Whew baby I am pumped! Ok here goes the story I didn't think I was going to be able to go out at all but the stars re-aligned and it worked out. Got to the woods around 2:30, took my time changing and getting ready to walk in, got about 5 steps from the truck when I realized that I wasn't on a scouting mission- I'd left my bow on the top of my truck cap and almost walked in without it.
Crisis averted I grabbed my bow and checked the wind with some of the last bits of last year's milkweed. Well it just happens to be blowing the opposite way of forecast and what I needed to get to where I wanted to hunt, so I walked in around the opposite way (approaching the bedding area counterclockwise instead of clockwise). I found a pretty good funnel area where the creek made an S turn and some thick brambles forces everything within 35 yards of the tree I picked. I saw two trails, one looked heavily used before climbing, and then noticed a few more connections at height. first hunt with one stick and ring of steps, worked out well, if a bit nontraditional of a setup.
I was actually scanning over to my left when I heard the splash of something large jumping in to the stream so did my best to turn slowly, saw deer and grabbed my bow. I shot over my bridge on the weak side of the tree, 1. good thing I set my ring of steps on this second trunk, 2. it was surprising how smooth it felt in the moment compared to practicing awkward shots. Anyhow, I put the EZ-V on him, let one fly and heard it hit/saw it hit slightly back.
Blew right through this little guy, watched him hop off hurt and saw where he re-crossed and headed up the hill into forest thankfully because I had a heck of a time finding blood in the first 15 yards. That was about 5:30 I think, I posted in the live from the saddle thread a couple times and hung out for a bit trying to decide if I should go look or wait for other deer since it wasn't that late. Deciding that I needed to not be greedy, am not that great at blood trailing having done it once (at this point, now twice), and getting some advice to do so... Got down and went to look at the arrow. Looked good, bright red, but no bubbles and a few hairs on the shaft.
Decided to track it, as it had been about 45 min and I was pretty sure I hit at least one lung, so started looking for blood. I couldn't find any within the first 15 yards, I think I just misjudged how far the arrow went after it went through him, but having seen roughly where he crossed the creek, I was able to find blood there and slowly pick my way up to him.
He ran about 40 yards, took a slight turn to the right, ran about 20 more, then took a sharp turn downhill, and piled up about 15 yards later right on a nice trail. Perhaps it was because I hit him a bit high and back. I need to get on the computer and try to measure out the track, it was probably about 80-100 yards and all those numbers were guesses.
Anyhow, I took a few quick photos and set to work gutting him, at which point I discovered that I ended up hitting at least one lung, but did hit stomach as well, so didn't end up taking the inner loins. Highly recommend carrying a length of orange Paracord and a camjam, made it a piece of cake holding up a leg to gut and doubles as something easy to find (the orange line) when walking back with the cart.
I used my hawk cart (works great but weight was light) to drag him out, threw him in the truck, stopped for a few bags of ice on the way and got him home and unloaded by 9.
I then realized the tree I hung the doe from blew over a few months ago, so got my hitch extender out and put it in roof rack mode and strung the deer up there. Worked ok, was a bit too low and my back is feeling it now but I'm in my late 30s I'll deal lol. He's quartered and was in the cooler by 11.
Practice and not having to deal with the kids a bit in the mean time will speed that up. I'm going to euro the head and likely hang it up on a board with my first doe skull from last year, but it's in the freezer for now. Not sure if I'll keep any more bones, I suppose I'll have to shoot another to see.
thanks for reading the novel, it was a great day for me. i was really hoping to get a chance today, as this is one of the few days i'd be able to hunt before i visit my brother in alaska at the end of the month. now i can bring some whitetail jerky to share.
Crisis averted I grabbed my bow and checked the wind with some of the last bits of last year's milkweed. Well it just happens to be blowing the opposite way of forecast and what I needed to get to where I wanted to hunt, so I walked in around the opposite way (approaching the bedding area counterclockwise instead of clockwise). I found a pretty good funnel area where the creek made an S turn and some thick brambles forces everything within 35 yards of the tree I picked. I saw two trails, one looked heavily used before climbing, and then noticed a few more connections at height. first hunt with one stick and ring of steps, worked out well, if a bit nontraditional of a setup.
I was actually scanning over to my left when I heard the splash of something large jumping in to the stream so did my best to turn slowly, saw deer and grabbed my bow. I shot over my bridge on the weak side of the tree, 1. good thing I set my ring of steps on this second trunk, 2. it was surprising how smooth it felt in the moment compared to practicing awkward shots. Anyhow, I put the EZ-V on him, let one fly and heard it hit/saw it hit slightly back.
Blew right through this little guy, watched him hop off hurt and saw where he re-crossed and headed up the hill into forest thankfully because I had a heck of a time finding blood in the first 15 yards. That was about 5:30 I think, I posted in the live from the saddle thread a couple times and hung out for a bit trying to decide if I should go look or wait for other deer since it wasn't that late. Deciding that I needed to not be greedy, am not that great at blood trailing having done it once (at this point, now twice), and getting some advice to do so... Got down and went to look at the arrow. Looked good, bright red, but no bubbles and a few hairs on the shaft.
Decided to track it, as it had been about 45 min and I was pretty sure I hit at least one lung, so started looking for blood. I couldn't find any within the first 15 yards, I think I just misjudged how far the arrow went after it went through him, but having seen roughly where he crossed the creek, I was able to find blood there and slowly pick my way up to him.
He ran about 40 yards, took a slight turn to the right, ran about 20 more, then took a sharp turn downhill, and piled up about 15 yards later right on a nice trail. Perhaps it was because I hit him a bit high and back. I need to get on the computer and try to measure out the track, it was probably about 80-100 yards and all those numbers were guesses.
Anyhow, I took a few quick photos and set to work gutting him, at which point I discovered that I ended up hitting at least one lung, but did hit stomach as well, so didn't end up taking the inner loins. Highly recommend carrying a length of orange Paracord and a camjam, made it a piece of cake holding up a leg to gut and doubles as something easy to find (the orange line) when walking back with the cart.
I used my hawk cart (works great but weight was light) to drag him out, threw him in the truck, stopped for a few bags of ice on the way and got him home and unloaded by 9.
I then realized the tree I hung the doe from blew over a few months ago, so got my hitch extender out and put it in roof rack mode and strung the deer up there. Worked ok, was a bit too low and my back is feeling it now but I'm in my late 30s I'll deal lol. He's quartered and was in the cooler by 11.
Practice and not having to deal with the kids a bit in the mean time will speed that up. I'm going to euro the head and likely hang it up on a board with my first doe skull from last year, but it's in the freezer for now. Not sure if I'll keep any more bones, I suppose I'll have to shoot another to see.
thanks for reading the novel, it was a great day for me. i was really hoping to get a chance today, as this is one of the few days i'd be able to hunt before i visit my brother in alaska at the end of the month. now i can bring some whitetail jerky to share.
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