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1999 Deer Camp

The Year Quality Deer Management Comes to Town

Thursday 11/11
1:30 PM.	John C "cookie" arrives early to G.I. the place and get things functioning. His efforts are applauded by all as the camp is now cleaner than a Red Roof Inn. Many mice and one badger are not so thrilled.
Friday 11/12
10:00 AM. 6:50 PM. 7:55 PM. 7:56 PM. 9:00 PM.	Ken, Dick and John 2 arrive. Ken asks when does the card game start. Todd and Tom (broker to the stars and ordained minister) arrive. Tom begins to mutter something about Quality Deer Management. Denny arrives bringing a gift for cookie. A new stove with 4 working burners and an oven. Mark (eventual Buck Pool winner) arrives. Kent, Paul and Jim arrive. Their arrival is cause for celebration because they have the beer, booze and food. Oh yes, it was good to see them too.
Saturday 11/13
	The day is spent by all in various degrees of scouting , blind preparation and enjoying the atmosphere of the Harmon Hacienda. Paul and Denny try their luck at duck hunting in the marsh. Ducks 2 guys 0. Denny does find a leak in his waders. Paul insists it's urine, but it was too cold to be that.
Sunday 11/14
	Cut and split a bunch of firewood for the coming year. It was determined that Paul still needs to get his chain sharpened. Deer sign is in abundance and anticipation (and Todd) are high. A road trip was taken by some to Bloom (no water) lake. At Paul's place 2 bucks and a doe were seen. (together) This evening Tom (broker to the stars) presents his plan to begin a program of Quality Deer Management at the Harmon Ranch. It seems that Tom bought a magazine on the subject and is now a convert to the idea. Tom proposes that we all pass on the spike horns to let them grow and just take bucks with at least a fork. A vote was taken (to make it seem official) and of the 12 voters present we had 1 abstain, 1 no and 10 yes votes. It was further agreed that anyone who shoots a spike would be required to donate $50 to the "Quality Deer Management Food Plot Fund"
Monday 11/15
7:10 AM. 7:20 a.m.	Temperature is 32 balmy degrees with a 15-20 mph NNW wind. Kent and Ken see 5 deer at the pheasant shack. A buck with a massive 6 or 8 point rack walks past the shack not 15 yards away and stands in the two track. Kent says " I attempt to blast it but miss because my site (on the old SKS ) was flipped up causing me to shoot over it grazing a tree (4 feet from the window). The buck (now covered in wood chips) takes off and runs into the swamp on the south side of the "80" (editor's comment) Kent would like me to assure all readers that this incident was not a severe case of buck fever. It was the "stupid gun's fault". Mark shoots eventual buck pool winner at apple tree at north end of property. A massive Alberta 7 point with a well placed 10 foot shot down from his tree stand. He spends the balance of the day napping and drinking beer in celebration. Dave shoots a button buck on 80 by dry lake bed. One of the yes voters the night before, he splits early to avoid embarrassment (and the $50 fine). Dick sees a spike horn on the 80, but passes on it in the true sense of Quality Deer Management so Kent can shoot another tree in a few years.
Tuesday 11/16
	24 degs. with Stiff North wind. Tom hunts Rose City swamp and somewhere in there jumps a doe and a spike horn that was chasing the doe. Tom shoots the spike and doe. Tom spends the rest of the day dragging deer all around the swamp looking for the road. As a reward for this shinning example of Quality Deer Management, Tom donates $50 to the seed fund. John 2 shoots a spike horn from ground blind on oak ridge overlooking Rose City swamp. The only no vote to our QDM decision, John also graciously donates $50 to the seed fund.
back to the top Wednesday 11/17 No deer seen in the morning. Sadly Deer Camp '99' draws to a close as most everyone leaves early in the afternoon. It's been fun and as we leave it is with the knowledge that next year the bucks will all be 8 points or better because of the enthusiastic application of the new Quality Deer Management program. (yea right)