Went out this morning, 36 degrees with no wind... Got into the stand about an hour before sunrise. On the way in I could hear critters moving about, sounded like chasing... Got into the stand without spooking them out...
Got to actual shooting light and I was able to start seeing glimpses of forms through the scrub, and it appeared to be a buck chasing a doe... Now I have to make sure he has at least 4 points of 1” or more on one side to make him legal for me to shoot, and if he doesn’t have the goods I’d like to get a shot at the doe, in the essence of the hunt, decrease the critter numbers...
Well, this got put to the test of my eyesight pretty quick! She came right down the trail I was watching, and it was difficult to see for sure she was even a doe. But, at maybe 8 yds under my stand I could see that she was for sure a doe. With her perfectly broadside at 8 yds I can see/hear him coming and make out he is a small “rack” buck so I roll the dice and wait for him to come in... Another 20 yards closer I could make out his right side and I’m only seeing 3 points with the browtine...
Now, I’m straining hard to make out the left side and when he got to about where the doe was less than a minute ago I can see he has 4 points on that side! Now I realize the actual position I’m in with a shot opportunity presented. I’m standing, but so scrunched over from straining to see what I needed to see that I need to make a lot of movement with the buck literally in spitting distance...
Luckily the low light conditions work both ways... And he was distracted by where his girlfriend went... I was able to stand and get into proper position as he continued by... A small mouth grunt stopped him at 15 yards broadside and the arrow was away... Didn’t see the arrow at all, but heard the hit and seen his high hind leg kick and watched him run back the way he came in... Then everything went silent for about 10 seconds, then I heard what sounded like a crash with a few short kicks from that same direction...
Nocked another arrow, sat down, and checked the time... 6:58... Actual sunrise is at 7:13 today, so you get the full idea of the light conditions I was dealing with... Now, I’m pretty sure he is down about 50 - 75 yards to my left and behind me, but I’m planning on continuing my hunt in case a doe wonders by and give him the requisite time to expire if he hasn’t already...
About 8:30 I hear footfalls coming directly at me, and I make out it is a Coyote coming through the scrub. Normally I would be the first in line to let the air out of a song dog, but they are not on the legal shooting list on this property... So, I proceed to scare him off as he was literally heading right to my deer... so I pack up my stuff and get down from the stand and check out the situation...
Nice crimson coated arrow sticking in the dirt, and a fantastic blood trail that started right at the shot sight. Leisurely walk following a 3 foot wide bloodtrail for about 60 yds to my buck.
That’s the exit hole, and the entrance is about 8” directly above it on the other side... 60” Thunderstick MOAB 68# with a Big Jim Big-3 on a weighted Gold Tip. This is the biggest buck I’ve seen within the hunting zone since I started hunting it last year... Now I’m Doe/Hog/Squirrel hunting... :D
Topic: Critter population management 2017-18 (Season Synopsis) (Read 1699 times)
