Welcome to TheOhioOutdoors
Wanting to join the rest of our members? Login or sign up today!
Login / Join

Really cold weather Doe

Joel

Senior Member
3,049
113
Centerburg, Ohio
Today was pretty cold to say the least. I started off this morning by going to my hunting area and parking about 1/8 mile from the woods. As hard as it was to get up and out of bed in this weather, I had been chasing a particular buck and was hoping to get a shot at him. So I sat in my truck thinking about the trail cam pictures and knowing I might see him if I get out and walk to the woods.

Eventually I forced myself out of the truck and started the long quiet walk to the woods. Wow. It was cold. I was completely covered except for my around my eyes and the wind was making my eyes water and then the tears were freezing to my face. I stood on the edge of the woods waiting for the sun to come up so I could see if my buck was making his way back to his bedding area. A half hour of that and I was getting really cold. I didn't see any movement and figured he was already bedded down for the day so I walked back to the truck. That was all I had planned for the morning hunt.

I wanted to go back and sit in my blind for the last three hours of daylight that evening but I was having a really hard time convincing myself it was a good idea. I had a feeling I needed to move my blind or hang a stand or get more info on this buck and on and on but it's getting late in the season so I decided to try it.

At 2:30 I was in my ground blind wondering what in the world I was thinking. I had 4 layers on, a propane heater running and I was still cold. The cold air was going right through that blind and the heater was helping but it wasn't exactly making it warm in there. I started thinking about that buck and looking around and determined I really needed to adjust my plan if I was going to kill him this year.

I made the decision around 3:30 that if I saw a decent doe or even a smaller buck that was a shooter I was going to take it. I was of course hoping my buck would show up but knew it wasn't likely and I needed a plan for him anyway. Besides that, we needed more deer meat in the freezer.

Shortly after making my mind up on all that I said a short prayer as I do a lot, especially while sitting quietly in the woods. As soon as I looked up from my prayer I heard movement. I looked around and saw three white tails in the distance maybe 200 yards away. I grabbed my gun and by the time I had the safety off, three does were trotting by directly in front of me about 60 yards out on the edge of the field I was watching. I put the crosshairs on the biggest one and said "meh". Nothing. I yelled it, "MEH" and the one I was holding on slowed down so I fired. She was about 75-80 yards out and dropped, got back up and dropped again.

I could see her laying there so I got out of the blind and walked up to her slowly. She got up again so I stopped. She dropped again and that was it. By the time I walked the 100 yards or so to where she was then I was about frozen. I went back to my blind and tried to get warm by the heater but it wasn't cutting it. I just about jogged back to my truck to get some blood flowing and had a hard time getting my frozen door open without breaking off my only key.

When I finally started my truck my mirror said -5 degrees. With the wind I think it was about -25 or colder and that by itself was an experience. I snapped a couple pictures for the memories and got the heck out of there with my now partially frozen deer in the back of the truck and a big smile on my face. While it may just be a regular doe, that was about the wildest hunt I have ever been on and I will never forget it.

I learned something about dragging deer uphill, shooting through a "shoot through screen" with a muzzleloader and cold ass weather today too but those are all different stories.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0002.JPG
    IMG_0002.JPG
    121 KB · Views: 145
  • IMG_0250.JPG
    IMG_0250.JPG
    163 KB · Views: 137
Last edited:

teej89

Senior Member
2,288
48
NE PA
Congrats! And please don't tell me the mesh caught on fire lol cuz I could definitely see that happening. And you're telling me it took me forever to get my doe out yesterday and uphill with just enough slushy snow to make it slick as ice.
 

CJD3

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
14,630
201
NE Ohio
Congratulations Joel on a fine doe. I know that she is one hunt you won't soon forget!
I enjoyed the story. Thanks for taking the time to post it.
 

MK111

"Happy Hunting Grounds in the Sky"
Supporting Member
6,551
66
SW Ohio
No, it didn't catch on fire. rotflmao

Congrats on a cold weather doe. But I'll say the muzzle was a little too close to the mesh. But the doe is down.

I looked at you doe picture twice but did anyone notice it has no back legs? No wonder it kept falling. Just kidding.
 
Last edited:

Joel

Senior Member
3,049
113
Centerburg, Ohio
Thanks guys. I have even more respect for these animals now thinking about them surviving in this weather. That doe will top off the freezer nicely and everyone in my house likes deer meat so it will all get used.

I had the muzzle way too close to the screen apparently but I was against the back wall in the center so that's all I had to work with. I planned on shooting a crossbow with fixed blade broad heads when I bought it. Next time I'll buy a bigger blind, but this is nothing a little duct tape can't fix!