Greetings Everyone,

I am finally getting around to sending a picture. We have been hunting and filming harder then ever this season. All our hard work has been paying off, the bucks we are seeing on our managed properties are not only better quality then they have ever been, but I don't ever recall seeing this many shooters in one season. We have several digital trail camera pictures of great bucks, and now we are harvesting them. I will tell you a little bit about the hunt Stretch (Erich Long cameraman) and I had last evening. We arrived to our setup @ 3:00 pm. Set up Buckily Jr. (Carrylite Buck Decoy) and talked about how to properly use them. We were set up on the edge of a ten acre field that is mostly Alfalfa Hay surrounded by Heartland Food Plots and Switch Grass. We had several does and fawns and yearling bucks in the field early. At around 4:00 pm, all the deer decided it was time to come and play around the decoy. They were running, jumping, kicking, playing, great hunt so far! The clouds had disappeared and the bright sun had come out, not use to that here, I had to look away on several occasions it was that bright. I leaned over and told Stretch a story about when I was 18 or 19 I had an evening similar to that same evening. I was sitting on the ground hunting with a crossbow and had three shooter bucks come into the same corner of the field, I later harvested a great 2 1/2 year old 8 pointer.

We watched the deer feed and play around the decoy for another 30 minutes or so and I hear Stretch say, here comes a doe, and then he says a good shooter buck is behind her. I could not stand up there so many deer around us and watching our direction. I did manage to grab my bow and got my release on the string and ready. It was the buck we nicknamed "The MabeLike 8" after a good friend Randy Mabe's mid 140's buck he harvested a few years ago. I knew this deer and had several encounters with him so far this season. He is a great 4 1/2 year old buck. It wasn't long and another

shooter buck appeard in the field. He approached the big 8 pointer with ease and they began to posture towards one another, all of this taking place 80-90 yards away. I immediately knew my chances were great at harvesting a potential 3 or 4 year old buck. I snort wheezed and they both looked at the decoy. They began sparing and I snort wheezed again, this time earning more of their attention! The big 8 point decided it was time to go get with the doe, I tried one last time, grunt, snort, wheeze, he starred and kept walking, I then noticed the ten point 3 year old buck easing my direction. I would every once in a while grunt and snort wheeze @ him. He was on his way, posturing @ 60 yards and in, he made it to the decoy and began making a scrape right next to the decoy, my heart was pounding by this time. While he was posturing I was able to draw my bow while seated. I held my bow back for @ 2 minutes, it felt like an eternity. He finally presented me with a 25 yard slightly quartered to shot and I released the arrow, which struck him high in the vitals and dropped him in his tracks. The hunt we experienced is one I will not soon forget. Three shooter bucks in the field at one time. I forgot to mention that Spot and Mabelike 8 had a little confrontation while I was watching the 10 pointer come in. Two 4 1/2 year olds and a 3 1/2 year old in the field at one time!

I thank God for the opportunities He grants us with each day to enjoy his magnificent creation and so many friendships here on this earth. When we got down and got over to the deer, I realized I had pictures of this buck, I have attached one for you all to see how much these deer run down in a two week period of time during the rut. Enjoy the pics, please let me know if you receive them or not, thank you!!!

This hunt is testimony to the fact that our Quality Deer Management Program continues to improve each and every season, and I don't just mean our deer hunts, but all the experiences that go along with that. Our Wakatomika Creek Coop continues to improve each and every year with more and more good buck sightings and less and less doe numbers, great coop members that are passionate about what we are doing, I can't wait to see what the future holds. We will keep working hard at what we are doing and hopefully be rewarded with deer like this for years to come. Enjoy the pics, I have also attached a picture of another fellow Coop member, Dick Gorney and his great 150" 8 pointer. What a season we will not soon forget.

Thinking Quality,

L. Eric Ashcraft

ALL Outdoors Productions, LLC