It seems as the years pass that, with a young family and other obligations, I am finding less quantity as far as the number of hours spent chasing whitetails. BUT, the quality has still remained as good, maybe better because I appreciate the time in the woods more. My oldest son Dawson, now follows along whenever he can. I'd rather spend an evening in the woods with him than kill the biggest buck around...
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We have hunted a lot from ground blinds but starting last year he wanted to try hunting from the trees. This has presented many new challenges for us. But Its been alot of fun and we've been all over the local deer population. However we haven't quite sealed the deal on one yet. It seems one or the other of us is always moving at the wrong time. We sure have had a blast and are still working on it.
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As luck would have it...whenever he wants to sleep in or can't go for some reason, I seem to be overrun with deer. One morning last week was no different.
David
It was one of those mornings that just you just have a feeling that deer will be moving. I saw no deer on the drive over from home to my favorite hunting spot, which I usually think bodes well for seeing deer moving after day break. I park and get my stuff ready. I begin the walk in to my spot for the morning, an oak saddle with a creek bed and thicket to the south, a pine ridge to the north and this all drops off into a large river bottom to the East. There has been a bumper crop of White Oak acorns around the property and I had noticed acorns on the ground here a couple days earlier. I just hope they were still falling in this spot, the same spot I got my first trad kill last November.
David
I hate to jump ahead but I think its time for a bloody arrow picture...
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David
I made it into the tree without spooking anything...got my climber hooked up and up,up and away...I settled in at around 18-20' up, got everything ready and settled in to wait for daylight. It was a little cool, so I started sliding on my fleece pullover...I accidently bumped my bow, which was hanging beside me and down goes my arrow...Briefly, I think about descending after it, but I decide to stay put as daylight isn't far off...So, I nock up another arrow and wait...As I'm sitting there I notice its starting to rain, acorns that is and a smile comes across my face. I am in the right place...
David
The suspense is killing me, lets get this story rolling!!!!!!!!!!!
Good to see your lad enjoying a few trips; an upcoming bowhunter, for sure. Well, keep typing (please)!
:coffee:
About 7:20 am or so, I hear movement from up on the pine ridge...a minute or two later, a doe or three come into view headed my way. As luck would have it they get all around my tree, I can hear the acorns popping. I'm still in my seat, hoping that one will wonder into a shooting lane out to my left, right beside a huge white oak, heavy with acorns. The lead doe finally gets in the open but she's facing me. I'm sitting there, bow ready, trying to stay calm. She leaves the opening, but returns a minute later this time she's slightly quartering away. Well, its green light time, I say to myself. I check to see where the other two does are at and then return my attention to my intended target. I find a spot and begin my draw, making sure I don't get busted. A solid anchor and the arrow is gone, disappearing into side of the lead doe. Everybody explodes out of there, as I try to catch my breath. A few seconds later I hear the telltale CRASH, signaling my hit should be good. I sit for a few minutes and take a bearing on the direction where I heard the crash. I'm thinking I guess I should start getting ready to go, but I'm not quite ready to call it a day just yet. You know, if you're gonna be cleaning one deer, you might as well be cleaning two and besides I had promised the neighbors some venison. I think I'll nock up another arrow and see what happens...
way to go bro!!! :clapper: :clapper: oh btw where is the tarheel state i cant find that one on my map :confused:
Oh goodness. I smell more blood on the air. Hope you've got a strong back and a cool breeze. :archer:
hey! leave some for the rest of us! :thumbsup:
Great story so far, and it sounds like we're not finished yet! :thumbsup: :campfire: :coffee:
:thumbsup: :campfire: :coffee: :coffee:
Good going David, Dawson looks like he's grown a foot since I met yall at sissipaw. Time spent with your kids is time well spent and speaking from experience, They'll be grown before you know it. Don
Oooh this is good!
Jeffro, he's a Norf Cackalackian.
Killdeer :wavey: glad to help... :p
:campfire:
Neat...
Thanks for helping out, Killy...
Hey, Don!! They grow fast don't they...
Sorry I got sidetracked, had to mow the yard, pickup kids, feed kids, wash kids, feed self, the inmates are running the asylum here...
Here is a pic of my WMD...
(http://i417.photobucket.com/albums/pp255/widowshooter/DSC02410.jpg)
and a closeup of a sticker made by my best buddy and bow toter...
(http://i417.photobucket.com/albums/pp255/widowshooter/DSC02409.jpg)
David
Where was I... Oh yeah, the hunt goes on. I'm sitting there and everything gets settled back down. Glancing over my right shoulder, I spy a doe down the hill standing in a woods road that leads down to the river bottom. She's just standing there looking my way, probably feeling like acorns for breakfast, or maybe not...she turns toward the river bottom and I start digging around for my can bleat thingy. I give it a couple of tries and she turns a takes a few steps my way. I'm starting to think its working, but after a minute or two she turns and meanders off toward the river...I look down at my arrow sticking in the ground and try to remember the last time I shot a deer or turkey that didn't break my arrow. I think that'll be cool to be able to use that one again someday...
I think this is the part where I'm supposed to insert one of those teaser photos..
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David
that dont help much killy. still cant find it. oh i get it he aint from around here hes off the planet :p
Sorry, Jeff... That's North Carolina...USA...
David
ummm, you're not done here are you? :readit: :bigsmyl:
That purty white fletchn looks even better pink!
Oh, your just killin' me here cause I know another deer is gonna get it!!!
A little while after that doe leaves, I hear movement up on the pine ridge... As luck would have it...another doe or three and I'm startin to think this could actually work out. They head my way and are working the place over looking for acorns...
David (from my palm centro, while stealing a quick mid morning hunt)
There's alot of bushes and stuff under and around the Pine tree I'm in, so I guess its no wonder that these deer decide that's the best place to be for now. Ten yards out to my left and a little in front, the woods open up around the big white oak. That's where I need a deer to stray for me to have an opportunity. After what seems like forever one of them heads by the edge of the opening and acts as if she's going back the way she came. After a minute or two of just standing there being a deer, she turns and comes back and stops broadside, this time she's almost in the clear. One more step is all I need as I ready my bow. The other two are plundering around down the hill about fifteen yards from me. Finally my opportunity comes as the does takes a step to reach another acorn on the ground. I find my spot tight on the shoulder and the arrow is on its way...Crunch!!! the arrow buries to the fletch in the doe's shoulders and she wheels around and heads up toward the pine ridge...I try to relax and listen for anything that tells me she's down...nothing... except the sound of carbon breaking as she runs away with my arrow!!!
I know the shot is good and begin gathering my stuff and descend...I take up the trail of the second doe and its easy to follow and 75 yards later, I find her...Now back to the first one which went about 100 yards down into a dry creek bed. That made for an interesting drag. A few more photos...
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My Boys like it when I bring home some meat!!!
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That's Dawson and Drake, there gonna be tough on the game population... Drake asked me yesterday "Dada, can I go Bowhuntun?" I can hardly wait...here's one more of the old guy...
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Thanks for going along folks, David
Congrats.
Good job :thumbsup: :notworthy: How long was it between critters that you got to fling that second arrow? Nice story!!
Outstanding.
:thumbsup: :archer:
Shot the first one at 7:20 ish and the second was at about 8:00 am...
David
AWESOME!!! JUST AWESOME!!! :campfire:
When I first saw the title of this thread, I thought it was gonna be complaint about UPS :eek:
Anyways congrats :bigsmyl:
:thumbsup:
David,
Enjoyed the story...Thanks for taking us along on your adventure...
Congrats! Sweet story!
Congratulations David, and great story!!!! I'm sure the boys will turn out to be great bowhunters...Don and Skyler :clapper:
Thanks everbody...I was just so tickled to be getting a shot, I took two!!! What few times I've been out, there's been deer around, but I haven't been able to close the deal...
Don and Skyler...Dawson is lovin' that longbow!!!
David