Best day ever! But I watched him walk away
Monday was the funnest day I've had in the woods in many years. Long story, so bare with me...Last week I talked with a friend that I used to hunt with, havent hunted together for close to 5 or 6 years, and he's on vacation this week. We decided to go hunting together, and what a better place than the farm we hunted together on. So, Sunday we went up and got our permission. This farm is a lil over 400 acres, we had the deer back then down to a time clock (lol), we knew when and where they'd be. Well, the farm hasn't had anything other than tobacco planted on it for over 30 years, until now. There's probably close to 250-300 acres planted in corn (we were excited), and it had been select cut 5 years ago. Only bad thing is, its still standing. We got there at 5am Monday morning, got dressed, put our climbers on our back and went in blind. We set up on the way the deer used to move. As of noon, I had already seen 11 deer with 8 of them being different bucks. All young bucks, one 2yr old 8 point that will be a nice deer in a couple years if he makes it, pushing mid 120's now. My buddy came down the ridge and got me, and we headed in for a short tailgate lunch. On our walk out we saw some pretty impressive rubs, I believe the largest rubs that I've ever seen. These were about 100 yards from where I set up. Once we reached the field and and looked across the field to a little wood lot, we could see some more huge rubs (I'm talking larger than telephone poles, atleast 15" in dia). These are not just scratched up a lil, he has them wore out (hope to atleast get to see this deer). So we had our tailgate lunch, I brought my lil portable gas grill, had some chips, dawgs, and some M.Dew. We decided to head over on the other side just to see what happens.
I went to a saddle that I call "ole faithful", but keep in mind, havent been in there since they cut the timber. I finally found a tree, a fully rutting bucks neck is probably bigger than this tree. Had the ole olive and the toothpick feel as I was sitting there. Anywase, Had 2 does come through, about 5 min later had a small 6 point come in and started eating on the green foliage. I could here footsteps coming in from the side, and he came into view. It was a button buck, came right under me and started walking toward that 6 point. That button buck, laid his ears back, puffed up, snort weezed, and cocked his head sideways at that 6 point. That 6 point didnt want anything to do with that button buck, he actually ran outta that saddle. The button buck walked over and smelled my Franks doe n heat, and went on his way.
Finally, about an hour before dark, I see a deer down below me about 100 yards or so feeding on the green stuff and walking towards me. It was a buck, one of those deer that you cant really tell if he's a shooter or not. As he got closer I knew I wanted to take him. He was a nice 8, had about 12"G2's, and his G3's were close to 10" or so. But his G3's curved forward and went parallel with his main beams, he was unique, probably the only reason I wanted to take him (I guessed him in the upper 130's pushing 140). The way the deer was traveling I had one opening to shoot, and it was at 36 yards. He came into the opening and I tried to stop him right before he stepped in the opening. But, he took 2 steps, and it put some briars right in his vitals. So here I am, he's starting right at me (remember: olive on a toothpick), with briars right where I need to put my broadhead. So, I looked at everything, and the briars were less than 2 foot from him, and I figured if it would deflect, it couldnt be much being that its briars and only 2 foot from him. I let it fly, seen the briars move, and the deer 180'd and went down the hill beside me. As he went by, I could see blood coming from mid body high, and dead smack in the middle of his guts. He ran out to about 75 yards, and walked over the hill and outta sight. I gave it about 15 mins or so, and climbed down to find blood. Found the blood trail and marked it. I walked out and waited on my buddy to come out. We gave him some time, wasnt able to give him overnight.
We started the track job, and tracked it for about 400 yards or so and about the last 50 yards or so, blood was getting very scarce. We lost it! But that whole time, he never laid down once, you could see where he stood for couple mins 2 or 3 times, but he just quit bleeding. I hate wounding an animal, I would've felt better with a clean miss, but live and learn. Anywase, long story, but Monday was a blast to say the least. I ended up seeing 16 deer, and 12 different bucks (all young deer). Hopefully the older deer just havent hit their feet yet....We're heading back out together Friday.
