Thursday, January 04, 2007

Another hunt story

We had over 3 inches of rain last night and for some reason the deer are getting active. I saw 15 in one pack last night, not a single one with horns. The "real hunters" are killing anything with a rack. (Don't get me started...)

I left work early because some corn that got spilled on the ground needed to be guarded. My post is in a tree about 25 yards from the yellow gold. I've got a bent nail tied to some twine that I use to pull my bow up once I get about 25 feet up. It's a helluvalot easier than climbing up & down with the bow. Well tonight when I started pulling the bow up the twine broke and the bow hit the ground - hard. BAD! Down I go, nothing broken or bent (I hope), so we try it again.

Since I got winded last time I doused in scent killer. The wind picked up and shifted to the SW and then to the south. The deer normally come in from the north so I figured they'll wind me again tonight, even with the scent killer. I stuck it out anyway. I brought my camera tonight - here's the sunset I enjoyed:




About 15 minutes after sunset a small doe appeared. I move ultra-slowly & quietly into shooting position and waited a good 5 minutes before she turned slightly away. She was about 25 yards and I've shot many, many arrows from this tree at targets right where she was standing. I drew and focused on the point right behind the shoulder. When she dropper her head I released and watched the arrow arc and hit the pumpstation. She jumped sideways, rolled, and took off hard. It looked like the arrow was stuck in the ground right behind where she was standing, but I couldn't tell for sure. An arrow can be hard to see from the end. I waited until after dark before climbing down and checking for the arrow, but it wasn't there. Since I was now less-sure about the shot I gave her time to expire before tracking. You don't want to push an animal if it's a paunch shot. Good excuse to cook dinner: wild boar combo w/hash browns, tomatoes, maga-garlic, & carrots.

After supper I found her about 75 yards away under a tree. When I last I saw her she was running full stride, which is how she died. Couldn't have been more than 10 seconds after I shot her. Is bowhunting cool or what?!?

Here's a pic of the arrow entrance wound and another with the entrance & exit. It would have passed through but it hit the bone far upper leg.





I tagged her, skinned & gutter her. Then I heard a pack of coyotes howling, which they do after a kill. I've seen what coyotes do to a deer - brutal. Anyway, here's the last pic, her heart. I used a 4-blade magnus stinger, which has the standard 2-bladed arrowhead plus a 2 bleeder blades. They're tough, fly true, and really do the job. This same broadhead has now been in 3 hogs and 2 whitetail, and will be ready to go again after re-sharpening.



My boner really got a workout tonight. The edible meat is in the fridge and all that's left of her is hide, bones, & a gutpile. Forgot to get a gutpile pic. Next time...

Wednesday, January 03, 2007

Defenseless Deer

We've got several days of rain on the way so I'm predicting the deer will be active today. I climbed a tree this morning about an hour before dawn in hopes of collecting backstrap. After about 15 minutes one walked right under me and another walked by just out of range, but it was still too dark. When shootable light arrived I saw three more but they stayed just behind the trees. I dropped my buttpad to the ground but surpisingly it didn't spook them. But then the wind shifted to the SW and when they got about 40 yards SW of my tree I heard snorting and stomping - they winded me. A spike came closest, about 5 more yards and he'd have got an arrow but he also smelt me. I'm not sure what they picked up on... I've left the buttpad and pullovers I wear hanging in the tree for several days and I was wearing activated charcole pants & jacket underneath. They're not scent-loks but I figured they'd help.

Whoever claims that deer are defenseless has never bowhunted. They get stupid sometimes and let their guard down and some yahoo collects and easy deer. But this is not the norm. Their sense of smell and level of awareness are incredible. On a positive note this was the most movement I've seen all year. Deer season ends on Sunday in Williamson county so hopefully the stars will align again and I'll get another one.

Here's a pic a fellow hunter sent. I saw a similar sunset last weekend albeit minus the snow and deer.