BuckeyeHunter
12-29-2005, 06:16 AM
Season's over, and what a wonderful season it was. This is my final chapter of the 2005 Hunting Season. Kind of a long read, but hopefully worth it.
I went out on 12/26 (my anniversary) and told my wife that maybe I'd quit hunting for the year for her for our anniversary. And as fate would have it, I was right. I got into stand about 0645, and spent hte first hour or so waiting on Mother Nature to wake, a little freezing rain and light winds tried to run me off, but I was actually pretty comfortable thanks to a pair of fleece pants under my camo and a fleece shirt under my hunting shirt. Around 0740 or so, I watched a lonely small buck walk along the edge of the river, about 200yds from me, and then into what was remaining of a partially cut corn field. Then things were quiet for another 10-15min, and the squirrels started. Those little guys were running all over, digging in the snow for acorns and chasing each other around. I was shaping up to be one of those morning you just feel in touch with nature on. A little after 8, I watched 3 does walk along the edge of the woods and that same corn field the small buck had previously entered, and they made for the same path he'd just walked along the river. Activity was just starting. Not 10 minutes later 4 more followed, and they met up at he base of the hill across the creek from me. I watched for a while, and they played and dug in the snow for acorns and browse, and 4 more rolled in from the hilltop. Though 120yds from me, I still was feeling hopeful. I got to watch a couple young bucks chase a couple of late does around, and they just in general played like a group of children only pausing every once in a while when one of the two matriarch does gave them that look. What a beautiful thing watching a group that at one point I counted 15 total deer playing in a snow covered little valley just 100 or so yards away. Eventually nearing 0900, they migrated my direction, and held up, and bedded just 60yds from me. This is the first time in the several times I've hunted this property that I'd seen them bed in this valley, which stumped me. I was pretty much ready to get down, but not wanting to blow that stand site, so I decided to wait them out a bit. By about 0930, the null activity and trying to sit still and quiet, combined with the continued on and off freezing rain had about finished me. I was nearing 3 hours in the stand, and hungry and pretty sure I was in a no-win position when a couple of the younger deer got up and resumed their playfulness. And there was my stroke of luck. The 2 yearling does started heading my direction, towards what I knew to be their normal bedding area, and as luck would have it, right directly behind them was one of the 2 matriarch does. A nice 160# or so, healthy 3.5-4.5 years old, wise by most accounts, the one that had nipped some of the playing in the bud just and hour before, now heading right in my direction. The two yearlings got to the creek, one just a few yards behind the other, and stopped to drink. Mama not 15yds. behind, and behind her another 6-7 deer. My buck tag being already used, she WAS my prime target. The first of the yearlings trotted up the bank of the creek and onto the flat just 10 yds. away, then the second followed. They dug in the snow a bit, trying to find what was left of a remarkable acorn crop this year, and I could hear the evidence that their were still a few left hidden beneath the snow. As I said previously, that matriarch doe was my prime target and she held up on the bank of the creek, drinking and lingering a little longer, and the other Matriarch joined her, and they drank together for a moment before she continued on. She like the yearlings trotted up the bank, and held up in a bit of a brushy zone for a shot, so I held off, waiting. She too had found the delicacy under the snow, and I would have to wait while she gorged herself. But the wait was short, maybe 3-4 minutes until she moved into where I could really get ready. The other matriarch was following and just a bit further away, maybe 30yds, when the first started to catch up with the yearlings who were to the left of my shot zone, now, they entered from the right, to paint the picture a little better. As she continued on, I took the opportunity to draw while she passed behind a nice sized Maple, and when she cleared it, she stood just 25yds away broadside. As she turned her head away from me to look back at the rest of the trailing deer, I steadied my pin at the juncture just above where her leg meets her ribcage, and relaxed and said to myself nice job and released. The arrow blew through, and she turned and ran towards the shelf she'd just left, blood spraying out of both side of her indicating a perfect double lunger. A short 70yds. later, she fell, and the season was over. I stood in the stand for a few, quietly congratulated myself and thanked GOD for the opportunity. I quietly say to myself "Nice Shot!! Nice Shot!!" The "BUZZ" after a perfect bowkill is almost as exciting as anything in life, with the exception of a couple things. I can repeatedly watch that arrow sink into her in my mind a scene so vivid as all bowkills are to me, and relish the experience. As I tie my bow on to my string to drop it, I realize, that I am no longer cold as I'd been 15 minutes before, I am warm, on fire with the excitement that my patience and scouting have again paid off. A wonderful feeling that we only get to enjoy a few times a year, so we enjoy it so much. I climbed down, strapped my climber together and untied my bow and am off to peek at my kill. As I return to the house my wife can tell by the extra kick in my step that GOD has again for the 3rd time this year blessed me. I gather together 2 nephews and my niece, and my brother-in-law who's interest is peaked and head out to grab a couple pictures and then drag her to the house. A wonderful day, and a couple great pic's of the entry and exit wound and a pic of me and 3 future hunters will have to wait as I am out of town as I type, and don't have the capabilities on this dial-up line to upload the pic's, but tomorrow night I will post them and you will see how bright the future of hunting is to me as I am framed by 3 happy smilling kids who weren't the least bit shy about putting a finger in the exit wound, picking up the heart and looking at the small cut on it from the broadhead where it just grazed the heart enough to cut one of the coronary arteries. And now that the skinning and butchering is done, I here shortly will be sautee'ing up some onions in butter and slicing tenderloin for lunch. I THANK GOD that I can enjoy the outdoors, and am able to take a couple of kids along to enjoy it too. Soon, next year or the year after, that young girl who went with me twice to see the deer I've killed and smile for a camera will be killing her own deer and the biggest smile will likely be mine, as the tradition will have been passed from one generation to another. Merry Christmas (belated) to all and wishes for a safe, prosperous and happy New Year!!
Pic's here:
http://theoutdoorsforum.com/forum/index.php?act=Attach&type=post&id=732 = Entry wound from WASP Jak-Hammer!!!
Exit side, not a close-up, was your typical three blade exit, but was pretty bloody:
http://theoutdoorsforum.com/forum/index.php?act=Attach&type=post&id=731
Pic of me and future hunters, nephews and niece:
http://theoutdoorsforum.com/forum/index.php?act=Attach&type=post&id=733
I went out on 12/26 (my anniversary) and told my wife that maybe I'd quit hunting for the year for her for our anniversary. And as fate would have it, I was right. I got into stand about 0645, and spent hte first hour or so waiting on Mother Nature to wake, a little freezing rain and light winds tried to run me off, but I was actually pretty comfortable thanks to a pair of fleece pants under my camo and a fleece shirt under my hunting shirt. Around 0740 or so, I watched a lonely small buck walk along the edge of the river, about 200yds from me, and then into what was remaining of a partially cut corn field. Then things were quiet for another 10-15min, and the squirrels started. Those little guys were running all over, digging in the snow for acorns and chasing each other around. I was shaping up to be one of those morning you just feel in touch with nature on. A little after 8, I watched 3 does walk along the edge of the woods and that same corn field the small buck had previously entered, and they made for the same path he'd just walked along the river. Activity was just starting. Not 10 minutes later 4 more followed, and they met up at he base of the hill across the creek from me. I watched for a while, and they played and dug in the snow for acorns and browse, and 4 more rolled in from the hilltop. Though 120yds from me, I still was feeling hopeful. I got to watch a couple young bucks chase a couple of late does around, and they just in general played like a group of children only pausing every once in a while when one of the two matriarch does gave them that look. What a beautiful thing watching a group that at one point I counted 15 total deer playing in a snow covered little valley just 100 or so yards away. Eventually nearing 0900, they migrated my direction, and held up, and bedded just 60yds from me. This is the first time in the several times I've hunted this property that I'd seen them bed in this valley, which stumped me. I was pretty much ready to get down, but not wanting to blow that stand site, so I decided to wait them out a bit. By about 0930, the null activity and trying to sit still and quiet, combined with the continued on and off freezing rain had about finished me. I was nearing 3 hours in the stand, and hungry and pretty sure I was in a no-win position when a couple of the younger deer got up and resumed their playfulness. And there was my stroke of luck. The 2 yearling does started heading my direction, towards what I knew to be their normal bedding area, and as luck would have it, right directly behind them was one of the 2 matriarch does. A nice 160# or so, healthy 3.5-4.5 years old, wise by most accounts, the one that had nipped some of the playing in the bud just and hour before, now heading right in my direction. The two yearlings got to the creek, one just a few yards behind the other, and stopped to drink. Mama not 15yds. behind, and behind her another 6-7 deer. My buck tag being already used, she WAS my prime target. The first of the yearlings trotted up the bank of the creek and onto the flat just 10 yds. away, then the second followed. They dug in the snow a bit, trying to find what was left of a remarkable acorn crop this year, and I could hear the evidence that their were still a few left hidden beneath the snow. As I said previously, that matriarch doe was my prime target and she held up on the bank of the creek, drinking and lingering a little longer, and the other Matriarch joined her, and they drank together for a moment before she continued on. She like the yearlings trotted up the bank, and held up in a bit of a brushy zone for a shot, so I held off, waiting. She too had found the delicacy under the snow, and I would have to wait while she gorged herself. But the wait was short, maybe 3-4 minutes until she moved into where I could really get ready. The other matriarch was following and just a bit further away, maybe 30yds, when the first started to catch up with the yearlings who were to the left of my shot zone, now, they entered from the right, to paint the picture a little better. As she continued on, I took the opportunity to draw while she passed behind a nice sized Maple, and when she cleared it, she stood just 25yds away broadside. As she turned her head away from me to look back at the rest of the trailing deer, I steadied my pin at the juncture just above where her leg meets her ribcage, and relaxed and said to myself nice job and released. The arrow blew through, and she turned and ran towards the shelf she'd just left, blood spraying out of both side of her indicating a perfect double lunger. A short 70yds. later, she fell, and the season was over. I stood in the stand for a few, quietly congratulated myself and thanked GOD for the opportunity. I quietly say to myself "Nice Shot!! Nice Shot!!" The "BUZZ" after a perfect bowkill is almost as exciting as anything in life, with the exception of a couple things. I can repeatedly watch that arrow sink into her in my mind a scene so vivid as all bowkills are to me, and relish the experience. As I tie my bow on to my string to drop it, I realize, that I am no longer cold as I'd been 15 minutes before, I am warm, on fire with the excitement that my patience and scouting have again paid off. A wonderful feeling that we only get to enjoy a few times a year, so we enjoy it so much. I climbed down, strapped my climber together and untied my bow and am off to peek at my kill. As I return to the house my wife can tell by the extra kick in my step that GOD has again for the 3rd time this year blessed me. I gather together 2 nephews and my niece, and my brother-in-law who's interest is peaked and head out to grab a couple pictures and then drag her to the house. A wonderful day, and a couple great pic's of the entry and exit wound and a pic of me and 3 future hunters will have to wait as I am out of town as I type, and don't have the capabilities on this dial-up line to upload the pic's, but tomorrow night I will post them and you will see how bright the future of hunting is to me as I am framed by 3 happy smilling kids who weren't the least bit shy about putting a finger in the exit wound, picking up the heart and looking at the small cut on it from the broadhead where it just grazed the heart enough to cut one of the coronary arteries. And now that the skinning and butchering is done, I here shortly will be sautee'ing up some onions in butter and slicing tenderloin for lunch. I THANK GOD that I can enjoy the outdoors, and am able to take a couple of kids along to enjoy it too. Soon, next year or the year after, that young girl who went with me twice to see the deer I've killed and smile for a camera will be killing her own deer and the biggest smile will likely be mine, as the tradition will have been passed from one generation to another. Merry Christmas (belated) to all and wishes for a safe, prosperous and happy New Year!!
Pic's here:
http://theoutdoorsforum.com/forum/index.php?act=Attach&type=post&id=732 = Entry wound from WASP Jak-Hammer!!!
Exit side, not a close-up, was your typical three blade exit, but was pretty bloody:
http://theoutdoorsforum.com/forum/index.php?act=Attach&type=post&id=731
Pic of me and future hunters, nephews and niece:
http://theoutdoorsforum.com/forum/index.php?act=Attach&type=post&id=733