A week or so ago while sitting under a persimmon tree I had a couple does come in from behind me. Being too thick and no shot opportunity one of them blew at a mere 15 yards as she caught my scent. I was sitting close to a soybean field and the next day I slipped back in there and hung my trail camera on the edge of the field pointing up the direction I thought they had come from. Well Friday after work I hurried to the farm, parked the truck, slipped on my knee high boots and walked back the field to retrieve my camera card. On inspection of it the does sure enough were popping out of the corner of the field and snacking on a few beans while walking the edge of the woods on their way down to the persimmon tree.
Back right corner in this pic
Well with this intel I slipped in there last night and took my new Shappell trail chair with me. Cleared a spot in the edge just down from their outlet trail in the corner and began trimming shooting holes in the leaves and brush.
Looking back to my chair while trimming
I cut two holes and then settled in, the time was 4:30. At 4:32 I notice a tail flicker. Its a young one coming my way. All of the sudden it bounded right by me in the field, followed by another fawn. I figured any minute I would have Mom coming by. Time ticked by and maybe 30 minutes later I catch a glimpse of a doe slipping up through the woods about 30 yards away toward the persimmon tree.
My first thought is crap my plan wasn't coming together as planned. I stood in my hollowed out brushy spot for another hour or so with nothing going on. I didn't mind though as the fall woods is absolutely amazing this time of year. The temperature was wonderful at 67 degree and I was soaking it all in when I looked up toward the corner and see a brown horizontal back in the dry beans. I was glad when the deer raised its head to look around and there were no antlers since I don't have my buck tag anymore. I instantly sat in my seat and took the Morrison off the hanger and planted the tip into the toe of my boot to get the bow and quiver in front of my face if she got close enough.
She was eating beans and ever so slowly making her way in my direction. She was out in the field about 10 yards when I first saw her but walked over to the edge of the field when she got about 20 yards from me. For what seemed like an hour I watched her eat and raise and lower her head keeping a look out for danger.
She was facing me at this time and finally made her way to me. At 3 steps she stuck her head into the bush I was sitting on the other side of and ripped off a mouthful of leaves and sat and chewed them for a few seconds. I was so close I think I could have wrangled her down by her ears. It was an amazing moment of predator and prey.
I couldn't shoot as the bush was way too thick and she was facing me most the time. She finally took a few step and peeking through the bush I could see her tail flicker. She stood there for a long time and the whole time I just kept praying the wind would hold true as it was blowing parallel to the field edge away from her fairly steady. I also was wondering if she could smell where I was trimming the shooting holes and was hoping she wasn't going to bugger.
Finally she took a few more steps and I closed my eyes when she peered down into my left shooting hole looking right at me. She didn't see anything that worried her and as she stepped on I started to draw. As she got to my hole she turned back out toward the field and walked to the first few rows of beans and picked some to eat. She stood there for quit some time chewing and looking around. She then started to turn in the direction of the persimmon tree and during her turn the arrow was off.
At 7 yards it stuck her perfect. She bounded off the way she had come from and instantly all was quit and I could take a deep breath. the shot was perfect if she was broadside but I was worried with her turning and quartering away from me I may have only caught one lung.
This spot is in the head of a woody draw in between two fingers in the bean field. I was set up in the head of it and a road and the neighbors fence was maybe 150 yards down the draw the way she retreated. I didn't want to take a chance in pushing her over into the neighboring property at night so I gathered my gear and walked to the truck.
Returning this morning I grabbed my backpack and bow and put on my orange hat and vest since today started our musket rifle weekend. I started down at the road and made my way backwards up the draw so as not to push any deer onto the neighbors and into the awaiting lead storm. I knew if lethally hurt she would be in there and it is so small in there I wouldn't need to follow a blood trail.
When I topped the ridge in the beans I saw a wonderful site.
Trees full of buzzards. I instantly knew she was below them and I quickly walked over and found her. She had gone about 80 yards and was laying in some super thick stuff. Half of my arrow was laying there beside her. It had gone in perfectly for a broadside shot and hit the opposite shoulder. Although she was pretty stiff and missing an eye from her buddies above, I think I made the right call in waiting.
An exciting night and morning! I am sure glad the road was close though as she was a good one. The farmer had planted the beans close to the wood line so I didn't want to drive atv in them getting her out.
Go get 'em fellas.
Topic: Great night...and TOO close of an encounter! (Read 1370 times)
