Finally got my first one!
10-21-2003, 08:17 AM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
Posts: 391
Finally got my first one!
This is my 3rd season of deer hunting, all archery only, and I finally got my first one Friday morning. I completely froze on my only shot opportunity during my first season. Then I passed on a few shots early last year, only to end up getting skunked by the end of the season. But this year I put in far more time practicing, scouting, etc. and I was determined to get my first.
On Thursday evening I went out to a spot on the corner of one of the sod fields behind our house. Our property forms an " L" shape at that location. There is a drainage ditch that runs to that corner & several oak trees scattered throughout the ditch and one huge oak tree right near the corner of the property. The deer use the neighbor’s property as a bedding area (no hunting over there) and I can see them from the back deck every day crossing the property line, using the ditch for cover, and feeding on the acorns as they make their way across our fields.
I took a few minutes to set up a little ground blind right at the base of the big oak on the property line when I first got out there. It wasn' t much. Just a few limbs that had fallen & I clipped a few small limbs from some saplings & stuck them in the ground to break up my outline a little. At about 6:30 I had a single doe come in from the back area of the farm, right along the tree line. She stopped a little way behind one of the oak trees that I had ranged at 22 yards. I could still see her back end, so I hit her with the rangefinder & found that she was 27 yards away.
I knew I would have a shot as soon as she stepped out from behind that oak tree, but I thought I would wait for a closer shot since I would be shooting from a seated position. I’ve practiced shooting seated, and my accuracy isn’t bad but I just knew I would be able to get a closer shot. So I waited & watched as she continued to feed on acorns to my right. At one point she was 20 yards away, standing perfectly broadside, with her head buried in the weeds, munching on acorns. I probably could have stood up & danced a little jig before I shot but I decided to wait.
She was facing the neighbor’s property & I knew she was likely to run that way if I shot. We have permission to track over there, but I thought I would rather take a shot where she' s more likely to run out into one of the sod fields so recovering her would be easier (there was no one available to help me that night). And I just knew she would continue to feed right past me & cross the field just like they always do. It was about that time that she took a few steps & crossed back over the property line, never to be seen again.
I was kicking myself all night for not taking that shot. I couldn' t believe that I let her go like that. I' m hunting on a nuisance permit so we need to reduce the numbers & I want to get my first deer, and I just let her walk. I was determined to go back to that same spot the next morning & get another shot.
I went back first thing Friday morning, despite the light rain, & at about 7:45 I had a doe & two fawns coming across the sod field from my left, headed right for me. They were moving pretty quick but stopped to feed on the acorns in front of me. The doe stopped directly in front of my blind at 25 yards. I drew back, aimed, and squeezed my release. I don' t know if it was just coincidence or from the noise, but she turned slightly away as soon as I released. So she was slightly quartering away. I knew my arrow had hit a little far back, but I thought I should have gotten close to a lung on the other side since she was quartering. I watched as they ran off & it looked like she went down about 100 yards away.
My arrow had passed thru and was covered in bright red blood. It stunk, so I assumed that I had probably gotten into the gut a little but the bright red blood looked promising. By this time the rain was starting to pick up a little. I saw her go down so I wasn’t too worried about the disappearing blood trail, but I wasn’t positive about how she was hit.
I walked back to the house & met up with two of the guys that work on the farm. We drove back & found her still lying in the same spot. It was about 30 minutes after the shot and she had already expired. My arrow did hit just a little far back & got into a little of the gut area, but it took out the lung on the far side.
We snapped a few photos but I haven’t gotten them developed yet.
I’m shooting a Browning Ambush at 65lbs, flinging 28” Easton Epics tipped with 125 grain NAP Thunderheads at a blistering 235-240fps. And although my Realtree Hardwoods Green HD might not have faired well in Matt’s photo comparison, this particular doe didn’t seen to notice.
On Thursday evening I went out to a spot on the corner of one of the sod fields behind our house. Our property forms an " L" shape at that location. There is a drainage ditch that runs to that corner & several oak trees scattered throughout the ditch and one huge oak tree right near the corner of the property. The deer use the neighbor’s property as a bedding area (no hunting over there) and I can see them from the back deck every day crossing the property line, using the ditch for cover, and feeding on the acorns as they make their way across our fields.
I took a few minutes to set up a little ground blind right at the base of the big oak on the property line when I first got out there. It wasn' t much. Just a few limbs that had fallen & I clipped a few small limbs from some saplings & stuck them in the ground to break up my outline a little. At about 6:30 I had a single doe come in from the back area of the farm, right along the tree line. She stopped a little way behind one of the oak trees that I had ranged at 22 yards. I could still see her back end, so I hit her with the rangefinder & found that she was 27 yards away.
I knew I would have a shot as soon as she stepped out from behind that oak tree, but I thought I would wait for a closer shot since I would be shooting from a seated position. I’ve practiced shooting seated, and my accuracy isn’t bad but I just knew I would be able to get a closer shot. So I waited & watched as she continued to feed on acorns to my right. At one point she was 20 yards away, standing perfectly broadside, with her head buried in the weeds, munching on acorns. I probably could have stood up & danced a little jig before I shot but I decided to wait.
She was facing the neighbor’s property & I knew she was likely to run that way if I shot. We have permission to track over there, but I thought I would rather take a shot where she' s more likely to run out into one of the sod fields so recovering her would be easier (there was no one available to help me that night). And I just knew she would continue to feed right past me & cross the field just like they always do. It was about that time that she took a few steps & crossed back over the property line, never to be seen again.
I was kicking myself all night for not taking that shot. I couldn' t believe that I let her go like that. I' m hunting on a nuisance permit so we need to reduce the numbers & I want to get my first deer, and I just let her walk. I was determined to go back to that same spot the next morning & get another shot.
I went back first thing Friday morning, despite the light rain, & at about 7:45 I had a doe & two fawns coming across the sod field from my left, headed right for me. They were moving pretty quick but stopped to feed on the acorns in front of me. The doe stopped directly in front of my blind at 25 yards. I drew back, aimed, and squeezed my release. I don' t know if it was just coincidence or from the noise, but she turned slightly away as soon as I released. So she was slightly quartering away. I knew my arrow had hit a little far back, but I thought I should have gotten close to a lung on the other side since she was quartering. I watched as they ran off & it looked like she went down about 100 yards away.
My arrow had passed thru and was covered in bright red blood. It stunk, so I assumed that I had probably gotten into the gut a little but the bright red blood looked promising. By this time the rain was starting to pick up a little. I saw her go down so I wasn’t too worried about the disappearing blood trail, but I wasn’t positive about how she was hit.
I walked back to the house & met up with two of the guys that work on the farm. We drove back & found her still lying in the same spot. It was about 30 minutes after the shot and she had already expired. My arrow did hit just a little far back & got into a little of the gut area, but it took out the lung on the far side.
We snapped a few photos but I haven’t gotten them developed yet.
I’m shooting a Browning Ambush at 65lbs, flinging 28” Easton Epics tipped with 125 grain NAP Thunderheads at a blistering 235-240fps. And although my Realtree Hardwoods Green HD might not have faired well in Matt’s photo comparison, this particular doe didn’t seen to notice.
10-21-2003, 08:25 AM
#2
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: The OH-IO
Posts: 7,103
RE: Finally got my first one!
Congrats!!! Good luck on your next one also. I am from Ohio too, is the sod farm in northeast ohio? There is a sod farm about 30 minutes from my house. Just curious.
About the camo post- Don' t read to much into it, the most important aspect of camo is to be still and quiet.
About the camo post- Don' t read to much into it, the most important aspect of camo is to be still and quiet.
10-21-2003, 09:03 AM
#6
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
Posts: 391
RE: Finally got my first one!
We' re in southwest Ohio. My wife & I are just renting this place on the sod farm & I work out there part-time. It' s a unique place to hunt. A little like hunting on a golf course or something.
We have another 14 permits that can be filled between the 4 of us that hunt out on the farm. And I still have my either sex tag that I purchased. The bucks around our place seem to have gone noctournal between last season & this year. We' re still seeing great sign, but no bucks. Can you believe we' ve been finding active scrapes since the first of October?
I have another property where I hunt & I' ve got a few nice looking bucks patterned a little. I hunted there a little earlier this year, but with the full moon & warmer than usual weather I didn' t see them moving until after dark. I' m going to wait another week or so & let them start thinking about the rut a little more before I go back.
We have another 14 permits that can be filled between the 4 of us that hunt out on the farm. And I still have my either sex tag that I purchased. The bucks around our place seem to have gone noctournal between last season & this year. We' re still seeing great sign, but no bucks. Can you believe we' ve been finding active scrapes since the first of October?
I have another property where I hunt & I' ve got a few nice looking bucks patterned a little. I hunted there a little earlier this year, but with the full moon & warmer than usual weather I didn' t see them moving until after dark. I' m going to wait another week or so & let them start thinking about the rut a little more before I go back.
