Trad Gang
Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: JakeD on November 10, 2023, 10:29:40 PM
-
Recently I started a thread about using sights on my bow. That stemmed from me missing a big mature buck and I was really sick about it. The great thing about missing a buck though is that you get to keep hunting. That’s what I have to tell myself anyways.
So my wife and I decided we would hunt this afternoon and see if we could lay eyes on some of the mature bucks in the property. Gun season opens here tomorrow and I’m trying to get her set up to shoot a good buck since she doesn’t get to hunt too much.
It was warm, but it’s November 10th, so we made it to the farm at 1:15 or so. I took her and told her a place to sit to maybe get a shot with a bow at something. I went on to a different part of the property where I was 30 yards in the woods, but would still be able to observe a large field.
I got settled in at 1:55. Text my wife to make sure she was fine. Then I text a buddy that was hunting and told him good luck. I have a mowed path that runs by 7 yards in front of me. At 2:10 I hear footsteps….and they are close!
-
I was sitting in that particular spot for two reasons: 1. I could observe a lot of ground and see where all the deer were at for the next days hunt. 2. There was a very active scrape by the stand, and the deer were using the trail I mowed for them that ran by 7 yards in front of the stand.
I knew of 3 different mature bucks in the area, and one in particular liked this spot. In fact, we played a game of cat and mouse for awhile in October around there. I felt pretty confident that he would be the most likely buck to be hanging around close. Of course, I’m not overly picky and I would take a shot at any mature buck with my bow.
So the sound of walking is really close. I turn my head to see a good buck walking down the trail at 15 yards. He’s gonna be right in front of me at 7 steps in a matter of seconds. With no time to think, I just reacted. I grabbed my bow, stood up, and drew back all in on motion. I tried to “meh” him to stop, but it didn’t work. Two more steps and he was gonna be gone from my life…
-
:coffee:
-
Sometimes it’s best to not have time to prepare. Just react to the situation. No time to get nervous or overthink the task at hand. Like Nike says, Just do it.
Just before he was behind some limbs I let it fly. He was quartering away a little at this point, and my arrow buried to the fletching just forward of mid body. The shot felt good and looked good. He tore out of there like he got hit with a cattle prod. I was able to see him cut out into the field and cut across a corner, but he made it further than what I would’ve liked and I didn’t see much blood on him.
Did I really hit where I thought I did? Unless I see them go down or hear them crash hard, I always have that doubt creep in. I knew that he had made into another block of woods across the field corner from me, so I only waited a few minutes to get down and check my arrow. It was snapped off, and from the looks of things I must’ve hit him right where I thought.
Tracking him turned out to be an exercise in futility. He ran across a plowed field with only pin drops of blood. I finally gave up looking for blood and just followed his fresh tracks. It was unmistakable where he ran. When I got over where he crossed a field road I had to just guess on which path he took. The road was hard packed and absolutely no sign of where he entered the woods.
I felt that he had to be close, so I just walked the 1st trail I saw and there was nothing. I figured he has to have taken another trail. So I started paralleling the field and made it about 20 yards when something caught my eye. I had to do a double take with my binoculars to make sure it was him. Sure enough, he was down for good. He went in on another trail and hadn’t made it 25 yards into the woods.
A sight all bow hunters love to see.
[ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
I knew this buck well. I’ve watched him for the past 3 years and finally got a chance at him. Sorry for being so long winded, but hope you enjoyed a recap of the hunt.
-
Thats awesome Jake!! Nice buck man!! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
-
Great deer. Well done.
-
A couple more pics.
[ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
[ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
-
Congratulations! I did not think long winded at all, just a good story told.
-
Great buck, congrats.
-
Nice buck indeed.
:campfire: :coffee: :archer2: :campfire:
-
nice buck Jake, congratts! looks like river bottoms there.
-
nice buck Jake, congratts! looks like river bottoms there.
You nailed it!
-
That's one dandy buck Jake; thanks for sharing.
Shick
-
Congratulations on that nice buck, also I enjoyed the story
-
Big Congrates!...how did none of that blood hit the ground? :o
-
Very nice buck Jake! Thanks for sharing your hunt! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
-
Big Congrates!...how did none of that blood hit the ground? :o
That’s a good question, and one I asked myself when I walked up to him. I’ve never had such a poor blood trail for such a good shot. Not only that, but none of that blood smeared off onto any vegetation where he ran into the woods. It was just all over him.
-
Great Buck! Way to go! What broadhead did you use?
-
Great Buck! Way to go! What broadhead did you use?
Ace standard. I’ve killed several deer with that head, and this is the only bad blood trail I’ve ever had with it.
-
Nice buck! Congrats!
-
That’s a dandy! Congrats