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Post by Dutch on Nov 10, 2018 20:22:41 GMT -5
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Post by Dutch on Nov 10, 2018 20:23:51 GMT -5
Guess that didn't work out
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Post by acorn20 on Nov 10, 2018 21:55:08 GMT -5
Well that was just plain brutal out there today. Did see lots of movement though. Unfortunately, it was mostly the oak treetops around me! Saw about 12 deer including a piebald doe and a six point. I think this was the first time I ever used a wind tester before I took a pee.
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Post by davet on Nov 12, 2018 10:53:44 GMT -5
Goin out this afternoon and see what I can see.
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Post by bushmaster on Nov 12, 2018 13:45:35 GMT -5
My archery season is all but a memoey. Hunted until 11:00 am. Saw a doe around 7:30 that was it. Lots of rain, high winds, and no shots is how I'll remember it.
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Post by ridgecommander on Nov 12, 2018 18:08:06 GMT -5
I hung in there till the bitter end. Hunted mostly all day from the 2nd till sunset tonight on several different properties. Don't have much to show for my efforts. Passed one mediocre 8 point up this past Saturday at 15 yards. Did not see many deer or rutting action. This was my slowest November ever in the archery stand.
I might have a sit or two left in the SRA before firearms comes in, though.
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Post by davet on Nov 12, 2018 21:07:16 GMT -5
Well fellows.....I kept true to my commitment this year and decided to only go for wall hangers. And.....today, the last day of archery.....the angels were on my side!! A very symmetrical 10 point!! Largest rack I've ever shot.
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Post by timberdoodle on Nov 12, 2018 22:06:06 GMT -5
very nice buck! congratulations!!
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Post by turkeykiller on Nov 13, 2018 3:43:20 GMT -5
Congrats Dave! Great buck!
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Post by Deleted on Nov 13, 2018 4:11:02 GMT -5
Nice buck Dave!
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Post by Deleted on Nov 13, 2018 5:08:00 GMT -5
Never give up! Congrats, Dave.
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Post by bushmaster on Nov 13, 2018 5:33:36 GMT -5
Congrats Dave
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Post by Deleted on Nov 13, 2018 6:55:13 GMT -5
Ya dun good, congrats, Dave.
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Post by rem700 on Nov 13, 2018 7:37:48 GMT -5
Congrats Dave nice buck!!
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Post by ridgecommander on Nov 13, 2018 8:14:55 GMT -5
Way to go on the fine buck. Taking it down to the wire and scoring makes it that much more sweeter!
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Post by fleroo on Nov 13, 2018 8:36:00 GMT -5
Nice Buck, questionable picture of it.
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Post by dougell on Nov 13, 2018 8:54:47 GMT -5
Yep.Fantastic buck but the picture sucks.Way to go Dave.
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Post by 3212 on Nov 13, 2018 10:16:26 GMT -5
Yay Dave.Was it in the 100 acre wood?
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Post by Deleted on Nov 13, 2018 11:25:54 GMT -5
Yep.Fantastic buck but the picture sucks.Way to go Dave. Hey, at least this one is in focus, right?
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Post by dougell on Nov 13, 2018 12:11:54 GMT -5
It sure is but I'm also assuming Dave didn't take it himself.
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Post by davet on Nov 13, 2018 14:47:16 GMT -5
Yay Dave.Was it in the 100 acre wood? Yes.....it was in the 100-acre wood!! I didn't sleep well on Sunday night so I left my house and arrived at 'hundred acre wood about 1:30. I know this time of year the bucks usually are cruising 24/7 so early AM or late PM isn't a requirement. I got my "stuff" loaded on the cart, crossbow, X-tra coat, drag rope, swivel seat (with cushion of course)....you know...."stuff." So, I get my stuff on the cart, of course after winching the cart off the truck, and decide to go to one of three spots that I like. So, I begin to drive over to the properties "road in" (which the owner is building a new road in, and he has BIG (like 25' to 35' high) piles of topsoil.......when... I look across this field and where the woodline meets the field....about 200 yards away, I see this buck just come walking out!! So, I stop the cart and watch him. The buck had his nose to the ground, then he stopped, looked up....looked straight ahead (to my left), then looked away from me, then looked right in my direction. Now, I didn't move ...and my cart's front was pointed directly at him. He stared for about ten seconds, and determined I was no threat. So, he takes a few steps forward again and that's when I hit the grunt tube. His head shot up and looked right in my direction! I hit the tube for one more grunt tone, and this buck stared to come directly at me!! Now, he had moved to my left....thus putting the mound of dirt in between he and I. I knew he was coming .....even though I could not see him. If he would have gone back, or to my left or right I had a clear view...if that had occurred. But it didn't. So, thinking (I do that on occasion) I grabbed my rangefinder and quickly got the distance from me to the edge of the dirt mound. 35 yards on each side. (Yeah....I actually remained calm and thought to get a sound distance measurement.) So.....I'm sitting on the cart, and during this time he was coming I did the range thing, then reached back and got my crossbow, and inserted an arrow (bolt?) into it, and flicked off the trigger safety. And now I'm just waiting. I have the crossbow in a solid hold as I'm resting my left arm on the steering wheel. But now I'm thinking "which side of this dirt pile is he gonna pop out of?" I said....to my right....no ....to my left. So, I just held the crossbow in the middle. (An easy 6" move left or right....whichever way he would hopefully come.) It likely only took him all of 90-120 seconds to come across that field....but it seemed like forever! Then he just steps out from behind the dirt pile to my right....and is quartering more to me....and he is in full view!! I figure he's at 35 yards so I put the 30yd pin on him. held it a little high (Thank goodness I did that) and pulled the trigger. THWACK!! And he turns and begins to run back to the corner where he stepped out of. I notice in his running his tail was down, and he never once went into the leap\bound mode. He was running as fast as he could....and appeared to be almost stumbling to his knees as he was running. He made it to a small rise that is about 20 yards from the woodline. He then appears to fall. I see his rack going from left to right, then his tail and leg show as if he was rolling. Hard to see as I didn't have my bino's on him yet. So, I grab my binoculars and just begin to watch. His rack was moving a little .....then all was still. I sat there for a good 20 minutes watching half of that rack straining to see if it had any movement. Then......then....that buck just stands up and disappears over that small mound towards the woodline! What!!! NOOOOOOOO!! So, now I'm thinking what to do. I wait another 15 minutes or so and decide to very slowly....and on the smoothest part of the field, drive over to get closer. I could not walk that distance with the high field grass. So, I get the cart about 40 yards from the mound. Then I sling my crossbow over my shoulder.....grab my walking stick and slowly move my way over to where I would believe he was. And.....there he was! He was down, laying like a dog in front of a fireplace, tail towards me, head away. But, he was still alive as I could see him breathing and it was very labored breathing. I got to about 20 yards from him....he was still labored in his breathing and had not moved his head. So, I just sat down and figured I'd wait him out. He....of course, had other plans. Now, when I sat down I took my crossbow and held it in a position where I could raise it quickly, remove the safety and shoot if I could. I'm sitting there for a good ten minutes or so.....and he decides to attempt to stand up. Now, I did have a "decent" trail of blood across that 200 yard field. So the blood, along with his actions told me it was going to be.....or should be a fatal hit. Time was what I needed.....just wait. But with him attempting to get up, I got nervous....and I aimed to attempt to put one in his lung(s). The bolt hit him just a tad high.....but enough to get one lung. However......that hit was also enough to provide him with an adrenaline boost....and now he does stand up, looks back at me, lets out a SNORT, and begins to go down into the steep "bowl" part into the woods. Much to steep for me. I wait and listen.....and I can hear him moving in the leaves...he's not far, maybe 25 yards or so (it's thick here).....then I hear CRASH!!! Then silent. I can't see anything from here, so I drive around to the left part of this "bowl"....get out my bino's and there he was. He apparently was going down a narrow path when he expired, and fell about 20 feet down to leaves....dirt...and BIG rocks. I could only see half of his rack, but he was on his side and no further movement. Then my thoughts turn to....did he bust off half that rack when he fell? Then I re-thought and was thankful he was down....and I'd get some kind of glue if that rack was broken. (It wasn't) Now, I probably could have retrieved him......but it would take a valiant effort on my part. So, I just called the property owner who happen to be at the other side installing a new lower hundred acre wood entrance gate. He had a young high school age kid with him helping. In 20 minutes, they came up, the young man went into the "bowl" and dragged the buck maybe 30 feet to be able to wrap the winch onto him, and I pulled him out. (Of course, I gave the lad my filed out tag to tie before he moved him) Got him out.....loaded in the back of the cart.....and the rest.....is history!!! But I will say there were more than a few moments where I thought I wasn't going to retrieve this prize!! As it turned out my first shot cut a slice into the bucks heart. Bleeding was occurring but as we all know.......deer are tough to kill if the shot doesn't stop blood flow. The second shot expedited his final moments.....but I was fortunate he didn't have the energy to make it into the woefully steeper.... and thicker part of the "bowl." That's the story!!
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Post by Dutch on Nov 13, 2018 15:23:02 GMT -5
And a GREAT story!
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Post by dougell on Nov 13, 2018 16:11:58 GMT -5
Made my day Dave.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 13, 2018 16:12:19 GMT -5
Yep. A great one for sure. +1
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Post by turkeykiller on Nov 13, 2018 16:14:53 GMT -5
Quite a story Dave!
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