Friday Morning Hunt (pics)

[jbb]

Man! Friday morning was one of those mornings where there wasn't a breath of wind. It was DEAD quiet except for the noise I was making on the way in to my stand. I get up in my tree, get strapped in and set down. The silence was so complete I could hear my pulse pumping. I swear I could hear it when I blinked my eyes. Uh oh. This isn't good. My seat isn't too comfortable so I tend to fidget a bit, I do better when there is at least a little wind to rustle the leaves.

Just as it starts to get a little light, here come a couple young 'uns, a little doe and a spike buck. It just so happens that my tree and the tree next to me are loaded with big acorns while most other trees have none this year. They crunch on acorns for a while before wandering off.

Still no wind at all. I see more movement... It is still kinda dark, but I think I see a raccoon trotting toward me, down the path that runs under my tree. It gets up by this turkey decoy I have placed about 10 yards out, not too far off the path. When it sees the decoy, the raccoon turns/crouches/freezes all at the same time. In that instant I realize that the raccoon is really a bobcat! He crouches for a second or two and then uncoils himself into that turkey decoy sending it flying off it's stake and that bobcat took off in the other direction. I catch a couple more glimpses of him as he sneaks off. Once it got a little more light, I took a picture.


 

[jbb]

About a half hour later a little breeze picks up.  That's more like it.  I am starting to feel comfortable now.  Suddenly I hear acorns crunching right below and behind me.  Out of the corner of my eye I catch some movement and I slowly turn my head that direction.  3... 4.. 6 does have moved into the acorns.  One brushes against my tree and continues out about 5 yards and turns broadside.  She is standing in the exact spot that I shot my last practice arrow.  Without even thinking about it, I draw back and let one fly.

[jbb]

The string catches against the open flap of a pocket on my coat.  My Moosejaw Razorback doesn't mind the interruption one bit.  It looks like a good hit.  

I wait a half hour or so, climb out of my tree and head back to my parents house.  Out on their pond, I see this guy:

 


I wait a couple hours and head back.  Looks like the Razorback gets it's first blood:
 


About twenty yards further along, I find this:

 


Another twenty yards and I see

 
Not a pass through, went into the near shoulder, hit the lungs and shattered the far shoulder but didn't exit.  

Almost time to get my hands dirty, but first a couple more pics.  I got this quiver in a trade here with Dachba. I have a couple others but this one is my favorite, it fits really nice and it is quiet.

 


Here is a picture of one of my knives just before it goes to work.  Got this Osage handled knife from Sticshooter. Holds a nice edge and feels great in your hand.  I love it.  


 


I got her into the back of the gator and moved her a couple hundred yards away before dressing her.  Don't want to mess up this stand too bad.
 

Now I need to fill my buck tag.  Passed up a nice 8 pointer Saturday because I needed to get back home so I could watch one of my kids play soccer.  I was sitting in the same stand.  He came in, ate a few acorns and then wandered over to where the blood trail started.  He licked at the blood for a little bit before wandering off but did not act too concerned.

[BamBooBender]

Great story and pics! Thanks for takin us along, and congrats on the deer.

[tomh]

great story and pics! cant wait to see your next deer. Congrats!

[Benny Nganabbarru]

Wonderful! Congratulations!

[Izzy]

Good stuff,congrats.

[drewsbow]

Very nice , congrats :0)

[twosheds]

MMMMMMMMMMM! backstraps. Great job!

[mjc]

good shot, congrats

[BMN]

Nicely done, congrats.

[onemississipp]

Congratulations!!
I really like the knife also!

[Big Dave]

 Congrats.  

[GingivitisKahn]

Nicely done. :-D

[Irish]

Great story, and nice Kansas doe!  

[deertraks]

Well done!  

[bentpole]

Good for you ! Looks like you took plenty of Trad Gang MOJO into those Kansas woods.

[jbb]

Thanks guys!  Yeah, I surround myself with Trad Gang mojo on purpose.  Everyone here has been so helpful with me transitioning back to traditional gear.  I have already gotten one of my buddies to switch over too.  Working on my dad next but he is a tough nut to crack.