Another Ca. archery buck down!

We have been busy as all hell since opening weekend of the archery season and haven't been able to make it back out. Friday afternoon we wrapped up things and headed back up to the hills so I could try and fill my tag! We reached camp with about 45 minutes until dark so we jumped in the jeep and took off in search of an arrow worthy buck. We hadn't been looking long when my daughter Quinn said "there are some deer right there", Regina threw up her binoculars and what came out of her mouth next was music to my ears, "big buck"! There were two big bucks and we watched as they ran up into a secluded pocket and went back to feeding. I grabbed my bow and headed up the hill in the opposite direction to try and circle around behind the mountain and drop over the top with hopes that the bucks would still be there. As I hit the top of the mountain and started to round the corner in front of me was a good buck! I couldn't figure out how they had beaten me to the top but there stood a big 4 X 4 with my name on it. I quickly ranged the buck at 40 but as I drew he started walking so I let down and ranged him again, now he was 52. As soon as I drew he started walking again, so I let down and whistled and he stopped. A quick range at 65 and I drew, settled in on the pin and let it loose! The arrow found its mark and I watched as the buck went 100 yards down the canyon and bedded down. The buck was hit hard but darkness was coming so I made my way towards the buck as quietly as possible. I closed the gap to 40 yards and figured I'd get another arrow in him but all I could see was from his nose up as he laid behind a log watching me. I figured if that was all the shot he was going to give me I had to give it a try. I drew, settled the 40 yard pin on his nose and let it loose. The shot was straight but a little low and I watched in dismay as the arrow buried into the log he was laying behind! At the sound the buck stumbled to his feet and gave me a broadside shot, game over!!! I had just taken my biggest California archery buck and the whole family was there with me. After taking it all in I hiked back down to the jeep to get the family to come up and lay their hands on the buck. While I was on the stalk Regina had watched the original two bucks through her binoculars the entire time and never took her eye off of them, and wouldn't until I finally reached the jeep and told her I had a buck down! The kids were super excited as we made our way up to the fallen beast and after a few photos we made our way back to the jeep with him. What a great hunt with my family!



Salmon Scouting

The reports have been pretty bleak so far but I had to go out and see for myself! We launched the boat out of Ord Bend and headed up to take a look around. I hit each and every nook and cranny that usually holds fish. While my findings weren't stellar we managed to put a couple fish in the box!! Hopefully things will start to get better as September approaches!



Trees, trees, and more trees!!

I am a firm believer in trees in a wetland! Not only does it help to break up the landscape, but it also helps to quiet things down and make the birds feel more at home. This year we grew a total of 2500 trees in the nursery and are in the process of getting them all in the ground. The crew kicked ass today and we ended up getting 1500 planted today and will get the remainder tomorrow. I had all of the holes pre dug, but the crew planted, fertilized and watered all of them as they went in the hole. It was a huge undertaking but the crew got it done. It will change the whole look of the wetland by next season!

Beavers.........

The war has begun!! As a lot of you know we spend countless hours working on our wetlands and planting trees grown in our nursery. When I showed up to the little wetland today this is what I found! Apparently the beavers have found my new plant trees and had a field day. As upsetting as this is I guess its just part of the game.!

Archery Buck Down!

Anyone who knows Regina, knows her love for bow hunting! Over the past few seasons she has tuned herself into a bow hunting bad ass, consistently putting bucks on the ground!! She puts in countless hours tweaking her gear, trying new equipment, and shooting. She went into this season with a new bow and as she shot it more and more, it became evident that she and her weapon were getting along just fine. She went with the new Mathew's Monster Chill SDX, and it's a shooter!  She is shooting Easton Axis arrows and decided on 85 grain Thunderhead's to tip them. The set up was perfect as we set off to the hills for the opening weekend.

We stalked a couple great bucks on Saturday morning but bumped a doe in the process. The doe ran right into the pocket that the two bucks were in and blew them out of the country, strike one! We spotted several other legal deer that we could have easily made a play on but they just weren't what we were looking for!

Around noon on Saturday we went for a walk and found a nice 2 X 3 bedded on a ridge with a couple does about 200 yards away. The wind was right and I sat back and watched as Regina put a text book stalk on them closing the distance to a mere 15 yards! As she rose to settle her pin on the un-suspecting buck the wind swirled and off they went. It was an awesome stalk and I got to watch the entire thing unfold.

We continued hunting and passed up several more deer during the early afternoon. Around 5:00 PM, Regina spotted a nice 3 X 3 bedded on the hill side and it was game on! I watched the entire thing as she closed the 120 yard distance, sneaking right into his bedroom! She snuck into 40 yards and waited for the buck to stand for what seemed like an eternity but was probably only a couple minutes. The buck stood and turned back to the right, behind the bush he was laying under, but he was not bothered much and started to feed up hill. Regina took a couple steps to ensure a solid shot, settled her pin and let the Thunderhead tipped Axis fly! It was a perfect double lung shot and the rest is history!! I couldn't be more proud of her, she did everything perfect and ended up with a great buck.

We hunted the rest of the weekend and I came home with my tag still in my pocket. If I'm lucky maybe she will give me a few pointers and I will get to punch a tag as well.  We have a few weeks left before we head to Idaho for our annual archery mule deer hunt so we will see what happens and I will keep you posted.

  

Tree Time!

Phase two of the willow tree plants for this year started today! The guys a Beymer Well Service called today and we should be back in action the first of next week. I am getting ahead of the game and working on getting close to 900 holes drilled so that we can plant them all in one quick shot and turn the water to them to ensure that they take. By next spring the entire wetland will take on a new look!



Fires!

I've had a few calls from concerned clients so I thought I'd give everyone and up date on the fires! I went up to the ranch today and climbed the mountain to see how close it was to us. As of right now it looks like we will escape the wrath of another fire but I can't be positive just yet. I went up to where I could see highway 16 and it looks like the fire crews lit back fires at highway16 and burned them back to the east, putting our ranch out of harms way!! Unless the fire somehow crosses highway 16 we should be ok this time. There was an incredible amount of ash laying all over the ground at the top of the ranch and are very lucky that a spot fire didn't start. Looking to the west all you can see is black scorched earth! Hopefully the animals made it out ahead of the fire and have found safety somewhere.