Harvey Rainbolt

May 7th, 2021

Like many people I have talked myself out of using an outfitter over the years because I thought I would leave disappointed and feeling like I had wasted time and money. Well… with much encouragement from my wife we decided to go to Harpoles Heartland Lodge in early November 2020. We are both in the medical field and were WAY over due for a vacation thanks to COVID. I was to hunt for 6 days while she rested and enjoyed being away from the hospital. To say Harpoles was amazing is an understatement! My wife and I were made welcome by the staff and within a short time we all knew each other’s names and felt like friends. The accommodations were fantastic. Clean and cozy with everything you would want for a comfortable stay. Each meal served was excellent and absolutely more than enough. Even the lunch sent with me to the field was delicious and plentiful. All of these things are why we will be returning soon! I will not be concerned that I may be wasting my money.! As far my time … it was absolutely perfect! It rarely happens that you are in the right place at the right time but when it does WOW.! The evening we arrived I was introduced to my guide Zach. After orientation he asked my preference of stand type. My reply was… put me in a place that you would go if you were hunting in the morning. Zach did just that. Now I have hunted for 40+yrs and have taken some very nice bucks but only two times now have I had the “Perfect Morning “. After getting settled in a lock on and daylight started to break a very nice 8pt chased a mature doe right by me. Soon after the woods were alive with deer. Some does but mostly young bucks with good potential. For a short time things got dead still, then I hear movement with deep guttural grunts. Yep.. a mature buck with a great rack. The buck did everything you could possibly want, he grunted, trashed a large bush, snort wheezed at another buck and then presented a broadside 20 yard shot! I look at my watch and it’s 0820 on day 1 and I have 150” buck on the ground!!! Doesn’t get much better than that right?! Wrong… the rest of our stay was the most relaxing vacation my wife and I ever had. The proprietor Gary Harpole loaned me his personal shotgun and we hunted quail and pheasant! My guide Rod was a real joy to hunt with. He had fantastic dogs that worked well together. I hunted deer also the rest of the week because I have dreamed of Pike County since childhood. I saw lots of deer and other wildlife and even saw a buck bigger than the one I took. He better look out in 2021. Thanks to Gary, Zach and all our new friends at Harpoles Heartland Lodge . We will be back!! Harvey – November 2020

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