Gr8 White Jr Report post Posted January 5, 2009 Well 2009 deer hunting is over for me already! I left town Thursday afternoon at about 1:30 for a long weekend of chasing mulies and pigs. My dad and uncle were supposed to come up and meet me on Friday morning and Frank (Kaffer62) was supposed to come up Friday night. After a few stops (groceries and gas) I got to where I wanted to camp and got my tent and bed set up just before dark. After trying to help another hunter get his burried truck out of the mud and snow I built a fire, had a small dinner and was off to bed. The night was kind of long and cold but (19 degrees in a tent) but I was excited about the morning to come. At first light I was at my glassing spot where Frank and I had glassed pigs and deer from the year before. After an hour and a half of glassing with no luck I spotted a jeep driving right down the middle of the big bowl that I was glassing. I decided to move on and try another area. I went to another area not too far away that Frank and I had been in before but never really hunted it hard. There was a draw where two ridges were joined together at the bottom by a creek. Looking at the draw I thought that it looked kind of "piggy" so I hiked up along the top of one side of the ridge. I got to a good vantage point and sat down to glass the opposite side of the ridge thinking that I might find some javelina. Almost imediatly I find a bedded doe with just her head sticking up out of the grass. I start panning around and find more does. With all the does I know there has to be a buck close. After glassing a little more I see a deer with its head in some brush but just by the size of its body and swollen neck I knew it had to be the buck. I locked on to him and waited for him to walk out. As a doe walked by he chased her coming out into the open and I could see that he was definitely a mature buck and one that I wanted to take. His forks weren't real deep but he had a good spread and good eye gaurds for a muley. I watched him chase a doe around lip curling and hot on her trail for a while until he finally bedded down. He bedded down about 20 yds from the edge of the ridge with his back to me. Perfect! All I had to do was get down my side of the ridge, use the creek to get close, sneek up the other side of the ridge and I'll have a 20yd shot from behind him as he was bedded. I made my way down my side of the ridge and before I dropped off all the way into the creek I checked through my binos one more time. The buck is still bedded in the same exact spot with his back to me. I pann around some more before making my stalk to close the last 120 yds. Oh no!! I feel my stomache drop when I see a bedded doe not 15yds to his right facing the exact opposite direction that the buck was facing, as if they were watching eachother's backs. She was facing directly at me. I knew that this situation was too good to be true! Only being 140 yds from the bedded deer I didn't want to move in fear of being seen so I figured I would wait them out. I hoped that as the sun and the shade moved the deer would get up and resituate and maybe give me a better oportunity. I was planning on waiting them out all day if that is what it took. After about a half hour of waiting behind, and glassing through, a juniper all of the sudden all the deer were up and on the alert. I panned around to try to find what had their attention and saw another herd of deer moving toward the herd that I had been watching on the same ridge. The other herd had a bigger buck in it! Not as wide as the buck that I had been watching but he had deep forks and a really tall perfect feild goal post rack. The bigger buck had about five does with him and the buck that I had been watching had about ten. Both herds were spooked by eachother and the herd that I had been watching stayed put at attention as the other herd ran off. For a split second it crossed my mind to go after the bigger buck but I was already in good position on the first deer. Besides I would be extremely happy with either of the bucks. Now all the deer that I had been watching had their attention on the other herd as they ran off directly in the opposite direction that I was in. The deer that I had been watching were facing away from me. Perfect! I took advantage of this oportunity and moved my way down into the creek bottom while I had the chance. Now in the creek bottom, I could not see any of the deer as I snuck up the other side. As I peeked up over the edge of the creek I could see the tops of their back as the worked their way feeding to my left. They all had calmed down now and were just feeding around very relaxed. Wow!!! That other herd coming in and spooking the herd that I had been watching was like a gift from God giving me just enough time to get down into the creek. I stayed in the creek and work my along it following the deer as they fed. When I got to where I thought the herd would be I snuck up the edge of the creek and peeked my head up only to see a doe at 30 yds staring directly at me. Busted! I thought to myself that it was all over as I froze and the stare down contest began. Surprisingly after aproximately five to ten minutes the doe just gave up, shook her head with those ears flopping and went back to feeding. I couldn't beleive she gave in as I knelt down to relaxed my tired muscles from keeping that frozen position. The doe walked right passed me down the edge of the creek. I ranged her at 27 yds. She went down into the bottom and started breaking up the ice to get a drink. Then another doe fallowed. Then another, and another. Then a two point walked down at 45 yds with the rest of the does. I just sat and waited. Then another doe came down the edge of the creek with the big buck right on her tail with his head down and his lip up. Where they had come down was a little farther down and behind some brush so I didn't have a shot. I slowly moved about three feet to where I had an open view of the creek bottom. The buck went down to the water and put his head down to drink. I ranged him at 65 yds and drew my bow. He lifted his head, curled his lip and started after the doe to his right turning perfectly broadside. I grunted at him twice stopping him in the wide open all by himslef. I squeezed the trigger on my release and sent the arrow on its way. I felt disgusted as I thought I saw the arrow drop just under him. The entire herd spooked and moved up the hill. The buck stopped and looked back and then ran off following his does. Archery is my passion and I shoot year round on a regular basis. All though I normally won't take a shot on a deer at that range I am very capable of making that shot when the conditions are as perfect as they were. Very disapointed in myself for missing I started ranging bushes around the hillside and found a nice cantelope size rock at exactly 65 yds. I drew back, shot and hit the rock dead center busting my arrow into several pieces. What the heck! How could I have missed? I walked down to look for my missed arrow and found it completely covered in blood. I didn't miss! It was a complete pass through. There was such a good blood trail that a blind man could have followed it and it lead me right to my buck. I couldn't believe how every thing worked out so perfectly and how my patience and persistance paid off. I am a little sad thinking about how I won't get to go deer hunting for the rest of the year but it was worth it. He is a 5x5 if you count his eyeguards and he has a 24 inch outside spread. It may not be a monster but it is the biggest buck I have ever taken especialy with a bow and is a true trophy to me. Sorry for such a long story but as always I relive it as I tell it and like to share every little detail. Thanks for reading my story and good luck to all this year. -Tracy Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gr8 White Jr Report post Posted January 5, 2009 I forgot to add that after a nonproductive evening of glassing Saturday, Frank and I decided to use the last hour of light to do some predator calling. This dog came in after about 20 minutes and I shot it with my 22-250 at 125 yds. Just a little bonus to the deer hunt! -Tracy Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AZcoues_addict Report post Posted January 5, 2009 Great story and great shot! Congratulations and thanks for sharing! Question - Do you really archery hunt with a white hat on? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gr8 White Jr Report post Posted January 5, 2009 Great story and great shot! Congratulations and thanks for sharing! Question - Do you really archery hunt with a white hat on? Its funny that you asked that! That morning I left camp with a beany on because it was so cold and left both of my camo hats in my tent. When I left the first glassing spot to go to the next the sun was up and in my eyes so I put on the only hat that I had in my truck. It crossed my mind when I was stalking the deer but then I thought about all the patches of snow on the ground around me and thought what the heck and just left it on. I know you can't tell by the photos but there was snow all over. Hey, I won a stare down contest with a doe at 30 yds with that hat on! -Tracy Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
desertbowhunter Report post Posted January 6, 2009 Nice buck great job! Congrats! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lowyder993s Report post Posted January 6, 2009 Great story and great shot! Congratulations and thanks for sharing! Question - Do you really archery hunt with a white hat on? Forget the hat...what about the earrings!!! j/k great story and pix...you give me hope. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cola Blanca Report post Posted January 6, 2009 Way to go Tracy, nice story and great buck and dog. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ernesto C Report post Posted January 6, 2009 Very nice man! thanks for keeping us updated and congrats on the coyot and mule deer. Ernesto C Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
COUESAZ Report post Posted January 6, 2009 Like the rifle stock I have only seen two like that. One was a 22 lr and the other was a 25-06. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gr8 White Jr Report post Posted January 6, 2009 Great story and great shot! Congratulations and thanks for sharing! Question - Do you really archery hunt with a white hat on? Forget the hat...what about the earrings!!! j/k great story and pix...you give me hope. Kind of like a fishing lure, those are my deer lures. -Tracy Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gr8 White Jr Report post Posted January 6, 2009 Like the rifle stock I have only seen two like that. One was a 22 lr and the other was a 25-06. Its called a mannlicher stock. -Tracy Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Coues 'n' Sheep Report post Posted January 6, 2009 Congrats! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
willhunt4coues Report post Posted January 6, 2009 Congrats on a great buck and story Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RAM Report post Posted January 7, 2009 Once again, Great Job on a primo Buck. I know how you feel when you tag out in early Jan. as I did the same thing two seasons ago. Never the less, filling your archery deer tag is something I always look foward too. Congrats, wish I could have made it up. -Ryan Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TEmbry Report post Posted January 7, 2009 Awesome deer! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
