Short? From Kyler?! No way.
I found out I was going to be a papa, so I had to get very efficient with my time.
I shot my first mule deer in Colorado. I learned about some of the allure of private land in the process.
As far as whitetail go, I hunted in 3 states. I spent time in the woods on 20 total days. Well call it an average of 6 hours per day. I averaged 6+ miles a day walking from September 1-Jan15, to give you an idea of how much I move around. I climbed a tree 7 different times, for a total of about 20-24 hours.
Results:
I saw deer on 13 of 20 days in the field.
I saw deer I would shoot on 3 of 7 times in a tree.
I saw deer on 3 of 7 times in a tree.
I had legal bucks within weapon range on 7 separate occasions. 2 of these were while in a tree.
I had three of what would be my largest deer killed in range. 1 time while in a tree.
I had 19 deer I would shoot within weapon range on 13 different occasions. I discharged my weapon 8 times, at 6 animals, 7 shots on ground, 1 shot from tree.
One animal, the largest deer I’ve ever see on hoof in weapon range with a chance to shoot it, escaped with my arrow. Dog was called next day, confident deer was still alive. Confirmed later that day by random hunter who encountered the buck, who was dogging a doe.
A doe was missed by hitting a branch.
Doe stomach/liver shot recovered 100 yards.
Doe 3 shots, spine/neck/double lung, recovered 20 yards.
9pt double lung recovered 100 yards.
6pt double lung recovered 10 yards.
Two encounters worth mentioning, they were the two bucks not shot at:
one was while scouting, very large 8pt heard me coming and assumed I was another deer and came grunting at me. I heard him about 50 yards away. I hit a knee and shouldered my rifle(semi auto with reflex sight). I stopped hearing the deer. Assumed he stopped. Turns out he was on quiet trail. I had lowered my rifle to get better view. He popped out of thicket at 15 yards, I couldn’t move. Gave me 2 seconds and bolted.
One was very large 10pt. Hung a camera in an area with good sign, but assumed all nighttime. Wrong. Checked camera for exercise, and Many legal bucks and lots of does in daytime. Made a hunt when weather and wind was right midweek several days later. Deer did exactly what they had done on camera, grunted 10pt from scrape 50 yards away, ran to 5 yards, stopped behind tree, winded me, bolted. Mini sat on my shoulder unable to do anything.
I found out I was going to be a papa, so I had to get very efficient with my time.
I shot my first mule deer in Colorado. I learned about some of the allure of private land in the process.
As far as whitetail go, I hunted in 3 states. I spent time in the woods on 20 total days. Well call it an average of 6 hours per day. I averaged 6+ miles a day walking from September 1-Jan15, to give you an idea of how much I move around. I climbed a tree 7 different times, for a total of about 20-24 hours.
Results:
I saw deer on 13 of 20 days in the field.
I saw deer I would shoot on 3 of 7 times in a tree.
I saw deer on 3 of 7 times in a tree.
I had legal bucks within weapon range on 7 separate occasions. 2 of these were while in a tree.
I had three of what would be my largest deer killed in range. 1 time while in a tree.
I had 19 deer I would shoot within weapon range on 13 different occasions. I discharged my weapon 8 times, at 6 animals, 7 shots on ground, 1 shot from tree.
One animal, the largest deer I’ve ever see on hoof in weapon range with a chance to shoot it, escaped with my arrow. Dog was called next day, confident deer was still alive. Confirmed later that day by random hunter who encountered the buck, who was dogging a doe.
A doe was missed by hitting a branch.
Doe stomach/liver shot recovered 100 yards.
Doe 3 shots, spine/neck/double lung, recovered 20 yards.
9pt double lung recovered 100 yards.
6pt double lung recovered 10 yards.
Two encounters worth mentioning, they were the two bucks not shot at:
one was while scouting, very large 8pt heard me coming and assumed I was another deer and came grunting at me. I heard him about 50 yards away. I hit a knee and shouldered my rifle(semi auto with reflex sight). I stopped hearing the deer. Assumed he stopped. Turns out he was on quiet trail. I had lowered my rifle to get better view. He popped out of thicket at 15 yards, I couldn’t move. Gave me 2 seconds and bolted.
One was very large 10pt. Hung a camera in an area with good sign, but assumed all nighttime. Wrong. Checked camera for exercise, and Many legal bucks and lots of does in daytime. Made a hunt when weather and wind was right midweek several days later. Deer did exactly what they had done on camera, grunted 10pt from scrape 50 yards away, ran to 5 yards, stopped behind tree, winded me, bolted. Mini sat on my shoulder unable to do anything.
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