***Bath Time Update 09/02/10 ***
This past weekend me, Dad and Josh hit the Staunton river to fish for some Channel cats.  But the fish caught had nothing to do with the most memorable moment of the day. 


I was standing on the bow of the boat as we were idling along when the rear anchor that I forgot to pull in hung a log.  I scrambled and tried my best...but there was no stopping it.  In I went into 5 feet of water.  Lost my sunglasses...sonuva!  Even worse...had my BlackBerry on my hip and it was fried.  We had a good laugh over it and I'm sure I'll have to hear about it for the rest of my life!


~Jonah
jonah@RiverBottomOutdoors.com

***Carpe Diem Update 07/20/10 ***
Me and Josh had a pretty good shoot Saturday.  The sky was overcast and there was a good breeze most of the day. But thanks to Lake Fest in Clarksville, VA the water was void of boats.  We had a tough time out in the flats, most fish were shot on the edge of the river bank.  We ended up getting soaked after making the call to head to the landing after a warning call from Dad.  Finished with 13 carp in the boat and 5 pull offs.  18 fish total impaled.

***Holiday Weekend Update 07/06/10 ***
Bowfished Friday...bowfished Saturday...bowfished Sunday...bowfished Monday.  All from the Killer Kanoe...water was too skinny for just about anything else.  Assassinated 16 carp and 1 gar. 

Me, Dad and Josh did some flathead fishing above South Boston.  Water was super shallow.  We hit one stretch that was registering a foot on less on the depthfinder.  Josh caught one small flathead before we got all the rods in the water.  Turned out to be the only one of the night.  The bite was slow; we finished with that small flattie and a few blues. 

While I'm in the typing mood, I want to send a big thanks out to the dumb ass who was staying in the cabin down from the landing at Aaron's Creek on Sunday.  I had just put in and was paddling along when POW! ZING! a .22 ricocheted off the water about 20 yards from me.  Let's just say I dropped a few F-bombs in his direction.  And the idiot had the nerve to say "If I woulda known you were down there I wouldn't have shot"...what a !@#&* moron.  Thanks buddy...nice too know what you woulda done when I'm in the emergency room geting a .22 round dug out of my guts or worse.  It's idiots like this that give the rest of us a bad name.  #1 you don't know your field of fire and shoot anyway, #2 you fire a rifle at a public waterway and #3 you're bouncing shots of the water???  I can only hope no kids were around to learn this guys version of firearm safety.   Am I still pissed about it...what do you think, wouldn't you be?

***Hook & Arrow Update 06/20/10 ***
Saturday I met up with our buddy John Jones and his buddy David Waller for some bowfishing. It was their first crack at this bowfishing thing.  We hadn't trolled very far when I spotted that familiar gar silhouette in the water.  We got a little closer and David loosed his first bowfshing arrow.  THWACK!!!!!  He nailed a 12lb gar.  A citation fish on this first ever shot...not too dang shabby.  We trolled and trolled some more but the fish were nowhere to be found.  We turned back and headed to another spot that Josh and I had scoped out earlier in the year.  The water there was dingy and rippled by the wind.  We saw a few more fish and I whacked two more gars.  I had a good time with the boys.  Of course I was giving them a hard time with every chance I got.  We'll do it again sometime.

After the bowfishing trip was over I hauled tail to the bait hole...and then to bait hole #2.  Two and half hours had past and I had four pieces of bait.  Off to bait whole #3.  Finally....pay dirt (or water???).  With the bait secured, the River Bottom Boys hit the river.  We pretty much only fished one hole for the night.  Which was fine by me....since we landed a nice 45lb flathead!!!   Tack on a decent 19lb blue,  a few more smaller fish to boot.

Now where exaclty did we catch that fish, you ask...  In the lip my friend. ;-)

~Jonah
Jonah@RiverBottomOutdoors.com

***Bowfishin' Update 06/06/10 ***
I bowfished Friday...Saturday...and Sunday.  All from the canoe...what a work out.

Friday, I left work an hour early and hauled tale to Aaron's Creek.  I had paddled up stream for about 45 minutes when the clouds moved in and the thunder started to roll.  I made it back to the landing just in time to see a huge bolt of lighting touch the ground.  The thunder that followed was earth shaking and immediate.  It was close.  Finished with to small male gars.  I turned those into Sunday night's supper with a pair of tin snips, a fillet knife and a cleaver.

Saturday, I took off to Rudd's Creek after hearing rumors of gar.  It turned out to be just that...a rumor.  The water was as clear as could be.  I saw bluegill after school of bluegill.  A few nice sized bass, but no gar in the cutbacks.  After 3 hours of non-stop paddling, I hit the road for Aaron's creek again.  Another couple of hours paddling and two more gar notches on the belt.

Sunday, I decided to make a trip to Grassy Creek.  I'd never fished there.  Wasn't really sure what to expect.  Big open water...lot's of paddling...any fish???  The wind was really howling and while the water wasn't that big...it was rough.  So, I whipped out my Buggs Island map and looked for bridge crossing.  I drove around until I found a suitable bridge that had a nice pull off and easy access to slide the canoe in.  The water was up and stained.  The wind blew the canoe around and rippled the water.  The sun kept dipping behind clouds.  It just wasn't good conditions for bowfisihng.  I did see quite a few gar fish.  With the poor visibility it was hard to get a shot off.  I did manage to make 4 gars holy.  The two biggest both looked like citation sized fish to me, but I didn't weigh or measure them.

Now it's time rig the catfish poles for some monster flatheads and shoot some fish with the bow.  I just ordered a new bowfishing rig.  That's bad news if you're a gar or carp....  The RBO boys with 2 bows in the boat?  Slaughter On The Water Pt. 2!  Look for it soon!

~Jonah
jonah@RiverBottomOutdoors.com

***Sometimes...It Just Works Out Update 05/11/10 ***
It was a busy weekend....

Thursday
Me and Dad set up for another Spring Gobbler bowhunt.  We heard one gobbler and he sounded like he was roosted in the next county.  We decided to pack up early and go fishing.  We worked for bait and headed for a hole that was in the shade.   We landed a few small blues.  I had brought the bow along and with the sun beating down I knew we had a good opportunity to shoot some fish.  We found the carp but I couldn't hit a bull in the butt.  No telling how many fish I missed.  Me and Josh have been doing a lot of bowfishing from the Killer Kanoe, maybe that threw me off?  Sounds like an excuse, don't it?  Haha!  But hey, I did kill a couple and Dad got him one too. 

Friday
I was dog tired from work and I just couldn't get my butt out of bed.  I piddled around until a little before lunch time and decided that with the sun shining, I needed to put the Killer Kanoe in.  It was a 5 hour float on the slow moving Hyco River and it was a prime time day for bowfishing.  I saw more gar than I could shake a stick at.  Most were swimming but a few were laid up here and there on top soaking up the sun.  I finished with 10 gars and 1 carp whacked and stacked.

Saturday
It was windy.  I mean windy.  You couldn't hear a thing.  We road over to a small field and hoped to hear one that had roosted close by......nothing....and more nothing.  We sat around in the back of the truck which was parked in the wide open and shot the bull.  Then Dad says in a half-whisper, "There goes a turkey."  Of course I said, "You're bullshittin'!"  But he wasn't....so I pulled out the binoculars.  It was a hen.  She wasn't paying any attention to the truck but she keep looking back at something.  I had a feeling it was a gobbler.  Then Josh spotted him.  We slipped out of the truck, threw on the gear and cut through the bush to get closer.  A few yelps on my trusty slate call.  Gobble...gobble.  Oh yea...he likes it.  A few more yelps...gobble...gobble.  Then BBBOOOMMM!!!!  Josh smoked him at 11 steps.  Sometimes you chase and chase birds....sometimes you think it's in the bag and he hoodooes you....but sometimes....sometimes it just works out in the most unexpected way.  Turkey hunting...there ain't nothing like it.

~Jonah
jonah@RiverBottomOutdoors.com

***Curiosity Kills The Turkey Update 05/02/10 ***
Friday Me and Dad worked a small group of turkeys.  A gobbler, a hen and two jakes.  We couldn't get the gobbler to cooperate but one jake did get a little to curious for his own good.  We've all heard that curiosity kills the cat....but we may need to change that to turkey!  He wandered over to check out the decoy setup and I loosed a Guillotine that nearly took his head clean off.




~Jonah
jonah@RiverBottomOutdoors.com

***Straight To The Head! Update 04/19/10 ***
OH YEA!!!!   We got 'im!!!!!  

*Last time I checked the video was still processing so the resolution may not be that good*


~Jonah
jonah@RiverBottomOutdoors.com

***Busy Spring Update 04/12/10 ***
Well...we got hoodooed on the opening day of spring gobbler. 

Josh has had his eye on a bird for over a month now; he was practically setting his watch by him.  We decided to go after him with the bow and bring along the video camera.  So, of course after a month of watching him.....he not only doesn't show up, he doesn't even make a sound.  Hoodooed...  If that's not a Spring Gobbler hunt, I don't know what is.  Since hunting is over at noon we decided to put the Killer Kanoe in and take out some frustration on some fish with the bow.  We whacked 2 carp and 6 gar.  Picture in the RBO Photos.

I took a 1/2 day off from work to bow hunt Monday morning.  I had a good feeling about the place I was headed to.  When the sun started coming up and the Thunder Chickens started letting loose, I had an even better feeling.  When I saw that jellyhead pop around the corner of my blind, I had a great feeling.  Then....I managed to screw it up.....watch the video.


~Jonah
jonah@RiverBottomOutdoors.com




***New Video!!! Update 04/4/10 ***
Me and Josh put the Cherokee-Choctaw stalk on some monster gar fish this weekend!


~Jonah
jonah@RiverBottomOutdoors.com

***Turkey Nookie  Update 04/02/10 ***
Check out these photos I snapped of a wild turkey gobbler breeding a hen.  Pretty cool.  First time I've seen this first hand.

***New Video!!!   Update 03/30/10 ***
Footage from white bass fishing on 03/26.


~Jonah
jonah@RiverBottomOutdoors.com

***I Fish, Therefore I am   Update 03/28/10 ***
I've been doing a lot of late night work this week.  In fact, it's 2:30am and I'm updating the blog while we watch the paint dry on a mission critical upgrade here at work.  The boss gave me Friday off for a little R&R to prepare for this long night.

This time of the year R&R stands for Fish & Fish.  And that's what we did.  Friday me and Dad hit the water early looking for white bass.  We picked up about 6 or 7 at one creek mouth early in the day on SSR-5 (shallow runner) and white grub jig.  Before getting there we trolled up on a longbeard doing the strut dance for the ladies.  I snapped some pictures, but none of them turned out very well.  After that we fished and fished....but no bites.  We turned back around and headed for the landing where we picked our good buddy Jason Milam and trolled down river.  We picked up a few more fish...one here...two there.  Then the rain came and we hauled ass.  I'd say we finished the day with a dozen or so.

Later on that day I snapped some pics of turkeys taking a mid-afternoon shower.  I may have already said this once or twice.....I"m itching for Spring Gobbler season!!!

Saturday me, Josh and Dad hit the water again.  The SR-5 ruled the day...particularly the one on the end of Josh's pole.  In that same creek mouth we caught 6 or so large mouths.  Josh landed two pretty decent fish, one pushing the other side of 2 pounds; the other 3.  We trolled up a little farther than the day before and caught one here and one there.  We turned it around and headed back down.  In the flats we did the same thing...a fish here, a fish there.  I took a shot at a carp that Josh spotted...still early for that too...but what the heck?  Luck changed when I put a 6lb large mouth in the boat.  Nice fish.  Tall, measured out a 22 3/4 inches but he didn't have much of a belly for weight.  Still citation by length though.  Second citation fish of the year for us...not too shabby.  Just as soon as we got him in the livewell "The Man" stopped by to make sure we were all legal like.  Just the routine stuff....fishing license, safety gear and inspect the livewell.  Nice fellow, chewed a little fat and turns out he had checked out the site the night before.

We didn't set the world on fire but we put in the time and finished with 25 white bass and 15 large mouths.  We kept a few for the frying pan.

~Jonah
jonah@RiverBottomOutdoors.com

***First Citation of 2010   Update 03/23/10 ***
The first citation fish of 2010 goes to the Ol' Man.  Dad snagged this 2.6lb slab trolling for crappie on 3/19.

~Jonah
jonah@RiverBottomOutdoors.com

***Get The Grease Hot   Update 03/15/10 ***
Two Saturdays of trolling for crappie yeilded about 50 eaters for us.  Like most, we only keep the ones that are worth filleting.  If we did the math, I'd say we caught at least twice that many.  We had our best luck on 1.5in baby bass with chartreuse tail Slider grubs.

 *** The Last Hunt...For Now  Update 03/04/10 ***
Me and Josh both took this last Friday off so that we could finish out the rabbit season with a BANG!!!!.  The wind blew like hell Friday and the hunting was slow at best.  We hit a spot that looked promising but only killed 2.  Carl & John both agreed that the weather and the time of year was to blame.  Hopefully, next year we will get in there a little earlier.  Around lunch time we hauled tail to a different spot and had a little better luck.  It was still tough hunting and at the end of the day everyone was dog tired....especially the dogs.

Saturday, we were back at.  Carl was the first to pick up a rabbit.  We hunted and hunted...and walked and walked.  Carl picked up another rabbit.  Then like a flash, Josh kills 3.  I blasted on one 'em with 3 shots from the .410 but he was a little too far and moving a little too fast.  But it's the last day of the season....so no need holding back!  We hunted and hunted....and walked and walked.  Then John picked up his rabbits.  We hunted and hunted and walked and walked....but Ol' Jonah Bug never did get another shot.  

Once again, we can't thank Carl & John enough for letting us hunt with them this year.  They are all around great guys and we made some great memories.  The RBO boys are looking forward to next year for sure.  I enjoyed myself so much so that I'm planning on slacking up on the late season deer hunting so that I have more time to stomp some briar patches for ol' Peter Cottontail.


So now it's time to slay some crappie and wait for the Spring Gobbler season.  I know I can't wait.

~Jonah
jonah@RiverBottomOutdoors.com

*** Hunt...Hunt...Fish...Life Is Good  Update 02/22/10 ***
The RBO boys had a pretty good weekend and we needed it.  I think I speak for all of us when I say that Mother Nature has caused us to come down with a severe case of weekend cabin fever.  This weekend the weather broke....and we took full advantage.

Friday Night
You know where to find us when the sun goes down.  Nope, not the local watering hole. We were in the red light district though.  The red spotlight district.  Handing out red light specials.  Doing it with the light on...I think you know where I'm going with this.

First setup:  We road the fourwheeler into a real good looking spot. The moon was only a sliver in the night sky.  It was crystal clear and the little snow that had not melted yet made for a somewhat bright night.  We setup in the shadows with the 1187 and let the FoxPro go to work.  It didn't take very long for the first fox to slide in.  She zigged, zagged and then made a bee line right for us.  I dropped her at less than 12 yards.  If I wouldn't have shot she would have jumped in my shirt pocket I think.  On the same set and within minutes of the first kill, here came fox #2 trotting down the road.  He slipped into the broom straw and made his way in.  Thirty yards out...BBOOOMM!!!  Winchester Supreme #5s dropped him like a drunk driver's insurance plan.  We kept gettin' it while the gettin' was good.  A 3rd fox snuck in undetected to around 10 yards.  He made us, got nervous but didn't bolt off.  He offered up some shots but no good shots. With 2 in the bag I didn't feel the need to try him.  The night was lookin' good.

Second setup:  We hooked up with our buddy Kevin Satterfield and went over to the spot where a few weeks earlier we smoked 17 rabbits.  We called in one loner.  He trotted in from a good ways off.  About 80 yds out he saw something he didn't like.  He slipped into some cover and we never saw him again.  80 yds for a lot of predator hunters is a good shot.  We like 'em close...real close.  To us, it's just more exciting.

Third Setup:  It was Josh's turn and he made good.  Within seconds of turning the call on we had two in.  They juked and jived in the cover.  Just when Josh would get the cross hairs on one, he would dance a jig.  One of the pair finally came out into the open.  Josh put a .17 hollow point right through the boiler room.  Fox #2 ran back and forth and back and forth in the cover.  Barking and growling.  It was pretty cool.  We've heard plenty of foxes bark at the call but none quite like this.  He never offered up a good shot, so he lived to see another day.  We finished the night with 6 foxes called and 3 KIAed.  Batting .500...not too shabby.

Saturday
Finally, like a relapsing dope fiend...we were back on the rabbits.  I know I had a bad case of the DTs.  The story of the day goes to Dad.  He was looking for a new challenge so he left the shotgun at home and strapped on the pistol.  He has one of those Taurus "The Judge" pistols.  It shoots the .45 Long Colts or .410 gauge shells.  The dogs pushed two rabbits by him.  He Judged one, found him guilty and sent him straight to execution.  We were a little handicapped by a home surrounded by the land we were hunting on.  We didn't want to get too close and it seemed the rabbits new that fact.  When the dogs jumped he would take off for the house.  We lost at least four or five because of it.  When it was picture time I ended up with two, Josh picked up two, Carl 2, John and Dad had 1 a piece.  Once again, it was another good hunt with John & Carl; jumping 14 rabbits and killing 8.

Sunday
Dad is itching to start crappie fishing.  We met around 8am and headed towards the lake.  We stopped at the place were we usually get minnows but they were closed.  We waited thinking surely they would open at 8am...but they didn't.  We drove up to another store.  They had a minnow tank but it was under repair...denied.  To hell with it...let's go fishing.  We trolled and trolled....and trolled...and trolled for around 4 hours.  I saw only a couple of fish on the fish finder.  We finally picked up one fish!!!!  Yea....one fish!!!  Back at the boat ramp an ol' crusty fisherman told us they were slaying them on a different part of the lake.  Sonuva@#$%&!!!  But hey....A bad day fishin' beats a good day workin'.

Fulled sized pics in the RBO Photo album.


~Jonah
jonah@RiverBottomOutdoors.com

*** Ol' Dogs Don't Need New Tricks Update 02/18/10 ***
Mother nature has been a pain for most of the month of February here in Southern VA.  If it's not snowing, it's raining.  If it's not raining, the wind is howling.  She's really puttin' a hurtin' on our huntin'.  But this past Tuesday night we finally got to make something die.  We loaded up and headed out for some after dark fun with the FoxPro.  We setup facing the direction that we thought the fox would come from...so naturally he came from the opposite direction.  We called...saw nothing.  Then Josh said, "Shine the light behind us."  There he was coming across the field.  He slipped into the woods and made his way down towards the call.   Broadside at about 60yds and the Ol' Man don't miss.  The red light was on, but for the fox it was lights out.

*** R.I.G.  Rest In Grease Update 02/01/10 ***
A moment of silence for 17 cottontails that lost their lives this past Saturday.  Then a 21 shotgun salute!

The RBO boys got an invite from Kevin Satterfield to do a little rabbit hunting in his neck of the woods.  So we took him up on it....and we're glad we did.  Of course, we were with Extreme Rabbit Hunters Carl & John.  What a beautiful spot.  We dropped the dogs at about 8 am...less than 15 minutes in I smoked one with the .410.  The day was off to a good start.  We covered a lot of ground and walked some big hills.  Good for the ol' waistline....bad news for the rabbits.  You can't run...you can't hide.

~Jonah
jonah@RiverBottomOutdoors.com

*** No Elmer Fudds Here  Update 01/26/10***
This past Saturday we hooked up with John & Carl for some more EXTREME Rabbit hunting.  I just can't say enough good things about these guys.  I really enjoy hunting with 'em (understatement!).  Everyone made something die but me.  But you know...didn't bother me one bit.  The few people that read this blog are the type of people who already know that it's not about the kill.  It's about the camaraderie, the experience, the life long memories.  It's about giving your Dad a hard time for missing one and him putting his arm around his son at the end of the day to pose for the picture.  That's what it's all about.

We hit the briars hard.  Things didn't start off too well.  Frost on the ground made it hard for the dogs to track.  Mid-day we hit a dry spell.  We kicked every bush and stomped through every thicket but we couldn't buy a rabbit.  On our last push through a huge thicket we hit pay dirt....the dogs were giving mouth and we were giving lead.  For most of the day I somehow got stuck guarding the road.  I don't know what works you more, fighting through briar patches or running up and down the damn road trying to cut him off.  I like to died!  We finished up with 8 rabbits.  Josh also got a Snipe.  Dad cooked the snipe, he said it tasted like liver.  Pics in the RBO Photos album.

Also want to give a shout to my buddies Michael Connor and Adam Morris.  They took 1st place at the annual Ice Bowl tourney put on by the fellows over at AddictionOutdoors.com.  Pictures of them with the winning Buggs Island hog in the Git-R-Done.

~Jonah
jonah@RiverBottomOutdoors.com

***Good Weekend  Update 01/17/10***
What a great weekend!

Friday night me & Josh took Jughead out for his 1st fox hunt.  The night didn't start off too well.  1st setup: nothing.  2nd setup: zip.  3rd setup:  Driving in we had to cross a mud hole that was frozen over.  It didn't look like much, but I was still hesitant.  Josh in true good ol' boy fashion says "You can make it...".  Famous last words, right?  So, I put her in 4x4 HI.  We broke the ice and the trucked stopped short so quick that I lunged forward and knocked it into neutral.  I could reverse back just a little bit but she wasn't going any further.  Locked her down into 4x4 LOW.....but we were stuck.  We worked and work....rocked and rocked....put limbs under the tires.  It was just too much ice.  Finally, after about 45 minutes I had an idea.  Reached in the back and grabbed my Poor Man's Steadycam that I use for videoing.  Basically, it's a small length of steel pipe with a 2.5lb weight on one end.  I used it like a industrial strength ice pick and chipped a path for the tires.  Booyah!  We were out!  We took a couple of pics.  Check out how thick that ice was...at least 4.5 inches.

4th setup:  Was a winner.  Called in 3 greys.  Jug smoked one with the 1187.  I knocked down one with the .17.  He got over into some thick stuff and we just couldn't find him.  5th setup of the night:  Another winner.  Called in two just as pretty as you please.  Josh smoked both with the .17.  Check out the RBO Photos for pics.

Saturday we hooked up with Carl Chandler and John Hamlett, the hardest hunting rabbit hunters in Halifax....possibly the world!  We always enjoy hunting with these guys.  Hunting, in all forms, is an art and these guys are Van Goghs.  So whenever we have a chance to hunt along side them...we're there...in briar patches thicker than spoiled buttermilk.  We killed 10.  I put the wop on 3 with my 1100 .410, Josh fed lead to 2 and Carl & John picked up the rest.  The day before Carl, John, and Josh killed another 10.

~Jonah
jonah@RiverBottomOutdoors.com

*** When The Sun Goes Down...We'll Be Shootin'  Update 12/28/09 ***
The RBO boys are starting to get into gear for some night time predator hunts.  We've been a few times this year but last Monday night was our most succussful so far this year.  I'm a little late updating but I've been sick as a dog.  

On the way over to my place, Josh stopped off for a solo hunt.  Working the light with one hand and the 1187 with the other he smoked one grey who just couldn't resist that FoxPro call.

At my place I told Josh that I wanted to take the bow with me.  I knew we could get them into bow range and I felt like either of us are good enough with the stick and string to make the kill.  And my opinion is if maybe...possibly...I just might get a shot with the bow then that is my weapon of choice.

First setup yeilded a fox.  We spotted him far off and watched him slowly make his way to the call.  With the shotgun or rifle, he was as good as smoked...but he didn't offer up a bow shot.  That's the name of the game...but it got the jitters out of me (which I always get whenever I'm hunting anything with the bow).  Second set up gave up another fox.  Something just wasn't right with our setup and he left as quickly as he appeared.  The last spot of the night turned out to be the WINNER WINNER Chicken Dinner.  The fox couldn't have cooperated any better if he was bribed like a politician.  I sent the Rage2 flying and it impacted like a battle axe.

Pictures in the RBO Photo Album.

The NEW mission:  Get a night hunt bow kill on video

~Jonah
jonah@RiverBottomOutdoors.com

*** New Videos!!! Update 12/21/09 ***
You asked Santa for 2 new videos from the RBO boys???  Well, it's Christmas come early for you then!!  ;-)

Check out Monster Catfish - James River, VA.  This footage was shot on my fishing trip with Michael "60lb Club" Connor.  Adam Morris gets his very own 60lb Club membership. 

5yr Old's 1st Smoke Pole Hunt - Josh took his step-son Trace on his first deer hunt.  This video shows what hunting is all about.  The excitement and enthusiasm of a kid on their first hunt is simply awesome.

    

~Jonah
jonah@RiverBottomOutdoors.com

*** I got the blues....I got the James River blues Update 12/16/09 ***
Even though the weather only cooperated for one day out of the 3 day trip, I still had an awesome time.  Friday it was superduper cold and windy, we finished the day with a big goose egg.  But the deer roast Micheal cooked on the grill made up for it.  Something about grilling on the water... Saturday was beautiful.  We landed a 44lb blue (my personal best) and more than a dozen pushing 30lbs.  Sunday, we fished a local 2 fish, winner-take-all tournament.  It rained all day.  We finished in 2nd place with 53lb and 23lb blues.

I want to thank Michael "60lb Club" Connor for inviting me and showing me the James River ropes.  It is much appreicated.

Check out the RiverBottom Photos for a few pics from the trip.

~Jonah
jonah@RiverBottomOutdoors.com

*** Overdue Updates Update 11/20/09 ***
After doing some midday scouting I decided to go to a spot that looked more than promising.  The ground was torn up and the buck sign was everywhere.  Not in the stand long I heard something over my left shoulder, a small 4 pointer walked up right under my stand, stood there and turned around and walked off… I thought to myself “this is going to be a good evening.”  I sat there the rest of the evening watching the squirrels work away at stowing their acorns and even saw a ground hog eating acorns, but as the sun started to set I still have only seen that one deer.  At last shooting light I heard something over my right shoulder and as I turned my head there he stood at 12 yards.  He was looking away so I stood up and was able to draw the bow.  He started walking away from me so I picked a hole and when he hit it I stopped him and shot almost all at once.  It was a quartering hard shot but it looked like I hit right where I was aiming.  The deer took off and I watched him run about 75 yards and crash.  While not a giant deer I think almost anybody would’ve been happy with it as a bow kill

Well, I finally got it done with my new TC Omega muzzleloader Saturday….but I didn’t get a chance to try out the Nikon Omega’s BDC reticle, (it doesn’t have a 10 yard circle).  It started as fast as it ended with the deer approaching from behind me at a fast paced walk; I only had a few seconds to make a decision and BOOOOOM.  That 150 grains of powder and 250 grain TC shockwave knocked his front legs out from under him and he bulldozed with his nose for about 15 yards and it was over.  I had only been in the stand for about 30 minutes so I decided to sit tight and see what happens.  About 20 minutes later another buck walked by and I decided to let him walk in hopes of another one bigger.  After about an hour or so I couldn’t take it anymore and I had to put my hands on my deer….not bad for my first one with my new gun.

Pics of both in the RiverBottom Photo album

~Josh
josh@RiverBottomOutdoors.com

*** 3 Tags Down Update 11/01/09 ***
Another flash hunt...  Here’s how it all went down.

For the first time this year I laid a drag with Doe Estrous piss (sorry, I don’t say urine).  There were no ideal trees to climb.  The best of the bunch had a ton of small limbs.  It was a slow climb having to trim the limbs as I ascended.  With the stand secured, I pulled up my gear bag and bow.  Everything was situated, release strapped on; I was ready to nock an arrow.  As I was taking the arrow out of the quiver I heard footsteps approaching from down wind.  He popped out at less than 20 yds.  I normally hang my quiver up but in the haste I just laid it across the front of my stand.  You could tell the doe pee had him.  As he circled about I stood up…and knocked my damn quiver off of my stand.  It clinked and clanked and he skedaddled.  I waited a minute or two then hit the bleat can followed with some tending grunts.  I see him.  He’s circling around.  I repeat this until finally he started coming straight to me.  He turned, I stopped him…let loose and the arrow glanced off of a limb hitting him high in the back.  Spine shot.  Not wanting to deal with horns I sent another Rage2 into the boiler room.  D.R.T. at 4:30pm on Halloween.

D.R.T. – Dead Right There   (I stole that from the guys at Double Bull….I like it!)

2009 is the year that I’m going to tag out with the bow….3 down….3 to go.  Check out the photo album for the pic, nothing special...just a small 8.

~Jonah
jonah@RiverBottomOutdoors.com

*** Give 'em The Cold Steel!!! Update 10/12/09 ***
Saturday morning I added a doe to my list of bow season victims.  It was a flash hunt just like my albino kill.  Before I had a chance to pull my bow up, two does quickly wandered up within 30yds.  I eased my bow and gear up and strapped on my release.  I had already made up my mind the night before that if a slickhead came into range, she was gonna get the cold steel.  After waiting and waiting I finally took a 10 yard, slightly quartering away shot.  I don't really like those close shots because the angel of attack is so steep.  I've learned that in those situations I have to aim lower than I normally would.  I picked my target and loosed the arrow.  The Lumenok disappeared exactly were I wanted it to.  If you didn't know the scenario you would probably think the shot was high and slightly back, but actually it was perfect.  The arrow passed through leaving an exit hole right around the 12 ring.  Her lung was shredded. Easy tracking job...I like that.

Dropped her off for processing and picked up my albino.  I had 7 sticks of summer sausage made from him...the rest cubed and ground.  I also brought home the hide.  I'm looking for someone to make a rug for me.  I want the felt backing and all, but I'm only finding people who can do the soft tan part.  I may just go the simple route and forget about the backing....we'll see.

Rage 2 broadheads leave a mark.  These broadheads are amazing.


~Jonah
jonah@RiverBottomOutdoors.com

*** Stick It To Whitey Update 10/06/09 ***
I passed up on hunting the morning of opening day so that I could film Dad.  He put the smack down on a small buck, compliments of his Hoyt Alpha Max and a Rage3.  Man, those Rage broadheads do some damage.  He also stuck a doe.  We tracked her for a least 200 yards.  At one point we were on hands and knees crawling through some thick stuff.  Unfortunately, we didn't find her.  I shot some pretty good footage of a fawn with spots and some does eating acorns, but I flinched on the actual shots. 

That afternoon all 3 of us had bows in hand.  Dad saw zilch.  I passed on a doe, I should have whacked her.  Josh put one trough the boiler room on a 6 pointer.

I took Monday off.  The day didn't start off too well for me.  I stuck a doe with what looked like a good shot.  The Lumenok disappeared a little farther back than I would have liked but I was confident it was in the kill zone.  The shot was a pass through and the arrow had good blood. I tracked her 150 yards until the blood just stopped as if someone had turned off the spickett.  Disappointment....the highs and lows of bow hunting would have an ordinary man on prescription meds. 

That afternoon it was a different story.  A story of a lifetime.  Picture me climbing the tree in my Summit Viper.  Picture me settling into my seat.  Now picture seeing a snow white deer at 40 yards walking straight towards me.  The adrenaline kicked in instantly. I eased the two Velcro straps on my release loose.  I was quite as could be but it sounded as loud as a jet engine to me.  I strapped it on with my heart thumping like a bass drum, luckily my arrow was already nocked.  The deer was within 30 yds now.  He milled around behind some saplings crunching acorns from the white oak stand.  I thought to myself, "Go right...or go left...either way".  He started making his way left. He was ready to step out into the shooting lane.  I drew, he stopped short.  I held it for as long as I could but he never moved.  I let the bow down and waited.  Finally he gave me a near perfect broadside at 20 yds.  I put the Rage2 right through the 12 ring, double lunged.  He made it about 40 yds and crashed.  I immediately called Josh...he didn't answer...I called Dad.  I couldn't wait to tell someone.  Turns out the small buck was not a white deer, but a true albino.  Pink nose and all.  I read on one website that albinism affects 1 in 30,000 white tails. It is a recessive gene and albinos often have poorer eyesight because of the lack of eye pigmentation.  Tell you what....he never saw it coming.  ;-)

Few more pictures in the RiverBottom Photos album...


~Jonah
jonah@RiverBottomOutdoors.com