This is my first post here. Since I was invited by VTDW I figured I oughta post on his board first. This post is cut & pasted from the now defunked Marlin talk, but it was my most memorable days afield this year (my first year bowhunting) so I posted it here.
I got another chance at this buck later in the season & blew it again. :cry:
Theres always next year tho & unless someone else got him I will be waiting. :wink:
posted 12-01-2003 04:58 PM
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Been out with the bow evry day since turkey day. Saw a small buck Thanxgiving morning but I passed it up because theres a big one there somewhere. saw a doe & a large mystery deer that I believe was the big buck but they were too far out & no chance for a stalk as the doe was watching me.
Friday was raining without much movement, only saw 2 bedded down all day.
Today however was one of my best days afield ever & one I wont soon forget. (even tho I got beat)
Went into the woods alittle late as it was VERY windy & I didnt want to use my climber in these conditions in the dark. Got there about 6:15 & decided after seeing how the trees were swaying I'd leave them to the squirels. Sat behind a downed tree's root ball from which I have been watching deer since september. Its a good hiding spot but hard to shoot from with a bow. Anyway, about 10:00 I had to stretch my bones a bit so I went out to my truck for some coffee & a cigarett, was out for about 15-20 minutes max.
Working my way back to my stump hole I heard this god awfull rackett & saw the biggest buck I'v ever seen in the woods while hunting coming down off a ridge. Nothing to do but drop in my tracks & hope he dont see me. He came about half way down & started into rubbing on saplings & such on a small bench. Thats when I spotted the doe & figured out what was happening. This doe was obviously in heat & the buck wasnt watching anything but her. Theres a house above the bench they were on & someone came outside spooking them both, they ran about 50 yards & stopped, looking for somewhere to go. The buck skylined himself for me as he scanned the woods below. Big wide rack with god only knows how many points, I counted 8 but was anything but calm. So there could have been more. It was like a dream come true, a picture worthy of any hunting rag ever published.
Now remember I'm in the open in full cammo & the only reason they havent discovered me is I havent moved & the wind (for a change) is in my favor. After 10 minutes or so they decide its safe to come down. They dissapear behind a large knob of ledge that sits between us & I figure its now or never & risk moving a few yards between two huge oaks, scant cover at best but in my mind I know this guys not gonna give me a bow shot. Ok so I'm on my knees trying to become a part of this oak & I hear a twig snap behind me, turning just my head as slowly as my racing heart will let me I see the doe about 20 feet away looking right at me. She just looks tilting her head this way & that trying I guess to figure out just what I am. The buck is nowhere to be seen, he never followed her around. After a bit she goes back behind the ledge & proceeds to come right over the top, even closer than before. After passing me by like the stump I'm trying to be she procedes down the trail maybe 25 feet or so & pauses. By now my hearts goin bout 300 beats a minute cuz I know whats about to happen (even tho I cant believe it) I get into position to draw when he passes behind the tree. I watch as he goes past the first tree & then proceed to draw but in my haste the arrow comes off the rest (I'm a finger shooter), not all the way but just enuff to slow me down long enuff to get caught. He lets out a loud blow & takes off to parts unknown . The doe just ran bout 50 yards the other way & stopped, looking to see what the big deal was that scared her boyfriend. Anyhow, to add a little optimism to my botched shot oportunity, I saw him again this evening as I was leaving, back on the ridge again, looking, no doubt for another doe to chase, So maybe I got lucky after all & he didnt really know what I was, mighta just saw movement & hit the road not caring to hang around & figure it out. Might be thats how he got so big, They say curiosity killed the cat, but I'd wager its killed a bunch of deer too.
Sorry bout the long rambling post but I needed to tell this story.
Good hunting to you all!
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