Nacho
Well-Known Member
After blowing it 1 month and 11 days ago, I finally got a second chance at the buck below (and I about blew it again). Settle in for a long read about the buck and also my season synopsis.
November 15, I was up earlier and ready to go out and hopefully let the smoke pole sling some lead at a deer, some things transpired around the house and I ended up getting in the woods about an hour later than I anticipated. No biggie, it seemed like a perfect day and i was thankful to be in the woods. The temperature was in the mid 20's and the wind was around 7mph. This was my first official time of hunting this new piece of property, I say official, because the Sunday prior, I walked around the property and got a feel for the lay of the land. I knew the area i wanted to hunt, put didn't pick an exact tree or spot out. So the first hour in the woods was spent debating on the tree selection (it takes me forever to decide what tree to climb - i like to explore all my options and run through as many scenarios as possible while deciding on a tree to climb). Finally i picked a tree overlooking a semi overgrown field, i had all intentions to watch the field, but as i climbed the tree, the sun was blaring right in my eyes; therefore, i turned my climber around to watch the woods. After being in the stand about two hours (11:00 am), i looked over my right shoulder and there was a small six pointer about at the end of the overgrown field, i stood up and turned around to get a better look at the deer, i watched him feed at the end of the field for about five minutes before he walked off. As i was about to set back down, i caught movement to my right - it was a eight pointer high tailing it across the field, he stayed in the gulley of the field and only his head was visible as he crossed the field. He finally was at the end of the field (at this point i could see from his shoulders up) and i rushed the shot and missed him. He ran off about 10 yards and stood behind a downed tree as he looked around to see what just happened. Afterwards, he walked off slowly as nothing happened and of course he didn't pose another shot. I climbed down from the tree sick and went to look for blood (even though i figured i missed with his reaction after the shot) - no blood as i figured). I was tore up sick, everything happened so quick and i should of waited for a better shot - lesson learned. That is one of the most horrible feelings, knowing you just blew your chance - needless to say, that next week was a tough week and i replayed the event hundreds of time in my head.
I'm a weekend hunter and the next few weekends was spent hoping to get another shot at this deer, I did see smaller bucks during this time, but i was waiting on the buck i missed during muzzleloader or a bigger one. I gave the property a break for a few weeks in December before trying it again on December 20th with no luck. Christmas day came and i monitored the weather all day to see what the morning would be like, i decided i was going to give it one more shot in the morning. The 26th came and low and behold i overslept about an hour (we had a lot of family get togethers the day before and didn't get home until late), on the way to the land i was praying and giving God thanks for family, for giving me the ability to hunt, a place to hunt, and for everything. I also decided that this may just be my last day of hunting because i have a wife and two young ones at home that want Daddy time and working 5 long days a week doesn't leave that much time for family and hunting. I was up the tree and settled in (facing the field this time) by 8:15, it was a beautiful morning, the fog rolled in about 9:00 and stayed around for about a half hour. At 10:00 my wife calls, i was talking to her and all the sudden i seen movement to my front left, i immediately told her i got to go, put my phone up and briefly looked the deer over (it was a nice doe about 75 yards out) and it was a doe day for us here in Bradley County. I scoped her in and took the shot, she dropped in her tracks. After she feel, i seen movement behind her, my first thought was oh crap, i just dropped the mom deer of this mom and baby deer i seen several times this year. Well i looked to my left and low and behold it's the buck i been after for the last month and he's with two other smaller bucks. While turning to my left to get in position to take the shot, the top portion of my tree stand (left side) decides to slip down the tree a little bit. God is good, cause the tree stand slipped a decent bit and i was angled pretty good in tree (about 30 degrees), angled enough that i couldn't move or get my gun up in position for the shot, i immediately put pressure on the right side of the stand and stood up (bottom portion didn't move), got in position, and scoped in the buck i been after and let the 270 sling some lead. All the sudden time stopped for a few seconds as the buck and i both froze after the shot. Then he hunches over and starts to walk off slowly, first thought was oh no - i missed him again. I immediately ejected the shell and slung another one in the chamber and got back on him, he was behind a tree - i had the scope on the leading side of tree for when he stepped out - well all the sudden i see the buck through my scope going up on his hind legs and i knew right then he was about to do his last dance. I watched him expire quickly. The two other bucks (smaller 8 pointer and a four pointer) hung around checking out their friend wondering what just happened. They stuck around for about twenty minutes examining the down buck before finally walking off slowly, this was fine with me, it gave me time to celebrate and thank the Lord and get the jitters gone before climbing down.
My dad's health has restricted him from getting out in the woods this riffle season, so i faced-time (video called) him when i climbed down so he could enjoy and be part of the harvest with me. I know he would had loved to be out there in the woods with me, I'm thankful for the technology these days. We walked up to the down doe first and low and behold - it was a button buck, then we walked up on the eight pointer that has been on my mind for the past month and 11 days. This was the first time i targeted a deer and harvested him as well. Usually they outsmart me and i come up empty handed. I find it intriguing that my first encounter with this buck was at 11:00 a.m. and he was behind the way i was facing and the next time i see him was at 10:00 a.m. and he was coming from behind me again as i was facing the way i seen him the first time. I always heard between 10 and 2 is when most of the big boys are killed. I also was shocked that he was traveling with 3 smaller bucks. I figured he would be a loner; however, i know he's not a 150 class brute, but the biggest i killed in over a decade.
Dad insisted i field dress the deer at this house (close to the farm i hunt) - he likes to watch the birds come in and eat (pictures are pre-field dressing). Sure enough, not less then 15 minutes after leaving the gut piles, birds had found the feast.
The trash in the truck is trash i picked up on the way out of the farm - i wish people wouldn't litter!
Dad and i was drawn for the Yuchi muzzleloader hunter on Oct 18th and 19th this year, i was fortunate to take a doe on the last day. Special thanks to the game wardens there, i asked them where was a good spot to hunt because my dad couldn't walk far as his health doesn't permit him to trek no more then 50 yards. He set us up in a good spot close to the road and we both had opportunities at deer (does). Doe was 3 1/2 years old - 109 pounds.
November 15, I was up earlier and ready to go out and hopefully let the smoke pole sling some lead at a deer, some things transpired around the house and I ended up getting in the woods about an hour later than I anticipated. No biggie, it seemed like a perfect day and i was thankful to be in the woods. The temperature was in the mid 20's and the wind was around 7mph. This was my first official time of hunting this new piece of property, I say official, because the Sunday prior, I walked around the property and got a feel for the lay of the land. I knew the area i wanted to hunt, put didn't pick an exact tree or spot out. So the first hour in the woods was spent debating on the tree selection (it takes me forever to decide what tree to climb - i like to explore all my options and run through as many scenarios as possible while deciding on a tree to climb). Finally i picked a tree overlooking a semi overgrown field, i had all intentions to watch the field, but as i climbed the tree, the sun was blaring right in my eyes; therefore, i turned my climber around to watch the woods. After being in the stand about two hours (11:00 am), i looked over my right shoulder and there was a small six pointer about at the end of the overgrown field, i stood up and turned around to get a better look at the deer, i watched him feed at the end of the field for about five minutes before he walked off. As i was about to set back down, i caught movement to my right - it was a eight pointer high tailing it across the field, he stayed in the gulley of the field and only his head was visible as he crossed the field. He finally was at the end of the field (at this point i could see from his shoulders up) and i rushed the shot and missed him. He ran off about 10 yards and stood behind a downed tree as he looked around to see what just happened. Afterwards, he walked off slowly as nothing happened and of course he didn't pose another shot. I climbed down from the tree sick and went to look for blood (even though i figured i missed with his reaction after the shot) - no blood as i figured). I was tore up sick, everything happened so quick and i should of waited for a better shot - lesson learned. That is one of the most horrible feelings, knowing you just blew your chance - needless to say, that next week was a tough week and i replayed the event hundreds of time in my head.
I'm a weekend hunter and the next few weekends was spent hoping to get another shot at this deer, I did see smaller bucks during this time, but i was waiting on the buck i missed during muzzleloader or a bigger one. I gave the property a break for a few weeks in December before trying it again on December 20th with no luck. Christmas day came and i monitored the weather all day to see what the morning would be like, i decided i was going to give it one more shot in the morning. The 26th came and low and behold i overslept about an hour (we had a lot of family get togethers the day before and didn't get home until late), on the way to the land i was praying and giving God thanks for family, for giving me the ability to hunt, a place to hunt, and for everything. I also decided that this may just be my last day of hunting because i have a wife and two young ones at home that want Daddy time and working 5 long days a week doesn't leave that much time for family and hunting. I was up the tree and settled in (facing the field this time) by 8:15, it was a beautiful morning, the fog rolled in about 9:00 and stayed around for about a half hour. At 10:00 my wife calls, i was talking to her and all the sudden i seen movement to my front left, i immediately told her i got to go, put my phone up and briefly looked the deer over (it was a nice doe about 75 yards out) and it was a doe day for us here in Bradley County. I scoped her in and took the shot, she dropped in her tracks. After she feel, i seen movement behind her, my first thought was oh crap, i just dropped the mom deer of this mom and baby deer i seen several times this year. Well i looked to my left and low and behold it's the buck i been after for the last month and he's with two other smaller bucks. While turning to my left to get in position to take the shot, the top portion of my tree stand (left side) decides to slip down the tree a little bit. God is good, cause the tree stand slipped a decent bit and i was angled pretty good in tree (about 30 degrees), angled enough that i couldn't move or get my gun up in position for the shot, i immediately put pressure on the right side of the stand and stood up (bottom portion didn't move), got in position, and scoped in the buck i been after and let the 270 sling some lead. All the sudden time stopped for a few seconds as the buck and i both froze after the shot. Then he hunches over and starts to walk off slowly, first thought was oh no - i missed him again. I immediately ejected the shell and slung another one in the chamber and got back on him, he was behind a tree - i had the scope on the leading side of tree for when he stepped out - well all the sudden i see the buck through my scope going up on his hind legs and i knew right then he was about to do his last dance. I watched him expire quickly. The two other bucks (smaller 8 pointer and a four pointer) hung around checking out their friend wondering what just happened. They stuck around for about twenty minutes examining the down buck before finally walking off slowly, this was fine with me, it gave me time to celebrate and thank the Lord and get the jitters gone before climbing down.
My dad's health has restricted him from getting out in the woods this riffle season, so i faced-time (video called) him when i climbed down so he could enjoy and be part of the harvest with me. I know he would had loved to be out there in the woods with me, I'm thankful for the technology these days. We walked up to the down doe first and low and behold - it was a button buck, then we walked up on the eight pointer that has been on my mind for the past month and 11 days. This was the first time i targeted a deer and harvested him as well. Usually they outsmart me and i come up empty handed. I find it intriguing that my first encounter with this buck was at 11:00 a.m. and he was behind the way i was facing and the next time i see him was at 10:00 a.m. and he was coming from behind me again as i was facing the way i seen him the first time. I always heard between 10 and 2 is when most of the big boys are killed. I also was shocked that he was traveling with 3 smaller bucks. I figured he would be a loner; however, i know he's not a 150 class brute, but the biggest i killed in over a decade.
Dad insisted i field dress the deer at this house (close to the farm i hunt) - he likes to watch the birds come in and eat (pictures are pre-field dressing). Sure enough, not less then 15 minutes after leaving the gut piles, birds had found the feast.
The trash in the truck is trash i picked up on the way out of the farm - i wish people wouldn't litter!
Dad and i was drawn for the Yuchi muzzleloader hunter on Oct 18th and 19th this year, i was fortunate to take a doe on the last day. Special thanks to the game wardens there, i asked them where was a good spot to hunt because my dad couldn't walk far as his health doesn't permit him to trek no more then 50 yards. He set us up in a good spot close to the road and we both had opportunities at deer (does). Doe was 3 1/2 years old - 109 pounds.
