"PAGE THREE" of the latest pictures & news from our staff:

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Click here for "PAGE FOUR" of our new pics and news...

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February 14, 2005
by Valley Creek Staff

Here are some pictures from our last group of the season.  We hosted hunters from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana & South Carolina.

'Couple of nice bucks were taken, and we had a lot of fun.  Most of these guys were repeat visitors with us, so it was good to see them again.

The Louisiana bunch spent about as much time cooking as they did hunting.  Jambalaya, Etouffee, Gumbo...all homemade and unbelievably good.

For a great report on the last hunt from ALDeer's Brody Joe, click here...Final Four.

It was another great season.  We met a lot of new friends and got to see a lot of old ones.  We're already scheming on next season and how we can make the experience even better.  Keep an eye on the website.  We'll be posting news and pics as they come.
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January 24, 2005
by Mike Cutler

We had a great couple of groups in this weekend.  Several nice bucks were taken, including a big twelve-point and a good nine-point. 

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January 21, 2005
by Bucky Henson

I've been out of town for a few days, but Mike, our guides & guests have been busy the last week or so.

Here are some pics of some nice deer taken since last Friday.

This hunter came in with a group from Tennessee.  He started out with this nice eight-point...

Then, he finished up his trip with this ten-point...

Another couple of bucks taken during the week.  A big cull buck and a nice six-point...

We also had a group in from Pennsylvania.  This group also had some success...

Here are some really nice bucks taken by a group from Northeast Florida and North Carolina...

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January 12, 2005
by Mike Cutler

Here's a nice buck taken by one of our young hunters yesterday afternoon.  There is an exciting story that goes along with this hunt, and, in the end, the young hunter made a good shot.  The deer did make its way into the woods.  Once again, Molly saved the day (or the night, really) by tracking the deer for us. 

Nice whitetail.  This buck went well over two hundred pounds (he literally broke the scale) and was ninety-six inches long.  The rack is big & heavy (the pictures are good, but you should see it in person).

A proud father...

"Thanks, Molly girl..."

Looks like we need a new scale!


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January 9, 2005
by Bucky Henson

Yesterday was a productive day at Valley Creek Outdoors.  The first three shots below are of a nice buck taken late in the afternoon. 

This is a really nice, pretty rack.  The hunter made a great shot on this buck.  Guide Will Roberts' yellow lab, Belle, tracked the buck for us.

Further down, you'll see a buck taken yesterday morning.

I told you they were experts...

On down the page, you'll see that I named these two a "panel of experts."  This young hunter from North Carolina took this big, heavy buck this morning with an expert shot.  That's his brother with him on the right. 

Next is a shot of the whole proud North Carolina family group.

Some guy we don't know jumped in this picture on the right.

Guide Robbie Howard with the young hunter...

"Couldn't have done better myself."



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January 7, 2005
by Bucky Henson

We have a couple of great groups in this weekend.  This gentleman from North Georgia took a nice buck this morning. 

Molly (pictured in the second photograph with the rest of the hunter's group), did her usual stellar job of tracking the buck for us - about a hundred yards into the woods. 

That's guide Will Roberts in the third picture with the hunter.

Our panel of experts from North Carolina discussing the morning hunt...

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January 5, 2005
by Mike Cutler

These hunters from Florida took a couple of nice bucks.  This was a great group who we hope to have with us again in the future.

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January 4, 2005
by Mike Cutler

Mom, send money.  We're staying.

Yesterday, this young hunter's big brother (pictured on the left) got his first deer.  Today was this big man's turn.  Another good shot on this buck...

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January 3, 2005
by Bucky Henson

It didn't take long to get the new year started out.  We're always glad to see a young hunter bag his first deer.  The young man on the right in this photo made a fine shot on this buck this morning...

"I'm next..."

Sunrise this morning at Valley Creek...

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December 31, 2004
by Valley Creek Staff

Well, we finally got around to looking over the responses to our August 9th giveaway:  "The Talking Deer Picture Caption."

Here is a sampling of the best responses:

"Eat more chicken!!!"

"Eat up Cletus, in a couple of months we won't be able to get this kind of grub."

"Needs a little salt!"

"Is this low carb?"

"That was sure a nice turkey that Mr. C.E. shot this year!  I hope he can't shoot that well with a deer rifle."

"Baaaaaaaaaaaama"

And, our favorite:

"The paparazzi is starting early this year, maybe we should find a more secluded place to eat!"

Thanks to all who sent in a response.  If we have your mailing address, we'll be sending you a gift.

Safe & Happy New Year, everyone.
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December 30, 2004
by Valley Creek Staff

Hello, everyone.  Hope you're having a great Christmas season.  We're sorry for the extended lapse in updates.  We've been really busy hunting and finishing out the new lodge.  We've also had some office staff out for various reasons, so it's been a little wild around here.  There's a lot to report, so we'll get started.

You'll see a lot of pictures here of several groups that we've had in since the end of November.  Several good bucks have been taken.  SEVERAL have been seen and, in some cases, had shots attempted on them, but they haven't made it to the cleaning shed, yet.  In all cases, we've had a lot of fun and fellowship.  We've enjoyed seeing old friends and making new ones.

In the next day or so, we'll post pictures of the new lodge, which is all but finished.

The first few pics are of a nice buck taken late yesterday afternoon by one of our hunters from Northwest Florida.

On this same trip, we had another young hunter enjoy the thrill of her first fruitful hunt.

We had a big family group in just before Christmas.  The young hunter in the middle got his first, too.

A proud grandfather...

And, in the group before that, another first.

This group of three from North Florida was here in the middle of December.  This was a fun, knowledgeable group.  We had a great time hosting them.

We were also joined by another hunter (on the right) from South Georgia who had some success...

Following are a few scenes from the annual ALDeer.com hunt.  ALDeer is a great website devoted to whitetail enthusiasts in and around Alabama. 

Joining us from ALDeer were (by their ALDeer handles) Bronco74, Brody Joe, 10Gauge, Couchtater, Bamabug, Ennodel and Bo.

Also on that hunt, we had a group from South Florida.  One of the Floridians is training in Pensacola to fly fighters for the U. S. Navy.  It was a great week for us.

Guide David Raney, deep in thought before a hunt...

Actually, Brody Joe is a real pleasure to have with us.  He's also the official traveling photojournalist for the ALDeer website. 

Bronco74 & Brody Joe have helped us tremendously in getting our name out there on ALDeer (they've been here twice).  Bamabug and Ennodel are another couple of two-timers, er, that is to say, they've each been here twice, as well.  They always have good things to say, too.

We get a lot of support from these guys and other ALDeer friends on and off of the ALDeer board, and we really appreciate it.  We encourage any ALDeer members (present & future) to make an effort to go to one of these hunts (our friends at Cedar Creek also host ALDeer hunts).  You won't regret it for a minute.

Click this link to see Brody Joe's report from the hunt on the ALDeer website:  ALDeer Hunt No. 2.

Oh, yeah, and we did have some success in the field with this group...

Next, we have some pics from a terrific group from Louisiana who were here the first week of December.  We had a super time hosting them.

This nine-point is one of the best bucks we've taken the last few years, as you can see.  Good mass and a really wide spread.

As we said, this was a great group.  You should've seen their ride when they pulled in...

Finally, here, we have some pics from the opening weekend of gun season in November.  These guys, from Florida, have become really great friends over the last year-plus.  If you have time, go to the early part of Page Two of the updates, and you'll see a couple of great bucks that these guys took home with them last year.

This year, the weather didn't work out as well as last.  Still, this group took a few animals and had another great time, and we had another great time with them.  We think we may be taking a trip in the spring to enjoy some fishing & fine dining with them (if they'll have us!).

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November 8, 2004
by Mike Cutler

We had our first big group of bow hunters in this weekend.  The weather broke off cold the day they arrived - perfect!  It was a successful weekend.  We had five hunters - all of whom took at least one deer.  All in all, we took eight does and two bucks - including a nice ten-point that you'll see in the last two photos.

Everyone saw a lot of deer, including several shooter bucks that weren't close enough for a shot with the bows.  Several of these guys have already booked for next year.

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November 8, 2004
by Bucky Henson

Here are some pics from the weekend.  The first two shots are of our new lodge addition.  We hope to have it ready by Thanksgiving.  Easily sleeping nine, It'll really help us keep our guests comfortable.

Here are some shots from around the lodge this weekend.  This first pic is of Mike and some of our guests around the cleaning shed after another successful morning.

Next door, at historic Kenan's Mill (a nineteenth century grist mill located adjacent to Valley Creek Outdoors' lodge), was the third annual Kenan's Mill Fall Festival & Bluegrass Event.  The weather was perfect.  There was a great crowd, great food & great music.

Kenan's Mill and the surrounding twelve or so acres were donated to the Selma & Dallas County Historic Society by Mrs. Elizabeth Kenan Buchanan and her husband, the late Wallace A. Buchanan.

Driven by a water turbine, the grist mill has been restored and is operational, with the ability to grind corn into meal.  The mill and its grounds are under continuing restoration by the Historic Society and, in addition to serving as an ideal venue for art & music festivals, provide a unique glimpse into the rich history of Selma and Dallas County, Alabama.

The mill and grounds are available for tours throughout the year.  For more information about Kenan's Mill, click here:  Kenan's Mill.

One morning last week, Lacy Kendrick, our head forester and I were talking in my office when he pointed out the window and said, "Look at that!"  It was a doe with a nursing fawn right behind our office.  Kind of hard to see the fawn, but it's there.

Also, last week, I slipped out one more time to see if I could catch anything on video.  Saw about six does and maybe five bucks in the half hour or so that I was out there.  Most of what I saw was after it was too dark to video.  I did get these two young bucks on film, though.



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November 5, 2004
by Bucky Henson

I slipped out the back door of the office late yesterday with the camcorder and walked down to one of the fields.  It was just before dark when I got in the box, so I didn't have much time.  I did see this nice young buck.  There were also about ten does running around out in the field playing, eating, and such.

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October 16, 2004
by Wallace Henson

Yesterday was the first day of bow season.  It was a cool Friday afternoon - really nice.  I took the video camera out to one of the food plots.  My buddy Heath brought along his bow in the hope that a nice doe might come ambling by.  We didn't get an opportunity for a shot, but we saw a lot of deer (beginning about five minutes after dad dropped us off in the stand), and we were able to get some good video footage.  You'll see a couple of nice bucks - including one nice eight-point.  Also, you'll see one of the many does that we saw and, yes, the first armadillo of the season.

By the way, we're soon going to post the responses to the August 9th, "What was this deer saying?" giveaway.  If you want to get in on the giveaway, check out the August 9th posting on this page, and send us an email reply in the next few days.  A special thanks to all who have sent us a guess.  We've really enjoyed them all.

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October 14, 2004
by John Burnham

Here are some stills from some video that I shot last week in one of the green fields on the King Place.  You'll see a few good bucks - a nice, young eight-point and a really good nine-point with good mass & width on him.  'Saw plenty of deer.  

I also took the camera one evening this week to a green field on the Kenan Place where we had been seeing a particularly nice buck.  I was able to watch the buck through some brush for a while, but due to the thickness of the brush and the dimness of the late afternoon light, I couldn't get him on video.  He's a man, though.  'Hope you enjoy the pics.

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October 5, 2004
by Bucky Henson

The following pictures were taken during the Hurricane Ivan period (September 16 - 22, 2004 or so).  Couple of nice deer in these shots.  As for the storm, we came out of it in pretty good shape.  A few trees are down here and there, but it could've been a lot worse.  We feel, really feel for those hardest hit by this storm and the other storms this season.

We're working on our new lodge addition.  We'll have some pics of that after it gets framed in.

Our calendar is really filling up now.  We expect to have three more dates filled within the next day or two.  Please give us a call soon if you'd like to hunt with us this year.

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August 27, 2004
by Bucky Henson

The following pictures were taken over the last week or so at one of our feeders.  There are a couple of nice bucks & a good many does.  You may see a spike or two in the mix as well. 

We've booked a few more hunts, so don't wait to call for your reservation.  Particularly, note the father/son & ladies-only hunts in December and the first hunt in January.  These are all good openings that have slots available.

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August 13, 2004
by Hunter Henson

We got a few more pics for you over the last few days.  We count a total of four bucks of different ages and some does.  The biggest buck appears to be a nice nine-point.

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August 10, 2004
by Valley Creek Staff

Here are a few pics from an iron clay pea patch & a corn field that we planted this summer.  In the close-ups, you can see that the deer have been active in the clay peas.

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August 9, 2004
by Mike Cutler

Here are a few pics from one of our digital game cams.  These pictures were taken over the last week or so at one of our feeders.  We count four bucks in these pictures.  There were also pictures of several does on the camera, of course. 

We're on the way to take some pictures of a few of our iron clay pea fields that have been getting hit pretty hard the last few weeks, just so you can see what some of that looks like. 

We had the pleasure of entertaining one of our hunter/friends who was passing through town last week.  I drove him around to show him all of the new work that we're doing this year.  He is already booked for this coming year, so he was excited to see what all is going on.

On the booking front, we're getting very full for January and beginning to book up November & December, so give us a call soon to book your hunt.

How about another giveaway?  Email us what you think this deer was saying (keep it family-rated).  We'll take the best responses and post them here (we won't post your names, though).  The best few responses will earn a free gift (so be sure to include your mailing address).



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July 22, 2004
by Valley Creek Staff

We booked up another weekend in January today.  We still have some January spots left and plenty of early-season slots open.  Give us a call with questions and/or to book a hunt.
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July 14, 2004
by Bucky Henson

We got in a couple of new digital game cams yesterday afternoon.  I put one of them next to a feeder on the property last night at about 7pm.  The camera took several photos, including these two showing what I believe are a young to young/mature buck in velvet and one doe.  We also got several other deer on camera.  Many were too dark to make out.  Hopefully, with these new cameras, we can continue to bring you some good shots.

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June 25, 2004
by Bucky Henson

Here are some pics from a few of our summer food plots.  These plots, along with our supplemental feed and the enhanced growth in the areas that we treated with Arsenal last fall, will ensure that our herd has plenty of nutrition this summer.  It's hard to tell from the pictures, but the growth in the fields is about five to seven feet tall in most spots right now.

An indigo bunting hanging out in the above field...

We have a bee hive in a generator storage unit behind our office.  Our friend, Dr. Todd Sherrer (recreational beekeeper), brought some of his equipment over to capture the hive.  Hey, something's gotta keep us entertained in the off-season.  We should have some honey in hand pretty soon.

We haven't had any luck taking pictures of live deer this summer, yet.  Wallace Henson jumped a couple of nice young bucks in velvet the other day on his way to sit in a box & take pictures.  He wasn't able to get the camera up in time to take the picture.  When he got to the field where the box is located, he jumped about ten or twenty deer.  Again, no pics.

Mike & I have both seen a few nice bucks over the last couple of weeks, also.
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June 22, 2004
by Mike Cutler

Make sure that you check out our "December Specials."  We have a "Ladies Only Hunt" and a "Father/Son Hunt" in the middle of December.  The rate for these hunts has been lowered to $300/day.  So, get up a group, and give us a call to book one of these great dates.
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June 22, 2004
by Bucky Henson

Our new brochure is now available in Adobe Acrobat format.  Click the following link to download the brochure.  You will need the Adobe Acrobat Reader (available from www.adobe.com) to view the file:

Valley Creek Brochure
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June 15, 2004
by Valley Creek Staff

Our "Reservations" page has just been updated to show what dates we have available for this coming deer season.

Of particular note is our "Ladies Only" and "Father/Son" hunts in December.  These are discounted hunts ($300 per day as opposed to the $400 per day regular price) for special groups.  Please call with any questions.

Our summer planting program is in full gear.  We'll have some "velvet" pics on here shortly.

Give us a call and book your hunt for next season!
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April 3, 2004
by Bucky Henson

Another good day.  The young hunter on the right in the first two pictures took this bird (his first) at around 6:00 this morning.  The young hunter/guide on the left called the bird in for him (his first bird to call in).  It was a great day for both of them.

They took the bird so early in the morning that the sun was shining directly in their faces when I took the pictures (about 6:30 in the morning).  It was a two-year-old bird with 1/2-inch spurs and a beard of about seven or eight inches.

You can really see one of the newly burned (controlled-burned) areas on the King Place in the first & third photos.  In a year or so, these areas will really open up to provide great deer & turkey habitat.




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March 28, 2004
by Valley Creek Staff

We had another successful turkey hunt the last few days.  This group of four included two couples.  The guys hunted and each took a bird.  The whole group spent a lot of time fishing, riding & just kind of hanging out.  They had great weather and a great time.  By the way, there's a little "trick" photography in one of these five photos.  Can you find it?  Email us at info@valleycreekoutdoors.com by the end of turkey season (April 30, 2004) if you see it & we'll send you a little gift (while supplies last).

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March 19, 2004
by Bucky Henson

Just a reminder that we'll begin taking new reservations April 1st.  Until then, we are offering last year's hunters their slot again for next year.
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March 18, 2004
by Bucky Henson

We bagged our first turkey today.  Mr. Rob Keck, the renowned outdoorsman from the National Wild Turkey Federation, called up this two-year old bird for one of our young hunters this morning.  It was an exciting hunt and a great first-turkey thrill for the young man.  The bird weighed 18 1/2 lbs. with 7/8-inch spurs.  His beard just did make 10 inches.

You'll also see pictured below Mike Cutler and Robby Howard, VCO guides. 

To the right in the final picture (in the blue NWTF shirt) is Jere Peak.  Jere is the incoming national president of the NWTF.  He also lives here in Selma and is a great friend of ours.  We have Jere to thank for having Mr. Keck stay with us.

For more information on the NWTF, you can follow this link:  National Wild Turkey Federation.

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March 18, 2004
by Mike Cutler

Spring is springing here.  Here's a pretty shot of the King Place pond taken today.

We're continuing to work hard on our habitat.  The following two pictures are of some areas that we control-burned this week.  We treated most of these areas with Arsenal last fall, and we got a good burn.  This treatment will greatly enhance the browse and, as a result, the carrying capacity of the land.

The treatment will also greatly enhance the timber growth for these areas.

We will have a group from the National Wild Turkey Federation in next month to discuss the treatment and to hunt turkeys.

After turkey season ends, we'll get back to our supplemental feeding program for the turkey and deer.

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