fly
11-24-2009, 19:09
Had a great first firearm season even though I didn't see anything larger than a fork horn. Hunted sun up till sun down Friday (12 hours in the stand) and saw one fork horn at 9am. He was fun to mess with. Kept leaving then coming back to my grunting and doe calls. He actually licked the tree I had my stand in! What a blast! I've always wanted to hunt a stand all day.
Saturday morning I had 4 or 5 does come up to me right at sun up. I kept my eye out for a trailing buck, seeing none I figured I'd go ahead and fill my doe tag. There were a couple larger does and a couple fawns. They were acting nervous as most deer do on public ground (Shawnee forest) after opening day. Anyway the larger doe was about 30 yards from me and just before I pulled the trigger she caught scent of something she didn't like and bolted. I shot as she ran but missed! The deer seperated with the fawns on one hill and the larger does on the other. I figured they might try to re-group so I let out a doe call. Sure enough here come the fawns back in my direction. Then a few minutes later I heard then saw a deer coming from the other hill the larger does had ran to. The approaching deer was in a creek bed so I couldn't see it real well. It walked to within 40 yards and stopped. I briefly saw the head and did not see antlers so I figured it was one of the larger does. She stopped with her head behind a tree and vitals in clear view. Bang! this time I didn't miss, however, the shot was a little low. I decided to shoot again and made a better shot (well, after missing again):o. However, those things have a will to live! As I looked at the deer in my binoculars it was down, but not out. That's when I saw the little spikes on top of the head! (That's where the DOH! comes in). I got out of my climber and finished the year and 1/2 old buck with my knife.
I'm not dissapointed though, I love everything that goes with deer hunting (not just the big bucks) and was glad to bring a legally harvested deer back to camp even if it meant using the coveted either-sex firearm permit!
Saturday morning I had 4 or 5 does come up to me right at sun up. I kept my eye out for a trailing buck, seeing none I figured I'd go ahead and fill my doe tag. There were a couple larger does and a couple fawns. They were acting nervous as most deer do on public ground (Shawnee forest) after opening day. Anyway the larger doe was about 30 yards from me and just before I pulled the trigger she caught scent of something she didn't like and bolted. I shot as she ran but missed! The deer seperated with the fawns on one hill and the larger does on the other. I figured they might try to re-group so I let out a doe call. Sure enough here come the fawns back in my direction. Then a few minutes later I heard then saw a deer coming from the other hill the larger does had ran to. The approaching deer was in a creek bed so I couldn't see it real well. It walked to within 40 yards and stopped. I briefly saw the head and did not see antlers so I figured it was one of the larger does. She stopped with her head behind a tree and vitals in clear view. Bang! this time I didn't miss, however, the shot was a little low. I decided to shoot again and made a better shot (well, after missing again):o. However, those things have a will to live! As I looked at the deer in my binoculars it was down, but not out. That's when I saw the little spikes on top of the head! (That's where the DOH! comes in). I got out of my climber and finished the year and 1/2 old buck with my knife.
I'm not dissapointed though, I love everything that goes with deer hunting (not just the big bucks) and was glad to bring a legally harvested deer back to camp even if it meant using the coveted either-sex firearm permit!