Meet The "Rib Rackers"

Well, we made it there and back with lots of great stories and pictures!  I know some of you will be bored to tears and I do apologize in advance! 

I have talked to a bunch of people since we got home and received all sorts of responses to the stories.  So that said, I just want y'all to know, we don't hunt what we wont eat!  And I am truly OK with folks who disagree with hunting so long as we all respect each other.  I believe the deer live as God intended them to and not shoulder to shoulder in their own filth, shot up with hormones, antibiotics and truly helpless for cover or to run, unlike the beef we buy from the store.  There, my disclaimer is out of the way! 

On to the fun stuff! 

We arrived in The Shawnee National Forrest late Wednesday night.  After we got situated, we sat around the fire and chewed the fat. 

Larry's Van...complete with twin bed and buddy heater!

Thursday morning was our 'Scout' day.  My brother, Donnie, and his Dad, Larry, have been hunting the Shawnee for years.  Larry -39 years!  Donnie -30 years!  So they know all the prime spots and keep them for themselves of course!  (wink, wink)

Every morning, as promised...my brother would cook breakfast.  We got up at 3:30 on Hunting days!  Here is Donnie's slop on Scout day:

He fries potatoes, bacon or sausage, then adds in a dozen eggs.  And there you have SLOP!  Good Slop!!

The first territory we scouted was for my nephew, Josh.  This year he hunted from a tree stand.  We call it the "TajMaStand" as it isn't broke down quite yet!

Here's one of the things you look for:

It's a 'rub'.  I didn't get a picture of a 'scrape' though.  But we did see them!

I gotta say, it's a darn good thing for "Seasoned" Hunters.  I was concerned with making a fool of myself and falling flat on my face and keeping up.  Whereas the seasoned, well they see things like this...and Stop!

I would have walked right into that puppy!  aka Skunk    Oh, and in case you were wondering, I did keep up and I did fall flat on my face...once.  :0)

After Scout day was done and we got back to camp, it was lights out fairly early.  Big day ahead!

If anyone had told me that I would sweat to death on the mile trek out Friday morning, carry half my body weight on my back, fall flat on my face while lugging like a pack mule, I would have laughed.  So I did laugh!  Lots!  We had a blast!

Here is the load and go at 4:30am!

And I believe y'all wanted to see a goofy looking me...I felt like the kid in "A Christmas Story" who couldn't put his arms down or walk!

Here is my niece, Andrea.  Orange is a good color on her!  This was her first season too!

We were in our spots by 5:30am sharp!  Pig Pen and I hunted from a blind most of the first day.  Here is what I saw on Friday:

And that be it...that's all I saw on Friday.  Just Pig Pen walking back to the blind.  Not.One.Deer.

Bummer...

But it was a good day!  I got to sit for 13 hours with my man!  And I still love him...  :)

At 7:15 we heard shots fired from my brothers area.  Patiently we waited for the radio call...and yupper!  My brother bagged an 8 point Buck!  His biggest ever!  He was so happy he said he dropped to his knees and cried just a little!  So we waited a bit and went to help him out!  Well, Pig Pen helped, I took pictures!

Nice looking rack, eh?

After he field dressed him, he drug that 149 lbs deer on out and Pig Pen took over his spot.  I stayed in the blind and waited patiently.

Wasn't but a few hours later, more shots fired from that same area, and yupper...Pig Pen got a 6 point Buck from the same tree stand!  A real Honey Hole!

6 Pointer, one rack was broken though!

Naturally, Pig Pen and my brother moved me on over to The Honey Hole.  There I sat...and sat...and sat.  Still didn't even see one.  Not.One.Deer.

When we got back to camp that night, our camp tallied off at 4 Bucks!  Pretty darn good day! 

Everyone saw deer except for me, and all who got shots off meet their mark.  So we had 4 other hopefuls still waiting...

Any takers on how Saturday went?  Guesses?  Bets?  Predictions?

I didn't sit the blind the next day.  We went to The Honey Hole. 
I'll leave it at that for now.  This post is long enough, don't ya think?