davidmil

So today is our last day. Len and I decided to go to the zoo. He was going to bring a friend. I went out yesterday at mid day to see if I could figure out these late season deer. I found 3 trees about 100 yards from each other. I walked them in and dropped them off at their trees and I took the last one. Well, nothing was moving. I was afraid the goose hunters set up in the field about 500 yards away had busted the deer coming in to set up their decoys. They were alread doing it when I arrived at 5:30.[:'(] But the plan had been laid so we were going to see it through.

Sat there and froze for a couple hours. I could see a long ways in all the snow. Didn't see so much as a squirrel. Talked to Len and his guest... same with them. I decided to try and see if they had bedded up against the road behind this house. I circled back behind Len and the other guy, out to the road and then walked up into the corner, swung back to cross their front at about 150 yards. I thought I caught a glimpse of a deer and told them so. What I had seen was one of 10 I jumped. They parallelled the lawns and fields across their front. Len told me which way they were headed. I broke out into the lawns and boggied trying to cut them off. In the middle of this big lawn there are a few scattered pines that have limbs that go all the way to the ground. I jumped 8 bedded under the trees. They cut back toward Len. So now there are 18 deer in this small patch somewhere between Len and Roger and myself. I swing all the way to the head of the woods to make sure they don't escape that way. They turned back I later found out about the time I got there.

8 sneak by Len at about 60 yards and he figures the jig is up. But they angle behind him giving him a 30yard shot. He had the tree between him and them. He leans out to shoot his left hand bow and they turned away from him. He had to swing to the other side of the tree, draw and shoot his left hand bow as if he were right handed. Yes, he does it all the time. He sits in a tree with a release on each hand. The deer had gotten out a ways but one stopped in a big hole at what he thought was 45 yards. He whacked her with a perfect shot.

He then calls me and tells me there are still the original 10 between he and Roger. They had come right towards him stopping in the brush at about 30 yards where he couldn't shoot. They eventually winded him and went back 100 yards. I swing back into the woods for the 3rd trip, crossing their front about 125 yards away. I had Roger on a great trail, but the deer didn't use it. They crossed it an milled around 30 yards in front of him in the brush. When I got even they turned his way but crossed his lanes at 35 or 40. He just flat missed... but he got a shot on the last hunt of the last day. Those deer had 250 acres of woods behind the hunters but were really reluctant to leave that little patch. It's probably 500-600 yards long and 200 across. I had them running around in circles before I got any of them to think of leaving. Just goes to show,... they do what they want.

Sorry for the long story, but I'm trying to warm my dang fingers. Cold out there this AM. So, Len finished with exactly 20 with his bow for the year and a handful of others with the muzzleloader and shotgun. So, we got meat the last hunt of the last day. I handed my bow to Len as we left the woods to take to his shop for an end of the year overhaul, strings, cables, axles, grease etc etc.

Tough walking in that snow with a big frozen crust on it. I was sweating by the time I was done. Then while Len gutted his deer I froze as I'd left my hat and mask at the truck when I walked to the head of the woods. Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

J in GB

good story! sounds like you guys had a blast!

COLD blast. I have been waiting for the wind to lay down with no luck.

silentassassin

David,

I am glad you guys had a good end of the year wrap up. But, I worry about you and Len. I mean you guys aren't getting any younger. You guys have your health to worry about (especially those back injuries from dragging). That's why I am officially offering to come up and help you and Len drag deer for a couple of weeks next year. I know what you thinking "what a kind and selfless act", and you're right, I'm a giver Seriously though congrats to you and Len!!

davidmil

Silent... I kind of huffed and acted like I was out of breath.... and wheezed a couple times... and Len dragged it out to the road we could drive to it. Really, he had it out when I got to him. He only had to drag it 50 yards and we drove the truck right to it. While he dressed it I caught my breath by lighting a Marlboro Light. Since Rob was taking the deer... I figure he'd have taken my place on the drag line.[:-][:-][>:][&:]

J in GB:... someone was having a blast. This area is not that big and if it weren't for them 30 or 40 feet up telling me what was going on I never would have known. Those deer just stayed 150-200 yards ahead of me. I only got the glimpse of one butt going over a little knob. The place is so tracked up it's hard to tell what's going on. I must have come across 40-50 old and new beds. The one pine tree in this big 50 acre lawn had 5 beds under it. They walk under these sagging limbs and it's just like being in a tent. Enough snow had gotten through so you could see where they laid.

J in GB

i figured they would be hunkered down pretty tight this morning.
i have been seeing alot of deer in the afternoons but no shot opportunities.

your tract sounds similar to a small tract i hunt in scaggsville.
it's a few hundred yards long, and 200 or so yards wide, but man does it hold some deer. there was a bumper crop of acorns this year and they are still after them.

after i hunted thursday morning, and knew that was it for the year, so i did some last minute recon. i jumped 14 deer that were holed up tight like you said.

found some new trails, and a few prospective trees for the climber to go up next year.

good story, i enjoyed it. glad you guys had a good year.

i'll be seeing len soon as i am putting my order in for a new bow shortly, and i want him to "winterize" the old one whcih will soon be a back up/lender.

take care!

Len in Maryland

I wanted to get out of my stand to chase the deer. I was cold with that wind blowing on my back.

Dave jumped on the phone saying he wanted to do the deed. I had to stay in the treestand and shiver the whole time he was having fun walking around.[:@]

He did a good job busting those deer out of their beds.

That first group of ten came running right at me and stopped dead in their tracks just 30 yards in front of me. I was going to let them walk past me to get a good quartering away shot; but, they smelled my face mask, which happened to fall to the ground. They did an 'about face' and moved about 80 yards away.

They stood there looking as the next group of 8 came towards me. One out of this group didn't get away. Even after I shot, that first group of 10 didn't move. I guess my bow is quiet enough.

If I had know Dave's 'hair challenged' head was cold, I would have either offered him a hat (I've got plenty in the truck) or I would have let him gut my deer so that the activity would have kept him warm. Now, that's how 'hunting buddies' have to look out for each other.[&:]

DaveH

david--I tagged out on Friday evening and could easily empathize with you since it was brutal when I was there and again this morning when I went back to find her. The snow was drifted to knee deep in powder, THEN you break through the crust and sink another 8 inches![] I was huffing and puffing!

WV Hunter

Congrats on a great end to the season guys! Sounded like alot of fun.

Len, wearing two releases in preps for a shot with either hand...LOL...and then to have it happen!!! I've heard it all

Len in Maryland

Dave H:

We have about half what you have out at the Zoo; but, it still has a hard crust and is a pain to walk through. Actually, the 'COF' can use the exercise!

WV Hunter:

After what I went through last year, I wasn't sure I'd even see this season. God has been good to me. It's also great to have a fantastic hunting buddy like Davidmil.

As far as the release on each hand, and the ability to shoot either way with the same accuracy, I'm fortunate there as well. It all started when I had to learn how to shoot left-handed. The right eye was failing and the need to tune left-handed bows for customers demanded the change. It has paid off several times; but, today's decision happened so fast that I really didn't have time to consider anything else.

I would recommend learning to shoot both ways to everyone. Just think of the unique opportunities.

jerry606

congrats on the last minute success