First off, I'd like to wish everyone here a Merry Christmas!
Now to the hunt...
To say I've struggled this fall with the deer would be a huge understatement. Even though I reached my major goal of the season...to kill a deer while Cade was with me and with Chris' bh that I'd already killed 3 turkeys with...this season has been filled with a bunch of factors that have led to next to no deer within shooting distance.
I'm not talking about only big bucks either, I mean deer period! I can't remember a season like this one in all of my 30+ yrs. of bowhunting!
I never lost faith, and everytime I went hunting, I always felt as thought "today was going to be the day"...but day after day, the struggle continued...it had been over 2 months since I'd released an arrow at a deer! Highly unusual for me!
We all want to kill big bucks, and I usually hold out for a good one or 2 during the season, but another of my major goals of the year was to use the 3blade VPA broadheads that were once owned by Chris Surtees as much as possible.
Like mentioned earlier, I'd been using the same one since spring turkey season. It was used for 2 spring gobblers, then a fall hen in early Oct., and in mid Oct. the same BH once again was used to kill a doe while Cade watched the whole thing!
I was also honored by Chris' Dad larry, to be given the great fortune of recieving one of Chris' Lone Wolf Climbers to hunt with.
So, of course I wanted to kill a deer while hunting out of the Lone Wolf, and with Chris' bh.......
Yesterday morning found me walking uphill on a two track trail before first light. A cold front had hit during the night and the frost was very heavy.
Although I couldn't see the deer in the dark, with the wind in my face, my nose was telling me there was a deer close by in front of me. I didn't really want to spook the deer, but with daylight approaching, I had to get to my chosen tree of the morning.
I continued on only about 10yds. and could suddenly hear the deer turn and bound off...I smiled knowing my senses were all keen this morning and I continued on...
Soon I was wrapping the traction belt of Chris' Lone Wolf climber around the big oak. I remember thinking to myself that it was already getting light to the east, and wished I hadn't lolly-gagged so much getting ready and showering before my hour long trip south!
But I climbed up as quiet as I could, put on my KUIU Guide vest and jacket, nocked the arrow with Chris' bh and looked to the heavens as I'd done everytime I'd nocked it this fall...
In 2 previous hunts to this area, but not in this tree, I'd noticed that there was always a couple does that seemed to be coming from this area. But with the wind out of the NW, I knew that if they did come to me like I thought they would, the wind would be as close to being "wrong" as I possibly could get away with.
It's always risky, but it's really the best situation, the deer think they have the advantage of the wind. But with just the right set-up, we really do.
I also purposly set-up on the opposite side of the tree from where the deer would come from. I usually like to be on the side the I expect deer to come from. I really enjoy being able to watch them the whole time while prepping for a shot. But, being that it was so late in the season,and there was absolutely no cover up in the trees, I climbed high, and hoped the mass of the big oaks trunk would cover me until it was too late...
Topic: A Christmas "Eve" Story...todays update!!! (Read 2803 times)
