Managed to get a goodern.
Eleven point, 198 pounds field dressed. Almost killed me getting him out. I'm extremely thankful for such a fine animal.
Kind of humorous, I guess.
WMA muzzleloader hunt, and I almost didn't go. Work has been crazy, as well as family responsibilities. Being cautious about people walking in on me, and me on them, I decided to wait til well after daylight to go in, and parked well away from others. I'd hunted the area before, so pretty familiar with it.
After seeing about a half dozen does, (including one driving her fawn away, meaning she was probably coming into heat), I made my way back to the truck for a sandwich, and a nap that was so good I woke up drooling and thinking I'd missed the school bus.
Around 3pm I shuffled off to my spot with a ho-hum attitude, and had does around me for quite some time, including the fawn that was driven off by her mama. Got some pretty good video of her bedded out 20 yards in front of me. The terrain is super steep, so in those cases, especially rut hunts, I stay on the ground on steep hillsides near hollow junctions.
A shot rang out about an hour and a half before dark, and I could hear the hunters Comanche war-whooping and celebrating. Those hollows allow sound to travel a long way.
The rain and wind started up, and I figured I'd ease back toward my truck, but decided to slow down and still-hunt as the rain suddenly let up. No more than two hundred yards from where I'd parked, I saw a deer approaching. I backed up against a red oak, and watched as an Acorn Spike fed all around me for 20 minutes, several times about 5 yards away. I really wanted him to leave, as I knew he'd bust me, and my body was numb from holding still for so long. Finally, he eased off about 15 yards away, munching acorns.
From across a steep sided creek, and out of a horrendous thicket, I heard a long drawn out grunt ending in a throaty "pop pop pop pop", which I figured to be a good buck. It was confirmed when I saw his hulking form, and I dropped him at 35 yards.
I looked around, and the Acorn Spike hadn't moved, smoke wafting over his head. I blurted out, "DID YOU JUST SEE THAT??? ", and he turned inside out leaving. I was shaking and laughing at the same time.
Getting the buck out involved plenty of rope, sweat equity, prayers and some colorful language. A pop up cell dropped rain and heavy wind on me, with a huge tree falling not far away, and a good sized limb hitting me in the back, knocking me down. It addled me for awhile.
As I was trying to load him, I slipped and an antler tine went through my britches and into my thigh.
I could envision the headline, "Buck exacts Karma-like revenge on hunter who shot him", as we were both lying dead in the truck bed.
The joys of hunting alone….
Man, I'm super happy with him!
Eleven point, 198 pounds field dressed. Almost killed me getting him out. I'm extremely thankful for such a fine animal.
Kind of humorous, I guess.
WMA muzzleloader hunt, and I almost didn't go. Work has been crazy, as well as family responsibilities. Being cautious about people walking in on me, and me on them, I decided to wait til well after daylight to go in, and parked well away from others. I'd hunted the area before, so pretty familiar with it.
After seeing about a half dozen does, (including one driving her fawn away, meaning she was probably coming into heat), I made my way back to the truck for a sandwich, and a nap that was so good I woke up drooling and thinking I'd missed the school bus.
Around 3pm I shuffled off to my spot with a ho-hum attitude, and had does around me for quite some time, including the fawn that was driven off by her mama. Got some pretty good video of her bedded out 20 yards in front of me. The terrain is super steep, so in those cases, especially rut hunts, I stay on the ground on steep hillsides near hollow junctions.
A shot rang out about an hour and a half before dark, and I could hear the hunters Comanche war-whooping and celebrating. Those hollows allow sound to travel a long way.
The rain and wind started up, and I figured I'd ease back toward my truck, but decided to slow down and still-hunt as the rain suddenly let up. No more than two hundred yards from where I'd parked, I saw a deer approaching. I backed up against a red oak, and watched as an Acorn Spike fed all around me for 20 minutes, several times about 5 yards away. I really wanted him to leave, as I knew he'd bust me, and my body was numb from holding still for so long. Finally, he eased off about 15 yards away, munching acorns.
From across a steep sided creek, and out of a horrendous thicket, I heard a long drawn out grunt ending in a throaty "pop pop pop pop", which I figured to be a good buck. It was confirmed when I saw his hulking form, and I dropped him at 35 yards.
I looked around, and the Acorn Spike hadn't moved, smoke wafting over his head. I blurted out, "DID YOU JUST SEE THAT??? ", and he turned inside out leaving. I was shaking and laughing at the same time.
Getting the buck out involved plenty of rope, sweat equity, prayers and some colorful language. A pop up cell dropped rain and heavy wind on me, with a huge tree falling not far away, and a good sized limb hitting me in the back, knocking me down. It addled me for awhile.
As I was trying to load him, I slipped and an antler tine went through my britches and into my thigh.
I could envision the headline, "Buck exacts Karma-like revenge on hunter who shot him", as we were both lying dead in the truck bed.
The joys of hunting alone….
Man, I'm super happy with him!
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