MIBowhunter82
New Member
- Joined
- Sep 2, 2020
- Messages
- 14
I’ve been “hunting” for the last 12 years and have been unsuccessful up until last year when I got my first small buck. I say “hunting” because I have always kind of just gone up north to the cabin and found a spot or two in the woods and sat there for a few days generally not seeing much. Last year I gained access to some property nearer my home that enabled me to hunt nearly every weekend as it is only 20 min away. I was out this past Saturday morning and was hesitant because of the warm front coming through. We had a high of 70 on Friday and it was to continue through Tuesday which for Michigan this time of year it is nearly unheard of. Anyway, I was sitting in my stand (I just heard of saddle hunting this year in mid September and am in the process of putting together a set up) and around 7:30 I had a small spike chasing a doe come into the area. Shortly afterward there were 5 doe that came in from the property to the south. there were two mature and 3 young ones. The young ones were running all over and just doing circles. One even ran 3-4 laps in a huge circle around where my stand was at the beginning of the season. There was a good size 5 point that came into the area and was chasing the two bigger doe on and off. Then another spike showed up and the 5 point kept chasing him away. Since All the bucks I’d seen so far this year have been spikes, button and a small 4 point. I decided if the 5 point came close enough I’d take a shot. He ended up chasing the spike around my side and behind me and then retreated back to my 2 o’clock about 70 yards out. Being aware of the spike behind me I tried keeping the tree between me and him so he wouldn’t make me and alert the 5point. The 5 point decide to lay down out there and take a break while the does continued to wander around. As I am watching him I keep looking back to keep an eye on the spike behind me. All this happens over the course of about an hour. Then over my shoulder as I look back at the spike I notice two more deer coming in from the back (walking right past where my stand was set just 2 weeks prior). Trailing them is a nice 8 point. This 8 was the reason I moved my stand two weeks ago as I had seen him two days in a row at the same spot but he never came closer so I decided after the second time to move the stand to within 20 yards of where he came to. Imagine my frustration when I see that guy walking right past where I had been. Anyway, they all came in so quickly that I didn’t have time to range where he was walking by and by the time I decide to draw and guesstimate he was behind some brush. Then the smaller bucks started heading away from me and the 8 point followed suit. I decided this may be my only chance so I decided to hit the grunt call with a soft short grunt. I have tried grunting deer before without any success. Much to my amazement, this guy stopped dead in his tracks looked back. I grunted again and he spun 180 and walked right at me testing the air with his nose. I was dead up wind so I thought I was toast for sure, but he kept coming. I soon realized that the path he was on was taking him right under me and I may not get a shot. Then all of a sudden as of on que at 20 yards he turned broadside behind a small tree. As he stepped out it sent one flying. He bolted 80 yards and stopped and stood there. I could see red on his side so I knew he was hit, but he kept walking away. My hands and leg started shaking in controllably as this is my first shot at a buck that big. I lost him behind some brush and so I waited an hour before getting down. My buddy showed up and we went to go find him. We were finding blood, but nothing like I had hoped. Eventually after an hour and 200 yards later we lost the trail. we decided to head he direction we thought he was headed and 100 yards out we see him walking towards the road. We went to where he was and could not find any sign at all of him having lied down. We got lucky and found some blood near the road and a couple small spots on the other side. It was into some really dense brush and we decided to give him some time and come back a few hours later. When we came back we were all but crawling on our knees through this thick brush nearly getting run over by a doe being chased by another buck in the process (they literally ran with in 5 feet of me). We lose the blood trail in the brush and can not find a speck of anything on the other side in the field. The field has about 3 foot grass and brush so it’s hard to find blood anyway. After nearly another hour and not finding any trail at all we decided to stomp through the field to the far side, turn around and stomp back in hopes we may get lucky. On the way back and still not seeing a darn thing I have chalked him up as lost which is very hard since the same thing happened last year on a spike which would have been my first buck. We never found that one. I’m feeling about as low as I possibly can when all of a sudden I see a leg about 10 yards to my left. I stand up on a nearby log and to my astonishment, there is my 8 point! I couldn’t believe my eyes and that rush of excitement came flooding back. In examining him I hit him just slightly back from the lung and he wasn’t completely broadside as the arrow worked it’s way out low and back, Straight through the liver. I feel blessed that I was able to recover him and get him in before much longer. Had I waited till morning it would have been a complete waste of meat due to the warm temps and the coyotes. Hands down the BEST day I have ever had hunting!! I will never forget it as long as I live. Thanks for sticking with my in this long post. I just needed to share.
