2009 Deer Hunt
Nov 9, 2009 19:19:20 GMT -5
Post by ET on Nov 9, 2009 19:19:20 GMT -5
It’s been one interesting year for the 1-week controlled hunt that only allows muzzle-loaders only in my area. It was a hard hunt that almost seemed hopeless at times for even seeing a deer never mind getting a shot at one. But before I get ahead of myself I should start at the beginning.
Where I hunt is about a 2-hour drive to my partner’s home who basically lives near the farm we hunt. The drive was uneventful through country terrain and really enjoyable just getting out of the city. About the last ½-hour of driving I began to have a closer look at my surroundings and noticed that almost all the cornfields were still up. Heck even a lot of bean fields were not harvested. I thought this is not good.
When I arrived at my hunting partner’s home he confirmed about the condition of corn and bean fields still being up. He agreed it was going to be tough hunting this year as we have ground blinds and tree stands in the hardwoods. But keep in my mind the rut was on.
Monday
Seen a lot of fresh tracks in our area but no deer movement.
Tuesday
While working my way down a hillside early morning to get to my pit blind dug into the side of a hill, two deer were spooked below and took flight. This was a buck and a doe. It was about 5-mins before legal shooting time when this occurred. The gulley I was working my way into had soft ground and when the doe took off I couldn’t hear her steps but the buck’s steps were like drum beats when he ran off. He was a big heavy boy and I blew a possible chance at him because I broke my own pattern that morning. Normally I arrive at the top of the hill just at legal shooting time and scan the area before making my descent. Today I was impatient to get to my location to be set up and ready for the days hunt. Live and learn.
Wednesday & Thursday & Friday
Crazy weather with different weather fronts moving through occurred. Rain, snow pellets, wet snow and sunshine just kept oscillating. Sitting in my sheltered pit blind and protected from the elements it was easy to spend most of the day out there. But still no sign of any deer. With 5 of the 7 allowable days for this muzzle-loading season now gone it was kind of looking bleak.
Saturday
After a lengthy discussion with my partner the night before we decided to try a drive at a small bush lot. Basically he sat at one end where known escape routes were and I did the hike through an adjacent cornfield with the wind blowing my scent towards the bush. When I reached the end of the bush I started a zigzagging drive back to my partner in hopes of getting any deer to move into his direction. When I finally met up with my partner he simply said NADA. Okay the morning was finito.
Okay, I just decided to go back to my old hillside haunt that afternoon and figured this would be my last day. Got to my blind at 3pm and settled in for the evening hunt. The afternoon warmed nicely and even the mosquitoes appeared out of nowhere taunting me a little. Then around 4pm I heard faint movement with rustling leaves off to my left coming towards me thinking this is it. Then they appeared 1, 2, 3 & 4 kids with fishing polls coming back up the creek that ran in front of me. I couldn’t believe this because no permission was given to anyone by the owner to fish the property. Well I felt the area was now compromised and all I was going to enjoy was a quiet evening before my trip home.
It was a beautiful evening with almost no wind and it was a basic time for some reflection on my life and past hunting seasons. For starters last year I didn’t even get a shot and thought this was going to happen again. Ah nuts.
The sun set at 5:08pm and enjoyed the shadow of darkness descending on the woods. Then at around 5:25 I again heard faint rustling of leaves and thought there was a lost kid or maybe the raccoons coming out. As it got louder I took a peek to my left and to my surprise saw a deer outline at 100yds approaching. Whoa, what’s happening here?
He kept working through the trees until he hit around the 65yd mark. There he froze for a minute thinking something’s wrong. At this point his chest was hidden behind a tree and me with the 10ML-II already half way up waiting for him to just take another step. Then he took that last step and without really thinking I finished putting the 10ML-II to my shoulder, moved the cross hairs to just behind his shoulder and let her rip.
Man he took off like someone put a hot poker to his butt and surprisingly didn’t jump the nearby creek. Instead he bolted across in front of me with a funny lean towards me, then did what looked like a wild 180 turn after 70yds and dropped like a stone. I thought, “Thank you LORD of not having to go home skunked again”.
As I approached my downed deer the first thing I noticed was his eyes were open (this is good sign) and looking further down to see if any signs of breathing or movement before putting my tag on a simple but healthy 6-point buck.
Here he is.
My load was 42.5gr-4759, (cannelured with a tool) 250SW, black Harvester sabot and Cheddite primer. Shot target at about 65yds.
The bullet actually clipped the leg breaking bone and then proceeded to hit the top of his heart and a chunk pierced a lung before going out the other side. This boy wasn’t going anywhere except home with me. ;D
Ed
Where I hunt is about a 2-hour drive to my partner’s home who basically lives near the farm we hunt. The drive was uneventful through country terrain and really enjoyable just getting out of the city. About the last ½-hour of driving I began to have a closer look at my surroundings and noticed that almost all the cornfields were still up. Heck even a lot of bean fields were not harvested. I thought this is not good.
When I arrived at my hunting partner’s home he confirmed about the condition of corn and bean fields still being up. He agreed it was going to be tough hunting this year as we have ground blinds and tree stands in the hardwoods. But keep in my mind the rut was on.
Monday
Seen a lot of fresh tracks in our area but no deer movement.
Tuesday
While working my way down a hillside early morning to get to my pit blind dug into the side of a hill, two deer were spooked below and took flight. This was a buck and a doe. It was about 5-mins before legal shooting time when this occurred. The gulley I was working my way into had soft ground and when the doe took off I couldn’t hear her steps but the buck’s steps were like drum beats when he ran off. He was a big heavy boy and I blew a possible chance at him because I broke my own pattern that morning. Normally I arrive at the top of the hill just at legal shooting time and scan the area before making my descent. Today I was impatient to get to my location to be set up and ready for the days hunt. Live and learn.
Wednesday & Thursday & Friday
Crazy weather with different weather fronts moving through occurred. Rain, snow pellets, wet snow and sunshine just kept oscillating. Sitting in my sheltered pit blind and protected from the elements it was easy to spend most of the day out there. But still no sign of any deer. With 5 of the 7 allowable days for this muzzle-loading season now gone it was kind of looking bleak.
Saturday
After a lengthy discussion with my partner the night before we decided to try a drive at a small bush lot. Basically he sat at one end where known escape routes were and I did the hike through an adjacent cornfield with the wind blowing my scent towards the bush. When I reached the end of the bush I started a zigzagging drive back to my partner in hopes of getting any deer to move into his direction. When I finally met up with my partner he simply said NADA. Okay the morning was finito.
Okay, I just decided to go back to my old hillside haunt that afternoon and figured this would be my last day. Got to my blind at 3pm and settled in for the evening hunt. The afternoon warmed nicely and even the mosquitoes appeared out of nowhere taunting me a little. Then around 4pm I heard faint movement with rustling leaves off to my left coming towards me thinking this is it. Then they appeared 1, 2, 3 & 4 kids with fishing polls coming back up the creek that ran in front of me. I couldn’t believe this because no permission was given to anyone by the owner to fish the property. Well I felt the area was now compromised and all I was going to enjoy was a quiet evening before my trip home.
It was a beautiful evening with almost no wind and it was a basic time for some reflection on my life and past hunting seasons. For starters last year I didn’t even get a shot and thought this was going to happen again. Ah nuts.
The sun set at 5:08pm and enjoyed the shadow of darkness descending on the woods. Then at around 5:25 I again heard faint rustling of leaves and thought there was a lost kid or maybe the raccoons coming out. As it got louder I took a peek to my left and to my surprise saw a deer outline at 100yds approaching. Whoa, what’s happening here?
He kept working through the trees until he hit around the 65yd mark. There he froze for a minute thinking something’s wrong. At this point his chest was hidden behind a tree and me with the 10ML-II already half way up waiting for him to just take another step. Then he took that last step and without really thinking I finished putting the 10ML-II to my shoulder, moved the cross hairs to just behind his shoulder and let her rip.
Man he took off like someone put a hot poker to his butt and surprisingly didn’t jump the nearby creek. Instead he bolted across in front of me with a funny lean towards me, then did what looked like a wild 180 turn after 70yds and dropped like a stone. I thought, “Thank you LORD of not having to go home skunked again”.
As I approached my downed deer the first thing I noticed was his eyes were open (this is good sign) and looking further down to see if any signs of breathing or movement before putting my tag on a simple but healthy 6-point buck.
Here he is.
My load was 42.5gr-4759, (cannelured with a tool) 250SW, black Harvester sabot and Cheddite primer. Shot target at about 65yds.
The bullet actually clipped the leg breaking bone and then proceeded to hit the top of his heart and a chunk pierced a lung before going out the other side. This boy wasn’t going anywhere except home with me. ;D
Ed
Though not intentionally. From our e-mails I did know you got the deer, but not the complete story. Very well written and congratulations on a successful season.
