Author Topic: First successful solo still hunt  (Read 1668 times)

Offline benny8

  • Forked
  • **
  • Posts: 86
First successful solo still hunt
« on: Nov 15, 2021, 09:55:51 AM »
Last year you may remember me posting about my first buck taken while still hunting with my buddy and mentor, Rob. I've been hunting with Rob and learning the ways of the still hunter and tracker. Being a stand hunter for most of my hunting years, Rob took me under his wing and I've been learning a lot. We had deer camp at the Shamp this year. It was the second year and it was just Rob and I as his nephew who was going to attend came down with the flu a few days prior. The first days we hunted some nearby big woods. Up to that point, I had yet to see a deer in the woods. I had been hunting since the bow opener. Then on Youth weekend, Sarah and I were coming out of the woods after an evening sit, I slipped on wet leave covered rock and landed on a rock and cracked a few ribs. Hunting since then has been an adventure. I digress, Rob and I saw a buck, nose to the ground, but I could not get a shot. I was happy to see a deer. Rob later informed me that the deer was bigger than my deer I took last year. None the less, I was excited to finally see a deer. We covered quite a bit of ground the rest of that day with no more deer sightings. Friday morning we awoke to rain on the metal roof of the camp. It would come in waves, but by 630 it had let up. We decided to hunt around camp. Our friend James joined us, so we decided to split up. We had scouted a knob about a mile or so from the Shamp in the summer, so the plan was for me to take the shortest loop up to the top of the knob and they would go a bit below and circle around and eventually meet up. We knew the heavy rain was coming by 10, so we headed out. I slowly still hunted towards the top of the knob. When I reached the top, the skies opened up and the wind was blowing about 20. Up on top, I found some hemlock and worked my way thru. I found a couple rubs and a few scrapes. I sat watching those for a bit until the rain let up. Then I headed for the back side where there was a couple ravines. I watched the first ravine for a bit and then slowly made my way to the second. The wind blowing right to left across my face, so I knew I was good as far as that went. It was also a light rain. As I crested a small rise that looked down into the second ravine, I caught movement. It was a doe and I could see another deer behind her. Hoping it was a buck, but it was another bigger doe. I raised my Marlin 336 up and made a mouth grunt stopping the trailing doe. Unfortunately, she stopped behind a small tree. I waited as she stepped out from behind it and stopped her again. I settled the front sight on her shoulder and squeezed. I thought I saw her stumble, but due to the steep angle I was on, when they ran, some hemlock boughs obscured my view. I saw my deer(at least I thought it was at the time), run in one direction but not the other. I racked my shell out and loaded another. I then tied a orange ribbon to the tree I shot from. I went down the steep bank to look at the hit site. When I got there, I found no hair and no blood. I walked the direction I saw the one deer go. Rob called and asked if it was me who shot, I told him yes and that I thought I hit her. He said he would work his way to me. I walked the direction the deer went and back three times and could not find a sign of a hit. Then the last time, I came back to the hit site and a different route and that is when I found blood. The deer I had seen, wasn't the deer I shot. It was hard to tell how good the blood was due to the wet leaves and it was raining. Ended up following the blood for about 80 yards. Found my deer laying against a down tree. When I got up to her, I realized it was this years doe. I was happy with the deer, but more proud that I had actually used all the tools and techniques that I have learned from Rob over these last few years. It was that moment that I evolved as a hunter. My goal now is to be successful by myself on a buck while still hunting/tracking. This young deer will be some very good eating.

Online Raquettedacker

  • Cactus Buck
  • *********
  • Posts: 13,745
Re: First successful solo still hunt
« Reply #1 on: Nov 15, 2021, 10:09:26 AM »
Nice job benny.
 Having a mentor is always awesome.  Glad you had the experience to share with him…..👍
"Dying is the easy part. Learning how to live is the hard part..."

Offline krispcritter

  • Spiked
  • *
  • Posts: 23
Re: First successful solo still hunt
« Reply #2 on: Nov 15, 2021, 10:16:02 AM »
Be proud as I've had many years of " tag" soup.
To make a small fortune in business start with a large one.

Offline lv2hunt

  • 6 Pointer
  • ***
  • Posts: 351
Re: First successful solo still hunt
« Reply #3 on: Nov 15, 2021, 10:36:44 AM »
Congrats Benny !!

Offline Adrock

  • 6 Pointer
  • ***
  • Posts: 279
Re: First successful solo still hunt
« Reply #4 on: Nov 15, 2021, 12:03:56 PM »
Cool hunt, congrats on the deer!

Offline aquaassassin

  • 30 Point Buck
  • ********
  • Posts: 5,698
  • AIM SMALL... MISS SMALL
Re: First successful solo still hunt
« Reply #5 on: Nov 15, 2021, 01:45:26 PM »
Lookin good Aaron, congrats!
It's not being cocky if you can back it up!

Offline Huntnfish603

  • 6 Pointer
  • ***
  • Posts: 214
Re: First successful solo still hunt
« Reply #6 on: Nov 15, 2021, 05:09:32 PM »
Nice man! Sounds like a great hunt.
It only gets better from here

Offline benny8

  • Forked
  • **
  • Posts: 86
Re: First successful solo still hunt
« Reply #7 on: Nov 16, 2021, 03:10:27 AM »
Thanks everyone! Really enjoying this aspect of hunting. Headed to Maine next Monday for a few days before the holiday and trying to fill an either sex tag.

Offline aquaassassin

  • 30 Point Buck
  • ********
  • Posts: 5,698
  • AIM SMALL... MISS SMALL
Re: First successful solo still hunt
« Reply #8 on: Nov 16, 2021, 04:53:40 AM »
I’ll be here in desolate Maine as well looking for a stud  ;D
It's not being cocky if you can back it up!

Offline hesseltine32

  • 12 Pointer
  • ******
  • Posts: 2,081
  • Run and Gun
Re: First successful solo still hunt
« Reply #9 on: Nov 16, 2021, 07:36:05 AM »
Congrats !  Good luck up in Maine

Offline Dirt23

  • Forked
  • **
  • Posts: 40
Re: First successful solo still hunt
« Reply #10 on: Nov 17, 2021, 05:38:27 AM »
Good work glad you found her it can be tough to sometimes to figure out were they were standing when you shot

 


SimplePortal 2.3.7 © 2008-2024, SimplePortal