Thoughts From the Kansas Prairie
Well, deer hunting kicks off next week here in Kansas. I’m looking forward to it, more so then years past. Mostly because the rifle is built, sited in and ready to go!
And because I really need some time in the field. It’s how I recharge. There something about being out in the country, away from the city and the noise that energizes me. I can’t wait.
Anyone else going out next week?
I’ve been looking forward to this all summer. I’m heading out Tuesday night to spend 5 days with my buddy Keith hunting deer with our smokepoles. Can’t wait.
Anyone else going out?
We just returned from our 4 day hunting trip, the Good Wife and I. We had a blast this year, it was a great year. The Good Wife got her first deer. Keith’s dad took the best buck of his hunting career. And a new deer hunter, Keith’s son, nearly shot his first. With a flintlock none the less!
It was truly great seeing my wife shoot her first whitetail deer. She took a great shot. It was nice 10 point, but one brow tine was completely broke off and another tine was half gone. Still, a nice buck for her first deer. Nicely done my dear!
Keith’s father, Wes, shot a really nice looking muley this year. The best of he’s ever shot. And he has shot a deer almost every year he’s hunted. We’re talking over 40 years here. I would have like to have seen it play out, he had to stalk it a bit and hold the shot for several minutes until the muley buck came out from behind some bushes. Nice 70 yd shot with a cap and ball muzzleloader, that he built by the way.
The photos are below, hope you enjoy. Let us know how you did this year.
So another muzzleloading season has come and gone, and my luck has proved itself out again.
I spent 4 days in Meade County the first week of the season and only saw deer 1 of those days. I made a quick trip out to El Dorado reservoir on the last Saturday of the season and came up short there also.
In Meade, I was hunting a silage field. They had a test cut through the center of the crop circle and the irrigation pivot was leaking so there was a nice little marsh of fresh water that I was sure the deer would come in to. I sat off the pivot about 30 yards watching back to the east figuring the deer would come in from that direction since the generator for the irrigation equipment was running and sitting at the west entrance to the cut.
Sure enough, about 30 minutes before sundown, a small 4 point buck stepped out of the crop about 150 yards or so and walked away from me to the east. He was joined by a few does who came in from the east entrance. I watched them for nearly 20 minutes before they spooked at something (probably me) and ran out of the cut.
I set back and contemplated my plans for the next day’s hunt, figuring I’d need to move my stand further east in the cut.
Have you ever had that feeling something was watching you out on the stand? As I was sitting there thinking, I happened to glance towards the pivot and there he is, a nice 8 point standing there watching me. I’m frozen in place as I’m caught totally off guard.
I slowly pull the rifle up to my shoulder. He doesn’t move. I pull the hammer back. He’s still there. I set the trigger. He doesn’t flinch. I pull the trigger…
My view is blocked by the black powder smoke as there was practically no breeze that night but I can hear him crashing through the crop back to the east. While reloading I’m thinking how bad I don’t want to have to try to track the buck through that silage. He was so close, there’s no way I could have missed, I’m sure of it.
A bit later I see him step out of the silage into the cut. He’s about 100 yards or so and walking away. He stops, turns and looks back down the cut towards me. I’m frozen again. I’m afraid to move thinking he’ll run so I hunker down and glass him watching to see what he’ll do.
“Drop! C’mon, drop!” I say to whoever…
I watch him for over thirty minutes, until it gets too dark to see. So I get my flashlight and head down the cut to see what’s up. Meanwhile I had texted Keith to let him know I thought I had a deer down. I get to the place I think he should be…
Nothing. Nothing! No deer, no blood.
I keep walking, nothing. I don’t see a trail at all. As I meet Keith at the east end of the circle he asks if it was a nice looking 8-10 point. Yeah.
“Well, he was just in my head lights and then took off across the next field to the east. He didn’t look hurt to me.” Keith says.
That can’t be right! I’ve been to the range, the gun was shooting fine. I can’t believe it.
The next day I do some target practice, trying to figure out what happened. I set up a steel target at 25 yards ad put a square of orange duct tape on it. First shot, dead on. Next shot, 4 inches to the left. Next shot, dead on. Then 4 inches to the left.
I check the front sight and find that it’s moving back and forth about a 1/16th of an inch. So sometime between my range time and the hunt, I must have knocked it loose. So really, it was the gun.
I didn’t see any deer the rest of the hunt or the last Saturday. I blew it by not checking my equipment over before going into the field. Stupid mistake.
Oh well, there’s always December right?
We’re heading out for the final weekend of deer hunting for the late antlerless season. This time I’m taking my wife for her first hunt. Which seems to be the predominate hunting I’ve done this year. My daughter had her first dove and deer hunt this year. Now it’s the good wife’s turn (it was her idea to pick up the Marlins anyway).
We’re heading back out to the Buttons ranch that I took my daughter to. Hopefully I can find the deer before we have to go this time. We have some weather moving in late Sunday, I really hope that it stays out there. They’re calling for snow Sunday and Monday. I just hope we see more then deer butts running away through the trees this time and hopefully on our side of the fence.
So, good luck to all those out wrapping up Kansas deer season. Keep your powder dry.
To all the hunters heading out tomorrow for opening day of the Kansas Firearms Deer Season, good luck! May your shots be straight and true.
It looks to be fairly decent weather, not quite as cold as the last couple of years. This is the first time in 3 years that I’ll miss the opening! I can’t make it out until the last weekend of the season when I take my daughter out. So save a couple of deer for us alright?
I went scouting last weekend here for when I take my daughter out next month deer hunting. I was looking for this guy (picture on the right).
We think we spotted him in the neighboring field when we left. He looks nice. We also saw a couple of smaller bucks and a couple of does and lots of sign. This is my daughter’s first deer hunting trip. Hopefully she’ll do better than I did back in September. It would be awesome if she can get a shot off at that big boy.
Keith and the crew are getting ready to head out for pheasant opening day. I’m going to miss this year, I have a wedding to go to. An old friend of mine is getting married. And of course, all reports say this is likely to be one of the best years for pheasant in a long time. Of course if is. I’m thinking about NOT buying my buddy a wedding present. Good luck to the crew and all the hunters hitting the fields this weekend. May your shots be true.
And I thought I’d also give an update on Sgt. Blank. He’s finally back in the States. He made it to Bethesda and is in the Naval hospital there. He’s still far from being out of the woods yet, so keep him in your prayers. He’s going through lots of surgeries still. And keep his family in your prayers and thoughts also. There’s a lot on their shoulders.
So keep your powder dry and for those going out this weekend, drop by and give us an update when you get back.