My best season ever
11-18-2008, 07:35 AM
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Join Date: Feb 2003
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My best season ever
I need to preface this story by saying that last year was my worst. I did not get a single deer last year at all. I barely even saw any deer last year let alone have one come close enough for a shot.
The openning week of bowI was hunting at my Father-in-laws farm on a really nice day that was not too hot, not too cool. The stand is setup facing due north in a pinch point stretch of woods that connects the large piece to the west with a smaller strip to the east. The eastern strip seems to channel the deer because it allows them to use the cover right up to the moment when they cross the street to another farm and more woods.Around 9am, two does came in from the west and wound up directly under my stand. There is no place for them to go but out in front of me.The first one walked out and gave me a perfect broadside, quartering away shot at 12 yards. The deer ran back to the west and fell over 30-40 yards away. The second deer saw this and hopped into pretty much the exact same position. It turned around though and gave me a shot at 15 yards. I got yet another perfect pass-through on this deer and it ran about 50-60 yards to the east and dropped.
One week later, I was hunting with my son on my Brother-in-laws farm. I went to the southern stand and my son went to the northern stand. Both stands are setup on the western slope of a hill and both look due west. Literally, the moment I sat down in my stand, I had some does come in. The first doe knew something was up and she blew and stomped her feet alot. However, she never looked at me in my stand. She looked up the hill. They left but 5 more does came in a little later on. Then, from the south, a buck came in and began to chase the does around. They hung around for a long time. Probably 20 minutes or more. Eventually, they left and went south-west. No more than an hour later, 3 more does came in from the south but this time, the lead doe caught my scent and they ran off. Around 10:30, I stood up and relieved myself off the stand. I turned around to see this buck coming right at me from the north. I quickly grabbed my bow and got into position. The buck strolled right in and walked right behind the tree I marked at 20 yards. I gave him a stoft mouth grunt and stopped him. When the arrow passed through him, he only lurched a little bit and took about 5 steps. He began to cough and I knew I gota perfect double-lung. He acted like he was about to take off running so I soft mouth grunted again and he stopped. He walked another 5 or 6 steps and stumbled. But he acted like he was going to run again so again I soft mouth grunted. This time he took about 3 steps and fell over.
Here's this pic of that deer.
This past weekend wastheopenningof the regular season here in NY. The weather for openning day was terrible. It was raining all day long. I did not bother to hunt. Instead, we went to the Bass Pro Shop in Auburn. Got some new boots and a new blaze orange coat for my son. Sunday we went back to my Brother-in-laws farm again. I went to the same stand where I shot the above 8pt. Sat for about 2 hours before realizing that not a single gunshot was to be heard. This is incredibly odd for the second day of gun and for the area. I figured that since it was slightly raining mixed with snow and very windy, the deer must be hunkered down on the eastern slopes. So I got out of the stand to do some still hunting. I went to the nothern field and saw 5 does go running across the field. I decided to check the hedgerow they came from. I didn't see any deer but I did find a magnificant tree rub. The tree itself was large in diamemter and the rub was fresh. I then began to work another hill on the property when I noticed a deer standing in the honeysuckle at the base of the hill. I actually thought for a moment that it was a 3D target that the neighbor might have been using. It was in that exact same pose and didn't move. I glassed the deer and then did see it move. When it turned, I saw the right side antler and knew it was a good buck. I shifted positions which exposed the vitals and touched off the shot. The deer dropped in its tracks. I moved in closer though to be sure and he did try to run. I shot him again with a perfect broadside hit and a second to ensure a quick kill with no suffering. He turned out to be my best ever deer with a gun.
The openning week of bowI was hunting at my Father-in-laws farm on a really nice day that was not too hot, not too cool. The stand is setup facing due north in a pinch point stretch of woods that connects the large piece to the west with a smaller strip to the east. The eastern strip seems to channel the deer because it allows them to use the cover right up to the moment when they cross the street to another farm and more woods.Around 9am, two does came in from the west and wound up directly under my stand. There is no place for them to go but out in front of me.The first one walked out and gave me a perfect broadside, quartering away shot at 12 yards. The deer ran back to the west and fell over 30-40 yards away. The second deer saw this and hopped into pretty much the exact same position. It turned around though and gave me a shot at 15 yards. I got yet another perfect pass-through on this deer and it ran about 50-60 yards to the east and dropped.
One week later, I was hunting with my son on my Brother-in-laws farm. I went to the southern stand and my son went to the northern stand. Both stands are setup on the western slope of a hill and both look due west. Literally, the moment I sat down in my stand, I had some does come in. The first doe knew something was up and she blew and stomped her feet alot. However, she never looked at me in my stand. She looked up the hill. They left but 5 more does came in a little later on. Then, from the south, a buck came in and began to chase the does around. They hung around for a long time. Probably 20 minutes or more. Eventually, they left and went south-west. No more than an hour later, 3 more does came in from the south but this time, the lead doe caught my scent and they ran off. Around 10:30, I stood up and relieved myself off the stand. I turned around to see this buck coming right at me from the north. I quickly grabbed my bow and got into position. The buck strolled right in and walked right behind the tree I marked at 20 yards. I gave him a stoft mouth grunt and stopped him. When the arrow passed through him, he only lurched a little bit and took about 5 steps. He began to cough and I knew I gota perfect double-lung. He acted like he was about to take off running so I soft mouth grunted again and he stopped. He walked another 5 or 6 steps and stumbled. But he acted like he was going to run again so again I soft mouth grunted. This time he took about 3 steps and fell over.
Here's this pic of that deer.
This past weekend wastheopenningof the regular season here in NY. The weather for openning day was terrible. It was raining all day long. I did not bother to hunt. Instead, we went to the Bass Pro Shop in Auburn. Got some new boots and a new blaze orange coat for my son. Sunday we went back to my Brother-in-laws farm again. I went to the same stand where I shot the above 8pt. Sat for about 2 hours before realizing that not a single gunshot was to be heard. This is incredibly odd for the second day of gun and for the area. I figured that since it was slightly raining mixed with snow and very windy, the deer must be hunkered down on the eastern slopes. So I got out of the stand to do some still hunting. I went to the nothern field and saw 5 does go running across the field. I decided to check the hedgerow they came from. I didn't see any deer but I did find a magnificant tree rub. The tree itself was large in diamemter and the rub was fresh. I then began to work another hill on the property when I noticed a deer standing in the honeysuckle at the base of the hill. I actually thought for a moment that it was a 3D target that the neighbor might have been using. It was in that exact same pose and didn't move. I glassed the deer and then did see it move. When it turned, I saw the right side antler and knew it was a good buck. I shifted positions which exposed the vitals and touched off the shot. The deer dropped in its tracks. I moved in closer though to be sure and he did try to run. I shot him again with a perfect broadside hit and a second to ensure a quick kill with no suffering. He turned out to be my best ever deer with a gun.
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