Its been one of those years. lots of blunders, missed shots and many many days with out a deer being seen. i had laid out great plans for late season hunts over several new food plots. But when winter came early the farmers were unable to get their corn out of the fields. The result is my little valley has about 20 acres of corn standing. With that big food source its been nearly impossible to pick a spot where the deer move early enough to see them much less shoot them. When a big storm rolled in two days ago and forced us to cancel our travel plans I had a feeling the storm just might work in my favor. today at about 2 pm after plowing the driveway yet again I gathered my gear and headed up the steep trail. Jayne hiked part way with me and when we reached the top of the hog back, I went right and she went left. My plan was to hike up the very end of our farm and sit on of my tree stands overlooking one of my food plots. but we have had a lot of rain on top of snow the last 24 hours and when I reached the bluff top stand on the fields edge I just couldn't see trying to climb an ice covered tree stick. So with the wind out of the SE i headed over to a DB blind i had set up in July beneath a red cedar on the edge of some good storm cover. Here is what the blind looked like last July after setting it up.
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2656/3753771414_3d45e8a539.jpg)
I got to the blind just as the sky opened up and it started to pour. Ducking in and zipping the door shut i quickly organized my little bit of shelter from the storm. I was glad I'd had the fore sight to tie the roof top to the branches above as the weight of the wet snow and surely would have collapsed the blind by now.
After about an hour, I remembered the little thermos of coffee Jayne had packed for me and had a cup while thinking over day. Early this morning I fletched a Grizzly Sitka shaft that I had just gotten two days before. On the end was a freshly sharpen WW, the one I used on the doe that I shot while Faith was visiting in October. I had practiced with the shaft and a target point early in the day as well. I liked the way it flew out of my light Royal Crown. Having just reread Dr. Ashby's recent report on the effectiveness of extreme EFOC arrows and light weight bows I was quite confident of my set up.
At 3;30 I saw movement out of the corner of my right eye, A doe had just stepped under the closer of two cedar trees 12 yards away. All though she was perfectly broadside i could not shoot due to twigs and brush between the doe and I. She was about six yards on the other side of the lane that the deer travel on as they walk past the blind. Suddenly another set of legs appeared. Her fawn walked perfectly in the lane and stood between us.
I had the bow resting on my boot and told my self to relax. The fawn did the hard stare at the DB. for a moment I thought the jig was up. But the wind was good, I had on dark clothing and was not moving a muscle. The fawn walked on and a third deer appeared in the cedars. The 1st doe was faced with jumping the fence, or turn and walk in my direction to the gap in the fence. She chose to walk my way. As she took two steps head on at me I put tension on the bow string. Then when she turned to her right to go thru the fence gap she became broad side. I picked my spot and the Sitka zipped thru her. She exploded out of my vision. I sat for a second and thought the hit looked a little high. But looking out thru the screen I could see my arrow laying in the snow in the trail. There was red everywhere. I stepped out of the blind and picked up my arrow. It had zipped thru the deer, and hit the metal fence post behind her and bounced backward. Looking out into the field, I could see four, three foot long smears of blood in the snow where the doe had landed each of her last four leaps. Walking to the first smear, I looked on past the last and there she was. A 6 yard shot and a 30 yard recovery. 44 lb 62 inch Fox Royal Crown. Grizzly Sitka shaft WW 125 head. I walked the 1/2 home , retrieved a sled and my wife, walked the 1/2 mile back up thru the bluffs and then back again. It is a Christmas I wont soon forget. Happy hunting everyone.
(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4035/4213972317_fa10fd03c3.jpg)
(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4027/4213971011_99b991ed2e.jpg)
:clapper: Looks like a big ol doe. Gotta love those Fox bows too!!
right on, congrats! nice pic too btw
Now that is one very cool hunt and story, thanx for sharing bud...congrats! :clapper:
Great story
A great Christmas!!
Loved your story congrats on a fine deer. These stories are what wake me up of a morning, over a cup of coffe .
Thanks for a great story and nice photos. Congratulations on a nice late season doe.
I like the blind setup! Congrats!
Congratulations!Nice doe!Great shooting.
Great story, and what a nice doe, congratulations!
Wow, sounds like a perfect day. Congrats and nice shot.
Great story
Great story and a heck of a nice job on that doe. I expect there's a lot of good eating in one that size.
What a great story of a great hunt! Thanks for taking us along!!
Congrats your hunt!!
:thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Good going! the weather is bad up here too. What a way to end the season. Nice doe and great story. You earned her.Thanks for shareing.
thanks guys, we had tenderloins for breakfast this morning! YUM
Great story.
You have a memory to pack away and use to bring those warm feelings out when hope may be lost.
She looks like a big girl and great eating.
Tim
DEATHMASTER
You can't top that!
Very nice Jim i was wondering when you where gonna give the DB a go, man looks like to got some weather to!
Congrats on the fine doe! Any more sightings of the BIG bucks?
Congratulations! Nice shot, and beautiful MN. doe.
Great story tnx for sharing.....
Awesome! That's a great Christmas story!
Congrats
Way to go bro! Good shooting and very good hanging in there on a long tough season. Keep warm and eat venison.
You've got a wife that helps drag your deer out? Santa was VERY good to you! Congrats on the hunt, too.
Way to go!
Dang that's a nice doe!!
Makes two of our Texas deer.
Mike
Loved the story. I didn't ever think about tying up the roof of a DB for snow. I'd read where someone used an old music stand to prop up the roof hub... if you had one of those around! :)
You never said if you saw what the 3rd set of legs belonged to... Inquiring minds want to know! :)
Nice shot. Great recovery. Sweet to have a hunting wife to share the experience...
You got it ALL goin on!
Congrats !! Looks like an old doe.