This was my first year hunting Public Land and was a little slow at first. The weather was warm and the area I was hunting in was thick with underbrush and briars. Finding a good spot to climb was challenging but far from impossible. Last Sunday I decided to do some more scouting and relocate my cel cam as all I was seeing was other hunters and no deer on the camera.
On Thursday at 12:40 in the afternoon I got a picture of what looked like an 8 pointer coming through. I had already had the go ahead from my wife to go out that night after work, but didn’t see anything. I heard plenty of movement but no luck. Friday afternoon rolled around and I was given the option of going back out that evening or sometime on Saturday. I chose to head out that evening and give it a go.
I walked the 1/2 mile back the main game land trail then dropped down off it for around 150 yards. I dropped down in further then I had the previous night and found a spot that gave me some decent shooting lanes. Again most of the evening I saw nothing but heard movement again. At 6:15 I heard movement and saw a bush near by get pushed around. I picked up my bow and just waited. 30 seconds later he walked out and came under the tree I was in. Due to the ground canopy I couldn’t take a shot immediately. I knew he was a decent buck from the shape of his cage although due to the dimming light couldn’t make out his points. He came out right behind me on my strong side and presented me a shot. I won’t lie in that I was fighting to make out my peep and keep moving around my head to ensure I was good. I got him to stop and let it loose.
I couldn’t make out where I hit him but he took off. I heard running for less than 30 seconds then heard a crash with some thrashing. I packed my gear and rappelled down. I walked over to where I shot him and found my arrow. It was missing 2 of the fletchings and had blood on the remaining vain. I struggled to find a blood trail with only finding drops every few feet. Due to the thick brush I got turned around a few times when trying to follow the trail. Temps where already in the low 40’s and dropping into the 20’s overnight so I made the decision to walk out and come back in the morning.
I meet a buddy at 7 to walk in and be in the area at daylight. We got down to where I shot him around 7:25. My buddy split off one way and I started walking another from where I last saw blood. I looked ahead and saw a rump 20 yards from where I was at. He was piled up and down for the count. When he crashed he got stuck in a down tree and that was it. The Kudu Point broadhead did its thing with a double lung shot and made it quick. I’m disappointed I didn’t find him Friday night but extremely happy to find him there the following morning. In all reality he went maybe 40 yards from where I shot him I just couldn’t see that night.
We struggled for almost 2 hours but finally got him to the truck. Heck of an experience and also a trophy for me. I started hunting last season with only getting out a few days on private land that sold this past February. I was fortunate enough to harvest a spike (thought it was a doe) and now I’m blessed with this guy. By one sticking (started using this method this year) and hanging from the Tethrd Phantom I had the flexibility to change my sit every night and also go deeper in then most guys typically do. Thanks for reading my long winded story!
On Thursday at 12:40 in the afternoon I got a picture of what looked like an 8 pointer coming through. I had already had the go ahead from my wife to go out that night after work, but didn’t see anything. I heard plenty of movement but no luck. Friday afternoon rolled around and I was given the option of going back out that evening or sometime on Saturday. I chose to head out that evening and give it a go.
I walked the 1/2 mile back the main game land trail then dropped down off it for around 150 yards. I dropped down in further then I had the previous night and found a spot that gave me some decent shooting lanes. Again most of the evening I saw nothing but heard movement again. At 6:15 I heard movement and saw a bush near by get pushed around. I picked up my bow and just waited. 30 seconds later he walked out and came under the tree I was in. Due to the ground canopy I couldn’t take a shot immediately. I knew he was a decent buck from the shape of his cage although due to the dimming light couldn’t make out his points. He came out right behind me on my strong side and presented me a shot. I won’t lie in that I was fighting to make out my peep and keep moving around my head to ensure I was good. I got him to stop and let it loose.
I couldn’t make out where I hit him but he took off. I heard running for less than 30 seconds then heard a crash with some thrashing. I packed my gear and rappelled down. I walked over to where I shot him and found my arrow. It was missing 2 of the fletchings and had blood on the remaining vain. I struggled to find a blood trail with only finding drops every few feet. Due to the thick brush I got turned around a few times when trying to follow the trail. Temps where already in the low 40’s and dropping into the 20’s overnight so I made the decision to walk out and come back in the morning.
I meet a buddy at 7 to walk in and be in the area at daylight. We got down to where I shot him around 7:25. My buddy split off one way and I started walking another from where I last saw blood. I looked ahead and saw a rump 20 yards from where I was at. He was piled up and down for the count. When he crashed he got stuck in a down tree and that was it. The Kudu Point broadhead did its thing with a double lung shot and made it quick. I’m disappointed I didn’t find him Friday night but extremely happy to find him there the following morning. In all reality he went maybe 40 yards from where I shot him I just couldn’t see that night.
We struggled for almost 2 hours but finally got him to the truck. Heck of an experience and also a trophy for me. I started hunting last season with only getting out a few days on private land that sold this past February. I was fortunate enough to harvest a spike (thought it was a doe) and now I’m blessed with this guy. By one sticking (started using this method this year) and hanging from the Tethrd Phantom I had the flexibility to change my sit every night and also go deeper in then most guys typically do. Thanks for reading my long winded story!
