Classic Rut Encounter, Buck Down, Recovery Follies

Creigh and I were out in what we expected would be prime time for bucks chasing due to the rut.  Our first evening was in a downpour.  The next morning, I had an exciting encounter and the photo below is the eventual result.  But as usual with me, especially in archery, we had to have some drama.

On the first afternoon, we had a easing in the rain and I went to this ground blind.  The rain just kept getting progressively heavier so, for the last hour, I moved to the box blind up on the barn field.

Creigh went to the pond stand where he was exposed to more wind. This video gives a feel for the evening.  Pond Stand Rain

I didn't see anything from the ground blind but when I moved to the stand, I bumped deer out of the field.  Within 10 minutes, I started to have deer showing back up in the field.

I had a few does and then this 5 point showed up.

He was doing a little chasing but the does were nervous and watching the pines on the right.  Action in the Field Near last light, a small 8 point came out chasing another doe.

It was a very wet night and we came in to enjoy a little elk tenderloin.

There has been progress on the elk room expansion.

Van pointed out that my tractor had grown a beard.

The next morning, I went to the other ground blind looking out on the area where Creigh and I had done TSI work.  The photo below is a view out the blind and is marked up for the action.

At about 8:15, I heard a loud and obvious grunt from my right.  I got out my rattle bag and gave it a sequence.  Within minutes, a doe came running right to left at 68 yards (the blue line).  She looked bothered and was in escape mode. Suddenly a buck flashed by on the atv trail at about 30 yards (red line).  It happened so quickly that I had no time to assess - I just saw wide antlers and decent mass. I tried to stop him with a mouth grunt and he hit the brakes at "A" as he was leaving my shot window.  He turned and came charging in at me - full frontal.  At "B", I gave him another mouth grunt, he stopped and quartered.  I put the 20 yard pin on him and let one fly.  I heard the impact, he reacted.  He staggered to the left, went uphill a couple steps and laid down at "C".  His head was behind a tree but I could see his back half.

I was sure that I wacked him but wasn't sure of the angle.  I still hadn't gotten a really good view of the headgear - and it was behind a tree.  I couldn't tell if the head was up or down.  I texted Creigh and said we'll just give him time.  I could see him.

I cocked the crossbow, loaded a second bolt, and waited.  At 8:40, he stood up, wobbled, turned around and laid back down.  I saw the exit wound and he had some guts showing.  Now I could see chest so I took a shot. It was less than 30 yards but a tight window in twigs and leaves. I heard it hit, he got up and moved (obviously hurt) up to the atv trail and back to the right.  I was pretty sure he laid right back down just out of my sight at "D".

I texted with Creigh and said I was giving him until 9:00 and then would walk over there.  Creigh decided to come down and join me.

We could see him right on the edge of the trail.  Below shot is a zoom in between the two trees on my right.  You can see his back.

I tried to get a clear view, set up the sticks to finish him.  He had enough left to stand up, take two steps and fall off the drop off toward the creek.  It was obvious he couldn't move much and we decided to give him time.  We assumed the first shot was quartering so much that it was one lung and a gut exit.  We were sure that he just needed a little time.

We went up to the cabin and passed time by cooking breakfast.  I put a pistol on but I really didn't want to use it.  We decided to wait until 11:00 before going to check on him.  At the spot where we last bumped him, we found a bolt.

It had good blood - didn't know if it was the first or the second shot.

We took a couple steps over and looked over the hill.  Unbelievably, His head was still up. I hate that this didn't end quickly.  This is the worst part of hunting - especially archery.

I'm going to abbreviate the next series of follies.  I had one bolt left in my quiver.  It fell short.  I recovered the bolt we had just seen and it fell short.  I went up to the barn, converted some bolts from field points to mechanicals, came back and carefully measured yardage.  It was about 26 yards down hill.  Since previous two had been short with the 20 pin, I put 30 on him - long.  Finally one hit home and it was over. Sheesh.

First real look at the rack.  Main frame 9 point but with a nice split brow tine to make it a 10. It was a little bit of ground shrinkage for me but I doubt that I would have passed if I had time to study.  And the original encounter was awesome.

But there he was now, down in a hole (instead of right on the atv trail). That's Creigh down there beside him.  I got him gutted and then we winched him up.

We got him up and in the Ranger.

I actually had a camera looking back toward the ground blind but, for some reason, it didn't capture any of this action.

Couldn't have gotten in done without Creigh's help.

He was covered in ticks.

Ears were full of burrs.

I finished up my field dressing work.

He's got a 20.5" spread.

About 168 pounds field dressed.

I got some ice in him and started the caping.

I covered the exposed meat for the trip to the processor.

Loaded him up.

Ice for transport.

I used to take my deer to an Amish processor near Millers.  They went out of business some years ago.

I recently learned about this Amish processor on Unity Road.  It looks like a good operation.

So it was a successful hunt that probably could have been a little cleaner with a more skillful hunter. My 2026 buck is done and at the processor/taxidermist.

Halloween Hunt - Prime Time Approaching

I had planned to be in stand this morning but I lost motivation when I saw how hard it was raining. I'm hoping to get a lot of time in stand over the net two weeks.

This is how I handled trick or treat night.

It was mostly trick.  

I had a couple of young does out for about an hour. A group of four was on the way in when they caught a whiff of me. And that was it.

The next morning, I waited until light and then headed to the woods. 

There was no action over several hours.

Joan and I toured a bit. 

My invasive control didn't appear to be very successful.

Last week's chores.

Things seem to be heating up on camera.

Young Buck Grazing

The does don't seem exceptionally pestered - yet.

Meanwhile, there is a lot of fox activity. Fox On The Move

A pair of foxes.

A young looking bobcat.

And the turkeys just do their thing.