Well, I finally got blood on my hands.......deer blood that is.
It was the first time in years that I actually HAD TO shoot deer for meat....two of them too! Pressure was on to produce.
Thought it would be a slam dunk but because of my wife's hospitalization and disability, I didn't get enough time to pattern the deer. (no excuse....just the truth )
The crops around my area change regularly so you never know which food plot they're using. With 5000 acres to check.......well you know.....too many places .....not enough time!
Only had a total of 3 1/2 days to hunt. Got tripped up by other hunters on more than one occasion......that's a first for me.......
I gave one guy an earful.... ....driving into the bush with ONLY 30 minutes of light left... ...I let all the does and yearlings pass me at either 10 yards all the way to 80 yards max. Just when the 2 bucks I knew were there getting ready to step out......all the deer (about 12) on the edge of the bushline hightail it back to the woods in a panic. I thought it was a coyote or something like that.....then I saw headlights approaching. I had just sat on my backbreaking, ass hurting little stool....on the ground....motionless.....for 3 bloody hours!
On the last morning, I returned to the private land (not too many deer there now....no crops) and after the morning sit, went for a walk. Got caught by a doe watching me. Didn't have enough time to range her, so I wrongly guestimated (too short).......I found the 300 grn bullet trail that passed through the leaves under her legs. (it was an slight uphill shot hence the bullet track).
Walked for about 3 hours and found places where a gun was cleaned, 2 new stands set up where mine used to be, and a patch of blood from a recent kill, a good scrape and rub line that wasn't there 2 weeks ago, another buck core area and a doe bedding area.....all things to keep in mind for next year. People are starting to hone in my hunting spot......too close for comfort for me. Guess I got spoiled all these years!
With only 45 minutes of season left for me, I watched a doe step out from the forest. She was alone and not showing any indication of being followed so I made the decision to take her. Because she came to my right side and I was set up to shoot on the left I had to carefully switch postion. I had absolutely no cover on the right side so I waited for her head to go down to feed at 80 yards. With one quick motion, I turned myself, my muzzleloader and my shooting stix all in one motion. As soon as the crosshairs covered her vitals, I let loose. She dropped in her tracks making the recovery effortless. Heck, I didn't even unload the quad......just drove the truck right to her after walking back the 1/2 mile to retrieve it. Doesn't get any easier than that
The only downfall, the 2 pics are shitty. The ....*&^&%$%^&#% ....camera hates the cold. (can anyone suggest the BEST cold weather digital camera in the $250 range )With only 20 minutes of daylight left, I gave up on the camera and gutted the deer instead. I left the Sony camera on the truck heater vent for awhile and these AWFUL pics are after the fact.
Big healthy sausage doe for my friend (AKA Phil....YRF newest member)(I promised one for him plus I still had to help with all the cutting.......I'm too nice... ... LOL)........none for me... ...my hunting season is now over. I have no time left for the rifle season.
Going to pack the hunting gear and get my hardwater gear ready!
Blue Igloo
PS Talked to some of the intruders that shot from my old deer spot right after I shot my doe.........one guy missed a 4 x4 and the other guy .....his cap didn't fire.......something about not having it on right.......bolt action muzzleloader........gun went "click" on a HUGE 5 x 5......too bad....so sad...LOL!!!! Those are the same 2 deer I was waiting on when the guy drove in at last light!!!! I don't think those bucks will survive the rifle season if they keep that up!
