mauser06

like i said...not a teaser...just had to reserve the space while i typed the typical "mauser style" story and uploaded pics... on Wednesday, 10/21/2009, I drove upto my buddies camp..by the time i got there is was dark and no time for anything other than opening up camp and getting ready for the next day...my 2 buddies werent due to be in until Friday night so i was flying solo... Thursday, 10/22/2009, i woke up at 0620 and made breakfast and took my time getting dressed and geared up...i knew where i wanted to go, but was unsure if i could find it in the dark as i only make it up there a few times a year.. about 0700 i talked myself into leaving camp justttt as the sky was starting to light up..i knew i could find the foot bridge to cross the creek behind camp, i could find the ravine i had to hike up on the right side of, and knew the tree i wanted to climb was 200yds or so farther than the top of the ravine and hoped i could find the ollllld logging road through the saplings i used to get to my tree.. the tree was on i found last year..i hunted the opening day of rifle up there from the tree i wanted to be in...after a few years of getting to know the land up there, i felt that spot was one of the better choices..has alot of oaks..close 3 stands of pines deer bed in, and close to a brush field that deer bed in..and 4 old logging roads come together there and the deer use them as trails...the immediate area was logged and has saplings but it was a real selective cut..still some big hemlocks, big oaks, big cherrys etc...but enough new growth to add browse and some cover for the deer.. last year on the rifle opener there was a very active scrape there...i hunted till about 1pm from that stand and seen about 30 deer...2 1.5yo 4pts and many unknown deer...i got back to camp and the rest of the crew seen a deer or 2 apiece...i KNEW i had a hotspot.. back to the bowhunt...i got to the top of the hill as it was light enough to see..PERFECT!..found the logging road i needed and setup my drag with fresh estrous..walked right to my tree and set up quietly...then drug the drag 30-50yds down another logging road, and sprayed the estrous in 2 out of the 3 VERY freshly hit scrapes...also used another scent "docs sweet demise #7" on 2 wicks, hung the estrous drag, and sprayed a little of the sweet demise on the ground.. the morning was cool and crisp and DEAD CALM...it was the first time i got to see the fall foliage of the area this season at all as it was dark when upto this point...absolutely breath taking..coupled with the hemlocks and cool fall air, and i was right where i wanted to be regardless of what the day brought... i knew from past hunts the deer up there heat up a little sooner so i felt the scents and calling wouldnt hurt, and from past experiences, i thought it may very well help..so every hour i hit the can a few times and 2-3 mins later i would grunt and rattle simultaneously.. about 0930, i still havent seen a deer..acorns were falling pretty good for being a bit late in the season...and the fresh scrapes had me excited..i wasnt planning to leave till noon even though it was getting warm quick...i hit the can a few times and heard what i thought for sure was a deer trotting...then it quit..i got ready and nothing showed...it was right infront of me maybe 50yds tops id say..i played it off and figured it was a squirrel or maybe it seen me and i spooked a deer.. 15 mins later or so, i could hear movement but still couldnt see anything...couldnt tell what i was hearing and figured it was a squirrel or chipmunks..i cant remember if i rattled and grunted after the can or not... about 1000 i catch movent between 2 hemlocks behind the trail i walked in on and really hidden..but i KNEW it was a deer..i made out a deer instantly...7th hunt of the season and i spotted my first deer of the season finally! then i seen it raise its head and knew right away it was a good buck..i watched it lower its head and slowly stood up and got the seat out of the way and got the bow up...i was shaking pretty good and had to talk myself into control... he ever so slowly stepped out onto the logging road...thats when i realized he was legal as he had 3pts on both sides for sure..and thats when i realized he would dwarf my first bow kill and my rifle kills except 1, but knew he was much nicer than that one...thats when i started shaking again...this time it was out of control...my right leg was twitching like a dogs when you scratch that special spot...it was hitting off my stand and i had to actually raise my leg so it would stop hitting off the stand...you would thought it was the first time i ever seen a deer in my life..it was pretty rediculous, but, you know what?? id never sale that feeling for anything in the world..EVER...best drug on earth right there... he was about 10-15yds away and licking the sweet demise off the ground and sniffing the wick like it was very tasty...he was loving the stuff..i finally settled down again and then my phone vibrated..being so dead calm, it sounded ridiculously loud..he snapped his head up and looked around a bit and i thought for sure he was gone..i KNEW not to make eye contact and watched him in my peripheral vision..i watched him lower his head again... this whole time lasts maybe 2 minutes of so...there is a young tree that has him blocked decently...and he never went broadside or quartering away.. i had a beautiful quartering to shot at like 8yds but i knew not to even think about it...he then turned left and started walking towards the scrape kinda stiff legged..he walked under that really leafy tree and i knew i would have about 2 seconds to shot before he was likely gone as it was my ONLY good lane...i hit full draw as he was under that tree and he kept coming..he was MAYBE 5yds away walking slow and kinda stiff legged..he hit the opening and i didnt bother stopping him...i knew at that angle i wanted an exit jest behind and pretty much between the front legs..any higher exit would mean i would smash the back bone...i released the arrow and watched it hit right where i sent it and stop about 1/2 way down the shaft...and he buckled and dropped to the ground... i had no idea if the first arrow hit anything but i knew i spined him by the way he hit the dirt...i quickly sent another, just a he flopped..hitting high in the back bone..actually facing the way he came not the way he walked...so i grab my last arrow and waited for the shot and sent it into the boiler room... i felt terrible...but i had no idea if the first shot hit anything vital and wanted to make sure he died a quick humane death, and that he didnt get up and risk loosing him... after the 3rd arrow he quit moving...i was again shaking so bad leaves were falling off the tree..i took a minute to calm myself and slowly sent everything down the tree and slowly climbed down..still shaking so i didnt wanna do something foolish and drop the bow or MYSELF..so i took it slow and easy...i knew he was done and mine.. i climbed down and got my hands on him and i was on top of the world...all alone and nothing in the world to spoil MY moment...i loved it...i sat down beside him and just admired him..he was a beautiful animal and i owed him the respect and sat there and savored the moment... then i took a cell phone pic...first was dad...he taught me about all i know about hunting and hes top of the list...then mom, then the buddies that were coming up Friday, and then a bunch of other people i know...i spent an hour texting everyone, answering phone calls, and taking pics with the self timer... i then realized how warm it was getting and i knew i had a LONG drag out ALONE..upon gutting him, i realized the first shot was PERFECT...broadhead went straight through the top of the heart and the 125gr grizz trick trashed everything...but, i dont regret "wasting" 2 other heads and arrows on him...if i can put a deer down any possible faster way, i will do so. thats my job as a hunter. i then was stumped...summit viper climber, 15lb pack, coat, bow, buck, and myself needed to get down the mountain, across the creek and upto camp...ive NEVER seen it done before..we always have help up there..i knew time was critical so i rigged up the stand so it carried my pack and bow..always attach the pack, but never attached the bow before...but it worked... forgot to mention, i had a buddy that lives near camp..i was supposed to meet him to hunt that evening at his place..i sent him a pic and said i had to cancel our date...he called when i was about an hour in and said he would come help drag... drag isnt long distance wise...but anyone thats hunted the big woods of PA can attest to it being pretty rough..tree slashings from past logging, slopes, rocks, creeks, drainages, ravines, etc etc etc...about 1200 noon, i finally had him at the creek...i can see camp from there as its 300yds up a slight slope, and through a big stand of hemlocks...so i opted to run the stand and gear to camp and leave him in the shade by the creek and come back...when i got to camp, my buddy showed up..i stripped down to shorts and a t shirt as i was absolutely soaked and we finished the drag together..great to see him as i havent seen him since May when we graduated... i talked to my buddy a bit and washed the buck off as best i could with buckets of water and i threw the camo back on to have him take a few pics...i then opted to run him to the butcher as it was warm and i was going to stay at camp till Sunday (today) and hang out with my buddies as the one moved across the state and i dont get to see him much at all...