Wednesday, December 31, 2008

My son's first deer - Priceless!

By Brian McNutt, Atglen, Pennsylvania
We had been out on Saturday morning just to find the perfect spot and know exactly where we would be headed for the first day. Brandon seemed a little leary and I wasn't sure if he was quite as excited about the hunt as I, but I knew we had the perfect spot picked out and we were ready. I had seen a buck in the area weeks before and knew he was in there...we were only about 5 miles away from home so we didn't have to go far.


Brandon and his deer


Brandon and I woke up about 4:30 a.m. on Monday morning and got ourselves ready and my wife dropped us off at the edge of the woods just before 5:00 a.m. We staked out our spot and no sooner did the sun start to rise we heard two shots off to our left and I just couldn't help but wonder if that was our buck! We waited and Brandon was patient and quiet, he really surprised me.

Just about 9:30 a.m. I saw some deer out to the left of us and they looked like they were heading away from us. It was a nice size buck and two doe. I told Brandon to get ready, just incase. The wind had picked up and I wasn't sure if the buck would catch our scent or if we were pretty well hidden. Brandon was sitting on one side of the tree and I on the other and no sooner did I tell him to get ready, the buck started our way. We waited and within the next few minutes he was getting closer. I thought to myself, here it is the buck for Brandon.

We got ourselves together and I wasn't sure if I should go for the doe and let Brandon get the buck! I shot once, but the buck was still up, it was about 30 yards away and I told Brandon, go for it! With one shot, he nailed it right under it's front, shoulder and down that bad boy went! A beautiful 9 point buck, a little over 200 lbs., what a beauty. I think Brandon was in shock at first, but he was so excited, grinning from ear-to-ear and I couldn't help but think to myself how wonderful this was to be here with him on his first hunt! Not only did he get the big one on his first day out, but he was using the gun that his great-grandfather gave him, only a week before. The gun was passed down to him to use on this first hunt. His Great-Grandfather said it would be the perfect one for him at his age and boy was he right!





We tagged the deer and Brandon was so excited, we gutted him and Brandon watched intently. I decided our next time out, he's going to give it a try. We called my wife and shared the news, she ran up to take the pictures and I think she told the whole world! This was a moment I'll never forget, the smile on his face, the excitement of the kill and the bonding we had together. He'll be my hunting partner forever. The hunt between father and son is priceless, it's a time that the two of us will never forget and is, by far, the most exciting thing we have done together.

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Making Memories With Canadian Giants

Sometimes as an amateur writer I get the misconception or belief that in some way all of my articles and field journal entries have a profound effect on the innermost soul of other sportsmen. I know that there are very few articles and writers who can impact readers that way. So I won't pretend that this journal entry is going to change someone's life, but it certainly means a lot to me and I am sure there are many who will relate. I also hope during this holiday season that maybe it means just a little more.

Dad and I
My dad and I preparing to sight in his gun after the long flight.
As I get older, I find myself becoming more philosophical, where it isn't all about me killing a deer, or catching a fish, but more about the memory that you take with you. In today's world we are so rushed with so many things in life, that at some point, you have to slow down and make memories happen. When I say make memories happen, I mean literally put yourself in a position to experience events that you want to remember for the rest of your life. Whether it is taking your kids fishing, spending a day in a blind with a handicap child, or taking your wife hunting for the first time, all I can say is, make it happen. I know that most of the memories I want to have don't even include me with a gun on my back or a fishing pole in my hand, but more importantly, seeing the ones I love have success in the field.

Lodge
Interior View of the Lodge
I have been blessed that the Sportsmen Portal is doing well, which offers me the opportunity to hunt in some fantastic places across the US and Canada. Recently, I was presented with the chance to go hunt with Percival McKinnon Alberta Whitetail Outfitters near Edmonton, Canada. This is a world class whitetail hunting operation with 150 inch minimums and 160 plus deer are common.


Fireplace
The Lodge Fireplace
Growing up in a family of modest means and by all accounts a very modest man, my father, would never consider lavishly spending thousands of dollars on himself to go hunting. So he has hunted in PA his entire life, shooting a few nice bucks over the years, but never experiencing an out of state hunt. My father also served his country in Vietnam and now suffers from a rare condition called Neuropathy, which they believe stems from his exposure to Agent Orange. This disease affects the fine motor skills, ability to walk and other nervous system conditions. Each year I watch it get a little harder for Dad to do certain things and I know the days of him being able to go on a trip like this with very cold hunting conditions are numbered.

Dad on Stand
Dad eating some grub on the first day of the hunt
So when I was presented with this opportunity, it was a no brainier, I asked Dad if he would like to go. Even though I had a tag also, I would sit with him in the stand until he shot his deer. I didn't just want to go and stay in the same lodge and then go our separate ways to different stands but I wanted to experience the entire event and hopefully be there when he laid his hands on his own giant Alberta whitetail.
It was interesting at hunting camp, like most camps, it usually takes a while for guys to get to know each other and warm up and I think it was hard for a lot of guys to understand, why I wasn't hunting too, but by the end of the week, I think they all got it. This wasn't a trip about me laying my hands on my buck of a lifetime, or the real possibility of me shooting a world class whitetail, this trip was all about the memories that I wanted to take back. There wasn't a guy in camp that wasn't cheering for dad everyday to get his buck of a lifetime.

Big Alberta Buck
This was the first big buck we had an encounter with on the first day by 9:30 am. Sorry for the quality of the photo but it was taken with actual video footage and this guy is at 350 yards.
So on the first day of the hunt, our guide Riley Hunter, went out of his way to set up a double tripod stand with a great view. You know with a name like Riley Hunter as a guide, he must know what he is doing! One thing about hunting Alberta is, you usually have about 4 seconds to make up your mind if you are going to shoot or not. The main method of hunting is setting up stands on clear cuts that may only be 40 or 50 yards across to the next woodline. Riley did a good job scouting out a stand that gave us good visibility, maybe too much visibility.
We were perched high on a hilltop and could see for at least 700 yards. Riley explained that there was a very good trail about 70 yards in front of us. As luck would have it, we had three moose come right down the path he was talking about at 9:00 on the first day. We saw our first small buck chasing a doe at approximately 9:15 and then at 9:30 am the bruiser stepped out at 350 yards.


Big Buck
I was running a camera and it was difficult to see in my little viewfinder, but even at 350 yards, I was able to say "Dad, that is a good buck!" Unfortunately when I stopped him in the clearing, he was behind a tree from dad's viewpoint and we had to wait. I stopped him again, and of course he was directly behind a tree again. I was able to stop him a third time and dad fired.
Big Buck
The buck made a movement like he had been fatally hit. After reviewing the footage, the buck reacted like he was hit in the front shoulder, so I told dad to wait in the stand and I went to see if I could find any blood. After searching for about half an hour I was finally able to locate two pindrops of blood. I knew this wasn't good, but I was hopeful that we could recover this giant. I have been on tracks before, where very little blood didn't necessarily mean it wasn't a good hit.

Big Buck

I immediately backed out and called our guide Riley. He and Don Ott, fellow field staffer, came in and looked at the footage on the small viewfinder and thought the same thing that I did, that it reacted like it was hit in the front shoulder. We loaded up the quad and made the trek down to where I had found blood. We tracked the deer for approximately 300 yards and found a total of 15 pindrops of blood. He never laid down or even slowed down the entire 300 yards. We knew that this deer wasn't fatally shot and were anxious to review the footage on the big screen.

After reviewing the footage, we could see that the bullet had shrapneled and hit him in his back right leg. It was a long shot and there was some brush in front of the buck. It is really hard to tell for sure, but after watching the footage we don't think this buck was hurt at all, I think we just made him mad. I know dad was upset and really questioning himself, but I have seen him make that shot many times. When you miss one like that, you just have to move on, we have all been there and it is tough. That being said, I am sure it didn't make it any easier for him to sleep that night.

Big Wolf!
Giant Alberta Wolf taken by a hunter from Louisiana the first night
I would be remiss if I didn't mention this wolf that was hanging when we got back from the first day's hunt. This really made me reconsider some earlier decisions I had made that day. We listened to wolves howling all day and we often commented on how cool it was to be sitting there listening to something that we had never heard before. When the hunt was over, our guide came in to pick up dad first, so I said that I would just start walking to save some time off the second trip back in. Riley agreed and I started hoofing it, not thinking anything about it. All went well and about 30 minutes later Riley was back in to pick me up. Well let me tell you when I saw this massive wolf hanging in camp, I told Riley that I would no longer be leaving my stand at any point and time, much less walking in the dark!

Big Buck
This giant as taken by Scott from Pennsylvania on the second night. He was a giant and his body was absolutely massive!
Like I said to dad that day in the stand, even if we don't see another deer the entire trip, the outfitter did their job and put us on a shooter buck the first day. That being said, we were both very hopeful to get another crack! We saw several bucks the next two days but no shooters.

Two Wolves
Two more unlucky wolves taken the same day
I have to mention that dad was an absolute trooper the entire trip. These hunts are not easy, as you sit from dark to dark on a tripod stand completely exposed to the elements. We had a day of 25 mile hour winds directly in our face the entire day, a day of -1 degrees and dad never once complained and never once whined. Not that I expected him to, he has always been one of the toughest guys I know. I am not real sure what happened to me, because I am not near as tough as dad, I whined all day.

Three Big Bucks
Three more giants taken by Pete from New Jersey, Keith from New Jersey and Scott from PA
Action was relatively uneventful until the 4th day, when Riley put us in a new stand that Don and he had scouted out the previous day. We were in our stand until about 10 am and saw a couple of deer, when Riley called me and said we are moving you guys. I said, "What?". Riley explained that they had seen this shooter buck in the same area for the last two days so they were moving us. I said, "Ok, you are the guide." Riley explained when hunting in Canada that these big bucks have a core area, and the fact that they saw this buck in the same place the last two days so he was obviously hanging around this area.

Chasing Does
This giant came barreling out of the woods chasing these does
We were up and settled in the new stand by about 11:30 am and not five minutes after Riley left we had deer moving. Seemed like we were seeing deer the rest of the afternoon when around 3:30 pm we saw three does come barreling out of the woods and looking behind them. We just knew there was a good buck coming. Sure enough this giant 12 point comes out chasing these three does. We knew that this must be the buck that Riley was talking about.

Big Buck
Very nice 12 point with a massive body.
He was chasing the does right down a powerline towards us. I was talking to dad the whole time asking him if this was the buck he wanted and he emphatically said , "Yes!" They were out in the open and we had ranged all the distance to the power lines so we knew that his buck was now at 250 to 270 yards away. He came and stood perfectly broadside and I said to Dad, "Whenever you are ready, just take your time." Now again, 250 yards is a poke, but it is a shot that I am 100% confident and seen dad make many times.

Big Buck
Wouldn't mind running into this guy next year!
He told me he was going to shoot and I could barely stand the wait, it seemed like an eternity. He pulled the trigger and I could see that the bullet went right over his back. The buck would have stayed there, because he either didn't know what just happened or he didn't care, but the does took off and he was right behind them with his nose to the ground and dad made the right choice of not shooting at this giant while he was moving. I was very proud of him for holding off and not shooting while he was moving.
I know Dad was very discouraged and I asked him what happened and the jist of the story is, he was thinking about his miss at 350 yards when the shot was low, so he aimed over the deer's back. It is a shame, but any one can see how hunting giants like these can get into your head.
I would have given anything to walk down with my dad and watch him light up when he put his hands on this giant, but it just wasn't meant to be. I wouldn't trade my week with dad in Alberta for anything in the world. We spent time just talking, reminiscing and just enjoying each other. Sure, I could have split up, had Don, our other cameraman go film dad and I could have filmed myself and we would have doubled our chances, but that wasn't what it was about. I wanted to spend the week with my dad in a place where neither of us had ever been and make memories that will last me a lifetime.

The Whole Gang
The entire crew, Don Ott, Me,Carl Say (Dad), and Riley Hunter
I think it was summed up best on the way home from the airport when Dad looked at me and said, "I want to thank you Jason for taking me on that trip" and I said, "No Dad, I want to thank you for taking me hunting when I was a little boy." I think we all know that we could give our parents millions of dollars, but that still won't compare with what they did when they introduced us to the outdoors.
You probably read that this entire hunt was filmed with great footage and you will all be able to see it soon. We have a big announcement coming up this year so stay tuned.
Thank you for reading and I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas!

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

A Battle With the Demons





  • Leupold Katmai 8x32 Binoculars

  • Moultrie Game Spy I40 Trail Camera

  • Moultrie Game Spy D40 Trail Camera

  • Loggy Bayou Transformer Safety System

  • Evolved Harvest ShotPlot – Premium Forage Brassicas

  • Big Dog Treestands

  • Summit Treestands

  • Medalist Silvermax Silkweight Base Layers

  • Medalist Cheyenne Pants

  • Lacrosse Alpha Burly Boots



After we turned the clocks back, my archery hunts were basically limited to a couple of hours before work. One morning, I knew I wouldn’t have much time, so I opted to leave the video gear sitting at home since it usually takes an extra half hour to set up. It was the only hunt all season that I left it behind, and I knew it was mistake when I left the house.


I settled into my stand and waited for the sun to peek over the horizon. Shortly after, three shadows appeared in the thick brush below me. As the deer approached, I decided to pass on taking a shot because I figured there would be other opportunities to harvest a doe, and I really hated to shoot anything without capturing the video footage. The deer were very calm and they closed the distance to about ten yards. The largest doe continued under my stand as the other two nibbled on saplings.



The arrow as it landed below my tree; It passed through the doe and about six inches of soil.
The arrow as it landed below my tree; It passed through the doe and about six inches of soil.


As I watched her pass within a few yards of my tree, the demons began to torment me. They reminded me that there were only two weeks remaining in the season and I would likely never have such a good opportunity again. I resisted, remembering the faithful PSP members and how disappointed they would be. But the demons persisted, chanting about the doe being unaware of my presence and quartering away at five yards. They continued, heckling me about all of the hours I’d spent on stand without seeing a deer and the hunters who would love to have such an opportunity. I fought back, but the strain was more than I could bear.

The arrow as it landed below my tree; It passed through the doe and about six inches of soil.
A heavy blood trail led the way to the expired doe.


My bow came to full draw almost unconsciously and my sight pin settled behind the doe’s shoulder. In an instant the arrow was gone and so was the doe. She sprinted away, only to come to a sliding halt about 40 yards away. I looked down at the arrow standing at a steep angle in the forest floor and shook my head in disbelief. The demons had won.

The arrow as it landed below my tree; It passed through the doe and about six inches of soil.
The shot was good and took both lungs.

I would like to take this opportunity to apologize to everyone who may be following my journals and looking forward to video clips from my hunts. I am a weak man. I hope the photos will somehow lessen your disappointment and that, in time, you might be willing to forgive me. I promise to do better in the late season….the colder weather should keep the demons at bay.

The arrow as it landed below my tree; It passed through the doe and about six inches of soil.

Archery Highs and Lows






The temperature swings weren’t the only ups and downs this archery season. After returning from the Aloha State, I spent some serious time in the treestand. And despite believing that hard work pays off, the early bird gets the worm, and good things come to those who wait…I’ve been constantly reminded that a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush! Yes, you guessed it, I had a very tough archery season and my buck tag is still attached to my license.

The arrow as it landed below my tree; It passed through the doe and about six inches of soil.
Several of my hunts were spent under cover of an umbrella as rain pounded from above.


I don’t want to sound like I’m complaining because it was a very memorable season and it wasn’t like I didn’t have an opportunity to harvest a legal buck. I made up my mind back in September that the bucks I’d seen while scouting were worth waiting for, and I wasn’t going to shoot the first decent buck I saw. However, I was also hoping to capture my hunts on video, so that added another challenge to the mix.

The arrow as it landed below my tree; It passed through the doe and about six inches of soil.
Snow squalls were also part of the fickle weather patterns this season.


The arrow as it landed below my tree; It passed through the doe and about six inches of soil.
This young buck had snapped his right beam completely off near his brow tine.


The arrow as it landed below my tree; It passed through the doe and about six inches of soil.
Here’s another young buck that I had in range but decided to let walk.


If memory serves me correctly, I had 7 or 8 legal bucks under me throughout the season. I only considered one a “shooter”, and as mature bucks often do, he gave me the slip. The only shot he presented was a quartering toward angle, and it was just too risky for my liking. After that, he stayed in the safety of the thick brush and calmly left me shaking in the tree. The close call earned him the nickname the “Heartbreak 8” and I saw him again about a week after our first encounter. Unfortunately, this time, it was late in the evening during one of my many spotting sessions.

The arrow as it landed below my tree; It passed through the doe and about six inches of soil.
The “Heartbreak 8” was one of the nice bucks that eluded me this season.


The arrow as it landed below my tree; It passed through the doe and about six inches of soil.
Kirk and AJ are some of the best cameramen a guy could ask for!


Although we saw a lot of deer during the season, it seemed like the big bucks were mostly nocturnal and only the smaller ones were chasing doe during daylight hours. I heard a lot of guys talking about the rut being in full swing at the end of October, but from my experience, it was just getting started when the season ended in mid-November. A thick-bodied buck we nicknamed “The Great 8” was one of the bucks we spent a lot of time hunting. Unfortunately, we only saw him once during daylight hours and he didn’t offer a shot.

The arrow as it landed below my tree; It passed through the doe and about six inches of soil.
The “Great 8” works a scrape near one of our stands; A video frame from a spotting trip


The arrow as it landed below my tree; It passed through the doe and about six inches of soil.
This young 12-point was on the prowl during the pre-rut; A nice 8-point in the early morning hours

Even though my tag is still on my back, it was an excellent season with a lot of great memories. I’m looking forward to spending some time hunting with my family during rifle season and seeing if any of the bucks we’ve been patterning end up on the ground. Good luck to everyone!

Monday, December 1, 2008

Hunter’s Specialties Game Cleaning Gloves

Product Review by Mike Bell, PSP Field Staff
Field Dressing Glove Kit

Cost:$1.99 online

Product Features:

  • 1 pair Latex field dressing gloves

  • 1 pair shoulder length poly gloves


Personal Assessment of product

This is one of those inexpensive products that just makes sense.  My experiences in field dressing before using these gloves have always been messy.  After field dressing game animals, my sleeves were always covered with blood, no matter how careful I was.  I wasn’t immediately sold on the gloves when they first came out.  I thought the mess was part of hunting, and I didn’t mind. I received these gloves as a Christmas present a couple of years back and threw them in my pack for the following year.  They are extremely compact and take up almost no room.  I was amazed at how well they worked, and for the first time completed the chore of field dressing with no mess.  I have been using them ever since.


Product Limitations

There are few limitations associated with this product.  The gloves are a simple idea; designed to reduce the mess of a dirty job.  The only limitation that comes to mind when using these gloves is to be very careful with your knife.  When wearing these gloves, your knife can become slippery throughout the process of field dressing.  My main concern with the popularity of this product is that people remember to bring the dirty gloves back out after using.  I pack the glove kit in a zip lock baggie, so when I’m finished, I put the dirty gloves in the zip lock baggie and stuff them in my pocket for my trip out.

Recommendation
I do not consider the Hunters Specialties Field Dressing Glove Kit to be a necessity for big game hunting, but I consider them to be a huge convenience.  They do however, limit mess and exposure to bacteria, and they just make sense to have along on a hunt.

Avery Floating Tuff Hunting Dog Parka

Product Review by Teresa Patterson , PSP Field Staff
Drake and his dog vest
Drake sporting the Avery vest

Cost: Usually retails for about $30.00

Product Features:

  1. Available in 3mm or 5mm neoprene

  2. Dura Stretch is the toughest outer fabric available

  3. 16 cubic inches foam floatation

  4. Heavy-duty molded nylon zipper

  5. Easy-grip cold weather pull tab

  6. Velcro Torso Adjuster & zipper protector

  7. Tapered design for maximum coverage

  8. Double tacked seams for customization

  9. Glued & stitched just like waders

  10. 5 time-tested sizes to fit any dog



When the weather gets cold and you take your hunting partner with you in pursuit of waterfowl, they need protection from the cold water, ice and chilling winds.

Avery’s Floating TUFF Dog Parka is designed to offer your dog the ultimate protection from the cold. It is constructed from incredibly strong yet flexible 3mm or 5mm DuraStretchTM neoprene. The Parka covers your dog's most vital areas and offers protection from sharp ice, sticks and other underwater debris. Two closed-cell foam floatations help maintain your dog's buoyancy on long retrieves. The heavy-duty zipper and neoprene zipper protector keep the TUFF Parka firmly in place. The vest can be made to a more customizable fit for your dog with the various double tacked seams. The camouflage pattern breaks up the dog’s outline and helps to hide it from the wary waterfowl’s view.

Hypothermia in dogs is not uncommon. The first signs are of hypothermia are violent shivering followed by listlessness and apathy, a rectal temperature below 97 degrees F (which is diagnostic) and, finally, collapse and coma. It will most likely occur when a dog is wet.  It can also be caused by extreme lengths of time in cold wind or shock. Including “shock of cold” to the vital areas. Thus another benefit of this vest…protects the vitals. Being cold for dogs can be as painful as it is for us humans. We owe it to our hunting companions to keep them protected and warm.

I found this vest to be great on Drake. Not only does it fit him well. I like the tapered design where it fits more snug than some other brands. The zipper stays in place and the seams are all smooth. After water retrieves I can literally remove the vest off Drake and he will feel almost completely dry underneath. This made me feel good knowing that it was keeping him dry and warm.  Thus allowing him to stay out longer doing what he loves to do.

I would recommend the Avery Floating Tuff Hunting Dog Parka to anyone who will have their hunting dog out in the late season elements. Drake doesn’t leave home without it!

3 Generation Archery

By Corey Brossman, Wyomissing, Pennsylvania
Being from Pennsylvania I understand the traditions passed down from generation to generation. For me having my father and grandfather in camp is something I cherish most. On the opening week of the PA archery season the 3 generations did something in upstate PA that only family could dream about.

The opening day of the season is like Christmas for me. I get no sleep, and butterflies fill my stomach as I walk to my stand. This season was special because we were filming for our national TV show, Innerloc's Out-There.
Corey Brossman

Having my dad and grandfather on the show was special, but trying to capture 3 kills in a week, was asking a lot. My mom and dad had spent countless hours scouting the long ridges and deep hollows for deer. With my long travel trips, and time spent fishing in Delaware, I relied on my parents knowledge in sending me and my cameraman in a good direction.

At first light opening day, Mike and I were positioned on the ground in a large cut-over along some trees. With a small amount of acorns to key-in on, we were forced to hunt the fruit crop. Dad sent us in the right direction.

As the sun came over the trees, a nice 8 point was heading our way. The camera was rolling, and my heart was beating. The buck took, forever to get within bow range. With the wind in our face and an Innerloc broadhead on my arrow, the ingredients for success were in place. I drew my Pearson TX 4 bow back and left the arrow go, hitting the deer in both lungs. The buck went down just off camera, and the celebration began. I got very little cell, service so calling my friends, and wife was out. The buck ran, 45 yards, and was nicer than we thought. No monster by any means but a great North Central whitetail. When we got back to camp, my Grandfather was there waiting and he had no luck that morning, but that was about to change. Mike decided to film him that evening, in a ground blind along some apple trees, down from our camp.

That evening I filmed my good friend Justin in the same area that I was hunting in that morning and my dad never left the woods. That evening mike filmed my grandfather missing a nice 8 point at 17 yards.(He got buck fever) My 72 year old grandfather has never shot a deer with archery equipment and got excited. My dad had several bucks around him but shot no arrows. That Sunday my dad returned home, and left me to film Justin, and Mike to film Pop Pop. Monday evening all the stars were lined up, Pop Pop shot a nice 8 point on video, on the ground at 12 yards, watching the Innerloc do its job, as it only ran 40 yards and piled up. Justin and myself saw a 130 inch 10 point that just wanted to make a short appearance on TV, and not a grand finale. What a feeling to come back to camp and see that deer hanging on the deer pole. The phone call home to my dad was one I wanted to make but felt bad, because he wasn't there to join in the fun.
Ken Brossman  (Pop Pop)

After a few great days of hunting with Justin, my dad returned to camp on Wednesday night to bow hunt with Mike. Thursday morning a great 8 point came in to 15 yards making it a 3 generation sweep. The buck ran 60 yards, and gave my dad and Mike plenty of blood to follow. The tears of happiness fell, and was all caught on camera for everyone to see. 3 eight points the opening week of archery, by the 3 generations of Brossman's. Ironically this past spring we did the same with turkeys. 3 generations including my mom bagged nice gobblers, opening week, then to repeat with buck during archery is special to me. The last week of archery my Mom and dad returned to camp, to each bag fall turkeys and mom shot a nice 9 point with the crossbow. All of this can be seen next fall on Innerloc's Out-There TV, and at one of my shows here in PA.

Tim Brossman

Deer camp is a place where we all go to let our hair down, and it's a place were we can be who we are. I am very blessed to have parents and grandparents who passed down this great sport, to me....Hunting



Thanks for the great story and photos Corey. You can send us your hunting or fishing story and if we use it on our web site we will send you a Pennsylvania Sportsmen Portal T-Shirt. The Pennsylvania Sportsmen Portal is all about folks who hunt and fish in PA and we love to feature our site visitors. Only criteria is, you must be a Pennsylvania resident. Stories can be from out of state adventures also, but we are really looking for stories that feature hunting and fishing in PA. Click Here For More Information.

A Long-Awaited Trip To Longhorn Outdoors

By Bradley Potasiewicz, Fleetwood, Pennsylvania

For months I have been waiting for this trip to Texas and finally October 29th came. Before this trip I never shot a buck before in my life and now I was hoping to do it with my bow. My friends bust on me all the time since I have missed a buck in the past with my bow. Now was the time to show them I can do it and will get my first buck. We flew from Philadelphia to Dallas then to Wichita Falls where we picked up our rental car to drive to the lodge.

While on the plane from Dallas to Wichita Falls the last three innings of the Phillies game was being played and we were missing it. Once we arrived in Wichita Falls we found out the Phillies won the World Series. Hearing this, I knew it would be a great trip with that great news.

At 10:30pm that evening we finally arrived at Longhorn Outfitters. The three other guys that went with me and grew up knowing Chip, who is the owner of the outfitting business. He originally grew up here in PA and loved to hunt. We stayed in a nice lodge behind his house and it was very accommodating. Every day we had amazing meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner which were made by his wife Carrie. Carrie made some incredible meals during the four days we were there. That night Chip explained to us how we will be hunting and what we can and cannot shoot. We were bow hunting for the first two days and on Saturday we could use a gun if we wanted to. We were able to harvest a buck, doe, hog, and a turkey during this trip.

The view from a box blind
The view from a box blind


The next morning came quickly and I was pumped to get into my tripod stand to hunt. I didn’t know what to expect since it was dark when we arrived and didn’t know what the landscape looked like. We drove up to the first ground blind to drop my buddy off, and to our surprise there stood a beautiful buck looking right at us standing near the feeder. Now I know we can’t hunt feeders here in PA, but down there they are legal since deer don’t roam the same patterns and they could pop up anywhere. I finally got to my stand and was so excited for the sun to come up. As I sat in my stand all I could hear were coyotes howling all around me. This was a little scary at first, but I got used to it during the next three days.

The sun finally came up and deer starting running right by me followed by a pack of coyotes. After thisevent deer kept popping out of know where. Every time I turned a different way there was a deer. It seemed to be like this the entire time I was in Texas. Finally at about 8:30 am a real nice 6 pointer showed up. This was a beautiful buck, but lacked tines so I passed on him. I knew there were bigger buck out there so I didn’t want to shoot the first buck. Later on another nice 8 pointer came in having tiny tines. I watched this buck feed till 11am until the guys came to pick me up. When they arrived I saw a nice 9 pointer in the back of the truck with an 18 ¾ in spread. This ended up being the same buck we saw that morning in the dark.

Jarrod's 9 pointer with a 18 inch spread
Jarrod’s 9 pointer with a 18 ¾ inch spread

During the week, the evening hunts were hot as it was 80 degrees everyday, but we always saw deer. I sat in the same stand for the first three hunts and  I told myself on the second morning that this is the last time I sit in this stand and want to try other stands out. I knew big bucks were being spotted on other parts of the ranch, but had a good feeling about this stand. The morning started off with a coyote running right in front of me and started howling. At about 8:30 am two horses came into the feeder and started eating all the corn. On the ranches down there cattle and horses roam all around, but this really doesn’t bother the deer.


I figured these horses would hang around for a few minutes then move on. I was wrong and started getting frustrated. I was texting with a buddy about what we were seeing and told him about the horses. Finally the horses moved away around 9 am. It was only five minutes later and out came a nice 8 pointer from the mesquite 20 yards away from me. When I saw this buck I knew it was the buck I was looking for. I saw great tine length and knew that’s exactly what I wanted. He walked out to the feeder area 20 yards broadside. My heart was beating so fast it felt like it was about to come out of my chest. I started taking deep breathes and knew I could shoot this buck. Finally I calmed down and let the arrow fly and all I heard and saw was a loud “smack.” The arrow went into the deer right behind the shoulder, but didn’t pass through. I knew the arrow was in him good, but couldn’t tell because he ran off so quickly. I kept and eye on which way the deer went, but once he got into the mesquite I couldn’t see him anymore.


I hurried up and texted my buddy back saying I just shot one. He responded by saying “you did what…you just shot one?” Here he thought I just shot one of the horses and I told him I shot a nice 8 pointer. Man was I pumped. I was nervous though because it wasn’t a complete pass through. There was no blood where I shot him, but knew I made a good shot. Time went by with me texting my buddies back and fourth talking about my buck. We were told not to go search for our animals and just wait for Chip.


Finally everyone came two hours later, which seemed a lot longer than that. We had seven guys out searching for my buck. We ended up finding the arrow about 50 yards away with good blood on it. One guy went way ahead and waved me up. He found my buck 100 yards from the stand and I was so pumped. I ran up to it with a huge smile on my face. My first buck ever and took it with a bow with some of my good friends with me. I ended up double lunging the buck and all the blood piled up inside of him. It wasn’t the biggest buck out there, but I was happy with it and that’s all that mattered to me.



My 8 pointer
My 8 pointer


Chip and I
Chip and I

My Buck



The next day another guy ended up shooting a nice 11 pointer. After the trip was done we ended up shooting three nice bucks and a few coyotes also. I did see plenty of animals while we were there which included hogs, turkeys, bobcats, deer, coyotes, and a rattlesnake that we killed. I couldn’t have asked for a better trip. Chip and his family were so accommodating to us and helped us out with anything we needed. Chip knew his ranches well and knew exactly where the deer were going to be. The ranch we hunted was around 3,800 acres. He has a few other ranches to, but we hunted this ranch while we were there. I did end up seeing lots of huge bucks the rest of the week, but they were out in the distance and I already shot my buck anyways. This was defiantly an experience of a lifetime for me and I plan on going down for more deer hunts in the future. The guys and I are also headed back down in January for a 3 day duck hunt.

Bruce's 11 Pointer
Bruce’s 11 pointer


Me and the dead rattlesnake
Me and the dead rattlesnake


Here is Chips website for his outfitting business: www.longhornoutdoors.com. This was a beautiful place to go and the lodge was very accommodating. I can’t say how nice Chip and his family are and everything they did for us. They could be one of the nicest families I have met and will definitely keep in touch with them. I recommend checking his site out if you’re ever interested in hunting in Texas.

Sunset on a huge wheat field
Sunset on a huge wheat field




Thanks for the great story and photos Bradely. You can send us your hunting or fishing story and if we use it on our web site we will send you a Pennsylvania Sportsmen Portal T-Shirt. The Pennsylvania Sportsmen Portal is all about folks who hunt and fish in PA and we love to feature our site visitors. Only criteria is, you must be a Pennsylvania resident. Stories can be from out of state adventures also, but we are really looking for stories that feature hunting and fishing in PA. Click Here For More Information.