2020s

2020

Weather:
  • Saturday : 34 degrees; clear.
  • Sunday : 34 degrees; clear.
  • Monday : 34 degrees; clear.
Stands:
  • Auto – P-North
  • Nub Buck – Azz Kicker
  • Smokey – The Junction
  • Puker/Sloppy – God Stand
  • Special K – Turnip Hut
  • Giggles – Buck Scrape
  • Drewstain – Viewing Hut
  • Horseshoe – Saddle on Theiler Lease
  • Junior – Tree House on Theiler Lease
  • Warson – Ladder Stand on Theiler Lease
Deer:
  • Warson – Spiker from Ladder Stand
  • Giggles – 5 pointer from Old #1
  • Nub Buck – Doe from PRT drive
  • Drewstain – Doe from PRT drive
  • Special K – Bambi from Radish Hut
Total Deer Seen : 27 Notes:
  • Friday: Year of COVID so Big Al didn’t attend.  We also did not head to any local establishments.  Met at cabin around 5pm for pre-hunt smart talk. Continued Boomba Bar tradition by getting take out.  Riley served as this year’s CB. Consumed refreshments and annual ritual of Wine, the Brine, or the Nut. Riley drops dice on floor on first 3 attempted roles; new name is Sloppy. Inaugural year of the RBL shotski. Classic.  Nub Buck nearly loses his cookies while eating the nut.  Also, a white board at the cabin proved to be massively entertaining.
  • Saturday : Drove Old #1 north. Giggles shoots 5 pointer as it crosses the road to the west (after it nearly steps on his foot). A mad hunter who was posted in the drive yelled at Smokey and Drippy. He indicated it was illegal to do deer drives.  Moron. Drove Old #2 south; no deer. Of note: need to ensure one of the drivers covers the mound area between the two swamps.  Little Big Drive; no deer. PRT drive : 2 bambi’s walk into drive.  No shots.  Receiver; no deer.
    • Azz Kicker-0 deer
    • Junction-0 deer
    • Viewing Hut-0 deer
    • Prom Stand-0 deer
    • Buck scrape-0 deer
    • Turnip hut-5 doe seen
    • P-North – 0 deer
    • God Stand-2 doe seen
    • Tree House-3 doe seen
    • Ladder Stand-5 doe seen
    • Saddle Stand-2 doe seen
  • Headed back to cabin for most excellent venison feed.
  • Sunday :  Shaft drive;0 deer. Phead drive; 0 deer. Waterlog; 1 deer kicked but ran east-no shots.  Do I Have Poop On Me drive; 0 deer.  Sauna drive; 0 deer.  Plantation; 0 deer. In the stand by 2:45pm.
    • Azz Kicker-0 deer
    • Junction-0 deer
    • Viewing Hut-0 deer
    • Prom Stand-0 deer
    • Turnip hut-0 deer
    • P-North – 0 deer
    • God Stand-0 deer
    • Tree House-0 deer
    • Ladder Stand-1 spiker killed
    • Saddle Stand-1 doe missed
  • Headed back to cabin and watch Packers lose in overtime to the Colts.  Drown our sorrows in Old Milwaukee light and church wine.
  • Monday : East river drive north: no deer.  The Bronto: Drippy missed deer and it kicks across river.  PTR drive; 2 doe immediately kicked south over the road.  Nub buck (doe) and Drippy (small dog) each celebrate kills as the drive continued north.
    • Azz Kicker-0 deer
    • Junction-0 deer
    • Viewing Hut-0 deer
    • P-North-0 deer
    • Tree House-0 deer
  • Wednesday : Special K shoots bambi from Radish Hut.

2021

Weather:
  • Saturday : 34 degrees; cloudy
  • Sunday : 30 degrees; cloudy.  Snow started at noon with 30+ mph winds.
  • Monday : 18 degrees; clear.
  • Very dry
  • Big change this year with the Shaft drive area across the river completely clear cut.
Stands:
  • Auto – BAR
  • Nub Buck – Azz Kicker
  • Smokey – Viewing Hut
  • Giggles – The Junction
  • Drewstain – Old Viewing Hut
  • Puker/Sloppy – God Stand
  • Special K – Turnip Hut
  • Horseshoe – Saddle on Theiler Lease
  • Junior – Tree House on Theiler Lease
  • Warson – Ladder Stand on Theiler Lease
  • Boobie – Trail Stand on Theiler Lease  (NEED A NAME FOR THIS)
Deer:
  • Giggles – 7 pointer from PRT drive
  • Sloppy – Doe from Shaft drive
  • Horseshow – Doe from PHead drive
Total Deer Seen : 13 Notes:
  • Friday: Group met at the Up Nort’ pub to welcome Warson’s brother Boobie and enjoy some pre-hunt smart talk.  Boobie was very quickly renamed to Tittie.  Continued to Boomba Bar for traditional dinner.  Tittie served as this year’s CB, but we are unsure if he meets the standard/quality of previous CBs.  The annual ritual of Wine, the Brine, or the Nut included some prizes of T-shirts (which had sayings such as “Bad Spellers Untie”).  Junior reveals to group that he HAS passed hunter safety….a surprise to most.  It is still unclear if he actually buys a license.  Unfortunately, Uncle Dennis passes away and Big Al needed to go home.
  • Saturday : Drove Old #1 north.  One doe kicks south at start of drive and Special K has trigger lock.  For future years, put last poster on the main trail that goes south. Old #2/Glove Box Buck drive; no deer.  Of note: need to ensure one of the drivers covers the mound area between the two swamps(we failed on this AGAIN this year).  Little Big Drive; no deer.  Sauna Drive; no deer. PRT drive : Sloppy(driver) sees a doe that kicks to the south.  Giggles shoots the hind legs and the front ankle off a nice 7 pointer that was “walking fast” on the trail in front of him in the climber.  Took two kill shots to actually finish him off.  He also misses a doe. Celebrations begin!  In future years, it would be good to have 4 posters (bear den, 2 climbers along main trail, and one climber near the road).  Plantation; no deer.
    • BAR-0 deer
    • Azz Kicker-0 deer
    • Viewing Hut-0 deer
    • Old Viewing Hut-0 deer
    • Junction-0 deer
    • Turnip hut-0 deer
    • God Stand-0 deer
    • Tree House-0 deer
    • Ladder Stand-3 doe seen
    • Saddle Stand-1 doe seen
    • Trail Stand – 0 deer
  • Headed back to cabin for the annual excellent venison feed.  Big celebration with cigars around the campfire to celebrate Giggle’s buck.
  • Sunday :  Gate-to-Gate drive; 1 deer kicked south and a doe and buck kicked east over the trail; no shots.  New shaft drive: Doe kicks past Warson(misses!) and Sloppy unzips the stomach out of it.  It runs west towards PHead and beds down.  Ultimately, crosses river during (Phead drive) and mercifully dies trying to get up the big ridge.  Puker and Sloppy have fun pulling the harvest up the 75 degree angle of the ridge. Phead drive; Horseshoe shoots doe from Pine stand.   Waterlog; no deer(disappointing since it was such a dry year).  Due to super high winds, the group decide not to sit for the evening and instead did the receiver drive.  No deer.
  • Headed back to cabin and celebrate Sloppy’s first kill with some Old Milwaukee Light, Coors Light, and church wine.
  • Monday : East river drive north: no deer (not worth doing this again in future years).  The Bronto: no deer.  PTR drive: no deer.  Redemption: 0 deer.  Old Number 1: 0 deer.
    • Azz Kicker-0 deer
    • Junction-0 deer
    • Tree House-0 deer
    • Trail Stand-0 deer

2022

Weather:
  • Saturday : 15 degrees; 4 inches of snow on ground; breezy; periods of sun and snow
  • Sunday : 4 degrees (warmed to 24 degress); Sunny.
  • Monday : 18 degrees; cloudy
Deer Harvested:
  • Auto – Doe from Bronto
  • Warson – Six pointer from Scrape Ridge
Total Deer Seen : 38 Notes:
  • Friday: Group met at Big Al’s cabin around 5:30 to unpack gear and plan for the slaughter.  Much hydration was required, so the crew hung out for some time.  Continued to Boomba Bar for traditional dinner of awesomeness.  New member joined this year : Warson’s soon-to-be son-in-law, Joel.  He served as CB.  The CB Hall-of-Famer Sir Awesome showed him the ropes.  The annual ritual of Wine, the Brine, or the Nut continued as normal. The annual debate of whether gorilla nutz are pure heaven or nasty dirt piles continued as normal.  Junior and Nubber’s heart rate increase by 10 beats per minute for every round they don’t exit. Group surprised Horseshoe with “Who Has Two Thumbs” blaze orange t-shirts.
  • Saturday : Drove Old #1 north.  Joel opens case and finds that he brought his .22 instead of deer rifle.  Moron.  Will cost him extra trips to beer fridge.  Nicknamed “Jimmy 22”.  One doe kicks south and Drippy has trigger lock.  Glove Box Buck drive; one deer kicks east off of mound south of swamp.  Bronto : Auto shoots doe.  We found out later that we kicked up an 8 pointer south of the drive and was shot by another hunter in the ridge east of the river.  Lucky bastard.  PRT: Six pointer kicks west right at beginning of drive but couldn’t get shot off because of house in way.  May want to consider having road driver walk ahead of other drivers OR have a poster halfway down the road.  Receiver : no deer.  NOTE: no sign again in Receiver this year.  Not worth the effort in future years.
  • Headed back to cabin where Big Al made great lunch of biscuits and gravy!  In stands by 2:30.
    • BAR – 0 deer
    • Buck Scrape – 0 deer
    • Azz Kicker – 0 deer
    • Das Boot – 2 doe seen
    • Viewing Hut – 1 doe seen
    • Junction – 0 deer
    • God Stand – 0 deer
    • Tree House – 0 deer
    • Ladder Stand – 2 doe seen
    • Saddle Stand – 2 doe seen
    • Titties Tent – 0 deer
    • Scrape Ridge – 0 deer
  • Cabin time for the annual venison feast (over 10 lbs of meat cooked and consumed!).  Wine, brine, and nut ensue.
  • Sunday :  Gate2Gate drive; no deer, but LOTS of sign.  New shaft drive; no deer. Phead drive; Fumando misses doe.  One other doe crosses river.  Waterlog; one small doe crosses river by cabin south of Auto’s place.  Next year, need to ensure we spread far enough east on drive to cover ridges and low lands.  Have 4 posters and have the rest be drivers.  HeHe drive (named because Junior take a hit in the batteries while driving through thick brush; he sounded like Michael Jackson).  Drippy missed doe crossing road to east because “it was going Mach 80” (which is 80 times the speed of sound or 60,880 mph).  Two other doe kick southeast past last poster.  In future years, no need to drive really dense thicket just east of road.  Also, have drivers spread all the way east to the swamp and push south the the big curve.  Maybe have one driver walk the swamp edge OR have a poster there to cover deer crossing swamp to east.
  • Headed back to cabin where Big Al made lunch of eggs and pancakes.  In stands by 2:30.
    • Buck Scrape – 3 doe seen
    • Azz Kicker – 0 deer
    • Das Boot – 1 doe wounded by Big Al (not recovered)
    • Viewing Hut – 1 doe seen
    • God Stand – 4 deer seen
    • Ladder Stand – 2 doe seen
    • Saddle Stand – 0 deer
    • Titties Tent – 0 deer
    • Scrape Ridge – 6 pointer harvested by Warson; 2 other doe seen
  • Headed back to cabin for hot chili, pheasant poppers, and smart talk…and, of course, wine, brine, and nut.  Junior eats a sliver of nut and nearly vomits.  Giggles sips on a whiskey and is named Sir Winsdor (to be spoken with a heavy English accent).
  • Monday : Bronto; no deer.  Bronto north to river bend; poster sees deer in brush by river before drive begins.  Next year, need to have drivers spread east farther.  Gate2Gate; no deer.  HeHe drive; no deer.  PRT; no deer.
    • Azz Kicker – 3 doe seen<
    • Das Boot – 1 doe seen
    • Buck Scrape – 0 deer seen
    • God Stand – 0 deer
    • Titties Tent – 5 deer seen
    • Scrape Ridge- 0 deer

2023

Weather:
  • Saturday : 48 degrees; sunny and dry
  • Sunday : 45 degrees; sunny and dry
  • Monday : 40 degrees; cloudy
Deer Harvested:
  • Auto – Doe from Bronto, Spiker from Ladder Stand, Eight pointer from Ladder Stand
  • Warson – Three pointer from Bronto, Eight pointer from Stand To Be Named Later
  • Junior – Spiker from Tree House
  • Sloppy Rye – Baby dog from Radish Hut
Total Deer Seen : 33
Notes:
  • Friday: Auto, Warson, and Titties begin weekend adventure at Tomahawk Vennie feed and proceed to traverse the countryside searching for the elusive whitetail.  Most met up finally at Boomba for dinner around 8pm.  Fumando arrived in Madison from Charleston, SC on his donkey around 7pm and Junior drove him the rest of the way (arrival time of 10pm).  Giggles arrives around 1:30am due to work on his deer corn pile.  A new CB arrived again this year: TACO!  He did fairly well with training from the CB GOAT: Sir Drippy.  However, Taco was a bit too aggressive on re-hydration as he would bring beers TOO fast.  Grasshopper will learn in future years.  The annual ritual of Wine, the Brine, or the Nut continued as normal.  Junior and Taco were among the losers and both nearly lost their cookies when eating a nut.  Another twist was that fourth place got to choose what the loser would eat : a nut or a pickled beet (both equally nasty).  “Winner” gifts of Old Milwaukee T-Shirts and calendars of “Dogs Pooping In Beautiful Places” were provided.  Taco and Titties awarded their official RBL hunting caps.
  • Saturday : Drove Old #1 north.  Three doe kick south but Warson couldn’t get off a shot.  Glove Box Buck drive; one four pointer (Giggle declares it a huge buck) kicks south, but sees Warson’s fat ass on the ridge and cuts back north between the drivers.  Next year, have 5 posters all on the road and ensure one is on each side of the mound.  Have the last poster to the east quietly walk into the swamp about 80 yards so that shots can be made if deer kicks east. Bronto : Doe licks Taco’s gun barrel, but no shots fired.  Giggle misses twice (again) and runs north.  Auto is backstop and shoots the doe.  Three pointer kicks across river.  Giggles actually hits it (after missing first) but woefully shoots the front knee off of it.  Warson finishes it off.  Next year, have one poster on west side of river to cover it in case deer cross (which seems to happen often).  Leave that poster there for the PRT drive as well.  PRT: no deer.
  • Headed back to cabin for lunch.  In stands by 2:30.
    • Das Boot – 0 deer
    • Prom Stand – 0 deer
    • Junction – 0 deer
    • God Stand – 0 deer
    • Radish Hut – 0 deer
    • Tree House – Spiker killed (Junior’s First Buck!)
    • Ladder Stand – 2 doe seen
    • Saddle Stand – 0 deer
    • Titties Tent – 1 buck seen (no shots)
    • Stand To Be Named Later – 3 doe seen; Eight pointer killed.
    • Waterlog Stand – 0 deer<
    • Bow Stand (across river) – 0 deer.
  • Cabin time for the annual venison festival (over 10 lbs of meat cooked and consumed!).  Wine, brine, and nut ensue.  Beautiful night with campfire and cigars to celebrate 4 deer harvested on first day!
  • Sunday :  New shaft drive; 1 deer kicked, but no shots. Phead drive; Spiker kicks east and both Gajewski brothers miss.  Two small doe kicked.  Taco unable to see one of them which was standing 20 yards from him.  Horseshoe yells to him to shoot, but he doesn’t.  Moron.  Waterlog drive; Posters kicks a 4 pointer out when setting up, but Sloppy Rye has trigger lock.  No other deer seen.  Need to re-evaluate how to do these drives next year.  Perhaps drive the Waterlog south so we don’t kick deer to neighbors.  Probably could have one poster sneak in on south edge of ridge to cover both the river and the ridge.  HeHe drive; 3 doe seen; no shots.
  • Headed back to cabin where Big Al made lunch of eggs and biscuits/gravy.  In stands by 2:30.
    • Das Boot – 0 deer
    • Prom Stand – 0 deer
    • Junction – 0 deer
    • God Stand – 0 deer
    • Radish Hut – 1 bambi killed
    • Tree House -0 deer
    • Ladder Stand -0 deer
    • Saddle Stand – 0 deer
    • Titties Tent – 0 deer
    • Scrape Ridge – 0 deer
    • Stand To Be Named Later – 0 deer
  • Headed back to cabin for hot chili, smart talk, lots of hydration…and, of course, wine, brine, and nut.  Windsor was well served this night and games of Shit On Your Neighbor ensued.
  • Monday : Due to the 5 deer already harvested and being overserved the night prior, the group decided to withhold on the hunt.  Went to TFR for breakfast and then butchered two of the deer.
    • Tree House – 0 deer
    • Ladder Stand – Spiker killed; Eight pointer killed
    • Titties Tent – 0 deer
    • Scrape Ridge – 0 deer
    • Stand To Be Named Later – 3 doe seen

2024

Weather:
  • Saturday : 30 degrees; cloudy in morning; sunny in afternoon; dry
  • Sunday : 32 degrees; cloudy; dry
  • Monday : 32 degrees; cloudy; 1 inch of fresh snow
Deer Harvested:
  • Auto – Four pointer from Junction
  • Giggles – Spiker from Scrape Ridge
  • Cade with a K – Doe from God Stand
  • Titties – Seven pointer from Titties Tent
Total Deer Seen : 35
Notes:
  • Friday: Auto, Warson, Titties, Giggles, and Big Al begin weekend adventure at Tomahawk Vennie feed (odd, because it turns out there isn’t actually any food there) and proceed to Pickles and then Swamp Lake.  Horseshoe and Nubber show up at Swamp Lake to join the festivities while Junior waits for Fumando at the Mosinee airport (It is unclear if Fumando is coming in from South Carolina or Mexico).  Headed over to Boomba for dinner around 8pm.  Unfortunately, the place is jammed, so head back to the cabin to eat.  Horseshoe makes pheasant poppers for the group along with plenty of other food that member brought.  Cade with a K is a new member this year and directed to read Rookie Rules to understand his responsibilities.  He starts out pretty slow, but does pick it up by weekend end.  Drippy shows him the way.  The annual ritual of Wine, the Brine, or the Nut is completed.  It was a special year at River Buck Lodge as two members were promoted to Senior this year : Warson and Junior!  Both need to complete the Senior Member initiation proceedings as defined in the Rookie Rules section.  Warson completes the task with no issue; Junior vomits (a bit) but powers through eating the nut which was then covered in his own vomit.  Impressive.  A celebratory Shot-Ski is complete once the initiation is complete.  Nubber is awarded a pink Twisted Tea cap for drinking the lamest beverage at camp.  Auto presents impressive RBL coasters (crappy ones for junior members and awesome ones for Senior Members).
  • Saturday : Drove PRT.  Two doe kicked out west before the drive even began.  Two more doe kicked west during the drive; no shots.  Attempted to do Bronto (keeping Auto on the west side of the river), but a hunter was sitting on the ridge so plan was aborted.  Drove Old #1 south all the way to the creek.  No deer.  Glove Box Buck drive.  No deer.  Tags drive.  No deer.  Big Al sees nice buck in Viewing Hut, but bullet was not properly seated in the chamber.  Boo…..
  • Headed back to cabin for great lunch of Biscuits and Gravy as provided by Big Al.  In stands by 2:30.
    • Junction – four pointer killed
    • God Stand – 2 doe seen
    • Radish Hut – 1 doe seen
    • Tree House –  0 deer
    • Azz Kicker – 3 doe seen
    • Ladder Stand – 0 deer
    • Saddle Stand – 0 deer
    • Titties Tent – 0 deer
    • Hwy 51 Stand –  0 deer
    • Scrape Ridge – Spiker killed
    • Viewing Hut –  0 deer
  • Cabin time for the annual venison festival (14 lbs of venison, 4 lbs of mushrooms, 4 lbs of onion, and copiuos amount of butter)….amazing!  Wine, brine, and nut ensue along with many laughs (and beers)
  • Sunday :  Gate2Gate Phase 1 (posted walk up road and go in by big red pine on road); no deer.  Gate2Gate Phase 2 (push north to trail); no deer.  Shaft drive; 1 deer kicked, but no shots. Phead drive; no deer.  Waterlog drive; no deer.  HeHe drive.  Cade with a K (as a driver) decides to both walk at twice the speed of the other drivers AND go east instead of south.  He DEFINITELY is related to Drippy.  Moron.  One tiny doe seen.
  • Headed back to cabin for lunch of eggs and sandwiches.  In stands by 2:15.
    • Junction – 0 deer
    • God Stand – 0 deer
    • Radish Hut – 0 deer
    • Tree House –  0 deer
    • Azz Kicker – 2 doe seen
    • Ladder Stand – 2 doe seen
    • Saddle Stand – 0 deer
    • Titties Tent – 0 deer
    • Hwy 51 Stand –  0 deer
    • Scrape Ridge – 1 doe seen
    • Viewing Hut –  0 deer
  • Headed back to cabin for spicy chili, smart talk, lots of hydration, wine, brine, and nut, as well as other dice games.  Windsor was consumed in mass quantities.
  • Monday : Bronto; 0 deer.  Plantation; 0 deer.  Receiver; 2 doe kick back between drivers.  Two more deer kick up to the crotch tree.  This was perfect because it is where Auto told the posters to sit!  Unfortunately, the posters were morons and did not put anyone there.  No shots.
    • God Stand – 6 doe seen
    • Tree House –  0 deer
    • Azz Kicker – 3 doe seen
    • Titties Tent – Seven pointer killed
    • Hwy 51 Stand –  1 doe seen
    • Scrape Ridge – 0 deer
    • Viewing Hut –  0 deer