So as I said, this is my third season. I've come a long way and have put in hours of research, scouting, and stand time. Despite all my efforts, I still managed to muff two gimme shots due to adrenaline and nerves on my first two hunts this season. Oh well, better two clean misses than a wounded deer.
So this morning I set out to a ground blind I had built last year and had yet to visit this year. It's about a dozen or so yards from a small stream surrounded by fairly open hardwoods creating a lane about 50 yards wide between to thick nasty pine thickets. It's not much, just a blow down with some limbs stacked up.
I reached my spot around 7am, cleared the ground in front of me and set up on my chair. Within minutes I could see movement and a flash of white in the thick pines across the stream from me. I let out a soft grunt on my call and watched as three deer ran away as if I had shot a gun at them... Oh well, it was still early.
Around 8:45, after watching some squirrels and listening to the hickory and walnuts hit the ground I heard a distinct shuffling behind me. I slowly turned my eyes, then head, towards the noise. A train of 6 does began exiting the thick brush behind me around 15- 20 yards away. The lead doe was big bodied and definitely the oldest, the next three were last springs fawns and the last two were somewhere in between. They hooked wide but upwind of my blind. The large lead doe stopped in a clear shooting lane broadside, I got to about half draw and thought better of the shot, it was probably a little over 20 yards and sitting down, was outside of my comfort zone. The 3 fawns followed directly behind, while the last two meandered towards me. The very last doe stopped at a perfect quartering away angle completely unaware of me and began to feed. I picked a spot and started to draw. As I was almost at full draw I heard rustling and the falling of heavy hooves from behind me out of sight. They were getting really close. By the sound of it I thought it was going to crash through my blind. I let off the string and waited until the source of the noise came into view. Between the propped up limbs I saw antlers, counted three points and put tension back on the string. The buck cleared the last of the limbs at the back of the blind, walked a few yards and stopped, quartering away, staring down the does. I had already focused on a spot and had hit anchor just as he had come to a stop. I don't really remember the release, but it was clean. At least clean enough for a less than five yard shot. I saw the arrow disappear up to the fletching exactly where I had looked and watched in disbelief as the buck ran about 20 yards, then slowed to an unsteady walk only to collapse within sight.
I sat there shaking. Noticed the doe's had not run off and thought, only briefly, maybe I could shoot one of them too... They meandered around, looking over towards their fallen friend, then occasionally to me, until I finally stood up and sent them running.
Even though I could clearly see my deer, I still followed every drop of blood. As I approached him, I had a wave of emotions, mostly relief, and happiness, with a touch of sadness and a lot of gratitude.
I had never gutted a deer. I'm proud to say that I managed the task with out spilling any nastiness or damaging any meat and it didn't take too long. Which is good because the day was rapidly warming and forecasted to hit 80 degrees. The drag on the other hand was rough. I neglected to take my rope style tree strap that I use with my climber and just grabbed his antlers and dragged over fallen limbs and uneven ground. The easiest way out of the woods and back to my vehicle was a trail bordering private property a few hundred yards from my position. I approached and saw the owner tending his garden, I called out and asked if he minded if I dragged my deer through his nice smooth lawn instead of the woods, he said he'd do me one better and get his wheelbarrow!! After loading the deer in the back of my Jeep (cherokee) We talked for a few minutes, he had been at his house since 1949 and said he really appreciated me asking his permission since he's dealt with trespassers before. Then he told me about a big 8 point skull he found that was sitting in his woodpile and offered it to me. I graciously accepted.
After leaving, I headed to a friends farm a few miles away, we got the deer quartered and taken apart and into the fridge. I'll be heading there in the morning to process it!!! I paid the older gentlemen's gift forward to my friend in return for giving me a place to/and teaching me to take apart and process the deer. He was thrilled. Don't worry, he'll be getting some meat as well.
I skinned out the skull and took it to a nearby taxidermist for a euro mount. He's not huge but he'll be my proudest trophy for a long time. And I'm sure he's delicious!!
All in all, one of the best days I've had in a long while.
Oh, I'm shooting an old (70's?) Bear Polar, 50lb @28 (I draw about 29.5, arrows are Goldtip traditionals .340 with 200 grain Grizzly single bevel broadheads up front.
Topic: Got it done. First deer ever, the hardest way I could. (Read 1544 times)
