tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24292061279752316992024-03-13T09:03:23.486-05:00Heads Up DecoyDesigned not to weigh you down or tie you down.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06273204902971398074noreply@blogger.comBlogger94125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429206127975231699.post-86432500819093152072017-05-03T22:34:00.000-05:002017-05-04T07:14:32.758-05:00DIY Public Land Nebraska Turkey Hunt<div class="p1">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPgERDZUyjtB-6a82wzo8oIuzjocdgA9BIc_sINRFDseMoF7mVrqm3Fnz4PjsO5kV7iC5Y1lqPFZSFW2zBaBO63pLqKMnulGNgoRg56JBVgI6VOfU9zirVaDmdM4PUivkD_hyphenhyphenHw4BbpnGg/s1600/HUD+Royle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPgERDZUyjtB-6a82wzo8oIuzjocdgA9BIc_sINRFDseMoF7mVrqm3Fnz4PjsO5kV7iC5Y1lqPFZSFW2zBaBO63pLqKMnulGNgoRg56JBVgI6VOfU9zirVaDmdM4PUivkD_hyphenhyphenHw4BbpnGg/s320/HUD+Royle.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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After many months of digital scouting and preparation, Royle Scrogham set off for his first turkey hunt in Nebraska and it turned out to be one his most memorable hunts yet while using the <b><a href="http://headsupdecoy.com/products/8" target="_blank">Heads Up Turkey Decoy</a></b>. Here is his story.</div>
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<span class="s1">By Royle Scrogham</span></div>
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<span class="s1">April 6</span><span class="s2"><sup>th</sup></span><span class="s1"> had finally arrived. I woke up to the sound of my alarm beeping and stepped out of my small popup camper. I could hardly believe it but after a year of planning and studying maps, I was finally here in Nebraska. Even though it was almost two weeks into the early archery season, I didn't care, I was happy to be here! The first morning was a little disappointing, as I only heard one gobble and it was on private. My goal for the day was to cover as much ground as possible, locate some birds, and maybe get lucky in the process. By mid-afternoon, I was starting to wonder if I needed to head to a different spot when I spotted four jakes coming across the ridge in front of me. I dropped to my knees, showed them the Heads Up Decoy, and threw a few soft yelps their direction. They only stopped for a few seconds to look, and then continued on their way down the ridge.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Knowing they were probably a little intimidated by the mature fan I had on my Heads Up Decoy, I decided if they weren’t coming to me I’d go to them. Keeping the Heads Up between them and me, I headed straight for them. They let me crawl right up to 40 yards. Settling my pin on the closest jake, I squeezed the shot off and it found its mark. Moments later I was standing over my first Nebraska turkey! </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcbnoatZo2UcJE12vUAZ0ltqYrzTqcvE26jQAEoq7w4GTQTMmkZyC35KYJHJrimjMSaahZAk6i2kz2DwpXLZuuTo0AJLLe255OKml79PuHRL_cNTMYbGBKX2t-lXyxp_rl-kdrpTGzAz0/s1600/IMG_1908+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcbnoatZo2UcJE12vUAZ0ltqYrzTqcvE26jQAEoq7w4GTQTMmkZyC35KYJHJrimjMSaahZAk6i2kz2DwpXLZuuTo0AJLLe255OKml79PuHRL_cNTMYbGBKX2t-lXyxp_rl-kdrpTGzAz0/s320/IMG_1908+2.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Now, this isn’t where the story ends, it’s just getting started. This was the first day of a ten-day hunt. My bother and another friend had joined me on this trip. Later that afternoon at another location I loaned my Heads Up Decoy to my brother. I had chosen to leave my bow at the truck even though I had another tag burning a hole in my pocket. My brother, having only heard my tails of how well the decoy worked, was soon taken by surprise. I called two long beards in to 20 yards while all three of us where hiding behind the Heads Up Turkey Decoy in an open field. His heart was pounding so hard he couldn’t hold the pin on the gobbler and skipped an arrow over its back. The birds cautiously walked away, but didn’t give him time to nock another arrow. Looking back at me he said, “That’s just not right!” He was in total disbelief. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">The next few days began to almost run together as we walked countless miles, either bumping birds that wouldn’t gobble or birds on the roost flying down and heading to private land. Six days after I had taken my first turkey, I found myself in a thicket; I had heard several birds fly down into it that morning. As I approached the thicket a bird gobbled. He was only 100 yards or so away, and if this was going to work, I had to get setup now! The only spot I had to setup was in front of a cedar tree which was surrounded by saplings. The farthest shot I could get would be 15 yards to my left. I was not happy about this setup to say the least, but it’s all I had. After a few soft calls, the bird appeared directly in front of me a mere 30 yards away, but I didn't have a shot. The bird was cautious, slowly walking looking for any excuse to flee. Getting ever so close to the 20 yard mark he stopped; He laid eyes the Heads Up! The image I saw after that moment will forever be ingrained in my memory. He hit full strut, exposing the most beautiful Rio fan I had ever seen! I came to full draw as he strutted into my 15 yard shooting lane. The arrow seemed to be in slow motion as I watched it disappear in the tom. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY7vnb9zGe9RJm50pkNsHZtFA2Ku8Le3__VAk7NkaZVykTSU1aO-kOri0SCt5oFwfWR_o7LYx3kxgvVYMH8v4Wz0p_pKe3UUwOYvaBDbkdHCGdpBi0L1fBFFrJvGFc1BP41Qnz4B6H0wA/s1600/IMG_1929.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY7vnb9zGe9RJm50pkNsHZtFA2Ku8Le3__VAk7NkaZVykTSU1aO-kOri0SCt5oFwfWR_o7LYx3kxgvVYMH8v4Wz0p_pKe3UUwOYvaBDbkdHCGdpBi0L1fBFFrJvGFc1BP41Qnz4B6H0wA/s320/IMG_1929.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1">As the tom flopped on the ground I had to take a moment to thank the Lord above and to take in what had just happened! As the hunt had just began to go south, it had changed in a glance and I was standing over my first DIY Public Land Nebraska Rio!</span><br />
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<span class="s1">For Royle's contributions: He received a slick H.U.D Hat and T-Shirt. Join the Revoluion</span><br />
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<span class="s1">Be Mobile...Stay Mobile</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06273204902971398074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429206127975231699.post-6395841013382942112017-04-07T15:36:00.001-05:002017-04-07T15:43:33.605-05:00Run and Gun Nebraska Turkey Hunting<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv7Db2uz2pTVyT0dYx10saGRuVcBZPTAE_YB3o2FlZ0kFJIcZnPZnab95YWPLvkEi5Ur3cPfpK6fsMdVQ_ZATPtTSncLyNRUQhMYjeuQR7Oq5LgYqhkjmRq4uFKvsR6Etw7N1weU5i7MAk/s1600/landscape.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv7Db2uz2pTVyT0dYx10saGRuVcBZPTAE_YB3o2FlZ0kFJIcZnPZnab95YWPLvkEi5Ur3cPfpK6fsMdVQ_ZATPtTSncLyNRUQhMYjeuQR7Oq5LgYqhkjmRq4uFKvsR6Etw7N1weU5i7MAk/s400/landscape.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Our good friend Ben Guttormson had a great hunt in Nebraska in 2016. He hunted with a traditional bow made by RER and the <a href="http://headsupdecoy.com/products/8" target="_blank">Heads Up Turkey Decoy</a>. Ben used the Gadget Adaptor to attach the bow mount to his bow. Here is Ben's story.<br />
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<i>Author:Ben Guttormson</i><br />
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The spring of 2016 found me traveling to Nebraska with my
recurve to try and put a tag on my first turkey with traditional archery equipment. I would be hunting with two good friends and
concentrating my efforts on feedlots as the birds were still in a late-winter
pattern. We arrived realizing spring was a little ahead of schedule and the
birds had already broken up from most of the feedlots. Spots that once had 200
or more birds the week before now only with a handful. At the advice of our
local friend, we decided to stick it out on the feedlots; he assured us we
would have opportunities however, in my personal opinion, one of most boring
things in the world to do is sit in a turkey blind when there's no turkeys
around. <o:p></o:p><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXJke1yddT063qtiP5cdLifcs7luuAXAUz-Wun5VywtxyIS86lxuHmGuE7fUX9-XuMZuu7-oewynUI2WyQplN9fPwC8H4N3aUswLWZBec3Nv7wxGQW4riR1KKUbtvUSDgOtGFNb9YUtat5/s1600/bow+mount+and+bow.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Heads Up Bow Mountable Turkey Decoy" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXJke1yddT063qtiP5cdLifcs7luuAXAUz-Wun5VywtxyIS86lxuHmGuE7fUX9-XuMZuu7-oewynUI2WyQplN9fPwC8H4N3aUswLWZBec3Nv7wxGQW4riR1KKUbtvUSDgOtGFNb9YUtat5/s320/bow+mount+and+bow.JPG" title="bow mountable turkey decoy" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
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In order to bag a bird, we would need to change our tactics
drastically to a run-and-gun approach. The guy that we were hunting with was
granted permission on several farms with plenty of ground for us to hunt. After
our second morning sit on a feedlot with no action, I talked to my friend
explaining that I wanted to get more aggressive with a different approach. He
basically laughed in my face and said, "how are you going to run-and-gun
turkeys with a recurve?!" <o:p></o:p></div>
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At this point I had to bite my tongue. I couldn't say what I
wanted to say and we'll just leave it at that. Eventually, he pulled out the
plat book and showed me the property boundaries for the farms we could hunt. By
10:30 that morning, I was on my way out to look for a bird I could put the HUD
to work on. I didn't take me long; I
found a long beard with a couple hens working up a small coulee.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLIvzqvX-kCx2PpKgeFg8oDHOxV8RuR4sADMvTJwqvCkIqhcPlcazX_XjVaEKzBiIhxxFHY1lmpOaSbW2WkDrbwDEQi6mieLn_6JFcZC1-hL4X0ioRjmNzRI-tZ-MPeywi8MUvJG5eDLzC/s1600/ben+and+barn+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Heads Up Turkey Decoy" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLIvzqvX-kCx2PpKgeFg8oDHOxV8RuR4sADMvTJwqvCkIqhcPlcazX_XjVaEKzBiIhxxFHY1lmpOaSbW2WkDrbwDEQi6mieLn_6JFcZC1-hL4X0ioRjmNzRI-tZ-MPeywi8MUvJG5eDLzC/s320/ben+and+barn+copy.jpg" title="turkey decoy for reaping turkeys" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Click Image to enlarge</td></tr>
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I worked up to the top end of the coulee and used a couple
small cedars to peek over the edge. The birds were all still unaware of my
presence and were at about 45 yards and headed right for me. The tom was the
last in the group and when his hens were behind a small roll in the hill I slid
out from around the cedar with the decoy attached to my bow. The bird
immediately went into strut and gobbled a couple times. I waited for him to
make a move and after 15 seconds of strutting back and forth, he dropped into
half strut and started running right at me.
The whole time I had my HUD in front of me. The bird ran
straight for me until he reached four yards where he veered left at the last
minute and went back into full strut. My
recurve was already at my anchor point by this time. As he slowed, I was
able to put a good shot on him. Nothing
felt better than getting back to camp and showing my bird to my friend that had
doubted the run-and-gun approach with the HUD.<o:p></o:p><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIETMqLex1OD7OdEOTVEdzRKf3UM6yVNODmamWYTYxtW8mb6dXh6RYN7E2zIO_enYnmJ_h2DCnTJjolWxSj0ARsvqqRvLi2x3N2wuH9Y_nnhCwfkzB1VDBxSLNukKvOIF5lde5hWhWUiTf/s1600/ben+with+old+car+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="turkey reaping decoy" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIETMqLex1OD7OdEOTVEdzRKf3UM6yVNODmamWYTYxtW8mb6dXh6RYN7E2zIO_enYnmJ_h2DCnTJjolWxSj0ARsvqqRvLi2x3N2wuH9Y_nnhCwfkzB1VDBxSLNukKvOIF5lde5hWhWUiTf/s320/ben+with+old+car+copy.jpg" title="Heads Up Decoy with traditional archery equipment" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Click Image to enlarge</td></tr>
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Over the next couple of days, I continued to stun my friend
by using the decoy on two more birds. The first, I utilized the decoy to get in
front of the tom and his hens and waited him out. This bird, like the first,
charged at me but at six yards he figured out I wasn't the intruder he thought
I was. Sadly, I missed him as he was leaving.
On the last bird I was able to sneak to within 25 yards using the
terrain and shadowed him using the decoy until I was able to get a shot off. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Without the
HUD decoy, this trip probably would have been dismal. Never again, will I leave
this useful tool at home regardless of hunting with my compound or my
traditional set up.<o:p></o:p><br />
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For more info on the Heads Up Turkey Decoy: <a href="http://headsupdecoy.com/products/8" target="_blank">Click Here</a><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06273204902971398074noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429206127975231699.post-2986344097233886742017-03-29T23:38:00.000-05:002017-03-29T23:38:21.837-05:00Kansas Turkey Hunting On Limited Time<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjswkjgOLxqpYKA9VyEJNr3LeVP_eeH75Ncx6RiWevyPOnjWz4GJLv3eRUOap9k2ytkHxMcEjrUH9MKmndY1yLo8IDPmK4ElMNQYJOirFUgv6EcYHRKHteKxMziCk3LXywBkQmB1VZ9OztU/s1600/full+strutt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjswkjgOLxqpYKA9VyEJNr3LeVP_eeH75Ncx6RiWevyPOnjWz4GJLv3eRUOap9k2ytkHxMcEjrUH9MKmndY1yLo8IDPmK4ElMNQYJOirFUgv6EcYHRKHteKxMziCk3LXywBkQmB1VZ9OztU/s320/full+strutt.jpg" title="Heads Up Decoy turkeys in full strut" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First set up of the year screen capture Click to enlarge</td></tr>
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I vaguely remember the 2016 Kansas turkey season. <a href="http://headsupdecoy.com/" target="_blank">Heads Up Decoy</a> was heading towards uncharted water with new vendors on the horizon. Meeting their demands was an unknown. I would have to be efficient.<br />
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Some early season attempts to help my 8 year old son bag his first bird were feudal. His desire to hunt exceeded his physical ability, but sometimes in order to make them understand...they have to fail. I am not in a rush to get my son to killing animals. I hope he has an entire life ahead of him chasing birds and big game. When we mutually agreed that he was still a ways out from shooting a bird, it was time for me to pick up the bow.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ma9890V5EwDMhyphenhyphenwlGld0nbHObFO_Rh-Y8XCWg4AURZNYsrK8cDmfYMsxzFkIcr8asXJP9EMf4d8hMUXv05ZcIXulylWmchzBI6xNdLCn31eqo5D5WgS1Mtxke5azQ-U62AeLeYZnD8vU/s1600/Don%2527t+be+fooled.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ma9890V5EwDMhyphenhyphenwlGld0nbHObFO_Rh-Y8XCWg4AURZNYsrK8cDmfYMsxzFkIcr8asXJP9EMf4d8hMUXv05ZcIXulylWmchzBI6xNdLCn31eqo5D5WgS1Mtxke5azQ-U62AeLeYZnD8vU/s320/Don%2527t+be+fooled.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heads Up Turkey Decoy shown with Bow Mount</td></tr>
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Mother Nature always has Her role in hunting. I was fortunate to find a prime day to head out for the afternoon dance. I rolled up to a spot that has produced so many times for me. No birds were visible, but I knew they were around. I grabbed my video camera, ContourHD hat cam, bow, and decoy and slipped into a nice pocket under a cedar tree in a prime location. I organized and fiddled with my equipment making little attempt at concealing my movement only to look up to see birds closing in on my location. 2 big toms and a handful of hens.<br />
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I fired up the cameras and slid the <a href="http://headsupdecoy.com/products/8" target="_blank">Heads Up Turkey Decoy</a> in the <a href="http://headsupdecoy.com/products/9" target="_blank">Bow Mount</a>. After a few soft hen calls, the birds were nearing bow range. The hens were leading the flock with the toms, in typical fashion, dragging up the rear. I had hoped the 2 would gang up on their intruder, but instead they angled off their direct path. The toms hung out strutting some 25 yards away while the hens continued their course now inside of 10 yards. Adjusting to the toms, I shifted my weight only to annoy a nearby hen. Her warning putts made me anxious, so I drew my bow thinking this was as good as it's going to get. When the arrow skipped low in the dirt, I thought to myself, first set up of the year...to good to be true.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi080Rn_r5ZOajJbMzLY1OFTu60oFWkdMPWk6Q06DA2pmEXlVqpAZvu7lANIbqLVNpQ9al7PdEMqMJ8TFxk8oCSiJJtKQYTa5Z_PlOmIQucBIm0Byye3GUyseCBeF7cp3dxpJr7fBsr01hR/s1600/Fanning.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi080Rn_r5ZOajJbMzLY1OFTu60oFWkdMPWk6Q06DA2pmEXlVqpAZvu7lANIbqLVNpQ9al7PdEMqMJ8TFxk8oCSiJJtKQYTa5Z_PlOmIQucBIm0Byye3GUyseCBeF7cp3dxpJr7fBsr01hR/s320/Fanning.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Simulating a tom coming in and out of strut</td></tr>
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One or two other attempts over the next couple of weeks fell short with no encounters. The month of May was here and no tags punched. We were blessed with a gorgeous early May afternoon. I set all my priorities aside and headed to the field. I was going to try another tactic. There was a pretty good breeze from the south, nothing out of the ordinary, but rather than run the decoy from the bow, I was going to stake it into the ground in front of me and navigate from behind.<br />
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It was warm so I expected the birds would be in the shade before they started their late afternoon stroll towards roost. As luck would have it, I spotted 2 lone toms under a cottonwood soaking up the shade. I hid the truck and positioned myself just inside the property line. I was going to call these two jokers out of the creek bottom, across a plowed field, over the road, and under the fence where I had permission to hunt. I've had better sets ups. As improbable as it looks, I felt my chances were good.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFSa4vWzj_V3_ilEZuROBeSEi63l1pgdLuiS_2Xz86HsyxEpCSnrGR1dM4yOsAPCjJ9x6bEzVEMgXC6ATilUtKtvoHkfFpxK1KHYyQ-betgb3sEfzBMYz_MOM0atkGtJXPKieyXUOF9ZDi/s1600/hide+behind.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFSa4vWzj_V3_ilEZuROBeSEi63l1pgdLuiS_2Xz86HsyxEpCSnrGR1dM4yOsAPCjJ9x6bEzVEMgXC6ATilUtKtvoHkfFpxK1KHYyQ-betgb3sEfzBMYz_MOM0atkGtJXPKieyXUOF9ZDi/s320/hide+behind.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Set up using the ground stake</td></tr>
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Once set up with the decoy easily seen from the far edge of the plowed field, I let out a series of yelps from a new call I purchased from <a href="http://phelpsgamecalls.com/" target="_blank">Phelps Game Calls</a>. The Rippin Red. I liked it...and apparently so did the toms. After a few short moments, I spotted the pair on the edge of the field. I picked up the Heads Up in my hand and simulated a tom turkey going in and out of strut. I also moved it side to side. There were coming.<br />
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As I "worked" the birds across the plowed field, the closer they came the harder it was to track them. Looking through the tail fan on the decoy or under it, I was able to pick up glimpses of red heads bobbing along. The birds where crossing the road. At the edge of the fence, some 5 steps away the birds angle to my right. They were point blank...but in the road. I had to wait for them to cross under the fence. Dropping their heads and bodies to slip under the fence less than 10 yards away, I came to full draw. Seeing some movement the birds continued on their angled course to my right. I was able to spot a good beard on one of the birds and as soon as he cleared into my shooting lane, I thumped him. The arrow hit solid and the bird flapped down the fence line. I pursued. I gave the bird one more arrow just for insurance. It wasn't needed. I observed a substantial blood trail leading back to my decoy and camera.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFqTlZxvRuWW9hZYDGyotTcATJn-bzuU4MmmxJ_OayV9DPMqKTpP2fneca7TnucmYlN718HahyF_NR3eZzQjOrQgOKV4Io0g24BrJI4sjHb4nfXvggob5MbmxIwSWjxCTcUZyaS0OOrmyU/s1600/FILE0002_Moment%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFqTlZxvRuWW9hZYDGyotTcATJn-bzuU4MmmxJ_OayV9DPMqKTpP2fneca7TnucmYlN718HahyF_NR3eZzQjOrQgOKV4Io0g24BrJI4sjHb4nfXvggob5MbmxIwSWjxCTcUZyaS0OOrmyU/s320/FILE0002_Moment%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Full Draw On the bird I shot</td></tr>
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I continue to be thankful for the effectiveness of the Heads Up Tom Turkey Decoy. It is much more efficient than I. From the time I left the truck to the time I put my hands on the bird was about 15 minutes. When time is limited, I still have the confidence that I will be successful. I don't need to rely on spot on scouting and patterns. I just need to see birds. Once I see them, I can take the hunt to them. In this case, I had to rely on some good calling and movement of the decoy to lure these birds from a perfectly safe place into my death trap.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxCyk-1H_pVwI3NLGAzM5X5ZtEjPRwyByGRMzYApPezigVOwaFvX6mqjB1LF29GC23SBt5R6kIYEcohc_DNXgFxwihdeSeqTn1OKDT5gubJUpmc8mhw7fUKGZH29ZWO_W-vwqkLEBpu0qp/s1600/facebook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxCyk-1H_pVwI3NLGAzM5X5ZtEjPRwyByGRMzYApPezigVOwaFvX6mqjB1LF29GC23SBt5R6kIYEcohc_DNXgFxwihdeSeqTn1OKDT5gubJUpmc8mhw7fUKGZH29ZWO_W-vwqkLEBpu0qp/s320/facebook.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bird pictured with all the essential equipment</td></tr>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06273204902971398074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429206127975231699.post-57087621085304391052017-03-15T16:39:00.003-05:002017-03-15T16:45:16.262-05:00Shed Hunting and Scouting for Whitetail Bucks<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ6XaxQsiSVK0wWOz0Ef3WhgbAoNXR1QSqDKwcuvFyYLAHM67uAm7lkKSDN1_pVrtj5YQqYeIAhhBVzmt11i-N4z2ELr41RdBxemLRltmMPUFlV_gYcABg6kmwVioaJE8ltngjHhBVYPmd/s1600/shed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ6XaxQsiSVK0wWOz0Ef3WhgbAoNXR1QSqDKwcuvFyYLAHM67uAm7lkKSDN1_pVrtj5YQqYeIAhhBVzmt11i-N4z2ELr41RdBxemLRltmMPUFlV_gYcABg6kmwVioaJE8ltngjHhBVYPmd/s320/shed.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<i>Garrett Roe Author</i><br />
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Shed season has dual purpose as scouting for the upcoming deer season. We all love to shed hunt and we all love to have that as another reason to get outdoors and fuel our bowhunting passion. This is a tremendous time to reassess your hunting area and put together a strategy for the coming archery season...especially when it involves using the <a href="http://headsupdecoy.com/products/7" target="_blank">Heads Up Decoy Whitetail Buck Decoy.</a><br />
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Shed hunting is typically more of a scouting trip for me. If I find some sheds, that is a bonus. But, shed hunting also gives you an excuse to maybe penetrate those areas you may skirt during the season. I like to scour the area searching for pockets and hidey holes that may be a future ambush spot for a bedded buck and doe during the rut.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRM9VIn7WuqX1WaRGiCupwzJtjAjF-7_0bQ-jEochcyYIeGcBsWIkQsd-0bUtxVNvDf_5NeB8C2PQTCtxXMl97Ig9BRjvFUxllbsVV3GWlnU8nBWm1vONtm-CpwGAJAbSSCunIWnPWlip5/s1600/rub.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRM9VIn7WuqX1WaRGiCupwzJtjAjF-7_0bQ-jEochcyYIeGcBsWIkQsd-0bUtxVNvDf_5NeB8C2PQTCtxXMl97Ig9BRjvFUxllbsVV3GWlnU8nBWm1vONtm-CpwGAJAbSSCunIWnPWlip5/s320/rub.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Once you've found a potential spot, look around to see the best way to enter and exit for a quick hitter set up for a calling and rattling sequence. Can it be glassed from a distance. What wind is ideal? How are the animals coming and going from that location? All things to consider at this time of year.<br />
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These areas I am referencing are typically off the beaten path of traditional river bottom locations. I.E. not travel corridors.<br />
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The most effective way to kill a whitetail buck with the Heads Up Decoy is during the rut when he has isolated a doe in or near estrus. This is commonly referred as "lockdown". In that situation, the buck cannot resist protecting his prize at all cost. Being able to identify those areas ahead of time can help you devise a plan to slip in for a chance at an unforgetable encounter with an angry whitetail buck. Or, if you draw blanks a spot you can slip out without being to disruptive.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglFcG1ogZGSEueFfS738DhDVLQAKV-CP-4RldYU50Na7KNsmbZsq0AdDF2pTxzHDV5gbyesy-aJF2XXtDv7btYnBx_jV5gazcoSEiNV3fZ5A9xuggSpjXhrgJGdlchxox9Yh44TUxDyQr2/s1600/nook+and+cranny.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglFcG1ogZGSEueFfS738DhDVLQAKV-CP-4RldYU50Na7KNsmbZsq0AdDF2pTxzHDV5gbyesy-aJF2XXtDv7btYnBx_jV5gazcoSEiNV3fZ5A9xuggSpjXhrgJGdlchxox9Yh44TUxDyQr2/s320/nook+and+cranny.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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In 2011, on a shed hunting and scouting mission, I identified an area of dense yuccas on a south facing slope. Taking mental notes, I felt this area was going to be a magnet for a buck to push and isolate (lockdown) a doe in estrus. That was in March. Fast-forward to the weekend before Thanksgiving 2011, I found myself on my belly moving into position to show the Heads Up Whitetail Buck Decoy on a bomber whitetail buck that was locked down with a hot doe. For the full story of this hunt: <a href="http://headsupdecoy.blogspot.com/2011/11/whatam-i-trying-to-prove-exactly.html" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a><br />
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Using a series of grunt calls, everything played out as planned in the execution. As the buck responded to the Heads Up Decoy intruder. I ranged his predicted path only to have my broadhead shave his brisket just behind the front right shoulder at 35 yards. I was devastated...it would have been my biggest whitetail buck to date.<br />
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Scouting during and while shed hunting was key to finding this spot and it has been productive through the years as an area for lockdown bucks.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06273204902971398074noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429206127975231699.post-60921059522278610992017-03-12T13:00:00.000-05:002017-03-12T21:20:47.419-05:00Ryan Staab's Spring Gobbler Success With Heads Up Turkey Decoy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbixtCQ_ivxwnmPeurSle1Xuv9X_ld2Txb3xlYjGUZ7PN9XLuNM_D4YP2e6XW6aWHB5tmRhVSywi0cwH59Hr1GKLAcN_K4wcVBLUBrdLqZQHg1E37K4J-v-puyVOq7WMAGMmGpM63R9X97/s1600/Heads+Up+Turkey+Decoy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbixtCQ_ivxwnmPeurSle1Xuv9X_ld2Txb3xlYjGUZ7PN9XLuNM_D4YP2e6XW6aWHB5tmRhVSywi0cwH59Hr1GKLAcN_K4wcVBLUBrdLqZQHg1E37K4J-v-puyVOq7WMAGMmGpM63R9X97/s320/Heads+Up+Turkey+Decoy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1">Sometimes it’s best to mix things up, get off the beaten path, and do something out of the ordinary because the reality is, life is too short to have boring hunts. As we progress as hunters, we often look for new challenges and excitement to keep us coming back for more. Ryan Staab of Kansas found himself in this exact scenario last season when it came to chasing Spring gobblers. Instead of sitting in the same blind over and over again, Ryan chose to get eye level and was able to put an exhilarating approach back into Spring turkey hunting. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">The following are the accounts and encounters, as told by Ryan Staab, during a recent interview about his hunt while using a <b><u><a href="http://headsupdecoy.com/products/8" target="_blank">Heads Up Turkey Decoy.</a></u></b> </span></div>
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<span class="s1">It was the second to last day of Spring turkey season and the howling Kansas winds were relentless, to say the least, but Ryan wasn’t going to just sit at the house. Knowing that the archery tackle might not be the best option in the heavy winds, Ryan grabbed his shotgun and his Heads Up Turkey decoy and made the drive to his family farm. Having hunted the property for many years and knowing the general lay of the land where the turkeys might be roosting, he took to a high vantage point and glassed the landscape below. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">Shortly after getting set up on the afternoon hunt, Ryan spotted a group of eight hens and a lone tom in the creek bottom, so he began to devise a plan for a stalk. With hundreds of yards between him and the birds, his plan was to sneak through the CRP to conceal his movement and to close the distance in hopes of getting a shot. As he made his way closer to the group of turkeys, he held the decoy in his left hand to cover his approach towards a nearby row of round bales. At this point, Ryan had slipped to within 150 yards of the group so he set up the turkey decoy next to the hay bales and began calling. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5KoSPK9F7RBTln1QK-42nb3QRFsMHF6KQ62CzFBOCfemwmBvrP_Ev_pNHIq88FamacZLsmUNZCjuAKT5zhXPhlLTOmtnFE8IeOPzR6s1mWM3UVJ6e02RpbfkEQB31n8kZ4Xn1NZe4iEef/s1600/IMG_6036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5KoSPK9F7RBTln1QK-42nb3QRFsMHF6KQ62CzFBOCfemwmBvrP_Ev_pNHIq88FamacZLsmUNZCjuAKT5zhXPhlLTOmtnFE8IeOPzR6s1mWM3UVJ6e02RpbfkEQB31n8kZ4Xn1NZe4iEef/s320/IMG_6036.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ryan capitalized with the Heads Up Turkey<br />
Decoy on a thrilling afternoon hunt! You can<br />
also see the pond in the background. </td></tr>
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<span class="s1">Within minutes, the big tom took notice of the intruder across the field and quickly made his way towards Ryan, gobbling and strutting with each step. When the long beard made it to the edge of the pond, he flew across, landed and made his way towards the row of bales. Ground level displays of dominance proving to be insufficient to drive the intruder away, the big bird jumped on top of a nearby round bale to gobble at Ryan. It was obvious that this gobbler was extremely fired up and ready for a fight.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Swooping down from the round bale like a hawk from the sky, the bird landed and skidded to a stop at a mere FIVE heart-pounding yards away. Before the tom had a chance to realize he had made a mistake, Ryan dropped the decoy, pulled up his shotgun and dropped the 8-inch beard, 1-inch spurred gobbler in his tracks! </span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b>Mobility and Heart-Pounding Excitement</b></span></div>
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<span class="s1">According to Ryan, hunting from a ground blind was starting to get old and it hindered the hunt by having to bring so much gear into the field. He finds it much more enjoyable using the Heads Up Decoy due to the freedom and mobility with this particular style of hunting. He also finds it very rewarding to kill turkeys in an up-close, eye-level encounter which keeps him coming back for more each Spring.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">If you are looking to experience the most exciting turkey hunt of your life, leave the ground blind at home and pick up a <b><a href="http://headsupdecoy.com/products/8" target="_blank">Heads Up Turkey Decoy</a> </b>today. You will never forget the heart-pounding encounters and the rush it brings when a big, strutting tom is staring you down at less than 10-yards away.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Ryan received a Heads Up Decoy Hat and T-shirt for allowing us to share his story. Do you have a story? If so, email us at <b><a href="mailto:info@headsupdecoy.com">info@headsupdecoy.com</a>.</b></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06273204902971398074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429206127975231699.post-7331688216520104982017-01-05T23:28:00.001-06:002017-01-07T07:57:29.856-06:00Bow Hunting Partners...Choose Wisely<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsLsh7OqSBMmEEun8hn-cbYq4z1WEyW-kqlz2iV11fmM1_iyhz9Y7pUQJDyavhSzt-dQ7KeE5ME9xlO87_LYU3vfR4XZ_7X_ox7xx_0RFa5xNTEfsMlTxR9zeEGUEdwEdtAlI7kGTnP0hN/s1600/Pic+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsLsh7OqSBMmEEun8hn-cbYq4z1WEyW-kqlz2iV11fmM1_iyhz9Y7pUQJDyavhSzt-dQ7KeE5ME9xlO87_LYU3vfR4XZ_7X_ox7xx_0RFa5xNTEfsMlTxR9zeEGUEdwEdtAlI7kGTnP0hN/s400/Pic+4.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2015: My Brother Jeff was running the decoy as I buzzed an<br />
arrow past his ear and into the chest of this buck. 40 yard shot.<br />
We were cruising a small creek looking for a cruising buck.<br />
Click Pic To Enlarge.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Bowhunting partner...those words for most probably flash the face of their partner or partners without much thought. Heads Up Decoy has blessed me with the opportunity to hunt with a bunch of different guys over the years. Before H.U.D it was almost 100% family. Now that I am older, have a family of my own just getting into hunting, and a network of guys, it is not unusual for me to hunt with a variety of people throughout the course of the year. Rather than giving you my opinion on how you should choose a bow hunting partner, I am going to tell you about my hunting partners.<br />
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Stuff Dies:<br />
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When I reflect back to 2008 when Heads Up Decoy first started, there is one guy...and now several guys that I have hunted with where animals get dead. My friend Kent, not only is he a great human, he's a phenomenal bowhunter. I get so excited when I go on a hunt with him because I know our chances of success are extremely high. Kent, is not the only one, there are guys that when they get in my truck or I climb into their's...brown animals or turkeys are in real trouble. I do not believe that it is coincidence. It is <i>confidence</i>.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLWqSShp-bZyTfySw0cRLPBBqD0e85q_8YGBpIz4NI5zQK6n9XrT50DCFNKp9iEMUl6p_ezCyVlJqzxC4CmxiMpmYx02Hlq1QRm07CvG_FzFwFYH2wiyjzikh74c3RFpI1czpdQXBmfe6a/s1600/Pic+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLWqSShp-bZyTfySw0cRLPBBqD0e85q_8YGBpIz4NI5zQK6n9XrT50DCFNKp9iEMUl6p_ezCyVlJqzxC4CmxiMpmYx02Hlq1QRm07CvG_FzFwFYH2wiyjzikh74c3RFpI1czpdQXBmfe6a/s320/Pic+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2008: My good friend and cerified killer, Kent, was with<br />
me on the first Heads Up Decoy bow kill in 2008.<br />
15 yard shot. This buck is a freak.<br />
Click Pic to Enlarge</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Many of the guys I hunt with are accomplished bowhunters. Maybe that is why animals get dead. I like to think, at times, two skilled bowhunters are better than one. When I have confidence in the person I'm with, my optimism is high. I am more efficient and more on point.<br />
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Humility:<br />
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I am not an expert. I enjoy listening to others share their knowledge, regardless of their level of experience. I try to listen to bowhunters' successes and failures. It only makes me a better bowhunter. I can think of three specific conversations that I had with my friend Kent that led to success for me on two occassions. I applied two tips on one instance. His experience and willingness to share his knowledge, played out for me. I recently passed on Kent's experience with snort wheezing to a good friend, and he applied that to a decoying scenerio and was able to get a buck into bow range. I later applied the snort wheeze technique to my set up which led to my 2016 buck coming in for a fight.<br />
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I have found that I always struggle hunting with people that have to be right or have no faith or confidence in your ability. Honestly, I have been on both sides of this coin. What ultimately happens is a whole lot of struggle. Over the years, I have found that when I've been "that guy"...a dash of humility would have been a better ingredient.<br />
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I learn from my peers. Many of my best hunting partners are guys that fail a lot...but are not failures. I know people that are self proclaimed trophy hunters that never kill anything...failures in the field. I know guys that are humble as dirt that kill trophies at will...but it takes them many attempts. I know who I listen to when the topic of hunting comes up.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7jtAsVzRABITtkpohcv2ws4mi2_wZ97rNhJlzZ68cWXZMGos80BLGncfUNyYWF3YXObMx6-R8vSQdmGcxuv_naU0LCKdHQ3Vd_gJSyz4lUJwaxWkde2XFKhyphenhyphen8m49wr2I8FI0gkTQ45lIU/s1600/3small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7jtAsVzRABITtkpohcv2ws4mi2_wZ97rNhJlzZ68cWXZMGos80BLGncfUNyYWF3YXObMx6-R8vSQdmGcxuv_naU0LCKdHQ3Vd_gJSyz4lUJwaxWkde2XFKhyphenhyphen8m49wr2I8FI0gkTQ45lIU/s320/3small.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2013: Matt Dorram with the giant prairie buck. We worked on this buck.<br />
The hunt evolved by the minute. We talked each other through it.<br />
It ultimately led to a 40 yard shot. This buck was with a doe.<br />
A smaller buck was making it difficult to get this deer in bow range.<br />
Click Pic To Enlarge</td></tr>
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The Dance:<br />
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I am not sure this is the greatest analogy, but here it goes. We've all been to wedding dances when a couple gets on the dance floor and they seem like they are floating on air. They own the floor and it's obvious. I like to think that I can lead...or be lead at any point during a hunt. When I have been forced to lead...or force to follow I've become the hero or the goat. Not the "greatest of all time" kind of goat. I personally don't want to be the hero or the goat. A natural flow of responsibility on a hunt has always been more satisfying and fulfilling for me. There are times when I will be on fire...and times I am as cold as ice. I know when I'm in the zone and I know when I don't have it. It seems to me that when I've been a part of a natural exchange of philosophy more things go right.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuuPHheqHxdqgfftpBEdyIvoA48ZUzwC7Xs4h0X0nIieUYl14ar2uxT1JvroqCYc8n2KekqKn2e7tMc_1IWMe9DwC0IU4iSZHEV99d9zSsmCKKRbYUXHhsdKfy4tvW-bADrHGvctGZIKCi/s1600/Pic+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuuPHheqHxdqgfftpBEdyIvoA48ZUzwC7Xs4h0X0nIieUYl14ar2uxT1JvroqCYc8n2KekqKn2e7tMc_1IWMe9DwC0IU4iSZHEV99d9zSsmCKKRbYUXHhsdKfy4tvW-bADrHGvctGZIKCi/s320/Pic+3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2010: Kent holding the decoy as this buck postured in. Cut milo field.<br />
Shot this buck at 17 yards and closing.<br />
Single best H.U.D moment to date. Been hunting like this since.<br />
Click Pic To Enlarge</td></tr>
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My best hunting partners seem to have a great deal of self control or awareness. Stumbling and bumbling through the woods has not worked with me. A good idea or plan that both parties buy into...whether right or wrong has worked well for me. My best partners try to find success in failure. By that, no one gets saddled with blame and we can check a hunting spot or technique off the list and move on.<br />
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My picks:<br />
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The guys I work best with are guys that are ethical. Guys that have confidence in me. Guys that I have confidenc in. It always helps when they are experienced. I enjoy those that have a degree of humility. Not afraid to take the lead or the backseat. Guys that share both in success and in failure. When you screw up they let you live it down...but every once in a while bring it up to give you the business.<br />
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Heads Up Decoy and Partners<br />
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One of the things I appreciate about Heads Up Decoy is how enjoyable the product is to use when you have a partner. Many of my greatest moments with Heads Up Decoy have been with a partner. I am more aggressive and less conservative.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtilclYukwppOmERfKO96e00VTrCXQXj2rHzB1sda8M3mdYnN5_g2zIO-daql_E60y8Ytox_DCvXJOs5y0AH_mFhTrOvscW6j5NiKJI-4jU69cK0NkRwvzY57vXcNr6WQVPMDhrOU1rRi4/s1600/Buck+Charging+FB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtilclYukwppOmERfKO96e00VTrCXQXj2rHzB1sda8M3mdYnN5_g2zIO-daql_E60y8Ytox_DCvXJOs5y0AH_mFhTrOvscW6j5NiKJI-4jU69cK0NkRwvzY57vXcNr6WQVPMDhrOU1rRi4/s400/Buck+Charging+FB.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2015: Charging Buck. My friend Kent running the decoy as his hired hand was the shooter.<br />
The wind was blowing about 30 mph. Miserable conditions, but we were able to get a shot.<br />
We worked for this chance. Click Pic To Enlarge.</td></tr>
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When I am with a partner, I have played many roles: the shooter, the guy running the decoy, or observing a guy going solo. I find it very satisfying helping someone tag out. My best bow hunting partners feel the same.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdZPVpcs0-zzx-oWmucmms2Q9cWMvdfH8Y1OzccmwoQlSQI3P_FhuQ74LSKV8bDzHKIwwLulJYIIuGeyRy6DgBaJ8r_7AvjsP3YuFawmd95FbFVFpWhWAkMa9-aH88IT4CXYEe96UdmhRT/s1600/IMG_3089a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdZPVpcs0-zzx-oWmucmms2Q9cWMvdfH8Y1OzccmwoQlSQI3P_FhuQ74LSKV8bDzHKIwwLulJYIIuGeyRy6DgBaJ8r_7AvjsP3YuFawmd95FbFVFpWhWAkMa9-aH88IT4CXYEe96UdmhRT/s320/IMG_3089a.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2013: Good friend David Gillan. We've killed some animals together.<br />
Turkeys, deer, and now elk.<br />
David is optimistic and positive. Spring Turkey.<br />
David shot this bird at 5 yards. Click Pic To Enlarge.</td></tr>
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When there are two people that are accomplished, humble, and confident...animals die. Heads Up Decoy is deadly when there are two people working together. Bowhunting is about making memerois as much as anything. Having someone to experience a hunt with Heads Up Decoy helps keep the memories alive and furthers the bowhunting bond.<br />
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If you find yourself hunting with a partner, Heads Up Decoy has a product for you that can improve your results and create moments in the field that you won't believe until you experience it.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6vWh0BBI-un80r__j6Br4s6XpDERFckSkkto9w4ZijaIwTS3HaI4P0Ap0A8l2x_qqNUYMTldmzM0dyUQkg77wd6NAA5NWffBZq6vYklG4UMY_KbtvU6FWqhhyphenhyphenCyY8KWbt4PPfGk6MeXRN/s1600/Arrow+On+The+Way.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6vWh0BBI-un80r__j6Br4s6XpDERFckSkkto9w4ZijaIwTS3HaI4P0Ap0A8l2x_qqNUYMTldmzM0dyUQkg77wd6NAA5NWffBZq6vYklG4UMY_KbtvU6FWqhhyphenhyphenCyY8KWbt4PPfGk6MeXRN/s320/Arrow+On+The+Way.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2016: Holding the decoy as my friend Nathan whizzed the arrow by my ear.<br />
This is a screen capture of the arrow going passed me.<br />
This buck is at 20 yards. Made eye contact with him before<br />
I could get the decoy up. He was locked down with a doe.<br />
Came posturing in from over 100 yards away.<br />
Click Pic To Enlarge.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2YlGuEsg09JQRRtrlbUpmdhoNcD5ADwKFTIEDSoUOqX7rk6HXrGWKZNiZtgqvP4g1eREVtPfGYitYTV6sfDP3qLzeqrlwHYOnZLHKxiqxz1kCf5m0cehxj_gG9slMwykBdZPk3ZB6rRYJ/s1600/IMGP4519.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2YlGuEsg09JQRRtrlbUpmdhoNcD5ADwKFTIEDSoUOqX7rk6HXrGWKZNiZtgqvP4g1eREVtPfGYitYTV6sfDP3qLzeqrlwHYOnZLHKxiqxz1kCf5m0cehxj_gG9slMwykBdZPk3ZB6rRYJ/s400/IMGP4519.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2012: Matt and Lucas Palmquist with 2 great mulies they shot in the same field<br />
approximately 30 minutes apart. Both bucks were inside of 20 yards when the arrow made impact.<br />
Click Pic To Enlarge.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
To Purchase a Heads Up Decoy or to find our website: <a href="http://headsupdecoy.com/" target="_blank">Click Here</a><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06273204902971398074noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429206127975231699.post-28095643767913072262016-12-14T08:00:00.000-06:002016-12-14T22:20:49.524-06:00Desert Mule Deer Hunting with Heads Up Decoy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYquoiJrqbjUyveSSFOwT9Osds6n-9PlrNtzSp7TXuiFMFFrdwjpYY5DKgj__ucTR17FDfO4lV-lgD-HfFAcFL30-1kLm47QEqee22BReZuEkJcyHQEr8BKQs2DACp8QLgv4yJ6gj2GBqC/s1600/muley+doe+decoy+pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYquoiJrqbjUyveSSFOwT9Osds6n-9PlrNtzSp7TXuiFMFFrdwjpYY5DKgj__ucTR17FDfO4lV-lgD-HfFAcFL30-1kLm47QEqee22BReZuEkJcyHQEr8BKQs2DACp8QLgv4yJ6gj2GBqC/s320/muley+doe+decoy+pic.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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As the midwest rut comes to a close, many people forget or are not aware that the desert southwest is now the rutting hot spot for mule deer and coues. With plenty of public land and over-the-counter archery tags, it provides great bowhunting opportunity if you are willing to head south for the winter...or if you already live there. With the annual success rate of 3-7%, you'll be in for a challenge.<div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOdaZYAcix2lL6ZLsClZjnq6_bMOV6SVXP_8fObFf105sscC0FH8_tttScaJ3A0R82-7OpJRaMFKk7BojiNeV5G-p0_I-Axiy28kTGp5dp6OCkvl-4BZ74AzZQjMWaBCfvOvIdadjCJVGV/s1600/IMG_1278+%25281024x683%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOdaZYAcix2lL6ZLsClZjnq6_bMOV6SVXP_8fObFf105sscC0FH8_tttScaJ3A0R82-7OpJRaMFKk7BojiNeV5G-p0_I-Axiy28kTGp5dp6OCkvl-4BZ74AzZQjMWaBCfvOvIdadjCJVGV/s400/IMG_1278+%25281024x683%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Courtesy of Jon Yokley</td></tr>
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December and January is prime time for states like Arizona and New Mexico. Heads Up Decoy can prove to be a vital part to success in the desert SW.</div>
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Tyler Wilson from Carlsbab, NM has been using Heads Up Decoy for several years now. He has generously offered a story of is buck he took a couple years back with the H.U.D Mule Deer Buck Decoy. For his story, Tyler will receive a Heads Up Decoy prize pack. For more information about Heads Up Decoy or to purchase any of our mobile decoy products visit <a href="http://www.headsupdecoy.com/">www.headsupdecoy.com</a></div>
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<span style="color: yellow;"><i>Here is Tyler's Story</i></span></div>
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Well year after year looking on social media I would always
see Patrick Montgomery and his clients kill big deer year in and year out!!!
Not just a few good deer but everyone was killing a trophy. Finally, I had to
call him up and see what the big secret was and really see if the HUD was
really the big deal. Since it was in all the pictures he had posted. Like most
guys like Patrick he didn’t mind one bit to share some details about the HUD. I reached out to Heads Up Decoy to ask about the big hype.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Early December we finally found a couple bucks that were on
the buck-it-list. One of which being a deer that we nicknamed high tine which
some other hunter would harvest in January that scored in the high 180s. Not
knowing this buck was going to be taken we patterned this deer as much as
possible but with this hunt being in rut we knew he would be somewhere in the
area with all the doe. 3 weeks out I finally said what the heck lets buy some
Head up decoys (mule deer buck). So, we each bought one. When I finally
received my HUD in the mail I couldn’t wait until January 1 to see if this
crazy product was going to WORK??!!!! Well to my surprise the HUD was awesome.
I watched a decent 8 point that we had seen a couple times scouting about
400yrds off the road heck I’ll give it a try and see if I could lure him in.
within minutes the buck b-lined it to me. Would have been an easy 25 yard shot
if it was the 1<sup>st</sup>. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0PyhfWttvdA-5RIZZGaJ7JGfNXZVNwqU5KsXWXiBow57VFnAHYCSDJYW0cF3FHh0NiyKZB92bTH-qacU2feW00tExycWfhWw7z-sRR3bn1B19EF_AGdshQryyeeAuDuGwzRYUk6ymC5co/s1600/11987074_10153496128223964_4684767511015171184_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0PyhfWttvdA-5RIZZGaJ7JGfNXZVNwqU5KsXWXiBow57VFnAHYCSDJYW0cF3FHh0NiyKZB92bTH-qacU2feW00tExycWfhWw7z-sRR3bn1B19EF_AGdshQryyeeAuDuGwzRYUk6ymC5co/s320/11987074_10153496128223964_4684767511015171184_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The day before the hunt we decided we were going to stay the
night out in the area we were watching all the bucks. After hours and hours of
looking through the binos I finally spotted some doe in a thick catclaw brush
line. Not knowing if there was a buck with them I decided to walk out to them
with the HUD and see what would happen knowing these deer were in full rut now.
After getting to about 70 yards they started getting up and stomping the ground
and bam the big boy stood straight up and started coming right at me...why
couldn’t this be opening morning. Finally, after 20 minutes of a stare -down he
took his doe to a piece of private property. Bad mistake on my part.</div>
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January 1<sup>st</sup>
finally came and a txt 4 hrs. in the hunt saying he was dead! Well not letting
it get to me I hunted my butt off knowing there was still the drop-tine buck
and a wide chocolate colored 4 point that I would kill if I had the chance. I let
my buddy sit in the hot seat for a few days just to make sure a bigger buck
hadn’t moved in the area. Day 7….2 days before my anniversary I had to get it
done!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMRZajs0zHKE_J0avmu2q22P1kAq5hLiA3K0xAjorfmpJdkvBPf-LyLrSXqJ4LFRELhnqd86076E51RgHY5pEiBIj6PCH4D72ESt_HpSwzFRIQuHthX-R9M2P5BExfa2VMGspwavrr0DJH/s1600/10931113_10152808283683964_6987821345684916800_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMRZajs0zHKE_J0avmu2q22P1kAq5hLiA3K0xAjorfmpJdkvBPf-LyLrSXqJ4LFRELhnqd86076E51RgHY5pEiBIj6PCH4D72ESt_HpSwzFRIQuHthX-R9M2P5BExfa2VMGspwavrr0DJH/s320/10931113_10152808283683964_6987821345684916800_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tyler Wilson with a great NM Muledeer buck!</td></tr>
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Every hunter seemed to be hunting the same area by now it seemed. Keeping
my head up I kept glassing and searching finally an ear tip moved in a big
mesquite. Now or never I picked the HUD up and went to stalking. 2 hours later
I was 50 yards. What the heck I thought let’s see what this buck would do if I
started to just walk to him with the decoy. 30..25…. 20..no way I thought finally
at 12 yards’...yea 12 yards...I ranged him I had to let the arrow fly!!!! AIM SMALL MISS
SMALL he went 20yrds and did the dirty dance. The big 4 point was mine and my
tag was notched.</div>
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The HEADS-UP DECOY did its work!! My buddy ended up killing a
good 10 point because of the HUD as well. I can’t wait until this coming month
I have a TAG, A Giant Found plus some other that I would gladly notch my tag on
and I HAVE MY HEADS-UP DECOY READY!!! Thank you, Garret Roe, and the HUD TEAM!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06273204902971398074noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429206127975231699.post-35584770095359244182016-11-16T20:15:00.003-06:002017-02-27T13:18:20.735-06:00Four In a Row with a Deer Decoy<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Four In A Row</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">by Nathan Sullivan</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ06Cq_DPRsggLL6OqCBJDpU2-CZ9u76gVxcazpgXyZSUpVfCBMUbl6xDqQYejeeXJ1heH3qCkhxOdJJyZ6d1v3Gyx67Q9tCBYpMUfXmBiC1cGC_dwKPZdtyDOo_G0Oij6TiDknYtMjddL/s1600/Out+of+the+truck.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ06Cq_DPRsggLL6OqCBJDpU2-CZ9u76gVxcazpgXyZSUpVfCBMUbl6xDqQYejeeXJ1heH3qCkhxOdJJyZ6d1v3Gyx67Q9tCBYpMUfXmBiC1cGC_dwKPZdtyDOo_G0Oij6TiDknYtMjddL/s320/Out+of+the+truck.jpg" title="Heads Up Decoy mobile decoy" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Click to enlarge</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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As the tall-tined whitetail started
down the hill toward us, I couldn’t help but be confident that he would close
the distance to within bow range. After all, this was the third buck today to
come in to the decoy and at least the ninth buck this season that had provided
up-close action. On top of that, I had the inventor of Heads Up Decoy, Garrett
Roe was with me to assist on this hunt. Most of the other bucks were younger
deer that provided exciting hunts but were not ones I wanted to tag just yet.
The other two shooter bucks that I had close calls with had swirling winds to
thank for their escape. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFi5LE9r6JcRFXyxXvThJuivfjglTEb74v7dlwZcra-6kho2jN3rWxk-YKCs707hAoJRHJ8jsS-VwPMIPNKVL9DaXjEc1JsULyjAppLnIKIVESJN_DBzbbGoZyjaoJ6GoAdtBjxrEVb2dP/s1600/decoy+up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="whitetail buck decoy" border="0" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFi5LE9r6JcRFXyxXvThJuivfjglTEb74v7dlwZcra-6kho2jN3rWxk-YKCs707hAoJRHJ8jsS-VwPMIPNKVL9DaXjEc1JsULyjAppLnIKIVESJN_DBzbbGoZyjaoJ6GoAdtBjxrEVb2dP/s320/decoy+up.jpg" title="Heads Up Decoy" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Click To Enlarge</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Over the last several years I have
gained so much confidence in using the HUD that I rarely go afield without it.
After all, I have used it to take a buck each of the last three years. The
versatility and mobility of the HUD fits my hunting style perfectly. I have had
success on both mule deer and whitetails in all types of situations including
spot and stalk, ground blinds, and tree stands.</span><br />
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Now back to the story of this
year’s buck. We had first spotted the buck from about half a mile away locked
down with a doe in a small draw. After circling to get the steady wind in our
favor we headed down the main draw a few hundred yards and began easing around
the corner, well Garrett was at least. I was convinced that the deer were in
the next draw so I was being rather careless. We spotted the buck at the same
time he spotted us, but with the decoy already up blocking our profile, he had
already decided we were another buck coming
to steal his doe. As we dropped to a knee, Garrett gave one grunt and that was
all it took…the buck was on his way. As he approached, he bristled up and
pinned his ears back in an attempt to intimidate the new rival. The buck was within
30 yards and closing fast when I came to full draw. I had already told myself not
to shoot as long as he was still coming closer, so I followed his progress through
my sight window. When he finally came to a stop, he was within 20 yards and the
arrow was on its way. At the shot, the arrow buried to the fletching and the
buck went down for good within 200 yards.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNGmK_lnuv8D_lBZ6Tyk928REMqbgoAgam2PexHVdkCax3tNj6Z0WszoPmOHcJ4HPbECXfVzehAGbOXxxLjBGbEJO4W363PD9MbxuA99_-MI4LZzzOcHxri0-pR4bLndb1SeMTlS0HomQN/s1600/2016-0807+small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="hunting whitetail deer with a decoy" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNGmK_lnuv8D_lBZ6Tyk928REMqbgoAgam2PexHVdkCax3tNj6Z0WszoPmOHcJ4HPbECXfVzehAGbOXxxLjBGbEJO4W363PD9MbxuA99_-MI4LZzzOcHxri0-pR4bLndb1SeMTlS0HomQN/s320/2016-0807+small.jpg" title="Heads Up Decoy" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Click To Enlarge</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCb4GlGL03BFCLALScFEsPf316u1l-ty8OUShs_BkCVR2MtMehE5ku0Js-pLqse6KGvP1I4HHfKfqVcupxJheM405xqjFVsGBKWBV1NGZ3o6JVs1h9gd5Idb8uqJVdrBuWPGRTwYJ6lGLy/s1600/2016-0813+small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCb4GlGL03BFCLALScFEsPf316u1l-ty8OUShs_BkCVR2MtMehE5ku0Js-pLqse6KGvP1I4HHfKfqVcupxJheM405xqjFVsGBKWBV1NGZ3o6JVs1h9gd5Idb8uqJVdrBuWPGRTwYJ6lGLy/s320/2016-0813+small.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Click to Enlarge</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">For the fourth season in a row, I
had just taken a mature buck with the Heads Up Decoy! I am already looking
forward to next year to see if I can keep the lucky streak going. I also would
like to thank Garrett for all of his help on this hunt, it was an awesome
experience that I won’t soon forget.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGewI7iu0Sj52wXnx5vkndUxlmlCn8ThFiCkaCXd-3IBNINtZ9A2oyxaTVQROvqvEVZ1eiBbV-Pc5whdRkVkz8GhHfepTMP5xR04D-NYGsVgn2QC5s9fAKFVM1XvYiwtCjY5gZ0K20yIMD/s1600/2016-0868+small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGewI7iu0Sj52wXnx5vkndUxlmlCn8ThFiCkaCXd-3IBNINtZ9A2oyxaTVQROvqvEVZ1eiBbV-Pc5whdRkVkz8GhHfepTMP5xR04D-NYGsVgn2QC5s9fAKFVM1XvYiwtCjY5gZ0K20yIMD/s400/2016-0868+small.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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</tbody></table>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06273204902971398074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429206127975231699.post-32697823061488071502016-10-24T21:04:00.002-05:002016-10-24T22:01:25.075-05:00preVeteran's Day Giveaway with Heads Up Decoy and Head Hangerz<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifHLvgZNfMGbcgA0pqTCVCjuGo7U6aSv5ibyZq5E9zqLWYlJ3QTo7usJLAVkrwiGl-qHCjyvb0D8sk2zQ6pXzCuC2AFPrhMzFv0iF0-wBABJOMLDGJeSoKpDIoLXE3k_GZvypcq1XkxsId/s1600/HUD+Head+Hangerz+Veterans+Day+Promo+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifHLvgZNfMGbcgA0pqTCVCjuGo7U6aSv5ibyZq5E9zqLWYlJ3QTo7usJLAVkrwiGl-qHCjyvb0D8sk2zQ6pXzCuC2AFPrhMzFv0iF0-wBABJOMLDGJeSoKpDIoLXE3k_GZvypcq1XkxsId/s320/HUD+Head+Hangerz+Veterans+Day+Promo+copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Are you a bowhunting veteran or do you know a veteran that is passionate about bowhunting? We know it's not quite Veteran's Day...nor is it quite the peak of the whitetail or mule deer rut. However to us, it makes sense for a bow hunting veteran to have a decoy that will help him or her dominate the rut when it kicks in, rather than getting it when the rut is half over. And, when you bag that buck you'll need something classy to show it off.<br />
<br />
Heads Up Decoy has teamed up with Head Hangerz to offer you a chance to win a Heads Up Decoy of your choice and a Head Hangerz Euro Mount Stand like the one shown.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="http://headsupdecoy.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI5TWZdhEMuFbf6vd8IEE2fHXnEXEuUBwnmF3ZKkkN6jJyfL8DXKel8smt2Hi57Iho-aJ0zAynlZ1561P8zsM6PaLNDnmTJz861A5FsI4J4mrAesGD0kkm31uGO7Vit66p3brerd20jBhS/s200/Limb+driver+in+launch+mode.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://headsupdecoy.com/" target="_blank">Click here to find out about Heads Up Decoy</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
To enter to win make sure you Tag, Comment, Like, and Share our Facebook post. Although all our veterans are deserving, we will pick one on Wednesday Oct 26th 2016 to receive his or her choice of an H.U.D decoy along with the stand. That bow hunting veteran will have the goods in time for the rut no matter what you decide to chase. Know what would also be awesome? If you'd give our Heads Up Decoy and Head Hangerz pages a like as well.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRji9Q1CB4M_RzJ7AtkK7EKtwQ4uCzdq1wyAFmVXMN4nw4X24PFt50HNpRrfH4Ku3aMMFha0QrQtsyvcqBDIP87x426mpGIB3QSFMq5RXKLBpDFNYbmiO48E8gFlDrtsc82nS1IsR-3zey/s1600/as+he+lies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRji9Q1CB4M_RzJ7AtkK7EKtwQ4uCzdq1wyAFmVXMN4nw4X24PFt50HNpRrfH4Ku3aMMFha0QrQtsyvcqBDIP87x426mpGIB3QSFMq5RXKLBpDFNYbmiO48E8gFlDrtsc82nS1IsR-3zey/s200/as+he+lies.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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Feel free to comment on this blog post...<i><b><span style="font-size: large;">but to win</span></b></i> you'll need to do all your commenting, tagging, liking, and sharing on our Facebook post. Good Luck!<br />
<br />
To get you back to FB, here's the link: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/headsupdecoy/?fref=nf" target="_blank">Facebook</a><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="http://headhangerz.com/wp/" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRayyrwTlDehNYVEw4Sqz6OxnHrneMbIXZ06bad7BtQzXdEBNSQGXkdGO7avV2fYruc0oSxqfElvZWWtbiggq2oZHyfO2caplHFna5LG-3UfuvF_-8f4dqCGoHx1OR6aZ9Y1gxsjpncTSh/s400/IMG_0006.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://headhangerz.com/wp/" target="_blank">Click here to find more great products from Head Hangerz</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrzf10E3MfYHGOFxr-Iqh89X6PAVV_p9KHEan7ZIm5hyphenhyphenoiCj1w04SqsAWrn0oDeCZMoUvUvYMskEn8c69UnNVvb2d5W_IeiM8PT8aD7_WNGTzjN-7k68dUI7ziBK-hMNicYfFURGf2p97h/s1600/Heads+Hangerz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrzf10E3MfYHGOFxr-Iqh89X6PAVV_p9KHEan7ZIm5hyphenhyphenoiCj1w04SqsAWrn0oDeCZMoUvUvYMskEn8c69UnNVvb2d5W_IeiM8PT8aD7_WNGTzjN-7k68dUI7ziBK-hMNicYfFURGf2p97h/s320/Heads+Hangerz.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06273204902971398074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429206127975231699.post-48420102024111010442016-10-21T13:36:00.004-05:002016-10-21T14:06:41.816-05:00Double Down on Heads Up Decoy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWIYT2qB-AhRoPn7dWX85dj3VKgkImL2E-aRQT4iYRIOurTSIlGCdZSozPS7UJlkStQZIuzm2P400vHOaCdtthEmZR-R3Zib23wPzKq9k51J3iJglYSrhyphenhyphenVrXiW_czKToDF2k2iIU8UGs3/s1600/IMGP3789.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWIYT2qB-AhRoPn7dWX85dj3VKgkImL2E-aRQT4iYRIOurTSIlGCdZSozPS7UJlkStQZIuzm2P400vHOaCdtthEmZR-R3Zib23wPzKq9k51J3iJglYSrhyphenhyphenVrXiW_czKToDF2k2iIU8UGs3/s400/IMGP3789.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: yellow; font-size: x-large;">Two for Two: A Hunt of a Lifetime</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">This article was featured in Bowhunter Magazine</span></div>
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I stayed tight to my brother Lucas as we aggressively closed
the gap on the rutting mule deer buck. The Heads Up Decoy (HUD) mule deer doe
was working perfectly to mask our approach as we neared the buck. Finally he
turned on a dime and was coming right at us! Was this really about to happen? We
had already decoyed one mature buck that ran off with an arrow in his vitals. Were
we really going to be blessed with a second mature buck coming into bow range
in less than 30 minutes?<o:p></o:p></div>
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Growing up, I was obsessed with hunting from a young age. My
younger brother, Lucas, could take it or leave it. Most of the time he would just
go because he was tired of me nagging at him and it was a good excuse to go
spend time together. I started bowhunting during my college years and was
immediately hooked. When Lucas decided he wanted to buy a bow and try
bowhunting I was super excited. It didn’t take long until he became addicted
like the rest of us and now he spends many hours in the field each year with
his bow in hand.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Being the older brother, I always want to see Lucas have
success. My desire for him to get quality opportunities on hunts and fill tags
has created pressure on myself as well as on Lucas when it comes to making the
shot. This has burned us on past hunts. We have matured as hunters and strive
to just relax and have a good time, which has improved our success, and most importantly
the enjoyment of hunting together.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSfnZCiMu-_guSwJUl2ktJYtm8Kx9PyuSbVRJhWjsZd9ArXH_fTr9QYANB_A-bATgeQ6TKnz2N0WCWDE8Xh19gBZ0S4psfs0ecnFpyJ_c759ODYg2Ytrz4gmWV_uYibtYV1g09deXTmkmZ/s1600/P1000645.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSfnZCiMu-_guSwJUl2ktJYtm8Kx9PyuSbVRJhWjsZd9ArXH_fTr9QYANB_A-bATgeQ6TKnz2N0WCWDE8Xh19gBZ0S4psfs0ecnFpyJ_c759ODYg2Ytrz4gmWV_uYibtYV1g09deXTmkmZ/s320/P1000645.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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I moved to western Kansas in 2005 and we have talked about getting
together to hunt mule deer every year since, but family responsibilities and
eastern Kansas whitetails kept Lucas from venturing out west during the rut. We
decided during the summer that it was time to quit talking and start doing, so
we made plans for Lucas to come stay a few days during November and try to kill
his first mule deer. <o:p></o:p></div>
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We locked in a four day stretch around Veteran’s day to
spend hunting together. The week was finally here, and the excitement was too
much to manage. Lucas was able to duck
out of work early on Thursday allowing him to arrive in time to have a couple
hours to scout some areas for the next morning. Lucas arrived around 3:30 in
the afternoon and it didn’t take long for us to get dressed in our Sitka gear
and head out to try to locate some deer. Neither of us expected much, but we were
excited to spend time together and see some animals.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Shortly after leaving town we saw a lone buck cruising
through a crop field. We glassed him and thought he was too small to shoot so
early in the hunt, but as we watched him he continued moving in our direction,
further tempting us. We contemplated
trying to kill him, but ultimately decided he just wasn’t what we were looking
for. <o:p></o:p></div>
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We continued down the road to an area where I saw a nice
typical earlier in the season. I had also watched some does using the field so
I thought it might be a good place to check with the rut activity picking up.
It didn’t take long to spot a decent buck cruising through the drought stricken
corn in search of a receptive doe. The corn was very thin and non-existent in
some spots, but would provide enough cover for us to try to close the distance
on the lone buck. <o:p></o:p></div>
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We made it several hundred yards into the corn before
spotting a deer in the middle of the field. It wasn’t the mulie we were going
after, but it was a mature whitetail buck. After looking at him closer we
decided he would be hard to pass on if he came over to check us out. We had the
HUD mule deer doe decoy and I was wishing I would have brought my whitetail
buck HUD along as well. We still thought the buck might check out the mule deer
decoy so we hunkered down on the back side of a terrace in some weeds and
continued showing the decoy to the whitetail. He would look at us and then look
away. It wasn’t long until the mulie we were stalking came into view and the
whitetail bristled up, posturing towards the mule deer. The mulie continued on
and we lost sight of him. However, the whitetail was still watching us from
several hundred yards away so we stayed put. A short while later Lucas heard a
corn stalk break and the mule buck had somehow snuck around us and was 50 yards
and closing!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Lucas had to get repositioned to ready for a shot while the
buck continued towards us. As Lucas went to draw, a bowhunter’s worst nightmare
happened; I saw his arrow come off the string. I think Lucas remained much
calmer than me and he hurriedly got his arrow nocked again. As soon as he did I
was telling him to draw because the buck was on top of us. As Lucas hit his
anchor point the buck stopped 20 yards away. It didn’t need to be said, but the
big brother in me was coaching, and I said kill him there. Lucas took his time
and sunk the arrow perfectly in the buck’s vitals! He exploded at impact and
made it several hundred yards before falling out of sight!<o:p></o:p></div>
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There were a lot of high fives and hugs after seeing that
buck go down. We couldn’t believe it! Lucas drove close to four hours and we
had only been hunting for a little over an hour and he was done. It couldn’t
have played out better and the Heads Up Decoy worked flawlessly, pulling that
buck from hundreds of yards away right into our laps!<o:p></o:p></div>
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We were all smiles as we headed back to the pickup to get
the camera and necessities to take care of Lucas’ deer. While we stood there
recounting the events that had just transpired, Lucas looked down the road and
saw another good buck headed our direction. The buck stayed on the road long
enough for me to size him up and decide that he was definitely a mature buck
with great width, but crossed into the field we had just vacated before I could
really assess his antlers. I quickly decided we needed to get a closer look so
we ditched the cameras and tripod and I grabbed my bow and Lucas grabbed the
decoy. <o:p></o:p></div>
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We headed towards the buck, but rather than coming towards
us he headed out to the middle of the field to where Lucas’ buck had come from
and where the whitetail buck was still located. We could watch the buck the
whole way and could tell that he was rutting hard. Déjà vu was happening
because the buck went right towards the whitetail and he bristled up once
again, but this time the mulie went around the whitetail and headed in our
direction staying in plain view. As he closed the distance it was evident he
wasn’t coming right at us, but would cross by us several hundred yards away. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The mulie walked with his head to the ground and rarely
lifted it. Lucas thought we should try to close the gap, but we would be
leaving the taller corn and going into an area of knee high grass where the
corn failed to grow. I agreed and we moved forward. The buck raised his head
once and glanced our way, but quickly put his nose back to the ground and
continued walking on the back side of the terrace. I have watched bucks act
this way in the past and knew we could be very aggressive. Lucas held the HUD
in front of us as we hunched over in “I” formation and quickly closed the
distance. The buck was still oblivious when we came to a halt within shooting
range. Dropping to our knees, I hastily nocked an arrow to prepare for a shot. Like
it was scripted, the buck turned and decided he was going to come check us out.
When the arrow clicked on the string Lucas was ranging and the buck was 25
yards and closing. I decided to let him get tight before drawing in case he
spooked. Amazingly, he didn’t even flinch. I hit full draw and the buck stopped
less than 15 yards away and the VPA tipped Goldtip zipped through him so fast
he didn’t even know what happened. He bounded a few yards and would have tipped
over, but I couldn’t contain my excitement and foolishly stood up with my arms
in the air. The buck finally realized what we were, and tried to flee, crashing
40 short yards later!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Unbelievable! We had just used the Heads Up Decoy to double
up on two mature mule deer bucks! After coming down from that adrenaline rush
we realized that the deer were shot and died less than 100 yards apart. What a
hunt! I still can’t believe how it all played out and in such a short time. The
hunt unfolded like we all dream they will and I was very proud to be with Lucas
when he arrowed his first mule deer. Sharing a hunt like this with my brother
is one of the greatest moments of my bowhunting career, and something we will
relive together for the rest of our lives. It really doesn’t get much better!</div>
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Like brothers do, we argued over whose deer was the biggest,
but not in the fashion one would think. Lucas thought mine was bigger and I
thought his was bigger. We decided to have my friend who is an official scorer
for the Pope and Young Club green score our deer. The bucks do not resemble
each other at all, but ironically score very similar. My deer gross scored 171
7/8” and netted 156 4/8” and Lucas’ buck gross scored 168 2/8” and netted 157
1/8”, so I guess you could say we were both right. After the mandatory 60 day
drying period we will have our deer officially scored and proudly enter them
into the Pope and Young record book. Lucas and I will have many more hunts
together in our lifetime, but killing two Pope and Young qualifiers in less
than 30 minutes in the same field will likely never happen again, and is
something I will cherish forever. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06273204902971398074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429206127975231699.post-61956295128170129962016-09-28T23:31:00.000-05:002016-09-29T00:14:01.229-05:00It's A Numbers Game<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgzSEz4Y2U5PNaNFn2k787F7XYTp3CYZ04MahQ-RnaK0VjO164S4k17XRELW6E0P2U3_AW6fpHYAIu9wQe56MwWFkmvzGT6yU_9sZkyYn838cY2cR3cuYiEKC2UZdXSdAt4UGepfBAbKY5/s1600/blog+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgzSEz4Y2U5PNaNFn2k787F7XYTp3CYZ04MahQ-RnaK0VjO164S4k17XRELW6E0P2U3_AW6fpHYAIu9wQe56MwWFkmvzGT6yU_9sZkyYn838cY2cR3cuYiEKC2UZdXSdAt4UGepfBAbKY5/s320/blog+1.jpg" width="320" /></a>For myself, hunting elk and calling elk into bow range is a numbers game. The more times you set up and call...eventually one is going to commit to bow range. With experience and repetition, your efficiency of calling an elk to bow range will improve. Let's be honest, pretty much every place in the elk woods looks ideal. It's whether or not they are there. With that said, it's best that the numbers of encounters stack up in a year and not over multiple seasons. For me, it's been the later. Hunting elk is much easier than finding elk. It's just my opinion.<br />
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Over the years, we've been so unbelievably close to killing some GREAT bulls in Colorado with the decoy, but it's just simply not materialize mostly due to tight shooting windows. By drawing another AZ bull elk tag, I was hoping to change our fortune and have it all come together.<br />
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The summer of 2016 was an interesting one for Heads Up Decoy. Personal preparation for the fall hunts was limited from previous years. No scouting and not a ton of shooting. I purchase a Hoyt Carbon Spyder in the late winter and barely got myself acquainted with it before I left for the Grand Canyon State. I was going to rely on my 30 years of shooting a bow to carry me through.<br />
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We arrived Wednesday which was a couple days before the season opener. Doing so gave us a day to sleep in, get organized, shoot, and to get acquainted with our surrounding. My brother also had a tag for the same unit. Being a resident, he had the opportunity to do some scouting. Plus, he had friends that knew the unit pretty well and had some success in years past.<br />
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One particular friend of my brothers was in the unit the previous year and stumbled onto a unique calling pattern that would get the bulls really stirred up. Mulitple encounters with the decoy and his "crazy cow call" was the recipe. It proved successful for him and his brother.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQGIR0lFyoXOyt9j5B1vxumuLh7Gi04IxTqL7sPIS8Xmw7xC65gkeg_SNol-ZranGZJHKiPchksCNoVXjA_4gJLIAGCak_Nd999tzjRhfbgGhxYJlcN_5zxNxxaaeDkznGfYU-kqsReRW9/s1600/Ramsey+elk+AZ+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQGIR0lFyoXOyt9j5B1vxumuLh7Gi04IxTqL7sPIS8Xmw7xC65gkeg_SNol-ZranGZJHKiPchksCNoVXjA_4gJLIAGCak_Nd999tzjRhfbgGhxYJlcN_5zxNxxaaeDkznGfYU-kqsReRW9/s320/Ramsey+elk+AZ+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
I was confident throughout the summer...irregardless of scouting...that we would have some opportunities once the season rolled around. It's Arizona and calling elk is a numbers game. Eventually we'll find one...maybe two...that wanted to die.<br />
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Our camp was comfortable except at night. Sleeping proved to be difficult due to the amount of bugling elk keeping us up...some not more than 100 yards from camp. I thought that was very inconsiderate. So we set out to shoot one of them.<br />
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Our first morning of crazy cow calling resulted in a loud response of bulls in close proximity, but due to some technical difficulties, we let them off the hook. Never setting eyes on them. The remainder of the morning was uneventful, so we relocated.<br />
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Most units in AZ have good...too good...road access. This unit was no expection. It's a popular camping destination and couple that with opening day being on a Friday...it was busy. The evening found us roving a new area only to stumble onto roads and traffic. With the sun dropping quickly, a swift move to a new location needed to be made.<br />
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When we stepped out of the truck and began our trek into the woods, we were very disheartened by the mess a previous camper left behind from the previous Labor Day Weekend. Bags of human waste lying in the forest. It was sad to see.<br />
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Once distanced from the messy campsite, my brother let out a series of "crazy cow calls" and was immediately hit with an excited bugle! He was CLOSE! We scramble to close some distance and to set up. The cow calling intesified as did the bulls excitement. The bull emerged on the ridge 100 yards ahead. We had no choice but to hold our position and get ready.<br />
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My brother hadn't quite mastered the physical call so the cow sounds were not perfectly hit, but the decoy help dispell any doubt in the bull's mind as he approached quickly. I admit that I carry and seldom use my rangefinder, but predicting the bull's path ahead of time, I took the time to range a pine only to verify that my 35 yard estimate was spot on.<br />
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My brother settled directly behind me and the bull started to approach head on. I was preparing for a frontal shot inside of 20 yards, but the bull began to leak off to my downwind side and inside the pine I had previously ranged. He stopped quartering too and let out a bugle. KICK ASS. That's all I had to say at that moment. But I was frustrated with determining where and when my shot was going to take place.<br />
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As the bull began to drift a few more steps to my left, he flattened out allowing me a more comfortable broadside shot if one materialized. I shifted my weight as the bull came to a stop. A small pine branch or tree somewhere between me and the bull covered his vitals. I decide to draw. Once anchored, I rose off my heels moving the top of the pine to the bull's mid-line. Seeing it was clear, I settled my 30 yard pin on the top of the pine and watched my arrow fly gracefully over the branch and sink deep into the bull's chest.<br />
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Even though the blood trail was great, there were a few anxious moments leading up to finding the bull. Given the shot placement and the damage the broadhead made, I was surprised the bull made it out of sight.<br />
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It goes to show the importance of finding a bull that wants to die. Even though it is usually a function of numbers and repitition, this bull's number was up right out of the gate. Finding success so early took a lot of pressure off us for the remainder of the season.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06273204902971398074noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429206127975231699.post-11127295362977568602016-04-15T15:26:00.001-05:002017-02-27T23:27:55.529-06:00Point Blank Turkey Hunting with a Bow<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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As bow hunters, we always want a slam dunk shot. With the Heads Up Turkey Decoy, we expect it. Not the ground blind traditional set up, I'm talking the wide open turkey fanning bow mounted set up.<br />
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It is not unusual to get multiple point blank...inside of 10 yards...shots during a season. For that to happen, the birds do need to cooperate. But it is frequent to say the least. I can remember a picture perfect day in 2015. I was hunting by myself. I had one golden opportunity to seal the deal on a bird inside of 10 yards. And a couple more that were not far outside of that 10 yard mark. It was day where I was not following my own advise...<i>DON'T RUSH</i>!</div>
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Our Heads Up Turkey Decoy continues to prove it's worth season after season. There are a lot of people out there with their own version of turkey decoys. As I said, it's difficult to compete with the Heads Up Decoy when the weather is bad or when the weather is good. Our simple design lends itself to versatility and effectiveness. We've proven that time and time again...to the point we have nothing left to do other than keep having fun and introducing our product to new folks.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhCP1UyzASmg0lVmAHwsnvSh_f-WISqKZ8sxf_ZTppt5GRNtjjneyg_fD6SK_5-XDrTQaXs6mc8HnJRV8NJl4cF6Ju-4vkg_dzMaNPIzNMsiCHEVMLKP3tjRq8IteS15MXicQ3tsGt2IeX/s1600/Dave+Video+Youtube+photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhCP1UyzASmg0lVmAHwsnvSh_f-WISqKZ8sxf_ZTppt5GRNtjjneyg_fD6SK_5-XDrTQaXs6mc8HnJRV8NJl4cF6Ju-4vkg_dzMaNPIzNMsiCHEVMLKP3tjRq8IteS15MXicQ3tsGt2IeX/s320/Dave+Video+Youtube+photo.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhCP1UyzASmg0lVmAHwsnvSh_f-WISqKZ8sxf_ZTppt5GRNtjjneyg_fD6SK_5-XDrTQaXs6mc8HnJRV8NJl4cF6Ju-4vkg_dzMaNPIzNMsiCHEVMLKP3tjRq8IteS15MXicQ3tsGt2IeX/s1600/Dave+Video+Youtube+photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhCP1UyzASmg0lVmAHwsnvSh_f-WISqKZ8sxf_ZTppt5GRNtjjneyg_fD6SK_5-XDrTQaXs6mc8HnJRV8NJl4cF6Ju-4vkg_dzMaNPIzNMsiCHEVMLKP3tjRq8IteS15MXicQ3tsGt2IeX/s1600/Dave+Video+Youtube+photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
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I have some great footage of my friend David from a couple years back that has never been formally produced until now. (Click Video) It was a windy spring, but this day proved to be picture perfect for turkey hunting. We did not roll out of bed at o-dark-thirty. David and I sneaked down a low wash to a steep bank. As the sun was beginning to light up the pasture, we eased up the steep bank and settle into a small yucca patch on the top of a ridge. The ridge had a great vantage point and it happen to be adjacent to a small grove of trees the toms filtered into after they loose their hens to the nest.</div>
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We occasionally called. We could hear birds in several directions. Pretty soon we realized one gobbler was really picking up what we were putting down. Easily the farthest bird I've ever called and decoyed in. He was merely a speck when we saw him.</div>
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When an animal is way out there, I don't mind doing some really crazy things to get an animal to see the decoy. Once I know they have made eye contact, I reel it in an begin making more natural movements. This was one of those instances where I raised the decoy high above my head. Rotate the Heads Up side to side until he made visual.</div>
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Once this bird made visual contact with us, he didn't know whether to strut, gobble, run, or all of the above. He was fired up. When I saw the bird run down the draw toward us a few hundred yards away...I knew this bird was going to finish close...and well...he was in David's lap.</div>
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We get a lot of hunts that work out like this, but not all of them are on film.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06273204902971398074noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429206127975231699.post-45654166680177309252016-04-02T18:16:00.000-05:002016-04-07T03:44:47.850-05:00When The Wind Blows<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDlntcXYsFq30qHepw76VQLaEKpg2lURB0TW9BdqzUkCnVnVjeTc-x6PD9TVVQcI_RQUt_GRn7qA57fRRx3UajEbpdi8X1JBRfJ3RjZrwY-DqJR2Lo9ePQ1Lu_cwzKXol7ictxDVGsLpyq/s1600/uvs160402-001.BMP" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDlntcXYsFq30qHepw76VQLaEKpg2lURB0TW9BdqzUkCnVnVjeTc-x6PD9TVVQcI_RQUt_GRn7qA57fRRx3UajEbpdi8X1JBRfJ3RjZrwY-DqJR2Lo9ePQ1Lu_cwzKXol7ictxDVGsLpyq/s320/uvs160402-001.BMP" width="320" /></a></div>
With all the growth and success of Heads Up Decoy, I am still barely more than a weekend hunter. I plan my days off based on the time of year. Rolling the dice that Mother Nature and the animals will cooperate.<br />
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It is hard to believe that I have been building Heads Up Decoy since 2008. The improvements we've made with the product, the additions, and the new revelations have been so great that our original thought behind our concept is hard to recall.<br />
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Is Heads Up Decoy more of a system...than an actual decoy? A question I ponder often. The versatility with the decoy and accessories lends itself to limitless opportunities for the hunter willing to give it a run. So, I would say yes, it is a system because there is no one way to use them.<br />
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Over the years, I have developed a great appreciation for how well Heads Up Decoys can work in really crappy conditions. I suppose one could argue that in order for it to perform in bad conditions is that you may need another person. I have witnessed many hunts, either as a videographer, observer, or the one holding the decoy, in some pretty brutal conditions that led to a shot. Mostly because we were willing to make the effort.<br />
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A couple years ago, we met up with some friends in the hopes of getting them a true Heads Up Decoy experience. It was spring and we were after turkeys. Mother Nature in all her splendor, did everything she could to foil our hunt. To be honest, she kick our butt in all but about 20 minutes of our 3 day hunt.<br />
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We did what we could do, but the wind simply would not relent. It beat us down, but we kept after it. Sticking to it ultimately led to success on one of those brutally windy days.<br />
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There was no option to have the Heads Up Turkey Decoy in the bow mount, someone had to hold the decoy. On this opportunity, two of us crawled out into the pasture. When we were able to locate the bird from our bellies, we slowly raised up and showed the decoy to the bird. 45 seconds later we got our one and only shot...and made good on it.<br />
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Brutal conditions are a part of hunting, and the thing I appreciate about our product is that if you are willing to use it, you have control over decoy in these really bad conditions and can ultimately get an opportunity.<br />
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When you cannot pick and choose the best of the best days to hunt, like me. Heads Up Decoy can be the key to success.<br />
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For video of this hunt, click the link below. Best of luck this turkey season.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjQMAwBmmLOQDEBEHudM9CJtKQOFeVnK3_xDWcKP8RRqzXiAsznbohYoXL-romKZCw0PMf9Bem85Z1ppXbdD-gasfezvXMqavXSU9SwkUN_GZ7NfiX1kuwmD6tVwIS68dMD8Q95tK7-Rn3/s1600/pic+for+video.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjQMAwBmmLOQDEBEHudM9CJtKQOFeVnK3_xDWcKP8RRqzXiAsznbohYoXL-romKZCw0PMf9Bem85Z1ppXbdD-gasfezvXMqavXSU9SwkUN_GZ7NfiX1kuwmD6tVwIS68dMD8Q95tK7-Rn3/s320/pic+for+video.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06273204902971398074noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429206127975231699.post-53746756837669469782015-08-31T10:29:00.001-05:002015-08-31T10:29:35.353-05:00Goats Ammongst the Cactus<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFm4OvUFK-ZypC2dj5NPshFh96IqSGgr58l-35muAvKukhUFr7KJG5unQqfwyyTOD4M68cMmhqripdkOEOZbd32_EugWjkdreK2yl8U_uPCI_BTiyo1TO4AcQtx6CkFGO3G4OSad2NgXv9/s1600/IMG_3531+%2528960x1280%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFm4OvUFK-ZypC2dj5NPshFh96IqSGgr58l-35muAvKukhUFr7KJG5unQqfwyyTOD4M68cMmhqripdkOEOZbd32_EugWjkdreK2yl8U_uPCI_BTiyo1TO4AcQtx6CkFGO3G4OSad2NgXv9/s1600/IMG_3531+%2528960x1280%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFm4OvUFK-ZypC2dj5NPshFh96IqSGgr58l-35muAvKukhUFr7KJG5unQqfwyyTOD4M68cMmhqripdkOEOZbd32_EugWjkdreK2yl8U_uPCI_BTiyo1TO4AcQtx6CkFGO3G4OSad2NgXv9/s1600/IMG_3531+%2528960x1280%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFm4OvUFK-ZypC2dj5NPshFh96IqSGgr58l-35muAvKukhUFr7KJG5unQqfwyyTOD4M68cMmhqripdkOEOZbd32_EugWjkdreK2yl8U_uPCI_BTiyo1TO4AcQtx6CkFGO3G4OSad2NgXv9/s320/IMG_3531+%2528960x1280%2529.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="color: yellow;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">story and photos submitted by</span> JON YOKLEY</span></i></div>
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About the 3<sup>rd</sup> week of July the draw results were
posted for the fall hunts here in Arizona. My friend, Ken Thomson, and I DREW!!...not
one but 2 tags!! Pronghorn and Bull Elk, both archery tags. These are both
second choice and in highly hunted public land areas so this would require many
hours of scouting and serious strategy. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The Pronghorn would be first with the opening day of
8/21/15. We started with Google Earth and topical maps to help make the
decision on where we would concentrate and begin setting cameras. Once cameras
were placed and working, we began hours of glassing and looking for sign.
Through the first 4 weeks we learned a lot and found some decent herds that
held some good bucks. Our cameras weren’t producing Pronghorn at all, instead we
found countless elk. This was due to our heavy monsoon rains that kept
producing large amounts of rain leaving standing water everywhere and of course
scattering the Pronghorn even more.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The decision was made to make this happen on the ground with
spot and stalk. The use of our H.U.D. mobile decoys were possible because this
is pre-rut and I prefer this method over sitting any day. Day 1 was full of
opportunity as we found Buck # 1 and Buck #2 in the same area. These were
notable bucks to us and both would score mid 70’s. Buck #1 had 6 does whereas
Buck #2 wanted them. This would make an ideal situation to decoy once in range.
We watched as the satellite buck, which is buck #2, try to gain control of the
does but the herd buck, buck #1, had other plans. A half mile out, a great
fight started, as the 2 bucks met. We grabbed the decoy and moved as fast as
possible to the fighting bucks. We knew that if we could get there it would
present a shot or maybe two. As luck would have it the fight broke up and we were
just 150 yards out. The herd buck took his does in to the juniper trees while
the satellite buck moved away. This was a perfect opportunity to use the decoy.
We presented the smaller buck decoy to the satellite buck and he responded
slowly. As he approached with caution and stopped inside bow range, I knew this
was as close as he would get so I settled my pin on the buck then released. I
missed!! I shot just an inch under his chest. He moved away and when he was out
of sight we made our way back to the vehicle deciding to leave this group alone
until the next morning. My pride was hurt because I really wanted this buck!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpiqhW86DXJvwiQOxwkdugdqj5E89nkj-B6rfKnYbYuc8qJFJdtxcfJdCBjiQKlWHBizFOrezvyihM-IOzxCBb6CUOWYL_EIlWpf2w09WBunylCnOtZOXGdX5Q6r9skyzlverv1KPTx9dp/s1600/Fight+%2528960x1280%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpiqhW86DXJvwiQOxwkdugdqj5E89nkj-B6rfKnYbYuc8qJFJdtxcfJdCBjiQKlWHBizFOrezvyihM-IOzxCBb6CUOWYL_EIlWpf2w09WBunylCnOtZOXGdX5Q6r9skyzlverv1KPTx9dp/s320/Fight+%2528960x1280%2529.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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It was Ken’s turn now so we went in search of Buck #3
(another low 70’s buck) about 4 miles away. We searched and searched for him.
After an hour we found him with his 7 does. He was in a great place to decoy so
the plan was made. We made our way to a position to start the process, the
decoy was raised. He was curious and started to commit slowly, and then would
hang up but still inside of bow range for an out west hunter. I ranged and Ken
released his arrow. The buck jumped the string so fast he left the arrow behind
him unharmed as he took his does and moved on out.<o:p></o:p></div>
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On the second day we decided to pursue the satellite buck
that I had missed the day before. I was up to shoot next and felt ready. After
glassing for about 45 minutes we picked him up and made a plan. I made an
attempt on him in the wide open but it went the buck’s way. I failed again. We
watched as buck #2 moved toward the back of this huge valley. He was heading in
to a juniper patch so I quickly worked my way through the trees to try and get
ahead of him. As I started glassing below I could see him a few hundred yards
out working towards me, but this time he picked up a smaller buck. I slowly moved in to position as this was
going to be great because the wind was perfect and they had no clue that I was
there. The smaller buck fed to about 40 yards as the other buck held up. After
about 5 minutes he started moving across from me and stopped inside my comfort
zone. I settled my pin on the spot and released. I heard that familiar crack
and I knew he was hit. He quickly left the area to end up bedding in a huge
cactus patch. After about 30 minutes I settled down and I could see that the
buck had not left the area so I started my slow stalk towards him. This took
about an hour to locate him after minimal blood on the ground. I glassed every cactus and was finally able
to turn him up. I had filled my 2015 tag! He was larger than I thought because
he grossed at 76 6/8” putting him well into Pope & Young and just a few
inches under the Boone & Crockett minimum of 80”. This buck is very special
to me because of my history with him and numerous pictures throughout the
scouting time. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl3qHi3k6vfLMooWNEfkk0pqEFzExPoPNTLM8TzTm3NN0uJwQPonOxyRRvfvH52lroJnA-vwdvqHA9M7FsVgGlQZpOyKvsWfeqxISKZtK6OALienwQU3StKRdqkWfaMUbO0zjXcGuuJwKV/s1600/2015+Unicorn+%25281280x960%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl3qHi3k6vfLMooWNEfkk0pqEFzExPoPNTLM8TzTm3NN0uJwQPonOxyRRvfvH52lroJnA-vwdvqHA9M7FsVgGlQZpOyKvsWfeqxISKZtK6OALienwQU3StKRdqkWfaMUbO0zjXcGuuJwKV/s320/2015+Unicorn+%25281280x960%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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On day 3 we searched for an opportunity for Ken to fill his
tag. We found many antelope which produced a few stalks but none would give any
shot opportunity. That day ended way to fast but Ken was still in great spirts knowing
that we were going to be back hunting after a few days of work at our real
jobs.<o:p></o:p></div>
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It was now Thursday and our 4<sup>th</sup> day in the field.
We had decided to work an area where we have seen some great bucks and also
heard of a great one in particular known as Unicorn. We were told he has one
solid, normal horn and a deformed horn growing along side of his face. We
started out glassing up a few does but couldn’t turn up a buck so we moved on.
We were heading to an area where we had seen the most sign from previous
scouting trips. It wasn’t long until picked up a single and it was a great
buck. We didn’t study him too hard but knew that he was a shooter. The plan was
to get above him in the junipers and work toward him. We started moving to
where we saw him last but at a slow pace, glassing and picking every little
bush apart. Finally, we heard him grunt and quickly picked him up. He was
moving through the trees and unaware that we were there. Once again the wind
was in our favor so we became very aggressive to try to get in to position to
decoy this buck. Before we knew it we were there. The buck was 80 yards and
moving at an angle that would present a shot. Ken knocked an arrow and I
grunted to stop the buck while showing him the decoy. The buck stopped and
locked on to the decoy, I gave Ken the yardage, and he released his arrow. The
buck was hit well! As I glassed the running buck I told Ken “You just shot the
“Unicorn Buck”! We were both in
disbelief that he just took one of the notable bucks in this area. We were able
to watch this buck fall inside of a 100 yards. As we approached him we couldn’t
believe the mass and character that this buck had. We also saw the deformed
side was growing down and into the side of his face. He ended up with a gross score
of 72 4/8” Pope & Young points even with his goofy horn. If his deformed side was equal or close to the
good side he would have grossed right at 80” Boone & Crockett minimum!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBiJ8xqr329mmqFVckfkxnbMvvtce3nirJCjFTGI5KjZxsxlYSAqulwhxOAhadGxOoqKoR2Vc3ERiGxXGy4tao0NQKi_soE5rrmm1hOuPwaROYrGDExLcNsizMWiGeXPM6bRIEGS1i9VOZ/s1600/Best+%25232+%25281280x960%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBiJ8xqr329mmqFVckfkxnbMvvtce3nirJCjFTGI5KjZxsxlYSAqulwhxOAhadGxOoqKoR2Vc3ERiGxXGy4tao0NQKi_soE5rrmm1hOuPwaROYrGDExLcNsizMWiGeXPM6bRIEGS1i9VOZ/s400/Best+%25232+%25281280x960%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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What a season start this was. Two great Pope & Young bucks
in just 4 days of actual hunting. As the
phrase goes, “Scout Hard, Hunt Easy”.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Now it’s on to Bull Elk in the northern part of Arizona in
an area that I am very familiar with. Season opener is 9/11/2015.<o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06273204902971398074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429206127975231699.post-38615397080375282442015-02-16T17:00:00.001-06:002015-02-16T17:00:16.955-06:00Southwest Style<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKrRe0dX11-QGFq1seW6sjICCbQq4u116fMbJ5FOYXnNaPy1iXpZlFfTQJmiZ0pCtNjiFSLy6fjG0X0RR-5V3BDOGZOOhyphenhyphenTSCt0RsKP7T-8-j1cpZ28jJ49Mq6tFS50xi4Vt858QpwkQ7I/s1600/SF.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKrRe0dX11-QGFq1seW6sjICCbQq4u116fMbJ5FOYXnNaPy1iXpZlFfTQJmiZ0pCtNjiFSLy6fjG0X0RR-5V3BDOGZOOhyphenhyphenTSCt0RsKP7T-8-j1cpZ28jJ49Mq6tFS50xi4Vt858QpwkQ7I/s1600/SF.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo courtesy of Jon Yokley</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i> <span style="color: yellow;">...author Michael Riger</span></i></span><br />
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My name is Mike Riger. I am good friends and hunting buddies with Jon Yokley. Jon introduced me to HUD decoy’s about two years ago. I have to say I am quite impressed with the Mule Deer decoy. I have used the decoy in many different situations to close the distance on these illusive desert mulies we have here in AZ.<br />
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The first year Jon introduced me to your mule deer decoy I was quiet skeptical of how it would work. I glassed up about 135” muley bedded with several does. I did not have a tag and the buck was a little under my buddies standards. It was the perfect situation to see how well the decoy would work. My buddy and I started at 250 yards in plain view of the mulies. We kept zigzagging back and forth towards the bedded deer, never walking directly at them. We got up to 75 yards before the deer even stood up. Since this stalk the decoy is with me at all times while hunting Mule Deer.<br />
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On 12/25/2014, My wife and I glassed up a head of deer bedded on top of small mesa. With only a week left in the archery hunt my wife was not being picky. There was a small forkey that we seen bedded with the herd. We thought it was the only buck. My wife and I put a stalk on this herd using the decoy. We got sixty from the small buck. My wife had a hard time finding the buck as I kept telling her to step out from behind me to shoot the little forky. Out of nowhere stepped a 22 inch 2x3 to our left at forty yards. The buck fixed on the decoy giving my wife plenty of time to draw and put a great shot him.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZEPTXYrUZG9xCqepILybM4ieO0jRbcCEJF-q1kc-V8uWH-ZsGuApRQ5uepyYoJEDjUvNh_e-bGp64ucXlHsKLhirThqohsSv4-CLutcXRsd1oMwBR9QG0owNAO7FlGFP3BUpBaRdIUYeO/s1600/DSCN9692a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZEPTXYrUZG9xCqepILybM4ieO0jRbcCEJF-q1kc-V8uWH-ZsGuApRQ5uepyYoJEDjUvNh_e-bGp64ucXlHsKLhirThqohsSv4-CLutcXRsd1oMwBR9QG0owNAO7FlGFP3BUpBaRdIUYeO/s1600/DSCN9692a.jpg" height="202" width="320" /></a></div>
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On 12/26/2014, I glassed up a buck I had been chasing since 08/2013. He was about a mile away. I had put 4 stalks on this buck previously and was able to get into bow range each time. All 4 times I was never able to get a shot opportunity. I thought this stalk was not going to be doable, but I went for it anyways. The deer were able to see me the first ¾’s of the stalk. But due to me using the HUD Mule Deer decoy I was able to cross a lot of open country in the line of sight of the bedded muley buck and his does. The last 300 yards of the stalk I was out of the sight of the deer. After getting in bow range and waiting for the buck to stand up, I was finally able to send an arrow air mail at the magnificent muley.<br />
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I just wanted to give a big thanks to you guys at HUD decoy. I have been able to make stalks happen that without the decoy there would have been no chance. You guys have some great products.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06273204902971398074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429206127975231699.post-62601480640734343622014-12-22T18:06:00.000-06:002014-12-22T18:11:41.628-06:00Where the Wind Blows<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: yellow; font-size: x-small;"><i><b>author Tate Haines</b></i></span></div>
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We crawled into the blind late in the afternoon on October 31, 2013. My brother, Travis, and I had set out our trail cameras early in the summer and we had a pretty good idea of what deer were frequenting our property. Now, we sat in the blind hoping to get eyes on any of the five or six nice muley bucks that had been posing for us throughout the summer. It was the perfect evening; no clouds, comfortable temperatures, and not a breath of wind. The kind of weather that you hope for every time you head into the field, but as anyone that has been hunting in NW KS knows, is extremely rare. Our usual plan of attack is to use well concealed blinds to spot from, formulate a plan of attack, then put the HUD into action. A few doe started to move into the area from various directions followed by a few small bucks. There was probably fifteen or twenty deer in a spread out group, but nothing to get too excited about. It was getting close to dark when a familiar buck came strolling into view. He was probably a few hundred yards out from us, but the size of his body and unique rack made it pretty obvious which buck we were now watching. The smaller bucks stayed clear of him when he walked through the group and began to beat and rake his rack up and down a small cedar tree along the creek. It was getting too late and he was too far away to execute a decent stalk, so we reluctantly snuck out of the area, hoping we would come across this guy again in the next few days.<br />
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The only thing more obnoxious than the screaming alarm at 4:30 a.m. the next morning was the sound of the howling NW KS wind, which was holding steady around forty with higher gusts. This particular part of NW KS has about ten trees, total, and I was sure those trees were probably resting somewhere in Oklahoma after a ride from the NW wind. Lots of people would have turned off the alarm and tried to sleep off the wind, but I don’t get too many days in KS each year so we hunt any and all weather we encounter along the way. Since the previous nights’ events were still on replay in our heads going back to sleep was probably out anyway. While cussing the wind we geared up and headed out to the blind, assuming it was still there. Surprisingly enough the blind managed to hang on through the night and we were settled in before the sun came up, waiting to see one of our big bucks walk, or blow by. It was pretty uneventful up until about 8:00 a.m. when a few doe came into view followed shortly by the same buck from the night before. He seemed pretty interested in one particular doe and soon bedded down out of the wind with her, settling on the East side of a tree surrounded by tall weeds. This spot put them about three hundred yards straight West across a bare field from us. Travis suggested we ease out of the blind, circle around, and come in from a pasture on the West side of their location. This seemed like the best option as we could make a wide circle around and above them on a hill to the North and eventually come in from the SW. We would then be hidden by the wind break the buck and doe were now laying in.<br />
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We slowly moved out of the blind and along the edge of a creek. When we were about directly North of the buck, we spooked a group of fifteen mule deer from a wash. The group blasted out of the wash and ran right behind our buck. By some miracle, the rut and wind saved our plan and our buck stayed put as the group went screaming behind him and the doe. We continued with our plan and circled down through the pasture. By 8:45 a.m. we were moving through in the middle of a bare, worked up field about one hundred yards SW of the bedding location. We moved slowly and stepped softly as we made our way across the field trying to minimize how much dirt we made swirl up in the wind with each step. When we got to the back side of the weed patch I nocked an arrow and made sure the HUD muley doe was still securely in the bow mount. The weeds were tall enough that we couldn’t see the deer from the SW side of the weed patch, but we knew about where they were laying the last time we had eyes on them. I moved into the weeds first with Travis directly behind me. I got about five feet into the ten foot wide patch of weed when I saw antler tips sticking up seven yards in front of me. In about the same amount of time it took me to realize what I was looking at and pull back to full draw, the buck saw the HUD and pushed his thick body up to a standing position, as did the doe. The buck stared at the HUD for a few seconds while the doe started to get nervous and walk away. The buck lowered his body just a bit and looked off to the East, a gesture I knew meant he was about to blow out of there. I pulled back on the trigger of my release, let the arrow rip, and heard that beautiful sound of an arrow blasting through ribs at 320 ft/second. The big guy ran to the East about fifty yards, stopped, and started to sway from side to side. I expected him to drop, but he somehow mustered up the power to go another two hundred and fifty yards before he dropped at the edge of a creek bed.<br />
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The trail cam pictures we got of this buck throughout the summer didn’t do him justice. The mass and symmetry of the rack was amazing. After we recovered the deer, I was too excited to truly appreciate his body size. When we got him to the processor, his hanging weight (gutted, skinned, lower legs, and head removed) was 166 pounds. The manager of the processing center felt compelled to call and tell me this because my buck outweighed the other twenty deer he had taken in that year by at least twenty pounds. The rack measured in at 162 3/8 gross, 151 1/8 total Pope & Young score. The P&Y Measurer told me that out of all the years and hundreds of deer he had measured, mine was very unique in that all circumference measurements were perfectly symmetrical when comparing the left side to the right side.<br />
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In an industry being flooded by the “latest and greatest” gimmicks to get you that trophy buck, there are few products that actually live up to their claims. I know without the HUD, that buck would have flew out of his bed and been in the next county before I could draw my bow back. I have had many close and personal experiences with the HUD that would have been impossible otherwise. From a rutting buck running at me full steam to a doe sniffing the toe of my boot as I sat against a tree with the HUD in my lap, there is no other product that will give you this kind of edge. The area of NW KS I hunt is probably one of the toughest places you could ever find to try spot and stalk hunting. The HUD is a game changer in this area, and anywhere else you can use it. Thank you for such a valuable tool!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06273204902971398074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429206127975231699.post-37836109649286940492014-11-18T12:20:00.000-06:002014-11-18T12:20:28.284-06:00One of Those Days<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>author Nathan Sullivan</i></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDRH-blUy_75yMcWaTLlYQXWMkCQUyr0JhMfG6Wtt1MVFXI-7FHnVK1ra_YuxwGQ_9pGDx3uQWFxjhaBKpfNfGn4bOl92vQr9diOgCRaXT7-nMc-1uh7zuhoYRf77679lxbgjF7GqXKyCf/s1600/IMG_0147.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDRH-blUy_75yMcWaTLlYQXWMkCQUyr0JhMfG6Wtt1MVFXI-7FHnVK1ra_YuxwGQ_9pGDx3uQWFxjhaBKpfNfGn4bOl92vQr9diOgCRaXT7-nMc-1uh7zuhoYRf77679lxbgjF7GqXKyCf/s1600/IMG_0147.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a>November 7, 2014 was a great day with the Heads Up Decoy. I started the morning hiking and glassing some open country near a creek bottom looking for a mature buck to intercept. After only seeing a couple small bucks and a few does by mid-morning it was time for a new game plan. I circled to get the wind in my favor and slowly approached a small secluded draw that I knew deer frequently bedded in. When I was near the edge of the steep banks I clamped the HUD Whitetail Buck decoy to a bush a few yards in front of me and got in position in the shadow of a large cedar. I started by throwing out some loud grunts and doe bleats followed by a short but loud rattling sequence and then finished with a few more grunts. I quickly grabbed by bow knowing that any buck that responded could be there in a hurry. However, after about five minutes I was doubtful that anything was coming since it was such a small area of cover that was within earshot of my setup. Just when I was getting ready to gather my things to leave I turned my head to see an old mature whitetail standing at 20 yards looking for the source of the fight. He immediately spotted the decoy and laid his ears back and bristled up. He then started circling toward the downwind side and ended up within 15 yards before catching my scent and bolting. He was a great buck with incredible mass and double split brow tines but was missing most of one side of his rack from an earlier battle so I let him walk. What an exciting encounter! I walked back to the truck with a smile after being reminded why we bowhunt.<br />
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Later that afternoon it was unseasonably warm, so I wasn’t expecting a lot of deer movement as I headed to my tree stand. It was after sundown and I had yet to see any bucks but was still hopeful since a few does were feeding nearby. Just before dark I saw a large-bodied deer approaching quickly in search of a hot doe. After a quick look with the binos I decided he was a potential shooter and grabbed my bow. When he was 30 yards out he spotted the decoy, which I had clamped to a plum bush only 5 yards in front of my stand. Like the buck from the morning encounter, he too immediately took on an aggressive posture and began approaching the decoy stiff-legged and ready for a fight. I still wasn’t sure this was the buck I wanted to end my season with but when he was nose to nose with the decoy at only 5 steps, temptation got the better of me and I decided that this was too good of an opportunity to pass up. After the shot he only made it 70 yards before piling up. He may not be my biggest buck but the encounter certainly made for one of my more memorable hunts.<br />
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>If you haven’t yet given a Heads Up Decoy a try this season, I highly recommend it. Whether you are hunting on the ground or from a tree, it brings a whole new level of excitement to bowhunting that will have you wandering why you didn’t try it sooner.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06273204902971398074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429206127975231699.post-71515662489742120462014-10-01T20:34:00.002-05:002014-10-02T12:27:11.766-05:00Breaking the Seal"Bow season for elk is simply too short and the distance too far for a flatlander."<br />
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"The opportunity to elk hunt with a bow is both a blessing and a curse."</div>
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"Is the idea of bowhunting for elk better than the actual act itself?"<br />
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These are some of the things running through my head during every CO OTC elk hunt. Let's face the reality...hunting elk in Colorado is hard to do as a non resident. I've eaten a bunch of tags...including this year. But, I always cross the state line with optimism, hope, and confidence that this is the year to break the seal.<br />
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As Heads Up Decoy continues to grow my time during my day for other things gets smaller. My brother Jeff joined a team and entered a weight lost contest that started on March 1st of 2014. It was a life changer for him. I can remember talking to him over the years that physical conditioning for an elk hunt needed to start early in the year at the least and should be a year long endeavor. As Jeff was shedding the pounds, I was doing what I could to try to keep up with his exercise regimen. When the dust settled, Jeff had lost over 40 pounds and was in top physical shape.<br />
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Now, there are always several angles to approach a Colorado elk hunt depending on one's personal beliefs. Here is a retrospective look at the 2014 hunt.<br />
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I thought I was in manageable physical shape. The key word is "thought". I came into the hunt with a respiratory bug and on the first hike in, I knew I was going to struggle. My legs were dead and my lungs were struggling to recover from moderate climbs in the thin air. So, with my physical conditioning on the ropes, the confidence in a the mental component was sinking fast.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brother Steve glassing and brother Jeff crouching.</td></tr>
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So, make sure you go into an OTC elk hunt in the best possible physical conditioning. Eliminate the that component of the hunt so you can focus on a strong mental game for the grind that is OTC Colorado elk hunting. You cannot understand the ease of a topo map at the dining room table...and real topography at 11,000 feet. You can get any where on a map, but can you get there when you show up?<br />
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Aside from the physical issues I was having, there were people in every place we hiked into. Another part of the mental game that you have to prepare for. We were blessed with fair weather and comfortable nights. The mountain thermals were cooperating...but the elk were not. It's a grind for someone that does not live in elk country. Be ready and don't give up hope no matter how bleak it's going.<br />
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The week soon turned into a rodeo and the optimism gone and a new focus of being home with the family was in the head. Choose your hunting partners wisely. When you are down, they need to be up. When they are down, you need to be up...and for me, my hunting partner who had worked his *ss off to be ready for this hunt was focused in the final moments before we sacked our bats and headed for home.<br />
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A sequence of aggressive cow calling and a bugle triggered a response in an old spot that was our last resort. Jeff did not hear the bugle and as he continued his calling sequence. I knocked an arrow, put the cow elk decoy in the bowmount, and scanned the open bench and waited for the bull to appear.<br />
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Tiptoeing undetected was a small bull that busted when Jeff shifted his calling position. The bull was not alone on this mountain. Multiple bulls were bugling in the waning minutes of shooting light. Guess we were in for the next day. The optimize meter trended up as we circled the mountain in the truck hoping to find our old camping spot. On the way, we were pleasantly surprised to find the area was basically absent of hunters considering it was the last weekend of the CO muzzleloader season.<br />
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A quick lesson here was....don't be afraid to make something happen...and stay focused until it's truly time to call off the hunt because things can and do happen quickly in elk country.<br />
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The next morning came quickly and we were ready for the hunt as we sneaked up a small brushy washout under the cover of darkness as to not be detected by passing hunters who typically focus their attention on the mountains on other side of the road. With shooting light upon us, the calling set ups came and so were all the satellite bulls. Folks, it is amazing the stealth of a 500-600 lb animal. Small bull after small bull came into our sets undetected. It was frustrating since the moto for the day was, "If it's legal and brown...it's down." The calling and the decoying was working, but we couldn't catch a break on a shot.<br />
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Over the past several years of being in the archery industry, I have come to realize one characteristic of great bowhunters, those that I have known for a long time and those that I have met because of the decoy business. The best bowhunters fail a lot. They continue to place themselves in a position for an opportunity. The best bowhunters are always giving themselves a chance by being in animals. You cannot rely on luck (although there is always a component of good fortune in every successful hunt) or develop any proficiencies without giving yourself multiple opportunities. Eventually, you will get a good shot with repeated opportunities. And that is what I told my brother on a several occasions. What I learned this year is, hunting elk is far easier than finding elk.<br />
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The action had slowed a bit later in the morning so it was time to take a break, have some food, determine what the thermals were going to do, and then devise a plan for the remainder of the day. After choking down a protein bar and a swig of water, a cow mewed from below. We grabbed our bows and set up and called. Nothing emerged from the dark timber...but a distant bugle. I had complained earlier in the morning about the fact that we hadn't turned up a herd bull. Multiple encounters with small bulls...there has to be a "big boy" around here somewhere. The distant bugle was followed up with another bugle from the other direction. An obvious mature sounding bugle. Then another bugle. The bull was moving our way, but he was well above us.<br />
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The thermals had a consistent upward trend by now, Jeff and I followed our wind up the steep slope...sometimes gagging from the smell of our own 7 day musk. The objective was to cut the bull off and get at his level to increase our chance to call him into bow range. The bull was bugling regularly as well as the other bull that was at our opposite side. Once we reached his level, We set up and things got serious fast.<br />
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A small rock slide blocked my ability to move ahead of the caller. I was forced to stay behind a beetle killed pine otherwise I would have been in full sun. Aggressive name calling type discourse was coaxing this bull closer our way. The bull was slightly below us...which was great. I gambled thinking he would approach from the lower end of the slide giving me multiple shot opportunities at varying distances.<br />
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There was a lull in the exchange, before I noticed a very large animal emerging from the timber and into the middle of the rockslide. A cow! 20 yards with a very large bull in tow. I shimmied over disregarding the cow and her focus on me. Unfortunately, the bull's first pass was well above the slide before he closed from above. Once in bow range, his vitals were covered with a small grove of sapling aspens presenting no shot and only 40 yards away. At this point, I was shocked by 2 things, the size of the animal...well over 300 inches and the fact that he could not smell my 7 day, no shower, aroma.<br />
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I was very comfortable with my set up. The bull was either going to come below the slide or above it. I had a shot at either position. However, I was not anticipating the bull angling up the slope as far as he had. As I reflect on the sequence, I am embarrassed about the thoughts rolling through my mind...and probably the reason that fate did not turn out in my favor. I was thinking about hero shots and articles and all the "post game" discourse rather than staying in the moment. Shame on me. Never count your chickens before they hatch! The bull finally angle above me enough to get into my wind and he eased off with his cow in the direction they came.<br />
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The hunt was not over, there were several bulls sounding off on the mountain in our opposite direction. After a quick, "What the hell happened?" conversation with Jeff, we quickly descended down the mountain a 100 yards and sat up again on the bull bugling below us. The timber was dense and our set up was not ideal, but fine for the cover.<br />
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It was evident this bull was not a big bull so I quickly exchanged my bugling to sweet cow sounds boosting his confidence. The small bull bugled from a comfortable distance away while other sneaking 600 pound ninja's came in. One ninja/satellite bull appeared at Jeff's right at a mere 10 yards before he was detected. Slowly swinging his bow in his direction sent the woods a blaze with crashing timber. A short moment later, another bull slithered his way into the set up. Using multiple cow elk sounds and the decoy well in view of any approaching bull, a shadow gave away the presence of a small bull.<br />
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Calculated steps finally led the bull into a shooting lane a short distance from Jeff. TWHACK!!! Not being able to see Jeff. I was grateful to hear that familiar sound. I waited a half second before easing down the slope to find my brother sitting there calm and cool as a cucumber. "Don't tell me you miss!" I said. Jeff says "No, I am pretty sure I made a good shot"...and moments later we heard the bull expiring a short distance from us.<br />
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His demeanor is a little different than mine. I have a tendency to show emotion. Jeff acted like it was his 100th elk. Jeff had the mind set months ago that he was going to kill an elk and to do whatever it took to do it. I am so proud of him for finally breaking the seal for us. We've been so close on several other trips. But this day, we failed enough before we finally got it right.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">The authors gear:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Hoyt Carbon Spyder</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Grim Reaper 100gr Hades Broadheads</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Rocky Mountain/Bugling Bull Game Calls</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Tru Fire Hardcore Release</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Heads Up Decoy Cow Elk and Bow Mount</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06273204902971398074noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429206127975231699.post-74332336182835971492014-08-22T13:33:00.002-05:002014-08-22T13:33:56.193-05:00Heavy Hearts and Love Crazed BullsAfter 12 years of applying for a Black Hills, SD Archery Elk tag, I finally received that "You were successful" email from the SD GFP!!! My husband was the first person I told...by excitedly making a gesture of drawing a bow and doing a little happy dance! He knew right away what I was trying to tell him. We were going to be chasing bulls this September!!! I had seen a few ads for the Heads Up Decoys & loved how the easy to carry, lightweight design would pack thru the elk woods with us. I ordered one.<br />
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Preparing for my hunt was bittersweet. One of my Sister-In-Laws had been battling cancer for many years and her latest admittance into the hospital was proving to be one she would not walk away from. All our family had been gathering at the hospital for many days, giving support and spending short visits with Dawn. I was having a tough time juggling my feelings and not really making a definite decision to leave for the hunt. But, as I was sitting near Dawn's bed on the evening of Aug. 28th, she asked, "When do you leave for your elk hunt?" I just kind of shrugged my shoulders and told her it was a month long season. She knew I was hesitating to commit to leaving and told me to "Go kill a big one." Leaving her room that night, she smiled that beautiful smile as I walked thru the door.<br />
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My husband, Rick, and I left the next morning, Aug. 29, for the Hills. We hadn't been out to do any scouting yet, so thought we'd make the 6 1/2 hr. drive and get a couple days of searching out areas where the elk were hanging out, before opening day.<br />
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We weren't seeing many elk and the heat had everyone pretty quiet. We did encounter a couple herds and spotted a couple nice bulls. Sunday morning, the 1st of September arrived...with temps in the 90's. We hunted hard that day and the morning of the next, but with no responses to any calls and ridiculously hot temps, we decided to travel back home and make a plan to return as the weather cooled off & the locals reported bugles being heard. We arrived home late that night and didn't drive up to the hospital. The phone rang early in the morning...Dawn had passed on to Heaven around 3 am. She never gave up the fight, but her body just couldn't handle any more. She was laid to rest on Saturday. I thank God the last picture in my mind was seeing her smile as I walked out of her hospital room that last time.<br />
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I was determined to fill this tag in her honor. On Sept. 15, after lining up someone to do chores while we were gone and my Mom to watch our 3 kids, we headed west again. For the next couple days, we definitely saw an increase of rutting activity. Bulls were bugling early mornings and evenings, with dropping temperatures making it better each day. We had a close encounter with a very nice 6x7 which never offered a shot. He had been splashing in a waterhole below us and not expecting him to come running directly to me when I cow called, my set up wasn't the best. We had no time to get moved into better positions and utilize the decoy like it should be. He ran up the hill directly at me and instead of taking a path towards the left of me, giving a perfect open shot at 25 yds, he went to the right of me. Stopping directly on the opposite side of a short cedar tree I was sitting behind. I could hear him breathe and see his right eye stare thru the branches, right into my eyes. I spun on my knees as he took long strides past me, & hoped to find a window to draw on him, but it wasn't to be. He disappeared silently. Leaving me in awe of what just happened and a bit disgusted. But, that's hunting.<br />
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Another encounter that proved to leave us in awe again came on an evening hunt overlooking the same waterhole. A growling bull was on the far side across the draw, still hiding in the trees, but answering my call...alot!! When he stepped out around 300 yds away, we could tell he was nearing that 400" class! He talked back to me for nearly 45 minutes and showed off his rack as he laid his head back and hit himself in the rump! He wouldn't come across the draw. He hugged that treeline, just screaming and growling to every cow call I made. Rick was up behind me and to my left 30 yds or so. In all the excitement and trying to videotape this bull, he didn't get the decoy up and visible. Not really sure this bull would have seen it that far away anyways and thru the darkness of the timber as light was fading fast. He was one of those majestic bulls in my dreams and I'm happy we got to witness that show!<br />
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On the morning of the 19th, we decided to go back to that lucky waterhole. We sat right up on the edge of the water near some deadfall. Rick was about 10 yds. to my left and behind me a bit. He had the decoy ready. We heard 2 bulls bugling to the NW, up in the trees. I let out a couple calls & they responded immediately. You could tell by the bugles that one was an immature bull and one was a mature, growler...maybe that 400" class bull! They both kept answering my calls, but the younger sounding of the two was getting closer. He finally stepped out of the trees and headed our way. He was a rather goofy looking 3x4. It was like we had him on a string as he walked right to us. He saw that cow head decoy and fell in love instantly! He came to about 6 yds. of me and then noticed me, but didn't bolt. He stared me down and looked back at the decoy, then back at me. Finally he had enough and slowly trotted back toward the spot he exited the trees. I kept calling, trying to coax the other bull from his hiding. But, instead, this same young bull came back a second time. I guess he just couldn't resist the "Love Doll on a Stick", as my husband named her!! About 2 hours had passed now, and it sounded as the older bull was going deeper into the woods, NW away from us. I decided we were going to meander up into the woods and try to follow him. Not knowing what excitement lay ahead!<br />
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We got back into a tall, lush grassy area full of elk beds. This is where he had been talking back to us from earlier. As we traveled on, we started hearing cows and calves talking...then more and more different bugles. We topped a ridge that had a pretty sharp drop off into a small, narrow drainage. It was mass confusion as cows were running back and forth as younger bulls were trying to steal them from the herd bull. We could only catch glimpses as we tried to stay back and hidden, as not knowing where a set of eyes might detect us. Then, I heard a bark. Another young bull, I'd say a 2x3, did just that....detected us intruders! He ran right into the herd and off they went. Not completely blowing out, but disappearing into an Aspen thicket. We gave them a couple minutes and continued on our pursuit. I kept cow calling every so often as I was walking. At times you could hear the herd stop and then the sound of satellite bulls rushing into the herd. They kept the boss bull on the move almost constantly. We ended up coming to a intersection of 2 old logging roads. We were going to sit down for a quick rest, but just then a cow came running by about 50 yds. in front of us, with a young satellite on her tail & a bigger, nice satellite behind him! Things were getting really vocal again, so we found some trees to get set up by and began calling pretty much nonstop.<br />
Knowing there were several more bulls in the area and a herd bull somewhere, we hoped to lure one from the outskirts of the herd. All of a sudden another young, small bull noticed the "Love Doll"! He was in love, too. Even after getting directly down wind of Rick, he still had to get as close to her as he could. Close enough to blow elk snot on my husband! Oh what fun we were having!!!<br />
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After that unbelievably close encounter, we headed up a hill that would top out and then descend as quickly into another narrow, deep gully. But, before we could reach the top...surprise! Another young satellite falling in love with the decoy! Rick was about 25 yds. walking behind me, holding her in front of his face. This bull, again...looked at me, then the decoy, then me, etc. He knew it wasn't right with me in the path to the gal he was making googly eyes with, but he really didn't care! I think there were so many satellite bulls dogging the herd bull and his cows, that they were getting so worked up from anticipation of getting close to a cow, they started losing their good sense! This bull was directly above me about 10 yds. as we were sitting on the side hill, about half way up. He took another step right at me, then another and another. Finally, he was about 5 feet from me. I had an arrow nocked and my release on the string, but having no intention of shooting this 4x4. As he was looking right over top me at the decoy....I watched his eyes...he'd have an intent look of love as if the potential to get close to this "cow" was possible. Then a look of "What the heck is happening to this gal?!" Then, that love struck look came back across his expression again! Later, to find out Rick was playing with him a bit...moving the decoy in front, then to the side of his face. No matter, this immature Romeo didn't care, he was going to check out this cow! He looked down at me for a last time and began to step right on me!!! I threw up a rock at him quickly, which only made him sidestep a bit. He finally lost interest when we walked toward him, hiding Love Doll. As we quietly slipped down the hill into the drainage, you could feel the damp, cool area we were entering. The grass was tall & there was moss hanging from the spruce trees & lots of deadfall of pines from the beetle infestation the Hills are experiencing. It became darker and cooler as we walked deeper into the area. Perfect elk area!!! We could hear the cows, calves and bulls talking. We literally crawled under the low hanging spruce and came up on a thicket that contained a growling bull. It sounded like the herd bull. Rick sat back behind me about 30 yds. and I got sat up, tucked into a spruce behind me. All of a sudden...chaos! The hair on the back of my neck stood straight up as an earth-shaking bugle, growl and scream projected right into my face!!! The herd bull was only about 25 yds. from me, but all I could see was a glimpse of his horn and brown/tan hair! A younger bull rushed into the middle of the thicket, then a calf came running out and almost ran into me. I heard cows talking as they ran the opposite way to my right. I quickly cow called, trying to make the herd bull think he'd left a cow behind. Then, suddenly, a younger bull appeared above me about 35 yds. away. He started walking right at me after noticing that decoy Rick was holding! I took a quick look at his rack, noticed he had some decent width and figured he was at least a 5x5. His head was behind some branches at about 20 yds. so I drew my bow. I focused on the kill spot in the front chest that I'd studied on a photo of elk anatomy...just in case this was the only shot I was presented! And, this is all he was going to give me! As he got to 12 yds. from me, he stopped and noticed something wasn't right. He looked at me, then the decoy, then me, and as his legs quivered a bit as if he was going to bolt, I release my arrow. I watched the arrow and pink lighted nock disappear into him...he spun, with blood squirting, staggered 3 steps and fell a little over 20 yds from me...all 4 hooves reaching for the sky!!! I ran up to him as he was taking his last breath. I turned and yelled to Rick that "He's done!" He couldn't believe it as he ran up to me and lifted me up for a hug! In less than one minute from the time I released my arrow, he was dead!!! "I did it!!! This one's for you Dawn!!!"<br />
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We had hiked about 6 miles following this herd and didn't know how close we could get the pickup to haul him out. I began opening him up to retrieve my arrow. As I looked inside, I could see my pink lighted nock glowing next to his heart. Sort of fitting as a tribute to those fighting and those who have lost their battle with cancer. My broadhead was situated right above his 'tool'. I had severed the top arteries of his heart, stopping him so quickly. I'm so happy I had practiced a shot like this and researched the spot on the chest that was needed to kill an elk. It wasn't a shot I ever wanted to take, but I was confident in my shooting ability and knew at 12 yds., I would have a better chance for a clean shot.<br />
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An unexpected thing happened as I was quartering him. We heard a strange moaning, almost screeching noise in the woods near us. Rick and I looked at each other, both wondering if it could be a cougar, as some people had warned us of after getting the smell of blood in the air. Then all of a sudden, less than 30 yds. from us, a 40 ft tall pine slowly fell and uprooted another big pine on its way down! Thank God they fell parallel of us and didn't fall over top of us and my elk!! We both asked each other at the same time..."Is this some sort of sign? Good or bad?!" Maybe it was someone's way of telling us from up above that they knew we'd succeeded!<br />
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After I got my bull quartered up, bagged and ready for hauling out, we took off to try to find a trail or log road we could use to get the pickup in as close as we could. We found an old log trail that needed a few branches cut to be passable and hiked a longer, but easier walking way across country to the truck. By the time we got drove back in as close as we could and packed him all out and loaded, it was dark. I shot him right at 11:05 and we were finally driving out by 8:00. We hiked over 15 miles that day and worked our butts off...loving every second of it!!! Borrowing Dawn's motto of "Life Is Good" couldn't be more fitting. The memories will last forever. Even if I didn't kill a really big one, he's still a trophy and means a lot to me in more ways than one.<br />
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<br />
Rick and<br />
I had so much fun using this Head's Up Decoy...aka..."Love Doll on a Stick". We can't wait to use her again and have told all our friends the amazing success it brought. I'm planning on taking the mule deer doe decoy I bought with me this year on a bow hunt out west. Excited to see the outcome!! Thanks for a great product!!!<br />
-Shauna Woodward. Tulare, SDAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06273204902971398074noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429206127975231699.post-11263596279228502682014-07-15T00:39:00.001-05:002014-07-15T00:39:36.441-05:00First Date with Daisy<b><i>At Eye Level</i></b> <span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>contributor Darren Padilla</i></span><br />
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<i>Santa Fe, NM</i></div>
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A few years ago, my son and I were on a late season mule deer archery hunt in southern New Mexico when we realized the potential of using a decoy to attract bucks during the rut. The rut was in full swing and we were having a blast stalking bucks who were busy trying to keep tabs on the does. One morning, we spotted a big mature 10-pt buck tending a few does across a large wash. A smaller 10-pt buck was hanging around trying to steal a chance at a doe, when he began staring at us. Now, we were just hiding behind some creosote bushes glassing them, but he spotted us and came trotting over from 300 yards away. Amazingly, he must have mistaken us for deer in the bushes. The buck came to within 30 yards of us. We never did get that buck, but the idea dawned on us that we needed to try a decoy! We agreed that we needed something light to carry and it had to have BIG mule deer sized ears.<br />
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After that hunt, I researched the decoys on the market and over the next couple of seasons, but nothing seemed to be what we were looking for. Then, I came across the Heads Up - Mule Deer Doe decoy. It was just what I was looking for and I just had to get one for our upcoming hunt. Heck, the price was right as well. I placed my order the month before our hunt and chose to get the bow mount along with my decoy. I borrowed an old stabilizer from a buddy and installed the bow mount on my Hoyt Spyder 30.<br />
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Opening day on January 1st, 2014 was going to be the test. We soon spotted a nice shooter buck chasing a small herd of does. I got the nod and went after them with the decoy in one hand and my bow in the other. When I got to within a couple of hundred yards, I started stalking with the decoy up and facing the direction of the deer. I came around a bush and had a doe bust me at about 60 yards. I just froze and held the decoy up in front of me. After about 20 seconds, she wagged her tail and continued feeding from right to left. Wow!!! The stalk would have been over right then and there if I hadn't been for my Heads Up Decoy! Although I never did get a shot on that stalk, it was the decoy’s first test and it won me over…Hands down. During the hunt, my hunting partner and I both used the decoy with good results. We were able to get much closer to the deer with the decoy. On another memorable stalk, we spotted a huge fork antlered buck tending a doe from about a mile away. This time it was my buddy’s turn to try the decoy. He’s a big guy about 6’ 3” and is he’s a traditional archer. Mule deer hunting in open desert with a recurve? Are you kidding me? Well, using that decoy, he easily got to within 100 yards of the buck and doe with very little cover while they kept a watchful eye on him. A young spike was with the buck and doe and decided to come visit the decoy and my partner. He walked to within 15 yards before he winded my partner and took off. That didn’t phase the buck and doe! He watched them feed and romance closer and closer to him. The deer were so calm with him and the decoy in plain sight that he even witnessed the buck mount the doe right there in front of him at 40 yards! Wowzers!!! Eventually, they winded him too and it was over. That clinched it for my buddy…he was a believer now.<br />
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The weather was extremely windy during our hunt, so I didn't get a chance to use my bow mount very much. It’s not something to use in windy weather because it’s like bolting a kite to your bow. Here’s a good tip for windy conditions. Because it was so windy, I had to figure out how to carry it without it catching in the wind and flopping around. Since I use a belt mounted bow hook to carry/hold my bow while I hunt, just slid the decoy in the bow hook on top of the bow handle and against my body and was able to carry the decoy in place along with my bow in the high wind. The handle was positioned to the front so I could grip the decoy handle and the bow with one hand as I walked.<br />
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In summary, the Heads Up - Mule Deer decoy more than met my expectations and it will be going on all my future mule deer archery hunts. What I learned, is that when you hold the decoy up between you and the deer…where the deer can see it more than you, the deer focus on the decoy even though you are there too. If you get busted, just keep the decoy up and the deer will calm down and go back to what they were doing. I guess they think you’re a funny shaped deer, or just another herbivore. The decoy even helped me sneak among cattle without causing a stampede! I hate when cattle stampede and blow out a good buck when I’m on a stalk. The decoy worked so well, we decided it needed a name. I named her “Daisy”. This is a highly effective decoy that is perfect for spot and stalk, or still hunting methods.<br />
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Darren Padilla - Santa Fe, NM<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06273204902971398074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429206127975231699.post-34159343230920614962014-07-09T16:54:00.000-05:002014-07-09T16:54:06.539-05:00What is "AT EYE LEVEL" What is "<i>AT EYE LEVEL"? AT EYE LEVEL </i>is a more formal means for our customers, partners, and friends to share their experiences with Heads Up Decoy. If you have a success story with pictures to share on this blog...we have a space for you. If you have quality video of an animal reacting positively to our decoy...we may use it. If you have a full blown video of a hunt with a story line and would like to produce it...we may use it as part of our <i>"AT EYE LEVEL"</i> experience.<br />
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We've always assumed that feedback would come in...and it has... but in reality...life happens and time passes along with the desire to email or call to share those moments. We see results most often through forums with customers that have used Heads Up Decoy with great results but haven't necessarily notified us, but are more than willing to step up and support us...THAT'S GREAT!<br />
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As a small company in a "watered-down" industry, we rely on the sense of connection with our customers, friends, and partners to help us spread the word and to share some of the experiences that are unique ONLY to Heads Up Decoy as well as those that are more conventional. Through customer and partner contributed blog entries, photos, and video we believe that we will provide a sense of connection with our company. For example, a gentleman sent me this photo late last year...and we used it in our first <i>EVER</i> Eastmans' Bowhunting Journal ad.<br />
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In our 2014 Video Trailer introducing our <i>AT EYE LEVEL</i> experience, much of that video was submitted by customers, friends, and industry partners. And it's good stuff! You can be a part of that.<br />
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If you are willing to share your story, photo, and or video, simply contact us at info@headsupdecoy.com and type in the subject line <i>AT EYE LEVEL</i>. Let us know what you have and if we use your material we will send you various Heads Up Decoy prize packs.<br />
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We will review the material with you and go over the disclaimers in personal conversations.<br />
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We appreciate your support and we look forward to a great 2014.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06273204902971398074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429206127975231699.post-64774635848838332722014-06-02T17:23:00.000-05:002014-06-02T17:23:27.872-05:00Two for Two<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">
<span style="background-color: black; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>by Carl Woody</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: black; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">A Mule Deer tag is hard to come by if you’re a
non-resident wanting to hunt the Plains of Kansas. While I’m not superstitious,
I was fortunate enough in 2011 to draw a Archery Mule Deer tag. This was the
first time I would have an opportunity to hunt the beautiful animal. I had
dreamed of hunting a mule deer for years with my bow. It was finally going to
happen. As far as a mule deer destination, Kansas probably isn’t even a thought
for most people. But in 2009, that was my first time too hunt Kansas and I was
their bow hunting whitetails. While I did manage to take my best whitetail to
date I kept seeing mule deer and that got me eager to hunt them.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Now 2011, I had my Archery Mule Deer tag and on
Halloween I traveled to Kansas. Arriving mid afternoon I scouted that evening
and saw some nice bucks. The next morning I was perched on a hill glassing the
area. I found a nice buck and made a
stalk up a CRP drainage. I had bought a mule deer doe decoy from Heads Up
Decoys and I used it on my approach. As I made my way under a fence and up the
drainage I eased the HUD mule deer doe decoy up in front of me. A moment later
I noticed the buck looking my direction.
He saw the decoy and headed right in my direction immediately. I stuck
the decoy in the grass in front of me and got ready. Within seconds he covered
100 yards. He got to 30 yards and I eased my bow back. He was so focused on the
decoy he never flinched and kept coming. At 20 yards the shot happened with the
arrow blowing through the front shoulders. He turned and ran over a little rise
and out of sight. I ran 50 yards and looked over the rise and he was going down
40 yards from me. I watched for a moment realizing what I had just done.
Actually what the HUD mule deer doe had just did for me. I looked back over my
shoulder at the HUD decoy sitting up in the grass and smiled. Then turned back
toward my buck and thanked God for the opportunity and for making me a bow hunter. My first mule deer…I was hooked on bow
hunting mule deer.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: black; color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigW4QEZ7pncya3PKTPMyhHjsPHjL5hddwa6iBClr3c3HMOmkBMF9IuJfd5_oNoQeLL3lsUCArjDrYFqKWjLtXLM5zKu36qs2twb3USE1atAb92gYHF6aLjDkk8k-S3_Goq38Lo5mqcYAJv/s1600/photo+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigW4QEZ7pncya3PKTPMyhHjsPHjL5hddwa6iBClr3c3HMOmkBMF9IuJfd5_oNoQeLL3lsUCArjDrYFqKWjLtXLM5zKu36qs2twb3USE1atAb92gYHF6aLjDkk8k-S3_Goq38Lo5mqcYAJv/s1600/photo+4.JPG" height="238" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: black; color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Going into 2012 I opted not to put in for a tag with
other obligations to take care of that fall. Then came 2013 and I was going to
put in for a mule deer tag. With the tag’s so hard to draw I thought there’s no
way I would be fortunate enough to get another mule deer tag. When the draw
results came out I was going back to Kansas with my second mule deer tag. I was
ready for another opportunity at a nice buck.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">With two hunting trips in 2009 and 2011 under my belt
and a scouting trip in late August 2013 I was set for the first of November for
my hunt. I wasn’t going to just settle for a buck, I wanted a true trophy, a
170 of better! With all the prep of my gear, practicing countless hours
shooting my bow the time was here. I arrived Halloween evening and with the
wind howling from the northwest at 35 plus (welcome to Kansas) I opted to glass
from the truck that afternoon. I glassed a cut corn field from a distance and
saw lots of deer with two bucks worth a closer look the following morning.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The first morning found me several hundred yards from
the cut corn. As day light slowly started to come to life I could make out mule
deer and over the next few hours I
watched as the deer moved in and out of the field and bedding in the adjacent draws.
While I did see the two bucks from the night before they weren’t what I was
looking for on this trip. At mid morning I met up with my uncle. He had been
scouting other places and we compared our buck sightings of the mourning. It
was clear he had seen a deer I wanted to get on.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I made a plan for the afternoon
and at 2pm I was dropped off at my destination. As I got my stuff ready I
couldn’t help but notice the wind was ridiculously high. I’m talking guest to
45 maybe more! I thought man if I get a shot it’s going to have to be top pin
range in order to make a ethical shot with the wind like this. As I started to
head west in the pasture I knew where I wanted to be.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">There was a deep draw
about ¼ mile from me that ran north and south, to the south about a mile was a
cut corn field and I knew the deer would be headed to that field to feed that
evening. As I moved closer to the draw I saw a vantage point that I wanted to
glass from. I started to crest over the hill when I suddenly saw the rear end
of a mule deer doe standing at the bottom of the draw. I instantly dropped to
the ground. I glassed the area and there were four does and a true trophy mule
deer in the mix. The first thing that got my attention was the deep rear
forks on the right side. As soon as I saw that I thought there’s my
boy. From there I was probably 200 yards from the group. It’s a miracle they
hadn’t spotted me! But with the wind and my camo leafy suite they probably both
saved me.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: black; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I watched the buck for several minutes and it was obvious they
weren’t going anywhere. </span></span><span style="background-color: black; color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">There was a deep cut that fed down off the hill into the
draw about 100 yards to my right and they were standing at the mouth of the cut
in the draw. I back tracked out of sight and moved down the cut towards the
group. I noticed a dog leg in the cut so I made my way to that point. I peaked
over some yuccas and there they were about 100 yards. The bucks rack was breath
taking and I knew I was going to do all I could to get a shot at him. The
problem was I couldn’t get any closer from here because of open space. I
watched him for over an hour though my 10x binoculars. He had mass that was top
notch and extra points that made me drool! As the afternoon got shorter the
does began to slowly move south to that corn field. I thought I’ve got to get
ahead of them in the draw and hopefully ambush him. I back tracked up the hill
and ran 500 yards to the south to another cut that ran down into the draw. I
stopped at the top and got down behind some yuccas to collect my thoughts. I
couldn’t see the deer yet and was waiting for them to appear any second but
they didn’t. I said to myself, I need to get down this cut right in the edge of
the draw to have a chance.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I started working my way down slowly with the HUD
mule deer doe up in front of me.</span><span style="background-color: black; color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="background-color: black; color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I kept
thinking that any second they are going to walk out but they didn’t.</span><span style="background-color: black; color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="background-color: black; color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I moved on and finally got into
position.</span><span style="background-color: black; color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="background-color: black; color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I peaked over the edge and
could see 80 yards or so and no deer. Perfect I thought, I got some tumble weeds
and put them in front of me for a little cover and had some yuccas behind me…this
was perfect. I sat there and realized the wind had died some and that the draw
was a wind brake which was great because that meant I could shoot across the
draw if needed. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirFAKUjoCh8C2KcnINBJWfKP_oUHZdQ-vaMVWnY9NsQI_CssUMB4IyhQfihBDfhIygJrLh4YJB9cm3VMU4GDe7yr9MjbzAuf-of5cBjkfn5v4sNSBLlhAIw_ehezmuiwHhhSw_5vct-uZq/s1600/photo+3+(3).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirFAKUjoCh8C2KcnINBJWfKP_oUHZdQ-vaMVWnY9NsQI_CssUMB4IyhQfihBDfhIygJrLh4YJB9cm3VMU4GDe7yr9MjbzAuf-of5cBjkfn5v4sNSBLlhAIw_ehezmuiwHhhSw_5vct-uZq/s1600/photo+3+(3).JPG" height="219" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I ranged some land marks to make sure everything was ready. I
looked back up the draw and saw the does headed my way. I got ready. The does
fed by and I ranged them, 31 yards, 34, 35 and 38 yards. They never looked my
way and kept on south toward the corn. I kept waiting for the buck. I slowly
looked up the draw, no buck yet. I eased up and crawled back behind me with my
HUD mule deer doe decoy and stuck her in
the ground so he could see her when he got about 50 yards. I hurried back to my
position. It was about 5 minutes and he
appeared headed my way. He was walking and feeding down the middle of the draw
right on the same path as the does. As
he came down the draw he made his way to the far side of the draw. I bleated
and he stopped and looked straight at the mule deer doe decoy. With his
attention focused on the decoy I eased my bow to full draw. He never knew I was
there. At 47 yards I settled my 50 yard pin and the shot happened, the arrow
flew true and the buck went down in sight. I sat there for a few minutes
thanking God for making me a bow hunter and the opportunity to see a buck of
this caliber and to have made an ethical shot. As I walked up on this deer I
noticed more mass and character than I had earlier that afternoon. I had truly
out done my 2011 mulie buck. That’s what I had hoped for. I had succeeded on
two archery mule deer hunts in Kansas and I pay a lot of that success to the
HUD mule doe decoy. Mr. Roe is making an
awesome product for us bow hunters. If you’re going to spot and stalk mule deer
you’d be crazy not to have this decoy with you at all times. It can and will
make your hunt more successful period.
Like Mr. Roe says, Be Mobile… Stay Mobile! Thanks for offering a
superior product for us bow hunters!!
Keep up the great work!!</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">My buck 2nd buck gross scored 172 5/8 inches and netted 166
2/8. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06273204902971398074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429206127975231699.post-80009107817550518182014-04-25T13:17:00.000-05:002014-04-25T13:28:42.825-05:00Welcome Distraction<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Welcome Distractions</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Matt Dorram</b></div>
<br />
Bow hunting elk has always been my passion. The close encounters with wild rutting bulls and the adrenaline rush that follows is not easily replaced by any other activity on earth. Once in a while, another hunting opportunity comes along to distract my attention away from elk, even if only for a brief period. <br />
<br />
I hadn’t ever hunted big game with my friend, Doug. In fact, we hadn’t seen each other much at all since our school-age days of hunting waterfowl together as often as humanly possible. We re-connected through social media and decided to hunt elk in an area we had both considered for many years, but never actually visited. My primary objective was to help Doug kill a big bull with his stick bow. I knew the area well enough to know that big bulls were killed every year; perseverance was going to be the key to our success.<br />
<br />
<a bear.jpg="" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrJS6UrNdecGPwftDTCjguFX-6hU9oYqUD4YnvwpYe8zjO1bxzkq5K8uaTPA9on8pY1QH_HELYC7pCzmF7CrspqiVYvJEBkt2BH_wlduAeDrrfOhB1JwHFNC9h33Bf75JAu7Do7MnI3qkz/s1600/Matt" s="" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrJS6UrNdecGPwftDTCjguFX-6hU9oYqUD4YnvwpYe8zjO1bxzkq5K8uaTPA9on8pY1QH_HELYC7pCzmF7CrspqiVYvJEBkt2BH_wlduAeDrrfOhB1JwHFNC9h33Bf75JAu7Do7MnI3qkz/s1600/Matt's+2013+bear.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
<br />
After a brutally early wake-up, we drove through the hours that nearly all sane-minded people slept and arrived at our “trailhead” just before dawn. It was early September and the weather was perfect for the long hike ahead. Our plan was to make camp about 4 miles deep and explore our new surroundings in search of elk—and maybe a bear. Over the next couple days, we hiked, glassed, and found very little fresh sign of elk. We did manage to locate a decent bull and his small harem on the second evening just above our camp. After 30 minutes of calls back-and-forth, the wind completed its predictable downhill swap and the game was over. <br />
<br />
Day three began without a single bugle. I was beginning to think that there weren’t many elk in our particular basin. We hiked farther up the drainage; a direction we hadn’t yet explored. As we progressed, faint bugles could be heard in the distance. The topography of the land made it very difficult to decipher exactly where the sounds were coming from. A small bull responded to our pleading cow calls and moved in quickly for a closer look. Doug elected to pass on the bull, still confident we would find some of his big brothers and cousins. <br />
<br />
The once-distant bugles became much closer until it was clear that elk were rapidly moving our direction over the adjacent ridge. We quickly crossed the valley floor and began to climb the opposite mountain in pursuit of our newly-arrived quarry. We worked several great setups in customary caller-shooter style. Doug needed only inches or steps on several nice bulls for shot opportunities to emerge. During the action, one particular bull was ripping deep and distinctive bugles every couple minutes as he worked across the other side of a nasty slot canyon. After some discussion and reluctance, Doug launched himself down the precarious slope hoping to get across and ahead of the bull as it moved. My calls slowed the bull somewhat, but he was determined toward a location which would become his bedding area for the day. The nasty combination of steep terrain and almost impenetrable jungle of scrub oak and thorny brush prevented Doug from continuing his advance. Doug was able to see the bull at one point; he was massive. The giant’s frequent bugles were now stationary indicating he had found his bed. Doug returned to my side of the slot and we made a plan to climb around and above, hoping to find a better avenue and favorable upslope midday wind. <br />
<br />
After a climb in the growing heat, Doug and I found an excellent perch among some cliffs where we could glass the slope below. The big bull was mostly quiet now, only an occasional bugle which let us know he was still in the thick tangle. As we glassed the terrain and pondered a new strategy, a large oak tree began to sway back-and-forth. I immediately thought we found the bull’s exact spot by him rubbing a tree. This hope was quickly replaced by another reality—a bear was in the oak tree gorging itself on the abundant acorns. This was an elk hunt until now. Enter the welcome distraction.<br />
<br />
I had been searching for an opportunity on another bear for some years. After spotting the first bear, two others were located the same way. We watched these bears for about twenty minutes trying to decide which to pursue. We hoped we could kill one without disrupting the resting bull only a couple hundred yards farther down the hill. We picked some landmarks along our stalk route and began our descent into the bear infested scrub. <br />
<br />
We advanced along our predetermined route and came to our final landmark. Doug was armed with the video camera; I was armed with my new Xpedition Archery killing machine. As anticipated, I moved slowly around a final tree to find the big bear its original location. With film rolling, my first arrow sailed harmlessly under the bear’s chest (most guys would have probably used a rangefinder in this situation. I’m a knucklehead sometimes). The clatter of the arrow through the trees below caused the bear to ignore the task of eating and look around for the cause of the commotion. My second arrow found its mark and the bear instantly fell out of sight into a tangle of oak brush. As with many of my attempted video kills, the entire sequence wasn’t captured on camera; Doug was busy watching the action and filming the ground at his feet (easy to be distracted after stalking to within 30 yards of a bear!). We sat for an hour, uncertain of the exact location of the hit. Neither of us relished the thought of tracking a wounded bear through this thick, tangled mess. Our bull sounded-off a few times to let us know he was still there, almost taunting us in the process. <br />
<br />
As we cautiously approached the last know location of the bear, growls, snapping, and thrashing erupted from the trees 5 yards to our left; it seemed that our wounded bear scenario was about to begin. Doug and I looked at each other, knowing what lie ahead as we mentally prepared for the worst. As I stepped to my right to find a place to sit and gather my thoughts, dark fur was visible on the opposite side of a boulder. My bear was dead only feet from the point it was impaled by the arrow. It was lying still and had obviously been that way since just seconds after the hit. The other bear that growled at us must have been approaching with cannibalistic intentions.<br />
<br />
We skinned the bear, snapped a few photos, and bagged all the meat. It was still early afternoon when we finished the task and our big bull was still only a short distance downhill. We made a half-measured stalk attempt on the bull, setting up to call once. The terrain and vegetation was just too thick for a stalk on the resting bull. Although the big bull never came to investigate, a nice satellite bull was quite interested in the seductive cow calls I delivered. This bull managed to get around Doug and to within 5 yards of me—twice! After another missed shot opportunity for Doug that day, we decided to get busy packing meat. Certainly, these elk and the big bull with them would be nearby in the morning, right?<br />
<br />
Most hunting stories contain great lessons learned. This is where our lesson enters the story. Never willingly walk away from a great bull hoping to find him the next day. I knew this already, but even seasoned hunters make mistakes. We never found that bull again, and our valley was once again quiet without his presence. To my friend, Doug: Thanks for allowing me the welcome distraction and your help with the nasty pack-out. I’m sorry we left that bull, let’s get him this year!<!-- Blogger automated replacement: "https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrJS6UrNdecGPwftDTCjguFX-6hU9oYqUD4YnvwpYe8zjO1bxzkq5K8uaTPA9on8pY1QH_HELYC7pCzmF7CrspqiVYvJEBkt2BH_wlduAeDrrfOhB1JwHFNC9h33Bf75JAu7Do7MnI3qkz/s1600/Matt's+2013+bear.JPG" with "https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrJS6UrNdecGPwftDTCjguFX-6hU9oYqUD4YnvwpYe8zjO1bxzkq5K8uaTPA9on8pY1QH_HELYC7pCzmF7CrspqiVYvJEBkt2BH_wlduAeDrrfOhB1JwHFNC9h33Bf75JAu7Do7MnI3qkz/s1600/Matt's+2013+bear.JPG" -->
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06273204902971398074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429206127975231699.post-90258186264291873222014-04-13T22:09:00.000-05:002014-04-13T22:20:18.032-05:00In The Thick of ItGoing back to the fall of 2012, I'd say I have been in a little bit of a bowhunting funk. The 2013 spring turkey season was the lowest. The weather did not seem to cooperate and I found myself pressing. There was some good moments during the turkey season, but selfishly, most of my memories revolve around my own <i>missed</i> chances.<br />
<br />
On Friday April 11, 2014, I had the pleasure of hunting with my 6 year old boy. I was so proud of his effort, focus, and desire to hunt turkeys. We hunted outside of a traditional blind setting. I had a great time...sure I had a couple of impatient dad moments :-). Kaleb had a few moments when he protested the pace and few times that he expressed his opinion that I should shoot even though the birds were 150 yards out because an arrow can go a long way...it was a great and memorable experience. We saw a ton of turkeys too. That helps.<br />
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This past weekend, it was good to relive the days when the turkey decoy was almost 100% effective with multiple shot opportunities and close encounters. There are days when everything goes right and on Saturday, things worked...but it took some work and patience. Myself and prostaffer David Gillan were able to get into birds at will. We took advantage of a great, but hot, spring day...and the turkeys cooperated.<br />
<br />
Most of the birds were on the adjacent property. What we did was back off the property line and laid down sequences of hen calls. Once the birds crossed the property line, they were able to see the decoy mounted to the bow. In my opinion, it's good ethics to give a buffer to a property line any time, but it's also important when decoying turkeys with a Heads Up Decoy. If you crowd a fenced property line, the birds WILL hang up for sure strutting on the opposite side fence leaving you in misery. If you back off 80+ yards the birds will go under the fence and come charging or strutting into bow range. It was a great day and it was good to be relaxed and in the middle of the action.<br />
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Here are some images of the the spring thus far...Pic heavy.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAvas47XEHYVTNcIusfG8zMdyK9nZqg_YeGuWkyaiACj2jpkHkBIqACnHKwtdj7-_S70uI_7O3X6SGGGvoG2DrntSiF1WdeezMx8fpt5YWSvKlHFEk_tmmxKHzhi7Cmba5SQyRrYvsJbEY/s1600/turkey+tracks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAvas47XEHYVTNcIusfG8zMdyK9nZqg_YeGuWkyaiACj2jpkHkBIqACnHKwtdj7-_S70uI_7O3X6SGGGvoG2DrntSiF1WdeezMx8fpt5YWSvKlHFEk_tmmxKHzhi7Cmba5SQyRrYvsJbEY/s1600/turkey+tracks.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="281" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/91863871" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe> <a href="http://vimeo.com/91863871">Loud Mouth Hen</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user5768576">Heads Up Decoy</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="281" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/91861363" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe> <a href="http://vimeo.com/91861363">Heads Up Decoy Turkey Charge....short video</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user5768576">Heads Up Decoy</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06273204902971398074noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429206127975231699.post-41530169328379032562013-12-07T20:00:00.000-06:002013-12-08T10:27:45.904-06:00IT'S GAME TIME!<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">It’s
Game Time!</span></u></b></div>
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<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> Many may have been watching football this day. To me..."It's Game Time!" means so much more! </span></span></div>
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</div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">The buck looked back at his worthy adversary and gave out a loud
snort-wheeze as he postured up and was ready for a fight. Little did this buck know
he was no match for the foam antlers and clothe makeup of his opponent! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Each
and every November we as deer hunters get pumped up for the rut and all the
action that is about to take place when we enter the fields and woods. Our bows
are tuned, broadheads are sharp, optic lenses are clean of spots, and boots are
laced; all in anticipation to tighten that string and loosen an arrow at a deer
of our choosing. All the preparation and sleepless nights come down to that one
experience that brings you one with nature. It requires you to outsmart that
critter on their turf and you need all the tools possible to help turn the
tables.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">It
was November 24, 2013 as I slipped through the chilly darkness and onto a ridge
that bucks use to cruise about in search of their next date. The sun began to
do work as the sky lightened with the winter beauty that we as hunters know.
The air was crisp and clean. The ground was hard and crunchy. My fingers and
toes could feel Jack Frost’s efforts trying to take his toll. But I, I was
ready and knew the bucks were still active as the rut was winding down. My
Heads Up Decoy whitetail buck was in my pack awaiting its’ deployment. I just
needed a worthy adversary to pit my wits against. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">After
moving about slowly on that ridge and not seeing the bucks I was looking for I
decided to work my way into unchartered territory. This was my first time
reaching this area and after 4 miles I was considering the validity of my
location. The sun was now up and it was a blue bird day. Squirrels scampered
about reluctantly as if looking for the last of their preparation for the cold
winter and future snow storms. They didn’t seem to care much about me but
wanted to stock up their supplies for their winter retreat. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">It
was warming up fast and I contemplated making my way back towards the truck
when I decided to push on just a bit farther to see what was ahead. Up to this
point I hadn’t seen the deer I normally do. I spotted a pretty good clearing
ahead and quickly noticed a doe in the middle, alone and feeding. I watched her
and spied around to see if there may be a buck nearby. She fed on and into the
timber as I crept forward. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Just
like a ghost emerging from the darkness; a doe erupted from the timber and ran
into the meadow about 200 yards away. Something had to be pestering her. Just then
a nice buck emerged with his nose pressed to the ground. He was a dandy 5 point
for this area and very conducive for a closer look!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Nothing
separated us but the clean air and frosty open meadow. He began to push that
doe up a small hill across the meadow as I moved along the edge of the timber
only when they were not looking my way. I contemplated pulling my HUD out and
fixing it on my bow but decided to get closer before doing so. The doe finally
moved over the hill and the buck stopped to rub a tree allowing me to close the
gap a bit more. Just before he went over the hill he looked back to see if
anybody may come into his bedroom it seems. I remember seeing his antler tips disappear
as he went over the hill and then it was game time!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">I
was within 100 yards now as I quickly put boots to ground and crossed the
meadow. Upon reaching the bottom of the hill I removed my pack and pulled out
my whitetail buck decoy and fixed it to my bow. The foam antlers were
positioned and I was ready within 30 seconds. I worked my way up the hill and
just before cresting the top I removed an arrow from the quiver and snapped the
nock onto the string. I was inching forward where the doe had crossed trying to
make it appear that another buck was on her trail. I spotted her just ahead
looking back at me. She was concerned but not spooked. She was probably
thinking, “Great, I have to deal with another hormone intoxicated buck…..what
gives?” But regardless I kept pushing forward with no sign of the buck. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijB4IQksnp8jDydInGjDTvz3iIvbPMYPve9OBI0xExmUmOXEyHn3lu0N9JVeuNoHQHg5inqViHExHXAucaDP0Da7U2OYry1RVuEs-CDer0BeWbK4_5727yqdcDGQJIMjjcFNXHk1wvi4k/s1600/DSC_0079.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijB4IQksnp8jDydInGjDTvz3iIvbPMYPve9OBI0xExmUmOXEyHn3lu0N9JVeuNoHQHg5inqViHExHXAucaDP0Da7U2OYry1RVuEs-CDer0BeWbK4_5727yqdcDGQJIMjjcFNXHk1wvi4k/s400/DSC_0079.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">I
stopped and let out a grunt hoping this would make the buck appear but nothing
happened. The doe was standing 40 yards away in the bottom of the small draw.
The buck was nowhere to be seen. Just then another doe came running into the
draw as if she was being pushed by a buck and not far behind her the buck
stepped out below me at 35 yards with his head to the ground. He had no idea I
was there and he quickly took up pursuit of the doe heading up the opposite
side of the draw. I ranged him as he walked up the hill…..41, 43, 45 and I
grunted stopping him at 47 yards as he turned broadside and looked back at me. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">As
soon as he seen the decoy he postured up, pinned his ears back and let out a
magnificent snort-wheeze. He was ready for a fight and I am sure he would have
came right into my lap if I wanted to let him. He was ready to close the distance
but I opted to take my shot then. I lowered my range finder. My release hooked
my d-loop and the string tightened as my muscles worked together to bring the
bow back to full draw. I completely forgot about the decoy as I split my 40 and
50 yard pin and held low behind his shoulder. He was mad there was another buck
close to his girl. As soon as he moved his near side shoulder ahead my release
spit out the loop and the energy of the limbs projected my arrow forth. I couldn’t
have placed that arrow in a more perfect spot! The sound of the broadhead
making contact is a sound I crave and can never forget! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">The
buck make a quick sprint up the opposite hill away from me as I could see blood
pumping out of both sides. He wouldn’t be going far after he went out of sight.
I picked up my crimson red colored arrow and another smile and warm feeling
came over me. I couldn’t help but stare at it for a bit with a huge grin.
Weight was lifted off my shoulders as I knew I was punching another tag today.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">70
yards from where that buck was standing had me admiring a truly handsome
specimen. I knelt down in front of the buck taking his antlers in my hands,
feeling his soft coat and praising the Lord and the powers that be for allowing
me another amazing experience. The meat of this buck will bring many good meals
my family’s way! </span> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhepYNJfR0bsnIjp-DR4QXCHbzIJTjH4t6gWrc38XiPvoCCPLa4n9jxZUrsPY4vV3A6BpzNi2_jzkhXbfUR_TdiFz5IDBF4lO6bkA9_LHT4YxayPbG4IHa8u0hG47aWJ5j5yXYQRMQsL3w/s1600/DSC_0133.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhepYNJfR0bsnIjp-DR4QXCHbzIJTjH4t6gWrc38XiPvoCCPLa4n9jxZUrsPY4vV3A6BpzNi2_jzkhXbfUR_TdiFz5IDBF4lO6bkA9_LHT4YxayPbG4IHa8u0hG47aWJ5j5yXYQRMQsL3w/s640/DSC_0133.JPG" width="640" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeKDVwA_zMJTfbebaJgKDYck1FwQbNgMo9MqYkxKy4QBDoDeMogaY81HwVO6jz0DWwOfeMcrEzfMO2a-q2Stq7Z4vxj5_JxXdEQ0wHo5poWI2Klss2gGNV4FMya7PCMSt_bqyTivncZz8/s1600/DSC_0117.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeKDVwA_zMJTfbebaJgKDYck1FwQbNgMo9MqYkxKy4QBDoDeMogaY81HwVO6jz0DWwOfeMcrEzfMO2a-q2Stq7Z4vxj5_JxXdEQ0wHo5poWI2Klss2gGNV4FMya7PCMSt_bqyTivncZz8/s640/DSC_0117.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">I
headed back to gather up my belongings and put my pack back together and
prepare for the pack out. I rested my bow with the decoy still attached up
against a tree and was replaying the events in my mind when I heard a buck
grunt. I looked up and noticed a young buck following the does scent right to
where I stood. As soon as he saw the decoy he froze in his tracks and became
aggressive but knew the buck looked bigger. He circled my position as I was
able to get away with the movement of taking my camera out of my pack. At 15
yards I know he could see me moving but the decoy had his mind locked that I was
another buck. Amazing what these decoys can do! </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQtXntCmtQ0Id-4HZbOuZwm6uW7_NsgYK4-VDfCJSCzytnxE-Yx3aIsmpPVRx9qVirOU1qkeVYPS7y6c7Y_ojVYcb-ai4RtQ5nhmmvwpAz9TNNmGPHIJvisqQzn-UVdIfvtJfP3SPh5Bk/s1600/DSC_0095.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQtXntCmtQ0Id-4HZbOuZwm6uW7_NsgYK4-VDfCJSCzytnxE-Yx3aIsmpPVRx9qVirOU1qkeVYPS7y6c7Y_ojVYcb-ai4RtQ5nhmmvwpAz9TNNmGPHIJvisqQzn-UVdIfvtJfP3SPh5Bk/s400/DSC_0095.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Without
the Heads Up Decoy on this hunt I don’t think I would have gotten a shot at
that buck. The decoy kept that doe at bay allowing me to slip into range on the
buck. Without the decoy they would have taken off leaving me pondering the what
ifs and should haves. I have had numerous experiences using various HUD’s and
each time they have helped me in my quest for putting meat in my freezer. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix26gfu0vxt3UU022aCWUzwheUty5K3zduFCmOYGTZ2fvcQmtgQI22hno71Mvn0q0UvD4laCjQZCknRrWfSvITeCSFhfcqlOhD4BlGsXBGhZzDqzgj1qbDgkn43tKWloIw8O9czHr-YLc/s1600/DSC_0149.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix26gfu0vxt3UU022aCWUzwheUty5K3zduFCmOYGTZ2fvcQmtgQI22hno71Mvn0q0UvD4laCjQZCknRrWfSvITeCSFhfcqlOhD4BlGsXBGhZzDqzgj1qbDgkn43tKWloIw8O9czHr-YLc/s400/DSC_0149.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">After
caping and deboning the buck I had a 4.5 mile pack out and with each step of
the way I had a smile on my face! Another day of going in light and coming out
heavy! I love this game! God is Great! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Jared "J-Rod" Bloomgrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08281537092445830257noreply@blogger.com0