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Salute to Mark and Vince Pierleoni


Reel Doc

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This article came out Sunday in our area newspaper, The Fingerlakes Times.  Hope you all can zoom in well enough to read it, but if not, perhaps you fellas who created this story can give us the details.

My congratulations to Mark and Vince as well as Jonathan Forder.  It's no coincidence that great things happen when fishermen work together.  An early Happy Thanksgiving to you all!

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11 hours ago, Reel Doc said:
This article came out Sunday in our area newspaper, The Fingerlakes Times.  Hope you all can zoom in well enough to read it, but if not, perhaps you fellas who created this story can give us the details.
My congratulations to Mark and Vince as well as Jonathan Forder.  It's no coincidence that great things happen when fishermen work together.  An early Happy Thanksgiving to you all!
15748245645138026498313548656400.thumb.jpg.a1aac54a7430e802fda58f9937998740.jpg

Absolutely one of the greatest highlights of my years of deer hunting. Those that know my brother understand that he is limited to hunting from a wheelchair. If it rains or snows he gets a lap full. We are limited to areas we can get a truck or my utv into. I scored last Saturday so Mark and I already had an all day sit planned for today- rut timing and perfect cold snap. 2 days ago we got a text from Jonathan Forder, asking how Marks hunting season was going. When he invited us to spend our day together at one of his spots I jumped at it, as we have been enduring some trespassers ruining hunts lately. It takes alot of prep and work for Mark to hunt, and for todays all dayer he got up at 230am. We sat from before daybreak until 330pm before we saw our first deer. Shortly after this beautiful buck cautiously snuck in, looking very uneasy at one point due to the newly placed blind. Once the bucks thoughts turned to does again he gave Mark a 37 yd shot and he made it count. To be able to be there with him when it all came together is a memory I will never forget! It is one of his best deer of his life, and definitely the best one since he got his wheels. We both feel very grateful and blessed to have friends share their access to get close to these amazing animals.

The above post was originally written Nov 8.
Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

Edited by Capt Vince Pierleoni
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Thanks for the kind words Reel Doc. The best people I have ever met have been anglers and hunters. I originally wrote the above post on Nov 8th, the day Mark took his crossbow deer. Unless someone has seen what he has to go through to spend a day hunting it's hard to truly appreciate how awesome the whole experience was. 

I can say it's the first time I have sat by anyones side as they have let an arrow or bolt fly. There was some interesting convo that went on. At first I could not see the deer and did not want to blow it peering around his front window. After the Buck got done staring us down, he went back to his fast rut walk--I reminded Mark to aim low and told him I would stop him. As soon as he hit an opening I mouth grunted(Mark said later it sounded like a lost lamb) and he seemed to stare through the back of our heads. Mark let it fly and I could tell by the bucks sprint it was solid. I said excitingly--"you smoked him!"  His reply was "really?"  I gave him a 1 arm hug and waited a bit before looking for sign. Our host Jon Forder must've jumped out of his tree stand across the road as he was there before I recovered the deer. Very little blood as he caught part of front shoulder but Buck was only about 50 yds from impact location. 

Ironically Mark followed this up with a rifle buck he took on opening day. He was invited to a special hunt for handicap hunters by a generous owner of a large land tract. I don't know all the names but another fisherman and hunter Richard Brant helped organize the volunteer helpers that sit with each hunter and help them retrieve their game if needed.

Mark called me that night and said, "its my first two buck season of my life!" My own gun season hasn't gone so well but needless to say my season is already made. Thanks to all that have helped me with Mark this season and in the past.     

Edited by Capt Vince Pierleoni
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Truly touching. It is also a very inspiring example of what being brothers and true friends is all about in sharing life experiences:yes:

Edited by Sk8man
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Please tell your brother Im thrilled for him, and congratulations to you as well!  I know exactly how hard you to have to work for just 1 watch... hunting with him was very humbling and really put things in perspective.  When hunting is tough I often think of how hard you 2 have to work.  It can't tell you enough how happy I am he scored with his bow!

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6 hours ago, justtracytrolling said:

Please tell your brother Im thrilled for him, and congratulations to you as well!  I know exactly how hard you to have to work for just 1 watch... hunting with him was very humbling and really put things in perspective.  When hunting is tough I often think of how hard you 2 have to work.  It can't tell you enough how happy I am he scored with his bow!

Justin you will probably see us again. Us not coming that way for a few years was more the distance of travel and Mark had some significant health issues due to his condition. Last fall he was finally good to go again. As you saw, EVERYTHING has to be thought out and preplanned--especially on a road trip with a few nites stay. Sleeping accommodations, bathroom access and of course the in and out of the rugged country. We both enjoyed hunting with you and appreciated your efforts. We just hit a merciless hot spell and lots of standing corn. Hope you had a great season with the Tigers and your hunting has been going well. Happy Thanksgiving.

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Really had things dialed last year, but much tougher this year with all the mast.  I'm still on the same buck...I've seen him twice this season...he is 6 1/2 now.  I have a proper spot now where I have a heatable blind with tinted windows that is just light enough to set right over mark.  I can drive my bad boy buggy in electric right to it.  Need to put in a new camp hopefully this summer and I'll be set up.  Believe me it's a goal of mine to get him on some deer!  Tiger musky fishing this year was ridiculous especially numbers and walleye was great till July.  Even got into some 6-8 lb browns...yeah I know half the size of the fish you put me on lol!  Happy Thanksgiving to you as well!

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