themanpcl
Well-Known Member
I thought my last hunt was on Sunday 1/7/24 but everything came together this afternoon and I got one more opportunity to try to get some doe meat (from a huge doe I have been after all year) for snack sticks and jerky. Well, I get in the stand about 1:30. ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL day. Sitting in the quiet woods (except for the squirrels), I remember back to the first hunt of my 2023 season back in August during the "velvet weekend". I left the truck that day and it was 103 degrees and I sweat more than I think I ever sweat in August two a days for football...lol... I remember the times in the stand this season where the temps were in the 20's and 30's. I remember the days I saw nothing all day and the days I saw more deer than I thought were even on the property. I remember the fun and sometimes frustration, hunting out of my my saddle. I remember hunting the Illinois firearms season before Thanksgiving where I really thought I would come home with one. I didn't. I remember shooting a good, mature buck the day after Thanksgiving that I had seen in velvet and thought, "I hope I see him this season". I remember getting a big doe last weekend (out of this very stand). I remember all the winter, spring, summer scouting trips, site prep, stand maintenance, food plot work, cam setup, moving cams, changing batteries and card checks.....I remember the Christmas present like fun every time I got to view the SD cards from the pull. I remember all the things I was blessed to see from my stand that some never get to experience. I remember passing on bucks that 20 years ago I would have dropped in a heartbeat. I remember the joy of planning my next sit before I even get out of the tree in the current sit. I remember strategizing stand entry paths and lane clearing. So many hours spent solving all the worlds problems from an elevated stand. I remember thanking God every time I enter the woods for all the creatures and the opportunity to hunt them. I remember feeling sad for those who aren't able to do what I have at times taken for granted. Oh, the "ends with a bang"...almost forgot. About 3:15 I see a yearling, then another, then a bigger doe, and another and then...HER. She's 150 lbs +. Shes walking to where I had already imagined her coming to tonight. I had already looked at the possible obstacles between me and the shot spot. The other 4 does are milling around between 15 and 30 yds from me. SHE is behind a tree. When I got home I looked at the cell cam pics and it really looked like she was standing behind there to mess with me. I know she will be walking exactly the path I need her to walk in order to keep with the group. After what seemed like hours (by my camera, 4 mins) she began the slow walk to the spot. I have my scope on the spot and wait for her to get into the view. Heart is pounding. She gets to the spot. BANG. She does a 180 and gallops to the edge of the woods. She stops for sec, then moseys down the hill. The others just stood there. I could have shot either of the 70 lb does but I didn't. I knew I missed. Shot right over her back. Packed my stuff. Climbed down. Went to the spot. Saw the mud she kicked up when she tore out. Looked behind where she was standing and saw the fresh dirt kicked up from the bullet. no hair, no blood but to be thorough, I followed her path to the woods and down the hill. No blood anywhere. Clean miss. Oh well. Always next year! I thank God for every season I am blessed to be able to hunt! Deer chores begin Saturday!
