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Long story- short tines- big smile!

wooly

By wooly,
in Bow Hunting

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wooly Newbie

wooly

Posted
Posted

Oh man, where to start?

As some of you already know, my season in the creekbottom has been a major dissapointment. Buck sign has been very sporadic...hot one day, then never to be revisited or freshened again.

After another relatively uneventfull sit here, I decided it was time for a change of scenery so I headed up to the green fields for my afternoon sit. The plan was to take the Nikon and tripod in hopes a few deer would show up for a few long range shots

untill I could figure out a game plan on how to effectively hunt this field edge that didn't offer any trees strong enough to support a stand.

So away I go! Loaded like a western mule headed far and high into the Colorado Rockies I began the excruciating 2 mile trek with my pac nearly haf of my own live weight.

As soon as I got to the field edge I spotted a buck standing smack dab center of the field looking really confused. I shrugged off my pac and gave him a few grunts before nocking an arrow and detaching my quiver. He didn't hear, or didn't really seem to give a crap there was an intruder in his area. What the heck...I shuffled through my pac and pulled out my rattlin' antlers.

He was a good ways off so I wasn't timid in my mock battle. He looked around for a bit before losing interest and headed into the thicket off the edge.

No worries here... I wasn't quite ready for the hunt to begin anyhow!

I wanted to run a drag rag of estrous scent around the perimeter just in case and hang a wick out in front of where I planned on melting into the dead goldenrod edge. I put a good dose of Tinks estrous gel on my boot pad and marched half way to the road before turning around, refreshing my pad, and returning back to my hidey hole. I grabbed two sticks, placed one at 20yds. and one at 30yds, then hung my wick on the 20yd stick.

Back in my little crop circle ambush I set up my redneck tripod bicycle seat and made myself comfortable. I readied the camera and tripod before looking up to see two more deer had made their way into the field not 10 minutes since the first buck had left. This was getting good already and it was only 3:30!

Fast forward about an hour and 30 or so more deer in the field. I have never seen so much chasing, posturing, vocalizing....you name it, it was all happening right before my very eyes just like they show on TV....minus the giant bucks.

Most of the deer had come out closer to the road and remained there even as cars stopped to watch them. Eventually a few bucks started busting up the doe groups and chasing them my way. More bucks emerged from the edge and hit my scent trail I layed down earlier. If there was a doe standing on that trail they took off in hot pursuit and chased her into the thicket, both of them never to be seen again.

Finally, a few doe and fawns popped out 10yds beside me and fed out in front of me. They were all interested in my Tinks stick and took turns giving it a sniff. The bucks came a running and chased off several of the does right beside me. Another buck popped out of a little depression in the field and put his ears back while approaching a fawn at my stick. That was all it took for me to see the silly little set of antlers he had. I laughed to myself because I knew if he gave me the oppertunity I was gonna take the shot at him.

Sure enough, he stopped at my 20 stick and took a big whiff!

More chasing going on out in the middle of the field got his attention so he turned his head away from me offering me the perfect broadside shot.

I took aim, settled my pin and reminded myself to stop breathing and focus! The shot went off and I heard the SCHWAAAACK!

The buck ran 40yds up the edge and cut into the thicket. I heard crashing when all of a sudden he came flying out sideways like a rodeo bull trying to buck a cowboy. He was stumbling bad but regained his feet and made one last run into the thicket before the big CRASH!!! I knew he had expired, but decided to give him some time for good measures while I made the hike home to shed some of this excess gear that I had brought with me.

I grabbed a few flashlights and headed back out. It was gonna be a long night. I got to the field and went straight to my 20 stick and found my arrow all bloodied up! There was very little blood besides that, and these lights weren't making it easy to spot what was or wasn't there. I lost the trail several times before deciding to run the edge and look for blood where he went in. Five times back and forth, I couldn't find a speck. I was starting to think this was gonna turn into a morning recovery, but I feared what would be left by then with all the yotes around here lately.

I don't know why, but I was drawn to check inside the edge at one point. I shined my big spotlight and spotted his big white belly immediately! I was relieved to say the least! I got him gutted and loaded on my sled that I brought along and began the long hike home with my trailer in tow.

He's no Booner, but after 4 frustrating archery seasons in a row, everything had finally come together. Sucess won't be measured in inches for this hunt..., there will be no trophy going on the wall.., but I do get a nice little keep sake reminder and the memmory of a great hunt that will last forever!

Hope you all enjoyed as much as I did! :)

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