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Tell me about a time you learned something from a hunt long after it was over...

kyler1945

Well-Known Member
SH Member
Joined
Dec 4, 2016
Messages
6,877
Location
Willis, TX
I've had many hunts where I either didn't fully comprehend why it was successful or not, only to become enlightened days/weeks/months/years after the hunt.

Last year I encountered four shooters trailing a hot doe into a strip of CRP in the middle of a cut corn field. I was able to army crawl, then sprint downwind of the strip and get within 40 yards of the closest buck before they broke out into heavy cover chasing the doe.

A creek ran through the woodlot they entered. It was very thick, but had three areas along it that the we could set up and have the deer be forced between field and creek and be in bow range. Since I spotted the deer, I took first crack at where I thought they were holed up, and set up closest to it. My two buddies set up in each of the other two pinch points.

I encountered all five deer - with the largest of the bucks and the doe running through quickly just out of bow range. Two of the other bucks made their way slowly through on same trail, and no amount of grunting or bleating could get them off course. The last of the four bucks was very old, saggy belly, bowed back swollen nose. He got slightly downwind of their trail and was heading right down a run that would put him in 10 yards. He was moving very slowly and browsing as he did. I dropped my can bleat over and he took a few steps and froze. For the next 15 minutes, a tending grunt or bleat was sent his way. He did not move a single muscle the whole time. Finally I paused about 2-3 minutes, and dropped the can again. At that point, he made a wide circle upwind of me (the steep creek bank would've been downwind and I was set up on it). I attempted a shot at 35 yards, and clipped a branch halfway there. The video of the shot is pretty funny(I need to dig that up). He trotted on after his buddies.

From the moment it happened until this summer when I was scouting, I assumed he thought the doe in heat was bleating, and was with the dominant buck that was grunting. He didn't want to come in and get a butt whipping. As I was reviewing the aerial maps, it occurred to me he came to the trail I walked in on, and that's what caused him to freeze. He locked up there, and though he wanted to check out who was making the racket, he knew he couldn't get downwind to see if a hunter was there. He finally committed to checking it out, but wanted to take a long way around to do so. I've now got a better way to access a great pinch point and learned how to do it right this time

Long winded - but give an example of the light bulb going off!
 
Blood trailing. I get quiet a few calls to go help mostly elderly guys and some kids track deer. Sometimes after being on my hands and knees shining my spotlight looking for the next pin drop of blood for a few hours I screw up. I have one rule about tracking that I sometimes forget when I get frustrated. No matter what stay on the blood until there is absolutely no other choice but to start small circles to find it. Usually it's 2am and I'm getting tired so I march ahead 10-20-30 feet trying to speed things up because the deer just had to go this way. Then another hour later after backtracking trying to find the marched over blood trail you finally pick it back up. I've done it countless times and everytime I kick myself for it. Even if it's a semi quick recovery is still kick myself for rushing it.
 
Never pass a animal at first of season that you would shoot at the end of season. This lesson gets learned every year by all hunters hunting public,private, guided, unguided. I only get so many chances to hunt a year and I'll be mad at them till I'm gone from here, lol.
 
Always always sharpen your knife after its last use. A year later when your hunched over a deer and you remembered your wife said something about using your knife you'll regret not checking it.
 
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