New Year Custom Run – California Old Growth Redwood

Here’s a sneak peek at our first Custom run for 2010.  We are making these calls out of 250 year old California “Old Growth” Redwood.  We estimate to have about 30 pieces each of the Magnum and Spur designs. Both designs will be numbered and feature a striker with matching handle and our signature 500 year Old Growth dowell.   Once they are available we will post ordering information here on derbycitycalls.com

Check out some early photos of our custom build.

 

Scott McCammon and friend Nick Sparlin land Monster Bucks

One of our very good Customers Scott McCammon was in the other day picking out some Custom Turkey Calls. We shared some hunting stories and then Scott showed us some of  his recient Kills.  We were very impressed with the Bucks so I asked Scott to share his hunts with us.

Here is the Hunt in Scott’s own Words.

November 7^th was unseasonably warm, but I was going to hunt no matter what.  I knew that there were monster whitetail on the farm and we had seen several already this year.  The morning came and went with very little deer movement so I decided to head in for some lunch, not knowing the afternoon would be much different.  I crawled back up in the tree at about 2:00 and waited patiently.  6:00 came,  it was getting  dark and I had yet to see a thing. I started to pack up my binoculars, camera, and other supplies when I noticed the shape of a deer standing in the field road.  I quickly took my binoculars out and peered through the low hanging branches to confirm that it was in fact a deer.  As he came closer I noticed that he had some considerable head gear, but I wasn’t sure if he was a shooter given the low light and brush.  I lost sight of him at 70 yards, and decided he just wasn’t a 4 and ½ year old plus buck.  He emerged from behind a thick cedar tree at about 30 yards.  As you can see from the picture I quickly re-evaluated my earlier decision and decided to throw an arrow..  The Rage Broadhead did the trick and my taxidermy bill ticked up a couple notches.  He scored 158 even and is a main frame 8 with three main beams and a sticker.  

 

 

It was November 19^th.  My birthday and the opening morning of Illinois gun season.  The weather was just right, frigid and calm.  In the days leading up to gun season it was clear that we were going to hit the rut just right.  Bucks were chasing does through the middle of enormous cornfields right in the middle of the day.  The night before gun season opened I decided to slip into a river bottom stand the next morning.  I knew that the does would be heading into cover at first light, and given the rut conditions the big boys wouldn’t be far behind.  The next morning came and I headed out to the stand.  I hadn’t been in the stand long before deer were everywhere around me.  The morning was going quickly with all the activity.  When 7:15 rolled around I noticed a good buck chasing two does through the bottoms.  The trees are dense and he was probably 200 yards away, so I couldn’t tell just how good, but I was pretty sure he would die if he came too close..  He disappeared in the distance and I thought that was it.  Not 15 minutes later here came a doe, and she was running hard.  Right behind here was this monster.  Needless to say I immediately got ready.  He stopped at about 30 yards and I let one fly.  After a big high kick he ran 50 yards as fast as he could, directly into a tree.  He scored 178 and 3/8, had 14 scoreable points and is the largest buck I’ve killed to date.  What a birthday present!

 

Scott’s Good Friend, Nick Sparlin also had a great hunt.

This is for the picture of Nick Sparlin attached at the bottom..I also included a trail camera picture of this buck from earlier in the year.  
Deer season was already one day old and there had been no sightings of the big bucks our scouting cameras had captured earlier in the year.  Hunting conditions were not ideal with all the corn still in the fields and temperatures in the high 50’s.  That said it was still Illinois gun season and we were heading out to give it a go.  Having already killed my one buck for the year in bow season I crawled up in the tree with a good friend to try to capture some action on video.  We had been sitting all day when 1:00 pm rolled around.  I like to rattle mid day to try to stir up some action.  I did one sequence with a grunt call, snort wheeze, and a rattle bag.  No sooner than I set my rattle bag down this big boy came looking for a fight.  Nick got ready and did everything right.  He let the buck get as close as he was going to get, he took his time in terms of shot placement, and he stayed as calm as possible.  When you add up those things you usually end with success and this case was no different.  Nick shot this buck at 30 yards right through the lungs, and we have the kill on video.  The buck scored 146 and 4/8 and is an extremely heavy non-typical 14 pointer.

Denkhoff Connects

Derby City Pro Staffer, Rick Denkhoff, ended a long year of chasing longbeards on a high note yesterday.  He closed the deal on the next to the last day of the fall season.  Here is an account of Rick’s hunt.

“December 10th, the next to the last day of Kentucky’s fall turkey season, was a great day.  The temperature was 28 degrees with a cold wind blowing.  I had been sitting for about two hours and was getting really cold.  If it wasn’t for my new hunting blind keeping that wind off of me, I would have been out of the woods way before I got a shot at this gobbler.  I was getting ready to pack up and head out when I finally heard some birds working their way towards me.  I was able to call in four longbeards using soft clucks and purrs with my Old Growth Magnum call and Old Growth Cherry striker. The birds came to within 25 yards and I harvested a 22 pound gobbler with a 9 1/2 inch beard and 3/4 inch spurs.  It has been a long season and I was glad to finally bag my first bird of the year.  I am looking forward to the 2010 spring season, using my Derby City Calls.”

Rick is a great guy.  He is a very humble person.  We are thrilled that he connected on a nice bird.  Congrats Rick.

Mike Bevan bags trophy bird with Derby City Call

Derby City Game Calls wants to thank Mike Bevan of Los Angeles California for his purchase of the Derby City Spur design Slate over Glass Turkey Call, upgraded with Old Growth Striker.  Upon follow up by phone from Brent Stoner of Derby City, Mike stated how impressed he was with the call and the striker and the sound it produced.  Mike told Brent that he was so impressed with his new call and striker that he threw his other friction call away.   Mike was in our neck of the woods here in Kentucky on Holiday and got in a little hunting of his own.  While he was here he ordered another DCC call, ( Magnum Slate over Glass ) and two more Old Growth Strikers.  Below you will find Mike’s comments in his own words on how the calls worked.  Thanks again Mike for the purchase of the calls, proud to add this one to the Kill Zone. 

Brent Stoner,  Derby City Calls

” Dear Brent,

Ment to call and thank you for sending me the call when I was in Clarkson but was hunting deer/turkey day and night. The call is fantastic. Got this bird using the call. Birds came in from all directions. Back in Los Angeles now and can’t wait to go back. I will be showing these calls to all my hunting buddy’s. Wishing you guys a wonderful holiday season.

Best Regards,   Mike Bevan”