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Topic Archives => Memorable Hunts => Topic started by: stringstretcher on October 30, 2008, 08:39:00 PM
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my way. What an awesome day. Got home late last night and set the alarm for 4 AM. When I got up I had no idea what I had set the alarm so early for. Anyway, finally got my witts together (all two of them) and walked out on the back porch to check things out. Man,,,,,cold,,,,30 degrees......Do I really want to do this? After shivering for a few minutes, went down stairs to get things together, and headed for the shower with my Dead Down Winds bottle. MMMMMMMMM,,,,man did that hot water feel nice.....lol. Get out and put my underarmor on and head back down stairs to get the rest of my suite. Headed out and got in the truck,,,,frost,,,,,,mand do I really want to do this? Ok, off I go. Stop and get a big ole cup of coffed, and a hand full of napkins to put in my back pocket for safe keeping until later....I know it will happen as sure as the sun will come up. Nice 25 mile drive to my hunting spot,,what this...not a deer in the headlights.....man do I really want to do this? Get to the property and open the gate, drive in, close the gate and drive to my parking spot and sit. Still early,,,,6 Am. Look up at the stars and pause for a second to thank God for allowing me to enjoy another day surrounded by all his creations, and ask for his blessing during this hunt.
Ok, now 6:20 Am. Only about 200 yards to the "spot". Get my gear on and bow and back quiver on and off I go. Walk to the "spot" and find fresh activity, ground tore up, fresh piles from the night, and an odor that was not there before. Go over and get the leaves out of my sitting place and put one of my "incense" stick out and light it and settle down for what would be an awesome morning.
At first light, I hear the sounds of nature all around me. Even though I am 80 per cent death in my left ear and my suround sound does not work to well, I could hear them. Not knowing which way they were, but I could hear them. After watching my incense burn half way down, which usually last for an hour I hear the very very faint twig snap. Ok, surround sound, kick in please. I look forward, nothing but a friendly ole grey squirel on the groung. I shift my eyes to the left, nothing, I shift them to the right,,,awh,,,,just a limb moving in the slight breeze. WAIT A MINUTE....LIMBS ARE NOT SHINNY???????????. I slowy turn my hear and see it.....a deer......with horns.....and some nice ones. At least big enought to kill under out managament program.
Now I am sitting on the ground with my bow up against a tree to my left. An arrow laying on the ground on my right...and the deer coming to my right. Being right handed...I have to do something. I pull my right knee under me and slowly get up on one knee along with bring my bow over to the right side. All the while, looking at this deer, still head to the ground a coming. When he went behind a tree I nocked the arrow and got the bow in front of me. PPPPHHHHEEEEEEEEEEE. Deer still coming at a gently walk. As he gets closer, now only about 25 yards,,,,I think......don't even think about looking at horns buddy,,,just pick a spot. I waited and watched and he took step for step and was all the while getting higher on my knees. When he was at 15 yards there was a limb on the ground that covered his eyes and I started drawing while bringing the bow up to some sort of an anchor. When he was open for the shot, my bow came back,,,,,which I only had to draw about an inch farther....have no idea when I did the rest of the chore,,,,picked a spot just behind the shoulder and..........WHAT HAPPENED?????????
All I remember is looking at the deer and telling myself how did I miss that this close....only to see about one inch of a bamboo arrow and 5 1/2 inches of turkey feathers sticking out his side.....Simply perfect.....right at the heart....I watched and listend and heard my arrow hitting all the trees in the forest....and what I thought was him crash. YES.....I DO WANT TO DO THIS I THOUGHT.
Now.......I start breathing again and sit back down and look at the still half of my incense and tell myself to let it finish, and it will be time...........NOT!!!!!!! I GOT TO KNOW. I get up and walk over to where I shot him......11 yards.....and blood....bright read blood. I turn around and again thank God for such a wonderfull pleasure to just be there and for the reward of the......not yet retrieved harvest.
Ok.....incense burns down......get the camera and take some pictures. Looking at the first picture,,,,is the log with the limb bent over like a rainbow. Just in front of that rainbow is where he was standing when I shot.
(http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e369/STRINGSTRETCHER/hunting2009011.jpg)
Here is what I found on the other side of the log
(http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e369/STRINGSTRETCHER/hunting2009019.jpg)
This has been a long long day........got to get some sleep so I can get up and 4 AM in the morning and ask........DO I REALLY WANT TO DO THIS??????????
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:clapper:
Waiting for the rest!!!
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Originally posted by over&under:
:clapper:
Waiting for the rest!!!
MYSELF! This should be goood! Love nice stories
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Forgot to show what I am hunting around...Think they will come......all natural white oak feeding area....
(http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e369/STRINGSTRETCHER/hunting2009009.jpg)
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Dang...bedtime. This better be up in the morning!! :saywhat:
Killdeer :wavey: :thumbsup:
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well......................... :jumper: :jumper: :jumper:
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got me hooked on that story like a largemouth bass.......
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cant wait to see the end result :)
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Your're killing me holmes
Jer Bear
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(http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g38/trapperDave/smileys/thgiantpopcorn.gif)
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C'mon...
Congratulations anyway!
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Ok. Went on the start of a what turned out to be a long, unnerving track job. I started to follow the blood trail, and with each sighting of red, I knew he could not be far. Followed it to the last spot that I saw the deer run, and where I thought I had heard the crash......nothing but more blood and a lot of messed up leaves. How can this be? All this blood and no deer?
(http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e369/STRINGSTRETCHER/hunting2009022.jpg)
I walk down a ridge and follow it to more open wood, still finding blood.....no deer.
(http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e369/STRINGSTRETCHER/hunting2009024.jpg).
Now I have gone over 50 yards......I know he is here. I follow more blood down a hill and think, I know there is a creek down father,,,,maybe he went to water......still on blood.....at the creek....NO DEER. Now I am second guessing my shot. I sit down for a few minutes and gather my thoughts and relive the shot. He has to be down. I look real close at the blood at the edge of the creek and happen to notice there were no bubbles in the blood....did I get a lung? Did I miss the heart and just get a good artery? Well, after walking in the creek for about 10 yards, more blood....on the other side on the ground and a log laying there.....NO DEER.
At this point I loose blood and have a very very untable feeling about this......DID I REALLY WANT TO DO THIS? Second guesing, unsure...well you know. I spend the next 30 minutes walking in short circls....no blood no deer. I walk back to the last blood and got down in the creek and looked up and down....just as I was getting ready to go back up the bank, something told me to check the other side of the creek......BLOOD. He had stood for a second and decide he was going to fool me good...or what ever was after him. More blood
(http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e369/STRINGSTRETCHER/hunting2009032.jpg)
Now I stop and think of just how far I have gone. It is one thenth of a mile between roads....so my fast math calculation comes up with 175 yards. Looking back down at the blood on the edge of now a field....the blood turns extremely dark.....WHAT IS GOING ON HERE????? I look ahead and another HUGE spot of dark dark red. Another step....look up............I DID IT!!!!!!!!!!!
My first ever harvest with A homemade bamboo flooring/bamboo backed 66" 46@26 bow. Tonkin cane arrows with turkey feather from a bird I killed. Zwickery 115 grain points. All equipment that I have made and sitting on the ground with only natural cover and wind usage to my favor. Here is what I saw when I looked up
(http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e369/STRINGSTRETCHER/hunting2009032.jpg)
Here he is in his natural resting place as I found him with the bow and the arrow
(http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e369/STRINGSTRETCHER/hunting2009035.jpg)
And here he is with one proud hunter, to have done everything the hard way and made it work.
Thanks to everyone for all the posting of experience on here that allowed me to use some of that knowledge and make it work for me. Needless to say, I am very very happy to have harvested such a awesome deer, my first season, with all homemade equipemnt and on the ground. Here is the last picture (http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e369/STRINGSTRETCHER/hunting2009043.jpg)
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By the way, that is the exit hole which upon inspecting the kill shot, the arrow did cut the artery at the top of the heart, the bottom of the lobe of the right lung, the angeling up and catching the back edge of the left lung. It was a little more quatering to me than I had thought, but actually a very very good shot. The deer weighed 136 lbs dressed, the inside spread of the antlers was 16 1/2 inches and the bases were 30 mm...what ever that means....in inches.......lol Thanks for listening everyone........God Bless
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Wow! Cool!
Thanks for taking me along on your hunt, Charlie! That is a wonderful deer, and you just about smiled yourself inside out. :D
Oh, and thanks for putting this up so I could read it before I go to work. Gives me something to dream about while I put those political razorcards in everybody's mail. (One party supplied them in alphabetical order... by first name! That oughta be grounds for disqualification right there!)
Happy hunting. :thumbsup: Those cane arrows are sweet!
Killdeer
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awesome really well done!
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Very nice! Well done! :thumbsup:
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congrats!!!!!
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Well Done! Setting a goal and achieving it is what trad is all about. :thumbsup:
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Grats!! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
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Very interesting, and, informative. Thank you, stringwalker
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Sorry, Charles, I mean Stringstretcher
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Congrats!!
Great deer, your grin says it all!!
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Nice buck! Congrats and good storytellin'
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Congratulation! Great looking buck
Thanks for sharing
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Charlie, what have you gone and done??!!
That is one great story and deer!
I am so happy for you, I know you put a bunch of work into making that bow and your arrows, and you got your payoff.
I haven't seen you smile like that in a long time, sure am glad to see it again.
Good on ya buddy! :thumbsup: :clapper:
Keith
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Great story. Felt like I was with you.
Should be in a book.
CONGRATS.
DEATHMASTER
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Nice deer. Congrats.
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Congrats. Great job.
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:clapper: :clapper:
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good read and great recovery!
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Your smile says it all buddy! You have made my day! Great job brother!!!!!
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That is amazing bud....and you made everything yourself. I am impressed and great story and a happy ending
Jer Bear
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sweet!
Chris Kiefner
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great story very nice deer and a good shot!
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Congrats on a great Buck the hard way. That's for taking me along on your hunt!
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:bigsmyl:
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What a great deer. Loved taggin' along on the tracking job too! Thanks for sharing.
:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
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YES ,O YEA great :bigsmyl:
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I was right there with ya reading your story, thinking back to tracks just like that. Congrats!!
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congrats , nice job :0)
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Well done! Congrats. Al
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:bigsmyl:
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lol.....Just looking back at the pictures, I forgot to put the camera in that "stop shaky mode"......but really, don't know why it was shaking.......lol. Thanks to everyone for the comments. It really is nice to have things that you work hard for and at to come together. I have learned so much on here about hunting the ground,,,,making good bows....and cane arrows, that each and everyone of you that offers advise and wisdom own a little piece of this hunt. Hopefully, this is far from the last, or the biggest. Actually saw 3 yearlings this eveing that were just about 10 yards out of range, but never had any idea I was in the woods. Thanks again to everyone
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way to go homie,knew you could get it done. :thumbsup:
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Awesome story and congrats!
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Charlie...that is awesome Man!! Way to go!!
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Great story and deer. Congrats!
PB
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Just thought that I would add, that The bow I was using is names "Few Indeed" That a great friend of mine made and gave me. It truly is one great bow and just right for me. It is 3 laminates of bamboo flooring with bamboo backing. Just a pleasure to shoot for sure...and a rather good hunting partner if I say so myself.
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Congrats :thumbsup:
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great deer! :clapper:
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:thumbsup: :archer:
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Great job! That beats a video any day! :clapper:
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Congratulations on a great deer, a great shot, and taken doing it your way. :thumbsup:
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Great story....thanks for the pics to go along with it... :)