I have put in a bunch of days in the woods this year, and got a doe and a turkey early, but there has been a long dry spell since then. I have been holding out for a big whitetail, and have seen a few, but either I screwed up a stalk, or a few days ago, blew two shots in 30 minutes. This morning was the last chance, since I will be visiting family over Thanksgiving, so it was pretty much all or nothing.
I got to where I wanted to be before daylight, and settled into the snowy landscape, prepared to see lots of deer and maybe get lucky. I was absolutely amazed when a little 4x4 bedded within 20 yards of me after I had been sitting all of 5 minutes. As soon as the light got to where I felt confident, I stood up and came to full draw, settled in, actually picked a spot, and let fly at the bedded buck. I could tell that the shot was a little back, and a later autopsy proved that it hit liver, but the buck got up and walked off, obviously hurt bad. I saw him bed under some trees, about 100 yards from where the shot took place.
After a decent wait, which seemed like days but was really about 30 minutes, I slowly moved on him, and he was hurt too bad to get up, but still had his head up. A second arrow through the lungs finished the job, and I had this year's buck.
He's not the biggest deer in the woods, but I put in lots of time, in warm weather and very cold, and I feel like I really earned this deer. Nobody said it would be easy, and this year, it wasn't, but I am happy to have had the opportunity to hunt as much as I did this year.
(http://i886.photobucket.com/albums/ac67/peastes/31005f0d.jpg)
(http://i886.photobucket.com/albums/ac67/peastes/8b3aec35.jpg)
congrats!!
Congrats Pat...nothing wrong with that deer! A fine job and nice follow-up, and all from the ground. No better trophy, in my book! Especially after a long, hard-hunted season.
Perty buck and perty bow. What are the specs on your bow? Is it yew? or juniper?
Bona
congrats on a great deer
QuoteOriginally posted by Mark Baker:
Congrats Pat...nothing wrong with that deer! A fine job and nice follow-up, and all from the ground. No better trophy, in my book! Especially after a long, hard-hunted season.
X2, Good job! :thumbsup:
Way to finish it off Pat! Congrats!! :thumbsup:
:thumbsup: :clapper:
Congrats!!!
Last day buck....nothing better.
Nice buck! I love hunting in the snow.
Thanks guys,
I played with one of the pictures in a HDR (high dynamic range) program, and I really like how it turned out; kind of like a painting. What do you think??
(http://i886.photobucket.com/albums/ac67/peastes/a7245778.jpg)
My bow is a Big Jim Thunderchild, 55# @28", and it is desert ironwood. Using cedar arrows and STOS broadheads.
Congrats on the hunt and the deer!!! I really like that last pic, might have to check into that HDR stuff myself. :thumbsup: :clapper:
Way to go Pat! That's outstanding. All the hard work all season and then it happens so fast that morning. Very cool.
QuoteOriginally posted by centaur:
Thanks guys,
I played with one of the pictures in a HDR (high dynamic range) program, and I really like how it turned out; kind of like a painting. What do you think??
(http://i886.photobucket.com/albums/ac67/peastes/a7245778.jpg)
My bow is a Big Jim Thunderchild, 55# @28", and it is desert ironwood. Using cedar arrows and STOS broadheads.
One of the coolest pics I have seen in awhile! Nice!
Congrats on the last munite buck.
doug77
Congrats and I love the pic!!
Way to go sir! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Nice deer and nice picture!
Awesome congrats.
Well done....bedded deer is a tough shot! :thumbsup:
Good job on a nice buck. I like the HDR pic too. Very cool.
Very nice in all respects!! :clapper: :clapper:
I like the pic too. Congrats on a great ending to a tough season.
That's what I call a perfect season in my book - a very nice buck at the very end of a long and hard hunted fall. Perfect!
Congratulations Pat!! :clapper: :clapper:
Congrats! Really like the bow, great deer & pic too! I'd say you've had an awesome season so far.
Pat, I'm calling it a 'Photo Finish'!
Congrats on a fine last day buck, and I really like that modified pic, Well Done. :clapper:
congrats!!!
Congrats. Like someone said before, it is the size of the hunt not the antlers. Sounds like you had a big one. Good job!
thats awesome! love the "painted" look you made....i would print it and get it framed.
QuoteOriginally posted by Shedrock:
QuoteOriginally posted by Mark Baker:
Congrats Pat...nothing wrong with that deer! A fine job and nice follow-up, and all from the ground. No better trophy, in my book! Especially after a long, hard-hunted season.
X2, Good job! :thumbsup: [/b]
x3 :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Talk about saving the best things for last. Cant eat the antlers, enjoy your hard earned venison.
That's called getting the maximum hunt-time out of a tag. That's a deer to be proud of. Congratulations on the successes of a full season.
Been crossing my fingers for you bud. Awesome buck.
Great job!! Well earned and a great buck!
Bedded buck on the last day! Can't beat that!!
I really like what that software did to that photo....it does look like a painting. Please share what you used to do that.
Congrats on a nice buck,and love the veneers on the thunderchild. :archer:
Cool story, nice buck and great Photo. If I may ask what HDR software did you use for that?
What a way to end the season! Congrats! :clapper:
QuoteOriginally posted by knobby:
That's called getting the maximun hunt-time out of a tag. That's a deer to be proud of. Congratulations on the successes of a full season.
X2... :thumbsup: :clapper:
The HDR program is called Simple HDR, and it is a free Mac app. Extremely easy to use, and I like the results.
Great job. Nice to have that thunderchild whrn you are bundled up for the cold and need string clearance.
:notworthy:
Great pics, and a nice deer :clapper:
Good for you Centaur!!...I feel the same way..I hunted more than usual and dealt with warm weather and little to no deer activity...and early snow and cold. Stalked to within 50 yards of a couple but thats not close enough...I only hope my late season here which is in December is as good to me as your last day was to you..
:thumbsup: :clapper:
Good Job!
Congrats and like the pic.RC
Congratulations on your buck! I like your pictures and really like the looks of your bow.
-Jay
:thumbsup: :archer:
Congratulations
Congrats on a great buck!
Congrats!
My new desktop background. Awesome
Great story and very nice buck also! Cool photo! Congratulations on hanging in there 'til the end.
Bernie Bjorklund
NC Iowa/SW Wisconsin
Fantastic! it's the effort that makes the trophy.
congrats, Bigjim
That pic turned out great!
Congrats!
Bisch
nicely done !
no better way to face a long winter than to have had an awsome hunting season to reflec on...CONGRATES!!!
That is what it is all about. Good job and cool pic!
oh man, way to go!!!!! and i love the high dynamic pic as well. great stuff.!
Very nice congrats.
Great Job!! That HDR pic looks really nice. I think I'll try that. Would look good in a frame on the wall.
Congrats! Love the veneers on the top limb of your bow! :thumbsup:
Happy Thanksgiving...and THANKS for posting the awesome pics!
Why is it, a picture of a whitetail, a stickbow, and a background of snow provides such a WARM feeling?
Thanks again... :campfire:
Conrats, nice deer( And season)
Happy Thanksgiving!
:clapper: :clapper: :clapper:
Pat man Congrats. I am not sure how I missed this. Great follow up. It is often overlooked how important that is.
Well done, Sir.
Beautiful buck... my personal goal is to harvest a buck in the snow. What a neat hunt.
Congrats..
Tough late season conditions Centaur!
But you prevailed and made a great shot!
:clapper: :clapper: :clapper:
Enjoy the feast!
Shoot straight, Shinken
:archer2:
QuoteOriginally posted by USN_Sam1385:
My new desktop background. Awesome
Mine too!!!
Glad you guys like the photo. Here are a couple more done in the same manner.
(http://i886.photobucket.com/albums/ac67/peastes/7031b148.jpg)
(http://i886.photobucket.com/albums/ac67/peastes/ec0c2c18.jpg)
(http://i886.photobucket.com/albums/ac67/peastes/d871b047.jpg)
Love the middle and bottom pics.
That old Ironwood TC and you have bonded exceptionally well Pat... Great deer and great season!!!
Well done :)
http://s28.photobucket.com/albums/c210/coaster500/Big%20Jims%20successful%20hunters/?albumview=slideshow
QuoteOriginally posted by centaur:
Thanks guys,
I played with one of the pictures in a HDR (high dynamic range) program, and I really like how it turned out; kind of like a painting. What do you think??
(http://i886.photobucket.com/albums/ac67/peastes/a7245778.jpg)
My bow is a Big Jim Thunderchild, 55# @28", and it is desert ironwood. Using cedar arrows and STOS broadheads.
AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!
Handsome buck and bow Congrats. TD.
Great job!! Nice buck! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Awesome!!!
Congrats what a way to end the season.
Great!
:thumbsup: Very Cool!