Harps

Thanks guys. Obviously the deer is very green and I'm not an official measurer so these numbers will shrink an inch or two I'm sure. There is a judgement call to be made on the right antler as to whether it can be scored as a typical antler. An official measurer will have to decide. I've always been just as interested in the gross score as the net because the gross is a "pure" measurement of what the deer grew before deductions for asymmetry. 157 2/8 inches gross 136 1/8 inches net Since there's the possibility of it qualifying for Pope & Young, I think I will go ahead and have it measured after the 60-day drying period.

Well he showed up yesterday. Neck shot (irony of that with the discussion above) was caused by my arrow hitting a vine and deflecting. I was just darn lucky it hit him instead of flying into neverland. Definitely not what I was aiming for but it happened and it dropped him on the spot, no tracking. He's a true Ozarks giant.

Some days you don't see the fish at all — they know how to hide — and some days they're quite visible. The low water/drought has definitely hit Crane hard. I think the trout were stressed some over the summer for it.

Pretty good for an Ozarks deer for sure — he impressed me. I was getting a few pics of two giants last year, 1 typical about 155 inches, 1 non-typical about 180 inches, and I haven't gotten either of them so far this year. Kind of hard to see in the pics but I've got the camera set to take 5 frames when triggered so I can analyze them better. Hope they're still around.

Well sometimes you make the wrong choice and I certainly did last Saturday. Based on wind direction both of my bow stands were a little marginal so I picked what seemed the less of two evils. Only deer I saw were ones being chased by dogs. These dogs are about to chap my a$$ a little too much. These same two dogs have been running the deer out there all fall. But that's not why I'm saying I made the wrong choice. Pulled and switched the cards on my cameras and I about choked when I looked at the card from the stand I DIDN'T sit. One of the biggest bucks I've ever got on camera. This beast walked by at 10 yards. A chip shot. Such is my life story of bowhunting.

Dozens....

The neck shot doesn't really make sense to me. If you're comfortable with running shots, that's up to you. I'm not comfortable with them, too many things can go wrong.

X2. It has always been done, ever since the rifle was invented. Kudos to you and your son for considering the animal before shooting. I've only taken one shot at running deer an that was completely in the open and less than 40 yards. I would never consider it in the woods. Just today I had a guy look at a pic of my deer and say "Why did you shoot it in the guts?" I had to explain that the shot took out the top of the heart and the bottom of the lungs. I don't know where he thought you should shoot one.

Super nice buck, will look great on the wall, congrats. Love that mass.

Yeah, that's pathetic that the guy would act that way. They usually hit the ground smaller than they were standing up, but that's a nice deer though. I finally found one this past Sunday. Not a giant by any means, kind of average size for me but he had a lot of points. 11 over an inch, 13 you can hang a ring on, depending on how you like to count. I'll be doing a European mount of him and adding him to the den (that's old school for man cave). Freezer's full and now I can focus on one of the monsters I have on camera with the bow. Or just go fishing.

Well my bowhunting hasn't panned out too well for me pre-gun season. Only deer I've had a shot at is a very small spike. Pass. Waiting for a good buck or doe for my freezer. Had a good looking buck get behind me yesterday and catch my wind. Looked like 135-inch-class 8-point. They are definitely chasing right now, so watch for them when driving.

That's too bad. Losing a deer sucks. As the saying goes — "If in doubt, back out." Sounds like you made a good shot, but if you have any misgivings about placement it's good to leave quietly, wait a few hours (maybe the next morning if you shot it in the evening) and come back later to look. It happens.

Well I finally got to hunt tonight. Saw a few deer shadowing through the brush but nothing came close to me. Bucks are beginning to chase the does right now, so watch for them even more right now. I heard more deer vocalizations tonight than I've ever heard, grunting and bleating all over the place. If I was smart I would hunt again tomorrow but I have GOT to finish staining my deck tomorrow or I may not get it done before winter. I think I will be taking a couple of days off later in the week to get in on this early rut action. This moon phase is not going to help daytime activity though.

Surely someone is getting to do some hunting....... turkey, deer, squirrels....... something? I'm about to get serious about sitting in some trees myself here the next few weeks..... starting tomorrow.

Surely someone is getting to do some hunting....... turkey, deer, squirrels....... something? I'm about to get serious about sitting in some trees myself here the next few weeks.

Yeah.....let's do all that next time we're down there.

I have picked up truckloads of trash at Crane Creek. Mostly at the accesses, but I will almost alway stuff the back pouch of my vest with trash when fishing. I love walking around anyone I see hanging out at the accesses and picking up trash to set an example for them. It blows my mind how people can't recognize the jewel they have in their backyard in that area. Once, back in the early '70's I believe, a local property owner took some toxic waste, plating chemicals I think, from plant in Republic and poured them on his property above the upper springs of Crane Creek. There are two springs on the old Leake property and this waste ended up in the aquifer of the upstream spring. The two branches came together in front of the Leake home and you could see the difference in the two qualities of water when I first visited with Mrs. Leake around 1986 or 87. This really shocked the fauna of the creek and affected the upper several miles of the stream badly well into the 80's. I used to have several articles on this event but have lost track of them. Forgive me if a detail or two on this is inaccurate, but you get the picture.

Is this recent trend? Happened to you? I've been all over that river, Boiling to Ross and never had an issue. I've never had a problem with anyone messing with my vehicle at any access anywhere in the state in fact. Maybe I'm just lucky, but I know crap happens.....

I was bitten by one up at Warsaw in '89, I think. We were night fishing below the dam. Friends took me to the hospital in Clinton (only thing open at 1 am) and they gave me the option of antivenom or a tetanus shot. I took the tetanus. I would have rather the snake bit me again than have that tetanus. The bite was mild and was sore for a few hours — the tetanus shot hurt for a week. I know I was lucky, but I've had bee stings worse than the copperhead bite.

Great fish!! I need to explore that someday. Cooler temps and occasional showers probably haven't taken real effect on most of our streams yet. Has Blue Springs benefitted?

Hey! The two guys I was hoping would speak up, as I know both of you see the creek on a regular basis. I figured the upper had to be dry for the most part. Is there water in town, or just lower down? Ray, you say it came up a little, has there been any rain down there or are the springs kicking it up?

I'm assuming by the lack of activity in this forum that few of us are visiting the Creek. I'm also assuming with the flow rates of other area streams so low that the upper section of Crane has mostly dried up again, hopefully not. And assuming that the lower section has water but is probably marginal for fishing. Has anyone been down there to see how the creek is doing? When I was young and free I would spend days like we're having now down there cooling off in the creek. Often I wouldn't fish, just being content to observe them.

This is one of the closest acesses to my home of any stream, but I gave up going there years ago for the most part. Too much chaos and disrespect. I'll spend a little more time and gas to get somewhere with some resemblance of solitude. Anyone in the HOA who bought a place there in the last 40 years knew full well what they were getting into.

He would only do that to me once. I can't imagine a guide that treats his clients like that would stay in business very long, or employed if he's working for a lodge/outfitter. If you know who this is, why don't you out him here so none of us wastes our time and money with him or her?

Amen.