jekilpat
Senior Member
Got a chance to get in an afternoon hunt during this latest cool snap and the bucks were definitely on their feet. I saw 6 bucks from the stand throughout the afternoon, all making a stop by the prime time white oak feed tree I was set up on. Most were just forked horns, but bucks none the less. I had pics of two different arrow worthy deer at this particular tree and was very encouraged by the early afternoon movement. While a young six point was in front of me, I could hear a heavy footed deer walk up behind my tree, circle downwind and stop what sounded like less than 20 yards away. Just when I thought it was probably over, he started raking a tree. Then silence again. I couldn’t risk turning to look for him and letting the six point pick me off. As I was wondering if he had slipped over the hill from me, the six point snapped his head around and cowered down. The bigger buck had eased back around behind me and was now coming to the feed tree passing just 3 or 4 yards by my tree on the upwind side. As he passed beneath me I could instantly tell that it was one of the target bucks, a good 9 point that had previously been night time only at this location. With the six point out of the way and the 9 facing away from me, comfortably feeding, this was going to be a chip shot at 10 yards. NOT! As I lifted my bow to draw, the commotion of the six point chasing another buck back and forth spooked the 9 and he turned around to walk out. His eye looked as big as an eight ball, so there was no way I could move until he put some trees between us. With the buck at 20 yards and leaving, I stood up, turned around facing the tree only to realize a small limb covering his vitals. Instinctively, I just squatted down below the limb, drawing and mouth grunting him stopped at the same time. As soon as my finger touched the corner of my mouth I dropped the string focused on his heart – surely he would duck, after already being on edge and then having to stop him. He didn’t even flinch until those yellow feathers disappeared low behind his front shoulder. He smoked it out of there like being shot out of a canon, running in a straight line through anything in his path until I heard that unmistakable heart shot slide at the end. Sure enough, when I got down and checked the point of impact, there was what looked like two separate blood trails heading in the same direction. He was pumping it out of both sides and you could’ve jogged to him with the damage that Shark was leaving on the ground. What a great sit this was. Action all afternoon, ending in my best ‘trad’ buck to date. And with a dramatic shot sequence to boot. Wow. Sorry for the long post, but it was an exciting hunt.
(49# Predator Recurve w/ 175gr TigerShark)
(49# Predator Recurve w/ 175gr TigerShark)
