Snuffers work

[Mjolnir]

I went out to my local hunting spot yesterday afternoon. By 4pm I was in the Lone Wolf strap on watching a farm trail through some white oaks. I spent the first 2 hours watching squirrels eat acorns and chase each other. A few minutes after 6 I heard a noise behind me and saw a mature doe at about 25 yards moving towards me. I stood silently and waited. Suddenly the wind changed and she stopped. She changed course and eased away. No shot.

I was disappointed I didn't get a shot at her, but I was excited that the deer were moving an hour before dark. About a half hour later I heard a tractor. One of the gentlemen who keeps cattle on the farm drove a tractor up the path to deliver a round bail. He didn't see me, so I was happy with the stand placement. I figured that I had at most 35 minutes of shooting light left, so I made the decision to get down and still hunt rather than hope the deer would disregard the tractor.

I walked to the end of the path and decided to go to a nearby part of the farm that I had scouted in the spring. There is a string of cedars about 100 yards long with a good game trail on either side. I went to my left because the wind was coming from the right. I knew there are a few shooting lanes between the cedars to the other side and my plan was to try to pick off a deer moving on the opposite side.

I worked my way about 80 yards along the left side and found the window I was looking for. There are some bushes I stood in front of to break up my outline and two separate shooting lanes about 4" squared to the other trail. I hadn't been set up for a minute when I heard a deer walking down the other trail. I remembered reading here that holding your bow in vertically in front of your face sometimes helps to break up one's outline, so I did that.

A short time later, what I thought was a medium sized doe appeared in the window. Unfortunately, she was facing me head on. Her chest was centered in the left shooting window. There were maybe 5 minutes of shooting light left. The deer saw me, but didn't know what I was. I waited for about a minute hoping it would turn, but we were at an impasse. At 15 yards I knew I could hit her in the chest and I knew my set up would get the vitals even with a frontal shot. I drew slowly and the deer didn't move. I hit anchor, concentrated on my spot, and released.

I use green lumenoks and I saw a green laser hit the deer in the chest and disappear. She spun to my left and was gone. I walked to the spot where the deer had been standing and found blood. The blood was good, but not what I was expecting. I followed it with my flashlight for less than 35 yards and found my deer dead. My "doe" was a button buck that weighed about 75lbs. Not a huge deer, but the smaller ones are harder to hit.    :cool:  

My arrow entered in the front of the chest and exited right in front of the diaphragm. The lack of impressive blood was due to the heart being hit.

Bow: Bob Lee Signature 70lbs @ 28". I draw 29.5"

Arrow: GT Trad 7595 30.5", 100gr insert, 100gr of screw in weights, 125gr magnus Snuffer.

Pictures:

Entry wound:




I'm wearing orange because we're in muzzleloader season here in KY. I took off the hat so as no to obscure my rugged good looks.    :rolleyes:  For reference, I'm about 6'3" and 265lbs.

[Mjolnir]

This is my second trad deer ever (only two archery deer) and first from the ground. My 8 year old daughter and 3 year old son spent the morning with me butchering. I'm doing my best to start them young.

[maxwell]

Good for you, sometimes taking the initiative really can pay off.

[Biathlonman]

I'm just up Russell Cave on the Scott County line.  I forgot it was muzzle loader season until my neighbor cleared his off the other night.  Scared the heck out of me, that suckers was loud!  Congrats on a great deer!

[SAM E. STEPHENS]

Congrats sir....

,,Sam,,

[Mjolnir]

Thanks. I'm not going to lie - I'm pretty proud of this one.

[Tradcat]

Congrats fellow wildcat...Go Big Blue !   Tradcat

[Homey88]

Congrats to you! Great hunt!

[MR BILL SHORTY]

   

Way to go!

Congrats,

Bisch

[Zombie1978]

Congrats that is the way to do it.

[KyStickbow]

Congrats!

[Wheels2]

With that poundage you could have used a Judo point....

I had used Snuffers in the past (15 years ago) but upon my return to traditional last year I went a different route, i.e. Zwickey.  This year I picked up some SS Montec 3 blades but I just can't get them as sharp as the carbon steels heads such as the Snuffers.
I have been thinking of going back to Snuffers.

[T-Bowhunter]

Congrat!

[awbowman]

Congrats

[Matty]

Congrats! From the ground!

[Earl Jeff]

Snuffers are my favorite

[goingoldskool]

Nicely done!

Congrats on your ground game as well.

[drewsbow]

congrats

[Jerry Jeffer]