First Deer Hunt This Year

[airedale]

Not much of a Deer hunter these days and usually from the middle of the season on, but last night I decided to get out the first thing in the morning. Got bundled up and grabbed the Howa Superlight 6.5 Creedmoor and headed out. A frosty start to the day and as the daylight started coming on the woods began to come alive. Walked to one of my favorite Squirrel hunting spots and sat down on a stump. Squirrels and Blue Jays were in the Beech trees gathering mast, I could hear Turkeys talking. Was not sitting for five minutes and saw a Doe walking through the trees, I have a permit but I let her slide.  Then a parade of Turkeys appeared started toward me and low and behold a Buck was walking along in front of them. Put the crosshairs behind the front shoulder and shot, he hunched up and took off running but I knew he would not go too far. I walked back home and got my Airedale pup Ruff and brought him to the spot the Buck was walking when I shot. There was no visible blood but I put the pup on the track and away we went, not 50 yards and there he was deader than a doornail, A good introduction to Deer tracking for young Ruff, I believe he will handle Deer tracking quite well. Good part he was not far from a logging road so I got my tractor and drove close enough for an easy drag and flopped him into the loader bucket and brought him home to dress out.

One of my shortest Deer hunts ever.

Al

[Daveboone]

Good go! NIce buck! I had last week off for NT ML season...strictly traditional cap and ball for me that week. It was so warm it was only worth going out a few mornings early on, but I made sure i was up there for the end of the week when the warm weather broke and the temps dropped very nicely. I was able to take a nice heavy bodied 3 ptr with my .54 Lyman. North woods, shots are close which is a great equalizer. I wont be out much over the next few weeks, I take the last week of the season off ...usually have snow by then and more deer move into the area...and fewer hunters.

[Doc]

Congrats on a fine looking buck.