Archery288's Whitetail Hunt Concluded

[archery288]

Well as some of you have been asking me how my whitetail hunt was going, it has come to and end...  It was another odd year without much snow but we managed to put it together.  The big bucks were limited this year as always, but we did manage to see a few but none presented the opportunity for a shot. 

So on the last day of the hunt a 3 pt I had seen several times walked out and that was the end of the story after a 15 yard chip shot!  He came sneaking in mid day (11:51 am) to be exact, looking for a doe or so he thought by all of my scent wicks hangin in the tree limbs...    Anyways, he came in and got a big wiff of one of the scent wicks, and headed right for another one presenting a quartered away shot.  Drawing back and settling in, I carefully placed my top pin on his heart inline with his offside leg and slowly squeezed the trigger.  Expecting him duck as the bow went off was a given, and the arrow hit mid body on his right side and exited his left side in the lower part of his front shoulder for a perfect shot in my book.  As he turned to run off I could see fletching on one side, and broadhead sticking out the other.  As quickly as that happened the faucets had opened and it was apparent following a blood trail would be pretty easy.  He ran about 50 yards and all went quiet... About 3 or so seconds went by and I heard a loud thump, I knew he was down. 

I waited 40 minutes and slowly climbed down out of my treestand and went to find my buck.  As I had thought he ran about 50 yards and had expired.  I propped him for pictures and went and climbed back in my treestand for the rest of the day as I had to wait for my dad to come and pick me up in the evening from his treestand.  The high was in the low 30's so I knew he would be fine sitting there for the next few hours.  Things got interesting then... 

A few hours went by and I had a few more deer come by and one big buck chasing a doe and it was enjoyable just to watch the deer.  I heard something sneaking by behind the stand at about 3:30 and I slowly turned around expecting to see a big buck looking for a doe.  Not believing what I was seeing I had to blink a few times... A cougar was sneaking by at about 40 yards and snuck down out of the clearing I was sitting in and disapeared a few minutes later...  Thinking it would be cool to call the cat back in and maybe get a shot at it I decided to make a few fawn bleats in hopes of calling him in... Well that was a mistake.. 

About 20 minutes went by and it was starting to get dark and all of a sudden it sounded like a tree behind me was falling down...  I quickly turn around, and the cat was climbing a tree behind me looking for a snack.  As I was moving for my bow he spotted me and the stare down began!  Looking for a hole to get a shot at him, I moved and my stand made a loud metal sounding pop and he sprung out of the tree and hit the ground and took off running down the direction I had to walk out..     I waited a few more minutes as it was getting dark, and finally got down out of the tree and proceeded to head out.  With the hair on my neck standing straight out, I don't think I have ever ran so fast in my life!! 

Waiting for my dad to come and pick me up, I began to get pretty nervous wondering where that cat was... So I took off walking down the road and went quite a little ways before he finally came down the road to pick me up only to find out he had shot a buck as well.  After swaping stories and telling my dad about the cat we figured we better get back in and get my deer before it became a snack!  We went back in and my deer was fine but to this moment I don't think I have ever had such an unsettling feeling about being in the woods...     Anyways, enjoy  a few pics of the hunt. 

[Bearhunter]

Nice looking buck Jon!  Pretty crazy encounter to bad you couldnt of killed the cat also, that would have been some story.  Didnt know Kelty was making camo packs looks like a decent pack.  How bout some pics of your dads buck.

[archery288]

They just came out with that pack not to long ago James..  It was a product Eastmans sent me to field test.  His is not a monster either but here ya go.

[Bearhunter]

Cant complain about them, a couple good looking bucks to say the least.  Congrats to you and you pops!

[WAPITIHUNTER]

Congratulations! That sounds like a great hunt. Nice buck.

I had a cougar encounter several years back and yes the hair goes straight on end. Glad he didn't get you or your deer.

[bowsandhose]

sweet  

[actionshooter]

Thats a hell of a story! Congrats on both bucks

[fc2038]

Thanks for the story and pics....

[Buckoholic]

Nice

[BENCHLEG]

NICE JOB JON .whats with the call another product or what? ANY WAY NICE THATS ALL I CAN SAY . j

[scoyoc5]

wow jon your defiantly having one helluva year man congrats on a nice buck and a great year....thanks for the stories too it's been cool keeping up with your hunts.

[archery288]

NICE JOB JON .whats with the call another product or what? ANY WAY NICE THATS ALL I CAN SAY . j

Yeah, it's called the Dialect.  It's a 4 in 1 call from Bugling Bull Game Calls.  It does everything from fawn bleats to tending grunts and challenge grunts etc.  It's been a great call so far!

[bucklucky]

Glad to see you guys pull off the double Jon! You didnt happen to save those capes did ya  Congrats on the bucks!!

[stickhunter]

What a story Jon, sound like you and your dad had a great hunt, another great year for you and your dad congrats. You defiantly put your time in driving back over there every week ,can't say enough about your dedication to the sport  keep it up.

[agchawk]

Great buck and great story! CONGRATS

[nw_bowhunter]

congrats..thanks for sharing

[No Bull]

 Jon, you didn't say how long you spent in the tree stand waiting for all the excitement. Too bad you didn't have your camera handy to take a picture of the cat, maybe the better picture would be a picture of yourself with the cat in sight. Did you ask your dad what happened to all his arrows?  No Bull!

[archery288]

We spent a total of 11 days in our stands this year..  We seen a ton of animals I couldn't even begin to count how many...  One interesting thing about the stand where I seen the cat, my dad sat in it a few days prior and had a WOLF - yes a jet black wolf walk by at 30 yards and also I had a coyote come trotting by..  We had seen wolf tracks in the snow there but thought we were seeing things until it walked out!!! Anyways, we seen an array of animals from that stand! 

As for his arrows... Funny story on this one...  He shot that buck and it ducked when he shot and he hit it in the spine.  The buck fell to the ground and was kicking around so he shot it a couple more times while it was flopping trying to put it out..  So he had arrows going everywhere in that deer!! 

[Wea300mag]

Excellent write-up and pics Jon. Congrats.

[Bookworm]

Boy, I can't wait to razz him about that the next time I see him at Ted's!

[archery288]

Boy, I can't wait to razz him about that the next time I see him at Ted's!

 

[elkaholic]

Awesome job! great looking Bucks.

[Roger]

Thanks for the story and photos. Good job.

I've had a couple of close cougar encounters over the years and it makes you wonder. 1 this last spring while turkey hunting, walked by me at 30 yards while I was sitting on the ground amongst some rocks.

[Basket Rack]

Congrats on your first whitetail buck, great pics of you and your dad's bucks.  Eleven days on stand shows your commitment to the hunt.

[Charlie]

Three or four weeks ago I was walking through the archery section at Cabelas. I heard a guy speaking in a loud voice so I went to see what was up. Turned out he was a hunting guide. I can't remember which states he guided in. I listened to him answer several questions from the audience but one answer really stuck with me. Someone asked, "Of all the people you guide, who are the most successful?" To myself I thought, "Those who prepare for the hunt (research, proper gear, physical conditioning) well in advance." The guide didn't hesitate and said "Women and Handicapped people." Someone said, "Really?" He said, "Absolutely!" He went on to say that these two groups were more successful because they were patient enough to stay on their stand until they harvested an animal. He went on to say that the remaining group of hunters would get board and want to move on before the stand could produce. Sounds like you and your dad are ahead of the game Jon. Congratulations to both of you!

[bowsandhose]

Three or four weeks ago I was walking through the archery section at Cabelas. I heard a guy speaking in a loud voice so I went to see what was up. Turned out he was a hunting guide. I can't remember which states he guided in. I listened to him answer several questions from the audience but one answer really stuck with me. Someone asked, "Of all the people you guide, who are the most successful?" To myself I thought, "Those who prepare for the hunt (research, proper gear, physical conditioning) well in advance." The guide didn't hesitate and said "Women and Handicapped people." Someone said, "Really?" He said, "Absolutely!" He went on to say that these two groups were more successful because they were patient enough to stay on their stand until they harvested an animal. He went on to say that the remaining group of hunters would get board and want to move on before the stand could produce. Sounds like you and your dad are ahead of the game Jon. Congratulations to both of you!

did you just call jon and his dad handicapped women 
JK buy the way

[scoyoc5]

did you just call jon and his dad handicapped women 
JK buy the way


thats funny right there.....lol

[archery288]

Man what kind of crap is that..... 

[Dmanmastertracker]

 Pretty cool series of pics.

[Charlie]

Noooo! I just said they were already one up on the women and handicapped by being patient. Wait a minute, let me rephrase that. I mean........ I stand on the 5th. I have no recelection of what you are talking about. LOL Seriously, Jon and his dad have learned to be patient and stick with their instinct and hard work until they harvest a nice animal. Many hunters simply get impatient and move on before the stand can produce.

[bowsandhose]

 

[Gobble]

Good Job! Nice Buck!

[archery288]

I got what you meant - I just had to give you some crap! 

[Charlie]

I hear ya Jon. Again, congratulations to you and your dad!

[NW-Eric]

nice going congrats on a great buck

[dreamingbig]

I waited a few more minutes as it was getting dark, and finally got down out of the tree and proceeded to head out.  With the hair on my neck standing straight out, I don't think I have ever ran so fast in my life!! 

I don't blame you!  I would have been doing the same thing except it would have been hard running backwards so that I could watch my back trail!

Congratulations on a great hunt and thank you for sharing.