First 2004 Deer

[Fat Boy]

Not bad for my first day out this year:

I hunted Saturday afternoon.  It was way to windy to climb a tree.    I didn't feel like sitting in a tree feeling like a pendulum, so that morning I planned to hunt out of a fixed stand at my backup spot.  My initial plan earlier in the week was to stay mobile and use my climber.  So, I drove by, I noticed that nobody was huntin' my spot, so, knowing that people probably were hunting my backup spot, I chose to hunt off the ground instead and take my chances.

I had the wind in my favor without having to hike very far and kick deer out, so I opted to hunt close to the road (about 100 yards in).  I figured that nobody else would go there and maybe if they went to the middle of the property (if they showed up late) that they might kick something to me. 

I found a nice deadfall to give me cover at the edge of a thicket.  There was a nice clearing that would give me a clear shot up to 40 yards away, with lots of grass for the deer to chew on and thickets all around.  At 20 yards, there was another fallen tree that stretched across the clearing that would later change my strategy.  Trails criss crossed the area, so I was pumped.  After being there for almost 2 hours without seeing anything at all, I thought about moving.  However, my past experience tells me that is a mistake especially when you find a good spot.  Better to have confidence and stay, so I did.  It had another downed log to give me a seat too    So I hunkered down and waited, watching an inchworm work it's way along the deadfall right into a colony of ants.  I had drama to keep me occupied as the wind howled at a sustained 35 mph and gusts over 50 mph.

Then, at about 5:45, several does seemed to appear out of nowhere.  One was off in the distance at about 45 yards feeding, the other was 22 yards in front of me on the other side of the other fallen tree.  I had no shot.  I was ticked.  The tree was blocking the vitals as it fed broadside to me.  Then, the other deer approached.  I drew back and passed up the shot as I didn't have a clear shot, too many limbs in the way plus the deadfall was in the way.  Also, the other deer seemed to be on the alert.  Then, the 2nd deer inexplicably jumped the deadfall and fed within 15 yards from me.  It circled around and gave me a 10 yard broadside as I drew back.  The only problem was that I didn't leave enough room for my bow to clear the deadfall that I was hiding in.  As I put my pin on it's vitals and struggled to get my bow free while awkwardly leaning back, I released and the arrow hit home.  The deer ran off as I noted his direction and path.  I wondered about my shot placement because of the off balance shot that I took.  After 15 minutes, I decided to look for my arrow.  At first, I didn't find my arrow and didn't find any blood on the ground.  I was stumped.  Then, a couple minutes later after lining up my shot with where I was, I found the arrow soaked in blood.  I knew the deer was dead.  Still, I searched for blood around the kill zone without success.  I waited 15 more minutes and called my brother to tell him what happened, that helped me use up some time and not push her.  After 1/2 hour, light was beginning to fade towards sunset.  So, I figured I had to act quickly to at least pick up a blood trail.  I followed the path that the deer took and didn't find one spot of blood.  I scoured the area.  Then, I thought that maybe I could just find the deer since I knew the shot was good, so I followed the path of least resistance.  I was getting worried with darkness approaching and still no sign of the deer or any blood.    Then, I peered through a thicket into a clearing on the other side and there she lay, deader than dead.     Woo Hoo!

Before dressing the deer I noticed nubs on it's head.  It's a button buck!  Dag.  Had I seen them I wouldn’t have taken it.  Then, I turned it over to dress it and noticed that it had nipples and no male parts.     WTF?  It was a doe with nubby antlers!  It was a yearling, not very big.  It was still light after I dragged it out.  I took it to a butcher to have it all made into bologna!  Yum.  I can't believe that I forgot my camera, so no pic of this deer.  I'll get a pic when I get the bologna back

[bayonne]

congrats fat boy i was out saturday also did use my new climber a summit viper my tree was swaying alot i had 8 does pass by my stand but to far for a clean kill so i didnt shoot the wind got real wicked in the afternoon me and my hunting partner gave up early came out around 6 pm better luck next time have you ever gone for sika was thinking of going for them one year

[BuckShotJon]

Congrats on the kill! Good story.

Jon

[Fat Boy]

Thanks guys.  I hate those high winds in a climber.  When you stand up, it doesn't feel very safe plus, when you try to put your sight pin on your target, you'll find that it moves and ain't easy to hold on.  That's the main reason I don't climb on real windy days.  Too much chance of a bad shot.  The feeling safe stuff can be overcome by practicing shooting while sitting in your stand, that I can live with.

Bayonne:  On sika, I have some buddies that go for sika several times each year.  I have yet to do it.  One thing that they've been practicing is putting out small 3D targets on the range out to 50 yards, like coyotes, fox, or beaver targets and practicing them.  This is because they say that these tiny deer don't seem to come in very close and are very spooky.  They've had some success though, but had they practiced longs shots last year they think that they would have some decent racks to go with their meat.

[bayonne]

thanks for the info fat boy will be starting spend time shooting longer range say out to 50 yds

[Fat Boy]

thanks for the info fat boy will be starting spend time shooting longer range say out to 50 yds

You know what?  I'm not sure that I'd feel comfortable taking that long of a shot in the woods though.  For me, that would mean a lot of practice.  And, from what I can see shooting 3D, these buddies of mine are good shots, but at 50 yards...wow.  All I can say is that I would feel comfortable if I could shoot 4" groups at 50 yards all lung shots, at least 90 percent.  But, I can't do that.  And, IMO I don't think that my buddies shoot all that well either at 50.  They're practicing though, and that is the way to get things down pat.  And, I'm not saying that they are ready to take that shot yet, but they're working on it.  Practice makes perfect.

A lot can go wrong with your arrow flight and the chances decrease the further out you shoot.  One twig 1/2 way could mean the difference between a perfect well intended shot and a fatally wounded and tough tracking job much less a non-fatal wound. 

I feel very confident inside 25 yards, outside of that...I have to think twice even though I score well out to 40 in 3D with no rangefinder.

[Bobman]

Nice job FB!  Even if you got a defective doe    it's still a trophy.  One down and several to go!