HuntingNet.com Forums - Opening Day Delaware Double on 2 Bucks

THE STORY.

My father called me late june telling me he had been seeing a few nice backs in a bean field that backs up to public hunting land near his house. I decided to check it out. Rode by multiple times leading up to opening day and only three times there wasnt a decent buck in the bean field. I also noticed they were almost always in front of a big pine tree that had fallen down into the bean field. I looked at an over head view of the parcel and figured they were coming out of the smaller thick pines on an angle and walking through the mature pines to the fallen tree then entering the field. The smaller pines were about 50yds from the fallen tree. I never went in to scout the area because i didnt want to spook the area up. I was pretty sure id be the only hunter crazy enough to make the mile hike from where the parking was. I was also positive there were suitable trees for a climbing stand beings it was mature pines near the smaller thick pines where they were bedding.

Opening day arrives. I had to work in the am. The temps are in the mid 90s but i knew the bucks would come to the field to eat so i toughed it. i pull up to where i was going to park about 330pm and there was a white van parked there. I had seen the hunter before on another nearby public parcel. He wasnt the type of hunter to make the walk i was about to so i figured he was only 100yds up the path trying to catch a deer coming to a different bean field near the road. I didnt want to ruin his hunt so i parked on a different rd and came in from that way. It was much more work but was actually better because i would of walked near the bucks bedding area coming in from the other way. I make the long extra hot hike to the area i want to hunt. I notice multiple paths coming from the thick pines on an angle to the bean field. I hook my tree lounge on a tree 40yds behind the fallen pine tree in the bean field. everything seems perfect. i was in the middle of multiple paths and could shoot 50yds both ways.

It was about 615 and I hear leaves crunching to my right which i didnt expect because im facing straight back and the thick pines are to my left. I cant really see much straight back because i set up near some holly trees that were blocking my view. I catch movement to my right and its a doe with two fawns. They walk on by at about 40yds and go to the bean field. its 700pm and i look back out towards the bean field and see another doe and a fawn eating beans. at about 725 i hear crunching straight in front of me but i cant see what it is. im already standing and all of a sudden a nice basket 8pt runs rite under me at 3yds. he ran straight to the bean field and started eating. I knew that was a good sign because i had seen him with bigger bucks in the field. 5mins passes by and i start hearing some more deer coming. they are no more than 15yds but i cant see them through the holly. they continue on the path and first the nontypical 9pt wlks out from behind the tree at less than 5yds to my right and stops. i hear the other one walking and then i see his frame. its the big 8pt. i waited for him to come in the open and drew back while his head was behind a tree. i settle the pin and its an easy chip shot at 8yds. he takes a step as im releasing and it hits him bout middle body. i knew i hit him a lil back as i watched him run out into the beans and turn left down the edge of the field. Confused the 9pt runs towards the field and stops. he is slightly quartered away so i wait for him to turn broadside. He hears the basket 8pt coming back into the woods and turns a lil to check him out making him perfectly broadside. I draw back and settle the 20 pin rite behind shoulder and let it fly. i hear a thump and see about half my arrow hanging out. He ran parallel to the field towards where the big 8pt headed and outa site. I wait a few mins and collect my thoughts, get down and call my father to pick me up at the original parking spot. I didnt want to walk out the way i came in because they headed straight that way.

My experiences told me to give these deer some time. i was pretty sure the big 8pt was hit at worst in the liver and maybe back of the lungs. The 9pt made a serious mule kick and i knew he wouldnt make it far but beings he ran near where the big 8pt did i didnt risk it. 45mins later my father picks me up and takes me to where im parked to get my truck. we go back to his house and talk about what happened and decide to wait til the morning. temps would be in 50s. next morning at day break we decided to come in the way i did the first time. we dont even make it 30 yds into the tall pines and spot the big 8pt laying expired rite on my entrance trail. he made it about 100yds. we go to where i last saw the 9pt and pick up a huge blood trail and follow it not even 50yds and there he was not even 50yds from the big 8pt! Its a hunt I will never forget. I must say the new bloodrunner 2 blades put a serious hole in both these bucks.

The meat smelled fine after gutting and the butcher says it should be good so im gonna try it! Thanks for reading. Good luck to everyone this year. My buck hunting is done for the yr in Delaware but Maryland starts Sept 15th and ill be back after them. I live rite on the md/de line so i hunt both states every yr and its awesome. Final thought is when in doubt back out! i think if i wouldve went to my truck the way i came in the first time i would of jumped the big 8pt and maybe lost him.