Man, what a hunt! I can't believe how GOD has smiled on me this past week. Killed that big buck last Friday, and now this. The whole thing seems unreal!
Monday afternoon, at Horse Creek WMA, I strapped on all my gear and decided to make the long walk back to the spot me and Robert call the "2 Mile Oak". On my way back, I came across a Swamp Chestnut that was dropping hard, and showing a good bit of sign. I knew that a lot of the sign was from hogs, but some of it had to be deer. I found one pile of droppings, and saw some deer tracks here and there around the tree. I studied the spot for a while, and finally picked out a tree to climb that would give me plenty of cover.
From the time that I got on the stand, I didn't like the setup. I had plenty of cover alright, so much that I couldn't shoot under a good portion of the chestnut. The limbs that were blocking my shots were out of reach. I contemplated climbing down and drilling another tree, but kept debating the move until it was too late to do it. Right at that time when you expect to see one, a doe came in and fed under the tree for a good 10 minutes, all the while within 15 yards. I was upset with myself for making a rookie mistake, and just as soon as she eased off, which was right at dark, I climbed down, picked out a better tree, and drilled my holes and got set up for the next morning.
My clock went off at 5:45 this morning, and I jumped up and hit the showers. I wanted to go in as clean and scent free as possible. As soon as I could get dressed, I headed out so I could be on stand and settled in before daylight.
I had on about every layer of clothes I had brought, but almost froze as I hurriedly made the 15 minute walk to the chestnut. Once I got on stand, I pulled the hood of my jacket over my head and waited for day to break. At approximately 7:10, I thought I heard a deer grunt somewhere in the blackness out in front of me. It was only one time, very faint, with no other sounds accompanying it. I got to thinking that maybe it was a bird of something and wrote it off. About 5 minutes later, I heard it again. I pulled my hood off my head so I could hear better. Nothing for the next several minutes...
All of a sudden, I heard the unmistakable crunch of a chestnut acorn. Only two critters in the woods, that I know of, to make that sound. Deer and hogs. At this time, it was just light enough that I could shoot to about 5 yards, and couldn't see much past that. Several minutes, and busted acorns later, I glimpsed movement and saw a deer easing in under the offside of the tree. It looked like a doe, but the light was so dim it was hard to tell. I watched it for several minutes, then suddenly saw another deer further out on the edge of the slough. It looked like a cow! I couldn't see antlers, but knew by the discrepancy of size between the two deer that this one was a buck!
I eased my hand up and flipped on the video camera. The bright light from the LCD screen lit up my arm. I hit record, and then slowly, like molasses in the winter time, moved my hand back down to the bowstring. It was still so early, the video screen was solid black. I left it recording thinking that if these deer fed for a while, eventually there would be enough light to film.
About 10 minutes later, after having ample opportunity to shoot the doe at 5-7 yards, she decided her belly was full and started walking away from the tree. The buck was still on the offside of the tree, but I knew he wouldn't be far behind her. Luckily, the route of her departure would bring him through a clear lane where I could shoot. By this time, I was able to see the deer clearly in the camera, and was following him along. There was still a bunch of foliage in the way, and I hadn't had a clear look at his rack, but he was coming. I shoved the camera ahead of him, in the hole where I hoped to get a shot. He was coming fast now, and I had to scurry to get on the string.
When he hit the hole, I drew, and simultaneously mouth bleated to get him to stop. As if on cue, he stopped on his mark. I can remember baring down hard on the spot I wanted to hit, and the next thing I know, yellow feathers were sticking out from there.
I watched him run for a few yards before he disappeared from view, and then a few seconds later I heard him crash. The sounds of a sucking chest wound filled the air momentarily, and then all was silent. I gave him a few minutes and then got down to take a look at him. I stepped off 12 yards to the spot he was standing, and saw blood at the hit. A short 55 yards later I was standing over him.
Can't believe I've killed the two biggest bucks of my life within 5 days of each other. He's probably a hair smaller than the one I killed last Friday, but to me he's even more special. Heck of a buck on public land.
Thanks to Dennis and Robert for helping me get him out. I probably could have done it without them, but I sure didn't want to! Lol!
Robert has some better pics. Maybe he'll post them up.
Topic: But wait, there's more!!! (Read 748 times)
