had planned on Spending this coming Tuesday through Sunday in South Carolina on an awesome Deer hunting festival. The limit in SC's "Low country" is Two deer per day, with any weapon. As a bonus, the deer will still be in velvet. I have never taken a deer in Velvet and I am really looking forward to taking a nice trophy or five.

Things being what they are, I am not going to be able to get to SC until Friday Night, which will only leave me Saturday and Sunday to hunt, but I am still looking forward to it. My wife and several friends will still be hunting at the location all week.

My first priority will be to actually take a deer, and I will be go out Saturday Morning with the Steyr Scout, with which I have yet to take any game. I will most likely wear an appropriate hunting pistol as well, in case a hog or deer shows up in close.

After (IF) I drop a nice one with the Scout, I would also like to use a Crossbow to take a deer, and this will be one of the only hunts I have scheduled this year where that could be done.

Some of the other hunters inthe group will be using compound bows and I know at least one will be using a muzzle loader. My wife is really hoping to take a deer with her Xbow as well, but she will start out hunting with a rifle.

My plan originially was to use the 6 day hunt to try to drop four deer with four different weapons (Rifle, Xbow, Pistol and Muzzle loader), but that plan doesn't have much chance of success with only two days to hunt...

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-Essayons

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Old August 15, 1999, 08:50 PM   #2
Mikey
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Take heart Rob...it's possible! Two days, two deer a day...er...that's five...no four deer. See, it adds up!

Just so you'll have hope I'll relate this story. A buddy of mine and I put in for some of the doe permits several years ago in Tennessee. We got drawn for Marshall County where he had a cousin with a dairy farm that hadn't been hunted much for several years. We had permits for two does each and had Saturday and Sunday to connect. Figured we would pop a couple of good "meat deer" and head home.

Before daylight Saturday, I took a spot overlooking a bowl shaped valley and my buddy hit the woods - he knew his way around the place. Just about good shooting light I see a deer crossing the creek below me about 150 yards out. One shot, one deer. It turned out to be a buck with a smallish 4 point rack but my hunting partner didn't get a shot.

We checked mine in at a country store down the road and ate a home cooked style breakfast. Several hunters stopped in and looked at the deer in the back of the truck. "Looks like you guys had good luck" was the usual response.

Well, we had to go back and try to get his deer so we decided to do some two-man drives along a valley. I took the top and he took the bottom. About 20 minutes in he jumped three out of the bottom. I heard him shoot and, about the same time, a deer headed up the ridge across the valley from me. No time to look for a rack - crosshairs on the shoulder and squeeze. The deer piled up and slid back to the bottom. His was a BIG doe and mine was a dandy 8 pointer (one of two I still have on my wall).

We checked these in at the same place. Now its about noon and we have two bucks and a doe in the back of a short bed Ford pickup. We're starting to draw a crowd!

We both figured luck was with us so instead of going home we went back to set up stands for the afternoon. About half an hour before dark a big doe crossed a clearing about 50 yards from me. Well I already had two bucks so she filled half my doe tag. Within five minutes I heard my buddy shoot. Just as it was getting dark he dragged a really nice 6 pointer out to the truck.

You guessed it! We went right back to the same store to check them in. The owner came out to meet us before we could get in. He was calling to some other hunters in the parking lot. "Hey, c'mere...these guys have 'em stacked up like firewood over here!"

That was the BEST day of the BEST year I ever had deer hunting. I mounted the 8 pointer to remember the day and I still have the picture we took of five deer, hanging on the meat pole, taken by two hunters in one day. It stays in my office and always makes people ask about it. The meat filled my freezer, his freezer and we still ended up donating about 200 pounds to "Hunters for the Hungry".

Mikey
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Old August 16, 1999, 04:16 PM   #3
Rob Pincus
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Well, now I am properly inspired....

I think the rules at this lodge are:

1 buck of choice and as many 6 point or better as I want within the legal limit (2/day).
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Old August 18, 1999, 09:29 PM   #4
Will Fennell
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The early season here in SC does surprise some folks around the country. For years I went out religously every August 15th[opening day] and dealt with the bugs and heat. I still go early season occasionly, but its not my FAVORITE time of year to hunt. Its ALOT more pleasant out after the first frost.

Dad went sunday afternoon outside of Charleston on a friends place, saw several does, and 1 buck, but he was on the small side. He got to walk and dad didn't have to drag one out in the 100 degree heat.

Oh well, we've got 4 more months to go, so there is no hurry.


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Old August 19, 1999, 05:08 PM   #5
Rob Pincus
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I'll be in Estill.

Heading down tomorrow night... can't freakin' wait!!!
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Old August 22, 1999, 07:11 PM   #6
Rob Pincus
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grrrr.
$#@%(U@#(!!!!


Sucked. Sucked. Sucked.

I didn't SEE A deer. No Does, No Bucks, No Mammals larger than a chipmunk.

Of the 8 people in our group, 4 of them took deer (3 pt, 5 pt, 7 pt & 8 pt). Some of the lucky ones also let a buck or two go. One of the Unlucky ones passed up a 5 pointer the first morning because he wanted a "big'un".....

the Lodge was great, the guides were great, but the weather and the deer did not cooperate!

The lodge itself has harvested 19 bucks in less than 2 weeks, but it just wasn;t our time, I guess.

The Steyr Scout is still a virgin....

Oh, and did I mention that I had car trouble on the way back??

(I may take up gardening...)
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Old August 22, 1999, 08:30 PM   #7
Al Thompson
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Sorry to hear that Rob - just try to remember that they call it "hunting" not "shooting". Look at the bright side - you got to ride up and down I-95 at warp factor six for twelve or thirteen hours.....

(grin)

Giz

------------------
"Hear the voices in my head, swear to God it sounds like
they're snoring." -Harvey Danger, "Flagpole Sitta"

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Old August 22, 1999, 09:23 PM   #8
Mikey
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Next time ride your crotch-rocket...you'll get there faster and come home in a better mood!

The only two drawbacks would be riding with the Scout slung over your shoulder and, of course, the deer between the handlebars on the way home.

Better luck next time

Mikey
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Old August 23, 1999, 09:17 PM   #9
Long Path
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I gotta agree with Gizmo: if 'twere guarrenteed, they'd call it "gathering," not hunting!

You got to enjoy the true "fair chase," and did so about 2.5 months before the rest of us!

BIG bummer 'bout the car trouble-- that's not a welcome ending to an empty-handed hunt!

L.P.
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Old August 24, 1999, 08:59 PM   #10
Rob Pincus
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Fair chase is 100% applicable if I had scouted the land and picked the spot, etc, etc, etc....

BUT, this was a sit & wait scenario on land that I had never seen.. the sport to me would've been to let a little one pass, or to make a tough shot..

Honestly, I would've enjoyed just sitting and watching a doe and her yearlings feed.. but I got no action.. hence the frustration.....
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