Went out last night because it was just so nice out and had really no intention of shooting anything because I already got one Sunday and had an early morning appointment with a client. As I often do on a night like this in early October I had just decided to get down with a little light left to see my way as I had not seen any deer yet. I just felt rather than spooking a bunch I would get out before I was trapped in my tree. As I was getting my gear ready I hear the obvious crunch, crunch coming my way. I am hunting between a bean field and a large fallow/CRP field so it is now too dark too see well in the 50 yards of heavy stuff between the fields but very light if I turn around.
Using my binocs I watch a couple does approach and realize I am stuck for a bit and just relax to let them feed by. About the time they are right under me I hear more coming and start to think this may take a while?
There is a pretty good opening that remains light right in front of my stand and I have three deer feeding right there with more coming when I hear the very exciting noise of antlers clicking together from the approaching deer. At this point I am still not thinking a shot will happen so I am glassing into the darker woods to see what I can see. Soon enough one small six I recognize from my set cams steps out and gets into the doe pack. he then goes back and wrassles with what other buck that is back there a couple times so I am thinking he is the bigger of the two and just trying to retain dominance as a show for the ladys. About this time the other buck gets close enough for me to see him with the binos on one of the return trips by the 6. Turns out the following buck is much larger and I start to think just maybe I would shoot this one. Still believing it is just to dark to take a shot unless he gets right in front of me in the little opening I continue to watch though the binos pretty relaxed and just enjoy the show of two bucks tickling their antlers together. About then, wouldn't you know, the bigger one walks right in and stands broadside at 10 yards. I watch for a moment knowing I can see him certainly well enough to shoot but also knowing I cannot track my arrow so I ponder a moment??? Deciding I will regret it later if this is the one opportunity this fall at a shooter I draw and let her fly. As suspected I could not see the impact but the sound of a center mass hit at 10 yards is hard to miss. The buck charges straight away into the beans and The other deer, after the initial chaos, continue to do there thing. I am guessing they were wondering what got into him?
Well now I don't care if I dusturb them for obvious reasons and I climb down to see the damage. Sure enough, blood was evident right away but no arrow? This means no bottom hole and I get a little worried. The track was slow at first but once he filled up and was charging through the beans it became pretty obvious even with my little mag light and head lamp. After I was in the bean field about 40 yards I could smell a dead deer but still loosing and finding the blood with the little light I had was a slow go. He would gush at every bound but in the middle of a bean field there is no trail and everything looks the same all around. Not to mention even a big deer gets pretty small laying in a dried out brown bean field that is about 3' high. Finally by tracking the smell and finding good blood at every bound along the way there he is. Photos kind of suck because I as alone and had a lot of work to get done so I apologize for that but he turned out a little better than I had originally thought and I am pleased.
The bow is a Rocky Mountain recurve I just bought off the big auction site a couple weeks ago and I used a wide Zwickey 4 blade to get the job done. Deer weighed 175lbs after hanging all night and I cut everything off I felt I could get away with to reduce drag weight so he is one of my better deer. Spread 17" if that matters and I am guessing 2 1/2 years old.
Oh the joys of living 2 months every fall with little or no sleep.
Topic: Always happens when least expected (Read 547 times)
