|
Weather Rock Camp - 2008
Please Note: Hunts are posted in reverse order. The first hunt of the season will be at the bottom of the page. The most recent hunt will be found at the top.
Also note: Click on a photograph to enlarge it and get more information.
|
Hunt 2 Dec. 3-7
The Weather Rock Ranch, owned by Mike and Georgia Salls, hosts only two hunters per hunt, and they will have only two hunts per season. Since hunters can customize their hunt dates, the Weather Rock Ranch is a perfect fit for a pair of hunters.
Such was the case for Claude Leslie and his son, Travis, from Apopka, FL. Interestingly enough, the Salls are originally from Florida themselves.
Although the Leslies harvested an incredible number of deer during the four days, unfortunately the hunt was marred by the failure to find the buck Travis shot on the first afternoon of the hunt. Guide Pete Bara was with Travis as the buck was quartered toward them, and Pete suspects that the bullet hit the side of the bucks chest but never found vitals. There was, in fact, plenty of blood, but an extensive search that night and the next morning was disappointing for everyone. As time permitted during the remainder of the time, the search continued, still without success.
Losing a buck, especially, as Pete described him, a really good one, is the most dispiriting thing that ever happens in a deer camp. But as long as there will be deer hunters, there will be lost bucks from time to time.
Discounting this unfortunate development, the Leslies had a very productive hunt. Claude collected a fine ten pointer, and when Mike found a "management buck" which he judged to be unworthy of remaining in the herd, Claude harvested him, as well.
So altogether the pair of Leslies took a total of two bucks and eight does. Sadly, there was the DNF buck and another DNF doe. (DNF = did not find).
|
Hunt 1 Nov. 14 - 18
Ronnie Hanks, a veteran Adobe Lodge hunter, had an important customer, Greg Johnston, to bring on the Sub Sea 7 hunt after Thanksgiving at the Home Camp, but that date didn't work out for the two of them.
Mike and Georgia Salls agreed to host them, instead, and a date was picked that was agreeable to everyone concerned. With both Ronnie and Greg driving up from the Houston area (about 6 1/2 hours), they arrived on Friday afternoon too late for a decent hunt. And they only got to hunt until Monday morning - not the full four days.
Although the Weather Rock Ranch is not set up for bow hunting, accommodations were made for Greg as best they could. Greg saw and passed on numerous does and smaller bucks, but he was looking for a P&Y buck. Before leaving camp on their abbreivated stay, he connected on a big doe.
Ronnie, gun hunting, was looking for an exceptional buck. He passed on a 9 pointer that was not wide enough and turned down a wide ten pointer with tines too short for his goals. Missed shots and a DNF cost him some does, so unfortunately, the Houston pair went home with only the one doe.
No doubt the weather hampered the hunt. Part of the time, the wind was blowing a 40 mph gale. And perhaps the dates these hunters selected were affected by the full moon which can sometimes, but not always, have a negative impact on deer movement.
|
|
