That bucks look 50% larger when they run into the field from a privet edge and bust does like a covey of quail in a mad chase…
I posted earlier that I had planned to take one of my kids hunting with me this afternoon, but they decided that they'd rather do a craft activity with their cousins this afternoon. I was bummed, but decided to go ahead and sit the field edge on a small parcel of private land that I had been saving to hunt with the kids. I didn't have much choice due to the time crunch of getting out of church, eating lunch with the fam, helping my dad to hook up his camper (he's had both shoulders operated on and is on a 5lb lifting capacity), and then getting my crap together. Got out there at a little after 3:30, busted a deer walking in, and cleared out my little makeshift ground blind in the weeds from last year to make enough room for my daughter and I at a later date.
A few minutes later I hear what I thought was chasing up on the ridge above the field, but it died down in short order. About half an hour or so later I hear what sounds like chasing again, then see a small (fawn) doe come crashing down the ridge towards the field that I was sitting on and inevitably stop in the privet thicket on the edge . I see another deer following it down more slowly, and it was bigger. Thinking at first that it was a buck, I swung my rifle around to my left to where I expected them to emerge at the field edge. When deer did come out it was a large doe and two fawns. I happily watched them, surprised that they were on the field so early.
I thought that I could hear more noise up on the ridge, and before too long could see a medium sized doe come trotting down the ridge, as well. I could hear something behind her, but its entry was delayed. She trotted on out towards the other dies on full alert, while I could hear the other deer taking a slightly different route to enter the field.
Suddenly a buck runs into the field towards the does, and they scatter and run all around. At first glance in his grand entrance he looks bigger than any buck that I've shot before . He begins to trot after the medium sized doe that entered the field after the others, and she bolts across in front of me towards my right at around 100yd. He follows at a trot, and as I swing around to follow I talk myself out of taking the moving shot, focusing on making a good shot and not looking at the antlers. Unfortunately they are headed towards the property boundary, so practicing this patience was difficult, but it paid off as the doe swung around and ran back past the buck. He stopped, turned away, then stood for a short second broadside at 100yd facing left. I put the crosshairs behind the shoulder and slowly squeezed, and then he bolted again just before the shot went off. I could tell that I had hit back slightly further than I wanted, but did not feel that it was a bad shot still. This was confirmed as the does bolted away and he chased them, but I could see blood pouring out if the exit wound towards the back of the rib cage.
But he didn't even acknowledge that he was shot, and he chased the does for another 150yd away from me on the field before suddenly just tipping over. As he ran away I chanced a look at his rack, and he looked as big as I had thought at first. I was shaking like a leaf. I could see him laying in the field over 200yd away, and his rack stood high above the grass in the little depression that he has fallen in. I experienced some ground shrinkage when I walked up to him, but I was not disappointed still. I enjoyed the experience, and he got me excited, so it was well worth it. I only wish that one of my kids could have gotten him or been there with me to experience it. Beautiful afternoon, God blessed me with a great buck, and I am very thankful.
I posted earlier that I had planned to take one of my kids hunting with me this afternoon, but they decided that they'd rather do a craft activity with their cousins this afternoon. I was bummed, but decided to go ahead and sit the field edge on a small parcel of private land that I had been saving to hunt with the kids. I didn't have much choice due to the time crunch of getting out of church, eating lunch with the fam, helping my dad to hook up his camper (he's had both shoulders operated on and is on a 5lb lifting capacity), and then getting my crap together. Got out there at a little after 3:30, busted a deer walking in, and cleared out my little makeshift ground blind in the weeds from last year to make enough room for my daughter and I at a later date.
A few minutes later I hear what I thought was chasing up on the ridge above the field, but it died down in short order. About half an hour or so later I hear what sounds like chasing again, then see a small (fawn) doe come crashing down the ridge towards the field that I was sitting on and inevitably stop in the privet thicket on the edge . I see another deer following it down more slowly, and it was bigger. Thinking at first that it was a buck, I swung my rifle around to my left to where I expected them to emerge at the field edge. When deer did come out it was a large doe and two fawns. I happily watched them, surprised that they were on the field so early.
I thought that I could hear more noise up on the ridge, and before too long could see a medium sized doe come trotting down the ridge, as well. I could hear something behind her, but its entry was delayed. She trotted on out towards the other dies on full alert, while I could hear the other deer taking a slightly different route to enter the field.
Suddenly a buck runs into the field towards the does, and they scatter and run all around. At first glance in his grand entrance he looks bigger than any buck that I've shot before . He begins to trot after the medium sized doe that entered the field after the others, and she bolts across in front of me towards my right at around 100yd. He follows at a trot, and as I swing around to follow I talk myself out of taking the moving shot, focusing on making a good shot and not looking at the antlers. Unfortunately they are headed towards the property boundary, so practicing this patience was difficult, but it paid off as the doe swung around and ran back past the buck. He stopped, turned away, then stood for a short second broadside at 100yd facing left. I put the crosshairs behind the shoulder and slowly squeezed, and then he bolted again just before the shot went off. I could tell that I had hit back slightly further than I wanted, but did not feel that it was a bad shot still. This was confirmed as the does bolted away and he chased them, but I could see blood pouring out if the exit wound towards the back of the rib cage.
But he didn't even acknowledge that he was shot, and he chased the does for another 150yd away from me on the field before suddenly just tipping over. As he ran away I chanced a look at his rack, and he looked as big as I had thought at first. I was shaking like a leaf. I could see him laying in the field over 200yd away, and his rack stood high above the grass in the little depression that he has fallen in. I experienced some ground shrinkage when I walked up to him, but I was not disappointed still. I enjoyed the experience, and he got me excited, so it was well worth it. I only wish that one of my kids could have gotten him or been there with me to experience it. Beautiful afternoon, God blessed me with a great buck, and I am very thankful.
