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Jeff Ohmer sent me this great pencil sketch he drew of a big buck and a button
buck.
On November 11, 12 & 13, 2005, Julian Ohmer and his father,
Jeff, joined me (Mark Peterson) at Hamilton Ridge Hunt Club for a deer and wild
hog hunt.
Julian was born with spina bifida, but he has never let it
get in the way of accomplishing his goals in life. He is currently
attending college at the University of South Carolina's Salkehatchie campus in
Walterboro, SC, where his is studying for a career in conservation and wildlife
management.
The mid-November weather had finally cooled a bit when we met
Friday afternoon at the Hamilton Ridge Hunt Club. However, the daytime
temperatures were still unseasonably hot. A nearly full moon hanging
overhead all night combined with plenty of acorns on the ground had the game
feeding at night and staying in their beds during the day. Nevertheless,
Julian and his father did manage to see quite a variety of wildlife.
Even though the Hunt Club had suspended the deer harvest
rules for his hunt, Julian, a committed conservationist, passed up a shot at a
young spike buck and several young does, while waiting for a fully mature buck
to appear. He and his father saw the biggest, fattest raccoon they had
ever seen enjoying the corn from one of my feeders, and they were entertained by
numerous squirrels, armadillos and birds.
Just at dark on Saturday evening they had two wild hogs come
to the feeder. Unfortunately, they didn't offer Julian a good enough shot
before it got so late that he couldn't see his crosshairs well anymore - and
Julian does not take risky shots!
On Sunday morning I encouraged Julian to go ahead and shoot
something, even if it was a young buck or doe. He had called his mother on
his cell phone and she jokingly commented that since they had spent the whole
weekend in the woods, she didn't want to see them come home empty-handed!
Greg Robertson, a fellow Hamilton Ridge Hunt Club Member,
offered to let Julian and Jeff hunt from one of his stands where there were
signs of deer activity at the feeder. I dropped them off at 9am and when I
returned at 12noon they were waiting with a nice young doe that Julian had
killed with one shot from his 7mm/08!
Julian and his father, Jeff, with Julian's doe.
We had a great time together. Julian and his father
have a wonderful relationship and they share a common love of wildlife, hunting
and outdoor activities.
My buddy, Julian and me.
One of the highlights of the weekend was a wonderful lunch at
Lester's Barbeque Restaurant outside Estill, SC. We enjoyed "down home
cookin" at it's finest with barbeque pork, fried chicken, collard greens, okra
and tomatoes, dirty rice with hash and Red Velvet cake and Peach Cobbler for
dessert!
Julian and Jeff are good hunters and great companions in the
woods. It was my pleasure to have them as guests for the weekend!
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