Wow, this weekend was a rush. It's my 4th year whitetail hunting, 1st year by archery. I'm using a 26 or 29 year old bow (recent second-hand gift) with 60# draw, 50% let off. Don't worry, I practiced quite a bit during the summer and can consistently hit where I aim. I keep fairly busy between work, wife, and kids so I'd only been out in the woods hunting four times so far this season prior to this weekend. Long story shorter:
Situation: wooded transition area. Hoping to catch deer moving from thick private land (bedding) to the west, across the dirt road, to the fields east of the 80 acre patch of woods I'm in. NW winds at 15mph, gusting to 25 or 30. Chilly temps--low 50s or upper 40s before the cold wind. It's an Earn-a-Buck zone so I'm only legal to harvest anterless (3" or less antlers).
[ul][*]3:15 arrive to my stand. Sit facing NE, with a shooting lane to the N and one to the SW.[*]4:15: a doe and two fawn head from N to S on my west. They meant business and headed straight south.[*]4:45: doe and fawns return and spend the next
65 minutes loitering west of me. Note that I'm facing NE in my stand and watching W--I had my neck twisted to maximum to watch them.[*]5:25: a spike buck cruises in from the SW, a bit west of where I suspect my scent is blowing but close to it. Comes within 20 yards or so on his way to visit with the doe and fawns. Early part of the chase phase but the ladies aren't interested.[*]5:25-5:45: every time the buck gets within a few body lengths of the other three, they bound away. All 4 deer stay in the basic vicinity, however.[*]5:45: Action time. Doe and fawns suddenly seem to decide to continue toward the fields. Fawn, doe, fawn head toward my SE shooting lane but seem to smell something not right just before they get to the lane but they can't get a lock and don't really spook--just pay a little more attention. They pass by right at my 20 yard mark where my friend and I figured deer were moving through the area. I let the first fawn pass (mom was looking in my direction at the moment that I could have stood and drawn the bow). As soon as the fawn passed, her attention was focused to the NE and not on me. When mom was obscured, I stood and drew and let loose when she entered the lane. I thought I saw the point of impact but wasn't absolutely certain. Looked like decent though. Watched her run in an arc and head back west. She stopped and stood just wagging her tail when she was almost out of my line of sight to my NW. I turned away for a moment because fawn #2 and spike were still around and very confused. Neither presented a shot and I didn't want a second trail to follow anyway.[*]5:50: I climb down because I'm so cold I'm actually shivering and I can't wait much longer. Head straight W to the road thinking I'll find the point where the doe crossed and left a trail across the light dusty road, mark it, and back away. Walk slowly down the road, hear a gun shot from the NW (neighbors sighting in guns) and see a twitch in the ditch 10 feet ahead of me. There she lay. The twitch I witnessed was her final.
[/ul]She was good sized; my friend estimates 2.5 or 3.5 based on size and having 2 fawns. Field-dressed her on the side of the road on the angled side of the ditch and took her home (after registering and picking up my buck sticker). The only picture I have at the moment is below (B&W to be a little more tasteful and tone down the blood). I had a friend's camera and didn't see the self-timer feature. Anyway, here she is.
After the fact:
[ul][*]The entrance was where I thought and passed through the opposite size and foreleg. It did not immediately completely exit however. A large, round exit hole was created by the first few running steps as the fletching remained in her chest and got yanked around by the half in her leg.[*]I went back this afternoon to find my arrow (lost the nock and bent 1 of the 3 blades--muzzy 100 grain). I also decided to "track" it for practice since I've never needed to track a deer. (Fourth year hunting, fourth deer, no real tracking required yet.) I not only picked up the blood trail within a few feet from POI, but following it all the way to the recovery point. I even made sure not to extrapolate with what I already knew but rather to stay looking down and just focus on the evidence.[*]Autopsy revealed a double lung shot. Very pleased.[*]We butchered her this afternoon and I got a nice size pile of meat in the fridge that I'm packaging up.[*]I was very blessed by God to both get this deer and to have been able to witness a doe with her fawns in their natural state and then to add a buck to the picture. Seeing first hand the behaviors that I've read about was great. I'm excited to get back out as the rut comes into full swing.[/ul]Oh, and one other bonus for the weekend. Another friend bought me a climber stand as a gift so he and I can go hunting at a private land spot where he knows there are some great buck opportunities. It's a Gorilla Wolverine model.
Wow, What a Rush (First Archery Kill)
