Mourning Doves are capable of flying up to 55 mph, which makes them a challenging target for even the best wing shooters!  Amy puts on a shooting clinic with a SxS 20 gauge shotgun averaging 1 bird per every 3 shots (11 for 34).   This is well below the national average of 1 dove per every 7 shots.  And I personally consider it a pretty good day when I hit 5 or 6 doves per a box of shells!

This video is shot with a GoPro camera strapped to my hunting cap.  Please excuse the quality of the filming job!  The camera records everywhere I look… which provides the action from the hunter’s perspective, but doesn’t allow for steady filming.

Post and Footage by Peter

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Pictures from last year’s dove hunt can be viewed here.

Post by Peter, Video by Ryan McLemore, Picture by Ryan McLemore, Davis and Peter

The post Tennessee Dove Shoot – Video appeared first on Our Southern Roots.

According to the Tennessee Wildlife Research Agency’s website, “dove are the most hunted and the most harvested migratory game bird in North America. There are about 450 million birds in the continental population. The overall harvest in the U. S. is 45 million birds. In Tennessee, some 100,000 dove hunters harvest an estimated 2 million or more doves annually.”

Talk about a “renewable resource”…. at the present time, hunters are not keeping up with the reproduction rate of the mourning dove.  A liberal limit of 15 birds per day in Tennessee is proof of their stability.

Tips for Handling and Preparing Dove:

-Clean dove and chill the meat as soon as reasonably possible. (Too often hunters put their bagged doves in an unventilated game vest, sit in the sweltering September sun, wait hours to clean their birds and then wonder why the meat has a strong taste.)

-In the field, keep doves in the shade, or even better in a cooler.

-Once the dove are clean, I like to place them in the refrigerator and let them sit overnight in a brine (salt water).  A friend recently suggested adding sugar and pepper corns to the brine.  I tried it with the last limit of doves with good results.

-For best results, prepare dove fresh before freezing.

-If freezing is needed, I like to place the dove in a zip lock back and then fill with water to reduce the chance for freezer burn.

-There are many good ways to cook dove.  My favorite is wrapped in bacon and grilled to medium.  This last batch of doves I experimented and cooked them like I would liver and onions.  I de-boned the breast and cooked in a skillet with onions, salt and pepper and then served on rice.  It was awesome!

Post and Pictures by Peter

The post Dove – Excellent Eating appeared first on Our Southern Roots.

Decker John learned to watch for doves and quickly picked up the ability to identify doves in flight from other birds.  He also is an expert dove retriever!  At the bark of my shotgun he jumps up and takes off  to find the dove.  He even scolded me a time or two for missing “slam dunk” shots!  Fun times and good memories – that’s what hunting with your boy is all about.

The footage is filmed with a GoPro camera mounted to my hat… please excuse the shaky filming job.

Tips for dove hunting with kids
1.  Always rehearse gun safety rules.
2. Use ear protection – the sound of the gun firing is more disturbing than the recoil.  It will also help them not develop a flinch when they squeeze the trigger.
3. Keep hunts short and head home before they loose interest or get tired.
4. Look for opportunities to teach hunting skills during the hunt.

Decker John sitting by a hay bale in a dove field waiting on his first dove!

Decker John with a limit of dove he retrieved for me on a second hunt – we make a great team!

Post, Pictures and Footage by Peter

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Tips for turkey hunting in big fields:

1. Scout - know where the turkeys roost, where they fly down and what part of the field the gobblers like to strut.  I have observed that the Toms typically prefer to strut in an area that has short grass (or vegetation) and is elevated to give them a view of the entire field.

On days that warm up quickly, I have noticed the gobblers will often move to a shaded part of the field.  And if the weather is chilly and rainy, they will stay in the middle of the field longer.

The hunter’s chances for success increase significantly when they are set-up where the gobbler naturally wants to go.

2. Decoys – use a decoy set-up that grabs the gobblers’ attention.  Most likely there will be other turkeys in the field… and it is difficult for decoys to compete with live hens.  I have had great success using a strutting Tom and submissive hen breeding pair set-up (hen ready to breed position).  However, I have  also been successful using everything from a single hen to setting out a half-dozen decoys.

If you recognize a decoy set-up is not working, don’t be afraid to make changes.  For example, take down the strutting Tom and replace it with Jake decoy.  Duck hunters adjust their decoy spreads as they see the ducks’ response to it…. turkey hunters need to do the same to be successful.

3. Calling – in big fields I try to be a little more aggressive in my calling than the “live hens.”  I want to get the gobblers’ attention – and keep it!  Calling is an art form rather than a science and there is no magical formula to follow.  The hunter must make a decision in the moment, based on experience when to back off the calls and when to call more aggressively.

4. Set-up – if at all possible select a place to set up that puts you in the shade and provides decent cover.  It is much more difficult to remain concealed when you are sitting in a spot with the sun shining directly on you.

In big fields, there will typically be multiple turkeys approaching, which means multiple sets of eyes searching for the least little sign of danger.  It doesn’t take much movement for a wise old Tom to become concerned and hang-up just out of range.

5. Change it up – if you are successful in shooting a gobbler in a big field, try not to “educate” the other turkeys.  If possible, sit still after the shot until all the birds have left the field.  The sound of the shotgun will disturb the turkeys, but they do not necessarily associate it with danger.  The next time the field is hunted, change-up the decoy set-up and use different calls… the goal is to sound and look different.

The Tom from the video is what turkey hunters refer to as a “limb hanger!”  The gobbler’s spurs are long enough to hang him from a limb… it usually takes at least a three year-old bird to reach this status.

Doesn’t always happen, but it’s great to be able to bust a turkey just after daylight and be backt home in time for breakfast with the kids!  Having the kids share in the excitement of the hunt is special.

I was able to take a second turkey from the same big field.  I continued to use a strutting Tom and submissive hen set-up, but changed up the location and the calls.

post and video by Peter, pictures by Sunshine and Peter

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Gobbling, strutting, owl hoots, crow calls, fly down cackles, yelps, spittin’ and drumming, running and gunning, roosting birds, spotting and stalking, bushwhacking, low crawling, tree hugging, turkey vests, beards, spurs, fans, red heads – we love everything about turkey hunting!

This season actually started off pretty tough as the weather was cold and dreary with foggy mornings… but as the weather warmed up, so did the gobblers!  Just a few weeks into the season and we have had a number of outstanding hunts, made new friends, had time to enjoy the spring woods and been fortunate to bust a few long beards!  Check out the videos of a few hunts below.

We don’t mind spotting and stalking if the gobblers won’t cooperate.  My brother, Daniel found this bird strutting in the corner of field and perfectly executed a sneak attack!

Carley hunted hard and was rewarded with a beautiful Tom that she took with a 50 yard shot!

Tyler and I had the chance to hunt with Justin Martin of Duck Dynasty.  While we certainly had a great time and were impressed with Martin’s woodsmanship, the weather did not cooperate and the fog put quite a damper on the gobblers.  We hope to give it another try before the season ends!

Tyler took a nice late morning Tom with a strutting gobbler and submissive hen decoy set-up.

Daniel and I and were fortunate to double-up on late day birds headed to roost!

Jakes are the best birds for the table!  Our friend Corey, takes a Jakes once we figured out the Toms had left the field.  Watch the boys come rolling in single file!  The real challenge here was to hit only one bird… and Corey executes perfectly!

I had the privilege of taking a young hunter on his first turkey hunt… and we were fortunate to have plenty of action!  Watch as three nice  gobblers come in to the hen decoy in full strut.  I unfortunately misjudged the yardage for the gun he was using.

Another clip of Jakes coming into decoys on a short, rainy afternoon hunt.  I enjoyed having birds in close even when I do not have intentions of shooting!  Come on back in a few years boys!

post and videos by Peter, pictures by Sunshine

The post Southern Turkey Time appeared first on Our Southern Roots.

A successful shed hunt requires a lot of patience, a sharp eye and the ability to cover plenty of ground.

March is also an ideal time to search for antlers because the under growth which is waiting to explode will typically hold off until April – which bring with it poison ivy and ticks!  Also, I have found antlers during turkey season (April) that have already been completely chewed up by rodents.  So, getting out in March is the perfect time to find antlers.

Including the kids in the hunt for antlers is a great chance to spend time with the young’uns and teach them about being in the woods.

A couple of tips for finding shed antlers

-Go on cloudy days as everything shines in the woods on a bright sunny day.

-Look for antlers in thick bedding areas.  I have found antlers in food plots, fields, fence crossing and other travel coridors.  However, the majority of the antlers I have found have been in thick cover, grown over fields and other places deer choose as their bedding sites.

-Learn to search for antlers by scanning the woods as you slowly walk.  Be sure not to “out walk your eyes.”  Often, I see something that looks like “it could be an antler” and as I approach I realize it is an antler.

This is the perfect opportunity to spend time with your kids in the woods, make it an adventure!

by Peter, pictures by Sunshine

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One of our children’s favorite games is to “play hunting.”  This began at their grandparent’s house as a game Grandaddy plays with the grandsons.  He hides turkey decoys among the trees behind the house and the boys take turns shooting with Grandaddy’s special toy guns.  The rules of the hunt and gun safety apply just as much in the backyard as they do in the woods on a real hunt.

We have recently bought a second toy gun, so that both of our older children can “hunt” together.

We take guns seriously and we expect our children to do the same.  So, when they want to play with their toy guns they have a few guidelines.

-We never point a gun at a person – so we do not let toy guns be used for playing army or cowboys and indians, etc.    Guns are only for shooting game , period.  (Learning to defend yourself and your family with a gun will come at a much later date and we feel it is unneccessary to teach at this stage.)

-We carry and hold a gun in such a way that we keep ourself and those around us safe.

-We take care of the gun and put it away when we are finished with it…. it is not a common toy to be left laying in the backyard.

When our kiddos are older and we feel comfortable letting them begin shooting and carrying real firearms we will go more in-depth with safety training.  As Tennessee hunters they will also be required to take a hunter’s safety course when they begin hunting.

I expect my children to grow up to be hunters, it is what they have seen and experienced their whole lives.  We want them to be comfortable and confident when holding and carrying a gun, and we want safety to be second nature for them.

How to you handle gun training with your children and do you have any tips for teaching healthy fear and respect for firearms?

post and pictures by Sunshine

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The 2012-2013 duck season ended this past weekend, but for some waterfowlers their season stopped weeks ago due to the “late season grind”.  It does not matter what part of the country you reside in, the latter half of duck season is quite different from the beginning.  Birds have seen and heard it all since they began their migration and so they are difficult to call in and are wary of decoys.

If you hope to be successful with late season ducks, here are a few things to do.

1. Less is more.
Yesterday at our big water blind, there was a nearby blind blowing hail calls at every duck in the area.  That is absolutely what NOT to do.  This late in the season, ducks are call and decoy shy.  We remove all motorized decoys ie. Mojo’s and pulsating butt feeders, and resort solely on jerk strings for water motion.  We also use smaller, species specific decoy spreads.  As for calling, when the ducks are looking or coming to check us out, we leave our call hanging silent on the lanyard.  If they are working us, we do not call.  Only when it looks like the ducks are heading out do we hit them with a few quacks or a greeting call.  Once they turn to come back, the calls stop.  There is no need to do feed chuckles and single quacks to fill the empty void.  Less is more here.

2. Watch the weather.
I know that’s what everyone says to do from opening day on, but it holds true through the whole season.  Usually this late in the season, most of the ducks have arrived on their wintering grounds and are there to stay, but a good arctic blast can still give you a push of “new” birds.

3. Hunt off the beaten path.
By now, most high traffic public hunting areas are so shot out that being successful is more about luck and less about skill.  The end of the season is when I switch tactics and go for places that I have let sit all season without pressure.  When you do this, birds that are call and decoy shy actually act normal, “work the spread,” and are very call responsive.

This is how we use the three points stated above to have successful hunts the last few days of the season.  We have a couple local spots that have not really been hunted all season, mainly because they did not have enough birds using them.  Then we had an arctic blast come through, and I noticed a lot of ringnecks showing up for the first time this winter.  The holes also had a few buffleheads, mallards, gadwalls and wood ducks using them as well.  We hunted the next morning, after seeing the new ducks, using a small diver spread of six decoys to the left of our setup, and an eight decoy gadwall spread to the right side.  We also had one pair of mallards 20 yards outside of the gadwalls.  Both small spreads had jerk strings.  We enjoyed a great hunt with ringnecks buzzing by and committing in with ease, wood ducks landing in the spread, gadwalls working nicely and cupping up, and mallards appearing out of nowhere with landing gear down, coming in hard!

I know late season ducks can be a challenge, but there is no need to hang up your lanyard and waders early.  There is still good duck hunting to be had at the end of the season, it just takes a different mindset and approach.

by Tyler Hand, pictures by Peter & Sunshine

The post Late Season Ducks appeared first on Our Southern Roots.

The shooting lanes are bush-hogged; our chaps are on and we are ready to go!  This year, we have several solid packs of dogs with a couple up and coming young hounds looking to make their place in the pack.

Check out  highlights from the 2011 season and get a taste of what’s ahead!  There will be a lot of good dog work, fast shooting, bells ringing, beagles barking, radio talking, rabbits running, hounds in hot pursuit, and shotguns firing.  The hunts are fun and the action is guaranteed!

Join us in this year’s chase.  

Clips from last year’s rabbit season. 

post by Sunshine, pictures by Ryan McLemore

The post Our Southern Roots Rabbit Hunters appeared first on Our Southern Roots.

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One of my favorite ways to hunt waterfowl is to scout out and find what we refer to as “local honey holes” that ducks are using.  This can include your neighbor’s cattle pond or flooded pasture, a creek or slough, a seasonal wetland or flooded timber.  In the winter, storm water does not filter out and dissipate quickly like during other times of the year.  Any little depression in the landscape can quickly turn into a waterfowl haven overnight with the passing of a large storm. Places that you never see birds near can become covered up!

The most popular style of waterfowl hunting is out of a duck blind on or near a large body of water holding large concentrations of birds.  This method requires A LOT of gear, from boats to hundreds of decoys, blind construction and brushing it and the list goes on and on!   But don’t get me wrong, I hunt this way hard from opening weekend to closing day, and this style can equate to not only seeing a lot of birds, but raising your season’s bag total to high numbers.

Hunting the local honey holes is often a much more simplistic style of duck hunting as it requires less gear and set-up time.  But with this method of hunting comes its own challenges and devotion to being successful.  Scouting, the act of observing an area without disturbing it, is vital.  What we typically do is to find about a half a dozen places that could be potential “honey holes,” acquire permission to hunt them, and begin scouting them on a daily basis.  If we observe over the course of a few days that more and more ducks are using a particular spot, then we plan a hunt for the next day.  If you wait too long, the birds that were there several days ago can be long gone.  The rule of thumb is “hunt where you saw ducks the day before!”

The easiest part is the actual hunt.  We typically throw out a dozen or so decoys, species specific to what we observed.   Realism is important here so use the most realistic, different position decoys that you can afford.  I like to use four to six active decoys, two or three surface feeding or no head style decoys, a few butt feeders and a couple of sleepers.  Remember that birds always land into the wind, so set-up accordingly.  I prefer a crosswind or the wind from my back. Don’t forget about the sun either.  No one likes to stare into the sun all morning long and the birds can spot you a lot easier if you’re not in the shadows.  Hide as best you can because these birds know this spot and are quite familiar with its surroundings. If you stick out and the landscape doesn’t appear normal, they will catch on quick!   There is no need for loud, aggressive calling.  You may not even need to call at all. The ducks want to be where you are, so being subtle is key.

Local honey hole hunting is very rewarding and any duck shot brings a sense of accomplishment with it.  You worked hard, spent many an hour scouting and patterning the birds, and being meticulous with all the fine details.  High fives with your friends, a good neck scratch for the retriever and an appreciation for the birds is in order.  Once you have finished your hunt, be sure to thank the landowner for his/or her generosity and offer them some of your bag.  One last thing, make sure you do not over hunt these spots.  That is an easy way to quickly turn a sweet spot into a deserted cattail hole!  We try to let a hole rest for about a week before hunting it again.  Hunting small local spots can be an easier, low-cost alternative compared to big water, theatrical production style hunting.  And when done right, you can walk away with a hunting story that will be around for many years to come!

by Tyler Hand, pictures by Peter & Josh Mondrage

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I had the privilege of hunting with our friend Amy and her brother when she took her first deer.  Here is her story, in her own words.

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I had already spent two afternoons in the deer stand; both times I had ridden home in the dark with nothing.  This time we were trying a morning hunt.  I woke up at 4:30 with a goal.  Dressed in orange, covered with scent-covering spray, we headed into the field around 6:00.  We settled into the stand, trying not to make a noise.  There were bees buzzing in the hollow wall of the shooting house.  Is that something you usually remember?  A coyote ran by and kept on running until it reached the tree line across the field.  I hoped that wasn’t going to be the only animal we saw that morning.

Peter saw it first.  A doe stepped out of the trees and then back in.  Our eyes scanned the tree line until she stepped out, this time with four others.  She knew we were there.  Peter raised the gun slowly, inch by inch, pointed it out the window and handed it to me.  As the stock touched my shoulder, the doe headed back for the woods.  It turned to check on us once more.  Peter whispered something.  The other deer were walking around.  I was focused on the spot behind her shoulder.  Everything else was blur and background noise.  I held my breath, steadied my hands, and shot.

The deer kicked her hind legs into the air and dashed into the shadow of the woods, followed by the others.  My hands began to shake.  The world around me came back into focus.  Peter said again and again, “You got it!”  I was trying to figure out what happened.  The deer’s back legs had flown in the air as if I had hit them.  He had to say it more than once before I understood: he knew the doe was dead because she had “mule kicked” before she ran.  He said that was a sure sign of a good lung shot.  I didn’t let myself believe it until I saw the blood on the leaves, a trail leading into the woods.

We tracked the blood foot by foot until we saw the doe lying between the trees only 20 yards away.  Afterwards, Peter told me that he shot his first deer when he was my age, with the same gun that I had used.  There’s nothing more thrilling than walking up to a deer, your deer, knowing that your patience, focus and determination have paid off.

intro and pictures by Peter, post by Amy

The post A First Deer appeared first on Our Southern Roots.

I grew up duck hunting bayous, ponds and flooded timber in Shreveport, LA – small holes that only required a couple dozen decoys and a big cypress tree to lean against.  Throwing out 350 decoys and climbing in a blind with seven others hunters over-looking big water was a new experience for me.

Duck hunters are arguably the toughest hunters.  A typical duck hunt starts hours before daylight – setting out or adjusting decoys in often frigid conditions.  If the hole has frozen over, the guys all get out in their waders and “bust ice” to create open water for the ducks to land.

Once in the duck blind, everyone scrambles to get their face painted and gear lined up in time for “shooting light.”  Even an apparently good-sized blind quickly fills up with eight guys, all their gear and a couple of Labs.

Typically, in a duck blind the most experienced guys will sit on the corners of the blind and call the shots.  Working as a team is essential and the goal is to shoot together as a unit once the ducks are in the kill zone and the shot is called.  The roar of eight shotguns going off at once is impressive!

Duck blind cooking is legendary…and its true, everything tastes better in a duck blind!  Biscuits, bacon and eggs all cooked on propane stove.

Duck Blind Tips       

The blind is not the place to work on your duck calling.  Practice in your truck or garage at home and leave the calling to those that know what they’re doing.  If it’s your first time in the duck blind, take Phil Robertson’s advice and just sit back, watch and learn.  Don’t shoot before the call is made to “shoot,” “take ‘em,” or “cut ‘em.”  Sky busting (shooting high birds) will likely get you kicked out of the duck blind!

Don’t move!  Once birds are spotted it is essential to be still.  It doesn’t matter how well the blind is brushed in – if you are popping your head up to try and see the ducks you are going to cause them to flare off.

post and pictures by Peter

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DIY Antler Mount:
-Select racks

-Cut antlers from skull, just below the burr.  I found that using a saws-all with a metal blade works best.

-Space antlers on your plaque (we used a 7″x36″).

-Cut a “flat” spot in the backside of the burr to help the antler lay flat on the plaque.

-Drill pilot holes through the antlers and the plaque.

-Screw the antler to the plaque.  I used a composite deck screw, as the combination of fine and course thread works well for both bone and oak.

When working with antlers, keep in mind that each one is different and each set will not be a perfect match.  Tape measures, not needed.  Just use your eye for spacing and layout.  You have to find the best spot for the screw in each antler.

A friend, Matt Teply made the plaques for me for out of reclaimed oak from a “turn of the century” dairy barn here in middle Tennessee.  Several years ago he and I tore down a barn, which was well on its way to falling in, and he managed to haul away a mountain of prized oak.  Once planed, sanded and sealed, it looks absolutely beautiful.  If you have never worked with aged oak, you must know it gets harder and harder the older it gets.  Drilling pilot holes for your screws is a must – and you can forget trying to drive a nail into it!

by Peter, pictures by Sunshine 

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Most deer hunters will eventually cross paths with a mature buck, but it takes a dedicated, experienced and skilled hunter to consistently drag big bucks out of the woods each year.  I define mature bucks in my area as anything 3 1/2 years and older.  If I were hunting in an area with less pressure and more restrictive limits, I would bump the age up to 4 1/2 years and older.

There are endless strategies for hunting big bucks, everyone has their favorite.  Manufacturers spend big money to advertise the latest and greatest gear hunters need – deer calls, deer scents, cover scents, camo patterns, scent reducing clothing, deer stands, firearms, ammo, range finders, optics, etc.  While improvements in the technology of our gear are helpful – I think the most necessary tools for killing a big buck cannot be purchased.

Three Simple Keys To Remember:

1.  Know when and where to be in the woods – the more you hunt the more you develop an instinct for knowing when to be in the deer stand and where to set up to see a mature buck.  Having your finger on the pulse of the rut is not an easy task – especially if your hunting opportunities are limited, but timing your hunts around peak rut activity will greatly improve your chances.

2.  Hunt the wind – this is the same advice your Granddad gave you.  It is wisdom.  If the wind is not right, don’t hunt the stand.  Its simple, but all to often hunters ignore the wind direction – some lessons have to be learned the hard way!  I recall years ago watching a buck downwind of me through optics about 500 yards away.  He was working his way towards me on a major powerline.  At about 350 yards, he stuck his nose in the air and caught a whiff of me and immediately turned and retreated to cover.  I was in a set up to see this buck because of the perfectly straight and long powerline, but just think how many bucks have winded you that you never had a chance to see.

3.  Old-fashioned patience – pure and simple, you can’t kill a deer if you are not in the deer stand.  In an age of instant gratification, being patient is not easy.  There is no substitute for staying in the stand and spending time in the woods.

I was able to fill my final Tennessee buck tag with a black powder nine pointer.  I had seen this buck at least three times before, but was unable to take a shot.  Twice he was running full stride in pursuit of a hot doe and I was unable to stop him.  The third time I saw him, I was had him in the cross hairs at 40 yards, but the shot would be through thick cover and I chose to wait.

The morning I took this buck, I could hear him in a cedar thicket across the field all morning long.  He was chasing does and grunting loudly.  I knew it would simply be a matter of time before he popped out in to the field.  After waiting on him for 2 1/2 hours, he suddenly appeared chasing a doe into the food plot.  As quickly as they appeared, they suddenly disappeared running back into the cedar thicket.

It’s not my preference, but I decided my only option would be to shoot this buck on the run the next time he appeared.  Another ten minutes passed and with a string of crashes the doe and buck reappeared in the food plot, but this time they turned and headed in my general direction.  At about 60 yards, I grunted at the buck and then yelled to try to stop him, but he paid no attention to me and continued running after the doe.  I swung smoothly as the buck ran past my stand and was fortunate to fire a killing shot.

by Peter, picture by Steve Simmons

The post How to Kill a Mature Buck appeared first on Our Southern Roots.

Additionally, the weatherman was calling for a cold front to arrive Monday night causing the low temperature for Tuesday morning to drop to 28 degrees…a 27 degree drop in low temperatures in a 24 hr period.  The rut, which had lulled for a couple of days, would surely be flaring back-up!  I decided to hunt a stand that overlooks a large hayfield surrounded by a number of cedar thickets.  Historically, this has been a great stand to cover a lot of ground looking for rutting activity.  Being black powder season, I was able to see much further than I could shoot.

As soon as shooting light arrived, a number of deer could be seen in the field which had been covered by a shiny hard frost.  As visibility increased, I could make out a small eight point buck in the field chasing several does.  It was not long before deer began pouring into the field from different directions.  It was hard to keep track of the number deer as they came and went, but I could track at least 5 different bucks and would guess somewhere between 20 – 25 does.

Having paid my dues and spent many unproductive hours in the deer stand, it is an amazing feeling to be in the right spot at the right time!  It was thrilling to watch all the deer activity – to see a couple young bucks sparing, bucks chasing does, to hear grunting, to see bucks working scrapes and rubbing trees.  It was the most deer activity I had seen all year.

Enjoying the morning and having the opportunity to be in the middle of all this deer activity, I noticed a lone doe enter the field about 300 yards away.  My experience told me she was a “hot doe” – she had that skittish appearance and the tell-tale sign of continuing to look behind her.

I focused completely on her to see if the buck in tow was one I had already seen that morning or hopefully a new shooter buck.  Within a minute a large bodied, tall racked buck raced into the field.  My first thought – “Big Buck!” and in a moment I went from enjoying the morning to all business.  As I studied the buck, I could see he was a six pointer…. but a very large six pointer.  I could easily tell by his body size and conformation that he was a mature deer, and that he had plenty of height, width and mass… a great buck.

As the buck trailed the doe up the edge of the field,  I ranged a landmark to find 150 yards and determined that as soon as he reached the mark I would take the shot.  Just shy of the mark, the doe darted back into the tree line with the buck hot on her heels.

About the time I relaxed my shooting position and began to think that it wasn’t meant to be, the doe exploded back into the field running straight in my direction with the buck less than 100 yards behind her.  As the doe passed my stand, I prepared for the shot and mouth grunted as loud as I could to break the buck’s concentration.  He stopped broadside at 50 yards, offering a perfect shot… it was the perfect morning to be in the deer stand!

by Peter, pictures by Peter and Sunshine 

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Big bucks are nearly impossible to outsmart as they hardly make mistakes.   I would hate to know how many hours I spend in the deer stand to finally get to see the dominant buck I am pursuing…not to mention the hours I have invested in setting up stands, planting food plots, scouting, sighting in my muzzleloader and the list goes on.  So, when I finally get the opportunity see the buck and make a successful shot, it is an amazing feeling, so rewarding!

I was fortunate t0 take the buck pictured early this week.  As always, it is a privilege to be the first person to put my hands on such a wild and magnificent animal.  We had seen this buck a couple times and were able to take a picture of him (below) in early September.  I was unsuccessful in even seeing him during the archery season, but as expected he showed up as the rut began!

I love that my kids share in my excitement for hunting.  It took quite a few trips to the woods to be able to finally get this 1o pointer.  The kids would meet me at the door after each hunt and shout, “Did you get him?”  I would answer, “Not this time, maybe next time.”  So, I really enjoyed being able to meet them at the door and answer, “We got him!”

by Peter, pictures by Sunshine

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Deer hunting is more than just a sport or hobby for us – it is in our blood, it is part of us.  There are no words to describe what motivates and drives a deer hunter…to climb a tree in the still darkness, wait for the sunlight to arrive and experience the world waking up to a brand new day is truly living for the deer hunter.

Deer hunting is very often a loner sport.  Hours are spent in solitude and patience.  However, comradery is strong among deer hunters as stories of past hunts are told and re-told throughout the years.  These stories are the fuel that fires the interest and passion of the next generation of hunters.  For the deer hunter, skillfully sharing the story of the hunt is a requirement.

Pictured here are my father, his sons, and our sons – reliving a few deer hunts from years past in preparation for the upcoming season.  Stay tuned as new deer stories will be told in the upcoming weeks!

Tell us, are you a first, second or third generation deer hunter?  Do your remember listening to your dad, grand-dad, or uncles telling deer stories?

by Peter, pictures by Sunshine

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While the main turkey season is in the spring, many states are now allowing a fall hunt.  Turkey have become plentiful across much of the south as restoration efforts over the past few decades have been very successful.  The addition of a fall turkey season, to control population growth in many areas, provides a great opportunity to get a fresh wild turkey for the Thanksgiving table!

by Peter, pictures by Sunshine

The post Wild Turkey for Thanksgiving appeared first on Our Southern Roots.

The perfect time to squirrel hunt is October.  The weather is crisp, but comfortable, the leaves are changing and the squirrels are active!  Hunting squirrel is a great time to teach the skills needed to become a successful outdoorsman.  You learn to move through the woods quietly and patiently.  You learn to use your eyes to search for a limb shaking in the distance and to use your ears to listen for a squirrel cutting nuts or barking.  It’s also a great way to learn to how out smart your game.

Squirrels are extremely patient critters and can be quite tricky.  I recall my brothers and I used hand signals and different whistles to communicate while squirrel hunting.   When one of us spotted a squirrel, we worked together to get close and get a clean shot.  Often one of us would sit still while the other circled the tree to push the squirrel back around the other side to a waiting shotgun.  If that didn’t work, one of us would simply walk away leaving the other standing still against a tree truck.  It wouldn’t take long for the squirrel to resume activities and give his position away.  For those that have squirrel hunted, you know the distinct thud a squirrel makes when he hits the ground.  There is no better sound to a young hunter than the crack of a 20 gauge followed by that thud.

I returned to my roots this October and took a few friends on a squirrel hunt.  The weather was perfect, the squirrels were moving and it didn’t take long to fill our game bags!  A limit of Tennessee grey squirrels puts a smile on the face of this young hunter!  Makes me ask myself, why don’t I do this more often?

by Peter, pictures by Sunshine

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Introducing youth to hunting is such a thrill for us, and watching a kid get their first rabbit, bag their first buck or tag their first turkey can be even more exciting than getting a trophy ourselves!

We loved watching several fathers and sons in the field together at this year’s hunt.  It was also exciting to watch a young lady get her first doves.  She is a natural and shows a lot of promise in the field.  We hope to see her have success with big game as well!

Hunters, tell us what was your first game to hunt?

by Peter, pictures by Ryan McLemore

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This year’s annual dove shoot had a great mix of experienced and beginner hunters.  There was plenty of action for all and quite a few hunters were able to bag their limit.

by Peter, pictures by Ryan McLemore

The post September Dove Shoot appeared first on Our Southern Roots.

I never grow tired of watching a good dog work – whether it be bird dogs, hounds or retrievers.  These labs are duck dogs first and foremost –  hunting out of duck blinds and making retrieves in frigid water is what they live for!  However, in early September they adapt well to sown wheat fields and making retrieves in warmer conditions.  A good lab will not only add to the enjoyment of a dove shoot, but also to the success as they recover crippled birds and those difficult to find in thick cover.

by Peter, pictures by Ryan McLemore

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