You Never Know

[hawkenman]

About two weeks prior due deer season ending here in Florida I was in my blind still hunting a buck I have been after for the last five years. I have the last four years of game camera pictures of him also. At around 8:30am I overheard the gate open and a vehicle drive through. Shortly thereafter I heard a rachet sound and then semi-auto gunfire approx. 75 yards from me. Getting out of my blind I saw the owner of the land that I lease from firing an auto pistol at targets south of me. He saw me and asked me to shoot his 9mm, I shot it, got bored very quickly and told him I was going back to my blind. Getting back in the blind I could hear him still shooting, I zipped up my jacket intending to get a nap. 2 minutes later I cracked my eyes open and there stood at 70 yards north of me the big buck looking in the direction of the shooter. When I shot the deer with my 7mm mag. he dropped right there and the shooter started screaming asking what I was shooting at. I replyed get over here and help me drag this deer out. He thought I was kidding but changed his attitude when he saw the buck that scored 125. The game biologist said this deer was between 8 and a half and 9 years old. His horns had started regressing and were not as large as 3 years ago. The teeth of the deer were in sad shape leading us to believe he would have starved to death in a couple of years. Still it is my largest deer, so you never,never know when you'll get that golden chance.

[Oldshooter]

Interesting story, you would have thunk that the racket would have driven the old guy far away. Just goes to show that wherever you go, there you are!

[Land_Owner]

We've had bobcats, deer, turkeys, and hogs come out on the road we use as a range when we're firing there.  They are curious, at best.  Typically, when we're not pursuing them, they are less skiddish and often can be spotted. 

In your case, you were pursuing him, but he was overwhelmed by the shooter to your back giving you the shot of a lifetime.  Congratulations for being in the right place and time and sharing the experience in two ways with your Land Owner.  Nice!

[Spanky]

Cool story and congrats on the buck but.... how do you still hunt from a blind?
Still hunting and blind hunting are two different things.



Spanky

[Land_Owner]

Spanky...what's the story on your truck? and in your indimnable wisdom, what is the difference between still hunting versus blind hunting?  I believe I know what blind hunting is.  It is best done after dark. Right?

Hawkenman was using a parallel universe to describe his late-in-the-season hunt as "still hunting" (meaning he was continuing to look) while using his non-moving "ground blind" from which to look.

Good thing hawkenman's blind wasn't set up on the land owner's range that morning (75 yards is pretty close though).  I expect my visiting hunters to inform me PRIOR to when they are going to the land so that they neither upset my plans nor I theirs.

[charles p]

Maybe it was a deaf deer - so old.  Don't think I could has shot a deaf deer.

[Spanky]

Spanky...what's the story on your truck? and in your indimnable wisdom, what is the difference between still hunting versus blind hunting?  I believe I know what blind hunting is.  It is best done after dark. Right?
Hawkenman was using a parallel universe to describe his late-in-the-season hunt as "still hunting" (meaning he was continuing to look) while using his non-moving "ground blind" from which to look.
Good thing hawkenman's blind wasn't set up on the land owner's range that morning (75 yards is pretty close though).  I expect my visiting hunters to inform me PRIOR to when they are going to the land so that they neither upset my plans nor I theirs.

I was on my way home from work one evening and a young man pulled out to pass 3 cars in front of him (on a double solid no less) and plowed straight into me. He said he was in a hurry to get to the mountain to go skiing. Broke my wrist and totaled my truck.
Blind hunting is just that... hunting from a blind.
Still hunting is moving very slowly through the woods stopping often to scan the area.



Spanky

[Oldshooter]

Ok when you are moving very slowly, you aint still anymore! So you could be blind hunting (being still) and still hunting not being still? ARE you still hunting? or are you still stalking?                    


   

Can ya tell its raining and I'm bored?