• The SH Membership has gone live. Only SH Members have access to post in the classifieds. All members can view the classifieds. Starting in 2020 only SH Members will be admitted to the annual hunting contest. Current members will need to follow these steps to upgrade: 1. Click on your username 2. Click on Account upgrades 3. Choose SH Member and purchase.
  • We've been working hard the past few weeks to come up with some big changes to our vendor policies to meet the changing needs of our community. Please see the new vendor rules here: Vendor Access Area Rules

LIVE from the saddle 2023

NMSbowhunter said:
Not live but yesterday. I went out to a spot I just found, way back and seemed to be unpressured with good deer sign. I was planning to be there until at least 1 but it turned into an all day sit. I had a spike come directly under my tree about 30 minutes after I got set up. He had no clue. I took some pictures of him. All was quiet until about 3 when I had a smallish 8 point come in to 40 yards only to get run out by some squirrels. It was just as well; I could tell he was not going to get one of my arrows even if he cooperated. Hopefully I will run into him next year. They had a scrape and licking branch at about 15 yards under me.

About 4:40 I hear tipping from the North and saw a big doe come in with a large fawn in tow. She settled in to feeding under an oak facing me at about 13 yards with the fawn at about 15. Even though the two deer under me were stationary, I still heard tipping. Soon the source came into view. It was that little 8 point again and on his heels was a bigger 7 point. They came in and joined the doe, which I sort of though was strange, but hey, I'll take it.

The 7 point was standing quartering too a bit but they all seemed relaxed and so I just picked up the bow, drew back, aimed for the exit and sent the arrow. It hit the buck exactly where I was aiming, and I heard a crack sound. The arrow buried up to the fletching and he bounded off about 40 yards to my left and stopped. He stood there about 3 seconds and tipped and fell over.

Meanwhile the other deer seemed to not know what happened and just milled around after jumping a little to the buck's reaction. The does went back to feeding and the eight point came around and went over to the scrape and worked the licking branch. Knowing my buck wasn't going anywhere and was within sight, I took out my phone and started videoing the 8 point working that branch. I got a really good video of him licking the branch and then coming over under and below my tree to within 4 or 5 yards. He eventually went over to the other buck and then left.

Seeing as it was getting dark at this point, I had to run the does off that were still feeding. I had my work cut out for me. I was way back. The crack I heard was the single bevel going through the onside scapula. It then seemed to get both lungs and I got a good, low exit showing pink frothy blood. I would have had a blood trail if I had needed it.

This was my Mathews Heli M compound, 44 pounds at 28 inches. The arrow was an Easton Axis 6.5 340 spine, 28 1/2 inches. Broadhead was a Grizzly single bevel (right) with a 100 grain steel insert in it. Total arrow weight was about 580 grains with 22% FOC. I used a Nocturnal nock. The buck broke the last 6 inches of shaft with the fletching on it when he fell on it.
Click to expand...
Awesome work man congrats! Great buck and great write up!!!
 
NMSbowhunter said:
Not live but yesterday. I went out to a spot I just found, way back and seemed to be unpressured with good deer sign. I was planning to be there until at least 1 but it turned into an all day sit. I had a spike come directly under my tree about 30 minutes after I got set up. He had no clue. I took some pictures of him. All was quiet until about 3 when I had a smallish 8 point come in to 40 yards only to get run out by some squirrels. It was just as well; I could tell he was not going to get one of my arrows even if he cooperated. Hopefully I will run into him next year. They had a scrape and licking branch at about 15 yards under me.

About 4:40 I hear tipping from the North and saw a big doe come in with a large fawn in tow. She settled in to feeding under an oak facing me at about 13 yards with the fawn at about 15. Even though the two deer under me were stationary, I still heard tipping. Soon the source came into view. It was that little 8 point again and on his heels was a bigger 7 point. They came in and joined the doe, which I sort of though was strange, but hey, I'll take it.

The 7 point was standing quartering too a bit but they all seemed relaxed and so I just picked up the bow, drew back, aimed for the exit and sent the arrow. It hit the buck exactly where I was aiming, and I heard a crack sound. The arrow buried up to the fletching and he bounded off about 40 yards to my left and stopped. He stood there about 3 seconds and tipped and fell over.

Meanwhile the other deer seemed to not know what happened and just milled around after jumping a little to the buck's reaction. The does went back to feeding and the eight point came around and went over to the scrap and worked the licking branch. Knowing my buck wasn't going anywhere and was within sight, I took out my phone and started videoing the 8 point working that branch. I got a really good video of him licking the branch and then coming over under and below my tree to within 4 or 5 yards. He eventually went over to the other buck and then left.

Seeing as it was getting dark at this point, I had to run the does off that were still feeding. I had my work cut out for me. I was way back. The crack I heard was the single bevel going through the onside scapula. It then seemed to get both lungs and I got a good, low exit showing pink frothy blood. I would have had a blood trail if I had needed it.

This was my Mathews Heli M compound, 44 pounds at 28 inches. The arrow was an Easton Axis 6.5 340 spine, 28 1/2 inches. Broadhead was a Grizzly single bevel (right) with a 100 grain steel insert in it. Total arrow weight was about 580 grains with 22% FOC. I used a Nocturnal nock. The buck broke the last 6 inches of shaft with the fletching on it when he fell on it.
Click to expand...
Awesome hunt and awesome write up. Congrats on another great buck! Thanks for sharing such a great synopsis of your hunt. Interesting compound set up. I don’t see many guys shooting that low unless out of necessity but I like how you made a healthy arrow to go with how you have the bow set up. I bet that bow is extremely quiet and a joy to draw and hold too. Now it’s time to stick some with the trad bow and those fir shafts!
 
gcr0003 said:
Awesome hunt and awesome write up. Congrats on another great buck! Thanks for sharing such a great synopsis of your hunt. Interesting compound set up. I don’t see many guys shooting that low unless out of necessity but I like how you made a healthy arrow to go with how you have the bow set up. I bet that bow is extremely quiet and a joy to draw and hold too. Now it’s time to stick some with the trad bow and those fir shafts!
Click to expand...
I bought this bow this past summer and set it up with 40 to 50 pound limbs and set it to 44 pounds. I have rotator cuff pain from time to time and it makes drawing and holding back difficult. I still have my 60 pound bow and hunt with it too when I can. Luckily, both bows are tuned to the same arrow so that works out great. I have just the one quiver and switch it out. I really wanted to see what the lighter weight bow and a moderately heavy arrow would do and it really shined. I've shot quite a few deer with heavy arrows and single bevels so I had a lot of faith in the bow, though only 44 pounds. In practice, it really drove that arrow up deep in the target, and as you mentioned it is virtually silent.

Yes, I really want to get one with the longbow and wood arrows.
 
Here are some stills from the video I shot of the smaller 8 working the licking branch at about 14 yards. This was about 2 minutes after I arrowed the 7 point. Hopefully he makes it, and he should be a good one next fall.
 

Attachments

  • 8 point working branch 1.jpg
    8 point working branch 1.jpg
    405.5 KB · Views: 34
  • 8 point working branch 2.jpg
    8 point working branch 2.jpg
    395.8 KB · Views: 34
NMSbowhunter said:
Here are some stills from the video I shot of the smaller 8 working the licking branch at about 14 yards. This was about 2 minutes after I arrowed the 7 point. Hopefully he makes it, and he should be a good one next fall.
Click to expand...
Gets another year in him he'll be a beaut
 
Just had two decent bucks on a doe go by just out of range. I should have pushed another 20 yards in along more of the thicker cover. I tried grunting, bleating , one started looking my way and flagging its tail and then turned and went back down where it came from then went back up. In scoping this brushier strip I can see a lot of rubs. Gonna do another rattle and grunt sequence to see if they’ll move in. I could smell them before I saw them. It was 12:16 when I saw them last. They came up from the bottom of this ridge spur continuation . This spur hits an east west main ridge.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_4854.jpeg
    IMG_4854.jpeg
    811.2 KB · Views: 33
Last edited:
woodsdog2 said:
Just had two decent bucks on a doe go by just out of range. I should have pushed another 20 yards in along more of the thicker cover. I tried grunting, bleating , one started looking my way and flagging its tail and then turned and went back down where it came from then went back up. In scoping this brushier strip I can see a lot of rubs. Gonna do another rattle and grunt sequence to see if they’ll move in. I could smell them before I saw them. It was 12:16 when I saw them last. They came up from the bottom of this ridge spur continuation . This spur hits an east west main ridge.
Click to expand...

Tighter to cover.....
 
B120190F-2613-4BD4-8741-17C1CDA76ABB_1_102_o.jpeg
9th sit of the year so far - drew another blank. situated between two thickets in this draw about 40-50yards across, fairly high stem count at various angles, couple white oaks, but no deer.

off on my honeymoon for 10 days then back for more, hopefully fruitful deer hunting
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top