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2020 Hunt Reports and Photos of All Bucks
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Hunt 14
Well here it is, the final hunt of the season! Now this hunt was fantastic, lots of great bucks, lots of does, and some others critters. A lot of hunters may think that the last hunt might not have as good of bucks, but this final hunt had so many good bucks that were seen and taken. The weather was very moderate with cool mornings and warm days. Some of our diligent Adobe Lodge followers may have heard through the grapevine that the buck of the year was taken on this hunt, and yes it was.
So lets jump into some great bucks.
The first hunter to tag a buck was Ronald Simmons from Phoenix, AZ. Ron is a new guest to the Lodge and was accompanied by two of his sons. I believe that these guys had a blast. On the first evening hunt Ron tagged a nice eight point buck. On this hunt we offered additional bucks for sale and Ron was one to partake, on the second day he tagged another great buck, it would have been a 10 point but had busted off two points in the rut, but it was still a beauty. On the final evening hunt Ron just couldn't help himself and bagged a third buck and what a beautiful buck it was. It had real nice length on the tines, and great mass throughout the rack. This was a very successful hunt for Ron, he also harvested 5 doe, and a fox.
Matthew Simmons also from Phoenix, AZ had a great hunt as well, this is Matts first out of state hunt and his first hunt in our camp. On the second morning hunt Matt tagged a seven point buck that had good width, it had a few busted points and would have made an eight point, but it is still a trophy. Matt also partook in the second buck option and harvested a second buck, and it was a superb eight point with nice long tines and good height. Over the course of the hunt Matt also bagged two porcupine, a fox and two does.
Joseph Simmons also from Phoenix, AZ and also his first time hunt out of state tagged a beautiful 10 point buck. This buck had excellent length with his tines, look at those G3's. This buck was the heaviest in weight at 150#'s on this hunt. It's great when families come and share and make memories here in camp. Joe also harvested two doe.
The next group of hunters I'm going to introduce all come from Pennsylvania. I believe that Chris Long is the organizer of this party. Chris has been a guest here at the lodge for four years. In no particular order I'll tell you about the bucks taken by this group of hunters. With that said, I'll go ahead and tell you about Chris's buck.
Chris Long from Lancaster, PA tagged a beautiful eight point buck on an evening hunt. This trophy buck had wonderful mass from top to bottom, the main beam circled around making a perfect U shape. What a beautiful buck. Chris Also harvested three does.
Chad Beitler of Gettysburg, PA bagged a fantastic nine point buck on a morning hunt. We really have been seeing great length on these end of the season hunts. Chads buck also had great length on his g3's and his brow tines curled back. This trophy buck scored 128 5/8". Chad also harvested four does.
Jeff Rankin from Lancaster, PA was a first time guest of the Lodge. Jeff tagged a nice eight point buck that had nice length on the main beam, one of the sides actually was fairly straight. A real nice rack. Jeff also harvested three does.
The next three hunters are all new to the lodge and had fantastic hunts. The original PA group had two hunters that were unable to make the hunt so Chris Long invited these hunters to fill those spots. Clyde, Randy, and 13yr old Cohen Kreider are all from Lancaster, PA.
Clyde Kreider is the father of Randy, and grandfather of Cohen. Clyde harvested a nice eight point buck. Unfortunately both the main beam tips have been broken, but still makes him symmetrical. What was really interesting is the and unique is how far apart the brow tines are. Clyde also harvested three does, one of which was the heaviest of the season weighing in at 121#s.
Randy Kreider tagged a nice eight point buck on the last night of the hunt. Hunting tirelessly Randy was very patient with the buck that he shot. He waited and waited for the right shot to present itself over the hunt making sure that he would not miss, I mention all this because as you see in the photo Randy shot his buck with a .44 mag pistol open sights. The buck had worked his way towards the blind and finally presented itself, I think Randy had mentioned 28 yards, or maybe I just misheard. But the shot was fatal to the buck. Randy also harvested four does.
Without further ado, we would like to introduce you to the buck of the year hunter 13 yr old, Cohen Kreider. Cohen has been hunting since he was seven years old and has been very successful. On the first evening hunt randy sat with Cohen in the blind, and after that he was on his own. It was the second morning hunt when a monster buck walked into the feeder at Cohen's blind, it hadn't gone off yet, and the deer were milling around. Cohen was afraid that when it did go off the buck would bolt. Meanwhile, Cohen was texting Dad about the monster buck and the feeder goes off, the deer scatter, but the only one remaining was the buck. Taking action, Cohen squeezes off a shot and hits the buck, it runs straight for the blind and he fires another round. He calls up his guide, Tony Keiffer, and is so excited. Tony arrives and they begin looking for blood. Tony gets a little worried as he wasn't finding much blood, they walk through the whole scenario and are pacing the direction the buck ran. Cohen squeals with joy, there the buck is, just 20 yards from the blind. Ladies and gentleman let me introduce the 17 point, 8x9, 19" wide, 163 2/8" buck of the year. This buck is the 4th best buck of Adobe Lodge in 35 years. Congratulations Cohen! Not only did Cohen tag a magnificent buck he called in two foxes, and shot one burly boar hog with one eye. We joked in camp that we should take him to town and buy some lottery tickets cause his luck was runneth over.
I want to thank Guide Dan Adney for filling in on the last night for me and taking a few pictures. Greatly appriciated!
And that concludes hunt 14. The final harvest count for this hunt is 12 bucks, 27 does, 4 foxes, 2 porcupines, 1 hog.
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Hunt 13
Welcome to hunt 13, it kicked of with wind, which has been becoming a normal occurrence. Some mornings there was fog, needless to say it was chilly, and ended with about 3" of SNOW on the ground.
This hunt had a few new comers to the lodge and we began the hunt with first time guest Robert Collins from Woodstock, GA tagging a very wide 19 5/8", unique 5 point buck. Also Robert tagged one doe. Robert will be joining us again next year.
Our next guest to tag a deer was Nathan Sack from Dothan, AL. Nate came to camp as a first time ever hunter with his father Will Sack, both new guests to the lodge. It didn't take long and Nate harvested a nice mature doe, this being his first deer, we told him it is tradition to get his blood strips. He was so proud to wear his strips, Dad, Will, asked if he was going to wash his face during the day and Nate said no way. That evening Nate actually refreshed those strips with his first ever buck, and it was a dandy! Nate tagged a beautiful 9 point buck with nice length, one side of his horns showing a bit of mule deer traits, and he had good mass. He scored 128" making him the buck of the hunt. Nate Also harvested 2 doe.
That same evening returning guest Hank Steinhauer from Laurens, GA tagged a cool 53# javelina. Also Hank helped with the doe quota and tagged four very healthy mature does. We will also be seeing Hank next season.
The next hunter to score a great buck was Vince Pierleoni from Newfane, NY. This is the second time he has been a guest at the lodge. Vince's buck was a fantastic 6x5. That sixth point is a double browtine. Vince also tagged 3 doe.
The final buck of the hunt was tagged by Will Sack of Dothan, AL a new guest to camp. What a majestic 8 point buck this was, a nice 18" spread with great mass. Will is serving in the US Airforce and we would like to say a great big THANK YOU for your service. Will also tagged one doe. We look forward to seeing Will with his sons next year.
The final two hunters didn't see a buck to melt their butter on this hunt, but that's ok.
Jipp Ortiz from Ransomville, NY was a first time camp guest and did tag one doe. We will be seeing him as well next season. Last but not least, by no means, Marie Boehler form Mayfield, NY tagged three does. You may recognize Marie's pretty face because this is her third hunt this year, she just can't get enough camp time. This hunt she was guided by her husband Craig Boehler, I just love the banter these two give each other. I also love the group hunter picture, Marie looks so small among giant men, however, she may be small, she is fierce!
Just a quick shout out to guide Albert Zapata, he harvested a beautiful fox.
This concludes hunt 13, the final game count is 4 bucks, 15 does, 1 javelina, and 1 fox.
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Hunt 12
Welcome to hunt 12, it began with about 4" of snow, and was absolutely beautiful! Some of the hunters travel getting to the Lodge was long and drawn out, but they all made it and the bucks started being tagged the first night.
Oh by the way, Happy New Year!
The first buck of the hunt was taken by Jessica Adams from Amsterdam, NY. This is the second time Jessica has been our guest at camp. Now this buck was really unique, 7 points on one side, within the first four inches of horn on the right side there were three points. Way to go Jessica. She also tagged one doe.
Also on the first night Scott Patterson of Houston, TX tagged a beautiful 10 point buck. What a beauty, it couldn't have been more perfect, good length on the brow tines and the length continued into the rest of the points. I know when certain bucks come in, that getting a good photo will be easy. This was the buck of the hunt scoring 122 1/8". Scott is being guided by Jerry Watts, and come to find out, Jerry's wife was one of Scott's teachers in school. I won't go into any detail in how many years ago that many have been, but it's always neat when there is a back story. Scott also tagged three does.
The next morning two sisters Angelina and Alaina Adams both tagged their bucks. I heard that they high fived each other and congratulated one another, that's fantastic, and then it's right back to sisterly affection (wrestling and arguing). The girls are here with their parents Tim and Jessica Adams, and grandparents Craig and Marie Boehler. It's very evident that all involved with the girls shooting and hunting skills have taken great lengths teaching them to be efficient and respectful of hunting. Well done family!
Angelina's Buck was the first I photographed, now mind you, this is the second time she has been in camp and she really was selective in the buck she decided to take. Agelina's buck was a fantastic 8 point and if you look closer at the eye guards you can see that they both have a "y" at the top, what a nice addition to this buck.
Alaina is here as a first ever buck hunter, really first ever anything hunter. She was being guided by her grandpa which they call PopPop, also known as Craig Boehler. Craig was in the blind with Alaina when she bagged her first ever buck. The story goes like this, as told by Craig. When she looked through her scope at this particular buck she said, "Oh my God, that's the one I want!" and then she began to hyperventilate a little! She was able to calm herself down and looks through the scope again, she's on the buck. Craig is waiting for her to take the shoot but Alaina whispers, "Can I take the safety off?" Yes PopPop says, once again he's waiting for the shot. Alaina whispers again, "Can I put my finger on the trigger?" I'm sure at this point PopPops nerves are through the roof with anticipation. Alaina says,"He's broadside.", and BANG, buck down! For 12 years old, Alaina shows great control and knows how to analyze the situation. Her first ever buck was 19" wide, wowwy! Alaina also tagged one doe.
The next morning Marie Boehler from Amsterdam, NY harvested a great 10 point buck! Marie has been joining the camp for 10 years. Apparently the shooting skills of all her girls comes from Grammy, 'aka' Marie dropped her buck in his tracks. Crab claws any one? Look at those up front and present for sure! Additionally, the buck had brow tines that both curled back. Marie also tagged one doe.
Next on the hunt to tag a buck was Charlie Eifert from Mason, Ohio. Charlie has been a hunter many times at the Lodge and has even had buck of the year a few years back, so he knows how to pick a good one. This particular bucks rack really swooped around to the front and was just generally a good buck. Charlie and I chatted a bit about hunting and come to find out we have a common interest in traditional archery, he has hunted many years with a longbow and recurve, I, myself, has only ever hunted with a longbow. Over the hunt Charlie made fast friends with the camp kitties, he was also gracious enough to leave them some treats. Charlie also was able to bag two hogs on this hunt, a sow weighing 200#, and another 150# male in addition to one doe.
Tim Adams from Amsterdam, NY was the next hunter to tag a buck. Tim's buck had exceptional brow tines on both sides, often enough we don't see two good long brow tines, be it from being broken or just not there. It is fantastic that Tim's buck had two matching ones. This is the second season Tim has joined the camp, and this time he is here with wife Jessica and both his daughter's, it really has been a family affair. Tim also tagged one doe.
On the last evening hunt, Ryan Patterson from Houston, TX shot a great eight point buck. If you zoom in a little on the bucks brow tines you can see that one is swooped back, the other would have been the same had it not been broken. Ryan joked that they were like this due to the fact the buck was fast and running all the time, so that's how they grew. Ryan is a sophomore at Texas Tech and we all know that many students haven't been able to be on campus this year, he said he still feels like a freshman. We wish Ryan lots of success with his schooling. Ryan also bagged a 150# hog.
Our last guest of this hunt is Lynn Patterson from Kingsland, TX. Lynn has hunted at the Lodge on and off through the years. This year Lynn came to the Lodge with a little bit different circumstances, then in the past. I believe it's been about a year since Lynn has become wheelchair bound, but he is very independent with his new wheels. For this hunt his nephew Ryan was a tremendous help in assisting Lynn with getting him set up in a pop up ground blind. Many times Lynn had said how proud he was of Ryan for all the help he had provided. Lynn tagged a whopping 113# doe on his hunt. Well done!
One more thing, we had a birthday on this hunt. Dan Adney, a most trusted guide and friend, celebrated his special day at the Adobe Lodge, he had said where else would he rather be on his birthday. His very sweet wife delivered to the lodge a most delicious, homemade chocolate cake with cherry filling. It was Splendid!! Happy Birthday Dan!
And that concludes hunt 12. The final game count was 8 bucks, 9 does, and 3 hogs.
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HUNT 11
Howdy Y'all
Welcome to hunt 11. Boy was the weather ever a mess on this hunt, it started out with beautiful 75 degree Days, then the wind picked up out of the south and was blowing like the devil was on it's tail. Dust was flying, and the TX flag was waving at full attention and then the calm before the storm arrived for a few hours. The wind shifted and was now coming out of the north and it became damp and chilly. Slowly the rain drops started to fall and by the last evening it was getting muddy and wet. The last morning hunt was cold and rainy, by noon snow flakes began descending on us. Some of the hunters packed up and headed to the airport, and then returned, all flights canceled and roads were a mess. Our most gracious guide, Kent Terrill, invited them to his home and cooked them a fine meal, what a heck of a guy. But let's get to some great bucks!
The first buck of the hunt was tagged by Josh Dexter from Melbourne, FL. This was a superb way to start a hunt, Josh shot a fantastic 4x4 8 point that was 19 1/4" wide and had nice length. Josh was here with his parents, Chris and Shannon, and has been to the lodge a couple of times. Josh also harvested a nice mature doe weighing 94#.
The next buck to be tagged was by Madisyn Ormsby of Petersburg, PA. Madi bagged a great 5x4 9 point scoring 129 4/8" making her buck the buck of the hunt. Take a look at those long tines, as skipper would say "Golly". Madi has been a guest of the lodge for three years coming with her dad, Brian. This hunt her sister Carly joined them as a non hunter and plans to hunt next year. Both girls are absolutely great to have in camp, I can't wait till next year. Madi also harvested one doe.
Nick Glosser from Newfane, NY brought down the next buck. This buck had a unique set of horns, one side was typical and the other had a great long brow tine and just passed it a large horn bulb with a hole in the back side. We are unsure of what caused the deformity being that he was a very healthy buck with no apparent injury. My speculation is, while in the velvet flies lay larva on tender horn and it bores into the soft tissue forming a mass or maybe something like a cyst. I don't really know, just my guess. But anyway it is a cool buck. Nick also tagged 3 doe
On the last evening hunt Amber Mousseau from McComb, MI harvested a beautiful 8 point buck. Amber has been to the lodge a few times with her dad Pete and this is her second buck taken here. This was a special hunt, Amber was guided by her dad Pete. Due to some of our guides coming down ill before the hunt we asked Pete if he would mind guiding, he has been hunting here for many years and knows the land pretty good, infact he was just here hunting with us on hunt 6. Amber commented that her dad was a good guide, he got all the gates for her, walked in the pouring rain for her, and helped judge some great bucks. If you ever get a chance to hunt here with Amber her smile is the best! Amber also tagged 3 doe.
The final buck of the hunt goes to the birthday boy, Brian Ormsby. It just so happened that he tagged his buck on his birthday, a nice 10 point. What a gift. Brain told us that the buck came in directly from behind him and walked right by the blind and looked into the window. Apparently it did't phase the buck because he kept on walking by, he made a fatal mistake on that day. This group of hunters has been hunting together for some years after actually meeting here at camp. They surprised Brian with a birthday cake, a bush light beer cake, the biggest can I've seen. Brian also tagged 2 doe.
During the hunt in camp, some great memories were made. Some singing, lots of joking, and just plain ole good fun.
The final game count is 5 bucks and 10 doe.
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HUNT 10
Hey Y'all
Welcome to hunt 10, nothing crazy happened with the weather, it's been absolutely beautiful. As with every hunt, we started off with the hunt meeting and you never know what shenanigans or funny things will happen. At the conclusion of the meeting guide Dick Irons said' "Well wait a minute, I have a gift for everyone." There's no telling what he was up to. He brings out a box full of Christmas light necklaces for the hunters. Dick proceeds to tell everyone that if the hunters wear them for the night hunts it would make it easier for the guides to find them in the dark. He tells them we have never lost anyone, YET! Dicks hunters were wearing them when he picked them up. How fun, you never know what's going to happen around here.
On the first evening, first time Lodge guest and first time ever hunter Wesley Jones of Oceanside, CA tagged a great first buck. The buck would have been a 10 point, but had unfortunately broke the main beam during the rut making him a 5x3. Other than that the buck was great, he had good mass and was a healthy weight of 156#. Wesley also tagged four doe, usually the hunters tag 3, but he shot a crippled one to put her out of her misery, so we aloud him to shot another.
I didn't mention yet that Wesley was also accompanied at the lodge by his twin brother Dr. Robert Jones. Both of them were first ever buck guests of the Lodge, brought by their step father Gary Ghio, a veteran Adobe Lodge guest. The twin brothers are very competitive with one another and everything in camp was compared by the two. Robert shot a bigger buck, but Wesley's weighed more. In the end I call it a tie, we were happy to share the experience with them. I have to mention that Wes and Robert took on a great feat a few years ago and climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro, how incredible is that, and a great bonding experience for the twins.
Also on the first night, Justin Dennington from Fort Myers, FL bagged a trophy nine point 4x5. The buck had great mass. Justin has been a guest of the camp previously, and knows when to pull the trigger. Justin was good sport about Dicks Christmas present and often had his necklace of lights on in camp, and when his guide would pick him up in the evenings. Also, I just wanted to mention that Justin is expecting a son in April and we wish him and his family a happy healthy baby. Justin also tagged 2 doe.
The next buck bagged was by Bruce Dennington from Fort Myers, FL. Bruce has been a guest of the Lodge before, it had been a few years since his last visit and we are so thankful him and his son Justin decided to join us once again. Bruce's buck was the buck of the hunt, take a look at those brow tines! This buck had exceptional length all around and scored an unofficial 126 7/8" B/C. I thought it was interesting that this buck had a really short face and little bitty ears, a real pretty fellow.
The following day is when first time ever hunter Robert Jones tagged his buck. Robert is residing in San Franciso, CA. Now Roberts first hunting story is one that he will always remember, as it was no ordinary hunt. Robert shot a tremendous 10 point buck and "we" in camp agreed that he had luck on his side. When Robert fired his shot the bullet stuck the fencing panel around feeder and fragmented the bullet. Usually at this point the shot would have more than likely missed the buck completely but unbeknownst to Robert at the time the fragments had penetrated the buck and made a fatal wound or should I say wounds. There were, I believe six or more holes in the bucks side. The buck only traveled a few yards and died. Now how lucky is that?
On the evening hunt of the same day Pat Keough from Rye, NY harvested his buck. And what a cool buck he was. On the bucks left side his brow tine was very very long, and the width from the tip of the main beam to the other main beam was 18 1/4" wide. Pat was also in camp with long time friend Hal Wright and they are Adobe Lodge veterans. As we chatted around camp I learned that Pat and Hal have been friends since their junior year in high school, and since then have been hunting buddies. Now I won't mention any amount of years but what a special friendship. Pat also tagged 2 doe, one of which weighed 112#.
Gary Ghio from Aguanga, CA also a camp veteran harvested a great mature buck. This buck was a perfect eight point. The symmetry was spot on. Gary is the step father to twins Wes and Robert, it is a great experience that they can share this memory together. Gary also tagged 2 doe.
On the last full day in camp another first time ever Lodge hunter Brett Eckenrode from Fort Myers, FL harvested a beautiful 5x4 buck. Brett had mentioned that he saw so many bucks he just couldn't make a decision on which to shoot. He said it was a bit overwhelming, having to many decisions when hunting is really never a bad thing, is it? While in a blind one evening, Brett had a great experience with a bobcat. The cat was not at all concerned about much and spent much time just milling around Brett's blind, even just taking the time to just sit and have his picture taken and a video. Brett also tagged 2 doe.
On the final morning hunt Hal Wright of Athens, GA bagged a great non-typical buck. This buck had splendid mass and was a beautiful 6x4. I really wish y'all could see this buck in person, just so you could really see how heavy his horns were and the crown on the one side. So I just found out that the non-typical side of the bucks horns was due to an injury, the injury was a bullet being lodged in his right hip bone few years back. This buck was a great way to end hunt 10. Hal also tagged 3 doe.
Unfortunately our last hunter, Dan Mink, was unable to finish his hunt and had to return home early. However, Dan had been on the previous hunt and bagged a nice eight point. Dan will be back in April for spring turkey season.
One more thing, I wanted to give our guide Tony Keiffer mention, as he was able to take down a 75# feral hog. Well Done Tony, one down a thousand to go.
The final game count of this hunt is 8 bucks, 16 doe, 1 hog.
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HUNT 9
Hey Y'all
Welcome to hunt 9, it seems like I have always started with the weather, so I guess I won't change anything and let you down. The common saying of this hunt was "Will someone please turn off the fan." It was blowing hard and the air was filled with dust, lots and lots of dust. It blew in a cold spell on the first full day dropping the temps once again into the teens in the morning. But that being said, it sure didn't put a damper on the hunting.
I love it when our hunters are great story tellers and can relive a hunt over and over. It really helps me with the write up. Phil Peppers, a first time Lodge guest from Canton, GA is one such hunter, a great story teller. One the first morning hunt Phil shot an excellent 10 point. His story goes something like this, "I was sitting there in the blind watching more deer then I have ever seen in one place at one time, bucks are everywhere, its a little to dark to really make out the size of anything yet. Here comes from the back of the feeder a deer, it looks like a doe. Ok, I'm watching, and watching, the morning is getting brighter, the doe turns into a buck, an 8 point buck. Still doesn't look like a shooter, the morning sun is finally arrived and the 8 point buck turns into a 10 point heavy horned brute with dark horns. Oh yeah, that's the one!"
Or so that's how I remembered the story being told. Later on in the day Phil showed me where in his office the buck mount is going to go, right next to another splendid buck mount, making a great pair. Phil had called his secretary asking her to send a picture of the wall space, currently it was being occupied by some ducks, Phil instructed her to take the ducks down, that space is going to have a new buck there. Come to find out this is the first 10 point buck that Phil has ever tagged, we are honored to share that with him. Phil's buck was the buck of the hunt scoring an unofficial 127 7/8" B/C. What a fun guy to have in camp. Phil also tagged two doe.
16", 10pnt, 130#
That evening the great bucks continued to come in. The next buck tagged was shot by Ronnie Rivers of Fayettville, GA. Ronnie has been a guest of the lodge for some years and had actually introduced the camp to fellow hunter Don Dipietro who in turn has introduced a few more to the hunt. But on to Ronnie's buck, this buck was a beauty! I don't know if anybody else noticed the red tint to the bucks coat, take a look at his picture you can really see the red on his forehead and checks. This buck had good width, and nice length on his G3's. Ronnie also tagged three doe.
17 1/2", 8pnt, 108#
Also on the same evening hunt Ronnie's brother in law George 'aka Billy' Amerine from Williamson, GA tagged his first Adobe Lodge buck, and also his first ever 10 point. This buck was a superb perfect basket buck. Well done Billy!
14", 10pnt, 122#
After super that night, the hunters enjoyed time around the camp fire, and were serenaded by our one and only guide Kent Terrill. Kent is a great singer and guitar player.
The next morning Tim Hodges of Cleveland, MS did not disappoint with the eight point buck he tagged. This buck had incredible width, 21", making it the widest, so far, of the season. This is the second time Tim has been a guest at the lodge. Interestingly, this buck had had some severe trauma to both back legs in the last few months, our guess is that he had hung up in a fence for a while. It healed with expossed bone on both sides. These deer are so tough. Tim also bagged a 59# javelina and tagged three doe.
21", 8pnt, 128#
There was no shortage of jokes and good humored fun on this hunt. There was a time when I fell into the blunt end of a joke that had me blush and turn many shades of red, but it was all in good fun. But just remember (You Know Who) I'll pay you back next year.
As the photographer of the Lodge I was busy everyday with bucks. The next hunter to score a good buck was Steve Welch from Monroe, GA. Steve was also a first time hunter to the lodge and to Texas. He said that his hunt was everything he had expected it to be, the amount of deer seen was just unbelievable. Steves buck was a great mature eight point. Steve also tagged 2 doe.
15 1/2", 8pnt, 136#
That same night Don Dipietro of Flowery Beach, GA tagged a magnificent nine point buck. The buck had good width and length on his G2's. Don has been hunting at the lodge for many years and has organized a good group of guys. Don also harvested three doe, one being 119# tying for the heaviest of the season so far.
17 1/2", 9pnt, 130#
On the last evening hunt Brandon Snyder from Monroe, GA bagged a great 8 point buck. Brandon saw lots of buck while in the blinds but never did commit to shooting one, it became a joke the he was just there to watch the bucks. Some of his fellow hunters would ask him if he knew how to shoot a rifle. In the long run, it paid off for Brandon to just watch, giving him the opportunity to tagged the great buck he finally decided on. This is the first time Brandon has been a guest at the Lodge and to hunt in Texas.
19", 8pnt, 142#
The final buck of the hunt was taken by long time guest of the Lodge Dan Mink. Dan is from Stewartstown, PA and has been on many hunts here, including spring turkey season. The buck Dan decided to harvest was a nice, very symmetrical eight point. You'll see Dan on the next hunt as well, he booked back to back hunts. We are looking forward to see what he harvests next.
15", 8pnt, 130#
And that concludes hunt # 9. Boy season is rapidly flying by. The final count of the hunt is 8 bucks, 16 doe, and 1 Javelina.
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Hunt 8
Howdy Y'all
Welcome to hunt 8, this hunt kicked off with absolutely beautiful weather. Mornings were cool and crisp, and the days were in the 70's. This hunt didn't have any first time lodge comers, but welcomed back the Dicicco's from NJ. It had been many years since they visited the lodge and we were so happy to see them again. I won't waste anytime and jump right into the first buck tagged of the hunt and it was a beauty.
The first buck was tagged by Bill Wurfel of Robbinsville, NJ. Bill has been hunting at the Lodge for four years now, but has been hunting the McManus Camp for 10 years. At the age of 82 this guy has the spunk and heart of a young man. Not only is Bill a dead eye shot, he hunts with a muzzleloader. So, on the very first evening hunt at 4:35pm I received a phone call from NJ, well I recognized it was Bills number and answered. The words were, "Ole Betsy was true again!" Bill proceeded to tell me he shot a buck but it wasn't a very good one. I say "Bill if it's the one you wanted it's a trophy." At camp the anticipation grew as we waited for him to come in. When his guide backed up to the skinning shed I was the first to come out, oh my goodness, what a magnificent buck!!!
Bill harvested an 8 point that scored 137 7/8" making this buck the buck of the hunt. The length of those tines are absolutely incredible. His G2 was 13". Bill also tagged one doe. And that was the conclusion of the first evening.
18 1/4", 8pnt, 137 7/8", 143#
On the second day full day, it was rather quiet in the skinning shed, no bucks were taken. But the laughing and jokes were great and in abundance. As the hunt continued on to the second morning hunt Warren Wydmyer from Orange, VA bagged his special buck. Warrens buck had spot on symmetry. Being a long time adobe lodge guest of many many years Warren knows when he has a good one in his cross hairs. Warren also tagged 3 doe and 3 raccoons.
17", 8pnt, 111#
The third buck to be tagged was shot by Scott Murdoff of Plano, TX just up the hwy about 5hrs. Scott has also hunted with us for some years with his brother Jack. The buck Scott bagged was a real nice mature 8 point. The rack had an interesting swoop of the left horn giving it good width at 18". Scott also filled his doe quota of 3, one being the heaviest of the hunt at 108#'s.
18", 8pnt, 142#
Alright, on the third morning hunt Russ Ogburn of Maddison, MS Bagged a real cool buck. Russ and I had been joking around here and there giving each other a hard time. When I left the evening before he took his buck we were again joking a bit and I told him i had a great feeling about his upcoming morning hunt, I said laughing, " I feel it in my bones, your going to get a great one in the morning." And that was the last thing I said to him before I went home for the evening. The next morning it was reported that we had a buck coming in, I just knew it was Russ. I mentioned above that he bagged a real cool buck, why yes he did. This guy must have been the ruler if the roost around that part of the country, it looked like he had been fighting everyone. The buck had 9 remaining points out of at least 13. Almost all of his extra points had been broken off, no doubt locking up horns with other bucks. Russ's buck had great mass as well.
16", 9pnt, 133#
The final buck of the hunt was harvested by Jack Jones from Flowood, MS. Like his brother Scott, Jack has been a guest here many times. I think Jack had to be one of the most patient hunters I have met. It seemed like every evening he would have good stories of nice bucks and he would capture them on video. Some less experienced hunters probably would have tagged out right away seeing the bucks Jack was. But his diligence scored him a magnificent 10 point buck with nice mass. Jack also tagged one doe.
15 3/4", 10pnt, 120#
As I mentioned above the Dicicco's, Larry Sr. (Pop) and Larry Jr. joined us on this hunt. It had been some years since the father son duo had attended the Lodge. Both hunters had signed up for the trophy option, looking for 10 points or more. As in all hunting, it is a gamble if you see the one that melts your butter, or tickles your fancy. I guess that's why its called hunting, sometimes you just don't find what your looking for. But I don't think that they are going home empty handed, just the experience of being in camp and the memories made are a great prize.
Meanwhile in camp over the last few days we had some good times and fabulous food, I definitely put on some pounds this hunt. As always, our hunt ends with our final evening meal being "Steak Night" some fine TX ribeyes. Yummy
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Hunt 7
Howdy Y'all,
Hello again, here we are again with another hunt in the books for 2020. Brrrrrrr.... as I'm sitting here typing it's 23 degrees outside. It's actually the first night of this hunt and I got home a bit ago from the Lodge, I'm trying to stay ahead of my game this time.
Many of you that have been here know that we always start the hunt with a group meeting with all the hunters, guides, and cook. Towards the end of the discussion, guide Kent Terrill was asked to describe what a hunter should be looking for in a good buck. Oh My Goodness, I don't think I'll ever forget his description. He proceeded to tell us, "What your looking for in a mature buck is one that has a thick middle and big neck. Generally bigger than the rest." Then he went on to say, "Just picture me, if I was on all fours my middle would be sagging and pretty much have a real thick body, not like, say, a football player. A young buck is going to be lean, real fit and tight. Just like a young athlete." My gosh, I'm still laughing. This set the mood for a hunt filled with lots of laughs and good times.
If you take a good look at the group photo of the hunters you'll see Niam Pavleck holding one of the ranch kitties. Those cats fell in love with her and she them. Niam had her dad, Guy, purchase some treats for the kitties, those cats have never eaten so well, they are still begging for more after she has gone home. Niam had a few treats remaining and left them for the kitties, I'll have to ration them out and make them last a while longer.
On the first evening James Bennet from Talcott, WV tagged a wonderful 10 point buck. This buck was absolutely gorgeous, it had great symmetry and a good heavy base. What I like about the buck is that his horns were really open, opposed to being a more basket style buck. From the end of the main beam point to point had significant distance. James also harvested 3 doe.
19", 8pnt, 116#, 5x5
The next morning the temperature dropped down to 14 degrees, "WoooWeeee" thank goodness for little coleman heaters. The hunters we have are tough, sitting in those blinds when it's that cold is brutal. Needless to say, the deer decided to stay in bed that day, no deer were taken on the morning or evening hunts.
The second buck to be tagged was by Kris Musick of Hurricane, WV. This bucks rack was like a box, flat coming off the base 19" wide and then going up. What a wonderful buck for a first time Adobe Lodge visit, Kris joined his father Ron Musick who was a repeat hunter. Kris also tagged 1 doe.
19", 4x5, 115#, 9pnt
HB Lantz from Troy, VA tagged the next buck. HB has been hunting with the Lodge for many years, coming twice a year, 22 consecutive hunts. That means he knows when he sees a good one. HB bagged a beautiful 8 point symmetrical buck with good mass and chocolate horns. Looking at the camp photos you'll see a familiar face, Lee Wilson, in a shot with HB. These two have been hunting companions for some years, but this year it wasn't in the cards for them to hunt together, so Lee made a quick fly in surprise just to see his pal for a short visit of an hour and then whisk away just as quickly. That just shows you what great friends they are. HB Also tagged 3 doe.
17", 8pnt,143#
Moving on to the next great buck, Ron Musick from Montgomery, WV Bagged A beautiful 8 point buck. This buck had real good brow tines and exceptional mass. This was the second time Ron has joined the lodge for a hunt and he brought his son Kris along. We measured out his buck and his sons buck and there was only an 1/8" difference. I won't say which had the larger score because they were both tremendous deer, but father and son know. Ron also tagged 1 doe.
18", 8pnt, 140#
James Brogan of Athens, WV a long time Adobe Lodge hunter, harvested a fantastic 10 point buck on the 3rd evening hunt. From tip to tip on the main beam he had great width, and take a look at those G3's, what super length. The widest width was 19". James also tagged 2 doe.
19", 10pnt, 124#
And here we are to the final morning hunt, three hunters went out to harvest deer. The first truck to return was carrying 2 doe tagged by Mike Dorsey of Pascoag, RI. Mike came to hunt on the trophy option and did not see that special buck to melt his butter, however he did bag three mature doe.
The next truck to back up to the skinning shed looked like the animal wagon, it carried 2 doe and two wonderful bucks harvested by father Guy and daughter Niam Pavleck from Frisco, TX. The first I photographed was Niam Pavleck. This young lady was on her second hunt at the Lodge and tagged a magnificent 6 point buck with real nice main beam length. Niam's Grandfather, fellow lodge hunter, James brogan was able to share the special moment with Niam. Having Niam in camp was such a joy, it really lightened the atmosphere of camp. Being a lover of animals myself I felt that Naim and I were kindred spirits, she is a special young lady.
The final buck I photographed on the hunt was Guy Pavleck, also from Frisco, TX. Guy bagged a fantastic 8 point buck. He told me symmetry was his thing and sure enough this buck was just that, a perfect 8 point buck with great length on both sides.
The final count of game harvested was 7 bucks, and 15 doe.
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Hunt 6
Howdy
This hunt began on a cloudy chilly afternoon, it amazes me how drastic the weather can be here in west Texas. We were in the 8o's last hunt and here we are in the 40's's on this hunt and it frosted every morning, not to mention the wind picked up making it all the more brisk. Heaters had to be pulled out, cold weather gear and long underwear where worn, just amazing. It seemed like the cool weather had the bucks up and on the move a little more than the last hunt.
It was pretty quiet on the first evening hunt, lots of bucks where seen, and very little does. No one decided to commit to any critters and it made for an early evening super. The next morning it was pretty much the same report, however one doe was taken. Camp was pretty quiet, but during these down times is when new friends are made and lots of jesting happens.
The second evening came round and three gorgeous bucks were tagged.
The first was shot by Adam Potts from Athens, GA. Adam is a first time Adobe Lodge comer and the son in law of repeat hunter Kevin Yeater. What a gorgeous 10 point buck with great length and long brow tines. Unofficially he scored 133 3/8"Adam also tagged out on his does, one weighing 119#, the heaviest yet of the season.
17", 10pnt, 140#
The second was tagged by Kevin Yeater of Monroe, GA. Now this buck is certainly a unique eight point. The length on the main beams was exceptional, especially on the left side, I believe it was 22". The buck scored 122 B/C, had he not had a broken the G3 on the left who knows what he would have scored. Kevin also harvested his 3 doe quota.
17", 8pnt, 157#
The third buck of the evening was harvested by Pete Mousseau from Macomb, MI and has been hunting with the lodge for some years. Pete's buck was the buck of the hunt scoring 135 1/2" B/C. What a magnificent buck, take a look at the length on those tines and an extra kicker. We will be seeing Pete again in a few weeks as he comes back with his kids. Additionally he tagged 3 doe.
18 1/2",11pnt, 151#
On the second morning hunt Raymond Jordan of North Carrollton, MS bagged his buck. Take a look at that eye guard, a double, how special is that.Sometimes its the little things that make a deciding factor when harvesting a buck. What a beautiful animal this buck is. Ray's buck was the widest of hunt 6 19". Raymond also tagged three mature does.
19", 9pnt, 126#
The final buck of the hunt was tagged by Ben Yeater of Monroe, GA. And by final, we mean 2 minutes before his hunt ended. Even his guide heard the shot as he was coming to the blind to pick him up. Bens Buck was a classic 8 point beauty. Bens family razed him the whole hunt because he wasn't able to harvest an animal until the last few minutes. To no avail, Ben just had some bad luck in the beginning, but it turned out in the end. We gave Ben a little more razzing in camp because he liked to wear flip flops. Now that's one I have yet to see, but in fairness he says he has to wear nice shoes all the time at home and just enjoys letting his feet be free. I get it.
17", 8pnt, 132#
Stephen and Cheryl Moon of Freeland, MI have been hunting with us for around 4 years now. Both hunters were not able to harvest a buck but did both take 2 doe each. Last year Cheryl shot an exceptional buck putting her on the top best ever bucks list so she came to this hunt looking to better that score. On the final evening hunt she saw a buck, well I should say she saw some horns, that not only melted her butter but sizzled it. Unfortunately the buck would not show himself. That's how they get so big. Next year Cheryl will be back to try and best her best score once again. Now Stephen saw some great bucks during his hunt and decided to take a shot at one but had a rifle malfunction. Sometimes that's the way the gavel falls, but Stephen will be back again next year.
Our last hunter I'm going to mention is Peter Ruseski. Petter is from Dandridge, TN and has been hunting with us for some years. He comes to the lodge to strictly hunt doe, he says he has no interest in the horns, just the meat. Peter tagged 5 doe, you would think that is an easy hunt, but let me tell you it's not. Right now the bucks are heavily chasing does and they just don't seem to stand still long enough to get a good shot or even for that matter see them. In this situation we usually put Peter in a blind near the wheat fields so he can take advantage of the new lush pastures and tagged multiples in one sitting. Great shooting Peter!
The final count of the hunt is
5 bucks, 21 Doe
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Hunt 5
Howdy Y'all
We hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving, I know we did.
Welcome to hunt 5 of 2020. This hunt kicked off with beautiful 80 degree weather with wind, not your typical hunting season weather, but it was decent. This hunt was filled with lots of memories made for some of our hunters. There were three first time ever deer hunters in the group and all of them were here with their fathers, these were some special days indeed.
Our first father son duo was Zach and Bill Scott. Many of you know, but if you don't, Bill Scott has been involved with the Adobe lodge for many years. First as a hunter, then a cook, then as a guide, and now Bill has been here with Jim and me since the first hunt of the year helping us transition into our new life adventure as hunting camp owners. He is a blessing. But onto the hunt. Zach came to the lodge all the way from Indianapolis, IN for his very first deer hunt. On the second evening hunt Zach and Bill, his father and guide, spotted a beautiful buck and Zach took the shot. What a great experience for the both of them. Zachs buck was magnificent, Jim and I recognized him from the summer trail camera pictures. He was a splendid 11 point, 6x5 point buck. The Buck was scored at B/C 142 1/8" making him the top buck of the hunt and of the season so far. Zach also harvested a 108# Doe
On the second morning hunt another first time ever deer hunter slayed a great buck. Adam Burke traveled to us from not to far away San Antonio, TX. Adam is originally from Illinois but made the move to sunny Texas not to long ago to escape the cold winters and be near to his Grandmother (who we hear makes some great cookies). When Adam arrived in camp we came to find out that he had only just learned how to shoot a rifle the week before, he was a quick study and was a very proficient shooter, which lead him to harvest his 5x4 buck and additionally 3 does that all were 90#s and greater.
Adams father, Brian Burke comes from Naperville, IL. Brian has hunted with the lodge for many many hunts and decided it would be great to share the Adobe Lodge camp with his son. We are so happy to have been a part of the experience. On the third morning hunt Brian bagged a great 8 point buck and also harvested two doe throughout the hunt.
And then the hunt grew a bit slow, no critters were taken until the final evening hunt. Needless to say skinner David got real busy.
The second buck I photographed on the last evening hunt was taken by Ed McFarland from Anderson, SC. Ed has been hunting with the lodge for many many years. On this final evening hunt Ed harvested all of his does and a super 8 point buck. I haven't yet seen a hunter take all his deer in one fell swoop.
Next was Jim Davis from Saint Louis Park, MN. The buck Jim decided to bag had great height, and would have been an 8 point but had broken his G-2.
The final buck I captured that evening was taken by Greg West of Wimberly, TX. Greg was our third first time hunter in this hunting party. During the hunt Greg broke the ice and tagged a mature doe priming him for the opportunity to bag a magnificent 10 point buck. The sheer excitement and joy Greg showed makes this all worthwhile, and for him to share this special moment with his dad makes it even greater. Greg's Dad, Jim West, was also on a Trophy Option hunt but, as Skipper would have said, he didn't see a buck that melted his butter. I am happy to say that it was such a great experience for the two to share that they will be hunting with us again next year.
Above, you may have noticed that I had started this evenings hunts with the second buck I photographed. I was saving this last hunting story, well for last.
The story begins with first time Adobe Lodge hunter Doug Martin, hailing from West Bountiful, UT. On the second morning hunt Doug was in his blind watching a nice 5x4 buck thinking he was a definite shooter. Shortly after, another buck approached the feeder and the two bucks gave each other the stare down, the bucks proceeded to circle the wire panels around the feeder sizing each other up. Doug decided then that
the winner of the show down was the buck he would take, God willing.
The out come of the showdown went to the original 5x4, as the second buck left. Doug fired his shot and struck the buck, he jumped the panel stumbling and ran off into the brush. Doug new he had made a good shot, waited for around 40 minutes and went to look around the feeder. It was evident that the buck was fatally shot for there was a lot of blood and a good amount to track him. Doug went into the brush just a bit to see what he could, and there was the buck sitting up looking at him, the buck jumped up and took off. Doug inspected the place where he lay and there were pools of blood. The guide came and they tracked the blood stream and the buck was on the move gushing blood. At this point it was decided to let the buck settle and come back in an hour or two, surely with that amount of blood lost he would be down in no time. Just after lunch Jim, Bill, Doug, and David headed out to pick up the blood trail and make short work of the search. I waited for the call so photo's could be taken, the call didn't come. They tracked the buck up the side of a hill, across the bluff, and back down the hill with ease as so much blood was easily spotted. And then the blood trail went cold. A hunters worst nightmare.
The search continued, just trying to find any speck of blood, that evening. Growing dark the search was abandoned but Jim and I resumed in the morning. I found one spot of blood about 60 yards in the brush and that was the last we ever found. We went out one more time with a group of five people to comb the brush and it turned up nothing. Discouraged, the search was called off. Later on in the afternoon, hunter Doug just couldn't let his hunt end this way and asked to go back one more time. Of course we obliged and he was dropped off at the location.
When Jim and I were heading back to the ranch that evening we got a phone call saying Doug had shot a buck, his buck, and wanted to tell the story only one time. We arrived at the lodge just a bit after dark and here was a buck on the stand waiting for photo's. We went in the skinning shed and there was Doug, all smiles and happiness.
The final chapter of Dougs hunt goes like so in Doug's words, " When I got dropped off and as the guide drove away I knelt down and said a prayer asking for Gods favor and guidance. Also for the care of the wounded deer." At this point Doug picked up the original blood trail and began searching once again, combing the hill sides back and forth and back and forth. To no avail, nothing turned up and Doug decided to sit down on the bluff above the blind and feeder and reflect on the events that had taken place. While sitting there he could see a deer on the edge of the brush just standing around waiting for the feeder to go off. Doug puts up his binoculars and sees a nice buck that would be a definite shooter, and says to himself, " I'd shoot that one!" and then realizes " I already shot that one" there standing before him was his buck licking his wound. At this point Doug wasted no time and quickly dispatched the buck.
In most cases this would have never happened and the odds are so slim to none, but I and many others were there to witness this absolute miracle. The bucks shoulder was completely shattered and he was gravely wounded, the buck had cleaned it up so well that there was barely any blood on him. The toughness of animal just amazes me.
.....And so ends the stories of hunt 5
The final animal inventory tagged for this hunt is 7 bucks and 17 Doe
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HUNT 4 2020
Hey Y'all
Just a quick side note before I dive into this hunt. I finally got high speed wireless internet at my house and I'm so excited that I'll be able to do the website so much faster now.
I want to say a special thank you to Lee Wilson, a long time Lodge hunter, for the donation to the lodge a special room fogger to sanitize after each hunt. Lee sent the fogger before the first hunt and it has been an easy addition to the cleaning process after each hunt. Thank You Lee!
This group of hunters comes from all over the country. We had one new comer to the lodge, Jimmy Epperson from Troup, TX (not to far from home, 6hrs) and the other six have been coming for some years from a bit farther away. The first buck of the hunt was tagged by Larche Watters of Benton, LA. Larche was late to make it into camp on the first evening but wasted no time with his hunt. He arrived in camp about 2:45 pm and many of you know the corn feeders go off at 4:30. Albert Zapata, Larches guide, was ready and waiting and they made a mad dash to get to the blind. I believe I was told that Larche shot a nice 8 point buck at 4:45. Now that's wasting no time.
Larche Watters, Benton, LA
17 1/2" 8pnt, 161# and 3 Doe
The next day a few doe were taken but the buck hunting was a bit slow. All of these hunters opted for the trophy option hunt so they had there eye on the prize. We enjoyed time in camp around the beloved camp fire getting to know one another. As you can see in the photos the Lodge has a particular camp cat that has discovered life is pretty easy and enjoyable. I guess we have decided to make 'Gringo' the yellow cat camp mascot. If your not a fan of kitties that's ok, he shoo's off just as easy.
On the second morning hunt John McIntosh of Sparks, NV bagged a nice 8 point. The buck was beautiful, even his hair had a different sheen almost a reddish color. John's buck was also the heaviest of this hunt weighing 168#s, also John harvested the heaviest doe at 110#.
John McIntosh, Sparks , NV
17" 8pnt, 168# and 3 doe
Also on the second morning Lee Wilson of Gulf Shores, AL harvested this really neat 7 point, 4x3 buck. Its hard to see in the pictures but this buck had lots of very small kickers randomly placed on the horns, it really gave him character.
Lee Wilson, Gulf Shores, AL
15 1/8", 7 pnt, 131# and 2 doe
That evening no bucks were taken, which became the normal, no one shot any bucks on the evening hunts other than Larche on the first night. But the doe were usually tagged in the evening. Hmm, interesting!
So on to the third morning hunt. A long time hunter of the lodge, Tom Peterson of Odessa, FL tagged the buck of the hunt scoring an unofficial 132 1/8". This buck was a gem, with long tines and a classic whitetail look. Well done Tom! Not only has Tom been in attendance many years at the Lodge his wife, Diane has been joining him in his adventures. Diane enjoys getting into San Angelo for some great shopping and spending the evenings visiting around the camp. It was such a pleasure meeting her.
Tom Peterson, Odessa, FL
18", 10pnt, 153# and 3 doe
On the 4th and final morning hunt there were two bucks still left untagged. Around 8:20 I received a text that Ken Carter had filled his tag. Wonderful news! Ken hauled in a great 10 point buck with good width. On the previous morning Ken had also shot a 50# smelly javelina. Ken thought I was crazy when I told him I thought the critter was cute.
"Cute" he says are you "mad" he says. Hahaha
Ken Carter, Orange Beach, AL
18 1/2", 10pnt, 122# and 2 doe, 1 CUTE javelina
The final buck of hunt 4 was bagged by Freddy McCall of Pollack, LA. This buck was a stunner! He had 10" long tines and just shy of 20" main beam. We scored him at an unofficial 125 1/8". The buck would have been just a few inches bigger had he not had a broken eye guard. Freddy was holding out for something special and he sure did. Not to mention he brought his real special and sweet wife Kathleen. Kathleen and I hit it off and enjoyed each others company over then hunt. What a sweet gal.
Freddy McCall, Pollack, LA
20", 7pnt, 144# and 3 doe
Now I had mentioned Jimmy Epperson above, our first time Lodge comer. Jimmy is from the town of Troup, TX. Having a bit of trouble early in the hunt, Jimmy was not able to tag out on a buck. But that said, he filled his doe quota, enjoyed the camp atmosphere so much and has rebooked for the next year. We look forward to that!
Hunt 4's final harvest count is 6 bucks, 19 doe, 1 javelina
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Hunt 3
Welcome to hunt 3 - Another hunt in the books and it was a great one.
The hunt began when a huge van and trailer pulled up to the lodge, now its not no ordinary van, custom ostrich leather, alligator seats, you name it and it. Beautiful. Eight of the nine hunters on this hunt came as one large party, organized by Gerry O'hare for the last 3 years. The parties members are not always the same, so on this hunt we had 3 new Adobe Lodge hunters. The ninth hunter to join the hunt was Craig Boehler, a long time client (and dear friend). Craig had actually came as a guide on hunt 2, and stayed over to have his own hunting adventure.
Usually the first evening hunt starts off slow with maybe a doe or two, everyone testing the waters as to what they may see throughout the hunt. Well first time Adobe Lodge hunter Zach Kuhn set the bar high and brought in a whopper of a buck. Being a first time client he was unsure if he should shoot it, he text a picture to his brother Max and was given the "heck yeah, you better shoot him, I would" text reply. He wasted no time and dropped the buck in his tracks. That evening when all the hunters where in camp, they must have felt the pressure of this buck. Bets were made about the biggest buck and heaviest doe. That being said, the buck hunting got a bit stagnate, everyone kept saying they saw shooters, but just couldn't commit, worried that they may loose the bet. So on to the next morning and evening hunts, the doe were filling up the board but no buck were taken until the second morning hunt when Max O'hare tagged a nice 10 point. Max's buck had obviously been sparing and had been gored through the forehead and it came out behind his ear. It's amazing the trauma these bucks endure during the rut. Max also shot a pesky raccoon.
Zachary Kuhn, McDonald, PA
18", 10pnt, 180#
Max O'Hare, Burgettstown, PA
15 1/2", 10pnt, 128#
This has been the hunt that the bucks have really started showing serious interest in the does, they have been chasing none stop making it fun for the hunters that can get out and rattle some up. Craig Boehler is one of our clients that loves to get out and do just that. The morning that Craig shot his buck he rattled him up and the buck came in hot and ready for a fight, so with one hand holding his rifle and the other holding a horn, Craig was able to give one last scrap and the buck came to 15 yards and whammy. Buck down.
Craig Boehler, Mayfeild, NY
17", 9pnt, 160#
Two additional hunters and both first time Lodge comers also were able to get in on the rattling experience. First Nicholas Bellicini and guide Buryl went out on a great adventure and were able to rattle up a great buck, how exciting it must have been. Amongst all the snorting and brush raking Nick bagged a beautiful 8 point. When the buck dropped he fell directly in a prickly pear patch and one paddle was speared and remained on the horn, Nick decided to hopefully have the taxidermist replicate the scene and attach the pear to the horn. Nick also harvested a beautiful grey fox.
Secondly, Jason Kollar, was placed in a blind for the hunting morning. He was seeing lots of buck but was not able to get a shot. So Jason decided "what the heck" and actually had some horns with him and cracked them together in the blind. Boy this got all the bucks attention. Here two bucks came right at the blind, it sounded like lots was happening outside the blind but still Jason was unable to fire a shot. The bucks were both chasing a doe and went out of site. Finally, they came back in view but not stopping long enough to get a shot in. So again Jason slammed his horns together one more time and here comes his trophy. The buck came head on at the blind and Jason dropped him at 15 yards away.
Nicholas Bellicini, McMurray, PA
17", 9 pnt, 147#
Jason Kollar, Eightyfour, PA
17 1/2", 8pnt, 125#
You know some hunters come in and relive the story to everyone and it makes a it easy for me to write it up. Others not so much, Brian King was just one of those fellas that flew quiet under the radar. He shot a great 9 point, I photographed him, and all was quiet again. Well done Brian, nice buck.
Brian King, Waynesburg, PA
13", 9pnt, 138"
At this point in the bet between the hunters Zach was still in the lead. That was until John Crumrine tagged his 'bucks'. Sometimes in the blind a hunter can get excited and things happen. John was able to bag 2 beautiful bucks both taking the lead in the bet. John also bagged a 150# ferrel hog.
John Crumrine, Houston, PA
18 7/8", 10pnt, 153#
18 1/2", 10pnt, 145#
On the third morning and last full day of the hunt Gerry O'Hare shot a great 10 point. He told me his goal was to get a 10 point buck and I'm glad he was able to fulfill a goal with us. Gerry also took down a 150# ferrel hog. I just want to thank Gerry for arranging this group of guys to come and hunt with us. It was a pleasure getting to know you. On the very last evening hunt Daniel Papak filled his tag with a fabulous 4x4 buck.
Gerry O'Hare Venetia, PA
17 1/2", 10pnt, 133#
Daniel Papak
14 3/4", 8pnt, 136#
On the last full day of the hunt some of the cool toys were brought out of the trailer and we got to play a little. Have you ever seen a soda rocket launcher? Well I have, and it is pretty fun. This was something I didn't even know existed. Forgive me if I am behind the times, but you load up full soda cans into this adapter on an AR and shoot them out into the air, we shot at the cans with a shotgun. It you hit them, and I did, the cans burst and spin to the ground. It was absolutely simple fun.
Once again the rattle snakes were on the move and we killed another right out the side door of the skinning shed. Its a big camp excitement, maybe we should make it a normal occurrence. Just kidding about that for sure, but its been on the last night of the last two hunts. Some joke that maybe we are doing it for photo ops. Hahaha
Jeri Duncan has been right in the game and was giving our guide Dick a hand taking care of a bucks horns. Jeri has defiantly been outstanding and hands on at the Lodge
So the hunt came to an end and the hunters bets turned out as so.
Zach had the heaviest doe weighing in at 114#s and heaviest buck at 180# it was such a chunky buck, you'll see in the photos below that he had atleast on inch of fat. John had the buck of the hunt scoring an unofficial 126.
The overall game count was 10 bucks, 23 doe, 1 grey fox, 5 ferrel hogs, and a raccoon.
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Hunt 2
Hey Y'all
Time is just flying by, and yet another hunt has passed. The hunt started without me this time, I was feeling under the weather, just a bit of a cold. It quickly passed and I was able to join the festivities on the second morning hunt. So that being said nothing was taken on the first night hunt and no photos were needed. We had a hunter, Andy Howey, come for a two day hog and doe hunt and he was the first to bag some game. A 150# ferrel hog. The deer hunting progressed at a slow pace.
During the hunt we have the chance to get to know the hunters. On this particular hunt we had a group of great guys from PA, come to find out they are all terribly afraid of rattle snakes (all Snakes in general really), myself included. So on the last evening, getting to talk about snakes we told them about all the snakes we had been having around the lodge in the last few weeks. We got a HUGE rattler about 4 weeks ago and the kids skinned it out and stretched it on a board. Stretched out its about 6ft long and 8-10 inches at the widest part. So we brought it out and everyone was in awe of it. In the middle of all this 'oooing and awwing' and photo options our son Cody had gone around to the walk in cooler for a soda and nearly stepped on a rattler on the back porch. Some guns were brought out, but before any shots were fired the kids made short work of it with a shovel. After the head was dispatched and buried it was brought to display. The hunters and I were all up close looking at it and it started to writhe, you would have thought it came back to life, if you want to see a bunch of men jump back and scatter that was the time. I of course gave a squeal. It was quite the show.
But now on to some great bucks...
One the second evening hunt Jamie Smith, a first time Adobe Lodge hunter, from Milford, PA bagged a great 4x5 Buck. It had some great eye guards. Jamie also filled his doe quota on the next day one weighing 100#. 17 3/4", 9pnt, 120#
The following morning Brian Baker of Montrose, PA shot a fabulous 9 point buck. The buck had a kicker off the back side and on the end it kind of had the shape of a dog bone. 16 7/8", 9pnt, 141#
The next buck to be taken on the 3rd morning was by Bob Palmer of Montrose, PA. What a pretty and mature 10 point he was. The buck had great length on the tines. 16 3/4", 10pnt, 131#
On the third evening Craig Nowell from St. Martinville, LA tagged this beautiful 6x5 buck. Wow, what a great buck, he had 2 kickers, really long tines and good mass. The buck scored an unofficial 137 3/8". Craig's buck was the buck of hunt 2. Also he filled his doe count of 3. 17", 11pnt, 149#
So at this point in the hunt we had 4 bucks taken and 4 bucks untagged and we are on the final morning hunt. I'm not sure what the previous count for unharvested bucks are on the last morning, but we had a very busy last morning.
The first buck photographed on the final morning was taken by Amanda Jones of Johnstown, NY. Amanda married into the Boehler Family which has been hunting with the Adobe Lodge for many many years. This is the 2nd buck she has tagged with us and she is becoming a great hunter. Amanda did run into a few hiccups during the hunt with livestock hogging up her blinds, but she was able to shoot this great 9pnt.
140", 9pnt, 120#
The second of the morning was bagged by Mark Caterson from Montrose, PA. Mark was a first time Adobe Lodge Hunter. I bet Mark was glad he held out for this 4x5 buck, he was a dandy! On both sides of the main tine, they flatten out at the ends like a spear. Pretty cool buck. He unofficially scored 125 1/8". 18", 9pnt, 160#
The final buck of the hunt was tagged by Bruce Legg of Montrose, PA. This buck had great width and length of tines. What a beauty. Bruce also harvested a turkey. Skipper had for many years tried to convince Bruce to come spring turkey hunting but the trip was to far for two trips a year. Bruce was very happy to finally have shot an Adobe Lodge Turkey. Skipper would have been pleased. The tom had 9 1/2" beard and weighed 15.4# 19 1/4", 8pnt, 131#
The final hunter of hunt 2 was Marie Boehler from Mayfeild, NY. Marie passed up many bucks but the opportunity never presented itself for her to tag a buck. No worries though, she'll be back in January for another hunt with her daughter, and granddaughters. If you take a look at the photos you'll see Marie sporting a fashionable outfit of camo and a handbag. Just love this gal!
The total inventory for this hunt is 7 bucks, 18 doe, 1 turkey, 1 hog
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Hunt 1
Hey Y'all
Here we are already with another hunt in the books. To say the least, this hunt started with absolutley beautiful weather. After last weeks cold snap we deserved it. This hunt kicked off on a full moon Halloween evening, this first evening all was quite in the skinning shed with only one doe coming in. So David made quick work of her and we had an early dinner cooked by the one and only Tony Hill. ( I feel like every hunt my belt is getting a little tighter, and we're only on the second hunt )
I need to do a better job of taking note of each day and night so I could give a more acurate acount of each day and evening hunts. I get so wrapped up in taking pictures and visiting that I lose track of who brought what in on what day. next time I'll do a better job. Skipper was a phenominal note taker, I guess I need to get some note cards for my pocket. Needless to say, we had so many great laughs on this hunt! Some great stories were told by hunters and guides. Some even made me blush,all in good fun.
In one of the pictures below you'll see some kitty cats, which belong to me, but in my defence, I have tried to keep them away from camp. But aparently on this particular hunt we had some hunters come out of the closet as secret cat lovers, not naming any names, but someone had kitty cat treats in their truck. Hahaha! You know the signs in National parks that say "Don't feed the Bears", well you know where I'm going with that. I should probably get one for the lodge.
So on to some great bucks taken on this hunt.
Sam Seps of San Jacinto, CA bagged this buck on the 3rd morning. He had a great story with his hunt. He said upon shooting the buck it leaped straight up in the air coming down on his back legs and busted one leg at the ankle almost clean off. Sams Dad, John, myself, and skinner David had some particularily good laughs about his story and during our photo shoot. Sam also harvested 3 does. 8 pnt, 19", 143#
John Seps also from San Jacinto, CA brought in this beauty on the 2nd morning hunt. He had 5 points on one side and 6 with a great kicker on the other. John was also able to fill his 3 doe quota, might I mention, in one evening. And John shot a 150 # ferrel hog. 11 pnt, 17", 140#
Now on to the Ivey Family all hailing from Houston, TX.
Joe Ivey shot this cool buck on the 2nd evening hunt. Look at how long those tines are, Joe really knows how to pick a real special one. Also, Joe bagged 3 does. May I mention, Joe is just one heck of a fella. He really made my week with his kindness. 8 pnt, 15", 133#
Tony Ivey - OK, take a look at this buck! Tony's buck was the buck of the hunt, scoring 140 7/8. Look at that photo, this buck was just so nice in every way. I had a little technical difficulties with the camera (really just me) but I was trying so hard to get a good shot, Tony was so patient. Tony harvested 2 doe, and if you take a look down the picture gallery you will see one. Wow, the impact of the bullet and the exit wound must have created a suction. Never seen the likes before. 10 pnt, 20", 144#
Russell Ivey brought in this classic white tail beauty from the 3rd morning hunt. Ya know, I'm a sucker for the real symetric bucks and this guy meets that goal. He is naturally perfect. Well done fellow cat lover, oh whoops, did I let the cat out of the bag. HAHAHA Russell also bagged 3 does. 8 pnt, 17", 135#
Jim Gillard of Ramona, CA tagged this monster buck on the 2nd morning hunt. What great mass he has all around and a super healthy body. Jim also called in a grey fox, and bagged 2 doe. 12 pnt, 16 1/2", 140#
Dude Phelan of Ocala, FL - You may recognize this name from the last hunt. Dude has been hunting back to back hunts with Adobe lodge for some time now. So needless to say he knows how to havest some great bucks. On this hunt he got a real trophy! The two bucks he took couldn't be more different in looks. We all had bets on how much the buck would weigh, he was the most chunky buck I'd seen in a while. 9 pnt, 17", 155#
Cameron Perryman of Valparaiso, IN First time Adobe Lodge Hunter. Alright, prepare yourself to see the most interesting buck. The picture just doesn't justify how extremely different this guy is. His nose was dished and very snubbed. It was almost like he had a cleft pallet, or maybe had a sevre injury. Check out those eye guards, they are almost not there, making it even more unique. hmmm, interesting stuff. Cameron also called in 2 grey fox on separate hunts earning him the name of fox slayer. He also tagged 1 doe.
9 pnt, 19", 120#
Wayne Allums - Carthidge, TX Wayne has been turkey hunting with the Adobe Lodge for some time and decided to give our deer hunting a try as well. Just like turkey hunting here he was not let down. Wayne tagged this buck on the 2nd morning like a pro. The buck is magnificent. Wayne also tagged 2 doe, one weighing 101#
9pt, 19 1/4", 153#
The total count for this hunt is 9 bucks, 19 doe, 3 grey fox, and 1 hog.
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Hunt A
Well 2020 season has begun and we have had a great start. We had 7 hunters and 1 non-hunter. To begin with the weather turned off and got down right cold. We had freezing rain, a little snow, and fridged wind. The temps were in the 30's and one morning it was 27. The hunters sat in the blinds the first evening and froze, so we pulled out the little propane heaters the next morning to make it a bit more comfortable.
On the first night there were no deer taken, probably because everyone's trigger fingers were frozen! But we had a great meal cooked by Harald of smoked brisket. Really, if you don't gain weight while your here your metabolism must work to fast.
The second morning again no deer were taken, the hunters had said the deer were really jumpy and nervous and we all came to the conclusion that the wind was making the ice in the trees rattle, break, and fall.
Day 2 Evening Hunt - The hunters fingers must have thawed out and got itchy. Four bucks and a doe or two were taken. And that's when I got real busy taking pictures. (Please be patient with me I'm new to deer photography and if you have hunted with us before you know Skipper was a master at it.)
The first buck of the season, on the 2nd evening, was taken by Debra Finger from Hickory, NC. We got a call from her guide saying she had taken a 6 point. Let me tell you, when they came in, it was no ordinary 6 point. What a monster! Debra told her story as follows, " I had already packed up my gear, unloaded my rifle and was ready to be picked up, and here came this buck. I threw up the scope and all I saw were eye guards. I reloaded and put up my rifle up and down so many times. Then I finally decided I'm gonna shoot him." And the proof is in the picture. Well done Debra what a beautiful buck. 6 pt, 20 1/4 "
Next, I shot Dude Phalens buck. (lol with my camera) Dude hails from Ocala, FL. What an exceptional 10 point buck, Dude said that this is the biggest Adobe Lodge buck he has taken. 10 pt, 19"
Also on the 2nd evening, Ronnie White of Milton, WV bagged a great buck. This buck had 13 points, yes 13. What a cool buck. One of his horns actually split and was a double horn. As you can see in his picture he unfortunately has a broken tine, we wonder if it would have been doubled. What a great first Adobe Lodge Buck! 13 pt, 18 3/4"
And now we come to Pat Florence from Twin Falls, ID. Pat, as well, bagged his first Adobe Lodge buck and it was such a pretty buck, meaning he was such an ideal white tail buck. He had great shape and one real nice eye guard. 8 pt, 17"
On the 3rd morning Theron Chapman, another new Adobe lodge hunter, scored a super nice buck. Theron and his dad, Mark who has been a hunter of Adobe Lodge came as a non hunter, are from Ona, WV. What I really liked about this buck was it was like he was two different bucks, he was an ideal 4 pt on one side, and the other he was a 5, but his eye guard hooked back. I wish I had gotten a better photo of that hook. That being said I have to compliment Theron on his shooting skills, his next hunt out he bagged 3 does. Two of those were consecutive and the 3rd about 15 minutes later. Great shooting 9 pt, 19 1/2"
On the 3rd evening Sheldon Perry of French Creek, WV shot a beautiful 9 pt buck. We new when we got the word from the guide he was bringing one in it was a special buck because Sheldon was very diligent about his selection. We heard from Sheldon that it was his 2nd best buck ever taken, scoring 132. 9 pt, 17 1/4"
Our final buck of the hunt, on the last evening hunt, was taken by our very patient hunter Wendy Florence, also from Twin Falls, ID. Wendy brought in a beautiful very symmetrical buck. An absolutely gorgeous and healthy white tail. 10 pt, 15 3/4"
Before I sign out of this hunt we want to thank Pat and Wendy Florence for bringing the camp a great treat of weanies. Pat is a butcher and has a hog processing plant, they were delicious and didn't last long.
Also, thank you to the guides, skinner, and cook! You made it a successful hunt.
The overall stats of this hunt are 7 bucks, and 13 does.
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