It has taken years. Countless beautiful mornings. Watching the forest come alive. Countless sunsets that have ended my time in the woods for that day. Only for me, as I get down from my stand. To start thinking about my next opportunity to hunt. It has taken more hunting days than I can remember to get respectable buck in bow range. But, it has finally happened for me.
I live in SRA, so I have been lucky to have been out twice so far. Saw deer going in, and coming out. But nothing while on stand. But on the state opening day. I had lady luck on my side. And my father with me as well. Which meant the world to me. I took the morning off for family time. Got the kids some pumpkins and finished some things around the house. I planned to meet up with dad to go hunting on opening day. We usually do this. And hunt most of archery together since we are the only ones in our family who archery hunt. A little back story on my hunting career. I hunted in my youth never getting a deer. Some seasons I would hunt some I didn’t. High school girlfriend occupied much of my time along with working. I went to college and gave it up for years. Then about 6 years ago, I picked it back up. I hunt every waking moment I can and hunt hard. So my father and I never got to harvest a deer together. That all changed Oct. 1st at 6:22 pm.
My father and I hunt his friend property, it is farmed every year with soy or corn and the field are rotated to rest. Well, where our two permanent stands are. Near a busy travel area. Nothing was planted. But on the other side of the property. They planted corn. I knew a great spot to put this stand. It was a little clearing next to the field. So three weeks ago, dad and I put this 20ft stand up and hoped for the best.
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At 4 I had finally gotten to the base of the stand and bumped out a doe. I got in without a sound due to the wet weather. So I was close when she saw me. But she got out of there quietly but quickly. So I wasn’t bummed about it. I got settled and ready. I was only in for about 20 minutes, when I first spotted a doe in the uncut cornfield sneaking around, then one behind me trying to make it into the field. I made a promise to myself. No doe during archery season. Why?? Who knows, I just wanted to wait for that buck. A few minutes later a peculiar buck came out.
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With main beams that were tall and curved as they should be. But had like ¼ or ½ inch tines. Would have been a nice 6 point if his tines would have grown out to match the rest of his growth. This guy kept looking back into the thicket while he was browsing the greenery and I knew there had to be other deer in there. Well he greeted a small doe that was sneaking around and they both went their separate ways. She went back into the woods and he went into the corn. However he would not stop looking behind him. I had that feeling……Only a few minutes past and I saw movement in the woods out of the corner of my right eye. Ear, head, rack,……legal,……yes…….grab bow,……..under 20 yards no range needed,….buck emerges from woods into a grassy opening. Time to draw the bow. He is a nice 8 point! He walks directly at me looks left then right then right up at me,….Oh no I think. I’m going to get busted. I see his tail flick,….he is going to go,…..He lowers his head and shows me his vitals. THWACK! The rage hypodermic glides right next to his spine cuts through a rib and slices the inside of both his lungs and he is off with a lighted knock sticking out of him. Tearing down the path next to the corn field. I of course was hoping for a pass through. I call dad, pack up, I need your help tracking!!! I just shot a nice buck. We start the track job in the rain after packing up and regrouping. We find first blood about 20 feet from the shot site. Then a little more under weed leafs that were not getting washed away. Blood was light and so we tracked by his heavy hoof marks in the soil from him running hard. They we lost track and blood. We fanned out attempting to find more sign. We go about another 50 yard in the direction he was running and my dad is next to me and stops. He says “What color is that lighted nock you were using? Green I say,…..He pulls me in front of him and points!!! Mind you it has been dark for at least 30 minutes! There it is! We slowly approach. The deer made a break for a row of huge pines. In an attempt to hide. The deer slammed into a pine branch and snapped a branch clean off. Including the arrow. But he can’t be far. Dad goes around the back of the tree as I go in. There he lays jammed under the longest pine branches I have ever seen. Totally hidden from view from the outside of the tree! We got him. I couldn’t believe it. I have been waiting for this moment for years. And I was finally able to share it with dad. Deer dressed out at 165lbs.
As I write this now I can still feel what it was like standing next to you when we found that deer. Complete and total Joy. Thanks Dad.
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I live in SRA, so I have been lucky to have been out twice so far. Saw deer going in, and coming out. But nothing while on stand. But on the state opening day. I had lady luck on my side. And my father with me as well. Which meant the world to me. I took the morning off for family time. Got the kids some pumpkins and finished some things around the house. I planned to meet up with dad to go hunting on opening day. We usually do this. And hunt most of archery together since we are the only ones in our family who archery hunt. A little back story on my hunting career. I hunted in my youth never getting a deer. Some seasons I would hunt some I didn’t. High school girlfriend occupied much of my time along with working. I went to college and gave it up for years. Then about 6 years ago, I picked it back up. I hunt every waking moment I can and hunt hard. So my father and I never got to harvest a deer together. That all changed Oct. 1st at 6:22 pm.
My father and I hunt his friend property, it is farmed every year with soy or corn and the field are rotated to rest. Well, where our two permanent stands are. Near a busy travel area. Nothing was planted. But on the other side of the property. They planted corn. I knew a great spot to put this stand. It was a little clearing next to the field. So three weeks ago, dad and I put this 20ft stand up and hoped for the best.
At 4 I had finally gotten to the base of the stand and bumped out a doe. I got in without a sound due to the wet weather. So I was close when she saw me. But she got out of there quietly but quickly. So I wasn’t bummed about it. I got settled and ready. I was only in for about 20 minutes, when I first spotted a doe in the uncut cornfield sneaking around, then one behind me trying to make it into the field. I made a promise to myself. No doe during archery season. Why?? Who knows, I just wanted to wait for that buck. A few minutes later a peculiar buck came out.
With main beams that were tall and curved as they should be. But had like ¼ or ½ inch tines. Would have been a nice 6 point if his tines would have grown out to match the rest of his growth. This guy kept looking back into the thicket while he was browsing the greenery and I knew there had to be other deer in there. Well he greeted a small doe that was sneaking around and they both went their separate ways. She went back into the woods and he went into the corn. However he would not stop looking behind him. I had that feeling……Only a few minutes past and I saw movement in the woods out of the corner of my right eye. Ear, head, rack,……legal,……yes…….grab bow,……..under 20 yards no range needed,….buck emerges from woods into a grassy opening. Time to draw the bow. He is a nice 8 point! He walks directly at me looks left then right then right up at me,….Oh no I think. I’m going to get busted. I see his tail flick,….he is going to go,…..He lowers his head and shows me his vitals. THWACK! The rage hypodermic glides right next to his spine cuts through a rib and slices the inside of both his lungs and he is off with a lighted knock sticking out of him. Tearing down the path next to the corn field. I of course was hoping for a pass through. I call dad, pack up, I need your help tracking!!! I just shot a nice buck. We start the track job in the rain after packing up and regrouping. We find first blood about 20 feet from the shot site. Then a little more under weed leafs that were not getting washed away. Blood was light and so we tracked by his heavy hoof marks in the soil from him running hard. They we lost track and blood. We fanned out attempting to find more sign. We go about another 50 yard in the direction he was running and my dad is next to me and stops. He says “What color is that lighted nock you were using? Green I say,…..He pulls me in front of him and points!!! Mind you it has been dark for at least 30 minutes! There it is! We slowly approach. The deer made a break for a row of huge pines. In an attempt to hide. The deer slammed into a pine branch and snapped a branch clean off. Including the arrow. But he can’t be far. Dad goes around the back of the tree as I go in. There he lays jammed under the longest pine branches I have ever seen. Totally hidden from view from the outside of the tree! We got him. I couldn’t believe it. I have been waiting for this moment for years. And I was finally able to share it with dad. Deer dressed out at 165lbs.
As I write this now I can still feel what it was like standing next to you when we found that deer. Complete and total Joy. Thanks Dad.
