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Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: Skipmaster1 on January 18, 2011, 01:30:00 AM
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Today I had a chance to get back out in the CT deer woods. I LOVE hunting January, especially when there is snow on the ground. I decided to sit in a stand I have in a lone hemlock tree at the edge of an open wood lot and surrounded by oaks. I wasn't in the stand 5 minutes when I looked up and had 2 does headed my way. I had to scramble to pull my bow up and never even had a chance to take my back pack off!
The bigger doe walked past me through a small opening and then turned towards my tree. Of course I have no shots to that side of the tree due to the pine branches, even though she was only 10yds away digging for acorns. I looked up to see where the yearling was just as she stopped in the opening her mother had walked through a minute earlier. The green light went off in my head and before I knew it I was at full draw and the arrow was on it's way. She was slightly quartering away and the shot looked good, maybe just a touch back. She ran 30yds or so and stopped and started staggering. If you ever read my posts before, you know my motto is "when in doubt, quiver out". At 45-50yds I sent one just over her back because I hadn't picked a spot. She didn't react to the shot but still hadn't tipped over, so i nocked another arrow settled in and sent another. She was quartering to me and the arrow entered just in front of the near leg, passing through the front of the chest and breaking the offside leg. I could see the spray of crimson on the snow instantly as she jumped over a stone wall and all was silent. I could see blood in the snow at the first shot and even more after the second, I knew she was down.
I sat the rest of the afternoon and saw at least 15 more deer. The wind was swirling and every time one was almost in range they'd know something was up. I had a small buck with a busted rack bed up at about 70yds for over 30 minutes, saw a 13+ inch spike horn and lots of does. It was a great afternoon, but I couldn't wait to get down and go see my doe. At dark I walked over to where she crossed the wall and I she hadn't made it 20yds past it. It turns out the first shot caught the liver and one lung and would have done the job but the second arrow caught the heart which made sure she wasn't going anywhere.
The view from the stand, look at all the trails and dug up areas!
(http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g167/skipmaster1/Hunting/DSCN0164.jpg)
(http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g167/skipmaster1/Hunting/DSCN0166.jpg)
(http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g167/skipmaster1/Hunting/DSCN0163.jpg)
The Busted rack buck
(http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g167/skipmaster1/Hunting/DSCN0175.jpg)
(http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g167/skipmaster1/Hunting/DSCN0179.jpg)
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The hole I shot through and the sign at the shot
(http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g167/skipmaster1/Hunting/DSCN0182.jpg)
(http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g167/skipmaster1/Hunting/DSCN0183.jpg)
View from the stand after the second shot
(http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g167/skipmaster1/Hunting/DSCN0184.jpg)
The end result!
(http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g167/skipmaster1/Hunting/DSCN0191.jpg)
(http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g167/skipmaster1/Hunting/DSCN0189.jpg)
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That is way cool. I wish we had enough deer in Oregon to have a long season.
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Greg,
Dandy!! :thumbsup:
Congratulations!
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The county I live in, in NY runs archery only from about Oct 15th until Dec 31st with nearly unlimited tags and CT runs Sept 15th through Dec 31st and then the January season runs all of Jan. I get 2 January tags and 4 fall tags and you can check does in for replacement tags. I live in bowhunters heaven!
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I was using my 55#, 56" shrew take down, GT 55/75, 100 grain insert and 175 VPA Terminators
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Originally posted by Skipmaster1:
The county I live in, in NY runs archery only from about Oct 15th until Dec 31st with nearly unlimited tags and CT runs Sept 15th through Dec 31st and then the January season runs all of Jan. I get 2 January tags and 4 fall tags and you can check does in for replacement tags. I live in bowhunters heaven!
I would definately call that heaven. :D
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Nice Doe and good shootin.....
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It's not like the big woods and takes some getting used to but the suburbs hold a ton of deer. It seems every year my feet wander west to quench my thirst for big country but i do enjoy hunting right at home and seeing plenty of deer. Many people who haven't hunted the suburbs think it's like shooting fish in a barrel but anyone who has hunted with me will agree that the deer aren't push overs....we just have more so the odds swing in your favor
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Originally posted by Skipmaster1:
It's not like the big woods and takes some getting used to but the suburbs hold a ton of deer. It seems every year my feet wander west to quench my thirst for big country but i do enjoy hunting right at home and seeing plenty of deer. Many people who haven't hunted the suburbs think it's like shooting fish in a barrel but anyone who has hunted with me will agree that the deer aren't push overs....we just have more so the odds swing in your favor
I would love to hunt the suburbs in January. You are a lucky guy.
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congratulations Greg.nice deer and some fine shooting.glen
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Very nice!!
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Well-done!
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Way to go sir! Nice pictures!
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Great story and nice pics. Just read an article in Tradbow Hunter mag. about long range practice by Fred Asbell. Your second shot(actually your third one!) was one of the reasons he gave for the long range practice - the need for a finisher. Good Work!
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Congrats,nice pics,thanks for sharing
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Congrats, on a fine harvest. :thumbsup:
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Congrats!
:thumbsup:
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Well Done
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oooooh lots o snow !
congrats :thumbsup:
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:clapper: good for you bud!
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Good Job
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Way to go :clapper: :clapper: :clapper:
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:clapper: :clapper: :clapper:
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Great job and awesome follow up shot! :thumbsup: :notworthy: :clapper:
I don't care if you hit the heart on the first shot, if the deer gives you an oppurtunity for a second shot......Take it!
Better to be sure than sorry for it later.
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Congratulations!!
I have to admit that when I saw your thread my excitement level went to that ultra high level because I was expecting to read about you taking your deer from behind your "Ghost Blind".
I am happy for you no matter what kind of method you used.
You done good!
God bless,Mudd
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Great pics, congrats!
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:thumbsup:
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Good stuff man!
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Congrats on your deer, and great pics by the way!
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Glad to see you still doing what you do best, Greg. Now that's a blood trail...
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Yeah man, I knew she wouldsnt go far from your text. Sounded like my little buck from October...
Congrats, I hope you get out there again. Show off. :goldtooth:
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:thumbsup: :thumbsup:
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Good story and nice pictures...thanks!
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AWWWWWWWWWWWW. Your killin me. gotta wait another year. Great pic's! Congrads.
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" When in doubt, quiver out!"
My thoughts exactly!
Nice job, that'll be fine eatin'.
:)
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Thanks everyone, it was a great afternoon and I was blessed to be able to take this deer. Over the past month or so shot opportunities have been scarce and I blew a fairly easy one I was presented with......by not picking a spot. I made myself really focus on this one.
I was going to use the Ghost blind but the wind was "supposed" to be right for this stand and I'll take being in a tree over being on the ground 9 times out of 10.
I just read that article in TBM as well. I don't advocate long shots on live, healthy game but it's great to be able to sink another arrow into a wounded animal at longer ranges. I have been trying to practice my longer shots for the reasons listed in the article. I figure if a wounded animal gives me another shot, I'm going to take it, so I might as well improve my chances of making it count
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Great Going Greg :campfire: Thanks for bringing us along.
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Gotta love it!! Congrats!
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Great story and pictures. I think you may be in a "Deer Hunters Heaven" I am with you on a follow up arrow. I have done the same thing several times and never regretted it. Thanks again for the story and pictures.
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Nice. Great shooting.
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Very cool!Pics are awesome!
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:thumbsup: nice
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I just wanted to add that this year I picked up a Nikon Coolpix P100 . I was having fun taking pictures with my phone of the deer that I let walk or ones that were out of range, but the pics were terrible. My point and shoot wasn't much better and my Nikon SLR was just a bit too big. The P100 is perfect for this and it has a 26x optical zoom......in case anyone was interested