Toke2
10-03-2013, 11:39 AM
Sunday - took my first deer. This is my fifth year hunting. Started with gun, and once I realized I was hooked I moved to crossbow, and compound. I've had my share of heartbreak in these years... Day one- year one had a doe pushed to me by a fellow camp mate's drive - and my muzzle loader misfired - cap didn't ignite! She was 20 yds and broad side. I think she snickered at me as she ran off after my "click". Had deer run right to me on first ever day hunting and turn broadside! I thought this hunting thing is going to "easy" right? Not so. Two years later put what I thought was great shot on a decent 8pt. with my crossbow, out of a ground blind. But despite two days of tracking - we never recovered him. Still sick about it.
So, Sunday... Stand is on a hillside, halfway between a big ridge and a large lake. Doe came trotting down the ridge splitting my and one of buddies, right in the middle of us, but out of range for both. I watched her circle behind my stand and go into a thick section. Couldn't see her anymore, but did not see her come out the other side ( where the third guy in camp would have had chance at her). So, pretty much stood backwards in my stand waiting for her to come out. An hour later she did. I stopped her at 27 yds, and put what I though was a good shot on her. She ran straight and "snow-plowed" which I now know is not a good sign. She got back up and ran off. I waited about 45 mins then got out of my climber, and found the arrow. Good blood from tip to fletchings. I figured a textbook pass-through shot. I couldn't resist, and decided to try to follow the blood trail. I saw that she went toward the water instead of up the ridge which was what I wanted. Turns out she was only 60 yds from my stand I kicked her up. She jumped up and ran about 20yds on her hind legs. Didn't like that, but still thought I made a good shot. I knew she was wounded pretty bad, so I decided to back out and went back to camp where we decided to eat lunch and then the three of us would go in and look for her. My buddies ( both more experienced than me) were sure she would be dead once they saw the arrow and knew there was decent blood trail. I wasn't so sure. With arrow knocked, we went back and found her right where I saw her last. She went up on her hind legs again, and we could see her front left shoulder was bad. So I missed to the left and hit her shoulder/upper leg. She went into the edge of the water and laid down. I got to about 15 yds and tried to get a good vital shot to put her down. Hit a branch and missed completely. My buddy pointed out that she was actually a he - button buck. Next thing I know he starts swimming... ON THREE LEGS!!! As he swam away... it was obvious this deer was going to try to swim to the other side of the lake. All three of us knew he would never make it. That sick feeling slid over me as watched this little head go further and further. This is no Small lake. It was about 1,200 yards to the other bank. I told them, this is unbelievable, I'm going to lose the second deer I've shot. And he's going to Drown! But, he kept going.....and going..... and unbelievably made it to the other shore. This guy was the Michael Phelps of the deer world. We could barely see him but we knew he made it. This isn't a lake you can walk around, so we discussed options. My Aunt has a pontoon boat, so we left one guy there on the shore, to watch and see if the deer sunk, while myself and my other buddy went back to the cabin and got the boat stuff ready. Boat key, rope, bow, tarp, and yes Swim trunks ( not camo either). We were exhausted from running around the woods, but I was not going to let this deer suffer for a week or longer. I felt I owed it to this little fighter to do what ever it took to put him down as soon as possible. Got to the boat, it wouldn't start. Had a husband and wife come by our dock in a boat - I'm sure they thought we were trying to steal the boat. We had it only partially uncovered and were in full camo with faces painted and they could see we were flustered. We explained what was going on and asked them if they saw a hunter down the left bank - to let him know we were still trying to get the boat started. Thirty mins later, and after a brief thought of just giving up, we finally fired it up and pushed off! On our way to pick up our third guy... here come the husband and wife's boat. Our buddy was on it! They picked him up and went over and confirmed the deer was on the bank, still alive. Now, we had to do a mid water...Navy Seal style, deer hunter water transfer. Nobody fell in. We thanked the couple and "set sail". We found him, half in and half out of the water. I jumped off, but not too close. We discussed what to do, and agreed, that I had to try a neck shot. It was our only hope. Vitals were not exposed and we were afraid he would try to run again. I missed with my first arrow, but put the second one through the neck. It was clearly a kill shot. The problem was now we had to watch him bleed out. it wan't pretty, but I kept telling myself it was the right thing to do. He ended up back in the water and I got back on the boat. I was ready to jump in if/when started to sink. As it turned out, when he expired he floated, and we were able to get a rope around him. As my one friend said while filming this craziness with his camera phone.... "...I have never been on a hunting trip that turned into a fishing trip!!..." Most people feel good about getting a deer in the truck.... I felt blessed to get one in the BOAT! I paid my respects to this little guy... a true fighter. I didn't like how it all went down, but I feel like we did everything in our power to harvest the wounded deer, who was far from a trophy. Not to mention, the three of us agreed, this will be a hunting/fishing story that none of us will ever forget!
So, Sunday... Stand is on a hillside, halfway between a big ridge and a large lake. Doe came trotting down the ridge splitting my and one of buddies, right in the middle of us, but out of range for both. I watched her circle behind my stand and go into a thick section. Couldn't see her anymore, but did not see her come out the other side ( where the third guy in camp would have had chance at her). So, pretty much stood backwards in my stand waiting for her to come out. An hour later she did. I stopped her at 27 yds, and put what I though was a good shot on her. She ran straight and "snow-plowed" which I now know is not a good sign. She got back up and ran off. I waited about 45 mins then got out of my climber, and found the arrow. Good blood from tip to fletchings. I figured a textbook pass-through shot. I couldn't resist, and decided to try to follow the blood trail. I saw that she went toward the water instead of up the ridge which was what I wanted. Turns out she was only 60 yds from my stand I kicked her up. She jumped up and ran about 20yds on her hind legs. Didn't like that, but still thought I made a good shot. I knew she was wounded pretty bad, so I decided to back out and went back to camp where we decided to eat lunch and then the three of us would go in and look for her. My buddies ( both more experienced than me) were sure she would be dead once they saw the arrow and knew there was decent blood trail. I wasn't so sure. With arrow knocked, we went back and found her right where I saw her last. She went up on her hind legs again, and we could see her front left shoulder was bad. So I missed to the left and hit her shoulder/upper leg. She went into the edge of the water and laid down. I got to about 15 yds and tried to get a good vital shot to put her down. Hit a branch and missed completely. My buddy pointed out that she was actually a he - button buck. Next thing I know he starts swimming... ON THREE LEGS!!! As he swam away... it was obvious this deer was going to try to swim to the other side of the lake. All three of us knew he would never make it. That sick feeling slid over me as watched this little head go further and further. This is no Small lake. It was about 1,200 yards to the other bank. I told them, this is unbelievable, I'm going to lose the second deer I've shot. And he's going to Drown! But, he kept going.....and going..... and unbelievably made it to the other shore. This guy was the Michael Phelps of the deer world. We could barely see him but we knew he made it. This isn't a lake you can walk around, so we discussed options. My Aunt has a pontoon boat, so we left one guy there on the shore, to watch and see if the deer sunk, while myself and my other buddy went back to the cabin and got the boat stuff ready. Boat key, rope, bow, tarp, and yes Swim trunks ( not camo either). We were exhausted from running around the woods, but I was not going to let this deer suffer for a week or longer. I felt I owed it to this little fighter to do what ever it took to put him down as soon as possible. Got to the boat, it wouldn't start. Had a husband and wife come by our dock in a boat - I'm sure they thought we were trying to steal the boat. We had it only partially uncovered and were in full camo with faces painted and they could see we were flustered. We explained what was going on and asked them if they saw a hunter down the left bank - to let him know we were still trying to get the boat started. Thirty mins later, and after a brief thought of just giving up, we finally fired it up and pushed off! On our way to pick up our third guy... here come the husband and wife's boat. Our buddy was on it! They picked him up and went over and confirmed the deer was on the bank, still alive. Now, we had to do a mid water...Navy Seal style, deer hunter water transfer. Nobody fell in. We thanked the couple and "set sail". We found him, half in and half out of the water. I jumped off, but not too close. We discussed what to do, and agreed, that I had to try a neck shot. It was our only hope. Vitals were not exposed and we were afraid he would try to run again. I missed with my first arrow, but put the second one through the neck. It was clearly a kill shot. The problem was now we had to watch him bleed out. it wan't pretty, but I kept telling myself it was the right thing to do. He ended up back in the water and I got back on the boat. I was ready to jump in if/when started to sink. As it turned out, when he expired he floated, and we were able to get a rope around him. As my one friend said while filming this craziness with his camera phone.... "...I have never been on a hunting trip that turned into a fishing trip!!..." Most people feel good about getting a deer in the truck.... I felt blessed to get one in the BOAT! I paid my respects to this little guy... a true fighter. I didn't like how it all went down, but I feel like we did everything in our power to harvest the wounded deer, who was far from a trophy. Not to mention, the three of us agreed, this will be a hunting/fishing story that none of us will ever forget!