I have been hunting behind my house in the mornings before work for the past week. It's a small area, so I have waited for the rut to kick in before starting to hunt. Didn't want to burn it out early.
Last Tuesday afternoon was my first time sitting, and I saw a total of six deer, including one cool little buck. He was just a 1 1/2 year old (I think) but had nice tall tines and even a two inch kicker coming off the right side. But I waited and let him walk.
This morning I walked down and climbed in my stand before daylight. All I can sit is about 45 minutes or so before I have to quit to get ready for work. Shortly after daybreak a doe came walking right down the trail, twelve yards broadside. I hadn't planned on taking a doe because of the work commitment thing, but she stopped quartering away at 15 yards and offered me her side. Talk about temptation! But then she made a little move that saved her life. She turned and looked back over her shoulder. Hmmm....
Looking back on the trail she had come down I couldn't see anything else coming. But I let her walk away, and stood with my bow in hand, hoping she had been right. After about five minutes of watching I had about given up on the idea when I caught more movement coming. Sure enough, a nice buck was bird dogging on the trail she had used. I knew without a doubt where he would end up.
The buck was in a hurry to find his lost girlfriend, and moved quickly through the leaves, sniffing as he came. He was moving far too fast for a shot, so as he came in front of me I drew back and let out a grunt to stop him. He didn't hear my first one, but my second was louder, and he stopped, turned away, giving me a perfect opening. I experienced one of those things so many talk about where the arrow suddenly appears exactly where you were looking.
The buck crashed off through the brush, and into the surrounding marsh grass. About 50 yards out he stopped, stood still, and disappeared in the tall grass. It was over just that quick.
They don't go far with a hole in this spot. This picture was taken from about the same angle as my shot.
Topic: Good Things Come to Those Who Wait (Read 5277 times)
