1st with my Howatt Hunter

[Jeff Roark]

This morning I eased into a place I had found last weekend blackpowder hunting. I had seen 5 does last Saturday and 10 does Sunday. We can't kill does during our first blackpowder season so I had plenty time to watch and see what was going on. I told my good friend Gurnie about it and he said "well, you know where to set up on them now", and thats what I did.

I took my LW climber with me and setup right in the middle of white oak heaven. The ground was punched pretty good all around with sign and along with that there is one heck of a trail that runs right through the area. I got set and was in the tree by about 7:15am. I had a good feeling about the place after sitting there about an hour because I had never in my life seen so many squirrels and ground squirrels on the ground all around me. There was more fighting amongst neighbors there this morning over the acorns that it was almost comical. I've heard it said, "find the squirrels and the deer won't be far away". I guess it held true this morning.

About 10:30 my hands were about numb so there I stood with my hands in my pockets trying to warm them up when I heard that familiar little sound and right under came a little doe. If I had been ready I could have had a great shot on her, but being I was sitting there with my hands in the pockets, she got her free pass for the day. That was a good lesson for me as it put me on alert just in time.

About 30 minutes later here come 4 deer right over the ridge and they were heading right for me. They got about 40 yards from me and they busted up like someone had thrown a hand grenade in the middle of them. Two of them ran about 15 yards from the tree I was in and were under a little buck beech. They started moving and when the one got into a little opening I stopped them and had a quartering away away shot and it was tight and I ended up hitting it a little further back than I wanted.

I waited about 15 minutes and got down out of my stand and eased over and got my arrow and started looking for blood. I had a nice little trail and hadn't realized he had only went back up on the top of the ridge and bedded down. I ended up jumping him up, but I watched him bed back down down in the little swag. I backed out and waited a couple hours and went back and found him bedded down in the same place when I left. I eased down to where he was and thought he was dead but I saw him barely breathing and I eased down below him and put one through his heart. He jumped and went about 20ft and was done.

Only thing I wish I could change is that I would have taken a little more time and really tried to pick a spot when I shot him first. It was a tight spot, but I could have done better. I just need to get more experience and this one takes a the pressure off that I self apply.

Well, I ain't the best at telling stories so thats that.


IMG_0893

[cacciatore]

[dave19113]

[5deer]

congrats

[stik&string]

I think you do just find with the story telling. Congrats        

[imhntn]

Good job Jeff.  We all make mistakes and hopefully, learn from them.  Glad it ended well.

[drewsbow]

congrats  

[DannyBows]

Congrats on Blooding that Howatt! Good story telling too.    

[Hot Hap]

Congradulations. Hap

[Want2no]

 congratulations!

[wv lungbuster]

Awesome the deer are falling now.  

[Mike Manassa]

Congratulations Jeff...Good job on the followup..Mike

[Bernie B.]

You did a good job at telling your story!  Congratulations on a fine doe and a good recovery!

Bernie Bjorklund

NC Iowa/SW Wisconsin

[59Alaskan]

Congrats!  Great story.

[Jeff Roark]

thanks guys. here is a short youtube video.


http://youtu.be/Yl1DOnv2aZI

[limbolt]

Nice deer,and you did fine on the story,congrats!      

[vermonster13]

Congrats!

[Hooper]

Great recovery job! Congrats!

[rastaman]

Good job sir!      

[kybownut]

congrats from hinkle,ky you did weii