Deer Season 2008 Summary Letter

 

“What a season it was, with lot’s to talk about”

Well, I want to start out with a “congratulations” to all of you that harvested a deer and especially for those that harvested the biggest deer of your life so far. I also want to thank all of you that hunted hard but did not harvest one and to those that thought they made a good shot, but we could not find the deer. My heart really goes out to you guys, because I know that no one wants to lose one, especially us, and how bad everyone wants to take a trophy home with them. There were at least 12 people that harvested their highest scoring deer ever and I think that is pretty awesome.

That is what we strive for here at PA, your biggest deer to date, always have, always will. I know there are a couple of you that will have a pretty hard time beating your own personal new record, such as Bob Dugan and Robert Lani. Dugan, with his outstanding bow kill of a 198 and 2/8th inch monster and Robert Lani, with his rifle kill, a 187 inch monster. Both of these are definitely a buck of a lifetime. But who knows, it’s Kansas and we truly don’t know where or when the next monster will be taken, but we all know they are definitely here. That is what draws people to this state and that is what keeps you people coming back to hunt with us, because we keep producing some great hunting opportunities for monster whitetails. I wish I knew the number of people that have taken their largest buck with us. But on the other hand, I am reminded to often that some do go home empty handed, and, some go home with ground shrinkage, but that’s hunting. Then there are those that go home empty handed because they are trying to better themselves by strictly trophy hunting for a bigger buck and that’s tough. Watching a nice buck walk by without shooting is probably the hardest thing to do out here. All I can say about that is, “my hats off to you and don’t give up on us”, this end of it ain’t easy either, plus there is a lot of luck involved. Most of you have heard this from me before, being in the right spot at the right time is so crucial, but who knows when, or where. But then I always follow that up by saying, “it’s not all luck, because once they get there, the rest is up to you”. You’ve also heard this before, “Size doesn’t matter”, and that is why I want to remind you that we have taken away any restrictions on the size of deer that you harvest here. My first certainly was no monster, but it was the biggest thrill of my bow hunting career, up to that point, and I’m sure it’s not over yet. Yes, I still want a big one! Who doesn’t? But no one but God can ever take that moment away from you when you whack one, no matter how big he is. The taking of my bucks are etched in my mind forever, just like the ones you guys took this year or in the past. That is just one of the blessings that God gives us, the power to replay that over and over in our minds, whether the story that goes with it changes or not. Ha-ha!

I also want to apologize for my behavior at times. I guess I had a lot on my mind besides the deer hunting and I think that reflected in my moodiness. Plus if I could ever make it through the whole season without being sick, that would be a miracle in itself. It was a sickly year for me it seems, worrying about my ankle surgery, and wondering why my body hurt like it did since July was about to drive me crazy. I finally started feeling half way normal after I found out I had kidney infection and or might have passed a stone. Anyway this all took place the weekend prior to and the day of when the monster was taken by Bob, Nov 10th. While I was in the emergency room, I was getting updates from Bro about the blood trail while getting an I-V put in and my prostate checked. Oh the magic of cell phones….and a nurse with interns watching. Anyway I got that all taken care of after a couple hours with an I-V in my arm and 10 days of strong antibiotics. But then a few days later I got this nasty cold, day after Thanksgiving, which I still have (Dec 17). I am now on my second set of pills and my second shot in the ol’ butt. I also want to say I am sorry for giving that cold to some of you people. But remember, I wasn’t the only one sick in camp. I still can’t believe Paul (Nate) Bunyan didn’t catch any of these bugs going around. He must be, “Super Nate”.

Speaking of Nate, I sure want to thank him and Miss Lizzy for being here and sacrificing about 46 days of their lives for me, Bro and you hunters. They are two of the best. Plus they had to put up with me for all that time. You people only had me a week or so. They truly are special, huh? They did an awesome job and I appreciate all the compliments you hunters gave me about them. I never told them though, because I didn’t want them to get big headed, you know what I mean. Next thing you know they will be starting their own business. Not really!  I tell them everything and they tell me everything, that’s just the pack we guides have with each other, so some of you guys better watch out what you say, or we might put you in that special tree stand. I’m sure some of you that couldn’t seem to get any deer action probably thought you were in that stand, but you weren’t, believe me. I guess somehow we will have to figure out how to keep those two, Nate and Lizzy, around forever. Especially in a couple years when Mike and I get older and little more crippled up. Nate thinks we’re already there. But I know for a fact, that I set at least 5 stands and I’m sure Mike set at least 6 or 8 out of the 75 or so we put up. I don’t know where he gets the idea we’re old and not doing our share, -- you know, -- heck! Well, I did find out he must have paid attention to me a little bit from Mr. Paul Myers. Paul helped us out a little during gun season moving and taking down stands. Anyway, he said that Nate stood around and barked out orders just like me. I guess the only thing he didn’t learn was how to lay down when someone else is up in the tree working. That way it doesn’t make your neck sore looking up watching them. He’ll catch on though. I got confidence in him. A big, Thanks, you two, from the bottom of my heart, you did a great job and we sure couldn’t have done it without you. I also want to thank the Walker sisters, Rhonda and Debbie, for the Wonderful food once again. They always keep our bellies full and a smile on our faces, even when someone might miss a dandy or just tickle one and that says a lot right there. When us guys see that food lined up on the counter after a long day in the woods, we know our worries are over and it’s time to strap on the ol’ feed bag and get ready for another wonderful new day. Thanks Ladies, you did a superb job and we definitely could not have done it without you two.

Well, Kevin Olson has all the pictures on the web site and they sure look good. We put extra pictures of the two monsters so you can get a good look at them. They all look good, but these two definitely go on the monster buck chart. Just in case you don’t know the web site, it is: www.kansasparadiseadventures.com - click on the photo album page.

As most of you know, Kevin and I were going to go out during gun season and redeem ourselves for passing up that buck. Well Kevin had developed some problems and was not able to make it. I know he was very disappointed and so was I, but in this case, health comes first. But we still have the doe season in January and we are going to get back in the ol’ Redneck RV again and see what happens. So keep smiling, we are…

All in all, it was a very good season. We had 25 harvested all together, counting Kevin’s doe, 14 with the bow and 11 with the gun. Seven were hit with the bow and not recovered, but 2 of them were shot during the gun season. We had 14 gun hunters and 32 bow hunters. It looks like a great 2009 is in the making. If I were you, I would make sure I am on the list for 09, just in case, because a lot of you guys get away without a complete 100% commitment and that kind of leaves me in a bad spot. Many of you have already done just that and have nothing to worry about, but some, I’d make sure. I have the list made up and it is pretty full and I won’t take many more, if any. Thanks and I usually have my cell phone handy, (620-433-0528) or email me at knunnenkamp@embarqmail.com. I like hearing from ya’ll anyway.

STOP: Starting here there has been a span of 22 days lost due to Computer problems. That last sentence was written on December 17, 2008. So much has happened in my life since a few days prior to this date that it’s been crazy. I feel I need to start this letter over again, but I can’t, so here it goes. It is Jan 6, 2009. On December 13th I had asked my Brother Mike if he would come and help me set this double ladder stand for my son and me. I wanted to get Hunter out and maybe even myself out for a little late season bow hunting. Hunter was at a BB tournament at the time. Well, a lot of my plans got changed about half way through the setting of that stand. Here I was, (usually watching Nate do this) yanking on this rope about half way up the ladder when all of a sudden it broke and sent me to the ground landing right on my bad shoulder. I knew by the time we got the stand done that I had messed up my right shoulder pretty bad. First thing I did that night was call my buddy Doc and see what he thought, yep, rotator cuff. I was pretty sore for the next few days and had very little movement in my right arm. I told Doc that I will have it x-rayed on Mon. Doc called to see how it went Monday evening and talked to Michele for a couple minutes. That was the last time we had communication with my buddy because on the morning of December 16, 2008, Doc was out target practicing with his friend, Ken Fernburg. Doc had just walked out and put up a target and was walking back towards the house when Ken turned around just in time to see him drop to his knees and grab his chest and it was over. I lost my best friend, Greg “Doc” Caldwell at that moment and Heaven gained one fine man. Many of you know about this already, but some don’t. So for some of you I am sorry this took so long. I will explain later in this letter. Most of you don’t know this one little secret that Doc and I had. You see, Doc was always the first person to read my letters, anyway for at least 8 years or so, along with my sister, Alana. Yes, he read every one of them. And was always great full to me for this. He would always say it was the highlight of his day. He would also correct them as if he was my sixth grade teacher, but never changed my style. He told me many times that he loved the way I wrote and I guess this was just another thing we had in common. I loved his style too, and he wrote a lot of serious stuff. He would read it to me and ask me what I thought. We shared many written letters together along with just good ol’ buddy chatting. It seemed as if we never ran out of something to say to each other and almost always ended the visit with, “I Love you Doc, or Kurt, who ever said it first, I love you too ol’ buddy”. I also loved it when he would share a joke or two, which were always, clean and most of the time funny. Most of us have heard some of them and we all noticed when he, “adlibbed a little”, and then finished it with that cute little giggle of his. That always made them even that much more special. We all lost a great friend that day and a great warrior and advocate for the hunting family. His life on earth is done, but I know that God greeted him with open arms and said, “Well Done Thy Good and Faithfull Servant”. I can’t wait to see him again someday, when we know that the amount of time we had together won’t matter anymore. We will be together - forever.

Well, I have had nothing but computer problems right along with my other problems. My main pc quit me about the middle of Dec. So instead of waiting for it to get fixed, I decided I would start this letter on the ol’ stand-by, then when I got pc 1 back I would just transfer it over. Yes that was the plan, but then this one (stand-by) quit me when I had about 1,500 words written. Now you know why there is this big gap of time in the middle of writing this letter or sending any emails, I didn’t have any email addresses. They were on #1 pc. I just now got my pc man to email me this letter once he got the stand-by pc to turn on again, that way I could finish it. (Jan 6th) I am typing with two hands, but it is a little painful. Had my surgery on my completely torn rotator cuff tendon, (Doc told me) Jan. 2nd and the 7th I get to start that wonderful therapy that I have heard so much about! I can’t wait. Nurse Ratchet said, “Take your full dose of pain pills before you show up, big boy”. OH GREAT!!!! My ankle somehow (prayer) has greatly improved. My Surgeon said that it looked totally different than it did last March. He said it now appears to be all arthritis and if it bothers me to much he can inject it with cortisone, no surgery on it, thank you God. I think a lot of it was due to the infection that had gotten all through my body from my kidneys. I asked my Doctor and he said it was quite possible that I had the infection for a long time and he thought it was probably making me hurt all over. My ankle has improved by at least 80%. Much better!  

I just got back from shoulder therapy and guess what? Nurse Ratchet wasn’t there, thank God, and the fine lady that held my hand for about a half hour, was so happy  when she told me she was single, no wait: it was, she was so proud to tell me that she took her first buck two years ago. She told me all about it. The other therapist just happens to be Michelle Carter. Does that Carter name ring a bell to anyone………….yep, Landlord’s daughter. I love small town living.

Well, it’s time to wrap this letter up because it seems like I have been writing it forever. It’s just not going to be the same without my buddy’s approval. I miss him so much. Take care and I hope to see you all soon.

Oh yeah, with Kevin Olson still on the disabled list and me on it as well now, we are now eagerly looking forward to turkey season.  Such is life, but we’re still smiling.

God is Just and God is good, and we can spend eternity together if we believe in Him. Doc did and so do I.

  Something we can do for our buddy,

                                                                           Doc’s Memorial Fund

  At the time of his death, Doc was very close to finishing one of his greatest accomplishments, a children’s book that he had written about himself and his grandson, Trevon. He was so proud of this book, titled “Trevon’s First Turkey Hunt”. The NWTF is helping make the final arrangements in getting this book published and helping in the marketing of it as much as possible. His granddaughter Chelsea was also a big part of the book. She took the photos of Trevon and Doc on the actual hunt which will be the ones that will be characterized and illustrated in the book. This was going to be the pride and joy of his life, I know for a fact because he had discussed it with me from the beginning. He was also going to do many sequels to it. So any money that you would like to donate to this very important cause in his life will be used for getting the book on the shelf, so to speak, for sale. I was one of the first, besides Linda, his widow, to read the book and was truly honored to be one of the six people that endorsed it. The book was awesome, and I told him a year ago that I truly thought it would sell millions of copies. It was a one of a kind because of the way Doc was, you that knew him, know exactly what I mean by this. This book should be in every home across America, I thought. It was very unique because of the way Doc spoke. Also for those of you that ever got to see him around your kids or kids in general, you know this will be a heartwarming book that you will want to have for your kids or grandkids and be able to share the fun and excitement of a child’s first hunt through the eyes of our good buddy, Doc. We all know, he truly was a “kid at heart”.

Thank you.

 Here is the address of his memorial fund. Make out to NWTF. (National Wild Turkey Foundation.)

 NWTF
ATTN: Jim Panero
204 Buck Rd.
Ebensburg, PA. 15931

A Friend forever,

Kurt

Written by: Kurt Nunnenkamp From Dec 10 thru Jan 7, 2009