RE: 5- Team "Tree Huggers" Official Thread
Well I did post a story in the bowhunting forum but it got drowned out there so quick. So here is. Now mind you I am bowhunting during rifle season ok. So I head into the woods with all these goofy ass gun hunters. I hunt a big state forest big meaning 20,000 acres with a approx a 6000 acre refuge in the middle of it. You can archery hunt in the refuge and thats it. So I always hunt the other side till the deer start running to hard (about 2 days lol) then head into the refuge. been doing this for 20 years. I hunt generally the same areas. Come monday I head into the preserve and start walking around looking for sign, and nothing! Finially I come across 2 scrapes fresh ones at that. So I put up my stand. Head back to the truck to get the bow and change clothes. By the time I get back out there about a hour he had made a third scrape. So a bit frusterated but releived at the same time. I go hunting. I see him about 100 yds through the woods mon eve. I move my stand 25 yds closer to the scrape line. Tue 415 pm he comes to within 45 yds and a doe steals him away. I move my stand for the wind change in the AM. Nothing in the morning I get cold I call my g/friend who is hunting the other ridge and say lets go to the truck and make a pot of coffee, she agrees. About 930 we head back out, 1015 here he come right in on a string. 50 yds, 40 yds , 30 yds, 20 yds, buddie all you have to do is turn the corner and he stops! He did not like my drag rag trail. He circles back around me and is gone no shot. I move stand again. This time right on his scrape line. Im going to get you man. he does nt come. About 4 pm I see a buck coming, through the gutter and over the knob just like every other time. I think Perfect. I start my draw he pops over the hill and turns his head, its not the deer I want. So I dont shoot. He doesnt show up again that day. Fri morn I head in 615, sunrise is 710 shooting hour 650. At 645 I hear a deer, and it is coming. I can tell it is a big boddied deer but I cant see the rack. It is close 15 yds max. Finially he stops by a big ass Birch tree and I can tell this is the deer. I draw lower the pin to his shoulder and release. He humps up and goes 50 yds and piles up. Kicks and thrashes and gets back to his feet. Mind you I have really no clue how good he is hit. Comes back at me and lays down. I am thinking gut shot, so I knock another arrow and let fly. I hit him in the back that time due to a deflection. Now he is dead. I go up to him and find that my first shot was perfect. Top of leading lung, top of heart and oposit bottom lung. Then the drinking began. This deer isnt the biggest I ever shot, but definetly the one I am most proud of.