petroid
11-16-2020, 12:04 PM
Have killed a few does, but never a buck with a bow. This year, I had seen several and could have killed little ones, but was waiting for something a little better. Friday morning, the last day before gun season, I got in the stand and while still pitch dark heard something moving toward me. Never could see it as it was so dark, but I assume it was a doe because it blew at me from 20 yards and I thought my hunt was over before it had even got started. The sun started to come up and I didn't see anything for over two hours and was getting discouraged and cold. It was 45 degrees and blowing 15 mph from the north right in my face.
Just before 8, I saw a doe walking at about 60 yards. Following not far behind her was a decent buck. Didn't get a good look at him, but I knew if he came close enough, he would be good enough for me. I grunted, and bleated, and snorted at him to try to get his attention but he wasn't having any of it. He was sticking to the doe's trail and couldn't be coerced. Well, at least I saw something, right? Only a few short minutes later, I spied another buck following the trail of the previous two. This one wasn't as big, but there was something peculiar about the antlers. He was either nontypical or had broken some part of one side. He was like a bloodhound on their trail, nose to the ground and working it hard, moving quickly back and forth while he kept his snooter full of their scent.
Since he didn't have them in sight, I thought I might be able to lure him in. I grunted and bleated and his head popped up for a split second and he looked around. Then the nose went right back to the ground and he kept moving, but started to come my way. He angled past me at about 40 yards through an area I couldn't shoot through then zigged and zagged and turned toward me, still sniffing hard and moving pretty quickly. I drew on him when he was at 20 yards and almost to where I could shoot and when he got clear, I tried to stop him with my voice. "Meh!" I said. He didn't stop. Kept coming at me. "MEH!" a little louder. Still moving, but a little slower. I was about 20-25 feet up in the tree and had to lean over hard to angle down for the shot. Loosed the arrow and he jumped and turned and I could see the arrow sticking out the other side but didn't pass through. The sunlight was streaming through the trees at just the right angle and I could see the blood spraying out in the air like a mist. What I wouldn't have given to have it on video.
He took off and was out of sight in a flash, but I was pretty sure I had made a good shot. It was too windy to hear him crash, so I was in the lurch til I found him. Waited a few minutes for my heart rate to drop below 200 and then climbed down. I knew he was close when I shot him, so I paced it off. SEVEN YARDS! He was seven yards from my tree. I was at least that high up so I had a steep 45 degree or more downward angle shot. When I shot, I saw the arrow go in near his spine and was sticking out his lower flank, so I thought maybe it had hit his dorsal aorta, accounting for the blood spray.
When I got to the blood trail, It was amazing! As if someone had taken a bucket of paint thrown it across the ground. To say it was easy to follow was a gross understatement. It had only been 10 or fifteen minutes since the shot, so I took it slow, always looking ahead for movement or a white belly. Ultimately, he had gone about 150 yards and crashed in a deadfall on the edge of a creek. I found the remains of the arrow close to where he lay. The shaft was broken and the broadhead was missing. Not a problem, as I was using Chinese knockoffs of Rage hypodermics. I have lost real Rage heads before and at about $15 a pop, it gets expensive. I decided to try out these knockoffs and they work just fine.
I was more than pleased when I got a good look at him. Pretty big body, and antlers were nontypical. Only 3 points on the right side, with something broken off behind the G1. Left side had 6 points, counting a little one near the base which was a tad over an inch. Odd growth pattern with a "tunnel" as my friend called it. Not huge, but very interesting and probably needed to be culled anyway, which I was happy to do. Now I have more meat for the freezer and an interesting conversation piece to display.271552271553271554271555271556
Just before 8, I saw a doe walking at about 60 yards. Following not far behind her was a decent buck. Didn't get a good look at him, but I knew if he came close enough, he would be good enough for me. I grunted, and bleated, and snorted at him to try to get his attention but he wasn't having any of it. He was sticking to the doe's trail and couldn't be coerced. Well, at least I saw something, right? Only a few short minutes later, I spied another buck following the trail of the previous two. This one wasn't as big, but there was something peculiar about the antlers. He was either nontypical or had broken some part of one side. He was like a bloodhound on their trail, nose to the ground and working it hard, moving quickly back and forth while he kept his snooter full of their scent.
Since he didn't have them in sight, I thought I might be able to lure him in. I grunted and bleated and his head popped up for a split second and he looked around. Then the nose went right back to the ground and he kept moving, but started to come my way. He angled past me at about 40 yards through an area I couldn't shoot through then zigged and zagged and turned toward me, still sniffing hard and moving pretty quickly. I drew on him when he was at 20 yards and almost to where I could shoot and when he got clear, I tried to stop him with my voice. "Meh!" I said. He didn't stop. Kept coming at me. "MEH!" a little louder. Still moving, but a little slower. I was about 20-25 feet up in the tree and had to lean over hard to angle down for the shot. Loosed the arrow and he jumped and turned and I could see the arrow sticking out the other side but didn't pass through. The sunlight was streaming through the trees at just the right angle and I could see the blood spraying out in the air like a mist. What I wouldn't have given to have it on video.
He took off and was out of sight in a flash, but I was pretty sure I had made a good shot. It was too windy to hear him crash, so I was in the lurch til I found him. Waited a few minutes for my heart rate to drop below 200 and then climbed down. I knew he was close when I shot him, so I paced it off. SEVEN YARDS! He was seven yards from my tree. I was at least that high up so I had a steep 45 degree or more downward angle shot. When I shot, I saw the arrow go in near his spine and was sticking out his lower flank, so I thought maybe it had hit his dorsal aorta, accounting for the blood spray.
When I got to the blood trail, It was amazing! As if someone had taken a bucket of paint thrown it across the ground. To say it was easy to follow was a gross understatement. It had only been 10 or fifteen minutes since the shot, so I took it slow, always looking ahead for movement or a white belly. Ultimately, he had gone about 150 yards and crashed in a deadfall on the edge of a creek. I found the remains of the arrow close to where he lay. The shaft was broken and the broadhead was missing. Not a problem, as I was using Chinese knockoffs of Rage hypodermics. I have lost real Rage heads before and at about $15 a pop, it gets expensive. I decided to try out these knockoffs and they work just fine.
I was more than pleased when I got a good look at him. Pretty big body, and antlers were nontypical. Only 3 points on the right side, with something broken off behind the G1. Left side had 6 points, counting a little one near the base which was a tad over an inch. Odd growth pattern with a "tunnel" as my friend called it. Not huge, but very interesting and probably needed to be culled anyway, which I was happy to do. Now I have more meat for the freezer and an interesting conversation piece to display.271552271553271554271555271556