The most exciting day of hunting I've had yet, and nothing to show for it!!
12-30-2009, 05:59 AM
#1
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Virginia
Posts: 1,473
The most exciting day of hunting I've had yet, and nothing to show for it!!
Yesterday was a very windy day, and since I am a new hunter, I wanted to know if your game plan should change at all and got some good advice here: http://www.huntingnet.com/forum/deer...ghout-day.html
Well, after sitting in the woods for a couple of hours, I decided to still-hunt. This was the first time I've actually still-hunted, for real. I mean, I've "still-hunted" my way out of the woods, walking barely slower than normal pace, stepping on sticks and stopping every 20 yards to have a look around.
So I was heading down a logging road, with NO cover whatsoever, looking primarily to my left for a good spot to enter the woods so I'd be heading into the wind. Every step I took on that logging road was cautious and deliberate, checking each plant and rechecking before I put my full weight into it. Even though I had the wind noise as cover, I was almost silent. I stopped every 5 steps and scanned very carefully before proceeding. Well, before I entered the woods, I spotted the slightest movement in some heavy cover about 20 yards to my right. Remember, I'm standing on a logging road with no cover, and my scent is being blown directly to the right! Regardless, I decide to proceed in stalking this deer.
I painstakingly stalked this deer for about 20 minutes, feeling a low rush of adrenaline the entire time. I could tell the deer was going to come out of cover soon and the adrenaline started spiking. I slowly raised my slug gun AND...it was a little fawn, as I had suspected from what I could see. My sights were dead on it but I decided not to fire, even though I could use the meat. I was motionless but he/she spotted me but didn't act too alarmed, and moved back into cover. That's when I thought, "Momma must be nearby!"
So, I continued to creep up the logging road and there she was, along with sister fawn. I worked for another 30 minutes getting into position on momma. During the course of this, she looked over at the odd-looking statue with a blaze orange vest that she never noticed on that logging road before, many, many times! I still can't figure it out, she saw me, the wind was in HER favor, but she continued to browse for food with her kids, regardless.
Finally, after being caught in the most awkward positions and having to hold them numerous times, having my gun raised or halfway raised into position, with a constant flow of adrenaline running thru me, momma was about to step into a very small clearing. My gun was raised, cheek was welded to the stock, and she stepped out, giving me a picture-perfect look at that front shoulder and...!!!! click
Are you farking KIDDING ME???? Did I forget to chamber a round? WTH??? No....MISFIRE!! After the click, she jerked her head and stared at me alertly for a VERY LONG TIME, weaving her head up and down, left and right to make sure she got all the angles on me. Yet, she remained!! Since I had such a tiny window at her to shoot through (and I knew if I made any more noise that she'd at least move enough so that I'd lose my shooting window), I decided not to rack another round. I have a bolt-action slug gun, and you can't quietly eject a round and rack another. So I silently removed the magazine, silently removed the dead shell, placed a new shell in the chamber and when I closed the bolt, there was a small, but unavoidable CLICK!
She had enough of me and took herself and her kiddies out of there!! She didn't show a white tail, so I thought I might be able to circle around to the other side and catch them again, but no such luck.
I examined the misfired round and there was a small dent in the primer (not as big as one in a fired shell). Now, I don't know what a bad primer that has had a good primer strike upon it is supposed to look like. In other words, when the PRIMER goes bang, I dunno if there's some kind of physical reaction with the firing pin that allows the pin to go more deeply into it than it would have without the primer explosion. So I dunno if this was the primer's fault or the fault of a light primer strike. I've never had an issue with my gun before.
I didn't see anything else the rest of the day. I set up in a good spot for the last two hours of the day, but nothing. After the sun went down, I chambered the misfired round, picked out a rotting stump and fired at it. BANG!! Grrrrrrrr.....
So, even though I didn't get that doe, and even though I've shot a fairly nice buck, I have to say that was the most exciting portion of a hunting day I've ever had. I enjoyed that much more than sitting in a blind or tree stand, so I think I will, when the circumstances allow, take to still-hunting.
Two lessons learned on the misfire. First, I should have REC0CKED my bolt instead of trying to put in a new round (there's a REASON some pistols have the ability to strike twice!!). Second, don't forget about your trusty SIDE ARM!! Duh!! I can't believe I forgot about my pistol.
Well, after sitting in the woods for a couple of hours, I decided to still-hunt. This was the first time I've actually still-hunted, for real. I mean, I've "still-hunted" my way out of the woods, walking barely slower than normal pace, stepping on sticks and stopping every 20 yards to have a look around.
So I was heading down a logging road, with NO cover whatsoever, looking primarily to my left for a good spot to enter the woods so I'd be heading into the wind. Every step I took on that logging road was cautious and deliberate, checking each plant and rechecking before I put my full weight into it. Even though I had the wind noise as cover, I was almost silent. I stopped every 5 steps and scanned very carefully before proceeding. Well, before I entered the woods, I spotted the slightest movement in some heavy cover about 20 yards to my right. Remember, I'm standing on a logging road with no cover, and my scent is being blown directly to the right! Regardless, I decide to proceed in stalking this deer.
I painstakingly stalked this deer for about 20 minutes, feeling a low rush of adrenaline the entire time. I could tell the deer was going to come out of cover soon and the adrenaline started spiking. I slowly raised my slug gun AND...it was a little fawn, as I had suspected from what I could see. My sights were dead on it but I decided not to fire, even though I could use the meat. I was motionless but he/she spotted me but didn't act too alarmed, and moved back into cover. That's when I thought, "Momma must be nearby!"
So, I continued to creep up the logging road and there she was, along with sister fawn. I worked for another 30 minutes getting into position on momma. During the course of this, she looked over at the odd-looking statue with a blaze orange vest that she never noticed on that logging road before, many, many times! I still can't figure it out, she saw me, the wind was in HER favor, but she continued to browse for food with her kids, regardless.
Finally, after being caught in the most awkward positions and having to hold them numerous times, having my gun raised or halfway raised into position, with a constant flow of adrenaline running thru me, momma was about to step into a very small clearing. My gun was raised, cheek was welded to the stock, and she stepped out, giving me a picture-perfect look at that front shoulder and...!!!! click
Are you farking KIDDING ME???? Did I forget to chamber a round? WTH??? No....MISFIRE!! After the click, she jerked her head and stared at me alertly for a VERY LONG TIME, weaving her head up and down, left and right to make sure she got all the angles on me. Yet, she remained!! Since I had such a tiny window at her to shoot through (and I knew if I made any more noise that she'd at least move enough so that I'd lose my shooting window), I decided not to rack another round. I have a bolt-action slug gun, and you can't quietly eject a round and rack another. So I silently removed the magazine, silently removed the dead shell, placed a new shell in the chamber and when I closed the bolt, there was a small, but unavoidable CLICK!
She had enough of me and took herself and her kiddies out of there!! She didn't show a white tail, so I thought I might be able to circle around to the other side and catch them again, but no such luck.
I examined the misfired round and there was a small dent in the primer (not as big as one in a fired shell). Now, I don't know what a bad primer that has had a good primer strike upon it is supposed to look like. In other words, when the PRIMER goes bang, I dunno if there's some kind of physical reaction with the firing pin that allows the pin to go more deeply into it than it would have without the primer explosion. So I dunno if this was the primer's fault or the fault of a light primer strike. I've never had an issue with my gun before.
I didn't see anything else the rest of the day. I set up in a good spot for the last two hours of the day, but nothing. After the sun went down, I chambered the misfired round, picked out a rotting stump and fired at it. BANG!! Grrrrrrrr.....
So, even though I didn't get that doe, and even though I've shot a fairly nice buck, I have to say that was the most exciting portion of a hunting day I've ever had. I enjoyed that much more than sitting in a blind or tree stand, so I think I will, when the circumstances allow, take to still-hunting.
Two lessons learned on the misfire. First, I should have REC0CKED my bolt instead of trying to put in a new round (there's a REASON some pistols have the ability to strike twice!!). Second, don't forget about your trusty SIDE ARM!! Duh!! I can't believe I forgot about my pistol.
