Rotten Luck

[FIELD ETHOS]

Rotten Luck | Field Ethos

By Jim Zumbo I was waiting on the ground in the dark under my treestand when my friend…

fieldethos.com

By Jim Zumbo

I was waiting on the ground in the dark under my treestand when my friend Doug walked over from his stand.

“How’d you do?” I asked.

“I think I got one, but I don’t know what the hell it is. I shot it just a minute or two before legal light. I hope to hell it’s a doe and not a small buck. If it’s a buck I’m screwed for the rest of the season. There are really big bucks here.”

We walked over to his stand and immediately found a good blood trail. We followed with flashlights and found his buck 60 yards away. Doug quickly shined the light on its head.

“Son of a bitch! It’s a spike. What rotten luck.”

We were hunting Ohio with crossbows. The law allowed one buck per season. The little buck had its head down eating acorns and Doug couldn’t positively identify it, but since any buck or doe was legal he took the shot.

We hung it in a barn by its head so it would cool overnight. “Let’s leave the barn door open a little so cold air will circulate,” Doug said.

“What about coons and foxes?” I said. “Maybe we should hang it from its hind legs. If any critters find it they’ll have only the shoulders to chew on.”

Doug thought it was okay as it was.

The next morning we heard noises inside the barn as we approached.

This couldn’t be good.

We opened the door and three beagle hounds dashed out. A quick look at the deer revealed most of the hindquarters were gone.

“The little motherfuckers,” Doug yelled.

“How are the tenderloins?” I was almost afraid to ask.

Doug looked inside the carcass. “They’re gone! So is part of a backstrap.”

The next afternoon we were back in our stands. I could see Doug in his tree from my location, hoping for a doe to come by. I couldn’t believe it when I saw a huge 10-point buck walk about 20 yards from his stand.

Through my binos, I saw Doug give it the finger. Then the buck took a shit, flipped its tail, and wandered off in the woods.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Nice to see Zumbo still writing. I'll always respect the guy for voicing his opinion on black guns knowing he would have to pay a price. Can't say I approve of his choice of hunting companions. I have no reservation about dumping a slob hunter "friend" who has no ethics.

 

[BRICKBURN]

We do help make our own luck.
Thanks for sharing the story.

 

[sniper7]

I still have no respect for him. Lost it all with his “assault weapons”bs.

Even this story shows the ignorance, why not close up the barn or hang the deer higher to protect it from what you know would try to get it.

Wasteful.

 

[gbflyer]

Hmmm…ok. He has written some good stuff over the years. I’ll cut him some slack.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Yeah, we should all have a Blackhawk helicopter parked in the driveway and a crate of grenades in the garage. Zumbo was expressing his opinion about where to draw the line re what is an arm that is bearable. I don't disagree with him ... entirely.

 

[sniper7]

Yeah, we should all have a Blackhawk helicopter parked in the driveway and a crate of grenades in the garage. Zumbo was expressing his opinion about where to draw the line re what is an arm that is bearable. I don't disagree with him ... entirely.

That's also a difference between being American and Canadian or most other countries.... We actually have guys (Diesel Dave) who own a blackhawk helicopter. not sure on the grenades but i know you can get some pretty awesome pyrotechnic licenses.
We can own full autos with some stipulations. The weak mindset of "assault rifle" is pathetic in my opinion.
Hunting with a firearm that "looks" scary is still hunting with a firearm. a lot of those scary firearms are much more bearable than what most on this forum take with them on Safari. They are simply tools and when used in the correct manner have their own purposes. most even shoot a lot of the same calibers we take on safari.

If I have 100 prairie dogs out there and want to use a 20 rd mag to take out as many as I can to save cattle and horses from breaking ankles and to work on my accuracy then so be it.
If you want to use a double rifle or single shot on the biggest land animal on the planet then so be it.

But to get on some pedestal and claim thou knows better than the rest, that is where I draw the line and decided Zumbo can take a hike. Lost all respect after that.

 

[Firebird]

 

[JG26Irish_2]

Nice story. Always liked Zumbo. We do not have to agree with everything a man as to say to like or respect him.

 

[HankBuck]

Yeah, we should all have a Blackhawk helicopter parked in the driveway and a crate of grenades in the garage. Zumbo was expressing his opinion about where to draw the line re what is an arm that is bearable. I don't disagree with him ... entirely.

@Ontario Hunter - I have a difficult time believing ANY outdoor writer and found they exaggerate too much…..like when Hollywood makes a movie “inspired by True events”. I believe some writers are knowledgable hunters but don’t believe their stories, even though I still read them. I’ve hunted in a camp that guided Zumbo and another that guided Tom Miranda —- Miranda got rave reviews, the guides all liked him and so did the other hunters, he’s someone I’d like to meet, his trapping knowledge especially would be of interest to me. I also spoke with an Alaskan brown bear guide that had a famous bow hunter as a client, at his booth the bow hunter was displayed on the cover of a magazine with photo and story of the brown bear he took, I had already read the story and it was an amazing hunt. I asked the guide about the story and he said he was the actual guide on that hunt. I said “wow, that was an exciting hunt” and he smiled and said “it was a great hunt, nothing like the story but a Great Hunt”!!

 

[Ontario Hunter]

@Ontario Hunter - I have a difficult time believing ANY outdoor writer and found they exaggerate too much…..like when Hollywood makes a movie “inspired by True events”. I believe some writers are knowledgable hunters but don’t believe their stories, even though I still read them. I’ve hunted in a camp that guided Zumbo and another that guided Tom Miranda —- Miranda got rave reviews, the guides all liked him and so did the other hunters, he’s someone I’d like to meet, his trapping knowledge especially would be of interest to me. I also spoke with an Alaskan brown bear guide that had a famous bow hunter as a client, at his booth the bow hunter was displayed on the cover of a magazine with photo and story of the brown bear he took, I had already read the story and it was an amazing hunt. I asked the guide about the story and he said he was the actual guide on that hunt. I said “wow, that was an exciting hunt” and he smiled and said “it was a great hunt, nothing like the story but a Great Hunt”!!

For a while I corresponded regularly with a well known outdoors writer. Mostly a bird hunter so would never become a big name in the industry. He wrote well but his style was not showboat ... because he wasn't showboat. I got a sense that it was a struggle to survive dealing with editorial staff who had little or no background in the sport. Just lap-dog yes men sucking up to sponsors and foreign publisher/owners. He told me a story about writing a review of some POS shotgun that wasn't glowing enough and then getting called into a backroom at SHOT Show and run over the coals ruthlessly ... by his own editors ... while sponsor sat there obviously giving cues. He said the review didn't say the gun was junk even though it really was (which was later established two years into production). Came close to losing his position. When writing for an audience, it's necessary to say what they want to hear or they won't buy it. Very much like politics. Sometimes some writers and politicians have the skill and reputation to actually be credible leaders in their industry. Mostly they're just influencers saying/writing what they think will sell.

 

[Altitude sickness]

War, Inc. | Field Ethos

By Lucas Bernard Throughout the history of conflict, there have been warriors who fight not for God and…

fieldethos.com

 

[MS 9x56]

I still have no respect for him. Lost it all with his “assault weapons”bs.

Even this story shows the ignorance, why not close up the barn or hang the deer higher to protect it from what you know would try to get it.

Wasteful.

Never confuse ignorance with stupidity!

 

[MS 9x56]

Please remember we in America all have the right to free speech whether you agree with Mr. Zumba or not he is entitled to his opinion. He is a talented writer. I am not a fan of AR’s for personal reasons but the right to own them is also guaranteed by the constitution. By the constitutions language we should all be able to own a Ma- Duece.