Vince
Well-Known Member
Got #2 today. Was quite a big mama doe. Good way to end the year. Thank you Lord.
I settled in the shooting house only at 3.15pm. Had throat irritation and so was half-minded if I should go hunting today. It's just few more days in the season, so I just went even though I had very little hunting time left for the day. Not sure how many cough drops I had today and still coughed out loud few times. Didn't see any white tail bolt though. Lol.
Usually 4.30pm is the absolute latest I stay in the shooting house. Today I stayed two more minutes. Didn't see a thing, so put my jacket back on and put my right hand through orange vest. Turned to the left to put left hand thru the vest and there stand two does staring at me. I wait until they put their head down. Got my rifle then and looked through scope if I can put cross hair on any one but they are going away. Too many trees in between. But then see the mama doe in front of them, looking towards shooting house but can see only head, rest is behind the tree. Held rifle still until she put her head down. I just look at my left side again and see many does are walking out. Mama doe seems to be leading every others right into my open space. At the first opportunity for a shot, I put crosshairs on her and squeeze the trigger. She is down where she stood. Four does run towards my right side and three towards left. The ones on left I can see clearly and are in open lane but had stepped out to just over the property boundary to the other side. Out of the four on the right, I can see two white tails (didn't want to shoot through their a&&) and one standing sideways - they were on my side of the property. Put my crosshairs on the doe standing sideways and squeeze the trigger. Just a click and nothing. Pulled the bolt and no round inside. Ugh. I had reloaded quickly after my first shot while the rest of deer spread and ran. I reloaded and unloaded to eject one round to be sure, and then reloaded again. By this time, the one standing sideways on the right moves further away making it hard to shoot, so I let it go. The three does on left side were still standing there. I Opened the door of shooting house and all of them bolt. Light was going to fade away in another 20-30 minutes. Get to car, got sled and dragged her back to car. I was worn out.
I had distributed the meat of #1 to friends. For #2, I decided to keep some for self and give some away to friends. Gutted, skinned and butchered and done by 9pm. I am ready to sleep like a baby..
I think my season of hunting hard for deer is done for this year. I may go only for upcoming juvi in Jan or May be, if I have too much time next weekend.
I wish all of you and family a fantastic, healthy and successful 2023! Cheers!
I settled in the shooting house only at 3.15pm. Had throat irritation and so was half-minded if I should go hunting today. It's just few more days in the season, so I just went even though I had very little hunting time left for the day. Not sure how many cough drops I had today and still coughed out loud few times. Didn't see any white tail bolt though. Lol.
Usually 4.30pm is the absolute latest I stay in the shooting house. Today I stayed two more minutes. Didn't see a thing, so put my jacket back on and put my right hand through orange vest. Turned to the left to put left hand thru the vest and there stand two does staring at me. I wait until they put their head down. Got my rifle then and looked through scope if I can put cross hair on any one but they are going away. Too many trees in between. But then see the mama doe in front of them, looking towards shooting house but can see only head, rest is behind the tree. Held rifle still until she put her head down. I just look at my left side again and see many does are walking out. Mama doe seems to be leading every others right into my open space. At the first opportunity for a shot, I put crosshairs on her and squeeze the trigger. She is down where she stood. Four does run towards my right side and three towards left. The ones on left I can see clearly and are in open lane but had stepped out to just over the property boundary to the other side. Out of the four on the right, I can see two white tails (didn't want to shoot through their a&&) and one standing sideways - they were on my side of the property. Put my crosshairs on the doe standing sideways and squeeze the trigger. Just a click and nothing. Pulled the bolt and no round inside. Ugh. I had reloaded quickly after my first shot while the rest of deer spread and ran. I reloaded and unloaded to eject one round to be sure, and then reloaded again. By this time, the one standing sideways on the right moves further away making it hard to shoot, so I let it go. The three does on left side were still standing there. I Opened the door of shooting house and all of them bolt. Light was going to fade away in another 20-30 minutes. Get to car, got sled and dragged her back to car. I was worn out.
I had distributed the meat of #1 to friends. For #2, I decided to keep some for self and give some away to friends. Gutted, skinned and butchered and done by 9pm. I am ready to sleep like a baby..
I think my season of hunting hard for deer is done for this year. I may go only for upcoming juvi in Jan or May be, if I have too much time next weekend.
I wish all of you and family a fantastic, healthy and successful 2023! Cheers!
