My young son, 8 years old, and myself pulled into the spot and parked. We were about 100 yards from the river on the old dirt road. Actually we were about 7 miles from the head waters of the river where you could step across it.
This was a very rugged mountainous land with more rocks than should be legal. It was either straight up and down or what flat ground there was a mess to try to walk in. The rocks went from gravel size up to house size, all according to which spot you were at.
I had found some awesome fresh hog sign at this area along the river's edge. We had built a small blind for my son to sit in and hunt close to the truck, it was more for the experience. He had his small bow and arrows as well. After I made sure that he was set, plenty to drink and eat, I turned to face towards the river.
My headlamp helped me thru the trees and the numerous may apples growing there. May apples are a natural laxative if you need it LOL. As I neared the big patch of river cane, I nervously checked the ground for rattlers and cottonmouths. The river cane grew to about 13 feet tall and was thick. But I saw none and soon was on the backside or river side of the patch. I could see even in the light of the headlamp the dug up ground from the hogs.
Now I was really wanting a good hog and that was why I was here. My tree, a big Hickory was maybe six feet from the edge of the river bank. This was a good sized hole of water, not over five feet deep and about forty yards wide. The bank dropped about six or seven feet down to the water and it was a steep drop.
This area of land was between two pretty good sized mountains and if you crossed the river here, it was nearly straight up. I was using a climber and made it to about fourteen feet up. I pulled my bow and gear up and got situated in the dark and got still. As daylight finally creeped downwards from the mountain top, I could see up and down the river about a hundred yards both ways.
First I heard the whistles and then I barely caught the sight of the two wood ducks as they slammed into the water about thirty feet from me. Water splashed and sent wakes as the two birds moved quickly across the water. I kept watch everywhere and soon spotted several nice brown bass as they patrolled up and down the hole. I strained to see and to hear as the morning light began to get brighter and warmer. Suddenly there was a loud splash right out from me, just maybe 6 yards. My first thought was that it was a rock being thrown but then I saw what it was as one hit the ground in front of me, hickory nuts.
I was hearing the usual noises like the crows and other birds and was hoping for some action soon. At my height, I could see my son's blind as well as the road. From my position, I could see how tore up the ground really was. So I am really primed for hog action.
Then to my surprise, I began to hear the sound of sliding gravel down from the top of the mountain straight across from me. As much as I tried to see what it was, there was just too much cedar and small gnarly pines growing on the side of it to see. So I sat there and listened to whatever it was coming down. Whatever it was, it or they were coming down at a steep angle and now I could tell that they would end up probably seventy five to ninety yards down passed me. I just knew from all of the noise that it had to be hogs and I was in the wrong spot.
But no, no hogs but seven deer, does with yearlings and they stepped out into the water way down below me. I had relaxed anyways and hung my bow back up. Due to some health issues, I had resorted to a 40# no name bow with 1816 arrows and Bear Razorhead lites. I finally took in a deep breath and let it out, there was no way that I would get a shot at them.
But then the craziest thing ever happened, they began making their way towards me. Hope against hope, I gripped my bow slowly and eased it back into position as I slowly stood back up. I just couldn't believe it as they made their way all the way to right in front of me. I started to draw and shoot the lead doe but she suddenly turned straight to the river bank right in front of me and started to climb up.
I guess that I panicked a little bit as she climbed up, she would be looking right at me as she neared the top. So I picked a spot to shoot that I hoped would hit on the inside of front of her shoulders and take out a lung and maybe her heart. I was very sure of my shot and released the arrow. This was maybe a ten foot shot and I had her dead to rights.
But then, just as I shifted to shoot, the stand creaked and she jerked her head to see what made the noise. I watched as the arrow disappeared into her head right between the eyes and jerked her head backwards. Instantly all hell broke loose as the remaining deer scattered in the river to get away. I was focused on her and was amazed to see the broadhead had even stuck into the area that I had meant to hit in the first place.
Now this river is crystal clear and she flopped back into about two feet of water dead. As I stared in disbelief as to what had just happened, the bright red blood began to spread in the water. My first thought was a shark attack. I really wanted my son to see this to I owled to him and he answered so I yelled for him to hurry to me. Moments later, he was there and looking up at me. "Look down there," I told him and so he moved to the edge and looked down.
"Wow, awesome!" were his words as he looked at the sight. I let him climb down and put my pull strap around it's neck after he unscrewed the arrow from the broadhead and pulled it out. David was so excited, I call it jabber mouthed as we loaded up and headed home. I still have that skull with an arrow stuck thru it. Yeah, he's never forgotten it either. I was just amazed at the penetration of the light poundage bow but then, a sharp two blade is pretty darn sharp. Jerry
Topic: The Cossatot River Doe, right between the eyes (Read 793 times)
