I went out Saturday morning for my first archery hunt of the year (Usually out 10 times by now). Had a button buck come right underneath me and bed down 20 yds from me. He gave me something to watch for a while. I caught movement down by the creek. Several does messing around and then I noticed antlers. I carefully grabbed my bow from the hanger as not to get caught moving by that bedded deer. I let out a few grunts and the buck came right to me. He was nice and was following the trail that would lead him right under my stand. When his head was blocked by brush I drew my bow. He stopped slightly before being completely underneath me. I put my pin where the arrow whould take out both lungs and squeezed the trigger on my relase...thump and the buck jumped forward, stopped, and stared right up at me! I saw my arrow sticking out of the ground...shot over him. Over thought the shot. The buck took off out of there. I was sick over it. Went hime and shot my bow and everything was on. Didn't go back out that evening. Sundat evening found me back in the same stand. Jumped a bed doe with a small buck on the way in. Deer were all over small bucks pestering does. I looked way out in the field and saw a jerd of deer. Left my binoculars at home but used the low magnification on my range finder to look at them. There was a buck that looked decent. I grabbed my grunt call and gave some grunts. He lifted his head and then started my way. He would stop and look around every now and then and I would give a grunt and get him coming. He tried to circle down wind behind me in the open field vs coming into the woods. I ranged his path where I could shoot to 40 yds. When he got to the spot I stopped him with the worst doe bleat I could make with my voice. He stopped and I focused on a spot and let the arrow fly. I heard my arrow hit something upon relase and watched helplessly as it started tail spinning. The arrow hit forward at his clavicle and neck area. He spun and ran towards the middle of the field. My heart sank! He stopped and I noticed his tail flickering and then a doe walked in front of him. He stick his noes out and started to follow her. Then he stopped again and stood there with his head down. His tail was really flickering now and he laid down. I kept my eye on him and he would lay his head down then pick it back up. Another nice buck walked out to him stiff legged and ears back. I hoped he wouldn't try fighting him and run him off but he just circled him and walked off. My buck laid his head back down and started kicking then all was still. When SFC B and me went to dress and haul him out it looked like a blood a bath my arrow sliced his carotid artery l, broke his clavicle and took a chunk of his spine out. I have no idea how he even moved as far as he did. My buck tag now filled I plan on leaving the does for Mrs. Redman.
SFC B and associated mental defectives doing questionable outdoor things.....
- Thread starter SFC B
- Start date
SFC B
Well-known member
Monday was a good day. Got in the tree stand early and it started quiet. Then about 0830 am apparently hot doe goes trotting through on the other side of a small ravine at about 55-60 yds.....followed by a BIG buck. I got him stopped with a grunt but he was obscured by brush and wouldn't come off if that doe. He was at least a 10(hard counting through brush) and was tge second biggest deer I have seen walking in the woods. Just a brute. Man did it hurt to see him go. A few minutes later a lil 6 came through at about 20 yds and just stood there broadside as if to flip me off 
About an hour later a good 8 came through the exact spit the big guy did following 2 does with the same result. Action then cooked off and the afternoon was uneventful. Hearing people shooting while I was doing the right thing and KNOWKNGif I had a rifle tge monster would have been mine hurt, I'm not gonna lie.
About an hour later a good 8 came through the exact spit the big guy did following 2 does with the same result. Action then cooked off and the afternoon was uneventful. Hearing people shooting while I was doing the right thing and KNOWKNGif I had a rifle tge monster would have been mine hurt, I'm not gonna lie.
SFC B
Well-known member
Tuesday was the exact opposite. I sat from sun up to sundown and the only thing stirring in my AO were the ever present squirrels. LOTS of shots all around. Sounded like folks were out, in there hunting areas, zeroing/shooting their rifles (4 days before rifle season). I just don't get folks. I would say that all the sound probably had the deer snuggled down in cover waiting it out.
Wednesday, about 45 minutes after I got in the stand I heard something directly behind me. I couldn't tell if it was squirrel or deer noise. After a few minutes I eased to my left to turn and look. As I moved I noticed something brown. Yep, there was yearling doe standing at the literal bottom of the tree looking directly up at me. She couldn't really figure it out what I was. Took a couple stiff legged step away from the tree, hovered for a few minutes then ambled away. The only action the rest of the day was some grunting/tending I could hear in the CRP......that guy/guys did not want to leave the lady they had because there was no response to my grunts or bleats.
Wednesday, about 45 minutes after I got in the stand I heard something directly behind me. I couldn't tell if it was squirrel or deer noise. After a few minutes I eased to my left to turn and look. As I moved I noticed something brown. Yep, there was yearling doe standing at the literal bottom of the tree looking directly up at me. She couldn't really figure it out what I was. Took a couple stiff legged step away from the tree, hovered for a few minutes then ambled away. The only action the rest of the day was some grunting/tending I could hear in the CRP......that guy/guys did not want to leave the lady they had because there was no response to my grunts or bleats.
SFC B
Well-known member
I am determined to actually finish up this hunt tonight....I have been pulled a lot of ways and as any of you who have worked retail know this DAT weekend is nuts, and I am glad it is over!
SFC B
Well-known member
Thursday I was back in the stand. It really is a pretty good spot as it is a cross road for several well used trails. I need to get my ass to IN early or in the summer and do some limb trimming and it will be outstanding. About an hour after I got in the stand I heard what I THOUGHT was a squirrel bouncing around downhill from me. There are a BOAT load of those jokers and I have a love/hate with them. I could feel the wind shift a little and catch the side of my neck that meant it was blowing downhill. I found out quickly that it was NOT a brushy tail down there, but a decent buck. He would have been on the edge of range at about 50 yds but I couldn't see anyway due to the invasive woody green leafy shrubs you can see in the pics. I only caught snipits of him bounding away but saw enough. Dang it.
Other than have a BC squirrel give me the stank eye for a solid 20 minutes later in the day nothing have until about 1720 hrs. I was enjoying the evening thinking "Oh well, I'm still sitting up a big oak in my homeland" when I heard a light crunch crunch coming from exactly the same direction as the doe that busted me previously. This time I caught it, turn in my seat that direction early and readied the crossbow. Sure as shooting the joker comes up that path almost to the tee. However it had no idea I was up there which was a good turn. The deer had no head gear and was decent size so it was on deck. Milled about at odd angles for a few minutes and then presented a beautiful quartering away shot at 21 yds. I put the shooter on the 20 yard pin and squeezed. The luminox lit, I heard the "thwack" and watched the deer jump while kicking and blood was already visible. It stumbled through some brush out of sight and I thought I heard it crash almost immediately. I texted Redman for guidance as arrow work is new to me. He asked about the shot, the sound and what I thought. Told me to ease down and go check the impact area. What I found eased my feeling and I can't even call what followed a tracking job.....there was literally a carpet of blood about 20 yds to the piled up deer that turned out to be a button buck with zero horn showing. The Schwacker expandable had literally blown up the heart. It was a pretty warm evening, so after a text to Redman telling him all was good and i was gonna be a little late to dinner I got to work. Indiana now has online deer check in and allows deer to be broken down after check in. Thank God! I gutlessed him up, filled up the mystery ranch, and hoofed it about 2/3 of a mile to the truck across nice, flat, firm farm land!! Sleep came pretty easy later on.
Other than have a BC squirrel give me the stank eye for a solid 20 minutes later in the day nothing have until about 1720 hrs. I was enjoying the evening thinking "Oh well, I'm still sitting up a big oak in my homeland" when I heard a light crunch crunch coming from exactly the same direction as the doe that busted me previously. This time I caught it, turn in my seat that direction early and readied the crossbow. Sure as shooting the joker comes up that path almost to the tee. However it had no idea I was up there which was a good turn. The deer had no head gear and was decent size so it was on deck. Milled about at odd angles for a few minutes and then presented a beautiful quartering away shot at 21 yds. I put the shooter on the 20 yard pin and squeezed. The luminox lit, I heard the "thwack" and watched the deer jump while kicking and blood was already visible. It stumbled through some brush out of sight and I thought I heard it crash almost immediately. I texted Redman for guidance as arrow work is new to me. He asked about the shot, the sound and what I thought. Told me to ease down and go check the impact area. What I found eased my feeling and I can't even call what followed a tracking job.....there was literally a carpet of blood about 20 yds to the piled up deer that turned out to be a button buck with zero horn showing. The Schwacker expandable had literally blown up the heart. It was a pretty warm evening, so after a text to Redman telling him all was good and i was gonna be a little late to dinner I got to work. Indiana now has online deer check in and allows deer to be broken down after check in. Thank God! I gutlessed him up, filled up the mystery ranch, and hoofed it about 2/3 of a mile to the truck across nice, flat, firm farm land!! Sleep came pretty easy later on.
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SFC B
Well-known member
Friday was the last day of archery prior to the gun opener on Saturday. I had to get a couple of things ready in the ground blind I had set up so that took a bit of time.
Gun opener for me is always the most exciting. I love shooting my rifles and I love the innate excitement. This year there was still plenty of chasing and rut activity even given the later opening date. Redman joined me in the blind and from minutes one there were deer actively in our area. We saw lots of does being harrassed by little guys, a glimpse of a nice buck just enough in some brush to have zero shot opps, and then some deer got closer. After a couple of hours some movement to our right caught our attention. Redman pulled up the binocs and said he was a decent buck (not up to his standards I'll tell you
) but was junky on one side. I am a SUCKER for junk and instantly became interested. I scoped him and saw that he was 4 on one side outside his ears and just 2 main beams on the other. I readied and Redman asked if I was sure and I said yep, he grunted to stop him and squeezed the trigger on Ruby for the first time in earnest. After the thump from the Barnes 140 he stumbled maybe 30 yards. Things then got interesting. No more than 10 seconds after my dude hit the ground a buck with 4 really short tines per side came in on the same trail, head down and stiff legged. He headed straight to my VERY dead deer and proceeded to tear into him!! It was kind of hilarious. Redman and I were half giggling and then finally decided enough was enough. We grunted and snort weezed at him to get him off my buck. He was just plain looking for a fight and responded. His circled us down wind and had to be in our wind but kept circling trying to find who to square up with. Finally he had had enough and wondered off. Redman and I had to go get a game cart to help with retrieval after taking a quick look at him. When we came back Redman brought a 20 ga for Mr Brushy as well. On the way back to him a squirrel lost its way and came to an end We got him out and back to the house and my buck tag was officially punched. The pics of the live deer are of the fighter
Gun opener for me is always the most exciting. I love shooting my rifles and I love the innate excitement. This year there was still plenty of chasing and rut activity even given the later opening date. Redman joined me in the blind and from minutes one there were deer actively in our area. We saw lots of does being harrassed by little guys, a glimpse of a nice buck just enough in some brush to have zero shot opps, and then some deer got closer. After a couple of hours some movement to our right caught our attention. Redman pulled up the binocs and said he was a decent buck (not up to his standards I'll tell you
) but was junky on one side. I am a SUCKER for junk and instantly became interested. I scoped him and saw that he was 4 on one side outside his ears and just 2 main beams on the other. I readied and Redman asked if I was sure and I said yep, he grunted to stop him and squeezed the trigger on Ruby for the first time in earnest. After the thump from the Barnes 140 he stumbled maybe 30 yards. Things then got interesting. No more than 10 seconds after my dude hit the ground a buck with 4 really short tines per side came in on the same trail, head down and stiff legged. He headed straight to my VERY dead deer and proceeded to tear into him!! It was kind of hilarious. Redman and I were half giggling and then finally decided enough was enough. We grunted and snort weezed at him to get him off my buck. He was just plain looking for a fight and responded. His circled us down wind and had to be in our wind but kept circling trying to find who to square up with. Finally he had had enough and wondered off. Redman and I had to go get a game cart to help with retrieval after taking a quick look at him. When we came back Redman brought a 20 ga for Mr Brushy as well. On the way back to him a squirrel lost its way and came to an end We got him out and back to the house and my buck tag was officially punched. The pics of the live deer are of the fighter Attachments
SFC B
Well-known member
Sunday was a work day. I had to get my buck cut up and in the freezer. I slept in, took my time cutting and bagging, and was done by early afternoon. I pondered going back out that evening but decided to rest some more as I was fairly worn.
Monday morning I went back to the ground blind and was able to punch the ticket of a coyote that literally ran out of the woods and straight at me to about 80 yds. Trying to do my part for the cause!! I went back in for lunch and then came back out for the evening sit. It was pretty windy and I wasn't expecting a bunch of movement. Out of nowhere with about 30 min of light left a deer came hopping out of the woods about 75 yds in front of me. She was this year's doe fawn and though I looked at her she was always getting a pass. After about 30 seconds she wandered into my wind and the white flag busted out for the woods. I watched the sunset and felt pretty melancholy as I knew my big game hunting was done for the season. I walked back across the cut corn field to my truck, I opened it and when I started it Mellencamp's Jack and Diane was playing on Q95 (if you know, you know) and I felt coming what I always do at the end of my time at home....true homesickness, longing for my friends, and knowing I will be separated from the things that largely made me who I am at heart.....a HOOSIER. My drive home started Tuesday evening and was uneventful. There will never be anything to me like Midwest hardwoods in fall.
Monday morning I went back to the ground blind and was able to punch the ticket of a coyote that literally ran out of the woods and straight at me to about 80 yds. Trying to do my part for the cause!! I went back in for lunch and then came back out for the evening sit. It was pretty windy and I wasn't expecting a bunch of movement. Out of nowhere with about 30 min of light left a deer came hopping out of the woods about 75 yds in front of me. She was this year's doe fawn and though I looked at her she was always getting a pass. After about 30 seconds she wandered into my wind and the white flag busted out for the woods. I watched the sunset and felt pretty melancholy as I knew my big game hunting was done for the season. I walked back across the cut corn field to my truck, I opened it and when I started it Mellencamp's Jack and Diane was playing on Q95 (if you know, you know) and I felt coming what I always do at the end of my time at home....true homesickness, longing for my friends, and knowing I will be separated from the things that largely made me who I am at heart.....a HOOSIER. My drive home started Tuesday evening and was uneventful. There will never be anything to me like Midwest hardwoods in fall.
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JohnCushman
Well-known member
One night @Redman scared the crap out of me at like 4:30AM. I was in my own tent and wasn't staying warm, so a couple of nights I slept in my truck with the heater to keep warm until I moved into the main tent. I started my truck up to run the heat and listen to the radio while I had a cigarette and the next thing I know something is knocking on the hood of my truck. WTF??!! The full moon had passed a few nights before so it was pitch dark. I turn on my headlights and see something black and upright at the front of my truck. I start to panic thinking it's a big bear, then it moves to my passenger side door and I'm about crapping my drawers. My door opens and it's Redman wrapped up in a woobie. He wasn't feeling good and couldn't sleep and heard my truck start up and came out to hang out when he heard my truck start. I laughed and was glad it wasn't a bear and we sat listening to the radio (thank god for Sirius) and bullshitted for a while and he went back to the big tent and I went to sleep.
SFC B
Well-known member
News from Hoosierland......Cush has some brown down!! @JohnCushman
Yes and he had better be posting pictures soon with a story....I have been keeping hush hush about it! I filled another fox squirrel tag today 8 more to limit out
