2014 Year In Review

Crossbow Hunting

Moderator: Excalibur Marketing Dude

Sandman
Posts: 4654
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 2004 5:50 pm
Location: Rice Lake, Ontario

2014 Year In Review

Post by Sandman »

Hello all,

I've been putting off cleaning up my hunting room since deer season closed till today. I've done a camera dump and thought I would review my 2014 hunting year (some pics have been posted before) ...

Like most I shook off the winter we had and started 2014 with a little shed success;

Image

Spring 2014 turkey hunt was a good year for me. I filled my first tag with the largest Tom I have ever harvested after watching him destroy my decoy;

Image

Image

Image

I was fortunate to harvest another nice Tom to end my season;

Image

As spring rolled into summer I turned to helping one of the farmers who has given me permission to hunt his 250 acres. He is 77 with over 500 head of sheep. I helped with the hay season and cleared his laneway to his back fields that has grown in and was causing issues getting his combine through;

Image

Image

I had gotten out of the habit of carrying my camera and have missed some great photo ops. The few times I had my camera I did get some good pics;

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Summer faded away and I decided to get ready for the upcoming season by picking up a M405 and retiring my ExoMax and Camo Vixen;

Image

Image

Image

In preparation for the summer to fall scouting I picked up another trail camera and a DIY security box;

Image

Image

My cameras were working well and one of the properties produced some potential fall targets;

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Complete with a Alfred Hitchcock moment;

Image

Another one of the farms I hunt showed very little buck activity but hundreds of pictures of does/fawns;

Image

Image

Image

Image

I spent some time with RJ with a little maintenance to one of the properties he hunts;

Image

Image

The outing came with free tractor rides to boot;

Image

Image

I travelled to Northern Ontario for my first moose hunt in 12 years or so and had a great time with a successful fill of our cow tag;

Image

Image

I bow hunted more than ever during the 2014 season but it was a strange one for sure. I passed on several does with fawns as the fawns were so small that without mom I didn't think they stood a chance. I really only had one potential harvest and judging from my shot and miss I guess he needed to get a little bigger.

As Christmas rolled around I decorated my Redneck Tree;

Image

I completed my season with a full day of hunting with a number of forum members and will post the entire day in a different thread.

This is the first year in probably 10 years that I didn't harvest but it was probably one of the best experiences that I have had in all my years of hunting~!

Looking forward to doing it all over again in 2015 ............


Cheers all,
Robin
Wildlife Management & Reduction Specialist
RexKay
Posts: 873
Joined: Sun Jan 16, 2011 3:57 pm
Location: Out past Yale,Mich

Re: 2014 Year In Review

Post by RexKay »

Just completely awesome Robin. Fantastic pictures!! :D
I like things with strings.....
4 Guitars
8 Excals
1 Scorpyd
PSE Tac Elite
13 Grayling Bears
And 2 Hoyts
bubba
Posts: 1855
Joined: Mon Jul 21, 2014 4:39 pm
Location: West Central Fl

Re: 2014 Year In Review

Post by bubba »

Thanks the pictures and your story was great only wish it was longer, Beautiful country up there in Canada sure hope some day to see it, like at a boo fest, you truly have a piece of heaven up there. Man that was nice..............
Matrix, 355. Hawke Xb-30 Pro. Ibex, Nikon Bolt. Strings By Boo, Nchunter, Zombies & Spynal Tapps From South Shore Archery,Now Built By My Son, N.A.P. Spitfire XXX and Magnus Black Hornets. (Fight Hard..Love Fast.. Die Young..)
vixenmaster
Posts: 13618
Joined: Wed Sep 14, 2005 3:51 pm
Location: Western Ky

Re: 2014 Year In Review

Post by vixenmaster »

Oh yeah i was right wid you on all of yer work n such very nice pic's. Thx fer sharin
Half Bubble Off BD360

[email protected] 417-505-9315
slider
Posts: 50
Joined: Mon Dec 29, 2008 8:21 pm
Location: SW Ontario

Re: 2014 Year In Review

Post by slider »

The Turkey picture in the old foundation was super!

It was a tough year here in Ontario but so far in 2015 the lack of snow will help the depleted herd.

Great pics and great review...thanks Sandman!
2008 Phoenix
Illuminated FireBolts
100 g spitfires
Varizone
Flemish String

Always try your best!
mr meat
Posts: 5236
Joined: Mon Jan 05, 2009 4:40 pm
Location: The land of ice and snow North Bay

Re: 2014 Year In Review

Post by mr meat »

Great pics and story!!
vixen 11
exocet 175 with Aging custom stock #27
Exocet 175
exocet 200

matrix 355
Micro Camo 335
Micro Nightmare 335
380 Lynx
BJ custom arrows
Boo string on vixen
Fletch2
Posts: 552
Joined: Wed Nov 21, 2012 7:30 pm
Location: NW Ohio

Re: 2014 Year In Review

Post by Fletch2 »

Thanks for sharing looked like an awesome year :D
2012 vortex
vixenmaster string
User avatar
wabi
Posts: 13443
Joined: Wed Oct 09, 2002 9:21 pm
Location: Ohio

Re: 2014 Year In Review

Post by wabi »

Looks like a great year!
wabi
User avatar
amythntr
Posts: 6994
Joined: Wed Nov 13, 2013 12:26 pm
Location: T.P.R.N.J.

Re: 2014 Year In Review

Post by amythntr »

Swamp Donky wrote:What more could a feller ask for :?:

X2

Anthony :)
In a tough situation and wonder where God is; ...the Teacher is always quiet during the test.

Anthony :D

A360 (l'Assassino)
AXE 340
Scorpyd DS (w/AeroCrank AD)
GRZ2
G1-NM335(On loan)
ZS,Ex
Spits
Vixenmaster Strings
User avatar
Starvin' Hillbilly
Posts: 790
Joined: Wed Mar 26, 2014 10:34 am
Location: Arkansas

Re: 2014 Year In Review

Post by Starvin' Hillbilly »

Thank you for sharing! . . . i really enjoy this forum . . .and my Excalibur!
You see, in this world there's two kinds of people, my friend: Those with loaded guns and those who dig. You dig.-Blondie,
The good, the bad, the ugly
User avatar
Waif
Posts: 623
Joined: Thu Nov 21, 2013 9:36 pm
Location: Michigan's lower penninsula

Re: 2014 Year In Review

Post by Waif »

Great post. Congrats on a wonderful year.
The barn pic a stunner. Not taking anything away from the others though.
Axiom.S.M.F.
S5s,cheek piece,firebolts, Original Rocket Steel heads.
Bushnell yardage pro on Excalibur mount.

Exomax.
Hawke 1.5-5x32ir SR.
Easton xx75,s 2219. Bolt-cutters.
Bunch of bumpers.
Vixenmaster! string.
bubba
Posts: 1855
Joined: Mon Jul 21, 2014 4:39 pm
Location: West Central Fl

Re: 2014 Year In Review

Post by bubba »

After looking at your pictures again those moose are huge... never seen one in the wild, how much meat did you get? I bet it only takes one to fill a freezer. Also never had the opportunity to eat moose meat, I hear thou its some good vittles ..........
Matrix, 355. Hawke Xb-30 Pro. Ibex, Nikon Bolt. Strings By Boo, Nchunter, Zombies & Spynal Tapps From South Shore Archery,Now Built By My Son, N.A.P. Spitfire XXX and Magnus Black Hornets. (Fight Hard..Love Fast.. Die Young..)
WalknTall
Posts: 128
Joined: Fri Feb 24, 2006 10:59 am
Location: Milton, Ontario
Contact:

Re: 2014 Year In Review

Post by WalknTall »

Great pictures and story line Robin!
"Talk low, talk slow and don't talk too much", John Wayne
Sandman
Posts: 4654
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 2004 5:50 pm
Location: Rice Lake, Ontario

Re: 2014 Year In Review

Post by Sandman »

bubba wrote:After looking at your pictures again those moose are huge... never seen one in the wild, how much meat did you get? I bet it only takes one to fill a freezer. Also never had the opportunity to eat moose meat, I hear thou its some good vittles ..........
The animal was 487 lbs on the hook skinned - The butcher says to take a 1/3 off and it's a pretty good idea to the amount of meat ... Not sure if that's correct or not.

We split between 5 members and I certainly wasn't complaining with my share. Forgot just how good moose meat was~!

Cheers,
Wildlife Management & Reduction Specialist
Steve_Guelph
Posts: 47
Joined: Wed Feb 02, 2011 3:29 pm
Location: Guelph Ontario

Re: 2014 Year In Review

Post by Steve_Guelph »

Great post Robin. Thanks for sharing.

Steve
Micro Nightmare (Chucky)
Post Reply