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Had the hunt of my life last night

blackradio

By blackradio,
in Bow Hunting

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blackradio Apprentice

blackradio

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Long read, if I don't write it down now I probably never will.

 

I've had a fairly gloomy outlook on this season for the past few weeks. Last year I was able to hunt nearly everyday before or after work. Now with a new job, I'm only able to hunt on the weekends when I can fit it in.

 

After getting permission 3 weeks ago to hunt a nice parcel near my house, I've only had time to scout as I hunted. I've been out 5 times with only a few sightings, and all but 1 were does that were running away from me. My goal since last year has been to take an adult deer with the bow, but this hunt was so much more than that.

 

I'd been looking forward to Sunday for the whole week. The temps cooled down, the wind would be in my favor and I had an open schedule. I planned to hunt Sunday morning but I woke up and easily talked myself out of that and went back to sleep. I woke up to a text from my buddy who shot a nice 8 that morning. I was pissed at myself that I didn't go out but I set out to hunt at 1pm. 

 

I set out with a stand and climbing sticks which I never used before and set up in a valley near a stream bed. I froze my ass off for 2 hours as the wind was really strong, then I packed up after the wind started blowing the wrong way. I walked around looking for sign then said screw it, and started heading back and thought I'd find another spot to sit.

 

I skirted a field edge and thought maybe I'd walk towards where this overgrown field meets a swamp. I could see the remnants of my fathers wooden stand in the swamp, which he last hunted 17 years ago. I looked around and some oyster mushrooms on a maple tree on the swamp edge caught my eye. I walked over, dropped my gear and began picking the first mushroom.

 

In that moment I heard footsteps in the field coming from 6' to 7' tall grass and reeds. I wasn't sure what it was so I grabbed my bow, knocked an arrow and stepped behind the maple. I peaked around the other side of the tree and grunted once. I looked and about 70 yards away in the tall grass I spot what looks to be tall tines moving up and down. I grunted again and he lifted his head up and looked towards me and started heading my way. I was shaking like a leaf and tried to get situated but I could hear him coming fast.

 

He walked a bit passed me to 8 yards and I was exposed standing next to the tree, not behind it anymore. I had my bow up but not drawn and we had a stare down for about 45 seconds. His neck was so wide and puffed out. I could smell him as the wind was blowing into my face and I could hear him breathing and see his breath. I didn't move a muscle except for my shaking ankles. He bobbed his head and stomped his back leg, then his front. 

 

To my amazement, he turned around and started to walk back the way he came. I drew, ducked around the tree to the other side and he made a slight right heading into the swamp, presenting me with a perfect broadside shot at around 15 yards. I stopped him with a "mahhh" he turned his head and at 4:03 I sent a muzzy through him. 

 

I knew the hit had been a good one. He turned and jumped into the tall grass and his antlers appeared and disappeared every second until he was gone. I called my Dad to get ready to track and/or drag and I calmed down and picked the delicious oyster mushrooms and filled an extra hat with them.

 

I went to look for my arrow and couldn't find it or any blood for about 5 minutes. I went back to where I shot from and really tried to remember where he was standing. I found my arrow covered in nice light red blood after 5 more minutes. The fletching had been snapped off and was missing. I decided to start tracking right away. The blood was great for the first 50 yards, spraying all over the sides of the grass in strips, sometimes as tall as 6 feet. After 15 minutes of searching, he lay dead in a small clearing in the grass, 80 yards from where I shot him. Double lung shot. Beautiful read headed 9pt. 

 

After a few minutes of bragging to my friends, my father met me there and we began the drag. He carried my gear and I dragged. During the drag I noted 2 or 3 loaded apple trees in the overgrown field where this buck came from. I must have missed this in my "scouting." It took just over 2 hours to drag him the 1/2 mile back to the road and I loved every second of it. My father and I, a sky full of stars and my first bow buck, it was great.

 

After a little help from a neighbor with a tractor, he got him from the road to the house, and that's when I felt my lower back tighten up =)

 

This is the best buck I have taken, not biggest but the best. This is my first bow buck, my first deer taken from the ground, and the first deer I grunted in. It's also the closest shot I've made and the first time my father has gotten in on the action.

 

Your season can change in a minute, I went from being sad about the season to shooting a great buck and having an experience that is still making me smile as I type this.

 

I will post pics when I get home. Thanks for reading.

 

 

Edited by blackradio
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Waldershrek Newbie

Waldershrek

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So let me get this straight.....

 

1. You wait all week to hunt then decide to sleep in for the morning hunt.

2. You get out in the afternoon and sit for 2 hours before deciding to move.

3. You wander around looking for sign and/or another place to sit

4. You become distracted by mushrooms you found along the way and decide to go mushroom picking.

5. Big deer happens to wander by while you're picking mushrooms and you stick him.

 

Do I have this right? If I was you I'd go buy a lotto ticket.

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blackradio Apprentice

blackradio

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hah you have it exactly right. I wasn't going to walk that way, I was planning on sneaking in deeper into the swamp but I saw the oyster mushrooms and decided to stop first and grab them. Now they will always hold a special place in my heart. Tonight will be tenderloin on the grill with oyster mushroom stir fry.

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