It's all about the story... good or bad

[nyantler]

This kind of story is exactly why I love hunting...

 

It snowed a couple inches today on the Madison County land that I hunt... so I decided to take a walk with my recurve to see if I could sneak up on something. I entered a young hardwood stand on a hill and pussy footed around looking for a track to follow. As I was walking I spotted movement about 50 yards away in the woods. It was three doe milling around an old orchard in the middle of the woods. They were kind of looking my way so I froze to get a better look. I got thinking that maybe I'd take one if I could get one close enough. I don't usually take a doe until late muzzleloader, but I figured if I could get close enough to take one of these doe on the ground it would make for a good story.

 

I took out my grunt call and made a short, soft bleat.. and sure enough they started to make their way towards me. I didn't have any cover to get behind because the trees are not that big in this young woods, so I just stayed as still as I could and waited to see what would happen when they got closer. Two of the deer stopped about 30 yards out, but the biggest doe kept coming. She stopped about 20 yards away but was looking right at me so I couldn't draw on her... for a moment I thought maybe she had me pegged... but then she put her head down and started feeding. I still had no shot because she was still facing me head on... it did, however, give me time to raise my bow up and get into position for a shot. She started moving towards me again feeding and at about 15 yards she turned broadside right in front of me. I thought, "Ok, here we go." I drew my bow and let her fly. Something didn't feel or sound right... the deer jumped back a few yards, still in range, and I had no idea what happened to the arrow. I looked beyond the deer for my arrow.. then I looked in front of me and saw it sticking out of the ground, straight up, about 6 feet away.

 

My limb had hit a small branch of the sapling I was standing next to.. oh well... the deer was in range still, but looking right at  me... just standing there... she finally looked away and I slowly start pulling another arrow from my quiver... she kept looking back at me and I had to stop moving several times before finally getting the arrowed nocked. By then she had turned and was facing straight away from me between 18-20 yards away. I raised the bow slowly, but she walked directly away from me out of range and met up with the other two deer... they got antsy ant trotted off together up the hill and out of the woods... I looked down again at my arrow sticking out of the ground 6 feet away... I laughed, picked up the arrow and put it back in my quiver and continued on my way.. what a great little adventure!

Edited November 8, 2013 by nyantler

[nybuckboy]

I like that story... we humans aren't perfect.

[Geno C]

great experience, sometimes these hunts that end like that are amongst the best. you will prob enter that woods years to come and when you hit that particular spot you will always replay that moment in time. thats what it all about

[GreeneHunter]

Good Reading ... Thanks !

[BUCKANDAQUARTER]

Nice story. Live and learn right?!

[wooly]

I like a guy that can laugh at his mistakes and doesn't take the little things so seriously!

This deer hunting stuff really isn't all that important in the grand scheme of things. I'll assume whoever wrote that really enjoys the time they spend afield for what it is... nothing more... nothing less!

[Hunter1]

Good story Live an learn

[Cabin Fever]

You win some and you lose some! She'll be there next time, just a little wiser!