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Horns first buck

Horn

Horn

Well-Known Member
SH Member
Joined
Mar 8, 2022
Messages
3,050
So I went in a new area, came in from the north on a west wind that was supposed to shift to north. Good idea? I dunno but it's poorly marked public and this was safe. I had talked to a good friend and mentor/ coach and we kinda e-scouted it. He picked a couple spots and I decided I was going to check them out. I didn't send the whole map or anything, just a what do you think about this area.

There was a stream that was more than I anticipated, not much but I didn't have the right boots on for the job. About 500 yards in, 200 to go to spot 1. Aha! A down tree across the stream. Onwards! Got to feeling like this was a mistake... even text a buddy but no service so just venting to myself I guess lol. Push on because I'm this far. ...... hey, an apple tree. Maybe this is something. It's pretty thick where I wanted to go, so I'm skirting the edges. More apples. Cool. Looking up now. Then I thought I blew it. Darn near stepped in a bed. Shoot! I had spotty service there, I text my mentor friend and said " hey. I messed up. I walked right into beds" No answer right away so I'm wandering a bit more. Then, He says just embrace it and set up with the wind advantage. So I did.

Last legal is 7:33. It's a little after 7 and I'm thinking I'm gonna get skunked. Bummer because I'm uncomfortable and staying extra still 5 yards off a bed, tethered to an apple tree at ground level, because the contest. But really, it was a decent set up just not comfy.

Moving left to right across your screen I've got great cover to my eft, hope I see them working NE ( right ) into my only small window. Possible they come from NE and it would work but risky drawing and waiting on a the shot.

must have been 7:14 or 15. What's that to the left. It's a white tail!! Game time!! Just when I thought I'd lost! Bow up and drawn. Geez this is more awkward than the practice draws. Fork it! Deer! Holy crap it's got headgear!!! :smile::smile:

It stops behind a pine tree, just before my window. I assume full draw but relaxed, not in the peep or anything. One more step. Closer to shot ready... ... can't really see the deer but I can see that white trail. Barely. Dark under this apple tree. One step. Getting there. Can't tell what we got yet.. two steps. Don't you hang up like Friday. Kill posture assumed. Do it, Take the step. It finally does. 1/4 away at 20 yards, I hug it's right shoulder and send it like the trigger puncher I want to be! Lol audible hit. Had to pop that drum!! .01 seconds of YESSS! and back to work. Tiny pause before it pretty casually trots off a tad east before turning north. It's 7:16

He's out of sight so I'm not burning daylight, where is my arrow and what do we have at the scene? First look, nothing. Guess that singular lighted nock I have and shot just now didn't help lol. Getting bearings, trying to get a line from tree to shot scene ect. Hey hey, here's hair!

Screenshot_20231012_005712_Gallery.jpg

I see a tiny drop of blood now but I right I had white hair. Crap. How'd I miss low??

I ranged it, I thought 20, it was closer to 25. Should be ok but I didn't love what I saw. I decided to give it time. So much time I went home 15 or so minutes and got some dinner.

I'm far more composed than I'd ever have imagined. No blood. No nothing. But dang, I know I popped that drum. What the ...

Well ends up right about 10:15 I'm headed back in. I didn't have gloves and have several fresh cuts on my hands from work, so i wasted more time running to the store to get some. Pretty sure open wounds and deer guts don't mix. Questionable hits need time.

Hey, I found some blood, but a ways from the shot site. Yikes, this isn't good. Questionable hit and no blood. Good thing the first thing I did is text the boss man and say I connected. Followed by bad hit. Any way, press on.

It's pretty sparse. Like, am I going to find this sparse. What did happen sparse. Only my second archery deer and the first one had ample blood to trail. ... but I kept on keeping on and sure enough, found a few more specks to keep the search alive.

Found it!!! WHEW!!! :grinning:

Screenshot_20231012_011920_Gallery.jpg

Yeah, I thought it was a doe too lol

Screenshot_20231012_012120_Gallery.jpg

Screenshot_20231012_010147_Gallery.jpg

Spartan forge tells me it was 866 yards to the road. Seemed flat on the way back in ( came from south because it should have been closer.. lol) pretty sure it was up hill the whole way :tearsofjoy: Felt like it and he's not even big! Just truthful, not ashamed or anything.

Well if you made it this far your awful patient haha. I'm sure it's full of spelling, grammatical and auto correct errors but I tried to give y'all a story while it was still fresh in my mind
 
Congrats on the buck. Great story, kept me there the whole time. Awesome!
 
Horn said:
So I went in a new area, came in from the north on a west wind that was supposed to shift to north. Good idea? I dunno but it's poorly marked public and this was safe. I had talked to a good friend and mentor/ coach and we kinda e-scouted it. He picked a couple spots and I decided I was going to check them out. I didn't send the whole map or anything, just a what do you think about this area.

There was a stream that was more than I anticipated, not much but I didn't have the right boots on for the job. About 500 yards in, 200 to go to spot 1. Aha! A down tree across the stream. Onwards! Got to feeling like this was a mistake... even text a buddy but no service so just venting to myself I guess lol. Push on because I'm this far. ...... hey, an apple tree. Maybe this is something. It's pretty thick where I wanted to go, so I'm skirting the edges. More apples. Cool. Looking up now. Then I thought I blew it. Darn near stepped in a bed. Shoot! I had spotty service there, I text my mentor friend and said " hey. I messed up. I walked right into beds" No answer right away so I'm wandering a bit more. Then, He says just embrace it and set up with the wind advantage. So I did.

Last legal is 7:33. It's a little after 7 and I'm thinking I'm gonna get skunked. Bummer because I'm uncomfortable and staying extra still 5 yards off a bed, tethered to an apple tree at ground level, because the contest. But really, it was a decent set up just not comfy.

Moving left to right across your screen I've got great cover to my eft, hope I see them working NE ( right ) into my only small window. Possible they come from NE and it would work but risky drawing and waiting on a the shot.

must have been 7:14 or 15. What's that to the left. It's a white tail!! Game time!! Just when I thought I'd lost! Bow up and drawn. Geez this is more awkward than the practice draws. Fork it! Deer! Holy crap it's got headgear!!! :smile::smile:

It stops behind a pine tree, just before my window. I assume full draw but relaxed, not in the peep or anything. One more step. Closer to shot ready... ... can't really see the deer but I can see that white trail. Barely. Dark under this apple tree. One step. Getting there. Can't tell what we got yet.. two steps. Don't you hang up like Friday. Kill posture assumed. Do it, Take the step. It finally does. 1/4 away at 20 yards, I hug it's right shoulder and send it like the trigger puncher I want to be! Lol audible hit. Had to pop that drum!! .01 seconds of YESSS! and back to work. Tiny pause before it pretty casually trots off a tad east before turning north. It's 7:16

He's out of sight so I'm not burning daylight, where is my arrow and what do we have at the scene? First look, nothing. Guess that singular lighted nock I have and shot just now didn't help lol. Getting bearings, trying to get a line from tree to shot scene ect. Hey hey, here's hair!

View attachment 92520

I see a tiny drop of blood now but I right I had white hair. Crap. How'd I miss low??

I ranged it, I thought 20, it was closer to 25. Should be ok but I didn't love what I saw. I decided to give it time. So much time I went home 15 or so minutes and got some dinner.

I'm far more composed than I'd ever have imagined. No blood. No nothing. But dang, I know I popped that drum. What the ...

Well ends up right about 10:15 I'm headed back in. I didn't have gloves and have several fresh cuts on my hands from work, so i wasted more time running to the store to get some. Pretty sure open wounds and deer guts don't mix. Questionable hits need time.

Hey, I found some blood, but a ways from the shot site. Yikes, this isn't good. Questionable hit and no blood. Good thing the first thing I did is text the boss man and say I connected. Followed by bad hit. Any way, press on.

It's pretty sparse. Like, am I going to find this sparse. What did happen sparse. Only my second archery deer and the first one had ample blood to trail. ... but I kept on keeping on and sure enough, found a few more specks to keep the search alive.

Found it!!! WHEW!!! :grinning:

View attachment 92521

Yeah, I thought it was a doe too lol

View attachment 92522

View attachment 92523

Spartan forge tells me it was 866 yards to the road. Seemed flat on the way back in ( came from south because it should have been closer.. lol) pretty sure it was up hill the whole way :tearsofjoy: Felt like it and he's not even big! Just truthful, not ashamed or anything.

Well if you made it this far your awful patient haha. I'm sure it's full of spelling, grammatical and auto correct errors but I tried to give y'all a story while it was still fresh in my mind
Click to expand...
Congrats on your buck! Really enjoyed the write up.

Your shot placement didn't look that bad? Blood trails can be crazy on deer. I shot a doe that was perfectly broadside at 25 yards in 2018. There was no blood. She ended up being 40 yards from where I hit her - it was a double lung shot. I was shooting rage broadheads at the time. The bolt had entered, and deflected so the exit was on her opposite hind quarters(hence no blood).
 
Great story Horn. Congrats. High lung shots don't give you much of a blood trail sometimes as it mostly ends up in the chest cavity instead of on the ground. That is why I always aim low for the top of the heart.
 
Congratulations bro! I think anybody who's hunted for any length of time can sympathize with you. I know, I shot a few that I could have sworn were does, only to find a spike or button buck at the end of the blood trail. Be proud, looks like you made a great shot.
 
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