Post by hunter7x on Nov 24, 2011 18:46:30 GMT -5
I probably don't have to tell most people on this board what a frustrating season 2011 has been. Most of us who are 3 season hunters look forward to the end of October and beginning of November all year long. A time when crisp morning frost gives away a deers stealthy approach long before we see the critter. We look forward to hearing the hoof beats of a stubborn Doe running for her life it seems from an amorous Buck.
Not so this year, for a lot of us anyway.
Ive said before I'm not buying into any conspiracy theory that all the deer are dead because of poachers/too many doe tags/the OBR or even the evil crossbows.(joking!) It was just a tough year. It happens. Warm weather, lots of standing corn and a full moon at the height of the chasing phase of the rut left many of us frustrated and some of us whipped. I was in that crowd.
Yesterday I was able to make a quick morning hunt, my first since the corn had came out. I saw 1 deer. Then yesterday evening I went to set all my trail cams in hopes of seeing something with antlers that had seen more than 1 or 2 Octobers. I ended up climbing into a stand at 4:45. I saw 2 deer. Its over I convinced myself. Buck tag soup for me this year.
So I resigned myself to fill a couple of doe tags and fill an empty freezer.
I was carrying my son's .44 Ruger rifle, for only the second time. Last year I shot a doe with it for as much as an experiment as anything. I purposely shot her in the shoulder to ensure I wouldn't have to endure a long deerless blood trail. It worked, dropping her on the spot.
This morning I was looking for any adult doe. About 8 am straight up I saw a deer working toward me in the open timber. It was a doe, but being by itself I was having a hard time deciding if it was adult or fawn. It worked its way to within 25 or 30 yards. At one point it stopped sucking up acorns and looked to my left. So I looked to my left and there comes another doe. Now I could tell the first one was indeed an adult but the second one was bigger yet. Its now 8:10. I decided she would fit nicely into the void of my freezer. I waited until she turned quartering away put the scope on her lungs.... and nervously pulled the trigger. She took off running and I sat there thinking GREAT a long blood trail ahead.
I answered my buddys text, Well? he asked. I replied shot a doe, she ran off, I'm sitting til 9.
As Im sitting there mentally kicking myself for not shoulder shooting her, I glance to my right and see another deer. Binos up... its a buck, a decent buck.. Not the buck I wanted to shoot, but hey, its Thanksgiving be thankful for what your given.
He worked his way closer, sort of and then started angling away. Rangefinder says 80 yards, how ironic since 80 is what I sighted the gun in at. Gun up and shot off and my second deer within 10 minutes is high tailing it to parts unknown. GREAT ! now I have 2 deer Ive shot with this toy gun and 2 long blood trails to look forward to. dipstick, why did you bring this gun?
I sat there for another 20 minutes again answered my buddys text, "dang bro whats with all the shootin?" "I just shot a buck it ran off too.Getting down to start looking for the doe."
I am pleased to say less than 50 yards later and along a blood trail we all dream of there lay my first prize. A nice fat doe.
Not so this year, for a lot of us anyway.
Ive said before I'm not buying into any conspiracy theory that all the deer are dead because of poachers/too many doe tags/the OBR or even the evil crossbows.(joking!) It was just a tough year. It happens. Warm weather, lots of standing corn and a full moon at the height of the chasing phase of the rut left many of us frustrated and some of us whipped. I was in that crowd.
Yesterday I was able to make a quick morning hunt, my first since the corn had came out. I saw 1 deer. Then yesterday evening I went to set all my trail cams in hopes of seeing something with antlers that had seen more than 1 or 2 Octobers. I ended up climbing into a stand at 4:45. I saw 2 deer. Its over I convinced myself. Buck tag soup for me this year.
So I resigned myself to fill a couple of doe tags and fill an empty freezer.
I was carrying my son's .44 Ruger rifle, for only the second time. Last year I shot a doe with it for as much as an experiment as anything. I purposely shot her in the shoulder to ensure I wouldn't have to endure a long deerless blood trail. It worked, dropping her on the spot.
This morning I was looking for any adult doe. About 8 am straight up I saw a deer working toward me in the open timber. It was a doe, but being by itself I was having a hard time deciding if it was adult or fawn. It worked its way to within 25 or 30 yards. At one point it stopped sucking up acorns and looked to my left. So I looked to my left and there comes another doe. Now I could tell the first one was indeed an adult but the second one was bigger yet. Its now 8:10. I decided she would fit nicely into the void of my freezer. I waited until she turned quartering away put the scope on her lungs.... and nervously pulled the trigger. She took off running and I sat there thinking GREAT a long blood trail ahead.
I answered my buddys text, Well? he asked. I replied shot a doe, she ran off, I'm sitting til 9.
As Im sitting there mentally kicking myself for not shoulder shooting her, I glance to my right and see another deer. Binos up... its a buck, a decent buck.. Not the buck I wanted to shoot, but hey, its Thanksgiving be thankful for what your given.
He worked his way closer, sort of and then started angling away. Rangefinder says 80 yards, how ironic since 80 is what I sighted the gun in at. Gun up and shot off and my second deer within 10 minutes is high tailing it to parts unknown. GREAT ! now I have 2 deer Ive shot with this toy gun and 2 long blood trails to look forward to. dipstick, why did you bring this gun?
I sat there for another 20 minutes again answered my buddys text, "dang bro whats with all the shootin?" "I just shot a buck it ran off too.Getting down to start looking for the doe."
I am pleased to say less than 50 yards later and along a blood trail we all dream of there lay my first prize. A nice fat doe.
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Congrats!
, spent some time looking out the window into the woods..... ah what an addiction this whitetail hunting is. 