More Illinois Success
Hey all -
Last two years in Illinois and zip/zilch/nada/0 in the freezer.
Well this year is the spell is broken!
Took a great and VERY TASTY doe on the 7th of October (best eating venison I've ever had) - and today, after a ground stalk and sit of 45 minutes got a very nice buck.
I hunt a bow only area in N. Illinois - it's a suburban/rural area. Sometimes can hear the kids laughing and yelling at the bus stop in the am - frequently I can hear the landscapers mowers in the distance...
Took this guy today on my lunch break (hunting grounds are 1.5 mi. from work). Did not end up back at work 'till tonight. He was a bear to field dress and haul out.
Did a crouched over knee walk directly at him -straight on. I was dead down wind. Every time I'd let an arm or hand show (that darn balance thing) he'd get edgy and look like he was going to bolt. Made myself as small as possible - I'm 6'3" and 230 - not an easy task.
Got to within 20 yards - I had a windbreak/sparse saplings and large oaks between me and my shot. Lined up, found a shooting lane - release and zip - the arrow does a sharp right mid flight. I clipped a sapling. He bolts 10 yards.
Spend the next 25 minutes with more knee/duck walking - never letting myself be larger than 2' or so from the ground.
Find an open slot between 2 large oaks for a clean - brush/sapling free shooting lane. I need him to come 5 steps to me. I do my best doe bleat. 10 yards beyond the buck, another buck (smaller) and a doe jump up - wow.
He looks back at the other 2 deer, and takes 3 steps... 1 step more and waits. He is now looking around an oak at me, then back at the other 2. I give one more very soft bleat (I'm sure the thoughts of all 3 deer were along the lines of "What the heck is that awful sounding animal!" . He takes that 1 extra step - zip and twack!
He bolts - stops after 15 yards - walks another 10 and lays down. One serious effort to get back up and then it's over. I'm always a little sad at this moment - and glad that I made a proper shot and he went down quickly.
Very happy with this hunt. Hope he had the chance to "knock-up" the doe. Like to see his kids in the future.
Weighed in at just over 200lbs at the butcher. Was too long/big for him to hang in the freezer - processor said it would mess up the mount with his head and neck bent over for a day or so in the freezer. We are 1/2 way through the doe from October - wife and kids love the vension steaks/chops/and burger. I'm a lucky man! This should fill the freezer and then some - plan on giving a bunch to the church for their weekly "Open Pantry" evening.
JTL