This has been one of the toughest years in a while for me. I went to a spot 40 minutes away, that I've only hunted once this year, in a stand on the north end of the property. Today I sat a fresh stand that I put up in the spring on the south end. Cutting through a hay field to get to the woods, there was deer scat everywhere. The trails in the woods are gouged into the dirt from years of deer movement. Climbed in and ready at 2:30. It's in a grove of cedar trees and after getting in stand, I realized I never made it back to trim anything. I had holes to shoot through in a variety of directions, no more than 15 yards at the furthest. At 3:15 or so, I could hear a deer walking. I got up and ready. A big doe coming down the trail....nope a big spike (body, not antlers). With just a few days to go, I wasn't being real picky. He was all alone, so he was it.
At 15 yards, he put on the brakes and started sniffing, stomping, and that one back step. Crap, figured he was going to bolt. But no, he pussyfooted around for a few minutes, then committed to the trail. As he stepped broadside, I drew. He took another step and placed himself perfectly between two cedar trees. I hit anchor, settled and away my arrow went. Heard the thud as my arrow hit him in the spine. He dropped and rolled, breaking my arrow. I quickly put a second arrow behind his shoulder, and not seeing much penetration, sent a third. His head gear is pretty small, but a big body indeed, the size of a big doe anyway. This is the ONLY buck I've seen this year, but very exciting to get him with the longbow, and continue a four year streak. Kohannah Longbow, Zwickey Eskimo.
Topic: 2022/2023 Fall/Winter Harvests (Read 16947 times)
