Today started at 4am, same as last Saturdays 12 hour sit. I was in the tree by 6:10 am. I took the easier stand to hunt this time, and I could use the quad for the first 1/4 mile and leave it at the back of the woods. At this point I had to walk as quads are not allowed on state owned property. I crossed the woods of the public property and the after trudging thru the snow for about another 1/4 mile I came into a thicket on the outskirts of a known bedding area. It was there I would find a blow down tree I would climb up and sit in. (Back on Private Land again)
I brought a thermal cushion in my backpack so once I got settled in, I was toasty. I did cheat and put the thermal insoles inside my Lacrosse Lites. I layered up today and put my silent fleece on the outside layer, I was silent drawing!!!
So after shooting at a fox and missing, and also missinng a squirrel but just barely, I had decided I would get down and get my arrows about 10:30. As I was pulling my second arrow out of the snow, I looked up and seen sonthing moving. I crouched down and stared in that direction as I was knocking another arrow. The light snow made it quite possible to sneak without any noise. So I started creeping thru a pretty well used deer trail toward the whatever was moving thing...
After a 50 yard crawl, I slowly stood and just stared down this trail at all the hoof prints in the snow. I heard something moving again but much closer and kinda behind me. I planted my feet and took my stance looking back down the trail waiting for the animal to cross. It was then that I saw it was in fact a whitetail and I didn't see any antlers, perfect..... When it crossed the trail at about 12 yards, I stopped it with a mouth Mahhhh and picked a hair just behind the front leg. The Martin did the rest....
Heres the amazing part to me... I cant find the arrow, It blasted out the other side and buried under the snow. I am so impressed with the results of a Heavy arrow and 70# bow.
The deer literally took 4 hops in the snow, stopped, and just stood there at about 18 yards wobbling and pumping blood out of both sides. I could see the steam from the blood.... I was shaking and trying to get another arrow out of my quiver when it dropped. I slowly fell onto my knees and just shook with the ol after shot adrenaline rush. After about 15 minutes I slowly stood and started creeping toward the deer. It was down and there was blood everywhere...
Unfortunately I broke my own rule tonite and shot a shed 1.5 y/o buck... while I am slightly upset I screwed up, I am grateful for a successful hunt and a quick kill. The meat will be great. The Farmer was happy to see me kill more deer, so if I dont produce, he will let it be blacktagged this coming summer. So it was all for the good to sacrifice this young deer.
One Happy Hunter!!!
Topic: Deer Down in the Snow (Read 5340 times)
