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First Saddle Buck

H

Hollish

New Member
Joined
Jun 20, 2019
Messages
12
Wohoo!!!!

Got my first saddle hunt in yesterday... opening day in VA.
Wasn't planning on sitting today, but changed my mind at the end of the afternoon...
Grabbed my stuff, was up a tree by 5:15 and had a buck walk by at 6:15.
It walked past, with no shot, milled around some in the distance.
I decided to do a little grunt and after the second round of little grunts, it came walking my direction. (First time ever grunting a deer in)
A nice 6 point (nice for this area in VA).
I was worried about the recovery, as it came across as a gut shot... with not a lot of blood.
But once I was on the blood, I could see it getting more and more... until I recovered it!

I can't be happier...
Thanks for all the info on this site... It definitely helped me.

Hollish
 

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Nice job. That's a fine looking buck. I love the call. How about a little detail of the shot. How'd it set up for the shot. did you have to leave the platform/walk around on a ring of steps, strong/weak? Some details may help some new folks with shot practice, angles, that kind of stuff. That's the least us grizzled veterans can do.
 
The story:
This weekend was the first time in my saddle, with Sunday being my second sit.
I noticed a big difference between Saturday and Sunday in the tree... how to get my gear up, where to attach/hang things on the tree etc.
It was awesome!!

I had thick brush in front of me from 10-2, but since there was a branch from a different tree on that side of the tree, I had no way of setting up on that side... so no shot 10-2
I had a 2 shooting lanes between 5-7, and could see further into the woods between 3 and 5, to see deer walking in. Between 8 and 10, I had some closer areas I could have a shot at a deer, but my main lane on that side was at about 9, between 2 pines and about 25-30 yards away.
The way I walked into the woods, I had expected this to be a bit more of an observation sit, and just to enjoy being out there. I have never been picky about what I should, since I haven't been hunting for a long time and am still in single digits on the amount of deer I have shot (although this one might have been nr. 10)

In the same block of woods, was my friends 15 year old, bow hunting for the first time, and his son in law, in a location I had found last year, and had been scouting with a camera for the past few months... so pretty 'busy'.
The 15 year old, had a doe in front of him, so we encouraged him to take a shot since it would be his first archery deer... he missed.
I heard the deer run off and blow in the distance.
About 30 min later, I heard something close by and saw a buck walk through a shooting lane at my 6.... and than it meandered off at my 7.

I remembered I had my grunt tube with me, so thought... what can it hurt.
I grunted twice, heard the deer stop and when it started walking again grunted again.
Next thing I know, I see the deer walking on the trail that would give me a shot at my 9

Once it walked out, I let my crossbow rip!

Learning how to use my crossbow while being in the saddle will take a little bit of getting used to.
When hanging in the saddle, although you're anchored, my body as a platform moves more than sitting or standing in a stand... that will have some getting used to.
But overall, this was a very good experience, and one I am ready to do again (next weekend)

Hollish
 
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