Finally, 1st archery harvest (pics)

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10-12-2002, 11:28 AM

Deer902

Thread Starter

Join Date: Feb 2003

Location: Pittsburgh PA

Posts: 947

Finally, 1st archery harvest (pics)

I finally got the monkey off my back. This is my 3rd year bow hunting and last night was well worth the wait. I have been seeing this 8 pt and other deer feeding and bedding in a field near my stand. I saw them cross the railroad tracks to head to the field a couple days earlier around 7pm. I sat one night along the tracks and they never showed. I figured they were hanging in the woodline until dark then crossing. I already had a stand in the area that I had hunted two times before, but it never produced. It rained most of the morning on Friday and there were no fresh tracks anywhere in the area. It stopped raining that afternoon, so I knew they would moving a little earlier than usual. I was in my stand at 4:30. Did a little rattling at 5:30 and 6. At 6:30 I heard him come up the hill about 40 yards away. I couldn't see him because of the brush and leaves still on the trees. The wind was all over the place and he blew twice when it blew downwind to him. I was running out of time about 20 til 7 so I decided it was now or never. I picked up the rattling antlers and just tickled them together for about 45 seconds and gave 2 low grunts. As soon as I put them down and picked my bow back up he was one his way. He circled around a large brush pile. I saw rack and decided he was a shooter. I drew and waited, the plan was for him to come into a mock rub and scrape I had made about 12 yards out, but he turned towards me and ended up 7 yards broadside to my left. I let'er rip and off he went. I hit him high, but enough to catch the first lung and cut the wind pipe between the lungs in half. The arrow stopped at the opposite elbow joint. I came back home and waited for a couple guys to show up and help track him. He went 40 yards down the hill and dropped. It was nice to have 4 guys tracking. My brother inlaw and I could've found him, but not in the short amount of time it took the 4 of us. Not to mention the drag back up the hill and to the truck.
I used a Rocket Wolverine and it open as soon as it passed the fur. Thanks to the guys who helped find him and Thanks to all of you on this board for sharing your tips and knowledge.
And YES I was wearing my Cardeer necklace, Thanks CD.
I hope ths picture does him justice.