Bowsite.com

This was my 3rd year returning to Hickory Creek and as a group this was our most successful and most fun year so far! While I was unsuccessful this year, my dad, and two buddies all killed beautiful bucks and we all seen over 25 deer per sit. Easily. On the second day I had a nice buck jump my string and dip my arrow at 30. While it was very disappointing I knew there were so many deer at all of the stands that I would get another chance. Our guide Jeff W. Was nothing short of a positive and hungry guide. Heck at times I felt he wanted me to harvest a deer more than I wanted myself to harvest one! Lol. In the end I ate tag soup for the first time in my 3 years going to Hickory Creek and that will not deter me from going back for a 4th year next year. Jeff runs a fantastic operation down there and while he doesn't have many food plots (not many people do in the tough terrain of SE Kansas) the one thing he does have is plenty of DEER! And plenty of shooters. My unsuccess had nothing to do with Jeff's operation nor my guide Jeff W.'s execution. My unsuccess is a product of what we call "hunting and not killing." There are no guarantees in nature and I don't hold HCO to any different of a standard. I hunted hard for 6 days and I saw over 100 deer easily and I did not go one sit without seeing at least one deer. And that includes the day the winds were blowing at 30 mph with gusts up to 45. The only thing I can say was honestly poor the whole week I was there was the negativity of other hunters who seemed to believe Jeff had 160 class deer tied to trees waiting for them to get there. Some hunters just expect it all. Others like me are just pleased to see deer and experience moments with my dad and friends that I'll remember forever. And since so many care about numbers. One of our group members tagged out on a 166" on his last sit. After seeing 2 bucks over 140 earlier in the week. Bow hunting is a very difficult lifestyle and nothing is guaranteed out there. But one thing I will guarantee is that there are deer in SE Kansas and most definitely at HCO. And I can't wait to return again for next year's rut.