Rain is not the forecast any hunter wants to hear going into the final day of the season. Add severe fog to the mix and the prospects of harvesting the first bowshot deer of the year diminish quickly. That was my mindset last night, Friday night before the final day of deer season here in Pa.
Last year I was blessed to arrow my first trad deer. I had shot deer with rifles, but the sacred arc of the arrow had not brought meat yet into my home until a medium size doe with a gimp was mercifully culled from the herd. I was proud, and above all thankful, that God had let me take a deer with stick and string. This year marked my second shooting left handed and I prayed without ceasing for another chance.
Up until this point in the season, I had seen deer but the only ones to wander into range were yearlings. I preferred to allow them the chance to live a little, procreate, and grow into mature deer. Once, I had the opportunity to grunt in a rather large 8 pointer. However, he stopped 5 steps short of comfortable for me, living to see another day.
Rifle season saw me in stand with a rifle, looking to fill the freezer. I won't say that I don't enjoy the gun, but it's just not the same. I took a doe and was thankful for the food. Heartbreak hit a week later when I wounded a large 8-10 pointer with the same gun. It was the first buck I had ever shot at and the first deer I had wounded. I am quite sure he is still around today.
It was with his memory that I went back to that same stand in the rain, in the fog, praying to have a chance to see and finish with him. The still fog was eerily quiet with only the sound of rain in the trees to mask my entry into the woods. Almost all of the snow from last week's storm had melted leaving the seat in the stand clogged with water. It was early enough though and I sloshed myself into position.
30 minutes later, silouettes appeared 50 yards ahead up the hill. Dawn had already broken, but it was difficult to know that in the dense fog. Several doe made their way east in front of me. It seemed they were aware that I was there as I stood to get a better look. Mental note, today is not a good day to stand. Sit still, then shoot if the opportunity presents itself. Opportunity was the right word, or perhaps providence. I settled back into the seat with the knowledge that if I was to have a shot, it would have to be to my right. Left was just too hard to do today with the branches, fog, and the eerie quietness.
Sometimes it is hard to thank God and to be content. Here I am, sitting in the fog and rain and what are the chances that I was going to see, much less shoot, any deer on the last day? As those thoughts spun in my head I realized my chances were exactly 100% or 0% and it all depended on whether God would provide the opportunity or not. I could be content with that. I started praying thankfully for that realization, thanking God that I was in the woods, for friends and family.
When deer cross a creek 30 yards behind you, it's pretty obvious. The problem is, you don't have much time to prepare, and when you are praying silently it's tough not to jump! I knew that sound and by God's grace I held still, peeking over my right shoulder to see a fairly mature buck and two youngin's not 25 yards away. The older fella lead the group across the tractor road I guarded, but the youngin's were too preoccupied with the shadow 15 ft up in the tree to follow. Dang! They knew I was there. Patience. Providence.
I waited and moved nothing. Finally, the closest young buck put his head down. I drew efficiently, choosing a spot behind the shoulder of the big guy standing with his head to the ground 17 yards away. No time to think, only feel. A silent thump and the arrows implanted itself into the ground on the far side of the buck, bright red blood covering the white wrap and vanes. I had hit him about 2 inches high almost dead center, further back than I had wanted but I knew it was fatal.
The three deer bounded quickly up the hill in front of me, stopping 40 yards away to check things out before then galloped across the field. 100%. Those were my odds today. We waited and searched for a while. Blood was even more impossible to find today than it usually is for me. We found nothing, but I trusted the shot. After about an hour of searching, we found him. I gave thanks again for God's grace, knowing that I did not deserve the buck but that God desired to give him to me anyway.
My first buck, the last day of the season.
Pics to follow.....
Congrats, good report on your hunt.
Great hunt, congrats.
:campfire: Congrats!
great story congrats! :thumbsup:
The shot... you might be able to see the white vanes of my arrow in the ground center screen.
(http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc197/khardrunner14/IMG_1255_zps77f148d2.jpg) (http://s214.photobucket.com/user/khardrunner14/media/IMG_1255_zps77f148d2.jpg.html)
Sorry for the poor cell pic. My buddy wasn't too steady.
(http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc197/khardrunner14/IMG_1259_zpsf4a81114.jpg) (http://s214.photobucket.com/user/khardrunner14/media/IMG_1259_zpsf4a81114.jpg.html)
The ride home!
(http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc197/khardrunner14/IMG_1256_zps06795046.jpg) (http://s214.photobucket.com/user/khardrunner14/media/IMG_1256_zps06795046.jpg.html)
great buck that's awesome :archer:
excellent
Nicely done !
Congrats on a fine buck !
I got 2 of my deer out of the woods this year with a Kubota, too. Congrats.
Congrats Nice job
Congrats. Nice buck.
Congrats. Nice buck.
Good one, congrats
:archer:
Great buck! And one heck of an accomplishment in the late PA season.
That's great, congrats!!
Nice PA buck! Heckuva buck for your first and sticking with it this late into the season! Yep, the good Lord smiled on you today brother! Congratulations!
Super buck! Congratulations.
Congrats! Nice deer!
very nice , congrats
ohhh nice buck.
Beautiful deer and a great story. The last day of the season is always the best day to fill a buck tag. It is what we all dream about. The ability to hunt all season and still fill a tag. Excellent!
Congrats on a fine buck. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Congrats to a fellow PA bow hunter and a fellow rider! Nice to see today's rain clearing off some of the salt....., :thumbsup:
Now that's one great day! Congratulations!
Great story sounds like your prayers were heard . Any deer on late season with a bow is a trophy and that one is outstanding
QuoteOriginally posted by fishmerf:
Beautiful deer and a great story. The last day of the season is always the best day to fill a buck tag. It is what we all dream about. The ability to hunt all season and still fill a tag. Excellent!
X2!!
Great Buck!
Nice one! Hey you are only few miles from me! Nothing like late season hunting, but I'll be darned if I was going out in that rain!! Holy cow.
Tedd
Rain wasn't too bad early on. The first real bad stuff came in about 5 minutes after I shot him. Needless to day, it made blood training impossible.
GOOD job!! great accomplishment for PA. :thumbsup:
I am very HAPPY for you!!!!
GOD bless.
MAY THE SPIRIT OF FRED BEAR GUIDE OUR ARROWS.
Congrats, Nice Buck!
good job
Awesome ending to the season. Congratulations!
:thumbsup: :thumbsup:
congrats sir !
Great buck ! Congrats!
Way to hang in there....congrats!
congratts! on your first buck, and way to stay with it till the end. :thumbsup:
Really nice buck!! Great job persevering through the rain. I completely understand the tention between contentment and thankfulness. So glad God choose to bless you with that last chance buck. Nice job making the shot count! Congrats
Great Job. I also live in PA... and come the last day of the season, major prayers are needed to succeed, IMO. I'd not have ventured out yesterday due to dreary weather... Congrats.
Way to go!
Congrats,
Bisch
Nice looking buck :thumbsup: congratulations
Nice story and a great looking buck! Congratulations! :thumbsup:
Bernie Bjorklund
NC Iowa/SW Wisconsin
congrats on a great buck!!!
Thanks for the congrats everyone! It was a blessing for sure.
Ted, nice to know there are decent bucks in the area right? There are many more and many larger than the one I shot roaming these woods! I've seen them!
Way to go sir! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Are we having fun now! good job
way to go. thanks for sharing your story!