2013 Whitetail Bow Hunt Story on Able Outdoors

To read the full article click on Able Outdoors 2013 Bow Hunt.

Mossy Oak's Hunting Blog interview of myself

I was interviewed for Mossy Oak's Hunting Blog a couple weeks ago. Here is the result. Thanks for reading. 

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

2016 Trail Cam Video Montage

Switching Broadheads?

Okay I have some questions about broadheads. I know this is like Chevy vs. Ford, but here it goes. First of all I shoot a Carbon Express Intercept crossbow which flings 380 grain arrows out at around 365 ft./s. I have been shooting Slick Trick Standards the last three years. In the last three years I have shot three deer with good shots. Two of the deer I had to track for a long time and recovered them. The third deer we tracked for a while and it survived. Saw him later in the season. So I am looking to make a change from the standards. The Slick Trick standards shot exactly like my field points. No lie. So it is hard to go away from them but I want quicker, cleaner kills.

A lot of companies are making broadheads specifically designed for crossbows? Are these broadheads really that much different and are they necessary?

What is a good cutting diameter that still flies true? I guess that is different for every crossbow/arrow.

What is better, a one-piece broadhead or one that needs assembling?

Three blade or four blade?

Here are the brands that I have been looking at making the switch to.

G5 Striker 100 grain, three blade crossbow, 1 1/8 inch cut

G5 Montec 100 grain, one-piece, three blade crossbow, 1 1/8 inch cut

Muzzy 100 grain, three blade crossbow, 1 3/16 inch cut

Muzzy Trocar crossbow 100 grain, three blade, 1 3/16 inch cut

Slick Trick Magnums 100 grain, four blade, 1 1/8 inch cut

Any opinions? Or do you have any other suggestions on other brands I can try?

Thanks for your time, Clint.

2016 Bow Buck pic and story

The story of 2016:

This was the 16th day sitting with the crossbow this year. It had been a very slow year. I have only had does in front of me and there wasn't that many of them. It wasn't that there wasn't that many deer around, they just weren't around when I was. But like every year I was going to stick it out and wait for a buck if possible. There were a couple doozy bucks around this year.

On November 7, I decided to try my luck again even though there was a stiff Northwest wind. I usually don't have very good luck with a strong wind. It was so windy my pop-up blind even started blowing away. Luckily it happened when someone was around to stake it down before I was alone. I got into the blind around 2:30 PM. I had mom soak the scent wick with some Hunter Specialties mock scrape juice above a live scrape and I was good to go. Sitting in this spot I know nothing happens until "Happy Hour" comes around. That is the time I call that is half-hour before sunset and half hour after sunset. So I had a good couple hours to let the woods settle down.

At about 5 PM the wind decided to settle down to just about nothing. There was still a little breeze from the West Northwest. That is perfect for this spot because the deer always come from the West or North. At 5:13 PM I looked to my East and I saw a buck walking my way. Evidently my Earth wafer cover scent patches work because he did not suspect a thing. He walked right to the scrape and put his head down. This is within 12 yards of my blind and straight out. I thought for a couple minutes if I should shoot this guy or let him go and wait for Mr. Big but the longer he stood there I knew this opportunity does not come by that often. He put his head up one more time looked around and then put his head down and I took the shot. It looked like a good shot and he kicked like a mule and ran to the West. I was pretty confident it was a lethal shot and it was just a matter of time before we would find him.

At 5:18 PM I called my tracker extraordinaire, Don B. He said he would be out as soon as he could. Meanwhile I called the house and mom came out with some water and let me out of the blind. I decided to look at the area I shot him and see if there was any sign. There was a tuft of hair and I couldn't see any blood. As we were standing there I could hear deer walking towards us so we froze. A young doe came walking into the belt and was coming right towards us. She got within 10 feet before she realized something was afoot. Even when she ran away she was not freaking out. About that time I heard Don B's pickup pull into the yard. When he got back to us he said he almost hit a big buck while he was driving into the yard. The buck was with two doe and was headed to the belt I was in but that little doe we scared away must've alerted them. Don said he was big.

So first things first we looked for the arrow and Don found it. It had blood on it all the way with one fletching missing. It was a complete pass through. The Carbon Express Intercept shooting at 360 ft./s does its job. It didn't take long to find some blood and the tracking started around 6 PM. The blood was kind of watered-down so we thought maybe it was a bad shot. It wasn't thick with bubbles. But they continued to find blood and tracked it out of the little belt across the combined corn field and into another belt. That is about 120 yards. They continued to find blood and bumped the buck and he staggered off so we decided to let him settle down and expire without pushing him anymore, he wasn't going anywhere. By the time Don B and mom got back to me the coyotes were going absolutely nuts. I knew it was only a matter of time before they would find the buck.

We decided to go back to the house and warm up for a little bit. We called up a couple other guys and asked their opinion and they all said we should go back after him in about an hour. I agreed. I knew those stinking coyotes would eat him alive if we left him over night. At that time dad pulled into the yard and we told him the story. Also, another friend T-Rav said he would come out and help. So the plan was Don B and T-Rav would go tracking from the last spot they saw him and dad and I would watch at the end of the belt to make sure he did not come out. It didn't take long and they found him laying on the south side of the belt. He was done. So dad and I burned back to the house while the other two started gutting him. Dad went out there in his pickup and brought him back to the yard. That is when I wrapped my tag around his antler and 2016 is in the books.

After examining where I shot him. It looked like a real good shot. The shot was about 6 inches back from the front leg, not too high and not too low. It just goes to show how strong these deer are.

I would like to thank Don B, T-Rav, mom and dad for making this hunt and year successful.

#Mossyoak #mossyoakprostaff 

My Adaptive Trigger article on Able Outdoors

To read the full article click on Able Outdoors Trigger Story. Thanks for looking.

They wouldn't look bad in my crosshair or freezer

Check out my YouTube Channel for adaptive hunting/fishing equipment, music & stuff

My YouTube Channel link

Video of My Adaptive Trigger Mechanisms

Twist of Fate article I wrote that was published by Able Outdoors.

To read the full article click on Twist of Fate. I am working on a handful of other articles as we speak. Hopefully you will be reading them soon. Thanks for looking.

DON’T GET LOCKED OUT. STOP THE SEIZURE OF YOUR PUBLIC LANDS! SIGN THE PETITION TODAY.

Follow link to sign the petition: http://sportsmensaccess.org/

THE TRUTH ABOUT ASSAULT WEAPONS

Please share with the uninformed and uneducated. Below is another link in case the video does not work.

THE TRUTH ABOUT ASSAULT WEAPONS

Able Outdoors Magazine

Here is a great magazine for everything outdoors catered towards people with disabilities. They have stories about all types of outdoor activities, product reviews, classified section, travel accommodations/reviews, list of accessible hunts in each state and a whole lot more. Follow the link for more information and to subscribe.

Able Outdoors website

Practice makes perfect

1. PRACTICE

Weekly practice doesn’t have to be a chore, shooting a few dozen arrows 2-3 days a week can really help you stay tuned in to your equipment and form. I like to start in June. Also practicing at different types of 3-D targets helps get your eye used to focusing on different kill zone shots. And when setting up targets try different angles, quartering away, quartering to and of course broadside. I like shooting at a lot of different distances. Practice shooting at longer ranges than you would ever take while hunting. This will help you become more steady for those closer shots during the season. This will help with your confidence.

2. CONFIDENCE

If you get excited anytime you are getting ready to take a shot on a animal, plenty of practice ahead of time will give you the confidence you can make the shot even with some buck fever. There is nothing wrong with getting excited, it should be expected. But the goal is to be able to control it. Easier said than done when Mr. Big comes walking by.

3. JUDGMENT

Consistent practice can help you in your distance judgment and let you get comfortable with yardage. There are also some great rangefinders available that really take the guesswork out of it. If you don't have a rangefinder, time at the range will make the difference when "the shot" presents itself. If you are not good at judging yardages and do not have a rangefinder, don't worry. I know a lot of people that place different colored ribbons and set yardages around their tree stands or hunting blinds. Then you just have to remember which color represents what yardage.

4. MAINTENANCE

Consistent practice in the pre-season will keep you familiar with your equipment and anything that needs to be fixed or updated. The archery stores always tend to be busy right before the season starts with people that just started shooting and discovered they need a new string or other improvements or repairs. Practicing all summer long will get you confident with your equipment and this confidence will let you know when something is wrong. This will give you the time to discover what will work for you way before the season starts. Nothing worse than having equipment malfunction or breakdown right before or during season. Being in tune with your equipment may prevent this from happening.

Mossy Oak Biologic Food Plot

Did not fill my Turkey tag. I think I was out five or six times. The last day I had toms all around me. It was an entertaining day. Anyway this spring I decided to plant a food plot. I decided to go with Mossy Oak Biologic Non-Typical Clover. It is a perennial. I decided to go with clover because the farmstead where I usually hunt is surrounded by corn and soybeans this year. Hopefully this clover will get in the deer's attention and keep it through the hunting season. I might try to plant some fall blend later. Had my brother-in-law rototill up a little spot. The soil looked good but we did it another time a week later just to loosen it up a little more. There was a lot of moisture in the soil. Followed the directions for planting and hopefully we get some good timely rains to get it started and keep growing throughout the summer. Also decided to plant a package of pumpkin seed. If they grow they grow, if they don't and I am out $1.89.

http://www.plantbiologic.com/p-312-non-typical-clover.aspx

Speaking & sharing about my life

A couple months ago I was approached to see if I wanted to speak about my life to some sixth-graders. After a little deliberation and practicing I decided to give it a go. I gave quite a few presentations while in college so it wasn't too big of a deal. But it is always a little nerve-racking get in front of people for any type of event. Especially when the subject matter is about your own life.

The presentation is everything about my life. I touch on a little bit of my life before my accident, talk about the accident and focus mostly on things I have accomplished after my accident.

The students seemed to really enjoy what I was talking about and had quite a few good questions after my presentation. I look forward to doing it again in a couple weeks and hopefully a lot more in the future.

Shotgunning a turkey…

Somehow I was lucky enough to draw a second choice, second unit turkey tag for the spring. That is very odd for the units I put in. Usually it takes two or three years to draw a tag in the units I selected. I have decided I am going after Mr. JellyHead the spring with a shotgun instead of my crossbow. Lucky enough for me, we have a Weatherby PA-08, 12gauge shotgun that has a big enough trigger guard that will allow my trigger mechanism to slide in and attach. I have tried a handful of other shot comes that might trigger did not fit in.

I would really like to get a semi auto shotgun. That would work best in my rifle/shotgun mount. Semi auto would be nice because it gets strapped down onto the mount. There would be no need to take the shotgun off to reload or pump after every shot. But all of the semi auto shotguns I have tried will not work with my trigger mechanism. But I haven't looked that hard and I am still on the search for the perfect shotgun.

This will be my fourth time going after the gobbler in the spring. I have yet to connect. Check that, I have actually hit one but he did not cooperate. Long story.

Here is a video of me shooting a shotgun for the first time with my gun mount. I shot once at cardboard and then once at a 13 striped ground squirrel. I think it is going to work well on turkeys…

Good luck in the woods the spring…

Guide to buying a crossbow.

I cannot tell you how many hours I spent looking for the perfect crossbow for myself before I purchased my Carbon Express Intercept. Everyone has different needs and there is a crossbow on the market to meet those needs. Here is an article I wrote on some of the basics to look for when purchasing a crossbow.

Rule number one when it comes to purchasing a crossbow is that they are not quiet. Doesn't matter what brand or how new. Some are quieter but they are all loud. But most are so fast it doesn't matter how loud they are. You will be surprised if you have never been around crossbows before and you go shoot some just how loud crossbows are. Even the brand-new ones right off the line are noisy.

Another key factor is weight and length. They can get heavy and long. The lightest you will find is around 8 pounds. That is with everything detached, quiver etc. You also find them to be real long. They can be somewhat cumbersome, especially for someone who has never shot one before. But you will get used to it.

Price is always an object. But I would suggest buying the best you can afford. To fully package out everything that you need to shoot/hunt, you can expect to pay around $800-$1500. For just the bare crossbow expect to pay around $300-$1000. This might seem like a lot to pay for but it will last you a lifetime if you take care of your equipment and follow the maintenance recommendations.

There are two main kinds of crossbows, recurve and compound. Recurve crossbows are more user-friendly for the first timer. Just like everything, less parts equals less breakdowns and it is no different with crossbows. I would suggest recurve if I were a beginner. Some have lifetime warranty on their lines of recurve crossbows. Companies that make compound crossbows offer warranties but most of them are limited. Compound crossbows are not that complicated, they just need more attention and maintenance.

There are also options on how to cock your crossbow. Most if not all come with some type of rope cocking or pulley system to cock the bow. Some come with a hand crank built-in to the crossbow. Others come with detachable hand cranks. Built-in are real nice just because they are handy and you're never looking for your cocker.

There are also options on which type of sights you would like to use. There are open sights, dot sights and scopes. There are many different brands available that are made specifically for crossbows. Make sure to check your state regulations on what magnifications are allowed in your state while hunting. Familiarity, good field of view, durability and light gathering are also factors when considering which type of sight to put on your crossbow.

When you start looking for arrows for your crossbow you will be amazed at how many are available. It all depends on what you want to spend. But I will say this, you get what you pay for. There are some companies out there that will spine test every arrow before they send it to you. Others are just mass-produced. But they all have their place. The most important thing is to get the right weight and arrow length that is recommended by your crossbow manufacture.

When you have picked out your arrow the next thing to look at is which broadhead you are going to use. Fixed or mechanical is your first decision. This is like a Chevy versus Ford deal. Everyone has their favorite. But every crossbow has their favorite also. It is just going to take time and patience to figure out which broadhead shoots best with the arrow you choose for your crossbow. The combinations of these three things are endless. Remember to check your state regulations for which broadheads are legal.

Every year there seems to be more and more companies coming out with their own line of crossbows. Some companies have been around for years while others are just jumping in the market. So there are tons of options out there. You can spend as little or as much as you want. The one good thing about all of these companies getting into the crossbow business is all of the new technology and innovations that have been made specifically for crossbows. And just like everything, there are good companies to deal with and there are not so good companies to deal with. You will find out which ones are the good ones very early.

Remember, nothing is better than getting out and shooting as many brands as you can. Each is different, and each has their pros and cons. The old adage is true, shoot more…  shoot more often.

Thanks for reading, Clint.

FYI Changing address

Will be switching the name tomorrow to: plegicoutdoorsman.blogspot.com

Hopefully I remember everywhere I have put the link so I can switch them over.

Support my friends at UOA

This was my modeling debut. My friends at Ultimate Outdoor Adventures hooked me up with the T-shirt. It rocks. Although this particular style is not available anymore they have other great T-shirts on their website. Check them out below.

http://www.team-uoa.com/shop/

Going to change my blog address…

I have decided to change my blog address to something more appropriate. I hope this will help people find my blog easier when searching. Skoalongcut served me well but it is time for a new dip.

Here are a couple names that I have come up with:
plegichunter
plegicoutdoors
plegicoutdoorsman
wheelchairhunter
wheelchairoutdoorsman

What do you like? Or do you have any suggestions? Let me know.

Tag soup for me.

Well, the 2015/16 hunting season has come to a close. I sat 18 times with the crossbow in three different areas searching for Mr. Big Whitetail. I do not have much to show for it except having a great time and learning more about my hunting areas plus what might work better for me. I know one thing I plan on practicing a lot more during the off-season. Last year I didn't do too much shooting. This summer's motto will be shoot more, shoot more often. Plus I hope to get in a food plot. Also, make a couple changes to my stands. I have a few ideas to make things better. Always learning something is better than the alternative. Now it is time to go ice fishing and maybe shoot a coyote or two…