Jmiller
Active Member
- Joined
- Nov 8, 2019
- Messages
- 165
I was getting a little worried that it might not happen this year.
I'd seen some small bucks over the course of bow season, and even killed one of them on the last day of a quota hunt I participated in. I also tagged one doe earlier in the season for meat when the opportunity presented itself, so I wasn't going to be too disappointed if I didn't get a good buck. But I'll be honest, all the hours of practice, the cost of setting up new arrows, time away from family, I wanted to seal the deal.
Last Saturday was the muzzleloader opener, and it's when you start to see other hunters in the woods. I'd committed to getting it done with the bow though, so as the first real signs of the rut kicked off last weekend, I was both encouraged by the deer movement and discouraged by the amount of other hunters and shooting I could hear nearby. I did manage to get a good buck within 75 yards (easy muzzleloader distance) that day, but could only watch helplessly as he made a bee line to some other woodlot in search of a hot doe.
This morning, I almost didn't get out of bed. High in the 70s, but at least a little breezy. I needed to get some work done but hey, it's Nov 9. Let's get up a tree.
I hiked in blind at sunup into a 3-4 year cutover on a tract I'm not real familiar with and hadn't scouted at all. I knew it was going to be thick, but I'd seen a good buck cross the road just below it as I drove to another site last weekend. I climbed to nearly the highest point on the property where I found the confluence of several skid roads, some deer trails and a few fresh rubs. I got up the tree as the sun came up and was set by 6:15.
About 30 minutes later, I catch some movement off to my left. A doe.
Nice. I could use another doe for the freezer.
I wait as she moves closer, then I catch the movement of one more doe. Then another one.
Just as the first doe moves about into range I think about drawing back and I hear "braaaaaaaapppppp" and see antlers moving through the brush herding the does around.
Just like you'd picture it happening, he pushes the does right past my setup and gives me a broadside shot. Somehow, no panic.
"Thwack!" I know it's solid.
He doesn't run. He's just so keyed in on these does that he continues to follow after them. After a 30 or so yards, he beds down. But soon after gets back up.
A few minutes later I hear some thrashing and think I see him run off.
I text my friend hunting down the mountain a ways to give the rundown. Then I start taking down my platform, my sticks, one by one, neatly putting all my gear up just the way I brought it in to consume time. I climb down and see my lighted nock glowing.
Encouraged, I follow a little further and start to see the spray.
Just a little ways further, and I see him laying dead in the leaves.
Hell. Yes.
This is what I'd been waiting for. I text pics to my friends, tell the wife, start taking care of business. It's a long drag and a big deer, but mostly downhill.
A friendly neighbor spots me and offers a lift to my truck. We get him loaded up and the deed is pretty much done.
Time to celebrate and time to get to work.
All in all, my best archery buck. Thanks to Saddlehunter.com for all the knowledge and help. I dig hunting like this.
I'd seen some small bucks over the course of bow season, and even killed one of them on the last day of a quota hunt I participated in. I also tagged one doe earlier in the season for meat when the opportunity presented itself, so I wasn't going to be too disappointed if I didn't get a good buck. But I'll be honest, all the hours of practice, the cost of setting up new arrows, time away from family, I wanted to seal the deal.
Last Saturday was the muzzleloader opener, and it's when you start to see other hunters in the woods. I'd committed to getting it done with the bow though, so as the first real signs of the rut kicked off last weekend, I was both encouraged by the deer movement and discouraged by the amount of other hunters and shooting I could hear nearby. I did manage to get a good buck within 75 yards (easy muzzleloader distance) that day, but could only watch helplessly as he made a bee line to some other woodlot in search of a hot doe.
This morning, I almost didn't get out of bed. High in the 70s, but at least a little breezy. I needed to get some work done but hey, it's Nov 9. Let's get up a tree.
I hiked in blind at sunup into a 3-4 year cutover on a tract I'm not real familiar with and hadn't scouted at all. I knew it was going to be thick, but I'd seen a good buck cross the road just below it as I drove to another site last weekend. I climbed to nearly the highest point on the property where I found the confluence of several skid roads, some deer trails and a few fresh rubs. I got up the tree as the sun came up and was set by 6:15.
About 30 minutes later, I catch some movement off to my left. A doe.
Nice. I could use another doe for the freezer.
I wait as she moves closer, then I catch the movement of one more doe. Then another one.
Just as the first doe moves about into range I think about drawing back and I hear "braaaaaaaapppppp" and see antlers moving through the brush herding the does around.
Just like you'd picture it happening, he pushes the does right past my setup and gives me a broadside shot. Somehow, no panic.
"Thwack!" I know it's solid.
He doesn't run. He's just so keyed in on these does that he continues to follow after them. After a 30 or so yards, he beds down. But soon after gets back up.
A few minutes later I hear some thrashing and think I see him run off.
I text my friend hunting down the mountain a ways to give the rundown. Then I start taking down my platform, my sticks, one by one, neatly putting all my gear up just the way I brought it in to consume time. I climb down and see my lighted nock glowing.
Encouraged, I follow a little further and start to see the spray.
Just a little ways further, and I see him laying dead in the leaves.
Hell. Yes.
This is what I'd been waiting for. I text pics to my friends, tell the wife, start taking care of business. It's a long drag and a big deer, but mostly downhill.
A friendly neighbor spots me and offers a lift to my truck. We get him loaded up and the deed is pretty much done.
Time to celebrate and time to get to work.
All in all, my best archery buck. Thanks to Saddlehunter.com for all the knowledge and help. I dig hunting like this.
