I always enjoy seeing everyone's success so now that I'm back I will share my story. Since I'm at work now I will make it long and detailed.
After seeing really good movement Thursday hope's were high for Friday morning especially with the snow. Things started out surprisingly slow. About an hour after sunrise I had my first 1teener come through. Shortly after that a doe and her fawn came by. I briefly contemplated putting some meat in the freezer but decided the doe was a little on the small side and I didn't want really want to deal with a doe during peak rut. My feelings changed a bit when I saw her react to my ground sent where I walked in to my stand but she half busted me reaching for my bow and bounced off a ways and gave me the stare down head bob for a bit before going the opposite direction of her fawn. A bit later her fawn came back looking for momma and bawling her fool head off. That made me glad she got away. It was interesting the way she bird dogged the field until she found her trail and followed after her.
Nothing else was seen and checking in with my 3 buddies they were having a slow morning as well. Someone made the proposal to meet up for breakfast and a warm up. I have to admit I was close to agreeing as I wanted to go scout a new to me piece of public with the fresh snow. I was reading someones response, chastising anyone who would leave their stand at 8:42 AM on November 9th when I heard a grunt from some real thick cover behind me. I slowly stood, took my bow off the hook and turned wondering if I really heard what I thought I did. I soon knew I wasn't imagining things as I heard the deepest, loudest grunting I've ever heard from a stand.
The first deer out was the fawn from earlier. She soon ducked back in only to return moments later with momma in tow. She was real skittish looking behind her and then in my direction. The next deer out was what we refer to as a "trophy long nose". She was substantially larger then the other doe and I briefly contemplated putting her in the freezer as she passed broad side at 20 yards. As I was telling myself I needed to wait to see what this buck was she hit my ground sent and her head snapped up. That was that and I put an arrow through her before she could cause any trouble. She jumped a few yards and then just stood there trying to figure out what happened before moving off a few more yards and tipping over dead at 30 yards. From the other 2 deer reactions I'm guessing I killed grandma as they stayed right there in the field even after busting me nocking another arrow. They kept edging up to the downed deer and sniffing her and then bouncing back a few steps. I've never seen deer react to a dead deer like that.
I turned back to the direction the grunts had been coming from, checking the other 2 deer in my peripheral vision. This went on for what seemed like 5 minutes when on one of my checks I realized there were 3 deer on their feet and I turned my head fully to realize there was a buck coming out to check things. I quickly determined I was looking at a mature bodied buck with mass to his rack. As he approached the dead doe I drew. Once he stopped over her I settled my 30 pin and released my arrow. I saw blood on impact and he instantly bolted up through the CRP, over the hill and out of sight. There is a deep timbered ditch that runs up through the center of the field and there was a whole lot of crashing as he hit that and then silence. I watched for him to come out on the opposite hill side and saw nothing. That's when then trembles hit and i had to sit down for a few minutes to collect myself.
I sent out a text that there was going to be some work to do where I was at and gathered my stuff. I climbed down and first recovered my arrow from the doe. I then went over to her wanting to find the arrow from the buck but had no luck in the thick CRP. I was concerned I had hit a little farther back then I wanted but looking up his path through the CRP I could see good blood in the snow. I exited opposite of the direction he had gone. Before meeting up with my friends I circled the road on the corner of the section that I was hunting and cut no tracks or blood so I was confident he had stayed in the timbered ditch. I got back to the cabin and decided giving him an hour wouldn't hurt.
After breakfast we went out to track him down. I really wanted to find my arrow but no luck. It had started snowing again so a lot of the spray I had seen earlier was covered but the larger spots and blood wiped on the CRP were clearly visible. We eased up to the ditch and I entered the timber with an arrow knocked. Once I made it to the edge where i could see the bottom I found him like this.
Obviously he had made it to the bottom. I can only imagine the sight that would have been. Here is the view looking back up the way he'd came.
Hero pics were taken in the bottom. Yes, my buddy is good with a camera.
My favorite.
We contemplated parting him out where he lay. If I was alone I would of had to. Someone went to get straps while I field dressed him.
Last couple pics after pulling him out to join the cause of his demise.
After seeing really good movement Thursday hope's were high for Friday morning especially with the snow. Things started out surprisingly slow. About an hour after sunrise I had my first 1teener come through. Shortly after that a doe and her fawn came by. I briefly contemplated putting some meat in the freezer but decided the doe was a little on the small side and I didn't want really want to deal with a doe during peak rut. My feelings changed a bit when I saw her react to my ground sent where I walked in to my stand but she half busted me reaching for my bow and bounced off a ways and gave me the stare down head bob for a bit before going the opposite direction of her fawn. A bit later her fawn came back looking for momma and bawling her fool head off. That made me glad she got away. It was interesting the way she bird dogged the field until she found her trail and followed after her.
Nothing else was seen and checking in with my 3 buddies they were having a slow morning as well. Someone made the proposal to meet up for breakfast and a warm up. I have to admit I was close to agreeing as I wanted to go scout a new to me piece of public with the fresh snow. I was reading someones response, chastising anyone who would leave their stand at 8:42 AM on November 9th when I heard a grunt from some real thick cover behind me. I slowly stood, took my bow off the hook and turned wondering if I really heard what I thought I did. I soon knew I wasn't imagining things as I heard the deepest, loudest grunting I've ever heard from a stand.
The first deer out was the fawn from earlier. She soon ducked back in only to return moments later with momma in tow. She was real skittish looking behind her and then in my direction. The next deer out was what we refer to as a "trophy long nose". She was substantially larger then the other doe and I briefly contemplated putting her in the freezer as she passed broad side at 20 yards. As I was telling myself I needed to wait to see what this buck was she hit my ground sent and her head snapped up. That was that and I put an arrow through her before she could cause any trouble. She jumped a few yards and then just stood there trying to figure out what happened before moving off a few more yards and tipping over dead at 30 yards. From the other 2 deer reactions I'm guessing I killed grandma as they stayed right there in the field even after busting me nocking another arrow. They kept edging up to the downed deer and sniffing her and then bouncing back a few steps. I've never seen deer react to a dead deer like that.
I turned back to the direction the grunts had been coming from, checking the other 2 deer in my peripheral vision. This went on for what seemed like 5 minutes when on one of my checks I realized there were 3 deer on their feet and I turned my head fully to realize there was a buck coming out to check things. I quickly determined I was looking at a mature bodied buck with mass to his rack. As he approached the dead doe I drew. Once he stopped over her I settled my 30 pin and released my arrow. I saw blood on impact and he instantly bolted up through the CRP, over the hill and out of sight. There is a deep timbered ditch that runs up through the center of the field and there was a whole lot of crashing as he hit that and then silence. I watched for him to come out on the opposite hill side and saw nothing. That's when then trembles hit and i had to sit down for a few minutes to collect myself.
I sent out a text that there was going to be some work to do where I was at and gathered my stuff. I climbed down and first recovered my arrow from the doe. I then went over to her wanting to find the arrow from the buck but had no luck in the thick CRP. I was concerned I had hit a little farther back then I wanted but looking up his path through the CRP I could see good blood in the snow. I exited opposite of the direction he had gone. Before meeting up with my friends I circled the road on the corner of the section that I was hunting and cut no tracks or blood so I was confident he had stayed in the timbered ditch. I got back to the cabin and decided giving him an hour wouldn't hurt.
After breakfast we went out to track him down. I really wanted to find my arrow but no luck. It had started snowing again so a lot of the spray I had seen earlier was covered but the larger spots and blood wiped on the CRP were clearly visible. We eased up to the ditch and I entered the timber with an arrow knocked. Once I made it to the edge where i could see the bottom I found him like this.
Obviously he had made it to the bottom. I can only imagine the sight that would have been. Here is the view looking back up the way he'd came.
Hero pics were taken in the bottom. Yes, my buddy is good with a camera.
My favorite.
We contemplated parting him out where he lay. If I was alone I would of had to. Someone went to get straps while I field dressed him.
Last couple pics after pulling him out to join the cause of his demise.
