Update with question; Just my luck, hunting story

resinguy

resinguy

Joined
Feb 19, 2006
Messages
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In Ohio we are lucky to have a long bow season, Sept. 26 to Feb. 7. I've been out 10 times, and in all those hours saw only a single deer. Which I was fortunate enough to take. And then yesterday, great weather, great light, and here comes an entire family group of 5 does. The matriarch, two fawns, and others. They came in very alert; the matriarch had her nose in the air, kept stopping to stamp her feet. But with 5 of them milling about, looking every which way, including up at me, I couldn't even draw. 5 deer at 15 - 20 yards, and I was stuck just holding my bow. :grumpy:
 
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Still a great hunting story. 😀
I think it's neat there's a separate trad bow season. What sort of longbow are you pulling?
 
All bows are included here, trad, recurve, compound, and crossbow. I'm shooting a compound with Rage mechanicals. This is only my second season.
 
Gotcha. Long bow season vs longbow season. That little space makes all the difference. (Sometimes I have the brain drain). Well, you stuck one at any rate, and that's a good hunt. Congrats.
 
My hunting sensei, who sold me the current rig, is planning to go trad to increase the challenge. He despises folk who hunt deer with gun and crossbow.

YMMV.
 
Yes, there was that. (Which previously entailed coming back at dawn on Thanksgiving morn to track the gutshot button buck lost in the dark the previous evening).

But, in this case, the practical aspect was that the draw motion would have spooked them, and busted the stand location.
 
resinguy said:
Yes, there was that. (Which previously entailed coming back at dawn on Thanksgiving morn to track the gutshot button buck lost in the dark the previous evening).

But, in this case, the practical aspect was that the draw motion would have spooked them, and busted the stand location.
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Ah, well. Still a lovely nature moment!:)
 
resinguy said:
In Ohio we are lucky to have a long bow season, Sept. 26 to Feb. 7. I've been out 10 times, and in all those hours saw only a single deer. Which I was fortunate enough to take. And then yesterday, great weather, great light, and here comes an entire family group of 5 does. The matriarch, two fawns, and others. They came in very alert; the matriarch had her nose in the air, kept stopping to stamp her feet. But with 5 of them milling about, looking every which way, including up at me, I couldn't even draw. 5 deer at 15 - 20 yards, and I was stuck just holding my bow. :grumpy:
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Ugh, that stinks! :( Defintely made the right call. Many folks would still try to get a shot, a poor one at that.

OldPhysics said:
Ah, well. Still a lovely nature moment!:)
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Getting out there and enjoying nature is a big part of it. Bigger, I dare say, than the actual harvest of an animal. :thumbup:
 
SpyderPhreak said:
Getting out there and enjoying nature is a big part of it. Bigger, I dare say, than the actual harvest of an animal. :thumbup:
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True that. These last two seasons, I have very much enjoyed the time just sitting in the woods. Especially at dawn, as the woods wake up and the light comes through the canopy. A new experience for me.

Unless it is sleeting sideways, at 22F and 20mph winds. Then, not so much. :(
 
resinguy said:
True that. These last two seasons, I have very much enjoyed the time just sitting in the woods. Especially at dawn, as the woods wake up and the light comes through the canopy. A new experience for me.

Unless it is sleeting sideways, at 22F and 20mph winds. Then, not so much. :(
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Lol, no kidding. But those are the hunts you always seem to remember the most later on. :eek: :p
 
The intelligence of wild deer are something many city folks just don't understand. They just aren't the same as the golf course deer which have never been hunted.

But it's always great to hunt a game animal that knows it's being hunted. They see, hear, and can smell far better than any human. Not to mention their speed, agility and natural camo. Hunt's like this really make you appreciate taking game. It ain't easy.... and a bit of luck doesn't hurt either.

It doesn't always take a kill to have a successful hunt.

Sometimes... when you're lucky you catch something like this:

60A3A369-02D3-4CD2-8354-74445C460286_zpsjxy9pt1o.jpg



.
 
Great pic, thanks.

We had a beautiful pink sky the other day, morning and evening, but I didn't get a pic.
 
resinguy said:
In Ohio we are lucky to have a long bow season, Sept. 26 to Feb. 7. I've been out 10 times, and in all those hours saw only a single deer. Which I was fortunate enough to take. And then yesterday, great weather, great light, and here comes an entire family group of 5 does. The matriarch, two fawns, and others. They came in very alert; the matriarch had her nose in the air, kept stopping to stamp her feet. But with 5 of them milling about, looking every which way, including up at me, I couldn't even draw. 5 deer at 15 - 20 yards, and I was stuck just holding my bow. :grumpy:
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Those are the things that keep me hunting, the close encounters. Just seeing animals makes it all worthwhile, the meat in the freezer is a bonus for sure,,,;)
 
I have been there Bro. I know it can be frustrating. My Grandpa always said "It's called hunting, not getting."

Still always cool to have them that close whether you get a shot or not.

Garth
 
kdstrick said:
The intelligence of wild deer are something many city folks just don't understand. They just aren't the same as the golf course deer which have never been hunted.

But it's always great to hunt a game animal that knows it's being hunted. They see, hear, and can smell far better than any human. Not to mention their speed, agility and natural camo. Hunt's like this really make you appreciate taking game. It ain't easy.... and a bit of luck doesn't hurt either.

It doesn't always take a kill to have a successful hunt.

Sometimes... when you're lucky you catch something like this:

60A3A369-02D3-4CD2-8354-74445C460286_zpsjxy9pt1o.jpg



.
Click to expand...

There really is a huge difference between city and country deer! I live in the city and there are always deer in this wooded area around my house. They will jump into back yards and everything. . . . They know that nothing can be done lol
 
Same place, same stand, one week later.

When you are up in a stand it gives you time to think.

So what if multiple deer come in again? And maybe I can manage the approach and am able to draw. Then what? Assuming one of them presents a shot, do I take it? Score one deer, but spook 4 other? Maybe OK on the last weekend of the season. But then, with 5 deer bounding away, how do you keep track of the one you hit?

Is that an ethical shot? Discuss.
 
If one presented a good shot to me, I'd certainly take it. If hit well, and in the right spot, it won't go far and should leave a good blood trail that's easily tracked. I'd call that an ethical shot. It's not at all uncommon to take one of a group.
 
SpyderPhreak said:
If one presented a good shot to me, I'd certainly take it. If hit well, and in the right spot, it won't go far and should leave a good blood trail that's easily tracked. I'd call that an ethical shot. It's not at all uncommon to take one of a group.
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I agree, I would and have taken deer when they were part of a group. If hit in the lungs broadside you will probably see it go down within 40 yards or less. If they don't see you draw they might not even spook at your shot. I have shot a shotgun at 25 yards and because the deer didn't see me move before or after they just stood there dumbfounded. The deer I shot went down and the other just stood around. Every situation is a little different. If you spook them, they might be very leary of that stand location for awhile though.

I have come to the conclusion that I am most happy when using the most advanced weapon I am legally allowed to use for each season. The challenge to me is finding time to get out in the woods. I don't need to create a bigger challenge. Deer at 50 yards away during bow season is enough of a frustration. Ergo I usually grab a crossbow. I tried hunting deer with a pistol several times over the years here in Ohio and always saw nice deer I could have shot with my shotgun but not the pistol. Ergo now I usually use one of our limited selection of rifles. I don't understand how some hunters are so against people hunting with firearms and crossbows (like your mentor sounds like.) We have enough enemies without being against each other too. Sorry, off my soapbox.
 
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