Just got back from my St. Jude's hunt in Illinois graciously donated by Darren Shue and family . It was a crazy but typical week . I already posted about the first half on Brian Halblieb's post about my Ohio hunt . I pretty much hunt solo and being left to myself most of the week in Ohio and again in Illinois suited me fine .
I believe the rut was ending in Illinois when I got there . The last 3 days saw bucks traveling alone and looking haggard . One morning I sat a stand at the edge of a bedding area , the temp. was 20 degrees and the wind was howling . I climbed into the stand before daylight and though I think I'm tough by 10 am I was shaking too hard to stay any longer . I left my stand and headed for an area I had seen a good buck crossing a field a few days earlier. I set up a ground blind along the fields edge and hunkered down for another hour or so . Feeling a little hungry I decided to head back to the trailer for a snack and to plan my afternoon hunt . Instead of walking the long way around the ravine that separated 2 fields I decided to go down the ravine and come up the other side at a pinchpoint at the end of another field where a ladder stand was located .
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uh oh!
This will be good ! :campfire: :campfire:
Remarkably I climbed out of the ravine right where the ladder stand was . The stand is up against a shagbark hickory with some kind if big leafed bush surrounding the base . 2 days earlier the leaf cover was so thick you couldn't see the field which was only about 15 yards away . Ater 2 days of freezing temps and strong winds there wasn't a leaf left hanging on . The ladder stand stood out like a sore thumb .
The far end of this field was broader , about 200 yards and the trailer was set about 300-350 yards from the ladder stand . A few days earlier Darren and I watched a small buck chasing a doe under the stand from the trailer .
This day I was at the stand looking towards the trailer when I noticed a doe feeding about 250 yards away along the woodline .I also noticed John's (Darren's Father ) truck parked near the field edge waiting for me to come out for lunch . He always checked on me to see if I needed help dragging out a deer , Good Man !
Upon seeing the doe I thought I should sit in the ladder stand for while to see if any bucks might show up and come along the edge following her . Thats when I made a series of bad choices .
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Looking forward to the rest Fred.
I quietly climed the ladder stand and got set up . I was expecting deer to show up from the field which would mean I would have to either wait till they passed me or turn and face the tree to get a shot in the field . There were a few hackberry trees that made shooting lanes few and far between even though it looked very open . I sat with my back to the tree facing away from the field thinking I could pull of a good quartering away shot , so far things were going well , a good plan with high expectations . Then came the power bar .
Always being hungry I remembered I had a power bar in my pack . As quiet as possible I unzipped the pouch and took out the bar and unwrapped it slowly so as not to make much noise but you know how they wrap those darn things . I wear wool GI glove liners with the fingers cut off on my right hand for my BIgshot glove . You can't pull the wrapper apart on some of these bars without a lot of effort . Instead of reaching into my pocket for my knife I stubbernly gave it a good yank . Sure enough I was left holding the wrapper and watching as my power bar fell to the ground . I controled my fit and put the wrapper in my pouch . I looked through the ladder rungs at my hunger relief and thought I should get down and get it right away before the bugs got on it , then I reasoned that given the extreme temps no bug in his right mind would be out today . I figured I would retrieve it when I got down , but I was hungry . I easily spent 15 minutes deciding if I should get down and get it or wait , Hunger won out and I took my arrow off the bow and put it into the bowquiver , I then laid the bow across the metal rails of the ladder stand and climbed down to satisfy my hunger . Things were going well , I picked up the bar without too much woods duff on it and turned and started back up the tree . Thats when things went to pot .
:coffee:
Tuned in!
Bisch
At about 4 or 5 rungs up the ladder I look through the rungs and I'm starring into the face of a nice 8 pointer 25 yards away and closing fast . I freeze in position even though I know that won't help matters . The only thing saving me is the fact that its still very windy and the buck has his gaze fixed on the bush at the base of the tree . There are no leaves on this bush and I can see the deer as plain as day not 20 feet away . He starts eating these red berries that are still on the bush and doesn't seem to notice me . What have I got to loose I take a step expecting him to bolt . He doesn't so I take another . Thinking I must be dreaming I take another and another until I'm on the platform . Now things start to go south , I can't seem to put the power bar down as its stuck to my wool glove . I was almost ready to give up when I freed it from my palm and it fell again to the ground . I picked up my bow and tried to hide my big but behind the smaller tree trunk , it seemed to work .I put and arrow on the string and started feeling pretty good about life when the buck decided he had enough berries and started around the tree heading towards the wooded ravine . Now I have to turn around in full view of the buck as he's walking by . He was about 15 yards out and in the last shooting lane I would have when I drew back . I'm thinking it must have been an accumulation of events that frazzeled me because I calmly drew to anchor , thought I picked a spot , released and shot about a half inch over his back . The arrow hitting the ground beyond him brought him out of his stupor and he just trotted off leaving me watching in disbelief . When he was out of site I climed down and retrieved my arrow and the power bar . My first instinct was to hurl it as far as I could but realising how much it cost me I ate it with the green fuzz from my gloves on it and all. After all it was one of my favorites , covered with chocolate .
Walking back to the trailer I found out that John was watching the deer the whole time with his binoculars and was wondering why I wasn't shooting .From his vantage point he couldn't see me hanging on the ladder while the buck was feeding . When I told him what happened he laughed , and probably thought I was some kind of knucklehead .
The last 2 days the deer weren't moving at all . Every night when I got up to take a leak poutside the traler I would see deer in the field but on the last 2 nights nothing . Second to last day I stayed out all day as the weather was a little warmer and my time was running out . Saw nothing from daylight till about 20 minutes before quiting time when a big bodied deer with a small rack came by my stand at the edge of the bedding area . I had made a mock scrape and when he came to it he stopped for a moment . He was about 15 yartds out and even though I raised my bow I knew I was going to let him pass . People say I'll regret not shooting when the hunt is over and you come home empty , heck no , I regretted not shooting him as soon as he was out of sight . Just kidding . I had seen a few bruiers earlier in the week and couldn't bring myself to settle . Last day at dawn I seen the silohettes of 2 deer out in the field . AS they skyline I see 1 has horns . What have I got to loose , I grunt . The buck stops and looks my way for a minute then starts following the other deer . He is about 80 yards out and I give a few tending grunts . He slowly walks over to the field edge and jumps the fence and starts down the edge of the ravine to my stand . He comes down the trail the other buck went out on and comes to about 15-20 yards and stops , its light enough now to see he is not very big and is missing his right antler . I watch him as he turns and slowly walks along the trail to the bedding area . The rest of the day saw no activity . I think I caught the end of the rut as the bucks I saw were chasing small does or else walking along slowly with their tongues hanging out and panting like dogs . I think the mature does were already bred and the bucks were tired . During the week I had tried rattling , grunting and doe bleats occasionally with no results . It has been 4 years since I was there last and Lord willing it won't take that long before I get back again .
I can't thank the Shue Family enough , they made me feel like an old friend . As I said before the kids are the big winners from these hunts but I had a grand time also . I can only hope that the Shue Family continues to offer this hunt on the St. Jude's auction , its not going to go cheap , thats for sure . Fred
Sounds like a great hunt anyway!!
Sounds like something I would do. I know you always have fun and this was no different. Thanks for the read Fred. Miss ya my friend.
It never ceases to amaze me, for all the hours we put in on a stand, many with the discipline of a soldier, critters always seem to show up the 30 seconds we let our guard down. Great story Fred.
-Brian
Good attitude on the whole event.
Great description of the fretting around the Power Bar and the ensuing events. Gotta love this Hunt thingy.
Thanks for sharing.
Awesome story enjoyed every minute of it ...it sure is funny when we leave our guard down is when they show up""!
Great Story Fred! I was on the edge of my seat and then laughing because its quite relateable.
Thank you for sharing.
Great story .. thanks for sharing it with us.
I think sometimes Murphy's law and bowhunting go hand in hand...
Deer keep us humble and thankful all at the same time. Similar to women. Great story.
That's a good hunt and some funny stuff to boot.
Awesome hunt! I know I have had similar type things happen to me over the years. Every time you open a Power Bar from now on, you will think of this hunt!
Bisch
Fred,
That sounds like it was a fun hunt, thanks for sharing the story with us!
That was fun to read....thanks!
Aw, Fred! For the first time, I'm beginning to think that maybe (just maybe!) you're not perfect! :saywhat:
Great story of the vast array of thoughts that go through a hunter's mind as the hours tick by.
The story could only been better if:
A) You killed that trophy buck after all the shenanigans, distractions, and close calls, or
B) As a final act of "gotcha," the buck walked past the base of your ladder, sniffed the Powerbar, picked it up in his mouth, and munched it thoughtfully as he walked out of your life!
Thanks for a fun report. I imagine many of us can relate is SO many ways! :archer:
Daryl
Sounds like a great hunt and a really cool story!
Great story Fred!
I think many can relate
glove fuzz for a snack-who whould have thought it?
good story made even better by your telling it. Thanks.
Thanks guys things like this are what keep hunting so interesting after 45+ years , Randy maybe we will share a camp again and you can help me drag out my deer , and Daryl whatever gave you the impression I was anywhere near perfect , you obviously haven't talked with my Goodwife . and Roadkill you have to remember it was chocolate glove fuzz , makes all the difference from the plain fuzz. Thanks again for reading my ramblings , Fred
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Sounds like you had a great time.
Great story, thanks for sharing.