Tag filled last night!

[bknilvr00]

Earlier this week, one of the forum's best and brightest decided we needed to get out and hunt. The plan was to pick up the diva around 3, and we would put some footwork in looking for deer or bear. I picked up H20hunter off the street corner, his usual haunt. We head out and get to the gate at around 4. The only real plan we had was that I wanted to check out a game trail I had a camera on a couple seasons ago. Once we bushwacked our way to the trail, we came upon what can only be called a game highway. It was far more than a trail. This thing was two steps away from having reflectors down the middle with a speed limit sign. These animals in this area are developing infrastructure. H20 put it best while we were looking around in amazement. "Screw trump for president, these guys in here have a plan."

Once we comfirmed the game trail and others were still intact and in use, we set off to wander aimlessly like stooges. Wasn't until almost 6 that we came up with another plan. There was a clearcut that was a couple years old, that I had seen deer moving through. We would go to the edge and hang out till close to dark, then hunt our way back to the truck. Once we got posted up, we didn't hear anything except the jays harrasing eachother. With maybe 30 minutes of shootable light left, we decided to start moseying back. We walked from our spot for maybe 5 minutes, before H20 told me to stop.

 I stopped dead in my tracks and proceeded to look further away for whatever he was seeing. I asked him where and he said RIGHT THERE. While it's currently up for debate, this deer was between 10-20 yards away from me. Slighty quartered away, blinking at me with those beady little eyes, sitting there like she's daring me to shoot. H20 is telling me to shoot her, while I'm mentally wrestling with wanting to move or not. I'm afraid she's gna bolt. I knock an arrow, draw, then turn. Still she just sits there. I rest the 20 pin behind her shoulder, and loose the arrow.

Given the angle she was at, the entry was a little back. But I knew without a doubt I got lung on the exit. She turned and dropped down the ledge she was standing on. We didn't hear her crashing off down the hill. We moved up to keep eyes on her, and we spotted her parralleling the road we were on. She was walking real slow, and kinda hunched up. She was hurting, but I didn't want her running to the bottom of this painfully large clearcut. I got up on a stump, ranged her at 30 yards and prepared to shoot her again. When I ranged her, I noticed a stick about 1/2 inch wide,  laying across what would be my shooting lane. I immediately knew I'd hit it, but my haste overroad my judgement, and I tried to sneak it through there anyway. I could not have hit that stick at 15 yards any better if i tried. My arrow hit it, and made an immediate 90 degree right turn and whizzed off to never be found again. The deer moved another 10 feet, clearing the goalie stick. I knocked another arrow and let it go. 30 yard poke and double lunged her. She put the afterburners on after that hit. She picked a down/side hill line and just trotted off as fast as she could manage. She made it another 50 yards and we lost sight of her.

After much deliberation in the oncoming darkness, we decided that we needs hands on animal, then we go get the cart. Took us maybe 15 minutes of NASTY brush busting before H20 found blood. And good blood it was. After locating blood, we found her in maybe 2 minutes. We took some quick pictures, and started the process. I hit liver and lung with my first shot, and my second was a double lung. Both through and throughs. The pack out was a nightmare. We had to gain over 100 verticle feet in maybe 60 yards across. It was steep, and it was THICK. My legs looks like my kid took a red sharpie to me. We tied the deer's front legs to one another and same on the rear. And one lift at a time, we busted our way up the hill. We managed to lose my machete, and break H20's prehistoric shooting sticks in the process. Once to the top, I had the pleasure of making the 20 minute walk back to the truck for the cart. I will be the first to say, it was not the most pleasent walk I have ever taken. I'm still getting used to being out in the woods out here compared to the midwest, so it was a mental excercise for sure.

She's currently hanging in the garage while I write this. Once I finish my coffee and move my sore, scratched, and bug bitten carcass out there, the real work begins. Will attach pics from my phone

[h20hunter]

A. You were gone much longer than 20 min each way. I knew you  were on the way  back  and close   due to the wimpering.

B. The shot was 10 or 12  yards.....she was  right there !

C. I was close to the street corner, not on it.

D. The haul up to the skid road was no less than 100 yards ,  felt like a half mile .

E. Your follow up shot on the stick was money! Sure glad your 2nd arrow to finish  her was just as good.

[hntrspud]

Congratulations on a nice looking doe! Good eats.

[fishnfur]

Congrats on the success. That's a nice big, mature doe   Great story too - are you going to let H20hunter get away with saying you were whimpering?   

[csaaphill]

nice and like the fun comments lol. Street corner now there's a meme

[h20hunter]

We were both  wimpering on and off. I ain't afraid to  admit it. Got a half back strap waiting for the grill as we  speak.

[csaaphill]

We were both  wimpering on and off. I ain't afraid to  admit it. Got a half back strap waiting for the grill as we  speak.

 

[djnoodle]

 Nice deer, some good shots, and the best part of all, great story of hunting with your friends.


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[h20hunter]

Backstrap perfection. After breaking her down i went home with half a strap . Trimmed off the silver skin, light rub and some olive oil. Seared and finished with indirect heat, then let it rest for 10 min. Sliced it up and it never made it to a plate. The fam just gathered round and ate. Perfect cut of meat.

[DaveMonti]

My mouth seriously started to water upon seeing that backstrap.  Just a few more weeks until my trip to Montana and I hope to be feasting on the same!

[Widgeondeke]

H20hunter is a good friend to have. 
One of these days I should ask for a tour of his haunts and maybe decide to hunt with my bow. 

Congrats on a good deer and some great eats. 

[csaaphill]

 

[D-Rock425]

Very nice work.

[h20hunter]

Drock ....that was downhill, one skid road  below  where game farm cam used to be.

[D-Rock425]

Nice I ran into him there a few weeks back bear hunting.  Coming home from a tough week of elk hunting not seeing many elk and the ones we did see weren't legal.  Heading back tomorrow for the rest of the season.