My small 8
12-28-2005, 07:47 PM
#1
Typical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Cedar Park, TX
Posts: 957
My small 8
I posted a while back about a small 8 I shot. Here's a pic. I was in a ladder stand about 12' up. We went out about 2:15 p.m. There was a hanging feeder about 20 yards in front of me hanging from a tree just off of a slope about 5' above a wide, flat dry creek that ran down my right side. The other side of the creek rose up about 20' and leveled off. There was tall grass in front, to the left and in back of me with scattered oaks and elms. There was a large grove of trees flanking my left about 80 yards back. I checked my shooting space when I first got into stand and turned to the right in the stand. After about an hour I was getting sore so I turned to the left and scooted a bit forward for clearance from the tree. Pretty soon I spotted a decent sized deer about 200 yards behind me. I turned back thinking they would come in. Sure enough, about 15 minutes later I heard steps. It came in from behind and about 5 yards to my left. It was a fawn. It stopped at some corn about 5 yards in front of me and ate for about 30 minutes before moving over to the feeder. Let me tell you, that fawn was a corn eating machine. I was wishing I had a rock to throw at it. Finally it moved down into the dry creek only to lay down! I was tired of trying to be still. Then I heard some more steps to my right. Four does were working in on the high side of the creek. They came down into the creek but would only come up the low bank by the feeder. Suddenly, quick steps from my left. It was a spike. He marched right in to the feeder. That eased the does and they came up. Then more steps from my left. Three more does, one of them huge. I decided to try to take the big doe. She came in pretty quick and stopped with her tail to me. I waited till she turned and most of the eyes were off me and I drew. I guess when I re-positioned myself I was too far back in the seat because my arm brushed the tree bark. All I saw was ears and eyes. The does bolted back across the creek and up the plateau. The spike stood there looking at the breeze the does left. Classic look. "Hey girls. Why'd you leave? We were just starting to have fun." Dumb spike. He had no clue he was in the midst of possibly his last meal. Before I knew it a 4 point trotted in from my left, same path as the fawn and 3 does. After a few minutes the 7 does and fawn came back in. They filtered in slowly. I was looking for the big doe but light wasn't going to hang around too much longer. About 4 of the does had come out in front of me but I didn't see the big one. The other does were still in the creek. The 4 point had moved down into the dry creek and was rubbing his antlers on a cedar bush. As I watched him I noticed a doe next to him. That doe had antlers! It was an 8. Didn't seem too big. He butted heads once with the 4 point and the 4 turned and scooted away. The 8 moved toward the feeder but stopped behind a small tree with no leaves. I argued with myself about taking him or not. Light was fading and I still couldn't spot the big doe. The 8 moved up to the tree and stopped right behind it, facing the tree and me. I could only catch glimpses of his body on the sides of the tree. His antlers blended in with the grass and I could only see the bases a little. With the hunt almost over, I decided if he stepped out I would take a shot. As soon as I came to this agreement, out steps the buck, facing my left. I drew and touched the release. THWACK! The buck fell on his right side then flipped over to his left. I heard my arrow snap. The buck just laid there. I was thinking "What happened? I killed him dead with an arrow!" Then he moved his head and front feet a bit. Spined. I crawled down and finished the job. He's a small buck but my first buck with the bow. I'd feel a whole lot better but on the way back home I forgot my bow was in the back of my truck in a soft case. I guess it must have blown out because it was gone from my truck when I got home and I
didn't stop anywhere. It was only about 2 months old.
It was a great bow. Batted 1000. 1 for 1.
didn't stop anywhere. It was only about 2 months old.
It was a great bow. Batted 1000. 1 for 1.
