South Dakota Semi Live

Joe2Kool · Oct 23, 2020

Left Wyoming ahead of the snowstorm Wednesday and cruised through the fog, snow, and rain to Rapid City. Parked for the night and headed through the Badlands to an archery hunt. I'm sure the Badlands look bad'er when you can see more than a few hundred yards!

Met the landowner Thursday, he showed me the property and said have at it!

Didn't make it 300 yards from the truck this morning before I started seeing deer.. Saw about 20-25. Three bucks that would have been shooters every day back home in TN, two of them inside 20 yards. While at full draw, stopped the 8 pt broadside.

Saw about 15 this afternoon. All does except one little forky that was very interested in my rattling. Which I was advised to do, after giving it up on eastern whitetails many, many years ago. Well, after one day, it seems to work in SD!

Counting the morning and afternoon, had 11 deer on one trail, all within 25 yards. Hmmm. Wonder where I'll be in the morning??!!

Joe2Kool · Oct 23, 2020

Foggy Badlands pic attached...

oilcan · Oct 23, 2020

Ok I followed you over here from your other thread good luck.

Gunnihunter · Oct 23, 2020

Hey Joe, I enjoy your threads. Keep it up and find your buck!

RCL · Oct 24, 2020

Nice thread.
Thanks for taking us along.

Joe2Kool · Oct 24, 2020

WTH is this? 19 degrees? Bow hunting weather to southerners is t-shirt temps!! It was 80 degrees back home in TN!!
Oh well. I survived 26 and 15 mph winds yesterday. Should be able to handle 19 and no wind. But with no wind, how the heck do I best those whitetail noses?

Joe2Kool · Oct 24, 2020

Light wind wasn’t my friend this morning. Blowing towards the trail. Still managed to see about 20-25 deer. One 8 pt. And one potential shooter chasing a doe just out of range.
Moved to the top of the trail on the downwind side and made a setup for later. Although why would I go somewhere else when 5 does and a small buck came by?? ?
I know, my feet are freezing!! Gotta walk a little.

Gator · Oct 24, 2020

That is just summertime weather LOL.
Joe you stick with it and you will get a good one since you're seeing that many, I good one should be coming along anytime.

GOOD LUCK

TNFallguy · Oct 24, 2020

Cant wait to see tailgate pics soon! Nice thread Joe. Feel like I've been there every step!......Except my feet are toasty warm.

Joe2Kool · Oct 24, 2020

After my warm-up walk, had trouble getting back into my hidey hole because does kept coming by! While contemplating whether to stay all day or go to the truck for lunch, the neighbors started cutting firewood with a chain saw. Although 500 ish yards away, I decided for lunch, and to hunt the upwind side of the alfalfa field.

Well, lunch came, and went...Man, it was cold in there!! But it would have been colder on the outside!!

So, after trekking to the other side of the property, I set up another hidey hole on what appeared to be a staging area. Several beds with what appeared to be fresh buck poop. No, I didn't test temperature to see how fresh!!
Spooked several does while cutting limbs. After I got it like I wanted it, sat down to put some handwarmers in my boots. And this little fellow walked by. Needs a few more years.

Not counting the 10-15 deer in the alfalfa field when I walked out, I probably saw 40 deer this afternoon. No kidding. I really quit counting. Mostly does, and a few small bucks. One doe and fawn were nibbling on my hidey hole limbs! Wish I had a Go-Pro. I'm not talking about spotting 20 in an alfalfa field from 500 yards away, I'm talking bow range close. I'd say half were within 25 yards, and most of the rest were within 50 yards.

Going back to my first spot in the morning. Mother Nature is going to test me again. 1-3" of snow tonight. Mid-teens at sunrise.

DW · Oct 25, 2020

Good luck Joe! You couldn't ask for better conditions or time of year! Well maybe a heater in a pop up blind!?

littlebull209338 · Oct 25, 2020

Keep telling yourself "this is fun" ! Enjoying your thread. Nothing like a little WY/SD/NE wind to keep you awake.

Joe2Kool · Oct 25, 2020

Snowing, windy, and low 20's most of the day. I knew I would be rewarded!!?? Not today! But 12 degrees tomorrow. So I know I'll be rewarded tomorrow!!

Only saw 3 from my hidey hole this morning. One was the little 6 pt that I rattled in again. He came within 15 feet. He exposed a weakness in my setup, which I corrected. See before and after pics. Jumped several deer on the way back to the truck for lunch.

Went back towards yesterday's evening setup. Remember the fresh buck poop and bed? Well about 20 feet from there were several rubs. Nice rubs! About 100 yards away is where I took the rub pic below. I can't tell when the rubs were made, but I can tell you that bed to the right was made late morning. Coincidence?

The guy that got me onto this place said if I was gun hunting, I should hold out for a 140-150+. But since I'm bow hunting, to seriously consider a 125 class. I think the buck that made these rubs will meet any of those criteria!!

Probably saw about 20 deer during the afternoon setup.

A fawn came running through...chased by a coyote.

A flock of Merrimams roosted about 30 yards from me.

And also attached is a selfie, overlooking my afternoon setup...all masked up for COVID!

Pics are easier to post from my phone so I'll post them separate.

Joe2Kool · Oct 25, 2020

Pics from today.

Joe2Kool · Oct 26, 2020

Only 14 degrees with no wind? C’mon. Bettet than 18 with 15 winds!
Let’s just hope im still saying that in a few hours!!??

Gator · Oct 26, 2020

Wait a minute it is SD, it will change LOL

Joe2Kool · Oct 26, 2020

I do OK with everything except the feet. Had to take a walk snd warm them up in the truck.

Found the back door to the bedding area. Want to be there earlier than normal tomorrow. Debating what to do for afternoon.

Beautiful sunrise this morning. And lots of turkeys yelping and gobbling on the roost.

Bocephus · Oct 26, 2020

sent you a PM Joe. Fun thread!

TNFallguy · Oct 26, 2020

Thats a nice rub! warmer temps tomorrow. Hang in there!

Joe2Kool · Oct 26, 2020

Slow evening. Saw around a dozen deer while on stand. Some as close as 15 feet. Again, does and small bucks. Jumped probably 10 walking to the truck at lunch, and 10 while walking to setup after lunch.

Lots of migrating sandhill cranes this morning. Probably a thousand!

Good news, the sun came out today!! And driving back to the motel, I could actually drive faster than 35 mph!!

But here's some good news/bad news. The good news, I put ice in my kooler Friday before I left TN for WY, and haven't had to put any more in it!

. Not Friday a few days ago, but Friday about 10+ days ago. The bad news is the water in the bottom has frozen, AND I CAN'T GET TO MY PEPSI'S!!

Headed in an hour earlier tomorrow. Want to try to cut him off going to his bedding area. Found a good way to it today. Didn't spend much time there.

Day 4 complete. 2 more to go.

Joe2Kool · Oct 27, 2020

I should not have challenged Mother Nature. It’s 5 degrees and the wind is blowing. 5 isn’t very many degrees!

Well this will be a short morning cause I’m going in an hour earlier. I’ll either kill a buck. Or come out 2 hrs early because my feet are frozen. Plus, I’ll need gas, and an un-stuck Pepsi??

Tristate · Oct 27, 2020

Gator · Oct 27, 2020

Joe are you down around the white river area.

Joe2Kool · Oct 27, 2020

Gator said:
Joe are you down around the white river area.

Near Herrick.

SlowElk · Oct 27, 2020

I'm really enjoying this thread! People here in Phoenix were complaining about the cold front, it got down to the 40s. They'd die in the weather you're in!

Joe2Kool · Oct 27, 2020

Got in early this morning. "Slipping in" with 6" of snow and 5 degrees is just not possible. Anyway, got in and setup. Had seen about 15 does and small bucks when about 9:30, I heard what I thought was sparring. So I picked up my rattling horns and sparred a little myself. Within a couple of minutes, I hear footsteps coming. Sure enough, a buck stepped out at about 15 yards. Not a monster, similar to those I passed on day 1. Took the shot.

Didn't feel good about it. Sounded like it hit a twig or something. After about 10 yards, I didn't find my arrow, or blood, but felt confident it was a hit. Backed out and came back 3 hours later.

Picked up a blood trail immediately, and tracked him about 100 yards and jumped him. After finding the blood trail, I knew he wouldn't be far, just didn't expect him to be alive. I'll leave out all the details for the next 5 hours but he followed a fence line, crossed a two-track, and bedded against another fence line within 100 yards of the truck. I called the rancher and to ask about the other side of the 2-track and fence line and honestly, I believe my voice spooked the buck and he jumped the fence while I was talking on the phone.

Anyway, rancher is making a call tonight and will meet me there in the morning.

I've shot, tracked, and helped others with quite a few deer, but I've never seen a blood trail like this. There are typical drops, and bigger drops where he bedded, or stood, but these fine droplets appear to be very frequent. I'm gonna throw out my opinion, it's a one lung shot. One lung is keeping him alive, and the other is spewing out these droplets as if he were exhaling heavily. Interested in opinions of others. Pics in the next post.

Joe2Kool · Oct 27, 2020

I should not have challenged Mother Nature. It’s 5 degrees and the wind is blowing. 5 isn’t very many degrees!

Well this will be a short morning cause I’m going in an hour earlier. I’ll either kill a buck. Or come out 2 hrs early because my feet are frozen. Plus, I’ll need gas, and an un-stuck Pepsi??

Joe2Kool · Oct 27, 2020

Here’s a couple pics of blood trail. Interested in opinions of potential type of hit

EDIT: Did some internet searching. Based on the link below, I think hitting the scapula is what I heard. The spray is likely from an artery. Although some of the blood is frothy and pink, which makes me think some lung as well.

You Shot a Deer. Here's How to Find It.

(From the editor: This Retro Realtree article was originally published in November of 2013)

www.realtree.com

Bocephus · Oct 27, 2020

how much penetration? Broadside, quartered? What kind of broadhead? Blood looks good, but they are tough critters. Can go a long ways on one lung. Hope the arrow is still in him cutting him up. If it's in his chest cavity he will die. They always head for the nastiest cover possible. If he bedded after 100 yards he is hurting, hope the coyotes dont find him first! Good luck! Post him up when you find him.

Joe2Kool · Oct 28, 2020

This is the part of any hunt that no one likes. Hitting an animal and not recovering it. Sickening feeling.

Short version of a long story, 5 hours yesterday tracking and glassing, and using the snow to my advantage to determine which drainages he wasn't in, and where to start this morning.

Rancher met me this morning and we tracked for 2 hours, finding multiple beds within a relatively small area, fully expecting to find him at any minute. Then we picked up his trail out of the area, which turned into a few drops every now and then. After that, another 3 hours circling, back-tracking, and checking out the thick areas. Finally gave up. He had made it over a mile from the shot location, and had started heading uphill.

Packed up and started the trek home this afternoon. Stopped for the night, with plans tp get home tomorrow evening.

Took the beautiful sunset pic as I was cruising south into Iowa.

Joe2Kool · Oct 28, 2020

Sunset and moonrise pics. Pics don’t do it justice.

Gator · Oct 28, 2020

Sorry you lost him BUT it seems you had a good time and saw alot animals. Now that you know the area I'm sure the next time you hunt there you will get a good one.

ReinerDude · Oct 29, 2020

Sorry you didn’t find him, not a good feeling I know, but I sure have enjoyed your post and sounds like a good adventure!

tailchasers · Oct 29, 2020

Reality. Not always what you want but still very real making you feel alive. Still an experience you'll not soon forget.

Joe2Kool · Oct 29, 2020

13 days. 10 states. 4345 miles. And two hunts later, I'm back home. Enjoyed every minute except when I decided I was calling off the search. Only thing I can do now is learn from it and not let it happen again.

On the positive side, made some good memories with family, witnessed hundreds if not thousands of sandhill cranes migrating, saw some bald eagles, got to hunt unpressured whitetails, had deer within 20 feet most every day. Also learned that an eastern whitetail hunter can bow hunt from the ground, in a snowstorm, in 5 degree weather, with reasonably good odds!

And not once was I bombarded with partisan politics, pandemics, elections, Russian interference, racial protests, overpaid pro athletes trying to force their beliefs on me, stock markets, the supreme court, or a host of other things media forces upon us. And you know what, I didn't miss any of it!

Now I gotta start getting ready for my TN hunting/kamping trip with my TN buds, and planning hunts for next year. I definitely want to do this one again!

Thanks for tuning in guys!

Stillwater165 · Nov 1, 2020

Great read Joe ! We all have some tuff luck at times. I have no doubt you gave it your all. As long as you can crack a smile when you think about it down the road ..... well , in a way you’ve won !