I was gonna wait 'til I got my pics back before I made this post but I can't wait, I got my first traditional kill Friday!!! I stink at tellin' stories so bear with me.
I got off work late Friday, right around 5:30 or so. I hustled home, grabbed my gear, and hauled a$$ to a stand I had been saving for the proper wind. The stand is 2/3 of the way up a mountain right below a powerline right of way. The right of way is nasty thick, perfect bedding cover. The terrain is rocky with alot of ledges and boulders and steeper than a mule's face. I placed my Loc-on in a huge cedar tree right on a rocky ledge that is about 8 ft high and runs about 100 ft around the face of the mountain, with a steep draw in the right end. There are 7 or 8 oaks (Red and Chestnut) with in 10-20 yards of the stand just raining acorns and the deer have been hammering 'em. Two MAJOR trails and severl minor ones come out of the thick stuff on my side of the steep draw, onto the ledge and pass by about 10 yards from my tree. This stand has it all, cover, a food source, and terrain funnels.
The deer in this area seem to move up the mountain in the morning near the bluffs to bed and down the mountains in the afternoon to feed. You need a calm wind so that the evening thermals will carry your scent away from the deer heading down the mountain. I finally got the conditions that I needed so I was anxious to see what was gonna happen.
I eased up the mountain, trying not to make any more noise than necessary, but I knew I had to hurry 'cuz it was getting close to prime time. I finally climbed into my stand at 6:52, nocked an arrow and sprayed on some cover scent, waiting on the woods to settle down after my passing.
It was a perfect evening.
After about 45 minutes on stand, I heard some footy steps coming around the side of the mountain, ON THE SHELF BELOW ME. "Great" I think, "the last place I expected to have a deer come in on me." I ease my bow into my hand and try to calm my nerve's, looking for movement. Then I spot it, a spot of black in the brush 40-50 yards away. Black???? Then I make it out, someone's skinny dog is tracking me to my stand! I mutter to myself "Not today, please go away dog." Then to top it off, he sticks his nose in the leaves, takes a deep whiff, and then let's out a loud "WOOF!".
To be honest that ticked me off. :mad: All the hard work and patience I had put into scouting out this spot and waiting on the proper wind, all was about to be ruined by someone's mutt. I grab a rubber blunt out of my quiver and get ready to give him a warm reception if he got any closer to my stand. Fate was smiling on the dog that day. He made a left turn and went the opposite direction around the mountain. I put the blunt away and nock up one my my "I mean business arra's" and settle back against the tree.
About that time I hear more rustling's behind me, this time coming down the mountain out of the thick stuff. I spot movement and a little spike trots down within 15 yards and freezes, broadside. I can still hear the dog moving away and so can he. The hair around his tail is starting to flare and I am thinking he is about to get out of dodge. For reason's only known to him, he shrug's it off and drops his head and starts crunching acorns. I hear another deer coming down the trail behind him, so I hold off waiting to see who else is coming to dinner. I was hoping it was gonna be big brother, but then again I wasn't gonna be all that picky either, this spike would look mighty fine in my empty freezer. About that time a really nice doe (for this area anyway) trots out behind him and starts poppin' acorns right along side Mr. spike. She is a little bigger than spike, so she wins the prize, an all expense paid trip to my house, if I don't blow it.
By this time the spike is about 4-5 yards from the base of my tree. I am trying to keep an eye on him to make sure he don't bust me, and the other on the doe waiting for my shot. There are a couple of bushes between me and her chest so all I can do is wait. After a couple of minutes the doe finally feeds out and stops at about 8 yards. She puts her left leg forward and reaches back to pick up an acorn she missed.
I was so focused I don't remember drawing my bow, all I remember is seeing my arrow in flight. I was focusing on a single rib showing beneath the stretched skin of ther chest, right in the sweet spot. I didn't hit there. I don't know if it was nerves or if she started to jump the string but I hit her high, right where the shoulder joins the spine.
I will pause here to thank the folks that make Grizzly broadheads for making such a great broadhead. That broadhead cut through her scapula, through her spine, and lodged into the opposite shoulder. All that penetration from a 46# bow...... simply AWESOME!!!!
The doe went down like you pole-axed her and the spike simply disappeared, I don't remember seeing or hearing him run off. I grab another arrow and send it into her chest, finishing what the my first arrow started. By this time I am shaking like a leaf and all I can say is "I DID IT, I DID IT!!!!!" over and over and over again!!! LOL I bet you I said it 25 times if I said it once. Then I kissed my bow and held it up to the sky and said "That was for you Uncle Thomas!" and then started my mantra over again, I DID IT!!!!!!
I finally climbed out of my stand and walked over to my doe and sat down. I smooth out her fur, looking her over and apologizing to her for the first misplaced arrow, feeling elated and sad all at once. Any hunter that has ever taken an animals life know's the feeling's that come over you at that moment.
It is now starting to get dark. I don't want to ruin this stand by dressing her out here so I take off with her down the mountain. I get almost to the bottom, find a handy spot and begin the chore of dressing her out.
Now here come's the wierd part. As I am dressing this doe and I have all these thought's and emotions of my uncle runnin' through my head, I catch some movement back up on the mountain. A gray fox is standing there staring at me, about 25-30 yards away. It is dark enough now that all I can see is his sillouhette, no details at all. I stop what I am doing and we stare at each other for what seems forever, but it was probably only about 15 or 20 seconds. I purse my lips together and give my best imitation of a mouse squeek, his response was to sit down and continue staring!! We keep up our staredown for a little longer so I softly speak to him, "What's up buddy?" This seems to break the spell and he stands up and slowly walks up the mountain, with his nose to the ground trailing my path back up towards my stand. He didn't run off like you would expect, just sort of moseyed off like he was gonna check out what I was up to.
I know the fox was probably just a young pup, curious and niave, wondering what the heck I was and what was I doing on his mountain? But I want to beleive that somehow he was sent by my uncle Thomas as a sign that he saw what happened on the mountain that day, and was pleased.
Thanks again to all of you that helped me through YOUR stories and suggestions on this site, that made that it possible for me to take that deer. I could have never done it without your help and generosity. I will never forget that day as long as I live.
Thanks TradGang from Stikbow, Your the best!!!
Topic: Guys I did it!!!!!!!!!!! (Read 4989 times)
