Had a bit of luck today out here in West Texas.
Started out in the blind hunting for white tails. They were not moving this morning, to top it off, coons got to my feeder, emptying it for me before this hunt.
Got out of the stand a little early and retrieved my truck and corn. Filled it up and took off to another stand to top off that feeder as well.
As I was making my way to my 2nd stand I was scanning the brush as always when I saw grey legs and half a body about 75 yards from the road.
I stopped my truck, grabbed my rifle and took off towards this deer to see if I could get a closer look. I was able to stalk with 20 yards of this buck, and could have shot him multiple times with my rifle.
The buck didn’t seem to notice me, so I thought, why not go back for my bow. He was feeding, not really worried about anything. I went back to the truck dropped off my rifle and grabbed my bow. I slowly worked my way back in the brush where I had last seen him. Couldn’t find him again. I started making my way deeper into the brush when all of a sudden I jumped him up from behind a big cedar bush. This time he was at 12 yards.... he stopped and stared. Facing me, partially hidden behind a smaller bush. He started to turn and I drew back... he bolted.
After a few minutes trying to relocate the buck I figured it was over. Made my way back to the truck, was about to get in when I saw him a few hundred yards down the road, feeding again.
At this point I figured it wouldn’t hurt to try and stalk him again, so I started making my way towards him through the brush. Found a big cedar between me and the buck and inches closer, got to about 15 yards from him. I drew back tried to slowly move around the tree for a shot, he decided to trot off again.
This time he only went about 50 yards, in sight, before stopping again. At this point I’m committed, I am either going to kill deer or spook him to the next county.
I cross the road following him, circling down wind of him and start coding the distance. He is calm and feeding. I keep moving forward until I’m in range... I try to range him, but can’t get a steady shot with the range finder... adrenaline was pumping. I abandoned the range finder and got to what I felt was inside 20 yards.
He kept feeding. I drew back, settled my pin and released. I saw the arrow hit. Good solid hit, lodged in his opposite shoulder. He bolted, but was hurt bad.
The shot ended up being 18 yards.
I went a picked up my arrow. It was broken off, had about 10 inches of penetration.
He was running as if he was hurting and could hear him hitting a few trees. I immediately start following him where he went back into the brush. It was a very short tracking job. I found him about 30 yards from the road. Probably 50ish total yards from where I hit him.
He was bedded down but I could see he was still breathing. Not wanting to take any chances I sunk another arrow in shoulder. He took it, didn’t hardly flinch. But he was still breathing and had his head up. I mocked another arrow and put a 3rd in him. This time he would finally slump over. All 3 shots were in the vitals, and probably wasn’t necessary, but I didn’t want to take a chance on him getting up and definitely didn’t want him to suffer.
Shot my first mule deer last year, with a rifle and this year took this one with my bow. It was about as exciting as hunting gets.
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Started out in the blind hunting for white tails. They were not moving this morning, to top it off, coons got to my feeder, emptying it for me before this hunt.
Got out of the stand a little early and retrieved my truck and corn. Filled it up and took off to another stand to top off that feeder as well.
As I was making my way to my 2nd stand I was scanning the brush as always when I saw grey legs and half a body about 75 yards from the road.
I stopped my truck, grabbed my rifle and took off towards this deer to see if I could get a closer look. I was able to stalk with 20 yards of this buck, and could have shot him multiple times with my rifle.
The buck didn’t seem to notice me, so I thought, why not go back for my bow. He was feeding, not really worried about anything. I went back to the truck dropped off my rifle and grabbed my bow. I slowly worked my way back in the brush where I had last seen him. Couldn’t find him again. I started making my way deeper into the brush when all of a sudden I jumped him up from behind a big cedar bush. This time he was at 12 yards.... he stopped and stared. Facing me, partially hidden behind a smaller bush. He started to turn and I drew back... he bolted.
After a few minutes trying to relocate the buck I figured it was over. Made my way back to the truck, was about to get in when I saw him a few hundred yards down the road, feeding again.
At this point I figured it wouldn’t hurt to try and stalk him again, so I started making my way towards him through the brush. Found a big cedar between me and the buck and inches closer, got to about 15 yards from him. I drew back tried to slowly move around the tree for a shot, he decided to trot off again.
This time he only went about 50 yards, in sight, before stopping again. At this point I’m committed, I am either going to kill deer or spook him to the next county.
I cross the road following him, circling down wind of him and start coding the distance. He is calm and feeding. I keep moving forward until I’m in range... I try to range him, but can’t get a steady shot with the range finder... adrenaline was pumping. I abandoned the range finder and got to what I felt was inside 20 yards.
He kept feeding. I drew back, settled my pin and released. I saw the arrow hit. Good solid hit, lodged in his opposite shoulder. He bolted, but was hurt bad.
The shot ended up being 18 yards.
I went a picked up my arrow. It was broken off, had about 10 inches of penetration.
He was running as if he was hurting and could hear him hitting a few trees. I immediately start following him where he went back into the brush. It was a very short tracking job. I found him about 30 yards from the road. Probably 50ish total yards from where I hit him.
He was bedded down but I could see he was still breathing. Not wanting to take any chances I sunk another arrow in shoulder. He took it, didn’t hardly flinch. But he was still breathing and had his head up. I mocked another arrow and put a 3rd in him. This time he would finally slump over. All 3 shots were in the vitals, and probably wasn’t necessary, but I didn’t want to take a chance on him getting up and definitely didn’t want him to suffer.
Shot my first mule deer last year, with a rifle and this year took this one with my bow. It was about as exciting as hunting gets.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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