ChrisSpikes
Senior Member
Man, what a hunt! I can't believe how GOD has smiled on me this past week. The whole thing seems unreal!
Yesterday afternoon at Horse Creek, I strapped on all my gear and decided to make the long walk back to the spot me and Robert call the "2 Mile Oak". On my way back, I came across a Swamp Chestnut that was dropping hard, and showing a good bit of sign. I knew that a lot of the sign was from hogs, but some of it had to be deer. I found one pile of droppings, and saw some deer tracks here and there around the tree. I studied the spot for a while, and finally picked out a tree to climb that would give me plenty of cover.
From the time that I got on the stand, I didn't like the setup. I had plenty of cover alright, so much that I couldn't shoot under a good portion of the chestnut. The limbs that were blocking my shots were out of reach. I contemplated climbing down and drilling another tree, but kept debating the move until it was too late to do it. Right at that time when you expect to see one, a doe came in and fed under the tree for a good 10 minutes, all the while within 15 yards. I was upset with myself for making a rookie mistake, and just as soon as she eased off, which was right at dark, I climbed down, picked out a better tree, and drilled my holes and got set up for the next morning.
My clock went off at 5:45 this morning, and I jumped up and hit the showers. I wanted to go in as clean and scent free as possible. As soon as I could get dressed, I headed out so I could be on stand and settled in before daylight.
I had on about every layer of clothes I had brought, but almost froze as I hurriedly made the 15 minute walk to the chestnut. Once I got on stand, I pulled the hood of my jacket over my head and waited for day to break. At approximately 7:10, I thought I heard a deer grunt somewhere in the blackness out in front of me. It was only one time, very faint, with no other sounds accompanying it. I got to thinking that maybe it was a bird of something and wrote it off. About 5 minutes later, I heard it again. I pulled my hood off my head so I could hear better. Nothing for the next several minutes...
All of a sudden, I heard the unmistakable crunch of a chestnut acorn. Only two critters in the woods, that I know of, to make that sound. Deer and hogs. At this time, it was just light enough that I could shoot to about 5 yards, and couldn't see much past that. Several minutes, and busted acorns later, I glimpsed movement and saw a deer easing in under the offside of the tree. It looked like a doe, but the light was so dim it was hard to tell. I watched it for several minutes, then suddenly saw another deer further out on the edge of the slough. It looked like a cow! I couldn't see antlers, but knew by the discrepancy of size between the two deer that this one was a buck!
I eased my hand up and flipped on the video camera. The bright light from the LCD screen lit up my arm. I hit record, and then slowly, like molasses in the winter time, moved my hand back down to the bowstring. It was still so early, the video screen was solid black. I left it recording thinking that if these deer fed for a while, eventually there would be enough light to film.
About 10 minutes later, after having ample opportunity to shoot the doe at 5-7 yards, she decided her belly was full and started walking away from the tree. The buck was still on the offside of the tree, but I knew he wouldn't be far behind her. Luckily, the route of her departure would bring him through a clear lane where I could shoot. By this time, I was able to see the deer clearly in the camera, and was following him along. There was still a bunch of foliage in the way, and I hadn't had a clear look at his rack, but he was coming. I shoved the camera ahead of him, in the hole where I hoped to get a shot. He was coming fast now, and I had to scurry to get on the string.
When he hit the hole, I drew, and simultaneously mouth bleated to get him to stop. As if on cue, he stopped on his mark. I can remember baring down hard on the spot I wanted to hit, and the next thing I know, yellow feathers were sticking out from there.
I watched him run for a few yards before he disappeared from view, and then a few seconds later I heard him crash. The sounds of a sucking chest wound filled the air momentarily, and then all was silent. I gave him a few minutes and then got down to take a look at him. I stepped off 12 yards to the spot he was standing, and saw blood at the hit. A short 55 yards later I was standing over him.
Can't believe I've killed the two biggest bucks of my life within 5 days of each other. He's probably a hair smaller than the one I killed last Friday, but to me he's even more special. Heck of a buck on public land.
Thanks to Dennis and Robert for helping me get him out. I probably could have done it without them, but I sure didn't want to! Lol!
Robert has some better pics. Maybe he'll post them up.
Yesterday afternoon at Horse Creek, I strapped on all my gear and decided to make the long walk back to the spot me and Robert call the "2 Mile Oak". On my way back, I came across a Swamp Chestnut that was dropping hard, and showing a good bit of sign. I knew that a lot of the sign was from hogs, but some of it had to be deer. I found one pile of droppings, and saw some deer tracks here and there around the tree. I studied the spot for a while, and finally picked out a tree to climb that would give me plenty of cover.
From the time that I got on the stand, I didn't like the setup. I had plenty of cover alright, so much that I couldn't shoot under a good portion of the chestnut. The limbs that were blocking my shots were out of reach. I contemplated climbing down and drilling another tree, but kept debating the move until it was too late to do it. Right at that time when you expect to see one, a doe came in and fed under the tree for a good 10 minutes, all the while within 15 yards. I was upset with myself for making a rookie mistake, and just as soon as she eased off, which was right at dark, I climbed down, picked out a better tree, and drilled my holes and got set up for the next morning.
My clock went off at 5:45 this morning, and I jumped up and hit the showers. I wanted to go in as clean and scent free as possible. As soon as I could get dressed, I headed out so I could be on stand and settled in before daylight.
I had on about every layer of clothes I had brought, but almost froze as I hurriedly made the 15 minute walk to the chestnut. Once I got on stand, I pulled the hood of my jacket over my head and waited for day to break. At approximately 7:10, I thought I heard a deer grunt somewhere in the blackness out in front of me. It was only one time, very faint, with no other sounds accompanying it. I got to thinking that maybe it was a bird of something and wrote it off. About 5 minutes later, I heard it again. I pulled my hood off my head so I could hear better. Nothing for the next several minutes...
All of a sudden, I heard the unmistakable crunch of a chestnut acorn. Only two critters in the woods, that I know of, to make that sound. Deer and hogs. At this time, it was just light enough that I could shoot to about 5 yards, and couldn't see much past that. Several minutes, and busted acorns later, I glimpsed movement and saw a deer easing in under the offside of the tree. It looked like a doe, but the light was so dim it was hard to tell. I watched it for several minutes, then suddenly saw another deer further out on the edge of the slough. It looked like a cow! I couldn't see antlers, but knew by the discrepancy of size between the two deer that this one was a buck!
I eased my hand up and flipped on the video camera. The bright light from the LCD screen lit up my arm. I hit record, and then slowly, like molasses in the winter time, moved my hand back down to the bowstring. It was still so early, the video screen was solid black. I left it recording thinking that if these deer fed for a while, eventually there would be enough light to film.
About 10 minutes later, after having ample opportunity to shoot the doe at 5-7 yards, she decided her belly was full and started walking away from the tree. The buck was still on the offside of the tree, but I knew he wouldn't be far behind her. Luckily, the route of her departure would bring him through a clear lane where I could shoot. By this time, I was able to see the deer clearly in the camera, and was following him along. There was still a bunch of foliage in the way, and I hadn't had a clear look at his rack, but he was coming. I shoved the camera ahead of him, in the hole where I hoped to get a shot. He was coming fast now, and I had to scurry to get on the string.
When he hit the hole, I drew, and simultaneously mouth bleated to get him to stop. As if on cue, he stopped on his mark. I can remember baring down hard on the spot I wanted to hit, and the next thing I know, yellow feathers were sticking out from there.
I watched him run for a few yards before he disappeared from view, and then a few seconds later I heard him crash. The sounds of a sucking chest wound filled the air momentarily, and then all was silent. I gave him a few minutes and then got down to take a look at him. I stepped off 12 yards to the spot he was standing, and saw blood at the hit. A short 55 yards later I was standing over him.
Can't believe I've killed the two biggest bucks of my life within 5 days of each other. He's probably a hair smaller than the one I killed last Friday, but to me he's even more special. Heck of a buck on public land.
Thanks to Dennis and Robert for helping me get him out. I probably could have done it without them, but I sure didn't want to! Lol!
Robert has some better pics. Maybe he'll post them up.
when yer hot yer hot! congrats Chris,leaving Augusta around noon tomorrow,hope to get to finally meet you and R.C. there.
