My First Deer Camp!!!
10-24-2006, 04:34 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location:
Posts: 76
My First Deer Camp!!!
Deer Camp 101
I was positive I was going into the woods to teach some deer the proper bleeding procedures after being shot with a crossbow. I am the one who got the education.
Friday Oct. 20th, 2006
The guides dropped me off at the stand around 2:30 p.m. and left!!! I was all alone in the woods. I didn’t know what I expected, but I figured on my first time out there would be some last minute pep talks, or somebody would sit with me that first day. That was not the case.
The stand I was in was a 12 foot elevated blind more set up for gun hunting. Not very user friendly for crossbows. I had a very difficult time getting in this thing they called a bucket seat. It’s an old chair with the legs missing, on top of a bucket!!!!! It took me no time at all to figure out just how far you can lean out to reach for something before the bucket would begin to tip and dump you out. I found this out after about 5 minutes in my stand!!! I practiced this new found knowledge 3 times in the first half hour I was there. I was sure somebody would be along shortly to let me know I’d scared the deer off for 100 miles in all directions. I sounded like a train wreck!!!!!!
I finally got set up in the seat with the crossbow cocked and my arrows within reach, and I began to settle down. As I began scanning the area for the deer that I just knew were going to walk right up and pose for me, I suddenly realized how noisy the woods were!!!! Squirrels are not good hunting companions!!!!! I was sure some huge bear was on his way to making me his dinner!!! I was scared to death!!!!! Then, I spotted deer!!!!!
There were a couple of does and fawns off to my right, at the other end of the blind I had set the bow up in. Figures!!! So, being resourceful, I thought it would be a fantastic time to snap a picture. Did you know deer run for their lives when a flash goes off??? At this point, I knew!!!! It wasn’t long before another lone doe and a fawn came out of the woods to my left. As I began to readjust the bow, I banged the xbow on the side of the tin blind and send them into the next county. I figured that was the last deer I’d be seeing that day, and just decided to sit back and wait for the truck to pick me up. I was amazed when the next deer came in right in front of me!!!!!
I truly understand buck/deer fever now!!!! My deer was right there!!!!!
I did the stupidest thing ever!!!! I shot at this deer that was 45 yards out, from an elevated blind. I flinched, I shut my eyes, I did everything one is NOT supposed to do, but I had such an adrenalin rush, none of that mattered, until I thought about it later. Back at the lodge that night, after the trackers brought back my muddy, not bloody, arrow, I was so incredibly dejected I just went to bed with a jumbo lump in my throat. Day 1 was now in the crapper.
Saturday Oct. 21st, 2006
After a quick 4:00 a.m. breakfast, it was back on the trucks for the morning hunt. Only, I didn’t get on one. I was put in a truck by myself and taken to a blind far away from the other hunters. I was sure it was because of all the things I had done wrong the night before. Joe, my guide, dropped me off and left me a flashlight. I felt like I was being punished. It was dark, and cold, and I could hear yotes howling what seemed like a very short distance away. I managed to get in the seat and get the bow set up in the dark with a lot less noise than the night before, and then I did the only thing an inexperienced girl hunter could do. I leaned my head on the side of the blind, and I began to sob. I cried for everything that was going on in my life, and everything I thought was wrong on this trip. It has been a lot of years since I have openly wept like that. I was so overcome with emotion, I just wanted to get back to the lodge, load my stuff, and get the hell home!!!! Afet the tears let up, I heard some leaves rustling behind me, and as I turned to see what it was, the bucket turned with me and I was grabbing for dear life to keep from falling over, again. I saw white flags headed to the woods. I couldn’t have felt any lower or alone than I did at that moment. Then, something incredible happened!!!!! As the yotes howled and my nose ran, I looked out over the clearing in front of me and watched 8 wild turkeys pick their way across the field grazing. The sun was peeking through the trees and the misty haze made it all seem so surreal. I lost all track of time and suddenly the cold didn’t seem so cold. I watched the turkeys for about an hour. I started to feel a calm come over me, and it dawned on me…..this IS what it is all about!!!!!! I was still determined to load up and head home at this point, but my heart and soul felt cleansed. I thought about what I had done already. I DROVE 400 miles BY MYSELF, and landed right in the middle of the wilderness. I was one with nature and it was awesome!!!!!!!!! Joe finally came and picked me up, and back to the lodge we went. It was a very quiet ride.
Saturday Oct 21st, 2006...later the same day…
After a most EXCELLENT lunch, I decided to give this hunting thing one more chance and got my gear ready. I lightened my load by dumping the camera and the cell phone, and borrowed a pair of binoculars. While waiting for the truck, I overheard the ladies talking about button bucks, spikes and spotted fawns. I learned that if you shoot one of them, it’s, swipe the credit card!!! $500 bucks a head!!!!! I was glad I missed that doe the first night, because I still couldn’t tell you if it was a doe OR a buck!!!!!! My confidence in myself started coming back slowly as I listened to the girls say a lot of the same things I was feeling!!!!! I figured out one thing. DEER ARE SMART!!!!!!!! The next thing I figured out is…you have to be smarter than deer if you want to shoot one!!!! They let me back on the truck with the other hunters and set me up in my third blind. At this point, I decided it wasn’t about shooting a deer, and relaxed in my blind like it was nothing new to me. I set up so I could shift the bow from two windows, at least giving myself a broader range to shoot, if it was a close enough shot. After a short catnap…..blind snoozing is SO COOL!!!!!…..I woke up to see 13 turkeys out in the clearing to my left. I don’t know why, but I moved the bow to that direction, and loaded an arrow. A pack of turkeys came in, and there seemed to be a control issue between to huge toms!!!! I know they were toms because of the binoculars I borrowed!!!!! Four deer popped out of the woods about this time, and I focused on them. With my newly found “eyes”, I discovered the difference between buttons, spikes and does!!! I had two does, one spike, and a spotted fawn about 45 yards out. I watched them for what seemed like an eternity!!! The spike was hilarious!!!! He would rare up and charge the turkeys!!!! The big tom in the bunch would spread out and run at him!!!!!! He would do this little hop skip thing and tease the turkey to do it again. It was so cool!!!!!! The whole time, they all were moving closer in my direction, and I was READY!!!!!! I had the wind in my face as they neared….when they were about 25 yards out…..the wind shifted. As the big grey doe winded me, she threw back her head and let out a bleat!!!!!! I saw stuff in the tree line retreat!!!! I spent the rest of the day watching a coyote prowl the tree line. I was ELATED to be there and that there was nothing I did wrong in not getting a shot. When Bo, one of the other guides, picked me up, I was on cloud 9!!!!!!
Sunday Oct 22nd, 2006
Woke up to rain on the roof. Went back to bed.
Sunday Oct. 22nd, 2006...later that day…
The guides set me up in the first blind I was in Friday night. I settled in pretty good, and reflected on everything I had learned since arriving at White Oak. I stayed on my bucket seat, and gave myself two viewing ranges. It was eerily quiet, and after all the deer movement after the rain, I really didn’t have a good feeling about seeing any deer. The next half hour would prove that to be true. As I battled for control with a wasp for the blind, something caught my attention off to the left. Strolling along the tree line was a coyote!!!!!! He was headed right for me. I didn’t panic…yet. He ducked into the woods about 30 yards out. I was paranoid, and got up to shut and lock the door on my blind. Spent the next hour or so dozing. The night before we had a presentation from the owner of ALPEN OPTICS, and it had already been a very long day!!! Every sound brought me to full alert!!! The sun was still pretty high in the sky when I heard something that I couldn’t figure out which direction it came from…..and the hair on my neck stood up!! As I looked off to the right, something caught my eye to the left. I snapped my head around just in time to see my yote stroll out of the woods right in front of me!!!! I had learned by then to be prepared and had the bow ready. I really didn’t want to shoot a yote, but I was scoping him walking around……and then, he winded me!!!! Then, I was scared!!!!!!! I tried to be real quiet, but I was sure he knew I was there because the pounding of my heart was so loud in my ears!!!! He stopped, turned in my direction…..sniffing the air…….and I shot!!!!! I missed!!!!! But, he ran off into the woods, and I resumed my struggle with the wasp for blind dominance. I saw another doe with a spotted fawn about a half hour later, but she didn’t get close enough, and the fawn was still nursing, so I just enjoyed watching them.
That night we had the presentation on the new Stryker crossbow by Bowtech.
Monday Oct.23rd, 2006
Woke up to 38 degree temps, had to drive 400 miles home….didn’t get in bed till midnight….went back to bed. And that……was my first deer camp. Hope you enjoyed reading it. J
10-24-2006, 05:20 PM
#2
Dominant Buck
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: WC FL
Posts: 26,323
RE: My First Deer Camp!!!
ORIGINAL: Catsclaw
I leaned my head on the side of the blind, and I began to sob. I cried for everything that was going on in my life, and everything I thought was wrong on this trip. It has been a lot of years since I have openly wept like that. I was so overcome with emotion, I just wanted to get back to the lodge, load my stuff, and get the hell home!!!!
I leaned my head on the side of the blind, and I began to sob. I cried for everything that was going on in my life, and everything I thought was wrong on this trip. It has been a lot of years since I have openly wept like that. I was so overcome with emotion, I just wanted to get back to the lodge, load my stuff, and get the hell home!!!!
You know what, I always returned the next year.
I made a commitment when I married Hunting, "For Better or for Worst, till death do us part".Cheer up, there will be many more times, some good and some bad.
10-24-2006, 05:33 PM
#3
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location:
Posts: 76
RE: My First Deer Camp!!!
ORIGINAL: Rebel Hog
Hey Gal, I have never cried, but have had them days myself! Also have many strips of $25 western shirts on the wall of the cabin!You know what, I always returned the next year.I made a commitment when I married Hunting, "For Better or for Worst, till death do us part".
Cheer up, there will be many more times, some good and some bad.
ORIGINAL: Catsclaw
I leaned my head on the side of the blind, and I began to sob. I cried for everything that was going on in my life, and everything I thought was wrong on this trip. It has been a lot of years since I have openly wept like that. I was so overcome with emotion, I just wanted to get back to the lodge, load my stuff, and get the hell home!!!!
I leaned my head on the side of the blind, and I began to sob. I cried for everything that was going on in my life, and everything I thought was wrong on this trip. It has been a lot of years since I have openly wept like that. I was so overcome with emotion, I just wanted to get back to the lodge, load my stuff, and get the hell home!!!!
You know what, I always returned the next year.I made a commitment when I married Hunting, "For Better or for Worst, till death do us part".Cheer up, there will be many more times, some good and some bad.
I'm ok with it all now. I just didn't know what was going on, or what to expect. Had I had somebody there telling/showing me the way, I never would have gotten out of it what I did. It was an experience that has made me stronger in more ways than even I know at this point. I love it!!!!!!
10-24-2006, 05:39 PM
#4
Typical Buck
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Thomasville, N.C.
Posts: 522
RE: My First Deer Camp!!!
Catsclaw, that's about the best deer hunting story I have ever read anywhere. I really enjoyed it and thank you taking the time in writing it for us to read. I'm sorry you didn't score on a deer but look at it this way, you now know what not to do the next time. LOL. Don't throw the seat bucket outta balance, stop shooting at yokes, let the wasp alone, they won't hurt ya, keep your napping to less time, crying is ok!
BBO
BBO
10-24-2006, 05:49 PM
#5
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Newtonville, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 3,896
RE: My First Deer Camp!!!
LOL, this is why they call it hunting as opposed to shooting. When the moment of truth arrives, when your big one arrives, it will be sweeter, I promise! You know Stace, you don't really need words of encouragement, just words of confidence. Yup your's is a familiar story that you and I will re-live over and over until our hearts stop! That I promise! As you indicated earlier, what you experienced is what its all about. Not about the killing, its about the hunt, the experience, the memories.
10-24-2006, 06:00 PM
#6
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location:
Posts: 76
RE: My First Deer Camp!!!
ORIGINAL: BuddyBo
Catsclaw, that's about the best deer hunting story I have ever read anywhere. I really enjoyed it and thank you taking the time in writing it for us to read. I'm sorry you didn't score on a deer but look at it this way, you now know what not to do the next time. LOL. Don't throw the seat bucket outta balance, stop shooting at yokes, let the wasp alone, they won't hurt ya, keep your napping to less time, crying is ok!
BBO
Catsclaw, that's about the best deer hunting story I have ever read anywhere. I really enjoyed it and thank you taking the time in writing it for us to read. I'm sorry you didn't score on a deer but look at it this way, you now know what not to do the next time. LOL. Don't throw the seat bucket outta balance, stop shooting at yokes, let the wasp alone, they won't hurt ya, keep your napping to less time, crying is ok!
BBO
I wouldn't trade one second of it for any deer I took as a gimme!!!! I still cherish my first hog hunt, but this was so different from that!!!!! I'll get my deer, on skill and learning....nothing more, nothing less.
10-24-2006, 06:03 PM
#7
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location:
Posts: 76
RE: My First Deer Camp!!!
ORIGINAL: Dnk
LOL, this is why they call it hunting as opposed to shooting. When the moment of truth arrives, when your big one arrives, it will be sweeter, I promise! You know Stace, you don't really need words of encouragement, just words of confidence. Yup your's is a familiar story that you and I will re-live over and over until our hearts stop! That I promise! As you indicated earlier, what you experienced is what its all about. Not about the killing, its about the hunt, the experience, the memories.
LOL, this is why they call it hunting as opposed to shooting. When the moment of truth arrives, when your big one arrives, it will be sweeter, I promise! You know Stace, you don't really need words of encouragement, just words of confidence. Yup your's is a familiar story that you and I will re-live over and over until our hearts stop! That I promise! As you indicated earlier, what you experienced is what its all about. Not about the killing, its about the hunt, the experience, the memories.
