A humbling gun week

[Midohhntr]

It actually started early on Thanksgiving day, I was in my stand with bow in hand and shortly after 7:30 I seen a small buck followed by a doe and the huge 10 point I was after following her. They slowly made their way behind me in some brushy trees between 25-40 yards out. Well the big 10 started wondering further out so I decided to grunt some. It worked and he turned and started coming in and at that time the doe started to leave the area.. and so did he. By this time I thought, oh well nothing to lose so I did a "snort weeze" and he turned and started coming my way with ears laid back... ok so I get ready and the tree I'm in is suddenly in the way, :( with a 3" branch at eye level I tried to crouch and draw the bow at the same time, he's 20 yards away behind another tree and stepped out and spotted me, promptly leaving the area...gone but not forgotten. Should have waited..
The Monday gun opener I was in the same tree and the activity started again around 7:30, had my Marlin 1895 with me loaded with the Noe 460-315 RF. This time a buck followed a couple does out to my left and he is a decent 8 point, they went for this thicket and I lost sight of them. About 20 minutes pass I rose to stretch a bit and saw the buck get up and move...right behind a tree with his front half covered around 60 yards out, he didn't like something and left the area almost a straight line with the tree in in the way, no shot. Tuesday morning I'm in the tree again this time the action came in from the north to my right and behind me. I spotted this button buck behind and out my left side and he's looking back...sure enough the eight point from yesterday and a doe, they make their way behind my tree and I see the buck down to my left no more than 5 yards from me, I had my gun cocked and pushed the safety off, he snorts, starts doing this bunny hop I'm bleating trying to get him to stop and they're gone.. I'm not one for shooting at running deer and so ends my week. Didn't see anything the rest of the week from the area... now to move on to muzzleloader season... and learn from these lessons, Lord willing the deer will be back in the area.

[ddeck22]

It's a double edged sword. If you don't see anything, it can be frustrating. If you have your experience where you see them but don't get a shot, it's frustrating.

But we all live for that day when the 10 point walks right into perfect alignment....even if it took 40 days or 100 days out to get it.

Best wishes for ML season.

[Markopolo]

Always better to see something in my book. Gives hope and let’s ya know ur in an active spot and not sitting in some deer desert counting sheep. [smilie=6:

[dverna]

I commend you for not taking a poor shot. Like you, I will not take a (first) shot at a moving game animal. I do not train for it.

I will not take a doe with a fawn either.

I get criticized by quite a few for my restrictions, but I do not need meat badly enough to compromise what I think is right.

Good luck!!

[alfadan]

At least you don't have to clean em!

[Texas by God]

Like Marko said, it's great to see them anyway, even if you don't get a shot. Like I used to tell my kids,
"That's why we call it hunting instead of shooting."
That's a good spot to be next season.

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[versa-06]

Enjoyed the story! Maybe that ten will give you another opportunity during ML season. Good Luck! -06

[white eagle]

man aint it fun though
I have had hunting mishaps like you have described
like 1 where I was hunting a very cold and very windy day
up in a tree bow on limb and hands in pockets and the biggest
buck I had ever seen walks directly under my stand
but that is the kinds of things that keep us coming back for more
best of luck to ya

[farmbif]

if your seeing deer your lucky. I would see them a month or so ago, now that its gotten colder and freezes most every night the deer have moved on and coyotes have moved in, making the dogs up and down the valley go crazy a few hours after dark. maybe I out to think seriously about getting one of those night vision scoped. all I usually see is pairs of eyes off in the distance when I go out with a strong flashlight.

[Dan Cash]

Paragraphs are our friends.

[quilbilly]

At least you are seeing deer. We have so many mountain lions in our neighborhood that there are almost no deer left. We had two different lions on our trail cams in the last two weeks only a few yards from the house. On the optimistic side, the lion population should crash this winter and in a couple years we will have a bunch of deer under our apple trees in the fall again with bucks fighting on the lawn.

[stubshaft]

As long as you can see them, you know you are in the right area.

[Silvercreek Farmer]

Had to pass on deer twice due to brush this year. Went back with a saw and cut all the brush…

[versa-06]

I cut all the brush back last year & didn't get the 1st buck. But they are back this year. Good year.

[smokeater]

Always better to let'em walk/run. Like others said, you're in a good area. saw several deer myself a couple or 3 weeks ago but due to my position and the deer positions, couldn't shoot due to livestock in background. But, I was able to watch them for almost an hour which I considered rewarding.

[pworley1]

You sometimes remember the ones you don't shoot more than the ones you do. Good hunting.

[Midohhntr]

It's always exciting, even when we don't shoot an animal. I thank the Good Lord every time I set out.
I started to do a little load development with my Traditions Vortek using the Lee 452-255 Rf and Harvester black crush rib sabot over 75 volumetric grains of Blackhorn 209. Very promising. You don't need high velocities to put a deer down. I"ll shoot some thru the crony next week and see what they clock at.

[buckwheatpaul]

I commend you for not taking a poor shot. Like you, I will not take a (first) shot at a moving game animal. I do not train for it.

I will not take a doe with a fawn either.

I get criticized by quite a few for my restrictions, but I do not need meat badly enough to compromise what I think is right.

Good luck!!

dverna, I hunt the exactly the same way you do....I applaude you and Midohnnrt ... I like the chase and the rewards when them come!

[GregLaROCHE]

I have friends who tell me they don’t mind not bringing something home. They just enjoy being out there. The same for those who fish and don’t really care if they catch anything. Not me! If I’m putting in the effort, I hoping to bring something home to eat. Unfortunately, it doesn’t always turn out that way.

[Jal5]

I do the same as you. No shots at running deer and no does with a fawn. Better luck during ML. I hope I see one during our ML days too.


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[TCLouis]

I would rather be seeing something than sitting seeing NOTHING.
Heck, even non-deer critters . . . something so I think there is some kind of life in the area I chose to sit!

[Jal5]

Nothing for me during ML. ONLY went once due to a back injury acting up. Need to consider a new spot for my blind next year.
Joe


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[rockrat]

Went hunting with a long time friend. We were after only one deer. Got to the property about 10 am and got our stuff together and split up to head to our respective area. I hadn't walked 100 yards and stopped to re-arrange stuff I was carrying. Looked around and a doe walks out from under a cedar tree about 200 yards out. I had a 350 legend and that was just too far, especially in the wind, so I watched and hoped she would come closer. She stayed in a wild plum thicket and then was gone.

Got to my stand and waited. About 2 hours later, I hear a shot. OK, did he connect or miss? 5 min. later heard another shot that sounded like a finishing shot, so got up and walked towards where my friend was. He said, "she should be close" and about 15 sec. later exclaimed "there she is". Sure enough, there she was.
Good thing was, since he shot it, he got to clean it!!! Said it was the biggest doe he had ever shot, with plenty of fat on her.

Always next year. Gonna take my 6.5 Grendel instead

[Kenstone]

Paragraphs are our friends.

As is the ENTER key...:2_high5:
:mrgreen:

[Eddie Southgate]

Started hunting November 19 , have seen deer but not a bunch. Passed on the does and a couple of smallish bucks . This walked out of the woods at a not too far away distance on the 26th , have only seen 4 deer since. Still watching for a bigger buck that I have seen twice but couldn't get a good shot at.

[450]

That’s still a nice deer. What did you shoot him with?



Started hunting November 19 , have seen deer but not a bunch. Passed on the does and a couple of smallish bucks . This walked out of the woods at a not too far away distance on the 26th , have only seen 4 deer since. Still watching for a bigger buck that I have seen twice but couldn't get a good shot at.

[versa-06]

Very Nice Deer. Congrats!

[Eddie Southgate]

That’s still a nice deer. What did you shoot him with?

1920's Remington model 14 in .35 Remington with a 200 grain Core Lokt. He made an extremely short j shaped run and fell, ran a straight line going away and turned back about ten feet. Not over 20 yards overall.

[450]

Nice and that’s a cool old rifle. I really like 35 caliber.


1920's Remington model 14 in .35 Remington with a 200 grain Core Lokt. He made an extremely short j shaped run and fell, ran a straight line going away and turned back about ten feet. Not over 20 yards overall.

[Rapier]

Did you see anything, oh yeah, 10 point near about ran over me and me sitting on the ground with my back to a tree fork, walked right up to the tree behind me and stood there.
I thought it was a squirrel in the leaves until I saw his nose. He was not 4 ft from me. When I cocked the hammer on that 357 Herrett Contender the internal safety dropped with a "clack", buddy, he left from behind me like a mortar round out of a tube, right off the ridge in the air, 20 ft down right to the middle of the dry creek bed, hit and then he leapt up and landed on top of the other ridge, two bounds, he was gone like a flash. Got the sights up as he dropped four feet below then caught him again as he leaped 3 ft above. Not a place to take a shot.