Opening Day 2013

[Kingsnake]

It was an uncharacteristically cool morning for early September in Northern Virginia.  Temps in the high fifties and humidity almost non-existent.  In short....It was GORGEOUS!  

I was hunting on a little 17 acre hunk of private property near the base of a mountain in Loudon County, Virginia.  (and for you Out-West TradGangers, that's a lower case "m"-mountain, not a BIG-M Mountain).      

Equipment Check:  My 29 1/4" red & white fletched Gold Tip Traditional 3555s were tipped with 175 Grain Woodsman Elites.  I knew they were SHARP. (Thanks, again, Ron)     I had been practicing hard with the 60" Bocote Holm-Made River Runner I had purchased from Killdeer the year before.  My ongoing transition from training wheels to trad had been tough.  The 48# draw weight doesn't sound like much after pulling compound weight, but all of my new trad buddies had me convinced that set-up I was using would have more than enough penetration, as long as I limited myself to shorter ranges 10-20 yards.  They would prove right....  

I set up looking uphill about two feet behind a large white oak, with a bunch of young shingle oaks directly behind me providing good cover.  I propped my Big Jim Ground hunter seat against a dead tree, eased back against it in my Leafy Wear camo, and began the anxious wait for dawn.  I was confident in my scent control and the wind direction, and I had also taken the extra step to paint my face.  I felt invisible....and I guess I must have been...

Here's a quick vid showing the view from my hunting spot after the sun came up...

http://s1244.photobucket.com/user/Doug_Simon/media/20130907OpeningDayView_zpsdd9149f2.mp4.html

[Kingsnake]

As the pre-dawn pink light grudgingly gave way to full daylight, I spied the flicker of a tail in a nearby blackberry tangle.  I could see patches of brown.  I could not make out how many or what sex they were, but at 25 yards, there was no question that these were deer. And they were close.

I shrank back into my hide a little more and tried to view them obliquely, partly to avoid any direct eye contact, but also to help calm my nerves.  The angle at which I was viewing these deer allowed me only a partial glimpse as they emerged from the blackberries before being obscured by the oak that provided my front-cover.  The first real look I would get at the beasts would be when moved from the left side of my oak to the right side of my oak...at which point they would be in the clear at only 12 yards.  I had my bow up....Arrow pointed in the direction of their anticipated path...The split-finger grip of my right hand  increasing tension on the string....The tip of the Woodsman Elite pulsed in rhythm with my steadily pounding heart....

[Scott E]

I just moved to CT from Leesburg. Beautiful area I miss it already. Good luck this season

[VictoryHunter]

Sounds like the perfect morning.  

[Jon Kaw]

So what happened?  I'm on the edge of my seat!  
 Jon  

[JoeM]

[ron w]

Shooting a River Runner, only good things are about to happen.      

[Kingsnake]

HE stepped out....A beautiful typical 8-point whitetail buck, rack free of all residual velvet.  He was looking straight ahead and walking at a relaxed pace, pausing only to nibble an occasional acorn.  Not a monster, but a damn good buck nonetheless.  Since I was looking up hill, the deer essentially passed me at eye level.  This was a close encounter that I was thoroughly enjoying.

The buck dipped his head for another acorn. I did nothing.  I could not.  This was Opening Day in four Northern Virginia counties....But it was only open for antlerless deer.  I could say my heart sank, but it did not.  It was thrilling to be on the ground so close to a good buck.  In fact, right then I was really wishing I had set up my video camera for this hunt as I normally do when tree-stand hunting.  I was concerned that I would get too hung up trying to film and somehow mess up my hunt.  (It has happened before)  Bang head  Besides, I knew this buck was not alone.  Maybe he had a lady-friend trailing him.....

[Kingsnake]

He did have a lady with him!  A legal deer!  And she was only a few yards behind and traveling the exact same path.  She would pass me for an unobstructed* broadside shot at 10 yards...well within my comfort zone.  My eyes began burning a hole at the low spot in her rib cage just behind the shoulder.  The bow was coming to full draw and she hadn't noticed, yet......      

http://s1244.photobucket.com/user/Doug_Simon/media/20130907ComingtoDraw_zpsea8f0c01.mp4.html

[Hot Hap]

Tap-tap-tap

[Kingsnake]

Now, if I've learned anything about proper Tradgang story-telling etiquette, then this is the part of the story where I'm supposed to leave my computer to go get a cup of coffee or something...  

[Kingsnake]

Since I don't drink coffee, I just grabbed a Diet Coke out of the fridge.  So, where was I?  Oh yeah....I think I was coming to full draw....

As I started to draw the bow, I did my best chameleon impression, forcing one eye to check the buck's position and alertness as I kept the other eye on the doe.  Despite my excellent camouflage, right then I realized  --with startling clarity -- that I am NOT chameleon and that my eyes do NOT work independently.

I released the string and "THWOCK!!!" ....Not the encouraging "Thuuppp" of a lung-hit deer....Not the hollow "PLuuhh" of a gut-shot deer...Not even the "CRACK" of a bone-hit deer. This was a decided "THWOCK!!!" that can only mean one thing....  

Remember that littttle tiiiiinny asterisk I put in the sentence a while ago?  You know, it read: "She would pass me for an unobstructed* broadside shot at 10 yards..."  Yea....THAT asterisk.  Well that little guy matters.  It seems that "unobstructed*)  (with an asterisk) is not exactly the same as "unobstructed" (without the asterisk). See what I mean?

http://s1244.photobucket.com/user/Doug_Simon/media/20130907Asterisk_zps6b0ed50d.mp4.html

[Kingsnake]

No.  That little crooked maple was not the problem.  This was just a result of my lapse in concentration at a very key moment.  Floating anchor....Poor eye alignment....Plain-old panic.  Feeling kinda' like Jon Voight in "Deliverance."  At least I don't have Burt Reynolds lecturing me ...

Decent penetration on the maple, though!



Kingsnake

[jonsimoneau]

Good stuff!

[ron w]

 It happens..........

[ron w]

 It happens..........

[Mudd]

"Been there, done that!"...lol

Great hunt and film.

I wonder if the deer had been eating any "paw paws"?

I recognized the tell tale leaf of the "paw paw" plants all around you.

God bless,Mudd

[RedShaft]

hey atleast ya got a shot already!

[Jon Kaw]

Too bad!  Great story though.
 Jon  

[ClintonG]

Well darn it!  It happens.