Post by: Bob Palmer on October 16, 2011, 03:04:00 PM
Got to a place where the trees were small and cover was non-existant...so what the heck, up a tree I went! With the full moon, high tide, south wind, the marsh was nice and flooded forcing the deer to higher ground! If nothing else, they surely couldn't sneak up on you!! ;)
The stag kept chasing the cow all around me as I set up! Adds a lot to the anticipation! By first light they had drifted further out on the flooded marsh. Just as I was able to see clearly, I heard a slight splash behind me, turning, I saw a monster stag headed my way! I got the bow ready and followed him as he passed thinking he would stop as soon as he got down wind and I could take the 5 yard shot! He stopped alright...just not where I could squeeze an arrow to him! He looked up and bolted back the way he came! Dang!
He had no sooner left the scene, when I heard another bunch of splashing in front of me! I turned, and saw a decent stag working his way to me! I swung around and readied for a possible shot! He was zig-zagging along as he went. When he got to a point close to me, he turned to listen to the stag still chasing a cow out on the marsh! I looked over the shot, felt is was doable, drew the Silvertip, and took a starvation bead on his off side shoulder! I released smoothly and watch the arrow close the gap and nail the stag just where I was aiming!
The arrow went deep but didn't pass through...I just knew it hit the off side leg! I don't think he heard the shot because he turned toward me, running by the stand about 10 yards out! Anyone who has hunted sika will know, they are always in the water making blood trailing tough! I watched him disappear on a big island and marked trees he passed as he went!
I text Yohon that I hit one. He said he would be there soon but had to deal with a trespasser first :knothead: I told him to wait an hour just in case the hit wasn't what I thought it was!
I followed the blood trail and met Yohon where it entered the big Island. Yohon gave me a quick lesson on trailing these little buggers through the water...the boy is something when it comes to killing sikas...specially BIG sikas!! He said to just follow the bubbles in the water. Worked like a charm!! Doing so, Yohon pointed where the stag had turned to the right after getting in the big woods. We went a bit further and could see the Stag laying stone dead just up a head! The VPA 250, 1 1/4" broad head had performed flawlessly! I hit him just behind the rib cage quaterering into the off leg knuckle bone! Couldn't have placed it any better if I had walked up and pushed it in by hand! And get this, in the hour I waited to trail, I looked over the shot distance and kept thinking it looks a little further than I usually would take...turned out it was 29 yards :bigsmyl: Glad I didn't know that at the time :pray:
(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/Palmer234/Sika2011c.jpg)
Post by: varmint101 on October 16, 2011, 03:06:00 PM
Post by: jcar315 on October 16, 2011, 03:08:00 PM
Post by: Interseptor on October 16, 2011, 03:18:00 PM
Post by: Bob Palmer on October 16, 2011, 03:19:00 PM
Post by: Steve O on October 16, 2011, 04:14:00 PM
Post by: Guss on October 16, 2011, 04:26:00 PM
Post by: marshall brown on October 16, 2011, 04:35:00 PM
Post by: Yohon on October 16, 2011, 04:40:00 PM
I put a few more pixs of the day on the Highlight's forum...."Maryland 2 step"
Post by: tracker1 on October 16, 2011, 04:43:00 PM
Post by: Mudd on October 16, 2011, 04:47:00 PM
Post by: cacciatore on October 16, 2011, 04:57:00 PM
Post by: KentuckyTJ on October 16, 2011, 04:58:00 PM
Post by: Benny Nganabbarru on October 16, 2011, 05:01:00 PM
Post by: Shedrock on October 16, 2011, 05:28:00 PM
Post by: Bob Palmer on October 16, 2011, 05:33:00 PM
Post by: LV2HUNT on October 16, 2011, 05:53:00 PM
Post by: Doc Nock on October 16, 2011, 06:03:00 PM
Tasty!!!
Next year, we opened the season on Blackwater Refuge... He went one way and pointed me off the other...ran into a hunter in a tree before daylight so I backtracked HARD and got distance.
Found a tiny house size island witha big scrape...crawled a tiny pine and hung on... big ole spike came by...shot him. He ran one direction, then back the other...then back to me and run dead away and piled up.
Amazing tough animals.
Same trip, my buddy shoots a big ole 5pt! We walked out, got our street clothes on and hippers back, bugged up and went back in the dark... I was trailing on drops of blood on floating long pine needles... in the dark!
I wish I knew about the bubbles thing, but perhaps we were a bit too late for that? It was a couple hours...
He was one lunged... and gave a merry chase.
Amazing animals and habitat. Went back couple years ago to BW and it was bone dry! Never saw a thing...stuff growed up all over where we were!
Ole Yohon knows his critters!
Oh, BP, you like the Primos vids too, huh? :)
Congratulations to you for an excellent outing, good shooting (30yrds! :eek: ) and a sweet recovery!!
Post by: yellow bow on October 16, 2011, 06:18:00 PM
Post by: Eric S on October 16, 2011, 07:00:00 PM
Post by: BrownA5 on October 16, 2011, 07:07:00 PM
Post by: Bob Palmer on October 16, 2011, 07:12:00 PM
Post by: lpcjon2 on October 16, 2011, 08:01:00 PM
Post by: Keefer on October 16, 2011, 08:05:00 PM
Congratulations on the stag...We used to hunt Assateque Island nearly every other weekend in the 80's and 90's but I haven't went Sika hunting for quite some time now and I live 20 minutes from Blackwater...We keep talking we are going to do a hunt but just seems like things come up and never do...Glad to see you got one and Johnboy is good folk ...Only reason he let ya hunt with him is he needed someone to drag his deer for him incase he shot one you know...Since he broke his leg running from a Mad Rutting Sika and fell into a marshrat hole he needs a good strong buddy to drag for him I hear(HE tell's everyone he was looking for a good tree to hang his stand in
!["[dntthnk]"]("graemlins/dntthnk.gif" "\"\"")
) Keefer's <><
Post by: Cyclic-Rivers on October 16, 2011, 08:13:00 PM
Post by: Tim on October 16, 2011, 08:54:00 PM
How where the mosquitoes>>> :scared:
Post by: Guru on October 16, 2011, 09:18:00 PM
Something I've always wanted to try, they are just like cool little "elk"...way to go man :clapper:
Post by: Bjorn on October 16, 2011, 09:30:00 PM
Post by: FerretWYO on October 16, 2011, 09:31:00 PM
Post by: steadman on October 16, 2011, 09:32:00 PM
Post by: SELFBOW19953 on October 16, 2011, 09:38:00 PM
Post by: Steve Kendrot on October 16, 2011, 10:20:00 PM
Post by: reddogge on October 16, 2011, 11:05:00 PM
Post by: rastaman on October 16, 2011, 11:17:00 PM
Post by: Thumper Dunker on October 17, 2011, 02:02:00 AM
Post by: Keefer on October 17, 2011, 05:12:00 AM
I thought by now you would of already had your bag limit? I guess that Elk hunt tired you out or the Mesquito's were the size of Hummingbirds and you're getting a late start?
Post by: Boomerang on October 17, 2011, 06:27:00 AM
Post by: Steve Kendrot on October 17, 2011, 06:39:00 AM
Post by: Yohon on October 17, 2011, 06:56:00 AM
Quote
Originally posted by reddogge:Bob was callin the does "cows" and had me all confused as to what we were really huntin :biglaugh:
Congratulations on a nice stag. We still refer to them as bucks and does at our camp but most Sika hunters nowadays call them stags and hinds.
Post by: AkDan on October 17, 2011, 07:01:00 AM
Post by: Bob Palmer on October 17, 2011, 08:45:00 AM
Dan, I sent you a PM!
Post by: hayslope on October 17, 2011, 08:46:00 AM
You are about to enjoy what has to be some of the finest wild game meat on this planet!!!
I'm headed down there at the end of the season in January with some fellow TGers. No rut, but I have my fingers crossed!!
:thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Post by: bill langer on October 17, 2011, 12:36:00 PM
I too have dreamed of hunting those "little eastern elk" myself...
Good job!
Bill
Post by: Bob Palmer on October 17, 2011, 12:36:00 PM
Post by: Matty on October 17, 2011, 05:08:00 PM
Post by: BaldingEagle on October 17, 2011, 05:38:00 PM