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Topic Archives => Memorable Hunts => Topic started by: bohuntr on January 29, 2008, 05:30:00 PM

Title: 1st whitetail from the ground
Post by: bohuntr on January 29, 2008, 05:30:00 PM
While I have taken several muledeer from the ground over the years I have never really tried it with whitetails since treestands are so effective. Anyway this past Saturday I decided to try and shoot a whitetail from a natural groundblind. I had noticed a trail where the deer had been coming out of the timber and in to some CRP. About 15yds to the South of the trail was a nice, thick cedar tree. In the evening the deer usually move from the west to the east and that night there was a good,steady west wind. I basically just took my camo stool and set it up in the bottom branches of the cedar tree. I had to break off a couple of branches to give me a better shooting lane, other than that I did nothing else as far as making any type of blind. I had snow camo pants on and my jacket was a color that roughly blended with the green of the cedar branches. After Jan 1st all of our tags in SD convert to antlerless only which means you can only shoot a deer with no visible antler (which I think is defined further as no antler protruding further than the deers ear). Anyway right in the last couple of minutes of shooting light I could hear a deer walking on the trail towards me. When it first appeared it loooked straight at me, stared for a minute and relaxed and started for the CRP. When it got about 20 yds out it stopped and turned slightly away from me. I hit full draw and released the arrow. I could see it hit tight behind his shoulder right where the heart is located. The deer ran into to the CRP and was down in less than 4 seconds. I was shooting Axis carbons which come in at a little over 600 grains with a 100gr insert and a 185gr Snuffer. The arrow went throught the heart and exited out the offside lung. I never did find the arrow which is odd considering the open terrain and the snow. It seemed like the arrow never even slowed down going through ---- it will be interesting to see if and where I eventually find the arrow. It turns out that the deer was a young buck that had its antlers busted off earlier in the year. You could see the remains of the bases when you got up close but you could tell that they must have been busted quite awhile before by the way they were smooth and weathered. It was quite a thrill to shoot a deer from the ground rather than a tree. I am not going to be giving up my treestands but I am definitely going to do some more ground hunting. Sorry for the bad picture as lighting was bad and I had to use the flash. The hole shown was the exit. This was the 4th deer I took this year with this BigEast bow which I bought earlier this year on the classifieds from Gene Charbonneau. (http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m174/bohuntr77/ResizeofDeerfromgroundanddogs018.jpg)
Title: Re: 1st whitetail from the ground
Post by: tjjsidekick on January 29, 2008, 05:34:00 PM
Congrats! You've accomplished what I and probably countless others are still trying to do. Great job!

TJ
Title: Re: 1st whitetail from the ground
Post by: LEOPARD on January 29, 2008, 05:52:00 PM
Congrats!
Title: Re: 1st whitetail from the ground
Post by: Hot Hap on January 29, 2008, 05:53:00 PM
Congradulations!! Nice story also. Hap
Title: Re: 1st whitetail from the ground
Post by: BMN on January 29, 2008, 06:03:00 PM
Sweet! Nice job  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: 1st whitetail from the ground
Post by: yellow bow on January 29, 2008, 06:26:00 PM
congrats!
Title: Re: 1st whitetail from the ground
Post by: Lefty on January 29, 2008, 06:40:00 PM
Great job!!
Title: Re: 1st whitetail from the ground
Post by: kennym on January 29, 2008, 06:45:00 PM
Most excellent!!  :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:
Title: Re: 1st whitetail from the ground
Post by: Jeff Holchin on January 29, 2008, 07:06:00 PM
Glad to see there are a few others out there still trying to fill some tags - congratulations!  Looks like the Snuffer did some damage.
Title: Re: 1st whitetail from the ground
Post by: BigRonHuntAlot on January 29, 2008, 07:07:00 PM
Congrats.  :D
Title: Re: 1st whitetail from the ground
Post by: drewsbow on January 29, 2008, 07:08:00 PM
congrats :0)
Title: Re: 1st whitetail from the ground
Post by: Flatstick on January 29, 2008, 07:14:00 PM
Great accomplishment! Congrats   :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:
Title: Re: 1st whitetail from the ground
Post by: Three Arrows on January 29, 2008, 07:18:00 PM
Congrats on the fine shot!  Probably got more excitement shooting one from the ground over a treestand huh?
Title: Re: 1st whitetail from the ground
Post by: joe skipp on January 29, 2008, 07:22:00 PM
Go get em Groundpounder....nice going   :thumbsup:    ;)
Title: Re: 1st whitetail from the ground
Post by: sgrogg on January 29, 2008, 07:35:00 PM
congrats!!!!!!!!
Title: Re: 1st whitetail from the ground
Post by: Squirrel Bait on January 29, 2008, 07:37:00 PM
Way to go Groundpounder, felt good didn't it!
Title: Re: 1st whitetail from the ground
Post by: One eye on January 29, 2008, 07:51:00 PM
Great job!  I love hunting on the ground, and I have switched almost 100% to ground hunting.

I get more satisfaction from shooting a doe from the ground than the P&Y class bucks I have taken from the trees.

Dan
Title: Re: 1st whitetail from the ground
Post by: Horne Shooter on January 29, 2008, 07:55:00 PM
Great stuff.  Looks cold though!
Title: Re: 1st whitetail from the ground
Post by: woodchucker on January 29, 2008, 08:05:00 PM
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!   :clapper:
Title: Re: 1st whitetail from the ground
Post by: fishmerf on January 29, 2008, 08:08:00 PM
Well done!
Title: Re: 1st whitetail from the ground
Post by: GrnMtnTradNut on January 29, 2008, 08:24:00 PM
Congrats on a fine deer, there is something special about beating a whitetail on their terms and their level.
Title: Re: 1st whitetail from the ground
Post by: SOS on January 29, 2008, 08:38:00 PM
On the ground is a thrill.  I almost kicked myself passing on a 5 point at 15 yards while still hunting this year...thankfully I saved my last buck tag for a big non-typical 8pt...but the thrill would have been close!  Congrats.
Title: Re: 1st whitetail from the ground
Post by: Seeking Trad Deer on January 29, 2008, 08:51:00 PM
:thumbsup:  

Well done partner!

  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: 1st whitetail from the ground
Post by: rg176bnc on January 29, 2008, 08:52:00 PM
I love wackin them on the ground.  Its so much more satisfying.  Congrats!
Title: Re: 1st whitetail from the ground
Post by: bohuntr on January 30, 2008, 10:38:00 AM
Thanks for the congrats guys,I appreciate it!!! It sure was a nice way to end the season. Although I could keep hunting until Thursday with temps below 0 I really don't feel the need. Besides I don't know how I could possibly end on a better note. Thanks for sharing in the experience.
Title: Re: 1st whitetail from the ground
Post by: slayer1 on January 30, 2008, 10:48:00 AM
Congradulations! Hunting fromt the ground is a rush!
Title: Re: 1st whitetail from the ground
Post by: Gatekeeper on January 30, 2008, 11:37:00 AM
Great shooting!
Title: Re: 1st whitetail from the ground
Post by: **DONOTDELETE** on January 30, 2008, 12:21:00 PM
WOW What a Trophy... The First deer with Traditional gear is the best.... I bet Your really hooked now.
Title: Re: 1st whitetail from the ground
Post by: Widowbender on January 30, 2008, 12:47:00 PM
Congrats, although I've taken a few from the ground with a compound, I'm still working on gettin' one with a trad bow. Your story adds to the inspiration that I receive here.   :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:

David
Title: Re: 1st whitetail from the ground
Post by: PICKNGRIN on January 30, 2008, 04:00:00 PM
OH YEAH!!!  Hope to see you at a shoot or two this year.
Title: Re: 1st whitetail from the ground
Post by: bohuntr on January 30, 2008, 04:38:00 PM
Thanks Rod I am sure we will bump into each somewhere this spring or summer.
Title: Re: 1st whitetail from the ground
Post by: Bobhat on January 30, 2008, 06:33:00 PM
:clapper:
Title: Re: 1st whitetail from the ground
Post by: Eastern fisher on January 30, 2008, 06:44:00 PM
EXCELLENT