# Weekly Lewis Update



## Echo

If you would like to follow Lewis's progress this summer this will be the place to do it.

The first pic was taken on the 19th and second and third were taken tonight on the 27th. Also pictured in the second pic is Butch. They're coming right along but should really start to jump in June.


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## BlackEagle

Thanks! 

Can't wait to watch them grow!


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## BornToHuntAndFish

Lewis & Butch are looking good & coming along well with growing antlers.

Thx for posting, Ernie!


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## antharper

Only 8 days of growth , I think Lewis is gonna surprise u this year !


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## humdandy

Thanks Ernie!

I might have to check my cameras this weekend to see what some of mine look like!!


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## Echo

BlackEagle said:


> Thanks!
> 
> Can't wait to watch them grow!



You're welcome, BlackEagle. Should be fun!



BornToHuntAndFish said:


> Lewis & Butch are looking good & coming along well with growing antlers.
> 
> Thx for posting, Ernie!



Should be excellent years for both of them. They cruised through winter with all the acorns they could eat and now have plenty of reserves to draw from.



antharper said:


> Only 8 days of growth , I think Lewis is gonna surprise u this year !



He'll surprise me if he doesn't top out around the 130 mark again, anth. He's going to be a stud!



humdandy said:


> Thanks Ernie!
> 
> I might have to check my cameras this weekend to see what some of mine look like!!



Check them out humdandy.....you've always got some bruisers lurking around!



Here is a good shot off of the Stealth Cam last night......Butch and Lewis posing together in the background with my new buddy Sam in front. Sam is obviously much younger but for some reason the big boys are letting him run with them this summer.


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## Echo

Here's the latest Lewis update taken a few minutes ago on 6-4. He's making steady progress - not setting the world on fire yet but coming right along. 

Also pictured in the background is big-bodied Butch as well as the new youngster Sam at the bench with Lewis.


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## antharper

Oh yeah he's coming rt on along , and jBo jrs about to fork himself


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## EAGLE EYE 444

Echo said:


> Here's the latest Lewis update taken a few minutes ago on 6-4. He's making steady progress - not setting the world on fire yet but coming right along.
> 
> Also pictured in the background is big-bodied Butch as well as the new youngster Sam at the bench with Lewis.




Ernie, I see that Lewis is talking to you at the back patio in that "Deer" language that you two converse in so well.  Thanks for keeping us updated as you once again have some of the most interesting photos of deer.

Man, I keep Praying that J-Bo will show back up soon too.


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## deermaster13

Really going to be interested just how wide he will be this year.


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## j_seph

Thanks for the updates


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## MFOSTER

Looking good thanks for keeping us entertained thru the summer it's always a pleasure of watching there progress


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## GA DAWG

Go Lewis go.


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## Echo

antharper said:


> Oh yeah he's coming rt on along , and jBo jrs about to fork himself



Yeah, I've got a feeling Jr. or Sam or whatever you would like to call him is going to be small 6 or 7 point this year. The more he hangs around the more I see a resemblance to JBo in him, especially in body size and characteristics. I'm real interested to see how his rack shapes up to provide more clues of a possible link with the old monarch.



EAGLE EYE 444 said:


> Ernie, I see that Lewis is talking to you at the back patio in that "Deer" language that you two converse in so well.  Thanks for keeping us updated as you once again have some of the most interesting photos of deer.
> 
> Man, I keep Praying that J-Bo will show back up soon too.



EAGLE EYE, I'd be so glad to see JBo right now I'd probably fall out of my chair if he walked up.



deermaster13 said:


> Really going to be interested just how wide he will be this year.



It is for sure. I think he went 17 easy last year so he should top that.



j_seph said:


> Thanks for the updates



Sure!



MFOSTER said:


> Looking good thanks for keeping us entertained thru the summer it's always a pleasure of watching there progress



Glad to do it. I'll see if I can get a decent shot of Butch tonight.....he's a little harder than the others because he tends to shy away from the bench,preferring to eat out in the yard instead.



GA DAWG said:


> Go Lewis go.



Barring any injury or other mishap he's going to go, Dawg! I'm really feeding them up this year with a Sweet Tea food plot, corn, occasional peanut butter, a new mineral block and just recently apples. Sam will eat them right out of my hands as I slice them up for him. He's an unusual buck for sure but one I'm really enjoying having around this summer.


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## Echo

Here's a few from tonight that may be of interest. You can really almost notice their racks growing by the day now.

The first two pics are of a very old buck that I call Gimpy. He was old when I got here almost 4 years ago so I don't really have a handle on his true age. He grows a different looking rack each year with the only common link being they usually grow almost straight up. 

Next is Butch. Not sure what's going on with him this year as it looks like he skipped a brow tine on the left side. He's never disappointed me in the past however. 

Last but not least is my apple eater, Sam. For some reason his eyes appeared blue in this pic which was sort of cool.


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## kevincox

What are the ages of Lewis and Butch? Good pics Ernie


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## BornToHuntAndFish

Nice see the backyard whitetail gang coming right along well with their headgear.  Wide load Lewis catches our eye & later may need some trees moved further apart so he'll be able to keep coming around.

Appreciate the updates, Sir.


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## Echo

kevincox said:


> What are the ages of Lewis and Butch? Good pics Ernie



Kevin, I'm real confident that Lewis will be 4.5 this fall as I've been watching him grow up for the last three years. A little less confidence in Butch's age since he was older when he became a regular here but I think he is at a minimum six years old and possibly seven. His rack size has been about the same for the last couple of years so he may have peaked out but he's been real fat and healthy this spring and early summer so I'm hoping he'll come on strong.



BornToHuntAndFish said:


> Nice see the backyard whitetail gang coming right along well with their headgear.  Wide load Lewis catches our eye & later may need some trees moved further apart so he'll be able to keep coming around.
> 
> Appreciate the updates, Sir.



He's a load alright, BorntoHunt! Old Gimpy, despite his disabilities is no lightweight himself.....in fact surprisingly he's been pushing Butch around a little bit lately which is certainly a reversal of previous years.


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## jaymax

Looking good! I'll be watching!  Thx for keeping us posted! Don't forget video this year with a hand held cam !


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## BowanaLee

I may have missed it but how old do you think your neighborhood bucks are ?  
I'm judging them in size/age against my neighborhood bucks on the south side/poor side of town. 
These deer better not eat out of yards like yours. At least in day light.   Yours are probably better fed ?


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## Echo

jaymax said:


> Looking good! I'll be watching!  Thx for keeping us posted! Don't forget video this year with a hand held cam !



Will do, jaymax!



BowanaLee said:


> I may have missed it but how old do you think your neighborhood bucks are ?
> I'm judging them in size/age against my neighborhood bucks on the south side/poor side of town.
> These deer better not eat out of yards like yours. At least in day light.   Yours are probably better fed ?



Lee, they usually eat pretty well in these parts. We had a bumper live oak acorn crop last year which I believe is the main reason they are still so heavy right now. When the acorns are gone they have access to a lot of fertilized shrubs and quite a bit of native browse as well along the edges of development. 

You can look in some of my above posts to match the deer with the names but the oldest buck that visits me on a daily basis is one I call Gimpy. My best educated guess is that he's 8 years old or older. Pretty amazing especially considering he apparently was born with some major defects in his hind quarters and walks with a pronounced limp. He can get up and run just fine when he needs to however.

Next is Butch and I have pegged at 6 or possibly seven years old. I had found his sheds for three years running until this year when they somehow eluded me. 

Then there is Lewis who is the highest scoring buck in the group and I feel very confident that he's entered his fourth year now.

Here is a pic of how he turned out last year at 3.5...


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## SheldonMOAC

Looking good so far.


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## BowanaLee

So as far as racks, its like a box of chocolates. You never know what your gonna get, even with age.   Thanks for the info.


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## GTHunter007

BowanaLee said:


> So as far as racks, its like a box of chocolates. You never know what your gonna get, even with age.   Thanks for the info.


I figure you already know this and are being sarcastic...but to answer your question for those who don't really get it...

No doubt about it.  A very very small percentage of bucks  have the potential (if allowed to live until they die of old age) to ever reach what many consider super star stud status as far as rack size goes.  Those few bucks who even do have the ability, are studs in their age class every step along the way.  Much like Lewis.  Once you are in the top 1% of your age class...chances are you are gonna stay there every year.  

This is why age, not rack size, should be the most important aspect about the trigger pull for anyone out to grow and harvest large bucks.  A 130" 3 yr old will probably end up flirting with 160" if allowed to get there with age.  

What Ernie has to offer on these "tiny" deer is testament to just how varied our quarry truly is.  And how few bucks truly have the potential to carry high scoring antlers...at any point in their life.  

For a football reference...you wouldn't want to take out JJ Watt when he was in high school or College...you want him once he has been in the league for a couple of years and is actually the best football player on the planet.  Right in his prime.


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## Echo

SheldonMOAC said:


> Looking good so far.



Yep!



BowanaLee said:


> So as far as racks, its like a box of chocolates. You never know what your gonna get, even with age.   Thanks for the info.





GTHunter007 said:


> I figure you already know this and are being sarcastic...but to answer your question for those who don't really get it...
> 
> No doubt about it.  A very very small percentage of bucks  have the potential (if allowed to live until they die of old age) to ever reach what many consider super star stud status as far as rack size goes.  Those few bucks who even do have the ability, are studs in their age class every step along the way.  Much like Lewis.  Once you are in the top 1% of your age class...chances are you are gonna stay there every year.
> 
> This is why age, not rack size, should be the most important aspect about the trigger pull for anyone out to grow and harvest large bucks.  A 130" 3 yr old will probably end up flirting with 160" if allowed to get there with age.
> 
> What Ernie has to offer on these "tiny" deer is testament to just how varied our quarry truly is.  And how few bucks truly have the potential to carry high scoring antlers...at any point in their life.
> 
> For a football reference...you wouldn't want to take out JJ Watt when he was in high school or College...you want him once he has been in the league for a couple of years and is actually the best football player on the planet.  Right in his prime.



Great points, Will. I'd love to see Lewis hit 7.5 years of age but I doubt it will happen. 160" would probably not happen either but he'd be a darn good buck for sure. Also Butch would probably take exception to the "tiny" comment. 

Time for another update and I left the Stealth cam out for the night but did take a few with the Samsung earlier this evening.

Lewis has just within the last 24 hours started to push up his G-3's and though he may not end up being a great deal wider than last year he may yet add more tines and his mass is looking pretty good.

Sam gets along great with everybody in the bachelor group including me. He can eat a red delicious with amazing speed.


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## kevincox

Good Stuff! Wish I had me a backyard Buck! Haha


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## OmenHonkey

I'm Jealous!! That's pretty amazing Ernie!!


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## Echo

kevincox said:


> Good Stuff! Wish I had me a backyard Buck! Haha





OmenHonkey said:


> I'm Jealous!! That's pretty amazing Ernie!!



Sam is a nut! He's developed a routine where he'll show up about an hour before dark by himself to get his apples and corn without any competition then he'll go and fall back in with his buddies before they start their nighttime travels. Last night when he came back with the group and walked up to me in my chair and started using my knees as a rubbing post for his antlers. Pretty funny!

Here are a few more shots that I found on the cam this morning. The last pic is a new buck that I may or may not have seen before. Right now I don't recognize him but it looks like he's growing a good rack.


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## OmenHonkey

Very Cool Echo!!


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## Beagler282

I need to design my own supplemental feed and send you free bags so you can market it for me.This is always intriguing to watch every year to see their growth.


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## Echo

OmenHonkey said:


> Very Cool Echo!!



Yeah OHonkey, it got a little cooler tonight as well when three new bucks came trotting up an hour before dark and they were all good ones! I was already sitting out on the deck with Sam and didn't move a muscle once I realized I didn't know these guys. One was pretty calm and started eating right away but the other two were walking around stomping and looking like they had just caught a bad wind on Opening morning. Didn't have a camera on me but I put the Stealth out a little while later so maybe they'll show back up tonight. 

These were all big-bodied deer and I thought for a moment that maybe JBo might be among them but it wasn't to be.



Beagler282 said:


> I need to design my own supplemental feed and send you free bags so you can market it for me.This is always intriguing to watch every year to see their growth.



Great idea, Beagler! Send me some of that Beagler Brand Mega Buck-Builder and we'll see how it goes over. :

Well, the group of three didn't come back last night or if they did they didn't walk in front of the cam. They'll be back though.

I did get a couple of new pics of Lewis & Butch. Butch is well on his way now to his typically tall skyscraper type rack.


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## GTHunter007

Sinister...just sinister.


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## Echo

GTHunter007 said:


> Sinister...just sinister.



Will, I don't know if I see anything sinister brewing there but the velvet growth is definitely starting to heat up along with this June heat wave. It's easy to spot day to day growth now and it will be full on from here on out.

Just took these a few minutes ago - notice how Lewis never takes his eyes off of me. Smart!


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## GA DAWG

Still no Jbo?


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## GTHunter007

Sinister is deer eating apples out of YOUR hands.


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## Echo

GA DAWG said:


> Still no Jbo?



Negative, Dawg and there are two other former regulars that have also been no-shows thus far plus an old doe that was the first deer I "befriended" out here. On the other hand there are at least 5 new bucks in the mix. 

JBo's absence has really created a vacum in the hierarchy as well with no one buck displaying anything close to the absolute dominance that JBo carried. I'm still hoping he shows but unfortunately it's beginning to seem less likely.



GTHunter007 said:


> Sinister is deer eating apples out of YOUR hands.



Yeah, I sort of thought it was along those lines. I'm really going to have to watch that buck later this summer around velvet shedding time, Will. He just about tried to follow me back into the house the other night.

I'm really interested in what's growing out of old Gimpy's head this year. Figure he's going to add maybe six more inches and a couple of kickers on that left side and he'll have an absolute club!


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## GTHunter007

Gimpy appears to have a good bit left in the tank too.


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## Echo

GTHunter007 said:


> Gimpy appears to have a good bit left in the tank too.



Yeah, he's feeling it too. He's been pushing Butch around quite a bit of late which would have been unthinkable last year. Butch seems a little unsure of himself this year without his former mentor/boss buck JBo around.


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## SouthGaRunNGun

Great thread Echo I have enjoyed looking at this thread, last year I found JBo and was just amazed as I read through every page, what a blessing to be able to see these deer up close and personal and truly learn their personality. I look forward to following Lewis, Butch and the gang!!


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## Echo

SouthGaRunNGun said:


> Great thread Echo I have enjoyed looking at this thread, last year I found JBo and was just amazed as I read through every page, what a blessing to be able to see these deer up close and personal and truly learn their personality. I look forward to following Lewis, Butch and the gang!!



Hey, I'm glad that you've enjoyed it so far, SouthGa. Good to hear!

Last year I had a very special group that I was very familiar with and of course everybody seemed to really enjoy my pics and videos with JBo in particular. I don't think I've ever heard the word used in reference to a deer before but if any buck ever had what is known as charisma, JBo certainly filled the bill.


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## livetohunt

Nice to follow this thread..I imagine you can learn a lot about deer behavior too watching them like you do...Thanks for posting.


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## GillCommander

what happened to JBo??


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## Echo

livetohunt said:


> Nice to follow this thread..I imagine you can learn a lot about deer behavior too watching them like you do...Thanks for posting.



It's been a real eye-opener for me in a lot of ways, livetohunt. For one, deer are a lot more vocal with each other year round than I ever imagined. Grunts and snort-wheezing are by no means limited to the rut and cooler months of the year but can happen anytime that there are issues needing to be settled or contested.



GillCommander said:


> what happened to JBo??



GC, all I can say for sure is that I have not seen him this year. Other than that there are plenty of possibilities with none of them being too good for JBo but then again he may have just relocated his range a bit. I've seen it happen with other mature bucks out here that just showed up out of the blue and ended up sticking around.

A couple of pics from last night....the second one is of a couple of new bucks that just recently started hanging around. There is another really big one in the area that I've seen in person but don't have on camera....yet.

Added a close up of Gimpy from last night. He's never looked any healthier than he does this year.


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## Echo

Here are a few color shots from earlier this evening. This group is really sticking together this year. That is Sam up on the deck with me and for some reason he usually prefers to jump over the bench to get there instead of walking up the step which makes for quite a sight when this young buck suddenly rears up and plops down right at your feet! I'll need to get that on video at some point. He's also the only buck in the group that shows any interest at all in apples and he seems to want as many as I'm willing to fork over.

Also in the second pic is Lewis with Butch and old Gimpy to the rear.

In the last pic you can see that it appears that Lewis's right G-2 is beginning to fork which should add some interesting character to his rack this fall.


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## Buck Roar

Looking good!!


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## kevincox

Too cool. Amazing how relaxed bucks are this time of year. Then they turn into a different animal when Sept rolls around!


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## Echo

Buck Roar said:


> Looking good!!



They're coming along!



kevincox said:


> Too cool. Amazing how relaxed bucks are this time of year. Then they turn into a different animal when Sept rolls around!



Yeah Kevin and some are obviously more relaxed than others. I'm not sure what Sam's story is or where he came from but he is by far the most human tolerant wild deer that I've ever encountered. Looks like he has some superior genetics as well and if he survives long enough I expect he'll grow some very impressive racks down the road.


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## deerhuntingdawg

Looking good again ECHO. I love watching your threads every year. Looks like ole Lewis will be a stud this year


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## Beagler282

You need to put on a Santa outfit and take pictures petting those deer and show them to little kids. That would make some smiles!!


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## ChanceHill

I think Jbo sent a replacement buddy for you.


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## Echo

deerhuntingdawg said:


> Looking good again ECHO. I love watching your threads every year. Looks like ole Lewis will be a stud this year



Thanks, deerhuntingdawg! Lewis is looking good, maybe a little short of what I thought he might be with another year on him but he might just step on the gas in July.



Beagler282 said:


> You need to put on a Santa outfit and take pictures petting those deer and show them to little kids. That would make some smiles!!



Might make a nice Christmas card pic as well, Beagler. Maybe when it cools off a bit.



ChanceHill said:


> I think Jbo sent a replacement buddy for you.



CH, having Sam around has definitely helped fill the void left by JBo and I'm glad that he showed up. Whether he was here last year or not I can't say for sure but he seemed to be pretty familiar with me as well as the other deer as soon as I started feeding them this year.


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## DaddyFatracks

Do you hunt these deer in season?


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## Echo

DaddyFatracks said:


> Do you hunt these deer in season?



Negative, DaddyFatracks. I do hunt for their shed antlers in late winter and spring which is sometimes as easy as looking out the back window when I get up in the morning but as far killing one, I wouldn't feel right about that at all.

Now, I do hunt deer of course and I enjoy it as much as anyone I know but I've got plenty of other places to hunt.


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## cself

I may have missed this along the way so forgive me if this has been answered before. Do you not have does coming in or are you just sharing the bucks because its more popular. Always enjoy your threads thanks for keeping it going.


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## Echo

cself said:


> I may have missed this along the way so forgive me if this has been answered before. Do you not have does coming in or are you just sharing the bucks because its more popular. Always enjoy your threads thanks for keeping it going.



Excellent question, cself and the answer is really both....to me does are a lot more interesting to watch in person (especially while hunting) than they are in pictures and my ratio of bucks to does using my place right now is also heavily in favor of the bucks.

Tonight is a good example - not one doe showed this evening and I've seen seven different bucks so far. Witnessed a very interesting confrontation between two different bachelor groups as well. Lewis, Butch and company were already present when I noticed three other bucks approaching from just beyond the lighted area. Lewis noticed them too and quickly headed their way followed by Butch and Gimpy....I thought I was going to see and hear a real rumble break out at anytime but I guess posturing and body language got the message across. One buck, a young eight point, briefly made through the line but didn't stay long.

I think the does are sticking pretty close to their fawns right now but as soon as they start bringing them around I'll post some up pics of them and their new recruits.


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## GAHUNTER60

Did any of the bucks show any aggression toward you during the rut last year?  It seems like every year I read about some "tame" deer turning on their "friend" during rut.


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## Echo

GAHUNTER60 said:


> Did any of the bucks show any aggression toward you during the rut last year?  It seems like every year I read about some "tame" deer turning on their "friend" during rut.



No incidents last year, GAHUNTER and I was out there with them when both tensions and testosterone were running high. However, I do tend to stay on the deck during that timeframe rather than walk out among them like I frequently do right now.

I'll never forget the incident a couple of years ago where I made the potentially serious mistake of walking up towards JBo in the yard carrying a bowl of corn with both hands. He was hard-horned, reeked of musk and had a bull neck at the time but I was feeling overly brave I guess. Anyway he stood his ground, looked at me, then looked at the corn and in the blink of an eye a front hoof came up and knocked that bowl of corn right out of my hands. It was incredibly accurate and powerful kick! I was really amazed at the quickness of it.

I don't believe he meant to cause me any harm really and in fact I was completely unscathed......he just knew he wanted the corn and that's how he was going to get it. I just backed off and he ate it without further incident but the lesson was learned for me.

There were many other times where I would see him behaving very aggressively towards other bucks complete with grunt-snort-wheezing and serious posturing but he would show no ill will towards me at all.

Some of the pics may occasionally suggest otherwise but I know these bucks are certainly not pets by any means and have to be respected.


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## DaddyFatracks

Good stuff. Glad your not hunting these guys. I figured you wasn't, but had to ask


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## XJfire75

Updates sir?! Should be making the last push this next month so they'll really start shining!


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## Echo

XJfire75 said:


> Updates sir?! Should be making the last push this next month so they'll really start shining!



Look for one later tonight or tomorrow morning. There has indeed been a lot of growth since the last one plus I've had several more new bucks show up recently for a total of nine regulars plus a couple of does. I haven't had the camera out lately but it's time for another look.


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## Echo

My first time videoing with this cam so these aren't great but you get the idea. The big racked buck is Lewis....he got a little spooked when I opened the door.


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## Echo

Sam really likes a good apple. That's old Butch behind Lewis......his rack has come on strong over the last week or so. Sorry the clip was so short.....I had it set for 40 seconds but it was more like ten. I'll figure it out.


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## GSUQUAD

That's amazing


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## Echo

GSUQUAD said:


> That's amazing



Yeah GSU, it's a lot of fun and very entertaining. I don't watch a lot of TV this time of year. 

Here are a few more pics from later last night and very early this morning....

A nice one of Lewis.

One of Butch showing some interesting development with his G-2's....they are really thick when seen in person.

Yard full of bucks.

Some new guys.


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## Whitetailfreak23

that young buck has great growth on him i would love to see him at 5.5 years old. Great looking buck Lewis has turned into.


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## QuackAddict

I've seen your pics before but never you feeding them out of your hand!  Truly incredible!


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## Echo

Whitetailfreak23 said:


> that young buck has great growth on him i would love to see him at 5.5 years old. Great looking buck Lewis has turned into.



You are absolutely right, Whitetailfreak. Sam as I call him has all the makings of a future stud. I think he's only a little over a year old and he's already a little taller at the shoulders than four year old Lewis or six year old Butch. His rack has everything that you want to see in a young buck as well. I'm excited about his potential and I think it's just a matter of him living long enough to reach it.

Lewis really stands out from the crowd. It just goes to show you how really lucky you are when you kill an exceptional buck because they don't all grow up to be that way.



QuackAddict said:


> I've seen your pics before but never you feeding them out of your hand!  Truly incredible!



QuackAddict, the last year that he was around JBo would occasionally eat peanut butter from a spoon when I offered it to him but with Sam it's a whole different ballgame. I really didn't do anything remarkable to get him conditioned that way......just started tossing some apple pieces in front of him and he quickly decided to come right to the source.

Funny story....he came up before dark one day last week and as often happens the horse flies were all over him. Well, despite the flies and the fact that he was shaking and twitching all over from their attack he still wanted an apple. However as he got closer to me I noticed a big fly on his chest that was about to put the hammer down on him so I went ahead and swatted it with my hand. Knocked the fly off as planned but I quickly realized that in the process I had hit him a little harder than intended and Sam sort of stepped back and gave me a look like "Hey you can't hit me, I'm a deer!"


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## TMeadows45

You're a saint for not shooting one of them. I've never even seen a deer there size while sitting in the stand


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## Echo

TMeadows45 said:


> You're a saint for not shooting one of them. I've never even seen a deer there size while sitting in the stand



Keep after them, TMeadows......there's plenty of them out there. 

As I've said before I believe that I get a lot more enjoyment from being able to observe these bucks up close and alive than I would if I were to kill one and hang it on my wall. Watching the progression of these deer each year all the way from antler casting to early velvet growth then onto the late summer velvet shedding before becoming a bull-necked rutting buck is simply an amazing opportunity and one I am very pleased to be able to share on this site.

Here's a different angle of Lewis from last night......I can't wait to see him by mid-August.


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## Mavren

Lewis is a toad!  As always, thanks for sharing.


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## Gut_Pile

Man he is really taking off.

Do you ever find any of their sheds?


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## GTHunter007

He's gonna pass last year. That dude is a pig!!  He has changed since I looked at him over a week ago. A lot!


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## Echo

Mavren said:


> Lewis is a toad!  As always, thanks for sharing.



You're welcome and yes he is, Mavren. I think the old boy is starting to realize that himself.



Gut_Pile said:


> Man he is really taking off.
> 
> Do you ever find any of their sheds?



A couple of years ago I found five sheds in my backyard alone, Gut Pile including a matched 8-point pair from a buck I knew well. I didn't find many sheds this year however even though they were obviously out there somewhere.



GTHunter007 said:


> He's gonna pass last year. That dude is a pig!!  He has changed since I looked at him over a week ago. A lot!



I know it, Will. Remember it wasn't long ago I mentioned to you that I thought he was lagging a bit compared to last year but I think he just started a little later than he did as a youngster.

After watching him up close for a while the other night I came in and told my wife...."I think we're going to need a bigger boat!"


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## GA DAWG

Ol lewis putting the split on that G2. Length looks about done on him. Maybe just a little more.


----------



## wellwood

Maybe I missed it and somebody already asked. But what happend to JBO?


----------



## Gut_Pile

How old do you think Lewis is?


----------



## Echo

GA DAWG said:


> Ol lewis putting the split on that G2. Length looks about done on him. Maybe just a little more.



Yeah GA DAWG, he's got such a nice frame now though anything he can add to it really gets magnified. 



wellwood said:


> Maybe I missed it and somebody already asked. But what happend to JBO?



There are a couple of threads out there discussing the whereabouts of JBo but the short version is that I don't know for sure what became of him.....he just hasn't shown back up this year which tends to make me believe he's probably not around anymore. Such is life in the deer world...



Gut_Pile said:


> How old do you think Lewis is?



I've been watching him develop for three years now and I can say with a great deal of confidence that come this fall he will be 4.5 years old.


----------



## Doolydawg03

what part of GA are you in echo


----------



## Echo

Doolydawg03 said:


> what part of GA are you in echo



Doolydawg, I'm in the southeast part, well away from any agriculture and in an area of the state where a 120'' buck is a very good deer indeed. I'm sure you'll understand that it would likely be in the best interest of my antlered pals not to be any more specific than that.


----------



## Doolydawg03

Nice that's awesome man i have been following this thread, you my friend have a special thing going on with these deer its amazing what them deer allow you to do with them. I enjoy every minute of it, i actually find myself looking for updates a couple times a day some days lol. Also i dont blame you on keeping it hush i wouldn't say a word neither because you'd hate to think someone might actually have the nerve to come try n kill one. 
This has definitely been my favorite thread so far


----------



## Echo

Doolydawg03 said:


> Nice that's awesome man i have been following this thread, you my friend have a special thing going on with these deer its amazing what them deer allow you to do with them. I enjoy every minute of it, i actually find myself looking for updates a couple times a day some days lol. Also i dont blame you on keeping it hush i wouldn't say a word neither because you'd hate to think someone might actually have the nerve to come try n kill one.
> This has definitely been my favorite thread so far



Well that is great to hear, Doolydawg! I'm glad you enjoy the thread and that's the reason I put it out there...for folks to enjoy and to help pass the time until the season comes around again. Good luck to you this year!


----------



## Doolydawg03

Thank you Echo... Same to you brother good luck this year, also im having a hard time posting pics i was making a thread of some pics ive gathered from my Trail Cams this year but am having difficulty posting them i think maybe they are to big of a file


----------



## FSDeerhunter

Echo u got some fine deer in your neck of the woods. I really enjoy seeing your post on here. Still no J-Bo I see  that stinks


----------



## tc2015

GTHunter007 said:


> I figure you already know this and are being sarcastic...but to answer your question for those who don't really get it...
> 
> No doubt about it.  A very very small percentage of bucks  have the potential (if allowed to live until they die of old age) to ever reach what many consider super star stud status as far as rack size goes.  Those few bucks who even do have the ability, are studs in their age class every step along the way.  Much like Lewis.  Once you are in the top 1% of your age class...chances are you are gonna stay there every year.
> 
> This is why age, not rack size, should be the most important aspect about the trigger pull for anyone out to grow and harvest large bucks.  A 130" 3 yr old will probably end up flirting with 160" if allowed to get there with age.
> 
> What Ernie has to offer on these "tiny" deer is testament to just how varied our quarry truly is.  And how few bucks truly have the potential to carry high scoring antlers...at any point in their life.
> 
> For a football reference...you wouldn't want to take out JJ Watt when he was in high school or College...you want him once he has been in the league for a couple of years and is actually the best football player on the planet.  Right in his prime.



Well said


----------



## Echo

A little fun with Butch...

Can you spot the deer in the first pic? 

A fox casting a wishful eye on Butch's hindquarters....doubt that's going much past the planning stage.

Not a lot of points this year but good mass coming along on the old boy.


----------



## OmenHonkey

Great Job Echo!!


----------



## antharper

Old butch is gonna look good in some hard horn , and no deer in first pic just a rack !


----------



## Echo

OmenHonkey said:


> Great Job Echo!!



Thanks, Omendude!



antharper said:


> Old butch is gonna look good in some hard horn , and no deer in first pic just a rack !



You know that thought did occur to me after I posted and you're absolutely right, antharper.

This doe and a small spike have learned to come in early and get their share of chow before the big guys show up. She's got a fawn stashed somewhere nearby but hasn't brought it up with her yet. I'm seeing lots of twin fawns so far this year.


----------



## antharper

Echo , we had a 3 legged doe on property I hunt in troup co . And we r pretty sure she lived to be 11 yrs old and had twins almost every yr . She was shot as a yearling by a kid and she lived on about 20 acres and we all decided to let her live , sure do miss seeing her and her funny walk


----------



## Echo

antharper said:


> Echo , we had a 3 legged doe on property I hunt in troup co . And we r pretty sure she lived to be 11 yrs old and had twins almost every yr . She was shot as a yearling by a kid and she lived on about 20 acres and we all decided to let her live , sure do miss seeing her and her funny walk



That's awesome that she lived that long. If there is a more resilient animal in the woods than a deer I have yet to see it.

Here's a couple of recent pics of my "special" deer. He was middle aged when I got here but I would bet he's at least 8 years old and likely a little older than that. Not sure if it was some accident or he was born that way but one of his hindquarters is very lame and he walks with quite a limp. I've seen him look very poor before but strangely enough this is his best year health and rack wise ever. He's even moved up from running with yearling bucks to hanging with the big boys!


----------



## Echo

The latest pic of Lewis taken just a few minutes ago. I think he still adds an inch or two here and there before it's all said and done.


----------



## kevincox

Pretty fella he is. Hope you get some velvet shedding pics for us!


----------



## deermaster13

Gotta love it!! Awesome buck


----------



## burkecountydeer

This is unbelievable . How did these deer start coming so close to you


----------



## sman

Can you put a tape on Lewis before and after he sheds.  Thanks.



Joking. I love this thread every year.


----------



## sman

I had a buck last year add 2 kickers and about 10" the 2nd week of August.  No sign of the kickers coming then boom 3" kickers off both G2s.  I don't see that happening to Lewis but it will be interesting to see how he finishes out.


----------



## antharper

Old Lewis is blowing up , can't wait to see him hard horned , and I sure hope we all get to watch him for a few more years !


----------



## EAGLE EYE 444

Just in case some of you have NOT realized it yet.......Well Echo does communicate with his deer as you can see because Lewis is talking back with him in this photo.

I think that Echo asked Lewis if he thought that it was HOT today and Lewis answered back with, "Well, it was Hotter than a $3 pistol down yonder in that swamp earlier today !!!!!   

Check out Lewis's mouth and you will see what I am talking about !!!


----------



## Echo

deermaster13 said:


> Gotta love it!! Awesome buck



Thanks deermaster! I certainly love getting to spend time with these deer and I guess coming as close as a person can to actually getting to know them over the years. As I've said before they each have their own individual ways of interacting with me, each other, the food source.....everything.



burkecountydeer said:


> This is unbelievable . How did these deer start coming so close to you



Sort of a long story but the short version is they all pretty much acted like deer would anywhere else when I moved to this property almost four years ago - they would come up to eat corn that I was putting out for them but would bolt as soon as I opened the door. Over time the matriarch doe began to not run away as she seemed to realize that I was actually the source of the food. So she started coming closer to me and eating almost from my hand and the other deer took notice.

When I managed to befriend the alpha buck JBo a couple of years ago it really opened the floodgates to all of the local herd accepting me. I do have a bunch of new deer coming around this summer who don't know me yet and wouldn't think of approaching me in the way that Lewis does. 



sman said:


> Can you put a tape on Lewis before and after he sheds.  Thanks.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Joking. I love this thread every year.



Believe it or not I plan to try and get my hands on that rack within the next couple of weeks. Not sure how Lewis is going to take to that. Film at 11. 

I would love to find his sheds but I have yet to do so.



sman said:


> I had a buck last year add 2 kickers and about 10" the 2nd week of August.  No sign of the kickers coming then boom 3" kickers off both G2s.  I don't see that happening to Lewis but it will be interesting to see how he finishes out.



sman, I think he's pretty set as an eight with a kicker off the G-2. Man is he going to be a sight to behold when he sheds!



antharper said:


> Old Lewis is blowing up , can't wait to see him hard horned , and I sure hope we all get to watch him for a few more years !



You and me both, buddy!



kevincox said:


> Pretty fella he is. Hope you get some velvet shedding pics for us!



I'll try kevin. Lewis has always shed pretty quickly in the past but maybe I'll catch him on the right day.

JBo always gave me the best shedding shots and he took his time in doing it.

Here he is last 8-31. Notice the small puncture wound on his neck - he had already been in a fight with a hard horned buck. That was JBo!


----------



## Echo

EAGLE EYE 444 said:


> Just in case some of you have NOT realized it yet.......Well Echo does communicate with his deer as you can see because Lewis is talking back with him in this photo.
> 
> I think that Echo asked Lewis if he thought that it was HOT today and Lewis answered back with, "Well, it was Hotter than a $3 pistol down yonder in that swamp earlier today !!!!!
> 
> Check out Lewis's mouth and you will see what I am talking about !!!



Oh, I talk to them everyday Eagle Eye. They're great listeners! 

They're extremely vocal themselves especially on a cooler than normal night....lots of chasing, grunting, snorting...you name it.


----------



## sman

Wait did something happen to JBo?  I haven't had time to go back to the first of the thread. I was waiting for him to show.


----------



## sman

Ok, I'm up to date.  Hope he shows in a week or 2.


----------



## jimboknows

I have loved GON forum since I first found it....but your thread; this one and JBO are my most favorite threads on the entire world wide web....thanks for sharing...both beautiful and informative...it is like having access to a case study on whitetail growth.
PS...I sure hope JBo shows back up one day/year


----------



## Echo

sman said:


> Ok, I'm up to date.  Hope he shows in a week or 2.



That would be great if he did, sman.....I'd certainly be happy to see him again. There's been a couple of times this summer when I've spotted some big bucks in the general vicinity of my home that I thought may have been JBo but that's been about the only hopes I've had to go on. I've always got my eyes open for him though.



jimboknows said:


> I have loved GON forum since I first found it....but your thread; this one and JBO are my most favorite threads on the entire world wide web....thanks for sharing...both beautiful and informative...it is like having access to a case study on whitetail growth.
> PS...I sure hope JBo shows back up one day/year



Thanks a lot, jimboknows. I'm so glad that I've had this great opportunity to put something out there that a lot of fine folks like yourself find interesting and informative. I plan to keep it going until at least the start of archery season this year so we'll all have a chance to see how the whole gang looks when the velvet comes off.

Here's a recent shot of Butch thinking about approaching the bench. He doesn't come up there too often like Lewis and some of the others do, preferring instead to stay in the background and away from what I guess he assumes may be a dangerous situation.

Check back for a Lewis update later tonight or tomorrow morning....


----------



## GA DAWG

How you get them deer to start coming every night like that in the beginnin? I have a ton of deer at my house but they are wild as buck rabbits. I tried just throwing some corn and they never come in the yard till late at night.


----------



## Echo

GA DAWG said:


> How you get them deer to start coming every night like that in the beginnin? I have a ton of deer at my house but they are wild as buck rabbits. I tried just throwing some corn and they never come in the yard till late at night.



The first year I started feeding it was around mid-August....hot, dry and not much to eat for them so they really took to the corn fast that summer. Just like you described they all bolted when I walked out the door but I kept letting them see me throw the corn and gradually I believe they started to associate my presence with something good to eat. Plus the environment here favors a more relaxed deer than you'll find in most places.


Got some fresh video and pics tonight...


----------



## Echo

Here's another..


----------



## Echo

Last one.....notice Butch bumping a doe and walking in the background.




A couple of still shots of Lewis. He's about finished up but he sure is nice to look at.


----------



## kevincox

Wow! Great footage Ernie. He is a Big deer and from the coast. But well fed.LoL


----------



## Echo

kevincox said:


> Wow! Great footage Ernie. He is a Big deer and from the coast. But well fed.LoL



Thanks, Kevin. You're right - they're not missing many meals and have the sagging bellies to prove it. As I've said before though, I actually put out a pretty meager amount of corn on a daily basis so by far most of their diet is natural browse.

I've also got a small food plot that they're hitting real hard now and a couple of mineral blocks in the yard as well.


----------



## humdandy

Echo said:


> Thanks, Kevin. You're right - they're not missing many meals and have the sagging bellies to prove it. As I've said before though, I actually put out a pretty meager amount of corn on a daily basis so by far most of their diet is natural browse.
> 
> I've also got a small food plot that they're hitting real hard now and a couple of mineral blocks in the yard as well.



Splurge for those big boys Daddy Warbucks!


----------



## Echo

humdandy said:


> Splurge for those big boys Daddy Warbucks!



I did today! Picked up a 50 lb. sack of apple-flavored corn at Wal-Mart for less than 8 bucks....not a bad deal.


A few pics from tonight...

Looks like Lewis is winking his approval of the addition of peanut butter to his plate in the first shot.

Caught him turning his head to check the identity of another buck entering the yard in the second.

Last one catches old Butch in the background. 

You can just about see the velvet beginning to tighten up on Lewis's rack.....won't be long now.


----------



## kevincox

Very Nice! I would like to see one like that while hunting this season!


----------



## Doolydawg03

what you thinking on score for lewis, he turned out awesome he sure is a healthy joker


----------



## Doolydawg03

i was thinking around 123"s


----------



## Echo

Doolydawg03 said:


> i was thinking around 123"s



He'll probably be somewhere close to that.

Lewis was actually a little wider as a 3.5 year old last year but what little he lost in width this year I think easily made up with more mass and character typical of a maturing buck. Interesting how much closer the main beam tips are to each other this year...


----------



## Flash

I may have missed it, but have you ever put out feed from companies X, Y, Z and corn to see what those deer prefer???


----------



## GTHunter007

I think he's closer to 130"  Maybe just a shade away from touching it.


----------



## Doolydawg03

GTHunter007 said:


> I think he's closer to 130"  Maybe just a shade away from touching it.



Hopefully Lewis stand still long enough to let echo score him.


----------



## Echo

Flash said:


> I may have missed it, but have you ever put out feed from companies X, Y, Z and corn to see what those deer prefer???



No I haven't, Flash but that would be interesting and may be something I'll do down the road. 

They are hitting my Sweet Tea food plot pretty hard right now.



GTHunter007 said:


> I think he's closer to 130"  Maybe just a shade away from touching it.



Yep, he's in that neighborhood, Will. We'll see for sure in about two and a half weeks when the velvet comes off.



Doolydawg03 said:


> Hopefully Lewis stand still long enough to let echo score him.



I wish he was that tame but I've never put my hands on Lewis's rack like I used to with JBo. I'm working on it though......very slowly and carefully.


Here's a good shot off the cam last night....Butch watching his buddy catch up with him.


----------



## Doolydawg03

any update on lewis???


----------



## Echo

Doolydawg03 said:


> any update on lewis???



Yep, just had a visit from him moments ago.

He's just biding his time now....just like most of us are doing.


----------



## jaymax

Can you smell them yet? snort weezing going on? don't forget to try a hand held video cam or possibly ur cell phone for good quality and sound. I figure Lewis has about 10-15 more days of velvet time..should be getting more aggressive each night from here out


----------



## Echo

jaymax said:


> Can you smell them yet? snort weezing going on? don't forget to try a hand held video cam or possibly ur cell phone for good quality and sound. I figure Lewis has about 10-15 more days of velvet time..should be getting more aggressive each night from here out



Funny you should ask that, jaymax but I did detect a little bit of a he-man aroma when Lewis walked by tonight. Other than that it's been pretty quiet with just a few sharp snorts here and there over feeding positions in the yard. You're absolutely right on aggressiveness picking up.....I'm sure a lot of hunters don't realize (I know I didn't before seeing it firsthand) just how much goes on during August that greatly impacts the buck pecking order. 

It's going to be interesting to see if Lewis actually picks up where JBo left off and basically becomes a grunt-snort-wheezing machine towards the end of the month and into September. I'm sure hoping he does!

I'm pretty sure Lewis was slicked out on 8-24 last year so I think a couple of weeks from now is a pretty good guess. I'm really looking forward to that and if I'm real lucky maybe I'll get some some good footage and pics of the velvet coming off.


----------



## kevincox

Looking Good! I just want to get one that size on my cams. Hasn't happened yet this summer


----------



## Doolydawg03

Thanks for the update he looks awesome!!!!


----------



## Echo

kevincox said:


> Looking Good! I just want to get one that size on my cams. Hasn't happened yet this summer



Well that's almost hard to believe, Kevin given the track record of your hunting grounds. Keep looking!



Doolydawg03 said:


> Thanks for the update he looks awesome!!!!



Sure thing, Doolydawg.

Here's a couple from tonight.....notice Butch to the left of Lewis in the first pic is looking pretty strong all of a sudden as well.

Got a series of close ups of Lewis but unfortunately didn't get his entire rack in any of them. He finally tired of the flash and retreated. 

I think he may be hard-horned by the end of the week.


----------



## Doolydawg03

Hopefully you can get some good pics of him shedding out.... butch is looking stout back there!!!!!


----------



## GA DAWG

Ol lewis is lucky he lives at your house and not mine


----------



## Echo

Doolydawg03 said:


> Hopefully you can get some good pics of him shedding out.... butch is looking stout back there!!!!!



I hope to get some good hanging velvet shots but it will take a little luck. 

Butch always ends up looking good but he'll never be the dominant buck.....just doesn't have the fire in his belly for it.



GA DAWG said:


> Ol lewis is lucky he lives at your house and not mine



Oh come on GA DAWG, you know you couldn't shoot him if he had been coming to eat at your back porch for the last four years. 

Sometimes he'll stand out there and look in my windows at night trying to get my attention.


----------



## Strickland1984a

Just got back on here today first time since last year . all i can say is you are Awesome  . I hate it jbo is gone but I will still be checking this thread two or three times a day. Thanks echo. And good luck out there this year I have been seeing lots of movement in our hunting grounds to be so early.


----------



## Mr.MainFrame10

Nice bucks Echo. Great memories in the making right there. It would be hard to shoot one of your buddies for sure.


----------



## Echo

Strickland1984a said:


> Just got back on here today first time since last year . all i can say is you are Awesome  . I hate it jbo is gone but I will still be checking this thread two or three times a day. Thanks echo. And good luck out there this year I have been seeing lots of movement in our hunting grounds to be so early.



Glad you're back, bud! I think it's going to be an excellent season this year. Can't wait!



Trent Gunnell said:


> Nice bucks Echo. Great memories in the making right there. It would be hard to shoot one of your buddies for sure.



Thanks, Trent!

Yeah, once they let you in their "circle of trust" it would be pretty hard to pull the trigger on them. Fortunately I am able to draw a fine line between those deer that I have a deal with and those that I don't. 

Here's my first effort videoing with my Samsung camera....I've to get it lit up a little better but that shouldn't be too hard.

....Lewis and the cat..


----------



## Echo

Here's one more. 








Bucks are on the move tonight...I left the Stealth on video so maybe there'll be something good in the morning.


----------



## Doolydawg03

Awesome video Echo that split is getting a little bit bigger with each update.... Lewis really does trust you he doesn't hesitate to come right up there and eat.


----------



## Echo

Doolydawg03 said:


> Awesome video Echo that split is getting a little bit bigger with each update.... Lewis really does trust you he doesn't hesitate to come right up there and eat.



Yeah I think the velvet's just drying up giving that split the appearance of a little more distance, Doolydawg. Oddly enough with all of the reports of buck's already shedding velvet from across the state I have not seen the first little piece of it come off around here. Won't be long though.

Not a lot of aggression displayed last night but Butch and Gimpy were doing their level best to keep this interloping 6 point away from their favorite spots.


----------



## Doolydawg03

few shoots from my camera check mover the weekend thought they were cool captures


----------



## Echo

Just heard my first sure enough grunt-snort-wheeze of the season and it came from Gimpy! He was approaching both Butch and Lewis when he loudly announced his presence and even gave chase to Butch afterwards. I've had a lot of indications that he was setting himself up to be #1 this year and it looks like that is how it's playing out. 

I must say hearing that call got me fired up!








Doolydawg03 said:


> few shoots from my camera check mover the weekend thought they were cool captures



Nice bucks.


----------



## bwagon83

Ole gimpy might have gave Jbo a run for his money since he seems to be healthy now. How much would you estimate body weight on lewis, butch and gimpy?


----------



## Echo

bwagon83 said:


> Ole gimpy might have gave Jbo a run for his money since he seems to be healthy now. How much would you estimate body weight on lewis, butch and gimpy?



I doubt if he would have ever challenged JBo, bwagon since JBo outweighed him so much and was just a vastly stronger animal than Gimpy. With JBo a no show this year it just left a huge void at the top and with Gimpy being the oldest buck (I estimate 8.5 years old) plus the fact that he was in peak health coming off an incredible mast crop last year it was just his time I guess. I'm sort of glad to see it as we've watched him get pushed around for years by just about every other buck in the area.

As far as weights, I think JBo was a solid 175 lbs. with Butch probably still being in the 145-150 range, Lewis is likely 135 soaking wet and Gimpy probably close to that with most of it being in his neck and shoulders.

Not great but here is the best vid that I got last night showing Lewis backing off a little from Gimpy.

I did note the tip of one of Lewis's G2's was bare and bloody last night so he may come in with an interesting look tonight or he may even be completely clean - either way I'm looking forward to it.


----------



## Doolydawg03

Echo said:


> I doubt if he would have ever challenged JBo, bwagon since JBo outweighed him so much and was just a vastly stronger animal than Gimpy. With JBo a no show this year it just left a huge void at the top and with Gimpy being the oldest buck (I estimate 8.5 years old) plus the fact that he was in peak health coming off an incredible mast crop last year it was just his time I guess. I'm sort of glad to see it as we've watched him get pushed around for years by just about every other buck in the area.
> 
> As far as weights, I think JBo was a solid 175 lbs. with Butch probably still being in the 145-150 range, Lewis is likely 135 soaking wet and Gimpy probably close to that with most of it being in his neck and shoulders.
> 
> Not great but here is the best vid that I got last night showing Lewis backing off a little from Gimpy.
> 
> I did note the tip of one of Lewis's G2's was bare and bloody last night so he may come in with an interesting look tonight or he may even be completely clean - either way I'm looking forward to it.



Really????? you think thats all they weigh i would have guessed lewis around 150-160 on the hoof and gimpy around 175 i guess their overall body size is smaller making them look really thick


----------



## Echo

Doolydawg03 said:


> Really????? you think thats all they weigh i would have guessed lewis around 150-160 on the hoof and gimpy around 175 i guess their overall body size is smaller making them look really thick



It wouldn't be the first time I've underestimated weights so who knows? Hard to say for sure till you put one the scale.

These are coastal deer for the most part so any buck weighing over 160 LW is really an exceptional animal. However they are very healthy and living up to their genetic potential so it's all good.


----------



## bwagon83

I was hunting se bama and we killed a few around 200.  I would have surely thought butch and gimpy woulda hit 200 with lewis around 175 based on how they look in the pics and videos. Of course the processors scale i was going to mighta been off


----------



## Echo

bwagon83 said:


> I was hunting se bama and we killed a few around 200.  I would have surely thought butch and gimpy woulda hit 200 with lewis around 175 based on how they look in the pics and videos. Of course the processors scale i was going to mighta been off



They may well get that big in SE Bama, bwagon but you'd have to get well inland from where these deer are and get into some agricultural areas before any 200 lb'ers could be found.

Butch is a stout bodied buck though as you can plainly see in this video from last night. His neck is also beginning to noticeably swell even before the velvet is off.


----------



## Echo

Big doings tonight....without even a hint of velvet being out of place last night Butch came up a little while ago all slicked out and golden brown! Man, it was good to see it happen to him for yet another year. He looked sharp too!

Also got a couple of more shots of Lewis and Gimpy who are still clinging to the soft stuff for the moment.


----------



## fishhunt05

Nice echo. I love to see that velvet come off. Just men's we are that much closer. Love your post.


----------



## Doolydawg03

It wont be long now for lewis he is on the verge of shedding and looks like gimpy is even closer thanks for the update ECHO


----------



## Strickland1984a

Wow his neck does look swole. I'm counting the days and getting the honey do's done.


----------



## kaddiddle

By the looks of there bellies them jokers look like they been sitting around eating good and drinking beer all summer.  Have you check your cooler Echo?


----------



## Echo

fishhunt05 said:


> Nice echo. I love to see that velvet come off. Just men's we are that much closer. Love your post.



Thanks, fishhunt! Won't be long will it?



Doolydawg03 said:


> It wont be long now for lewis he is on the verge of shedding and looks like gimpy is even closer thanks for the update ECHO



I'm thinking tonight maybe for both of them....wouldn't surprise me a bit.



Strickland1984a said:


> Wow his neck does look swole. I'm counting the days and getting the honey do's done.



Me too! 



kaddiddle said:


> By the looks of there bellies them jokers look like they been sitting around eating good and drinking beer all summer.  Have you check your cooler Echo?



 Well, they are well fed and healthy eaters no doubt about that! I don't see many deer with that sort of girth in the woods that's for sure.


Here's a few more shots from last night....one or two showing both Lewis and Gimpy displaying some dominance over Butch.....or maybe they were just jealous of his shiny headgear.

Another showing some up close detail of Butch's unusual 6-point rack and a couple of Lewis and Gimpy in roughly the same spot from the camera for comparison.


----------



## deerbuster

Butch is a fine specimen of an old deer!


----------



## Echo

deerbuster said:


> Butch is a fine specimen of an old deer!



He definitely is deerbuster and he's also a buck that I have a fairly long and unusual history with. It started several years ago when I was out shed hunting a mile or so away from my home and came across an unusual looking shed that I guessed had come from what was probably at the time a 2.5 year old buck. It was only after   looking through my shed collection from that year that I realized I had also found the matching side to that shed and though I had never seen the deer in person he was one that I was quite interested in.

Well, fast forward a bit and I believe it was the following spring when this new buck showed up along with several other members of a bachelor group. Fortunately he found the surroundings to his liking and hung around for most of the summer during which time I watched his rack develop till one day I had a light bulb moment and thought.....Wait a minute! I went back and got the sheds and sure enough there was no doubt who I was looking at. Named him Butch for no particular reason other than it just seemed to fit him and I think it still does.

It took a lot of searching but I was fortunate enough to find his right side sheds for the next two years before drawing a blank last year on what was likely the largest rack he'll ever grow.

Below are the small matching pair and then the singles from the next two years.

Also pictured are one of Gimpy's sheds that he was nice enough to leave in my back yard one morning.


----------



## Echo

Status quo tonight except for a young spike that lost his velvet.


----------



## fishhunt05

Echo said:


> Status quo tonight except for a young spike that lost his velvet.



what a beautiful buck.


----------



## Echo

fishhunt05 said:


> what a beautiful buck.



I know and I'm really ready to see him lose that velvet. Should be an incredible sight. 

He's already a few days overdue from previous years so it's going to happen anytime now.


----------



## antharper

Man Lewis is sure 1 beautiful buck , we all ready to see him hard horned also , I been checking on him every day !


----------



## Echo

antharper said:


> Man Lewis is sure 1 beautiful buck , we all ready to see him hard horned also , I been checking on him every day !



Yep, he sure is antharper but he's still a beautiful velvet buck as of about an hour ago when I last saw him. Butch remains the only hard horned mature buck that I've seen thus far.

I have faith it will happen very soon however and when it does I'll have the camera ready.


----------



## Echo

Still on velvet watch with Lewis....odds are great he'll shed it one of these days. In the meantime he's eating well and starting to act more like he may be ready to assume the title of boss buck.

Butch meanwhile was taking the term ''Old Mossy Horns" literally tonight.


----------



## kevincox

Cool pic Ernie! 2 bucks I'm watching shed on the 29th


----------



## antharper

He looks like a boss buck , he thinks he owns your deck I bet !


----------



## Echo

kevincox said:


> Cool pic Ernie! 2 bucks I'm watching shed on the 29th



Good luck with them, Kevin!



antharper said:


> He looks like a boss buck , he thinks he owns your deck I bet !



Yeah, antharper he doesn't mind if I use it occasionally during daylight hours but he makes a beeline for it at dinner time. 

He doesn't quite have the big swollen neck that Butch is working on right now but I think it will kick in soon for him. Still holding tight to the velvet as are most bucks in the area which is somewhat unusual for the last day of August. Not sure what's going on with that but I'll go out on a limb and say that Lewis will shed it some time this week. A bold prediction!


----------



## Bighog11

well is the velvet still holding storng?hows the herd doing!!


----------



## Echo

Bighog11 said:


> well is the velvet still holding storng?hows the herd doing!!



Bighog, the velvet continues to hold on most every buck that I've seen this week other than Butch of course which is a little unusual for this area. 

The bad news is that I haven't seen hide nor hair of Big Lewis since early Monday morning when I passed him standing next to a paved road only a few hundred yards from the house. Since that time he hasn't shown at all and I've been running the camera every night. In previous years it was not unusual for him to wander off for a week or so at a time but this summer he's been very reliable and predictable.... up until now.

I was really looking forward to seeing him slicked out as I know many of you who have been following this thread all summer were as well. Hopefully we'll still get that chance but I'll admit I'm growing a little more concerned about the buck each day that he doesn't show.

I hope to be posting some new pics of him very soon........tonight would be great!


----------



## Doolydawg03

Echo said:


> Bighog, the velvet continues to hold on most every buck that I've seen this week other than Butch of course which is a little unusual for this area.
> 
> The bad news is that I haven't seen hide nor hair of Big Lewis since early Monday morning when I passed him standing next to a paved road only a few hundred yards from the house. Since that time he hasn't shown at all and I've been running the camera every night. In previous years it was not unusual for him to wander off for a week or so at a time but this summer he's been very reliable and predictable.... up until now.
> 
> I was really looking forward to seeing him slicked out as I know many of you who have been following this thread all summer were as well. Hopefully we'll still get that chance but I'll admit I'm growing a little more concerned about the buck each day that he doesn't show.
> 
> I hope to be posting some new pics of him very soon........tonight would be great!



Noooooooo. Come back lewis i been looking for an update everyday hope he shows soon. Keep us posted


----------



## Echo

Doolydawg03 said:


> Noooooooo. Come back lewis i been looking for an update everyday hope he shows soon. Keep us posted




Great news guys.....Lewis lives! 

Somehow I didn't see him in person, too busy watching football I guess but the camera caught him cruising through last night at 9:38. Looks to me like he's now hard-horned and ready for business as well.....Gimpy also definitely has slick horns. 

Hopefully I'll be able to capture some good color close-ups of Lewis tonight or sometime in the near future.


----------



## Bighog11

He's bashful didn't want to uncover that bone in front of anyone so he went and hid out lol!!!


----------



## Doolydawg03

Good deal ECHO glad to see him and he does not look to happy by the looks of his ears pinned back to his head


----------



## wcg2

Great news Echo ! Look forward to new photos every day !!!


----------



## GA DAWG

Whew, Im proud the rd didnt get him.


----------



## Echo

Bighog11 said:


> He's bashful didn't want to uncover that bone in front of anyone so he went and hid out lol!!!



You know I think he did lay low for a couple of days.....wouldn't be the first buck I've noticed doing that while shedding velvet. Just glad to see him again!



Doolydawg03 said:


> Good deal ECHO glad to see him and he does not look to happy by the looks of his ears pinned back to his head



That's what I was thinking Ddawg, he looked to be put out with somebody and had a chip on his shoulder to boot!



wcg2 said:


> Great news Echo ! Look forward to new photos every day !!!



Thanks, wcg! Made my day for sure to see him turn back up.

Here are a few more random pics from the cam last night. Good bit of aggression being played out right now....


----------



## Echo

GA DAWG said:


> Whew, Im proud the rd didnt get him.




Me too, GA DAWG. It gets it share....everywhere.


----------



## Echo

It's been a long hot summer but this was worth waiting for!

Top pic is where we started with Lewis on May 19th and then tonight on Sept. 4th after the last few days had literally felt like weeks, he came in and showed me firsthand what it had ALL been about. Nice job, Lewis!


----------



## fishhunt05

sweet!!!!!


----------



## jmharris23

Way to go Ernie & Lewis!


----------



## absuches

Echo, I haven't gotten on here in almost a year but found your thread today and I have really enjoyed reading it. The relationship you have built with these magnificent animals is simply awesome! Some of us would consider ourselves blessed if we find the time and energy to put into finding a single animal of this caliber and are fortunate enough to see him once to have the opportunity to harvest him. Then the only way we could enjoy his majestic presence would be to have a mount to enjoy. What you have done by becoming a part of these animals lives is nothing less than extraordinary! I commend and congratulate you for what you have accomplished! What a wonderful story!


----------



## Echo

fishhunt05 said:


> sweet!!!!!



Yes, indeed!




jmharris23 said:


> Way to go Ernie & Lewis!



Thanks, jmharris! I've had a lot of fun doing the thread again this year and I'm just hoping that somehow Lewis can navigate his way around all of the pitfalls that go along with being a dominant buck and come back to us next spring.



absuches said:


> Echo, I haven't gotten on here in almost a year but found your thread today and I have really enjoyed reading it. The relationship you have built with these magnificent animals is simply awesome! Some of us would consider ourselves blessed if we find the time and energy to put into finding a single animal of this caliber and are fortunate enough to see him once to have the opportunity to harvest him. Then the only way we could enjoy his majestic presence would be to have a mount to enjoy. What you have done by becoming a part of these animals lives is nothing less than extraordinary! I commend and congratulate you for what you have accomplished! What a wonderful story!



Well thank you very much for those kind words, absuches and of course I am very thankful and consider myself extremely fortunate to have these opportunities. I believe I'm probably as passionate about my deer hunting as anyone you'll ever meet and remain so to this day but you're absolutely right about how special it is to be able to form what is at the very least a loose bond with these deer and interact with them over the course of their lives.

 It's been an incredibly rewarding experience for me and I do make every effort to try and go about in a way that is both respectful of and a benefit to the deer as well. 


We're getting some good water oak acorns hitting the ground now and other fall browse conditions are excellent so I'll be cutting back on the feed pretty soon but look for a few more pics and any noteworthy reports in the meantime. If I can capture a mighty grunt-snort-wheeze from Lewis that would be an excellent way to end!


----------



## antharper

It's been a fun summer following your backyard buddies , I really like the the before and after pics of Lewis , he sure turned into a beautiful buck !  Good luck this fall


----------



## Doolydawg03

Echo that split turned out alot bigger than i thought it would he looks awesome!!!!


----------



## Echo

antharper said:


> It's been a fun summer following your backyard buddies , I really like the the before and after pics of Lewis , he sure turned into a beautiful buck !  Good luck this fall



Good luck to you too, antharper!!

Always a pleasure for me to read your comments about my buddies!



Doolydawg03 said:


> Echo that split turned out alot bigger than i thought it would he looks awesome!!!!



Yeah I think it really sets the rack off nicely, Doolydawg.

I had little to do with it but I'm real proud of the way Lewis turned out this year. He's been coming around since he was just a yearling buck so it's really been amazing for me to be able to watch his progression into maturity. 

Last night I witnessed the first awesome display of his raw power as he confronted a big bodied seven pointer that had just entered the yard. They circled each other aggressively before Lewis launched a lightning quick charge at the intruder! The bluff was enough as they stopped just short of locking up and the seven point backed off. Wish the video had caught it!

Here he is a little later and more at ease....


----------



## OmenHonkey

Unbelievable. You have essentially raised him. What an Honor it must be Echo!! Great job!! Good luck this season!


----------



## deermaster13

Awesome, thanks for keeping these up. I have really enjoyed this thread and look forward to your updates. Hope you have a good season!


----------



## Echo

OmenHonkey said:


> Unbelievable. You have essentially raised him. What an Honor it must be Echo!! Great job!! Good luck this season!



An honor indeed, Omenhonkey! There is a soft spot in my heart for that buck for sure - I wish him well and hope that he sires plenty of fawns this fall....and most importantly stays out of trouble.



deermaster13 said:


> Awesome, thanks for keeping these up. I have really enjoyed this thread and look forward to your updates. Hope you have a good season!



Absolutely, deermaster.....I know you've been a loyal follower of the JBo and Lewis threads and I'm glad that you have enjoyed them.

Here are a few pics from tonight....we had our usual heavy evening shower which always gives a nice sheen to the freshly revealed hard racks. Lewis's neck is getting bigger each day as he prepares to take part in what I'm sure will be his most active role to date in the local herd dynamics.

These will likely be some of the last photos that I'll post of Lewis for a while and I would like to take a moment to thank everyone for stopping by the thread over the summer and taking a look as well as offering some interesting comments along the way. It's been fun!

Ernie


----------



## kevincox

Great pics Ernie!


----------



## OleCountryBoy

Ernie the Deer Whisperer....Lewis, JBo and the rest of your backyard family are beautiful creatures.  Really enjoy following along, and appreciate you sharing with us.


----------



## Echo

kevincox said:


> Great pics Ernie!





OleCountryBoy said:


> Ernie the Deer Whisperer....Lewis, JBo and the rest of your backyard family are beautiful creatures.  Really enjoy following along, and appreciate you sharing with us.



Thanks guys! 

One more for the road.....I thought this pic looked like a good pose to use for a mount.


----------



## MFOSTER

Thanks Ernie great thread I've enjoyed the growth experience of Lewis,don't give up on jbo I had them missing and show up the following year,good luck this season.


----------



## Echo

MFOSTER said:


> Thanks Ernie great thread I've enjoyed the growth experience of Lewis,don't give up on jbo I had them missing and show up the following year,good luck this season.



Hey, great thought MFOSTER! That would be something.

Good luck to you too and all of the other Trail Cam folks as well. I think it's going to be a great season!!


----------



## fishhunt05

Echo said:


> Hey, great thought MFOSTER! That would be something.
> 
> Good luck to you too and all of the other Trail Cam folks as well. I think it's going to be a great season!!



I think so also. Should be a great season. I can't wait for the rut. Got one suburban spot that I am not hunting till late October and first of november. I know for a fact it's got some monsters in it. I haven't even put out a trail camera because I don't my scent in the area.


----------



## Doolydawg03

Echo.........Hows the boys doing haven't seen any updates on them just wondering if we are getting some swollen necks and grunts and snort wheezing!!!!


----------



## Echo

Doolydawg03 said:


> Echo.........Hows the boys doing haven't seen any updates on them just wondering if we are getting some swollen necks and grunts and snort wheezing!!!!



They're doing great, Doolydawg! I haven't been running the camera lately but I have seen quite a bit of aggressive behavior first hand.....mostly just deep grunts and body posturing with an occasional snort wheeze thrown in. Lewis doesn't have a mark on him.

 He's become more unpredictable in his arrival times but I'll try to get a good pic or two tonight. He looks huge now....at least in person. I bet he's put on twenty pounds over the last three weeks and not surprisingly most of it's in his shoulders and neck.

There are plenty of acorns already on the ground so when this last bag of corn that they're currently working on is gone I'm turning them loose!


----------



## Echo

Well, that didn't take long. I got up from my desk and walked out back without turning on the lights and was immediately met with the pungent aroma of buck-n-rut!

Thinking for sure it was Lewis but not really sure I loaded the card in the cam and went back in to get a little of the secret lure to bring him in close. Lure in hand I turned on the light to see Lewis and a couple of smaller bucks waiting for me. I took a seat but my maneuvering with the camera had obviously unsettled Lewis a bit and instead of coming on up he circled a few yards out in front before turning to face me and paw the ground aggressively. He'd never done that before!

I just waited patiently and spoke to him a little bit but he pawed the ground yet again before coming on up to eat and pose for a few pics. 

He smells just like deer season!


----------



## cooner83

Might want to stay away from old lewis for a bit.
Cool thread thanks for sharing.


----------



## Echo

cooner83 said:


> Might want to stay away from old lewis for a bit.
> Cool thread thanks for sharing.



Yeah cooner, he's really feeling his oats right now and looking for trouble. He'll be leaving soon enough whether I want him to or not and I'm really taking in these last visits from him because I know that he's going to need some very good luck along the way to see another year.


----------



## kevincox

Great pics Ernie! He is going to have a lot of fun the next month or so with all them does you have around the house.LoL


----------



## Doolydawg03

Echo said:


> They're doing great, Doolydawg! I haven't been running the camera lately but I have seen quite a bit of aggressive behavior first hand.....mostly just deep grunts and body posturing with an occasional snort wheeze thrown in. Lewis doesn't have a mark on him.
> 
> He's become more unpredictable in his arrival times but I'll try to get a good pic or two tonight. He looks huge now....at least in person. I bet he's put on twenty pounds over the last three weeks and not surprisingly most of it's in his shoulders and neck.
> 
> There are plenty of acorns already on the ground so when this last bag of corn that they're currently working on is gone I'm turning them loose!




Echo, Thanks for the update i haven't seen you post in a week or so, so i was getting worried. I am sure hoping for safety and smarts for Lewis i really want to see him next year i bet he blows up and you can sure see the weight he has put on his head looks blocky to now, well hope to continue to see more updates.


----------



## Echo

kevincox said:


> Great pics Ernie! He is going to have a lot of fun the next month or so with all them does you have around the house.LoL



Well I sort of have a shortage of does right around me,  Kevin which is why I think he'll soon put his nose to the wind and head off for greener pastures. That was always the way it worked with JBo at this time of year.



Doolydawg03 said:


> Echo, Thanks for the update i haven't seen you post in a week or so, so i was getting worried. I am sure hoping for safety and smarts for Lewis i really want to see him next year i bet he blows up and you can sure see the weight he has put on his head looks blocky to now, well hope to continue to see more updates.



You're welcome, Dooly! He's got the smarts and skills to see him through I think but when they start covering large areas of ground in a short period of time it certainly adds a lot of danger to the equation. 

He shows no trust for other humans unless they're standing next to me at the time so I'm not too concerned about that being a problem for him. 

Yeah, next year at this time he would be 5.5 years old and I hope to see that as well.


----------



## humdandy

Try to jump on him and ride him around your yard!  Be sure to video and post on youtube.......you could probably retire a very rich man........


----------



## sowgabuckstalker

So awesome! :cheers


----------



## RamblinWreck

Awesome thread and pics. Thanks.


----------



## BROWNING7WSM

cool.. thx


----------



## Mr Bya Lungshot

Mr Echo, 
Are you 100% positive that Lewis or even butch, isn't actually Jbo?
It has been buggin me all summer to specifically ask you this. 
I see a slight resemblance in there racks other than the Jbo g4.
Wishful thinking and I'm guessing. I didn't see Jbo as much as everyone else has. I only followed this thread and found one on Jbo but dang it is a long one. So is there a chance of this?


----------



## SpotandStalk

Awesome.


----------



## Echo

humdandy said:


> Try to jump on him and ride him around your yard!  Be sure to video and post on youtube.......you could probably retire a very rich man........



You've got to admit it would be a very cool way to get around. 



sowgabuckstalker said:


> So awesome! :cheers





RamblinWreck said:


> Awesome thread and pics. Thanks.





BROWNING7WSM said:


> cool.. thx



Thanks guys and you're all quite welcome. Big Lew is an awesome animal and I wouldn't feel right if I didn't share him with so many folks whom I know would appreciate seeing and hearing about him.

This time last year I was sitting right on that bench next to JBo and even reaching over and grabbing hold of his antlers. I wisely gave up on any ideas of such bonding with Lewis several weeks ago.......maybe next year.

Good hunting everybody - I just hope that I'll be fortunate enough to see and get a good shot at a buck of Lewis's caliber again this year.......it's been a while!


----------



## Echo

SpotandStalk said:


> Awesome.



Thanks!



Mr Bya Lungshot said:


> Mr Echo,
> Are you 100% positive that Lewis or even butch, isn't actually Jbo?
> It has been buggin me all summer to specifically ask you this.
> I see a slight resemblance in there racks other than the Jbo g4.
> Wishful thinking and I'm guessing. I didn't see Jbo as much as everyone else has. I only followed this thread and found one on Jbo but dang it is a long one. So is there a chance of this?



Yeah, Lungshot I am 100% positive of that. I've spent the last several years watching those bucks so there isn't any doubt there. Lewis and Butch are still alive and well and JBo could very well be too but he just hasn't shown up here where I could see him in almost a year now.

Butch of course has a very unique tall, narrow rack and JBo was always fairly tight with good mass. He also had very distinct notches in his right ear.

Lewis first really caught my eye three summers ago when he grew an unusually wide 8-point rack. I knew he would be special if given the time needed.

Here are some pics I dug up of Lewis and JBo taken on the same night early last September with JBo being in the top pic. JBo's rack was all business while Lewis's is more  function and beauty combined.


----------



## Nannyman

What do you feed them that makes them such regular visitors. I see corn and read u also put peanut butter. Is there anything else?


----------



## elfiii

JBo is one special deer! That chocolate rack is outstanding! Hope he has made it through.


----------



## runswithbeer

I know its prolly been asked, but how did you get them to the point where they would eat with you out there....and from your hand...awesome


----------



## Echo

Hey guys, been pretty busy lately with the season underway and just noticed there were some new comments here. I stopped feeding in early October and the last time that I saw Lewis he was staring right at me and pawing the ground again so I thought it best to leave him be for a while. 

I may start running the camera again anyway just to see who is still showing up as I have a bumper acorn crop in the yard and have seen signs of fighting out there with the ground being all torn up. I'll be sure to post up anything noteworthy.





Nannyman said:


> What do you feed them that makes them such regular visitors. I see corn and read u also put peanut butter. Is there anything else?



Corn is certainly the main attraction, Nannyman and the more mature bucks seem to really enjoy a little peanut butter mixed in with their corn. Other than that birdseed is always a popular item and I also try to keep a small foodplot going year round on the side of my yard with seasonal plantings.



elfiii said:


> JBo is one special deer! That chocolate rack is outstanding! Hope he has made it through.



He was special for sure, elfiii.....I hope he shows up again one of these days.



runswithbeer said:


> I know its prolly been asked, but how did you get them to the point where they would eat with you out there....and from your hand...awesome



Proprietary secrets there, runswithbeer. 

I can tell you this much.......whatever mojo I have with my backyard deer is not carrying over into this deer season so far but then that's a story for another thread.


----------



## bfriendly

Been sitting here for a while, catching up. Thanks again Ernie for knocking it out of the park with this amazing thread. We all love your Deer and I like most are praying for the return of JBo

We all know it is what it is. The fact that Every Buck eating off your Deck(and outta your hand) are Trophies in any Deer Hunters world cannot be denied.

Best of luck to you Ernie- I hope you get to put a "No Deal Trophy Buck" on your wall and in your freezer. Many thanks for taking us with you once again on The Great White Tail Tale


----------



## deerhuntingdawg

Great post^^^


----------



## BornToHuntAndFish

Had a blast with all the updates & photos from that whitetail wonderland.


----------



## SheldonMOAC

The one of the best post ever on the trail cam forum. Thank you for sharing the experience.


----------



## Echo

bfriendly said:


> Been sitting here for a while, catching up. Thanks again Ernie for knocking it out of the park with this amazing thread. We all love your Deer and I like most are praying for the return of JBo
> 
> We all know it is what it is. The fact that Every Buck eating off your Deck(and outta your hand) are Trophies in any Deer Hunters world cannot be denied.
> 
> Best of luck to you Ernie- I hope you get to put a "No Deal Trophy Buck" on your wall and in your freezer. Many thanks for taking us with you once again on The Great White Tail Tale



I appreciate that bfriendly and I'm real glad that you and so many other good folks appear to enjoy what I'm doing here.





deerhuntingdawg said:


> Great post^^^





BornToHuntAndFish said:


> Had a blast with all the updates & photos from that whitetail wonderland.



Thanks guys!!



SheldonMOAC said:


> The one of the best post ever on the trail cam forum. Thank you for sharing the experience.



Very nice of you to say, Sheldon. You're welcome!


I have no new pics at this time but here's one of my favorites from this past September - you don't often see a pic of a mature buck with what could be called a "happy'' expression on his face but Lewis seemed to be feeling pretty right with the world in this shot. Must have been thinking about the bountiful acorn crop that was just starting to fall as well as all of the does he would soon be chasing.


----------



## oldfatbubba

SheldonMOAC said:


> The one of the best post ever on the trail cam forum. Thank you for sharing the experience.



Agreed!


----------



## S-Balentine

Lewis still around?


----------



## Echo

S-Balentine said:


> Lewis still around?



I sure hope so and I'm pretty sure that I saw him last week as I was driving home one night - big buck crossed in front of me near my house and I just got a glimpse of his rack but it was very wide and tall.

 I've got a small plot of oats, rye and brassica just breaking ground now plus I'm about ready to start feeding them up again just to see who is still around. I'll post some new pics as soon as I can.


----------



## antharper

I seen this thread , and opened it quick hopeing to see some of our buddies that made it threw so far , can't wait !


----------



## elfiii

antharper said:


> I seen this thread , and opened it quick hopeing to see some of our buddies that made it threw so far , can't wait !



Amen. Hope Echo has some new up close and personals of Lewis and Jbo soon.


----------



## Echo

antharper said:


> I seen this thread , and opened it quick hopeing to see some of our buddies that made it threw so far , can't wait !





elfiii said:


> Amen. Hope Echo has some new up close and personals of Lewis and Jbo soon.




I've put out corn several times in the past to bring them back around at Christmas and it certainly adds to the joy of the season when they cooperate and show back up. A couple of years ago we had a big 8-point looking in the back window on Christmas Eve. Pretty cool! 

So far I've had corn out for two days with no takers however. They just haven't been by to find it yet but they will eventually, especially when we get some cold weather in to get them back out on the prowl.

 Will be sure to update when I have some new sightings and pics.


----------



## BlackEagle

Ttt any updates on who made it through the season?


----------



## bfriendly

This jus never gets old............You should go ahead and make a movie

Love the thread Echo.........Thanks so much for sharing your friends with us..........What a treat!


----------



## antharper

I've been wondering myself , come on and give us a good update!


----------



## BlackEagle

Bump?


----------



## Echo

Sorry, I've missed these last few bumps somehow. 

Well, Butch and Gimpy came back and shed their racks but I wasn't able to locate any of them so far. I've had a new mature 8-point passing through a couple of times a week or at least I did before he dropped which I'm sure he has by now. I'm not putting out corn right now but they are heavily using the new Big & j's block that I put out and hitting my little food plot pretty well.

Hate to say it but Lewis has been a no show thus far and this would be the latest that he has come back to claim his ancestral warm weather home turf. I sure hope that he is still out there and just running late this year but then I thought the same about JBo the year before and he never showed back up. Tough thing being a mature, big racked buck in Georgia.

I'm totally consumed with turkey hunting right now so I'm not even running a camera but when the time is right I'll start looking for Big Lew again. He's my buddy!


----------



## Echo

Is that you, Lewis? 

I got quite a few pics of this buck last night but there is just no way to be sure right now. It may indeed be him and if it is he'll be entering his fifth summer very soon now.

 I sure hope that it is Lewis and I'll be watching for that rack to be heading out wide over the next couple of weeks if it is.


----------



## kevincox

Going to be fun watching them progress over the summer! Keep us updated Ernie


----------



## Echo

kevincox said:


> Going to be fun watching them progress over the summer! Keep us updated Ernie



Will do, Kevin.

Right now, I'm leaning slightly towards it being him although I was skeptical for a while of whether he was even still alive.

The body size and proportions are right and he has always been a pretty fast starter antler wise. Short of an up close encounter the key is going to be where those main beams go over the next two weeks - if it is Lewis we should see them branch almost straight out soon.


----------



## GA DAWG

He aint missed many meals dont look like. I hope its him.


----------



## elfiii

Echo said:


> Is that you, Lewis?


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## GA DAWG

I've been looking back. If you can get a closeup of his right ear. We can tell.


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## Echo

GA DAWG said:


> He aint missed many meals dont look like. I hope its him.



Thanks GA DAWG and you're right, he's certainly in good health. The nice smooth, unscarred coat is another Lewis characteristic. Just don't know if that rack is going to go wide enough to form that big basket type he's always grown?



elfiii said:


>







GA DAWG said:


> I've been looking back. If you can get a closeup of his right ear. We can tell.



Well, you know that's old JBo that had the recognizable tear in his right ear - Lewis's is pretty much intact except for the right tip being a little blunted.

I'll set the camera a little closer tonight and see if we can get a better look. Ideally he would come up a couple of hours earlier and I can see how he reacts to me in person. That would tell me a lot. Wouldn't be expecting him to walk right over to me by any means but I wouldn't look for him to flee the area either.


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## elfiii

Echo said:


>



At this point in their lives (if they are still alive) there are just so many factors against it and I know you know that. Still it would be nice just once more if for nothing more than "old time's sake".


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## Echo

elfiii said:


> At this point in their lives (if they are still alive) there are just so many factors against it and I know you know that. Still it would be nice just once more if for nothing more than "old time's sake".



True dat! 

Well, it wasn't Lewis after all. They came in early last night and I went out and immediately realized that it was my old pal Butch that I was looking at (whom I already knew was still around) and not Big Lewis.

Looks like Butch is off to a good start anyway but I figure him to be at least 7 years old now and his rack had already declined a bit last year. He's definitely a survivor however.


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## BornToHuntAndFish

Nice bone you have growing in your neck of the deer woods.  Thx for posting.  Looking forward to what shows up next.


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## OmenHonkey

Glad to see this back up top!!!


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## miller

Echo.
What about the little buck that would almost climb in your lap last Summer. Did he stick around all Summer, and if so hopefully he's back this year. He wasn't shy at all, I think he liked the apples?
Anyway thanks for the updates, hope they all show for you.


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## Echo

miller said:


> Echo.
> What about the little buck that would almost climb in your lap last Summer. Did he stick around all Summer, and if so hopefully he's back this year. He wasn't shy at all, I think he liked the apples?
> Anyway thanks for the updates, hope they all show for you.



Miller, good question on what happened to Sam as he just up and disappeared on me sometime around early July, I believe it was. He had quickly become such a regular and was obviously pleased with the meals he was getting here that I'm afraid he must have met an untimely end somehow (likely hit by a vehicle) which was a real disappointment to me. I had never seen a deer that tame before and I was getting a real kick out of having him around......plus I thought he had tremendous potential for growing a huge rack one day. I feel certain that someone had raised that buck as a fawn and then released him....he was just too friendly not to have had human contact before.

I've decided to wait until mid-June or so to start doing any supplemental feeding as they have plenty of good browse to grow fat on right now. Hopefully I'll see some more familiar faces show up by then.


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## HARLEY

anything new gong on?


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## GillCommander

Any updates on butch or lewis?


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## Echo

HARLEY said:


> anything new gong on?





GillCommander said:


> Any updates on butch or lewis?



It's been pretty slow lately as I've just been relying on a small food plot and what's left of a worn out Big & J's block to provide the attraction and that doesn't seem to be enough to bring the big bucks in.

I plan to start feeding again within the next couple of weeks and then we'll just have to wait and see who or what shows back up. I was seeing a new big-bodied 8-point now and then over the winter and he should be a real nice dominant type buck this year. Butch is still in the area but Lewis - I don't know..

I'll keep you posted!


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## Beagler282

I know we talked about a deer feed before but I wish someone making a good quality deer feed would send you some and let you feed it to them for all to see the results. I enjoy looking at the trail cam thread to see the pics from those who do feed but would enjoy it more watching these backyard bucks grow. Really looking forward to seeing these brutes as they have aged and grown bigger. Keep up what your doing because we certainly enjoy it.


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## Echo

Beagler282 said:


> I know we talked about a deer feed before but I wish someone making a good quality deer feed would send you some and let you feed it to them for all to see the results. I enjoy looking at the trail cam thread to see the pics from those who do feed but would enjoy it more watching these backyard bucks grow. Really looking forward to seeing these brutes as they have aged and grown bigger. Keep up what your doing because we certainly enjoy it.



Thanks, I appreciate your comments Beagler and I'm glad that you've enjoyed viewing the Band of Bucks (new nickname ) threads over the last few years. I've certainly enjoyed sharing what has been a real adventure and learning experience for me with everyone here on GON as well.

I'm getting a little bit later start this year but I'm confident that I'll have some interesting pics to post very soon, though it's going to be a challenge for me to equal the last couple of year's offerings with great, dominant bucks like JBo and Lewis allowing me a close up look into their inner circle. To be honest I don't have a real good feel right now for what the gang will look like this summer either in number or age.

At any rate, look for a new Band of Bucks thread to start up anytime now and thanks again to all who have enjoyed this Weekly Lewis thread and similar ones that preceded it. 

Lewis would be proud!


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## elfiii

Echo said:


> Lewis would be proud!



One handsome deer!


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## elfiii

Well?


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## Doolydawg03

Come on Lewis


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## Echo

elfiii said:


> One handsome deer!





elfiii said:


> Well?





Doolydawg03 said:


> Come on Lewis



I'm still waiting myself. It's disappointing not to see him anymore but I certainly knew the day would come just like it did with JBo. However if he was legally shot I certainly wouldn't hold any ill will towards the hunter as Lewis was definitely the kind of buck I hope to see every time I go to the woods.

Backyard activity in general has been slow so far this summer with only 5 individual bucks sighted so far and old Butch is easily the biggest of the group.

Hopefully it picks up in July and August possibly with a new dominant buck coming onto the scene. They're out there.


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## MuXi115

Love this thread. Any updates?


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## DSGB

MuXi115 said:


> Love this thread. Any updates?



http://forum.gon.com/showthread.php?t=873304


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