Going to the Dogs - Public Land Old-School Deer Camp

An old-fashioned deer camp experience.

* Originally published in Traditional Bowhunter Magazine - "Almost Gone to the Dogs" April May 2024

Every fall I look forward to taking out my canvas wall tent and wood stove combination to hunt for whitetails on public land in the western Allegheny mountains of Maryland.  Last year I hunted and camped alone after several local friends had other obligations.  This year, I extended the invitation to others hoping for a larger old fashioned deer camp experience.  When all was said and done, our camp involved longbow shooters from Alabama, North Carolina, New Jersey and Maryland.  This was going to be interesting, but I had no idea what excitement lay ahead.

 

I arrived first and pulled into a large, secluded pull-through primitive campsite equipped only with a stone fire ring and a wooden picnic table situated to the side of a quiet winding gravel forest road.  I began to set up as light rain was beginning to fall but I I would soon have the woodstove roaring.  Finishing up the niceties of a simple camp, my guests began to filter in. I whipped up a quick dinner of noodle soup and venison strap steaks seared on the cast iron.  The crackling wall tent wood stove and pelting of rain against the fly combined to send travel weary hunters to bed early. 

Interior of my palatial wall tent.

The next day’s hunts were relatively uneventful until on Wednesday morning a partner and I hunted down the road from camp around a big clear-cut ending at a steep ravine.   Splitting up, I still hunted a foggy misty morning in the direction of camp and after a few hours started to get fatigued.  I was sloppy and cracked a twig noticing movement from the deep ravine ahead. Up the far hill and approaching the ridge was the biggest buck I’ve ever seen on this hit hard public area.  I watched him briefly pause to look back agitatedly before stiffly exiting the area.  I made a mental note to try back there later in the week, knowing I would likely never see him again.

 

Hoping for some Hill luck, Steve Turay and Steve Spencer pose with the "Howard Road" sign. 

The author needs to work on that high elbow draw :-)

Dan Breen takes aim.

The best part about deer camp is the "down time" as we have numerous shooting challenges.  Here Mike Mongelli is the big winner of the first annual "Weiner Shoot". 

Thursday morning arrived and we all changed things up and drove 45-minutes away from camp to hunt a nearby wildlife management area that had differing terrain.  Arriving just at twilight, we dropped off two archers lower on the slope and three of us spread out up high along the ridge. I anchored the farthest position.  Finding a seat on a deadfall overlooking a downhill trail and an open bench to the front, I eventually spotted three does about 70 yards away feeding casually.  Watching them mill about for about an hour, they were not getting any closer.  I finally convinced myself to try a stalk or I would never get a shot.  The ground was covered in crunchy freshly fallen leaves covering loose flat slate rocks on a steep hillside.  I wasn’t optimistic but gave it a try.

 

It took me about an hour to get up to the thickly brushed area they were working into. I never saw more than one deer at any given time, so I expected to be busted at any moment. They all fed off into this thicket and I lost sight of all.  Creeping up close, I thought they must have already fed out the other side or ran off without me knowing.  Then, I glanced to my right and a doe was feeding with head down only 20 yards away.  There was an opening in the brush surrounding the vitals. Maybe a 10-inch hole at most to shoot through, but I felt I could make that shot. I loosed, and immediately regretted it as the arrow deflected and I heard the thump of the arrow hitting a log beyond.

 

All deer burst to the far end of the thicket and out of sight. Bummed, I got myself together and went to collect my arrow, sure of a miss.  I gawked in horror as I spotted my arrow barely in the log and covered in stomachy digestive slime.  It was a sure sign of a terrible gut shot!

 

Scanning far uphill with my binos, I see three deer just under the crest of the ridge making their escape. The last deer had a bright red blood spot near the back leg. I watched as 2 deer finally trotted over the ridge out of sight. The third never joined.  I backed out quietly and returned in the direction of the truck. We all decided it was best to leave and come back in the evening.  That evening, sneaking up into the blow-down area where I saw her last, I glanced left and laying dead behind a root ball was my deer.  I was relieved beyond description.  She was still warm and not stiff so I was glad I didn’t push her.

That night I was euphoric at being able to pull off that stalk as I worked cutting up the meat and getting it on ice between congratulations. The deer wasn’t huge but having success with a camp full of hunters was beyond expectations and a totally new experience for me.  I trimmed up the ribs and skewered them on the fire-iron to roast above the open coals and share with my friends. That young doe was good eating.  Seared straps, ribs, and a good snort of bourbon had everyone in camp feeling fine.  Having filled my doe tag, I was left to hunt antlered deer for the rest of the trip.  I figured I would return to the area I saw the big buck days before but honestly wasn’t very hopeful.  Regardless, if I didn’t see another animal the rest of the week it would still be a legendary hunt.  I was the host on this one, and I hoped the others could get into some action too.  After a long day, I was looking forward to my cot and stumbled wearily toward the hiss of the Coleman lantern. 

 

Dan, Steve S. and Mike discuss equipment choices.

Steve Turay relaxing at camp enlightens Dan as Steve Spencer looks on.

The tender little doe provided excellent ribs roasted on the fire a-la Fred Bear.

The next morning, I was up early and prepared coffee and egg sandwiches for the group as they set off on their hunts.  Leaving camp well after sunup, I walked down to the drainage where I kicked out the large buck two days before.  Setting up a little farther South at a place where another valley entered, I nestled into the Waldrop packseat leaning up against a large tree on one side of the steep hill.  The steep opposing hillside was still in bow range, and I was opposite a deadfall that caused a choke point there.  The wind was a little variable but blowing steady uphill away from the far slope.  It was a particularly chilly morning, and I was enjoying watching the sun march slowly down the opposing slope and steadily melt the frost when the silence was shattered.  A deer came crashing over the steep ridge to my front at full speed. I expected to see a buck chasing a doe, but quickly realized the front animal was a large antlered buck.  The animal that appeared chasing him at full speed was a coyote!

 

The scene before the action began. Morning sun just creeping down the hill. 

I watched them both streaking across the opposing slope, they made a U-turn and mad dash back midway down the slope still full speed.  After they passed even with me again, another coyote appeared over the crest and joined in the chase.  The buck soon had enough of the sprinting and stopped turning to face his attackers.  He turned the tables and chased one yote about 50 yards, then rearing around went after the other.  I was in shock at witnessing the spectacle of this amazing wildlife battle unfold before me.   

 

Snapping myself out of my stupor I thought briefly about pulling my phone and videoing the scene.  Then I told myself this may be my one chance to get close enough for a shot!  I made up my mind to go for it and take a chance.  Standing and quietly folding my packseat with attached back quiver, I slung it over my shoulders and moved at a trot across the ravine.  Climbing steeply into the sunlight, I slowed when approaching where I had last seen the animals.  Glancing at the floss at my limb tip I realized the wind was blowing slightly uphill from the morning thermals.  I was thinking the wind must have given me away, and I strained to hear and see anything for several long minutes.  Finally, I saw a white tail flash above the brush and my throat tightened.  Stalking toward him at a crouch in the largely open clearcut, I was able to move about 10 yards closer when he turned and faced my direction.  I froze at half crouch and watched as he moved side to side facing his dispersed attackers, unseen due to the high grass and immature trees.  He was now in bow range and quartering slightly toward as I marveled at a massive animal highlighted with sun glinting off his rippling angry coat.  He took a skip forward and cut loose with a bellowing snort as I watched bursts of snot spray from each nostril backlit by the low angled sun.  I found myself a bit uneasy as he was royally pissed!

 

The buck continued to square off in different directions putting me frozen at half draw several times.  Through all of this I never did see the yotes and they could not see me.  Only the chest of the buck was visible. One of them tuned the buck around at 25 yards and broadside.  His shoulder shuddered in anger as I picked out a tuft of fur behind it to focus on.  I don’t remember anything of the draw and shot after that moment.  The arrow impacted somewhere back from my aim point.  He immediately whirled around and started in a frenzied run directly towards me!  I noticed his wide rack and his demeanor that instantly changed from anger to wide eyed PANIC.  I stepped back reaching for a follow-on arrow as he leapt passed me in air at barely three feet.  I noticed my arrow dangling with the appearance of poor penetration low in the back quarter of the animal.  As I reached anchor again, he was speeding away about 30-40 yards.  My arrow was enroute when he changed course slightly downhill and the shaft sailed by harmlessly several feet uphill.  He passed over a rise and out of sight into the ravine continuing to bowl over dead fall and branches.  Seemingly traveling far after last sight by the sounds, all fell silent.  I was left shaking in the quiet sunshine.  My mind struggled with what to do next.  It seemed like a gut shot and common advice would have been to pull out and wait many hours.  I could find no easy sign near where he ran by, there was no obvious trail of exit, and the rocky terrain was not easy to see prints.  If I let him lay with the yotes already on his scent, they would likely find him quickly if he was down.  He was obviously exhausted and may have been already injured or weak.  I resolved to gamble and go hard for him.  I quickly pulled back to camp, retrieved my better binoculars, and stripped off a few layers of clothes.  The terrain was mostly open and good glass would be beneficial.  Most of the other guys were a few hours away, so I left camp on my own to beat the yotes and hoping for the best.

 

Dropping back into that ravine, I quietly started creeping along and glassing the opposing hillside. I gambled he continued to run downhill to the drainage and hadn’t circled up again.  Working along both hillsides alternately glassing the opposing side, I scrutinized the ground in turn. Taking my time and being methodical, I peered way ahead though the thick river bottom brush.  I was about 150 yards away from the shot now and getting worried.  Things were really getting dense as I neared where I had bumped him a few days prior.  It was increasingly difficult to be quiet and I was worried he was pushed well ahead of me and moving away.  I was second guessing my decision to wait for help and surround the area.

 

Then everything changed as I spotted a small splash of orange jutting out from behind a downed trunk.  My eyes followed the fletching down and I realized my buck was there upside down and wedged beneath branches.  I was overcome with a wave of gratitude and relief.  My goodness, I had done it!  I went after the biggest buck I had ever seen here on this public mountain area and ended up with my hands around the buck’s antlers in a way I would have never anticipated.

 The arrow impact wasn’t as bad as I had thought.  It entered in front of the last rib and traversed the liver and one lung ending up centering a rib on the far side about 5 ribs up.  While he was running and crashing through brush the arrow backed out and chopped around the insides until it exited out of the same side as the impact.  The ace head had sliced open organs as he ran including the stomach.  That made it all look like a gut shot but was actually through the cage.   It appeared he died very quickly after running out of sight.

The steep hillside before a heavy drag.

Hanging the brute in camp with the aid of Dan Breen's jeep winch!

Starting the skinning back at camp, we probed a shallow puncture wound in the deer’s chest.  It was a few inches wide and several inches deep with infection, but the rest of the shoulder was fine.  The yotes must have smelled the rut induced injury, knew he was an older buck, and decided to run him down.  Skinning down the neck we noticed a traumatic injury that had healed up long ago.  The throat muscles were missing in about a 4-inch circle and the esophagus was missing a 1-inch chunk but was now covered in a thin membrane.  How he even survived such an injury was amazing! There was also a large patch of shortened / stunted fur on the back of the shoulders.  To me, it looked like something had jumped on the shoulders and ripped at the throat at some point.  Later, a local deer biologist told me the age of the buck was 6.5 years old (by tooth wear) and that injury was likely caused by a bobcat when he was a fawn.

Patch of stunted air visible on the shoulder.

Remarkable healed over missing patch of throat muscle and 1 inch section of windpipe gone visible upon skinning.

Festering puncture wound from the rut that the dogs probably scented. 

This buck was an old warrior, and I probably saved him from a long and painful death at the hands of the dogs.  He will now hold a place of honor in my home and memories.  A fitting end to a true survivor.  Sharing this hunt of a lifetime from an old-fashioned bowhunting camp with a group full of like-minded friends was quite the blessing. 

Some of the group that stayed for the final photo:

The author and his longtime friend and fellow veteran Brent Graybill celebrate around the campfire capping off an amazing experience and life-long memory. 

 Equipment note:  On this hunt Greg did not use any commercial camouflage, shot a 52-pound, 68 inch, Northern Mist American longbow and used a leather back quiver made by Nate Steen.

Hunting the Hard Way - Why do it?

 

A reported 13.7 million Americans hunt some form of wildlife.  About half of that number bowhunt.  Only 2.6 million use traditional gear.  From my own observations at gatherings only about 5% of the traditional community uses the American Semi-Longbow or Hill style bow.  I think it would be generous to say 50% of that number were shooting a back quiver.  Probably, less than 50% of those use one to hunt with.  Crunching those numbers, I am only one of several thousand hunters in the country who chooses to hunt with the equipment I do.  Throw in my propensity to hunt from the ground and shy away from camouflage and the numbers get really small.  So, as far as hunters go, I am truly an odd duck, or the “few elite” as I like to see it. Interestingly enough, just 65 years ago, I would be among the majority of archery hunters on the cutting edge of technology.  

              So, one could ask, Why do it?  Why take the hard way?  Why spend hours and hours practicing my shooting, sharpening my stalking skills, researching plants and trees that game prefers, travel great distances to partake in unguided hunts, practice my calls on my way into work each day… and through all of this, usually come home empty handed. Why, when you could make things much easier?

              The answer is something inside of me.  

              There is a feeling and satisfaction that only the longbow hunter knows.  A point when you stop directly interacting with the woods, and you become a part of the woods.  Like an out of body experience, you are there, but you are not.  You see the animals in their natural state away from the human eye.  This feeling triggers primal endorphins that leave some, like myself, hooked and starving for more. 

              As my personal journey continued, this feeling wasn’t enough from 25 feet high in a tree.  I wanted to be closer, more in touch.  I wanted things more on my terms.  The gadgets and crutches pedaled by the outdoor industry became less desirable.  I wanted to be successful using my skills and knowledge.  Quickly, I figured out that I didn’t need a backpack full of gear to kill a whitetail.  In fact, some of that stuff made it harder!  I tried more and more hunting from the ground, and I became better and better at getting opportunities that way.  I started trying to stalk game I saw instead of waiting for them to “come into my shooting lane”.  My gear changed as well.  Simplicity became the appealing virtue.  My bow evolved into a simple long elegant and delicate bamboo laminated longbow.  Suddenly I didn’t have to wait for that deer to stop in my shooting lane.  I could hit things that were moving.  Wow was this getting fun! 

              Now I sit down in my basement workshop and look up at various “trophies” hanging on the wall and notice the lack of huge mule deer and elk antlers, no P&W sized antlers, nothing that most modern hunters would say were “impressive”.  That is if they don’t consider any of the how.  The struggles, the effort, the missed opportunities, the ones just out of range, and the misses.  All this makes up for it all in the long run.  Each one is something special in the journey.  I would not trade any of it. 

 

Benefits of a Higher Draw Weight Longbow for Hunting

Taking a sample of data found in my collection of vintage Traditional Bowhunter Magazine Harvest gallery write ups, I was able to compile approximately 130 listings where bow draw weight was recorded.  The resulting table below of average draw weights from successful hunters demonstrates how hunting draw weights have reduced from the 1990's

 

In the 1980's the majority of hunters shot more than 55 pounds of draw weight for hunting. It is a rarity to find a Hill style longbow made by folks like John Schulz, Louie Armbruster, Pete George even in the 50 pound range.  Most bows you find are in the 65-85 pound range.  While learning good form it is important for beginners to have a comfortable lower draw weight, however once you learn to shoot consistently there are many benefits to hunting with a little more "umph".  The current low poundage trend has swung the draw weight averages far to the other end of the spectrum.  While it is true that modern high performance archery gear is a little more efficient now than some of these older bows, I still believe in then the old adage of,  "for hunting shoot the highest draw weight you can comfortably pull".  I will attempt to explain that a little, and communicate what value I have found in going "against the grain" and working into a higher draw weight. 

Choosing a draw weight that is "comfortable" for the individual is the key.   No one range or optimal weight can be determined for all hunters. Differences in health, age, strength, injury history, general physical ability all play a factor. Since higher draw weight is subjective, and has changed throughout the preceding years, for the purposes of this article I will define it as draw weight at, and above, 55 pounds at your draw length.

The first consideration is to look at your ultimate goals.  If you wish to shoot a 300 round, or run a couple 3D courses in a day, or be able to shoot 30-50 arrows at a session, a higher draw weight bow may not make sense.  However, if you are a hunter choosing a heavier draw weight has some very real advantages in the field.

Many folks will immediately fire back with the argument, why should I hunt with higher weights if the lower poundage will still kill most North American game efficiently?  While it is true bull moose have been killed successfully with bows, especially more modern and efficient designs with heavy front loaded EFOC arrows, I propose that you may desire some of the other benefits that higher poundages offer.

First and foremost is Kinetic Energy (KE) and penetration.  Nothing adds to ease of blood trailing than 2 holes from which to leak.  Getting a pass through when the shot is perfect and only through the rib cage can be done easily with sub 45 pound bows, but what happens when our shot is not perfect and bone is hit.  I prefer being able to punch through the offside leg if possible and get that other hole leaking outside the cavity.  How about punching through the spine?  The energy that is retained in the arrow is directly proportional to the speed and mass of the arrow.  If you play around with the spine calculators enough you will soon realize how much increasing your draw weight adds to the KE equation without loading your arrow weight and adversely affecting trajectory.

Speaking of arrow trajectory, that is the next big benefit to increased draw weight.  While it is true most hunting shots are under 20 couple yards, being able to shoot flatter can transmit to more opportunities if you put in the practice work to be proficient at those ranges. A flat shooting trajectory just helps make that shot more accurate which is why target archers typically use very light arrows.  I recently shot a buck that was much farther than I usually shoot.  I didn't realize the distance but only that I was confident I could hit it.  I made a darn good shot and he was down in seconds, but when I paced it off later it was 38 steps uphill back to my tree!  If I had been shooting my old 48 pound bow the shot would have probably been too low.  To boot, my arrow went completely through both front shoulders and made two holes.

* This deer was shot with a 62# longbow at a range of 38 steps and I had two holes through both shoulders with a H. Hill head.

When I was working up in draw weight I was careful to continue my good form, or what I thought was good form.   I learned quickly that heavy weights call for a lower draw.  It is easier for you to pull a heavy weight down near your chest, rather than up near your ears.  I realized my form wasn't as good or as strong as it needed to be.  I was "muscling " the lower poundages and that fact was hidden by a lower weight.  The heavy practice allowed me to listen and correct my drawing alignment issues and use more back tension.  Bonus!  The heavy weights do not cure a lot of ills with your shooting, but they do improve success if you are shooting them with good form and not flinging haphazardly.  There are many older gentlemen I know that are over 60 and 70 years old and still shoot very heavy draw weights.  I think that some of this success and avoidance of injury is due to the swing draw as taught by Hill and Schulz.  This draw starts low where shoulder position leads to increased leverage.  The popular target style of  the set straight arm target style places the arm and shoulder in a compromised position for the weight.  When you look at doing rows at the gym, your arms are low at chest height to get that power.  If you lean forward and lower your head, keep that bow arm with a slight bend and the draw lower, I believe this will allow an easier heavy draw without the risk of injury.  Just keep in mind that shooting a heavy bow is not something you work into overnight.  You need to incorporate stretching and slow progress upwards.  Make certain you are in control at all times and come to full draw.  I cut my broadheads and judo points so the back of the head is against my finger as a draw check while building up (and actually for hunting as well).  This is a built in draw check and clicker.  

* Hill demonstrating the Swing Draw, note how low the elbow is when the weight starts to build.

 Note in the series of photos above that the string elbow is far to the rear when the bow weight starts to build.  Is it easier to pull heavy weights up by your ears, or down low to your chest?  If one starts pulling with the bow arm extended that string elbow is far forward and much weight is introduced when the shoulder is at its least mechanical advantage.  I propose to draw low and safely, and bring that bow and string up to anchor.

Note the high elbow and poor shoulder position for pulling heavier weight in this classic target stiff arm high draw.  Try this with a heavier weight and it will be more difficult and you will be more prone to shoulder injury.  

Heavier bows also assist with the cleanliness of the loose.  The heft pushes those fingers out of the way with less chance of string deflection issues.  This help could pay dividends with stressed shooting at game and with those unorthodox shot positions that the Hill style longbow also makes easier.  All this leads to better chance of hitting game in the woods. As long as your not suffering from Target Panic (TP) and let me broach that issue next.  

It is commonly known that lowering draw weight may help one address TP issues.  I do not disagree, however I will propose that lowering draw weight is not a "fix all" for TP either.  Eventually even the lower weights will display TP issues if the shot is not corrected.  The real fix is your shot process, the weight you pull is not the determining factor for beating TP.  I will propose that the problem is between the ears, not between the shoulders.  If you start to have issues with TP, lower your weight and fix your shot first.  Draw and hold with your back muscles only.  Then, move back up in weight to hunt.  You can just as easily get TP at 45, 40, or even 35 pounds.  To me the biggest thing is using the correct back tension and low draw to hold that weight properly.

 In short, shooting a heavier draw weight taught me better mechanics, the swing draw was the guide.   Hill shot 60 plus pounds toward the end of his life as did Fred Bear, why can't most handle those weights now? Maybe we should stop promoting the lowest poundage we can, and follow the old advice of the heaviest draw weight for hunting we can handle. 

2023 Eastern Shore Maryland AFI Duck Camp

 

I was fortunate enough to have been chosen one of the four veterans to participate in this unique opportunity.  It had been many years since I last hunted ducks, and being a motivated DIY'er I had never been on a guided hunt before.  

I can't say enough about the great experiences I had with Wingman Guide Service.  Joshua Bourne runs a fantastic operation, and it is evident his service is a passion, not just a business for him.  

I arrived to a wonderfully furnished house and made to feel welcome by a truly family run operation.  I was provided with a snack of bacon wrapped marinated jalapeno duck poppers as we enjoyed lively conversation around the blazing fire pit.  After a hearty feast of mashed taters and pot roast for dinner, all the prior service vets discussed our "war stories" probably a little later than we should have stayed awake.

 

At 0300 Joshua was up early whipping up a fine breakfast complete with potatoes, eggs, toast, sausage, and hot coffee.  We were ready to hit the water by 0500 well fed and excited for the adventure.

The weather this day was challenging, but our capable guides knew an area where they had not pressured birds and their knowledge of the vast marshes proved invaluable.  After the 30-minute boat ride we started to put out our set just at first grey light.  Soon we were nestled in our little floating island between two decoy sets and ready to watch the skies.

Lack of wind and clear conditions made it challenging to predict the travel and direction birds would come in, as they pretty much had any angle they wanted.  

Soon we were rewarded with birds and had several good opportunities in these really bright and clear conditions.  My shotgun wing shooting was a little rusty at first, but I was finally rewarded with a lone bufflehead that came streaking in over my direction just over the water and swinging from left to right was I fold it with a single blast as the others watched.  That one did feel good!

We ended the morning with six birds along with a interesting bluebill duck in the mix.  

Getting six birds in tough "fowl" conditions was pretty successful!

I had to bid all adieu fairly early to pick up my son from school, but I thanked Joshua and his son for such a super time and great guide skills.  Said goodbye to my new veteran brothers from the hunt.  This BHA AFI program and the generous donation by Wingman Guide Service was a great experience. I highly recommend and thank all involved!