This is my first write up for 2020, so i'll make it long. First a little back story on my hunting situation for 2020. I've got some work property that allows employees to hunt (bow only) that is 1200 acres broken up into 6 stands with a feeder and blind in each section. This year our committee has focused on taking mature deer only and we've created a hit list. I've made about 6-7 sits with none of the shooter bucks showing up. We are MLD so i'll probably just end up taking a doe or two unless a shooter shows up.
I've also got a small 32 acre place that a friend of mine is letting me hunt that i got to setup this summer. Primary focus for this place is to get my son his first deer with a rifle. I've got a popup built on a platform setup at 50 yards for my son and i and i also have a lockon hung. I took a doe back in October and some pigs back in September. I've got several young promising bucks cruising this place and plan on letting them all get a pass this year with the exception of a mature tall 6 that will get an arrow if he slips up, but i've mainly been staying out of there until my son and i get some more time.
My folks live in middle Tennessee by a lake on about 3 acres with a creek running through the corner of the property with good wooded cover. They are overrun with deer and let's just say my mom would be happy if I killed them all because they have eaten every single shrub and flower planted. The deer cruise through their property regularly moving from different areas of cover throughout the the neighborhood. I've been hesitant to hunt because i didn't want the deer to run and die on someone else's property. The backyard slopes downhill pretty good to the creek, so i figured if i shot one traveling towards the creek, most wounded animals will travel downhill and towards water before they bed down.
Leading up to Thanksgiving my dad sends me a picture of a buck he has seen cruise through a couple times but definitely not a patterned deer like the does. This buck got me a little fired up, so i decided to pack my bow and gear and bought a NR license. Me and my 3 boys got into town Sunday evening and i started Monday to scout the morning and evening to get a pattern on their movements. Never saw the buck the first 4 days but saw plenty of doe. This morning, i made a plan to get out at 6 am and at least take a doe so my tags didn't go to waste. Alarm goes off, i check the weather and it is 34 and i figured this was my best shot at seeing good movement. I get dressed, grab my bow, and go take a seat next to a tree downwind from where i've been seeing them cross down the corner of the property by the creek. Almost immediately 4 does come in to about 40 yards but sense something is up and start blowing at me. This went on for a few minutes before they go around the front of the house into the neighbors property. At this point i decided to go sit down by the creek bed where i had more cover and wind directly in my face.
The light was still pretty low because of a heavy fog, and i hadn't been settled in for more than 3 minutes when i notice movement coming down the hill to my right and notice horns. He was moving with a purpose and jumped the creek and was starting to cross from my right to left. I had my sight set at 25 yds and didn't have time to range him but estimated he was 30ish yards. I had a shooting window directly in front of me through some brush and drew back as he entered. I settled my pin on his upper third as he was quartering away and let the 615 grain arrow fly. It was a straight pass through but i was worried i hit him a little back. He kicked and ran away from me towards the neighbor about 15 yards from where i shot him. I could tell he was hurt because he started stumbling around. I decided i needed to get a second arrow in him to anchor him inside the property. I started to try and range him, but couldn't get an accurate range, I'm assuming due to the fog. As i was putting my range finder up and securing my release, the buck made a run directly at me. I had positioned a tree between me and him and had moved forward about 5 feet as i prepared for my second shot. He came within about 6-7 yards of me before he saw me and turn to run back from the direction he came from only to stop at about 20 yards from me. I settled my pin to try and hit his off shoulder and sent the second arrow. I heard the loud thwack of the Iron Will hitting his off shoulder and he laid over right there 20 yards from me and took his last breath about a minute later.
I immediately text my dad buck down. He comes around from the house as i am walking up to the buck and couldn't believe he died right there 80 yards from the house. The old man snaps a few pics for me and we both drag the deer up to the garage with about 25 of the bucks girlfriends looking on in disbelief. We made a makeshift skinning rack in the garage with an A-frame ladder and i get to work as he brings me coffee and sets up a bluetooth speaker for some tunes. Started hunting at 6:10, buck down at 6:41 and quartered out and loaded in the cooler for the trip home by 10:30. Best part was sharing that experience with my dad (who isn't a hunter) and putting a small dent in my mom's deer population problem. A little bonus was a longtime buddy from high school who lives in the area, text our group thread at about 8:30 with a picture of his buck from this morning. Naturally i followed up with a picture of mine and we all had a good laugh.
I didn't expect to get a urban buck like this, but happy the way it all played out.
I've also got a small 32 acre place that a friend of mine is letting me hunt that i got to setup this summer. Primary focus for this place is to get my son his first deer with a rifle. I've got a popup built on a platform setup at 50 yards for my son and i and i also have a lockon hung. I took a doe back in October and some pigs back in September. I've got several young promising bucks cruising this place and plan on letting them all get a pass this year with the exception of a mature tall 6 that will get an arrow if he slips up, but i've mainly been staying out of there until my son and i get some more time.
My folks live in middle Tennessee by a lake on about 3 acres with a creek running through the corner of the property with good wooded cover. They are overrun with deer and let's just say my mom would be happy if I killed them all because they have eaten every single shrub and flower planted. The deer cruise through their property regularly moving from different areas of cover throughout the the neighborhood. I've been hesitant to hunt because i didn't want the deer to run and die on someone else's property. The backyard slopes downhill pretty good to the creek, so i figured if i shot one traveling towards the creek, most wounded animals will travel downhill and towards water before they bed down.
Leading up to Thanksgiving my dad sends me a picture of a buck he has seen cruise through a couple times but definitely not a patterned deer like the does. This buck got me a little fired up, so i decided to pack my bow and gear and bought a NR license. Me and my 3 boys got into town Sunday evening and i started Monday to scout the morning and evening to get a pattern on their movements. Never saw the buck the first 4 days but saw plenty of doe. This morning, i made a plan to get out at 6 am and at least take a doe so my tags didn't go to waste. Alarm goes off, i check the weather and it is 34 and i figured this was my best shot at seeing good movement. I get dressed, grab my bow, and go take a seat next to a tree downwind from where i've been seeing them cross down the corner of the property by the creek. Almost immediately 4 does come in to about 40 yards but sense something is up and start blowing at me. This went on for a few minutes before they go around the front of the house into the neighbors property. At this point i decided to go sit down by the creek bed where i had more cover and wind directly in my face.
The light was still pretty low because of a heavy fog, and i hadn't been settled in for more than 3 minutes when i notice movement coming down the hill to my right and notice horns. He was moving with a purpose and jumped the creek and was starting to cross from my right to left. I had my sight set at 25 yds and didn't have time to range him but estimated he was 30ish yards. I had a shooting window directly in front of me through some brush and drew back as he entered. I settled my pin on his upper third as he was quartering away and let the 615 grain arrow fly. It was a straight pass through but i was worried i hit him a little back. He kicked and ran away from me towards the neighbor about 15 yards from where i shot him. I could tell he was hurt because he started stumbling around. I decided i needed to get a second arrow in him to anchor him inside the property. I started to try and range him, but couldn't get an accurate range, I'm assuming due to the fog. As i was putting my range finder up and securing my release, the buck made a run directly at me. I had positioned a tree between me and him and had moved forward about 5 feet as i prepared for my second shot. He came within about 6-7 yards of me before he saw me and turn to run back from the direction he came from only to stop at about 20 yards from me. I settled my pin to try and hit his off shoulder and sent the second arrow. I heard the loud thwack of the Iron Will hitting his off shoulder and he laid over right there 20 yards from me and took his last breath about a minute later.
I immediately text my dad buck down. He comes around from the house as i am walking up to the buck and couldn't believe he died right there 80 yards from the house. The old man snaps a few pics for me and we both drag the deer up to the garage with about 25 of the bucks girlfriends looking on in disbelief. We made a makeshift skinning rack in the garage with an A-frame ladder and i get to work as he brings me coffee and sets up a bluetooth speaker for some tunes. Started hunting at 6:10, buck down at 6:41 and quartered out and loaded in the cooler for the trip home by 10:30. Best part was sharing that experience with my dad (who isn't a hunter) and putting a small dent in my mom's deer population problem. A little bonus was a longtime buddy from high school who lives in the area, text our group thread at about 8:30 with a picture of his buck from this morning. Naturally i followed up with a picture of mine and we all had a good laugh.
I didn't expect to get a urban buck like this, but happy the way it all played out.
Attached Files
Comment