I'm beginning to wonder (added some pics of her)

[Oliverstacy]

I screwed up again on "Horse Head" tonight...that is twice this year that big #$%@# has given me the slip.

I had her come with the other two, another adult doe and fawn, but from the south this time.  I wasn’t trying to be greedy but I had the first adult doe at about 13 or 14 yards away broadside and standing still…I then realized it was the two does and fawn that I’ve seen several times this year.  I looked back to see the HH doe on a trot following a string to the other two…and well I just had to wait at that point.

She drifted into the shooting lane as I was coming to full draw and was about ½” from anchor and instant release and she must have caught the movement and bolted to the same spot she did in September some 3+ months ago…I really don’t like this deer.  

I’m truly beginning to wonder what I have to do to get an animal with traditional equipment.

I guess tomorrow I’ll try to figure it out.

Josh

[red44]

Some years an animal is tough to collect period.

[sweeney3]

It's tough.

[hayslope]

Those old girls can give you fits!!!

[Colotrad]

Patience and tenacity.  Keep on her.

[jhg]

Josh,
I think you should make a special HorseHead Doe string. Play your favorite songs while making it. (the older the better and if Johnny Cash is in there better still!)
Then take it ouside that night, give it a name and imbue it with HorseHead Doe Mojo.


Joshua

[kennym]

Move your stand a bit,make her look for you! LOL

The old longnecks are hard!

[DVSHUNTER]

slick heads are good at busting your best setup

[30coupe]

Josh,

Shoot the first one that gives you the opportunity. You have to get blood on the ground first. Then you can worry about a particular deer.

If you get that adult doe at 13-14 yards again, put her in the freezer. Horse Head will be back next year and you will be smarter and more confident. As Kenny said, an old doe is a tough target. They are every bit as difficult to take as a trophy buck. You are being schooled by an expert in that old girl.

Russ

[xtrema312]

What 30 coupe said.  I kill about one big old doe every four or five years.  I will shoot 8-10 other between those.  Once they know you are around they realy get hard to take down.

[kadbow]

Patience patience patience, it will happen.  Just keep your shooting sharp and pick a spot when that opportunity presents itself.

[2treks]

I was typing my response and looked up to read 30coupes and xtrema312.
SHOOT THE VERY NEXT DEER THAT GETS IN FRONT OF YOU!
   I shot that monkey years ago. waited for...(fill in the blank). went too many YEARS without killing a deer. made up my mind FOR SURE that year to do it. Had some doe and fawns coming in and busted the first one that came out from behind the brush. A tasty 54# doe fawn(aka dead monkey).
   Now, I will take up the challenge of that one horse headed doe that has laid down the challenge. But I will usually cave and bust the first deer that gets in the way. I LIKE VENISON.
   It will come, you just need to decide WHAT you want to come.
MERRY CHRISTMAS.
Chuck

[David McLendon]

One of my best personal trophies was an old wise doe, what it took to get one up on her was way more than most bucks. Big bucks like old men are creatures of habit and we have learned to play to their weaknesses. Many a big buck has had his bacon saved more than once by an alert old doe. They are always on point, a 5-7 year old doe is a true test of ability and like most women they remember everything that ever happened in vivid detail when we can barely remember what we ate for lunch yesterday.
Good Luck

[Spectre]

An old doe is worse than a buck. They have radar or something-----mothers instinct.

[Oliverstacy]

At first I wasn't sure if the first two were fawns or not...the button bucks are getting big this time of year (well some of them) and I just didn't want to send an arrow into one.

The first deer was easy to tell that it was a fawn...I had seen a couple different groups of deer in that spot this year.  I had two does with two fawns each and then this old gal with a doe and a fawn.  I really thought it was a doe and two fawns with the doe being the last one so I waited.  

So as the line was making it way to me I had it in my mind the first two were fawns and the trailing deer was the doe.  I focused my attention on the last deer but I was half paying attention to all of them so I wouldn’t get busted…that was when I realized the second deer was an adult doe.  There was some sticks between me and her but I could have made the shot (and should have).  But I looked back one more time and saw HH picking up the pace so I decided to wait for the big old gal.  

I’m not at a point where I’m trying to kill a specific deer but then again I not trying to kill just any deer so I have a traditional harvest under my belt.  

Oh well this was my last morning to hunt so I’m going O’fer for the 3rd year in a row.

For the record I’ve had more fun in the last 3 years of Trad than I’ve had in the most if not all the other 22 years before them with a compound.  

Josh

[Over&Under]

Originally posted by kadbow:
Patience patience patience, it will happen.  Just keep your shooting sharp and pick a spot when that opportunity presents itself.

I think we all went through similar feelings before connecting for the first time.  

Like Mark says, be patient and don't forget to pick that spot!!!

Good luck!!

[Oliverstacy]

Originally posted by David McLendon:
One of my best personal trophies was an old wise doe, what it took to get one up on her was way more than most bucks. Big bucks like old men are creatures of habit and we have learned to play to their weaknesses. Many a big buck has had his bacon saved more than once by an alert old doe. They are always on point, a 5-7 year old doe is a true test of ability and like most women they remember everything that ever happened in vivid detail when we can barely remember what we ate for lunch yesterday.
Good Luck

I really think this deer is at least 5 to 6 years old...she is a big old gal.  I have some trail camera photos of her that I will try to post later when I get back home.

I really should have shot the first doe when it dawned on me she was indeed an adult doe.

I agree they are very tough to kill!

Josh

[George D. Stout]

A mature doe is the most clever critter in the woods; heads above even a big buck when it comes to survival.  Patience, Grasshopper.  In this day of "I want" and instant gratification, some things need to not change.

[recurve_shooter]

Old does can give you fits, that's for sure, especially late in the season.

Just think of how you'll feel when you finally get her or another old gal like her.

[BWD]

The worst part about a clever old doe is she can prevent you from getting a shot at the old man.