Bowsite.com

Booked almost 2 year prior to my hunt, after speaking with several local friends who I respect and have traveled extensively for outfitted hunts. Several of those were also repeat hunters with Cody, which made me feel more comfortable after having less than positive experiences with whitetail outfitting companies in Ohio. Was a pretty simple process to book and communications were easy with their office, time crept up and before I knew it I was a few months out. Everyone told me it was a physical hunt on some pretty harsh terrain, so I prepared with lots of cardio, lifting, rucking and shooting my bow out to extended distances over 70yds, didn't wanna blow this hunt. Decided to fly in since tickets were cheaper due to Covid, landed and was picked up the next day and driven to the Plains lodge. Met my guide Shane(i did a 1on1) and we talked about the hunt and my goals, I was realistic and really just wanted to get into some bulls bugling and going nuts. First few days nothing, weather was hot as heck and we put on the miles trying to find'em but to no avail. I wanted to get far back into the woods so we traveled to archery camp and as luck would have it the temps dropped hard, it snowed and next morning it was on!! A mile from camp we called in a spike with a cow, but for me the experience was wild!! We hiked on got into more bulls late morning, setup up but they didn't commit, we laid low for a few hours and located more bulls late afternoon and made our move. Shane bugled in a group of 3 bulls, a spike, a raghorn and then a 5x4 that was significantly larger then the other two, they were comin in so I got ready, ranged and let one fly at 40yds, lunged him and couldn't hvae been more excited and in awe. We watched him walk off and he bedded down about 150yds away, then out from nowhere behind him a really nice 6x6 came out and began to rake the ground. We backed out since my bull kinda just walked off which was odd because he was hit good but didn't want to spook him out. Next morning he was dead about 100yds from our last sight of him. The arrow went in one lung then deflected down, clipped his liver but didn't hit the second lung. 3 of the packers and 2 mules came to meet up with us as we were working on the bull to help with the packout, whole process was smooth! 4 miles back to camp, then 6 to the trucks. Rest of the week we fished, hunted white tails and chilled out, it was a memorable time and I already am going back. You need to understand this is not canned hunt, you gotta work hard for it, lots of miles up and down the hills, and gotta keep your head in the game. You won't sleep much, you will eat great(snack table is epic) you will work your ass off but in the end your time is about how you make it. I killed my largest bull to date and no it's not a 400" beast, it's just shy of 280, but to me it's my favorite trophy. Cody and staff consistently checked in during my days to be sure I was all good, and afterward they followed up as well for feedback and more. Cannot wait to return in 2022!!!!