Got some catching up to do. This is from a few weeks back.
Monday, 10/31/11
The week before at Horse Creek WMA had been tough hunting. I had logged a lot of miles in search of a deer, and hadn't even seen one while on stand. I had been sitting over some fairly hot sign, with nothing to show for it. I had pretty much attributed the lack of movement to the moon phase, and was certain that this week would be better. It couldn't be any worse!
The sky was starting to lighten up as I turned off the road and dipped into the branch where I planned to hunt. This thick branch has proven to be a good flow area over the past few seasons. Every once in a while you'll see a deer move through early, but most often it's later in the morning, between 9 and 10 AM.
I climbed up the tree and pulled my bow up. After taking a few practice draws, to get the pops and creaks out of my joints, I leaned back against the tree and got settled in. I was planning on sitting until 10:00, and then I would get down and do some much needed scouting.
Absolutely nothing happened all morning. At 9:55, just as I was about to gather up my gear, I glimpsed a flash of movement to my right about 75 yards away. In just a second, another flicker confirmed that it was a deer. It appeared to be feeding underneath some oaks that I had planned on checking. I kept watching, and eventually saw two more deer in the group. They spent the next several minutes feeding before finally moving on by me about 45 yards away. After they disappeared, I decided I would stay on stand a little longer and see what happened.
About 20 minutes later, a squirrel started barking in the direction where I had seen the first deer. I didn't notice anything for a few moments, then saw legs moving. Another deer was traveling through on the same heading as the first three. I had already convinced myself that it too would pass by out of range, when suddenly it turned and started heading toward me. When it got about 15 yards away, I couldn't tell if it was going to pass by in front of me, or behind. It finally started to favor passing in front of me, so I got my feet right for the shot. She was coming fast, and now was going to pass directly under me. As the deer passed beneath the platform of my stand, I started to draw. It heard something, perhaps the sound of my wool jacket brushing against itself as I drew, and stopped. I hit anchor and focused hard on a spot between, and just behind, the shoulder blades. At a distance of 4 feet from the base of my tree, I released, and watched the arrow bury deep into the top of the deer's back. It exploded, and ran low and hard for about 50 yards. With a great crash, it came to its end.
I glanced at my watch, and it was 10:25. This is the latest I have ever killed a deer during a morning hunt. I climbed down, and saw lots of blood at the hit. Then about 5 yards into the trail, I saw blood over 5 feet up the side of a tree. My bow is leaning against the tree for reference.
Good hole. Didn't make it with a single bevel, it just happened to be the one I grabbed for the picture.
I didn't have my tripod, and had to lay the camera on my pack. I think it turned out pretty good.
Topic: #7 (Read 292 times)
