HuntingNet.com Forums - PA Doe Down on Opening Day

Greetings Fellow Bowhunters of Pennsylvania,

***Many asked I post this in the General Bowhunting Section, so here you go***

As promised a story and images for you, based on my opening day success.

The walk into the stand at 4:30 was a quiet one, thanks to the rain and fog that greeted me. I decided based on the lack of wind, to hunt one of my new stands, which sits in about a 15 acre woodlot, between a prime feeding area and bedding area of about 60 acres. This is typically a great evening location, as it is a staging area, however, this was a new stand set up during the summer for morning hunts. Thanks to no south wind, it was on and I was amped to say the least.

I sat in my perch, pulled my bow up, and simply waited. Adrenaline through my veins, I could hear deer directly around and below me during the darkness-filled hours. They were moving early, about the time the sun was beginning to burn through and break the fog. It was about 7:00 when it finally was light enough for me to see my pins, I nocked an arrow, in addition to the deer moving through the woodlot, and I knew it was that time. My back facing the feeding area, I stood up and turned around to be prepared, anticipating movement.

It did not take long, as I caught movement about 50 yards up through the hemlock branches. A stout button buck and his sister came through, then a good sized doe, followed by another healthy matriarch with two fawns from this year. I selected this doe as the "one" if she would offer me an opportunity.

As the other deer paralleled the stand about 15 yards away, the good sized doe immediately went on "point" as I like to call it. She began foot stomping, even blew loudly twice, and was really testing my nerves. However, the matriarch I chose to follow, came on the near side of the oak and laurel, and was standing within it about 10 yards away from my tree. I drew back, anchored, then you guess what happened next, the waiting.

As the good sized doe did her thing, other deer around me began moving and getting antsy. I had to come out of draw and that caught the eye of the blowing doe. Also, the other deer were unbeknownest to me, as I was focusing on "my" deer. She kept her head focused on her fawns, while checking the wind. Thank you God for Scent Blocker and Scent Shield, as I could hear her drawing in air.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, she took a few steps out from the laurel bushes and gave me a broadside/very slight quartering away shot. Aiming for the opposite shoulder, I released the arrow to achieve a full pass through. After the shot, she jumped in the air, tail tucked way up in between her legs, and did a sort of trot, spraying blood like a firehose. She only went 15 feet, then began moving her head and neck from side to side, as if being hypnotized. I saw the back legs buckle, and she simply laid down on the ground. No thrashing, kicking, violent nature at all. It was like she was laying down to take a nap, and did she ever.

I looked at my watch and it was 7:20 in the morning. I felt great, having harvested a mature doe early, getting meat for the freezer. Perhaps, one of the coolest parts of the morning was after the shot. More deer came through the woods, as I had a visual on her from my stand, and walked right next to her, one even kicking her as if to say "hey, wake up." I had a 3 point buck come in at 15 yards (antler restrictions in my area require at least 3 points on one side), as well as a good number of other deer. All told, I saw 19 deer in the morning.

I considered shooting another large doe around 5 minutes until 8, however, with one down, the deer not alerted or spooked, other than the blowing doe, I climbed down from the stand at 8:05 and returned home to my dad, step mother and step brother. They assisted with the work, as well as the processing. It is always great having family to enjoy in the harvest.

This big girl, according to my butcher scale conversion, estimated live weight was between 122 and 125, not bad for not a lot of fat on her and early in the season. During skinning, I examined the shot entry, which went through the center of the 5th rib on the right side, and exited between the 3rd and 4th rib on the left side. I was amazed, as always, the damage broadheads inflict. Her right side lung was destroyed, as during gutting, I cut her diphargm and a mess of lung pieces came out with all the blood. Also, the top of her heart had a small cut on it, and the opposite lung touched near the front by a single broadhead blade. With all the mentions of the new Rage broadheads, my WASP Hammer SST 100gr 'heads still put deer down quickly and effectively.

This deer was taken in WMU 4E, with a Bear Instinct bow, Carbon Super Lite 250's, at 60lb draw weight.

Now, onto Mr. Big Boy (or girl)!!!

Also, I have entry and exit holes images taken with my cell phone, I will need to get them on here when I return home. If you look closely, you can see the entry in the picture.

Best of luck to my fellow PA hunters, as well as others across the region!!! Enjoy yourselves and be safe.

P.S. Sorry for the date error on the photo.