Nov 24, 2018 6 min read

Well I’m back from my fall trip. I should explain, in case you missed it, what, where and why an old man would take on a daunting trip that took 13 hours and covered more than 700 miles of driving and sitting.

I have a doctor friend who tells me that an elderly person should stop every hour get out of the vehicle and walk a bit. This would help prevent blood clots so we took our time and did that. There is a one hour time difference between northern Missouri and home, adding to the confusion of travel time. Why was I taking this trip? I bet it took you five seconds to know it was a hunting trip for whitetail deer.

I had met Matt Shoemaker two years ago and had hunted out of his lodge last year. Matt is the owner of Macon County Outfitters near Ethel, Mo., and delivers when promising a chance at a bigger-than-average sized whitetail deer. When it comes to meals lodging and placement of stands, he does more than what’s promised. He also has some great cooks who are to be commended.

This year, I was hunting with my son-in-law Mike Ward. He had hunted small game but he had very little experience with deer hunting. Earlier, we had spent time sighting in his .270 and were ready. Matt has all hunters at his place shoot at a target prior to going out to ensure all is correctly working.

It was the night before the hunt that the first problem arose. It had turned bitterly cold and this old time outdoorsman hates that tooth chattering weather. We persevered, reaching our prechosen stand while it was still dark. Matt’s chosen method of hunting is from a strategically placed box blind and Mike and I had decided to sit together in a stand overlooking a corn field on one side and some other domestic plant on the other. It wasn’t long before a medium size buck stepped out from about 200 yards. When Mike quietly reached over for his gun, it was gone.

About 10 minutes later, another medium size buck appeared where the other buck had been. This time, Mike downed it with one well-placed shot.

Even with all the action, I shivered and froze. I just can’t take the cold anymore, so I told Mike I am shooting the next buck that steps out. Sure enough, another buck showed up and I dropped it. Now, it wasn’t any trophy size buck but a small 7-pointer. I suppose I leave myself open for criticism for not waiting for mister big buck but I had to go back in the warm to keep my fingers and toes. Matt sure has a lot of bucks on his place. And it was fun watching them come in.

But our adventure wasn’t done yet. Mike has a Vietnam Vet brother who lives in Arkansas and Mike suggested a short jaunt to Don and Sue Bailey’s acreage near Mountain Home, Ark. I looked at a map and it was only 200 miles from where we were. Don lives right between two large impediments, Bull Shoals and Norfolk. Since I have read about Norfolk since I was a youngster, how could I resist?

What a place Norfolk is. In the tail race of the dam on the White River is where the world record Brown Trout came from. I had brought along a light rod and a handful of spinners, just in case. These waters lived up to their reputation as Don and I caught trout while Mike watched the Eagles. All this, despite the cold weather.

My Missouri buck might have been smaller than what I wanted but this trip had turned and was becoming very interesting. I not only got a buck, helped Mike get a first buck, spent time in a well-run hunting facility but then I went to a beautiful true rural untouched area of the country.

Don is a rifle shooter and a hand loader, so we had something in common. Of course, the weather was cold but Don told me stories that made me glad of it. He has a constant battle with the areas snakes in the warm months. It seems in Arkansas there is no shortage of poisonous snakes, Timber rattlers, Eastern Diamondbacks, Pygmy rattlers, Copperheads and the most troublesome of all Cottonmouths. All make their home on Don’s large property.

After hearing the list of snakes and some misadventures, I started to feel better about the cold weather. I might have hated the cold in Missouri but here in snake-y Arkansas, I loved it. After a few great days in Arkansas, it was time to go home. While Mike was busy packing the car, I shot a 4-point buck across a valley in one of Don’s pastures.

Not a bad trip. I got to visit with Matt Shoemaker of Macon County Outfitters in his world class facility, Mike got his first buck, then we went on a new adventure. Mike caught up with his best friend and I fished Norfolk. To top that off, I downed two bucks in two states and caught a mess of trout. I’m not sure how we will top this trip next year. My thanks to Don and Sue Bailey for all the fun and southern hospitality. I hope to catch up with Matt to thank him at either the Harrisburg show or the Pittsburgh show, since he sets up at both.

• Don’t forget the George Block Conservation Scholarship is currently in search of applicants through our area schools. Applicants need to be under 18 years old, reside in Washington or Greene County and have done something in the area of conservation and-or hunting, fishing etc. I have applications at most of the area guidance offices. If you don’t have one available and need information, contact Mike Webber at 724-255-0593.

George Block writes a Sunday Outdoors column for the Observer-Reporter.