Rookie mistake...LOL
10-18-2017, 01:42 PM
#1
Boone & Crockett
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Eastern PA
Posts: 12,746
Rookie mistake...LOL
Long read but I hope you enjoy. Monday morning I hiked 1.5 miles from our cabin up a dirt road then hoofed it up a hollow to a 2 year old clear cut (about another 3/4 mile uphill). This clear cut is about 500-600 yards square. The wind was at my back so I eased along the old logging road that skirted the perimeter of the cut. Once I got to the other end I walked to about the middle and started to slowly work my way back with the wind in my face. Those of you who know how difficult it is to sneak through 2 year old fallen tree tops intertwined with briars and saplings know what I was going through. Plus the fact that I'm 64 and not in the best of shape. I got about maybe 3/4 of the way back when I jumped a deer out of a little thicket. It was a doe and once she cleared the thicket she stopped broadside 50 yards in front of me. I was going to change the insert in my T/C Hawken's globe sight from the fine crosshair to a heavy post but forgot to do it. Try as I might I just couldn't get a good sight picture because the sun was in my eyes and I couldn't pick up the crosshairs. I didn't want to risk wounding her. She stood there and looked directly at me for a couple minutes and just walked away. There I was kicking myself in the butt for being so forgetful. So after she left I kept going and got almost to the end of the cut. I knelt down to grab a couple teaberrys and look to my right and all I could see was rack moving through the brush to my right maybe 75 yards. He wasn't legal but I thought I'd like to see how close I could get. The wind going right to left I moved ever so slowly and carefully. He was just milling around feeding and got into some small white pines and disappeared. I kept going and I knew I was close but couldn't locate him. That was until he busted out of the cover at no more than 20 FEET! He must have laid down in those pines and didn't see smell or hear me until I was right on top of him. By this time it was almost dark so I started to head back to the cabin. And to add insult to injury during this day's adventure,earlier in the day and because I was on top of the mountain I figured I try to call my wife. My phone was in my shirt pocket along with my driver's license. And because my backpack strap was pressing against my shirt pocket I had to jerk my phone out of it. Unbeknown to me my driver's license came out with the phone and I lost it.
Then this morning I took my cousin up to this spot and I had him walk the perimeter while I went down the center again. And what a day we had. I jumped 4 buck: one which was a small 6 point, two others that were very, very nice 8 points tall and wide and close to B&C and one very big 10 point that definitely would have scored enough. The 10 and 6 point I pushed into my cousin and he got a good look at them and was really pumped. We also saw a nice little 8 point 1/2 mile from the cabin in the creek bottom.
All and all even though I didn't get anything I had a real good time and now I can't wait until buck season. I'm just hoping not too many people know this spot.
Then this morning I took my cousin up to this spot and I had him walk the perimeter while I went down the center again. And what a day we had. I jumped 4 buck: one which was a small 6 point, two others that were very, very nice 8 points tall and wide and close to B&C and one very big 10 point that definitely would have scored enough. The 10 and 6 point I pushed into my cousin and he got a good look at them and was really pumped. We also saw a nice little 8 point 1/2 mile from the cabin in the creek bottom.
All and all even though I didn't get anything I had a real good time and now I can't wait until buck season. I'm just hoping not too many people know this spot.
Last edited by bronko22000; 10-18-2017 at 01:45 PM.
10-18-2017, 05:59 PM
#2
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: River Ridge, LA (Suburb of New Orleans)
Posts: 10,917
Great story Bronko. There's nothing like a young clear cut for holding deer. They bed down, get up and feed in a twenty yard circle, then bed down again until they're hungry again. No need for a buck to move out of there until the rut or some prime food source attracts them, such as acorns falling.
I don't know how you "actually" lost your license or whether beer was involved, but the way you worked that excuse into the story was really inventive.
I don't know how you "actually" lost your license or whether beer was involved, but the way you worked that excuse into the story was really inventive.
Last edited by Semisane; 10-18-2017 at 07:29 PM.
10-19-2017, 05:05 AM
#4
Boone & Crockett
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Eastern PA
Posts: 12,746
NO, my license is somewhere at the top of a mountain in God's country. (and He is the only one who knows where it is!)
Semi, no beer was involved. That night when I got back to the cabin I opened up my black powder shooting box and switched out the insert. The next morning at the camp I picked out a flat rock about 10" in diameter at around the same distance that doe was and took a shot at it. Hit the darn thing dead center too. Swabbed the bore and reloaded.
Every time I think about this I just shake my head and laugh at myself.
Semi, no beer was involved. That night when I got back to the cabin I opened up my black powder shooting box and switched out the insert. The next morning at the camp I picked out a flat rock about 10" in diameter at around the same distance that doe was and took a shot at it. Hit the darn thing dead center too. Swabbed the bore and reloaded.
Every time I think about this I just shake my head and laugh at myself.
Last edited by bronko22000; 10-19-2017 at 05:10 AM.
