Can't believe I haven't started this yet. Abbreviated version starting now:
I have put 31.5hrs into deer hunting this season. Numerous more if the road scouting and summer prep work is included. Actual hunting 31.5hrs. I have seen 18 deer.
Honestly been a slow start. Have had some excitement at moments, but many hunts with no deer seen. Last Friday I finally got a shot on a mature doe. Hunting from a ground blind, I did not get the shot I desired. Not sure if the shoot thru mesh deflected the shot, a tree limb deflected it, or if I simply made a bad shot. Short version of the story is I bumped her 4 times. Once alone at which point I backed out. 3 times were with Hank working the blood trail. I finished her with a second arrow after a 1/2 mile tracking job. I am not proud of the shot but I am as proud of the hunt as if I had shot a B&C buck. To continue pushing her and opening up the wound/tire her out was not my plan but my options were limited. I had to be on the road at 5pm for a soccer game in Wauseon for our son. The following day would be an out of town tournament. She would have gone to waste. I owed it to the animal to finish her rather than let her suffer. It was very rewarding to complete the job.
Tonight was also slow. Then in the last 30 min things got exciting. There was a lone doe hanging out. She disappeared and two bucks made their way across the field. They pushed each other around a bit, but the larger buck appeared to be annoyed more than anything. Eventually, they moved into the woods where I listened to the larger buck thrash trees the last 10min of shooting light. The smaller buck worked inside the wood line toward me and popped out into the corn. He offered a 28yd broadside shot which I passed. The bigger buck never showed himself again. Attached is a video of part of this show. Given my limited time in the woods, I believe I would have shot the larger buck. He is not a monster, but he is a solid deer. I am guessing mid to upper 130's. He appears to be plenty mature for me. Looked like he has a lot of burger on those hooves. I was hunting a woods I cut my teeth in. For nostalgic reasons, I think I would have killed him given the chance. I am not running cameras here. Just going old school and will decide to shoot or not shoot when/if the moment arrives.
[video=youtube_share;GBV-PVP4ppw]http://youtu.be/GBV-PVP4ppw[/video]
I have put 31.5hrs into deer hunting this season. Numerous more if the road scouting and summer prep work is included. Actual hunting 31.5hrs. I have seen 18 deer.
Honestly been a slow start. Have had some excitement at moments, but many hunts with no deer seen. Last Friday I finally got a shot on a mature doe. Hunting from a ground blind, I did not get the shot I desired. Not sure if the shoot thru mesh deflected the shot, a tree limb deflected it, or if I simply made a bad shot. Short version of the story is I bumped her 4 times. Once alone at which point I backed out. 3 times were with Hank working the blood trail. I finished her with a second arrow after a 1/2 mile tracking job. I am not proud of the shot but I am as proud of the hunt as if I had shot a B&C buck. To continue pushing her and opening up the wound/tire her out was not my plan but my options were limited. I had to be on the road at 5pm for a soccer game in Wauseon for our son. The following day would be an out of town tournament. She would have gone to waste. I owed it to the animal to finish her rather than let her suffer. It was very rewarding to complete the job.
Tonight was also slow. Then in the last 30 min things got exciting. There was a lone doe hanging out. She disappeared and two bucks made their way across the field. They pushed each other around a bit, but the larger buck appeared to be annoyed more than anything. Eventually, they moved into the woods where I listened to the larger buck thrash trees the last 10min of shooting light. The smaller buck worked inside the wood line toward me and popped out into the corn. He offered a 28yd broadside shot which I passed. The bigger buck never showed himself again. Attached is a video of part of this show. Given my limited time in the woods, I believe I would have shot the larger buck. He is not a monster, but he is a solid deer. I am guessing mid to upper 130's. He appears to be plenty mature for me. Looked like he has a lot of burger on those hooves. I was hunting a woods I cut my teeth in. For nostalgic reasons, I think I would have killed him given the chance. I am not running cameras here. Just going old school and will decide to shoot or not shoot when/if the moment arrives.
[video=youtube_share;GBV-PVP4ppw]http://youtu.be/GBV-PVP4ppw[/video]