Post by bowbo on Nov 15, 2005 21:48:59 GMT -5
Some of you may have seen this posting on another site, but I'll share it here too............................................
11/8/05
I didn't hunt the morning as I was a little hung over from the Monday night game between the Colts and the Patriots! :huh:
Around 12:30 I put on a new suit of camo's, different than the suit I had been wearing the first part of the week. My stand and deer dolly were already in the truck from hunting the day before. I use a cable and padlock to lock them in the bed of the truck while not in use so no one can steal them out of the truck while scouting or what-not. Grabbed my Switchback, fanny pack, and some other stuff and tossed in the truck.
I get down to my parking spot for where I was going to hunt, and realize that the key to the cable/padlock is in my other camo's that I wore the day before.... AT HOME!
I'm not turning around and going back home 40 minutes, then another 40 minutes back just for that key to use my stand.... it'll be too late for all that!
NOW> I absolutely hate hunting from the ground here in these parts, ESPECIALLY with a bow! It just seems that you are at a huge disadvantage. Just never feel like I can be successful on the ground.
Anyhow, I then decide that I can't hunt where I wanted to from the ground, it is a stand only spot.............. so now I have to find somewhere else more suitable for ground hunting. So I start driving down the gravel road just looking into the woods for somewhere to possibly go in and find a "ground spot" to hunt. I drive by this large pine hill, and saw there was a small bottom that ran between it and another small pine hill. I parked the truck, grabbed my bow and fanny pack, and headed into the bottom. Once into the woods 100yds or so, there was a section of downed trees that went on for more than 300yds in there (looked as if a small tornado went thru there several years ago). I followed the downed trees until I came to a ravine running perpindicular to the bottom I was in. Found many heavy trails where deer were being funneled thru these different downed trees and tops.... but NO buck sign anywhere! Not even one small rub, much less a scrape, anywhere in the vicinity!!
I backed away from the ravine about 80yds and found a tree top to sit in that was in pretty good cover with major trails running nearby. Sat down on a log for a minute, took off my quiver and fanny pack, knocked an arrow, put on my gloves and face net, put out my Pee Willy Wick with Code Blue on a nearby limb, and started to settle down. Looks like my longest shot here will be about 20yds. Pretty thick stuff all around me. I decided I needed to clear out all the leaves off the ground where I would possibly need to maneuver for a shot, so I thought since I have to make all that noise kicking leaves outta the way, I might as well grab my rattle bag and rattle/grunt while kicking the leaves! Good idea eh?!
So about 30 minutes pass with nothing in ear/eye sight, so I decide to do another rattle/grunt sequence. Within 5-6 minutes I started hearing steps coming my way in the loud dry leaves! :huh: I grab my bow off the log, got kneeled down on the ground off the log, and attached my release to the loop. He walked in on me at about 25yds in less than 1 minute from hearing his steps in the leaves! It all was happening so fast!
At my angle I could see that he is "possibly" a 10 pointer, but with some kind of weird tine or kicker on the right side. Knowing this buck wasn't a big buck, but looked to be more points than anything I've ever killed, AND appearing to have some sort of "kicker", AND would be my largest possible bow buck, AND hunting public land, AND with only a quick second to decide.................. I made the decision to try and take him! He was walking DEAD FOR ME! He got to about 15yds when I drew back my Switchback, I was trying to pick a hole in the thick cover to get a clear shot, and he was now 10yds in front of me when he paused for a second.......... I let it fly! :unsure:
The buck dropped in his tracks like a brick! I hit him high in the back and broke him down. I found out that my first pin (20yd pin) is a little high at "point blank"! (LOL) Stunned for a minute he just laid there, and I'm sitting there in AWE not believing how fast everything just happened. After about 10 seconds he tries to crawl with his front legs, so I knock another arrow and walk around to him for another shot.
It was just such an exciting hunt for me...... to rattle in my first buck, to take my first deer while hunting on the ground, and to take my biggest bow buck ever........... when the day started off quite dissapointing not having access to my stand! Turned out quite well.
Again, not my largest buck ever, but definitely a trophy to me because of how it all came about! Even tho gun season is this coming weekend, I don't regret taking this buck at all, it was a blast of a hunt!
Oh, by the way..... even tho I've filled my buck tag for this year (only allowed one per person/per year).......................... My hopes for a monster buck this year is NOT ruined! I have been drawn for a State Park Deer Herd Reduction Hunt which allows you 3 deer. Either 3 does, or 1 buck and 2 does. And none of these count against your normal tags.......... they are Freebies!! So I still have a chance at my wallhanger for this year, Nov 28 & Nov 29th, two day firearm hunt!
Since Oct 1st, I have killed two mature does, and now this buck with my bow. I've had several opportunities to take more does, but am in no hurry for that right now. I can say that I have already had a nice successful season! Thanks to the the good Lord above!
11/8/05
I didn't hunt the morning as I was a little hung over from the Monday night game between the Colts and the Patriots! :huh:
Around 12:30 I put on a new suit of camo's, different than the suit I had been wearing the first part of the week. My stand and deer dolly were already in the truck from hunting the day before. I use a cable and padlock to lock them in the bed of the truck while not in use so no one can steal them out of the truck while scouting or what-not. Grabbed my Switchback, fanny pack, and some other stuff and tossed in the truck.
I get down to my parking spot for where I was going to hunt, and realize that the key to the cable/padlock is in my other camo's that I wore the day before.... AT HOME!
I'm not turning around and going back home 40 minutes, then another 40 minutes back just for that key to use my stand.... it'll be too late for all that!NOW> I absolutely hate hunting from the ground here in these parts, ESPECIALLY with a bow! It just seems that you are at a huge disadvantage. Just never feel like I can be successful on the ground.
Anyhow, I then decide that I can't hunt where I wanted to from the ground, it is a stand only spot.............. so now I have to find somewhere else more suitable for ground hunting. So I start driving down the gravel road just looking into the woods for somewhere to possibly go in and find a "ground spot" to hunt. I drive by this large pine hill, and saw there was a small bottom that ran between it and another small pine hill. I parked the truck, grabbed my bow and fanny pack, and headed into the bottom. Once into the woods 100yds or so, there was a section of downed trees that went on for more than 300yds in there (looked as if a small tornado went thru there several years ago). I followed the downed trees until I came to a ravine running perpindicular to the bottom I was in. Found many heavy trails where deer were being funneled thru these different downed trees and tops.... but NO buck sign anywhere! Not even one small rub, much less a scrape, anywhere in the vicinity!!
I backed away from the ravine about 80yds and found a tree top to sit in that was in pretty good cover with major trails running nearby. Sat down on a log for a minute, took off my quiver and fanny pack, knocked an arrow, put on my gloves and face net, put out my Pee Willy Wick with Code Blue on a nearby limb, and started to settle down. Looks like my longest shot here will be about 20yds. Pretty thick stuff all around me. I decided I needed to clear out all the leaves off the ground where I would possibly need to maneuver for a shot, so I thought since I have to make all that noise kicking leaves outta the way, I might as well grab my rattle bag and rattle/grunt while kicking the leaves! Good idea eh?!
So about 30 minutes pass with nothing in ear/eye sight, so I decide to do another rattle/grunt sequence. Within 5-6 minutes I started hearing steps coming my way in the loud dry leaves! :huh: I grab my bow off the log, got kneeled down on the ground off the log, and attached my release to the loop. He walked in on me at about 25yds in less than 1 minute from hearing his steps in the leaves! It all was happening so fast!
At my angle I could see that he is "possibly" a 10 pointer, but with some kind of weird tine or kicker on the right side. Knowing this buck wasn't a big buck, but looked to be more points than anything I've ever killed, AND appearing to have some sort of "kicker", AND would be my largest possible bow buck, AND hunting public land, AND with only a quick second to decide.................. I made the decision to try and take him! He was walking DEAD FOR ME! He got to about 15yds when I drew back my Switchback, I was trying to pick a hole in the thick cover to get a clear shot, and he was now 10yds in front of me when he paused for a second.......... I let it fly! :unsure:
The buck dropped in his tracks like a brick! I hit him high in the back and broke him down. I found out that my first pin (20yd pin) is a little high at "point blank"! (LOL) Stunned for a minute he just laid there, and I'm sitting there in AWE not believing how fast everything just happened. After about 10 seconds he tries to crawl with his front legs, so I knock another arrow and walk around to him for another shot.
It was just such an exciting hunt for me...... to rattle in my first buck, to take my first deer while hunting on the ground, and to take my biggest bow buck ever........... when the day started off quite dissapointing not having access to my stand! Turned out quite well.
Again, not my largest buck ever, but definitely a trophy to me because of how it all came about! Even tho gun season is this coming weekend, I don't regret taking this buck at all, it was a blast of a hunt!
Oh, by the way..... even tho I've filled my buck tag for this year (only allowed one per person/per year).......................... My hopes for a monster buck this year is NOT ruined! I have been drawn for a State Park Deer Herd Reduction Hunt which allows you 3 deer. Either 3 does, or 1 buck and 2 does. And none of these count against your normal tags.......... they are Freebies!! So I still have a chance at my wallhanger for this year, Nov 28 & Nov 29th, two day firearm hunt!
Since Oct 1st, I have killed two mature does, and now this buck with my bow. I've had several opportunities to take more does, but am in no hurry for that right now. I can say that I have already had a nice successful season! Thanks to the the good Lord above!
