Finally........we got some good weather in PA!!! I been waiting for this cold front to hit for 2 weeks now. And as I anticipated, it got the bucks up and moving.
I hunted one of my new favorite buck hunting spots for rut time. So far, this year on 2 hunts, and one hunt last year, I've had 11 bucks within bow range at this tree, 3 of them were good 16"-18" bucks with decent height..........2 of them are now victims to my strategy. One last year, one this year.
This buck was the last I saw this morning. I took him right on the nose at 10am. He was the 5th buck to walk by, and the nicest of the bunch. The previous 4 were just little 6's and 8's that I'd like to see make it another year or 2.
It was a rough morning for sure, I believe the temp was around 52-55 at my house when I left at 5am. I was in my tree an settled at 6:15. Saw 2 little bucks partrolling and one chasing a doe by 9am, then it got nasty. The sky turned black, the temp dropped fast enough to numb me, and the wind picked up. And to make it worse, it started raining. But wait, it gets more fun.........the wind is blowing in my face, so guess where the rain is going? Yep, right in my eyes. I had to hold my hand overmy eyes for 30 minutes. At 945 or so, the rain stopped, the woods got quiet, that good quiet ya know; the kinda quiet us bowhunters just love. But I was soaked, and shiverinig uncontrollably. Waaaaaaaaaay underdressed. I looked at my phone. It read 9:55. I couldn't take the chill, and with a week left to hunt, I ain't risking getting sick. So I says to meself:
"screw this, I'm climbing down at 10." Almost a mistake. I tucked my hands under my armpits, leaned against the tree, sighed, and caught movement 75 yards straight out in front of me. I squint, and pick up small spikes on a little buck trotting in my direction. I don't move. To cold. He gets to 20 yards, and starts to browse in the leaves and keeps looking behind him, 4 or 5 times in a matter of 2 minutes. So I start to wonder: "
bucks only look behind them for 2 reasons: they were jumped by a hunter, or another buck is coming." And sure enough, I spot a rack moving at a good pace on the same line the spike was. A good rack. NOw I'm warm, and realize I have to move. He's 50 yards, and I'm warmer. I grab the bow off the hanger on the tree in front of me. He's 30 yds, and now I have to play peekaboo with him and the tree in front of me. It's 2 feet away, so if he breaks right or left, I gotta make a move, and make a move fast. He breaks right, I move the bow and he's now 25. Still straight at me. No shot. He gets to 20, and finally turns to his left, quarting towards me and he spots the spike buck. The spike jets the scene, I draw the bow and grunt with my voice and the buck freezes. I notice I'm shivering. Pin is wobbley, but I've been here before. This is a shot I do 5000 times a year. I squeeze confidently, trusted my floating pin and my focus on that hair. A loud smack breaks the silence, and the Slik Trick plows a visable hole behind the elbow. I know it's a money shot by his reaction. He jumps, trots a few yards into a briar patch, then freezes. Motionless for a minute. I can see bloodpuddling on the leaves. I hang the bow up. He takes two steps then lays down. I let out a sigh of relief, and grab my binos to take a look at him. HIs head is not down. He then gets up! He's only 20 yards still.I stuff the binos in my pocket, grab the bow, nock an arrow, but he then falls. I relax. Hang up the bow, grab the binos. I look at him, and he lifts his head again. Then he gets up again! So dangit, I again stuff the binos in my pocket, grab the dang bow and wait for him to exit the wall of briars. Instead he falls, and this time for good. What a hunt! I was thrilled to death, especially with not having to trail that deer in the wet weather. That's the 4th deer I've taken withmy Hoyt Vectrix since I bought it in '07, and all 4 have expired in eyesight. I think I'm attached to it. I know it ain't the bow, but I'm a little mental like that. [8D]
Turns out, after dressing him out, and with the slight quarter towards angle, I tagged one lung, the liver, and exited out the stomach. Nothing wrong with that.
Anyway, here's link to a few pics. I can't get a decent size pic to post, why, I don't know. If these don't load up for you guys, maybe someone can pm me their email and I send a few over. You'll notice the one pic with a red dot and red circle. I took that from the tree, as you'll notice the bow hanging there. The big red dot on the leftis where he stood when I shot him. If you look closely at the red circle on the right of the pic, that's where he expired. I like that
.
He's a nice 10. I haven't done any measurements yet, but it doesn't really matter to me.
Have a good one guys and girls! I'm gonna go get a beer!
Mike
http://www.kodakgallery.com/ShareLanding.action?c=n9mqt0b.winwvfj&x=0& y=-czjkrx&localeid=en_US
Cold Front in PA = Buck in the Truck!
