Andys big 8

Andy puts probably more hours on stand than anyoneI know. His favorite game is picking out a certain buck and hunting him. This season I have spent quite a few days behind the camera during this chess game and this guy is intense...It is nice to see him get the hook up on a suburban giant via his close friend Felipe. Felipe is known to year after year put down some giant Whitetails in Md. He, like the majority of the overkill crew focuses on suburban hotspots that harbor some enormous freaks. He shot a super giant about two weeks before taking Andy into one of these haunts....

Here is a pic of Felipe's giant and then Andy's version of the events.

Well, I'll try and make this as short as possible but theres allot to say and be thankful for. Anyone that hunts with me knows I normally am bringing people to my properties to hunt, but I was invited to hunt one of my buddies (Felipe who shot the 177" buck I posted pics of a week ago) spots which was a really nice change, thanks Felipe, one hunt I wont forget. I was just in Illinos hunting for 9 days with no shooters in shooting range, and Ive had 46 sits this year already. Our goal was to get kill footage for 2012 Overkill DVD and my hopes were high becuase Felipe has managed his properties over the years and its payed off big time. Felipe had several good bucks in this spot on his camera so with a little luck a shooter would show up. Felipe was manning the camera for the first time and did a fantastic job all the way around. We saw several bucks, some small bucks, some were in the 120" class, some I was ready to shoot but he called me off. We saw one nice 8 pt breed a Doe, was exciting from start to finish. At about 5PM all the deer moved on chasing Does etc and everything was quiet for 30 minutes. Felipe said a buck was coming, then he said thats your buck, it was coming from directly behind me and I couldnt see it until it was literally right under me and it was a no brainer. He passed right by the stand and moved out to about 40 yards and I couldnt shoot as Felipe was trying to get the camera back on him when he walked around our tree. I waited to see what he would do before trying a grunt, bleat or anything to try and get him to come back in, but he turned and walked back towards us, straight at us. He tortured me for a few minutes directly facing us with no shot and it only made it worse as I started to get JACKED up. Finally he turned slightly quartering away at 19 yards and started to move off, I gave a "bah" and stopped him long enough to take a shot. Felipe hangs his stands high, really high, like 30 to 32' so Im not used to shooting down at that severe angle. I hit him a little back, looked like liver/lung shot so we backed out and decided to go back in the morning. I knew he was dead but it was still a long night. Thanks Felipe, Jason, Todd and Todds son for the help tracking and dragging, was good experience for Todds son who recently started hunting and killed a few deer already. Unfortunately the foxes found him before we did and got a little of the hind quarter, but not bad. Troy/Bowtrolls son Dawson whos 13 took these pics and did a great job. Troy also took some pics and Im sure he will post some up later. This was the first time in 29 years of hunting Ive ever been invited to hunt a spot where big mature bucks were around and given the opprtunity to shoot one, Felipe, you are the man!!! The buck scored 145 6/8", had a 20 4/8 inside spread, split brows and cariied mass all the way out. I couldnt be happier or more greatful. You'll see the hunt on the 2012 Overkill DVD.

Well this youth day sika hunt has been a month in the works. As you all may recall, my son Tyler spent a week and a half at Children's Hospital for Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Meningitis. I kept his progress up to date here on MWC and the outpouring of thoughts and prayers was overwhelming. Well, as a result of all the support, my son Tyler got an invite from Mark (aka Sikafreak) to hunt his Dorchester property on youth day for Sika. Needless to say, Tyler and I were speechless. Neither one of us had ever been Sika hunting and we were very excited. At the time of Marks generous offer Tyler was still at Children's in his hospital bed, and I can honestly admit it was the first smile we had seen on his face in days.

So Tyler and I went down Friday night and stayed at the Days Inn in Cambridge. We met Mark Saturday morning at the Royal farms store and began a friendship with a quick introduction and hand shake. We then followed Mark to his property where we met up with a few other MWC'ers who would also be hunting that morning with bows. We met Chip (aka Marshrabbit20), Kirk (aka Marshnut), and Sam (she is the daughter of the Huntress). Man what a great group of people and they were all very accommodating and excited for Tyler to get his first dose of Sika seduction. We all said good luck and Mark took us to the stand which was a tri-pod stand over looking the marsh. It was beautiful seeing the sun come up and the marsh come to life, oh yeah and all the duck hunters around us opening up their season with a bang. We were settled in and I will admit I had to climb down out of the stand and take of some business Royal Farms had left me. Once done I walked back over to the stand and Tyler whispered down not to move that he saw a stag. Tyler had the gun up looking through the scope and I thought I was going to miss it all. After a minute or two he said to come on up. I climbed up and asked what happened. He said it was a taller spike stag that popped up at about 50 yds walking away and he goes "Dad it just disappeared, I never had a shot". I chuckled and said that's why they call them "Marsh Ghosts". We sat there for another hour or so watching the scenery hoping for another sighting. We were sitting there talking when all of the sudden a brown shadow came bolting through the reed grass at about Mach 5. I told Tyler to get his gun up. This thing broke out into the marsh in the opening at full speed and I eventually just yelled at it to stop. Of course it stops right behind a bush. It stands there a few seconds and takes off again. I yell again and it stops again this time in an opening. Tyler was able to get the gun on him and that TC Venture 7mm08 barked. The stag stumbled and turned back to the reed grass running off with blood pouring out of the wound. Tyler had the biggest smile on his face and we were hi-fiving. I made the call to Mark that Tyler had gotten one and the calvary came. Mark had even called Oakcreek and his son Alex and they came to recover the stag also. Well the blood trail was quite impressive through that marsh. We found it with ease. Everyone was so pumped. I think that is the coolest thing about the kids being successful is everyone involved feels even better than if they had actually shot it themselves. We took a lot of pics and got the stag out of there.

Knowing Tyler could only shoot one Sika we were contemplating leaving for home. But, all that home talk subsided when Mark offered up his stand to me for the evening with my bow. I was all over that. Mark actually sat with Tyler for the evening hunt hoping for a whitetail encounter, which they actully had but couldn't get a shot. My evening in Mark's stand was awesome. I saw 2 small spike stags and a hind. They were at 10 yards for probably 30 minutes and I passed hoping for a nicer stag. They eventually walked off and that was it. Needless to say I am hooked. Mark said the invitation is open for January and man am I anxious to get back down there with that group of dedicated Sika hunters.

All in all a fantastic day. Thanks Mark for the invite and making us feel at home. You have a great group of people there. Tyler was tickled with his first Sika and you made his day a success. Tyler insisted on having it mounted so I dropped it off at Tim Young's last night. He wanted to have it mounted because now he will have his 1st whitetail, turkey, and sika mounted. I guess the best news of the whole story is Tyler has had several follow ups from his illness and is back to good health with no limitations. Thanks again guys.