This morning my office was a layout blind in Sherwood, Oregon on the edge of a flooded field. Not a bad way to start the long weekend. I hunted with Mossy Oak and Columbia Decoys representative Mario Friendy, his black lab Money and good Chevalier friend Dave Johnson.
We met before sunrise on a piece of property southwest of Portland. Mario set up the decoys while Dave and I got comfortable in our layout blinds. I got teased when I settled in with my camo covered memory foam seat cushion, but I like to hunt in comfort!
It was really foggy this morning and visibility was not on our side, but we did get some nice Pintails and Shovelers. I did have a diver that would do fly bys and really challenge me and my shooting, never did get that dang diver, but we got a good laugh at all the passes he made in front of me!This was also great practice for my Ducks Unlimited hunt next month in Stuttgart, AR with Winchester Ammunition.
Overall, this morning was great. Great company and great shooting, what more can a girl ask for?
If you truly want to protect your home and your family, I would recommend you going out and purchasing a couple of boxes today.
To continue meeting the demands of consumers, Winchester has extended the Bonded PDX1 line by offering it in .380 Automatic and .45 Colt for 2010.
The Bonded PDX1 line uses the same technology the Federal Bureau of Investigation uses as its primary service round. The Bonded PDX1 is engineered to maximize terminal ballistics, as defined by the demanding FBI test protocol, which simulates real-world threats.
If it's been awhile since you've been to Winchester Ammunition's Web site, then you should definitely go NOW! They've completely redesigned it with new features, applications, content, special offers and more. The Library: Provides video clips showing hunts from Winchester Ammunition’s highly rated television shows on Versus, including Winchester Legends, Winchester Whitetail Revolution, and Winchester World of Whitetail with Larry Weishuhn.
Go check it out: www.winchester.com.
The second week of November, I packed my car and drove 18 hours South to go dove hunting with my dad. It has become a yearly tradition in the Salyer household. I love exchanging the drizzly grey Oregon weather for the dry warm air of El Centro, California.
This year I brought two rookies to the dove fields with me. I have been trying to get my boyfriend Matt into hunting. So far this year I have taken him turkey hunting and deer hunting without a successful harvest. I figured the dove fields would have enough shooting action to keep Matt interested. I also brought down our dog Elvis. Elvis is a treeing walker coonhound, not the typical bird dog, but he is not gun shy so I figured if anything he would enjoy the warm weather and running around the fields.
Me, my dad and Matt did a lot of shooting during the three days we spent in El Centro. Matt dropped a dove no further than five yards from Elvis. He trotted up to the downed dove with interest. I thought, this is it, this is where Elvis’ doggie instincts would kick in and he will pick up the bird and bring it to me. He sniffed the bird, looked up at me while I was cheering ‘good boy, bring it here.’ He again looked at the bird, then looked at me and walked away. The look on his face said ‘you get the bird.’
We all had a great time in El Centro. I can’t wait to go back again next year. I really enjoy spending time with the people that matter the most to me, sharing a great hunting tradition.
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Friday morning, before the sun comes up I am going to be packing my car (dog included) and driving 17 hours to see my dad and do a little dove shooting and pheasant hunting in El Centro, California.
This is one of my favorite times of year, not only do I get to escape the cold and rainy Oregon weather and exchange it for warm and dry California air; but I get to spend quality time with my dad.
I enjoy the drive from his home in San Diego to our hunt camp in El Centro (which is a trailer in a retirement park of all places). Even though we talk on the phone everyday, I still enjoy catching up on the latest and greatest. I enjoy driving around and scouting the perfect spot. I enjoy attempting to shoot doves and laughing after perfectly tracking one, only to have it pull at 180 at the last possible second.
Pictures and story to come next week!
This post may seem a little silly but I am curious, so here it goes. See this nice Texas buck here, it may be a little hard to see but it has four points on the left and five on the right:
Would you call it a 4x5 or a 9-point? My buddies in the Midwest would probably call it a 9-point, however everyone in the Western United States would call it a 4x5. To me, it is all in the same. So is there a right and a wrong?
Dear Hoyt Kobalt,
I want to thank you for being such a great bow. We have been through a lot together. You were there for my first big game harvest and were also there when I had my epic miss on a great buck. When my shooting confidence was low you were consistent and always spot on and brought my confidence back up. I told you I would never replace you and would use you until your limbs fell off.
But, I need to be honest with you I have met another bow. The Hoyt Vicxen is designed to take a lady bowhunter like me to the next level. The feel of the Vicxen is heavenly and the draw is oh so smooth! The small details like the custom grip gives the Vicxen a feminine touch without being too girly. Did I mention it has an FPS of 306?
Don’t be sad Kobalt, this isn’t the end for you. I will still take you wherever I go as backup. Just realize the Vicxen is the new bow in town.
Your Good Friend,
Shannon
October 10-16 I got to spend time in Pike County, Illinois with my good friends from Archer's Choice Media for the 2nd annual ladies bow hunt at Eagle Lakes Outfitters. What makes this hunt so unique is that women from every corner of the United States and Canada, from all different walks of life come together to share one common interest…bowhunting!
After catching up with everyone it was time to pull out the gear and get ready for the hunt. The temperatures would be in the low 40’s (which is freezing for me), so Tina let me borrow her SHE C4 suit. THANKS TINA! At the end of the hunt it was hard to give the C4 suit back. It kept the wind, water and cold out.
The first morning I was excited to get back in the stand with Zendal (he filmed me last year in Pike). While waiting for the sun to come up, I saw dark figures roaming around my stand; I knew it was going to be a great morning. I glassed a bunch of young deer with my Nikon Monarch X binoculars.
A doe walked into my shooting lane at about 16 yards, I was so pumped to have a shot on the first morning! I drew my bow back and let my Beman ICS fly. I shot too high giving her a haircut and became the first of our group to join the MBBA (Muddy Broadhead Bowhunters Association). Last year I did the same thing to a nice big buck, same stand and shot angle. That stand has now been renamed ‘The Barber Shop.’
My confidence was brought down a notch, but Zendal reminded me that it was only the first day and not to get down on myself. I am so thankful to have Zendal in the stand with me, he has taught me so much in the two seasons I have spent with him.
The week was a tough hunt, the weather changed constantly and the deer did not move. When they did, the wind would swirl and every shooter in Pike County probably got a whiff of me. Tuesday afternoon we went out in a downpour with the wind working against us, but we did have one thing going for us, we were sitting in a persimmon tree (last year I learned from CJ that deer can’t resist it).
Late that afternoon a doe wandered in, Zendal could see her, but a big branch blocked me. She put her nose to the air, she knew something wasn’t right and disappeared into the woods behind us. Once again, my confidence was brought down a notch and the tough hunt was wearing on me.
About an hour later deer were piling into the field in front of us, but they were too far away, they wouldn’t work their way to the tree before dark. It was then from the corner of my eye I saw the doe from earlier to the right of me at about 10 yards. I quietly grabbed my Hoyt Kobalt and drew. I was a shaking mess and asked Zendal to stop her for me. I got so excited that when he did stop her, I simultaneously released my arrow. In the future, I need to learn to be more patient!
I watched her run about 50 yards and drop. It was such a good feeling to see her go down that fast. I called my guide Ronnie and we loaded up my doe and headed back to the lodge before sundown. I had a huge smile on my face that evening.
A big thanks to everyone at ACM and Eagle Lakes, you all are family to me and I can’t wait to hunt with you all again! Thanks to my guide Ronnie who always comes up with the best deer strategies. Thank you Zendal for spending countless hours with me in a tree/blind!
Shannon's Gear List:
Nikon Monarch X Binoculars and Archer's Choice Rangefinder
New Archery Products HellRazor Broadheads
Earlier this year Winchester Ammunition introduced a new ballistics calculator to the world and it has been a huge hit. They incorporated alot of cool features and it's pretty easy to use..."even a caveman can do it."
Shooting Sports Retailer said it was the most innovative product at the 2009 SHOT Show. The calculator is now live at www.winchester.com/ballistics.
The Winchester Ballistics Calculator allows users to choose their type of ammunition and compare up to five different Winchester products with easy-to-read, high-tech ballistic charts and graphs. You can customize ‘shooting’ conditions by entering wind speed and outside temperature, adjust zero marks for sighting in—then print or save the ballistics for later reference on the range or in the field.
I would definitely suggest giving it a try before heading to the range or the woods to shoot your rifle. It can't hurt!
Here in Oregon, October 3 meant the statewide deer rifle season opener. I did not draw a tag this year but my boyfriend Matt did. Matt has never hunted for deer before, and since I didn’t draw a tag, I was going to be his guide in the Sled Springs Unit.
We met up with Chevalier Advertising office manager/bookkeeper Sherri and her husband Sam Saturday morning to hunt. It was a cold and rainy day. Sam, Matt and I loaded into the truck and headed out to a field and started walking. Grouse would flush every 300 yards; they would often startle bedded doe, but no bucks in sight.
Matt and I split off from Sam at a wooded area. Sam went into the woods while Matt and I skirted an alfalfa field. Sam must have driven deer out of the woods because two doe came running out and stopped about 20 yards in front of Matt and I. We stood completely still while one doe blew at us and the other one stood there and didn’t notice us. I am pretty sure that was the closest Matt has ever been to a deer. It was pretty cool.
A few hours later, and with no luck, Sam took us up the hill to show us where they hunt elk. The higher we went, the more it snowed. I couldn’t get over how gorgeous Eastern Oregon is and how fortunate we are to be able to hunt there.
Daylight was getting shorter by the minute and we decided to head back down to camp. We would stop every so often to glass. I am so glad I had my Nikon Monarch X binoculars they gathered so much light at sunset!
Then it happened, Sam spotted a doe and a buck by an abandoned barn about 100 yards away. Legal shooting light was fading fast and this buck wasn’t going to wait all day. I told the boys, ‘you have one minute!’ As soon as Matt declined the shot, Sam had his gun to his shoulder and a shot off.
The buck ran about 30 yards and dropped, and excellent shot! Sam was like giddy like a girl that just got asked to prom! Sam showed Matt and I how to field dress the beautiful eight point whitetail and we were all in the truck in no time.
I asked Matt why he declined the shot and what he said made me smile, “Sam has been hunting this area for 11 years, he has earned that buck.” What a great guy!
Cold, wet and tired, back at camp we ate our hamburgers and retold the story over and over to everyone at camp. What a great weekend!
Gear List:
Nikon Monarch X 8.5x45 Binoculars
Winchester Power Max 30-06 Sprg
great food, antelope, pheasants, prairie dogs and lots and lots of target shooting during the 2nd annual High Plains Pentathalon sponsored by Winchester Ammunition and Merkel.This trip definitely had a lot of character…and characters.
While participating in the Pentathalon, I had several “firsts,” such as:
Here are a few images from the event/hunt:
John Haviland shooting sporting clays. He was quite the shooter. John broke 17 out of 25 targets. Nice work John!
Suzi Huntington sighting in her rifle with Winchester Ammunition’s Power Max Bonded ammo.
Not only is Brian Pearce a great long range shooter, but he’s not to shabby when shooting sporting clays either. He and Haviland were teamed up and both broke a lot of clay targets.
Shari LeGate showing us how it’s done on the double rifle course. There were three stations on this course (1. Still target, 2. Pop-up targets and 3. Running deer target). And yes…the target that Shari is shooting is actually moving. She did really well with her shot placement.
Dave Campbell admiring one of the pheasants he shot. He and I were paired up and we had the opportunity to hunt behind world class hunting dogs (Drathaars), trained by Roger Green of Wyoming.
After a week of shooting and hunting, it’s back to the office to prepare for Winchester Ammunition’s 2010 new product PR plans and for the SHOT Show. Hard to believe it’s only a few months away.
Remember…ya stay in the woods…ya stay outta trouble!
