C
CAnAZbwhnter
Guest
DAY #1: Finally got home from being out of town for the holidays and was able to make it out all day on Sunday. Prior to Sunday I had made it up a couple times but I had no luck what so ever, with the exception of glassing up a couple does. I was getting down on my spot but knew I couldnt throw in the towel. So Sunday I decided I would hike in to my favorite area. This spot includes a nice bowl that can not be seen from the dirt road and it leads back to an even larger basin. Its great habitat for the deer as it provides plenty food and good security. Last year in this very spot I hunted a herd of 12 deer that had a nice sized 4x4 running the group.
So Sunday morning I decide to get up in there before the sun came up. Once I had glassed enough and was confident nothing was in the bowl or down in the creek bed I decided to slowly make my way through the bowl checking for sign, on my way to the large basin. I ended up finding a few fresh droppings and tracks leading back to the basin. My immediate thought was YES I know where you are and its on now! I side-hilled out of the bowl and slowly worked back in to the basin about 50 yards. As soon as I started glassing I immediately locate a herd. I could not believe my eyes! It seemed like there were deer all over that hill but actually there ended up being 15 of em. The first buck I glassed up was a little forky..then I glassed up a small 4x3. I thought there is no way this guy is running the show, he is to small.
Then finally I found the big boy! This buck was solid...the antler width was honestly wider than any other buck I have ever glassed up. They shot out a few inches past his ears on each side and instead of rounding up like a U, they were shaped more like a Y. He is an awesome 4x4 with great splits (he has got to be close to 30" wide). One side is perfect but 2 points on the other are broken off, but that didnt bother me any. Id still be very fortunate to harvest him. I watched the herd all day long from 7:30 to sun down.
After learning from my mistakes last year, I decided my best way to get in close on that many deer is to try and determine what direction and area they would feed in to towards the evening. It was tuff to make a move because a couple of the does were bedded down up high while the rest of the group was down near the creek bed. But even then, the group basically took turns feeding...half fed and half slept and vice versa.
So finally after the 2 does dropped down off the mountain side, I made my move. I slipped in within 150 yards as they slowly fed towards me. It was awesome, they had no idea I was in there with them. The herd eventually had me surrounded all except for my backside. The lil forky and 4x3 were only about 50 yards up the hill from me and all the does were close behind. I sat behind a small 3ft bush trying not to move an inch as I tried to locate the beast. I did not want one of these deer to pick me off before I atleast got a shot at the big boy. Finally he was the last one to make it out of the draw and feed his way towards me. Being surrounded by that many eyes, ears, and noses I knew this was my stand and there was no chance for me to stalk closer. By the direction he was going, the closest shot I would have at him was around 70 yards...longer than I would prefer but Im confident out to 80. So finally when he came in to a shooting lane I ranged him at 67 yards. Just as I pulled back from my knees a couple of the deer sounded off the alarm call and it sent them running back a few yards. He stopped and gave me a broadside shot. I ended up connecting with what I thought was his shoulder blade. They stopped around 150 yards away to look back down the hill at me as if to say what the hell was that! I saw my arrow sticking out and it looked like it had only penetrated a couple inches tops. The weird thing was is that I could not see my fletchings.
Daylight was quickly running out and I still had to retrieve my backpack before night fall. I made the decision to return the next day (New Year's Eve) as soon I got off work. I was worried about getting stuck out there all night and simply did not have much light to track. The entire walk back to my truck I was cursing myself at taking that long of a shot, especially at such a nice buck!
DAY #2: I made it back out the next afternoon with only an hour of sunlight left to hopefully recover him. I would have had the entire afternoon but my damn car battery went out..what luck!
I immediately got on the blood trail and eventually found the arrow. To my amazement the shot was a complete pass through and the blood trail was good. Once again I ran out of daylight and had to go back yesterday to hopefully finish the deal. I was very frustrated because after finding the sign I had a good feeling he was dead. But I was not sure if the meat would still be good after a day or 2?? I brought my camera on DAY 2 and have pictures for you guys.
DAY #3: Well I got back out there yesterday to finish the deal and never freaking found him! I found a couple huge blood stains soaked in to the ground under a tree. There were also a few bloody piles of crap along with quite a bit of hair. The ground was also beat up real bad all around this. At that point I began looking for bones and antlers....I never found him! Oh man I can not explain the feeling this leaves you...it sucks!
I have attached a couple pictures of the aftermath for you guys and want to get some of your thoughts. The arrow and all of the sign were only a couple hundred yards from where I shot him.
Guys sorry for the long story but I wanted to create a good picture for you and hopefully get some advice back from you guys.
Can you guys give me some feedback:
*How long before the meat is spoiled?
*How long before predators will typically find a kill??
*Lets say I do find him but I am only able to retrieve the antlers, do I still have to tag it?? I am absolutely fine with having to use my tag...after all I did shoot him and accept responsibility. I am only asking this because I have never been faced with a situation where I think the deer may have been torn apart and eaten.
THE PICTURES ARE FROM THE 2ND DAY
...How do I post these pictures???
So Sunday morning I decide to get up in there before the sun came up. Once I had glassed enough and was confident nothing was in the bowl or down in the creek bed I decided to slowly make my way through the bowl checking for sign, on my way to the large basin. I ended up finding a few fresh droppings and tracks leading back to the basin. My immediate thought was YES I know where you are and its on now! I side-hilled out of the bowl and slowly worked back in to the basin about 50 yards. As soon as I started glassing I immediately locate a herd. I could not believe my eyes! It seemed like there were deer all over that hill but actually there ended up being 15 of em. The first buck I glassed up was a little forky..then I glassed up a small 4x3. I thought there is no way this guy is running the show, he is to small.
Then finally I found the big boy! This buck was solid...the antler width was honestly wider than any other buck I have ever glassed up. They shot out a few inches past his ears on each side and instead of rounding up like a U, they were shaped more like a Y. He is an awesome 4x4 with great splits (he has got to be close to 30" wide). One side is perfect but 2 points on the other are broken off, but that didnt bother me any. Id still be very fortunate to harvest him. I watched the herd all day long from 7:30 to sun down.
After learning from my mistakes last year, I decided my best way to get in close on that many deer is to try and determine what direction and area they would feed in to towards the evening. It was tuff to make a move because a couple of the does were bedded down up high while the rest of the group was down near the creek bed. But even then, the group basically took turns feeding...half fed and half slept and vice versa.
So finally after the 2 does dropped down off the mountain side, I made my move. I slipped in within 150 yards as they slowly fed towards me. It was awesome, they had no idea I was in there with them. The herd eventually had me surrounded all except for my backside. The lil forky and 4x3 were only about 50 yards up the hill from me and all the does were close behind. I sat behind a small 3ft bush trying not to move an inch as I tried to locate the beast. I did not want one of these deer to pick me off before I atleast got a shot at the big boy. Finally he was the last one to make it out of the draw and feed his way towards me. Being surrounded by that many eyes, ears, and noses I knew this was my stand and there was no chance for me to stalk closer. By the direction he was going, the closest shot I would have at him was around 70 yards...longer than I would prefer but Im confident out to 80. So finally when he came in to a shooting lane I ranged him at 67 yards. Just as I pulled back from my knees a couple of the deer sounded off the alarm call and it sent them running back a few yards. He stopped and gave me a broadside shot. I ended up connecting with what I thought was his shoulder blade. They stopped around 150 yards away to look back down the hill at me as if to say what the hell was that! I saw my arrow sticking out and it looked like it had only penetrated a couple inches tops. The weird thing was is that I could not see my fletchings.
Daylight was quickly running out and I still had to retrieve my backpack before night fall. I made the decision to return the next day (New Year's Eve) as soon I got off work. I was worried about getting stuck out there all night and simply did not have much light to track. The entire walk back to my truck I was cursing myself at taking that long of a shot, especially at such a nice buck!
DAY #2: I made it back out the next afternoon with only an hour of sunlight left to hopefully recover him. I would have had the entire afternoon but my damn car battery went out..what luck!
I immediately got on the blood trail and eventually found the arrow. To my amazement the shot was a complete pass through and the blood trail was good. Once again I ran out of daylight and had to go back yesterday to hopefully finish the deal. I was very frustrated because after finding the sign I had a good feeling he was dead. But I was not sure if the meat would still be good after a day or 2?? I brought my camera on DAY 2 and have pictures for you guys.
DAY #3: Well I got back out there yesterday to finish the deal and never freaking found him! I found a couple huge blood stains soaked in to the ground under a tree. There were also a few bloody piles of crap along with quite a bit of hair. The ground was also beat up real bad all around this. At that point I began looking for bones and antlers....I never found him! Oh man I can not explain the feeling this leaves you...it sucks!
I have attached a couple pictures of the aftermath for you guys and want to get some of your thoughts. The arrow and all of the sign were only a couple hundred yards from where I shot him.
Guys sorry for the long story but I wanted to create a good picture for you and hopefully get some advice back from you guys.
Can you guys give me some feedback:
*How long before the meat is spoiled?
*How long before predators will typically find a kill??
*Lets say I do find him but I am only able to retrieve the antlers, do I still have to tag it?? I am absolutely fine with having to use my tag...after all I did shoot him and accept responsibility. I am only asking this because I have never been faced with a situation where I think the deer may have been torn apart and eaten.
THE PICTURES ARE FROM THE 2ND DAY
...How do I post these pictures???
its not how far can i...its how close can i....)if you have a dog or a buddy has a dog that can hike in with you it will help your odds a bunch .dogs love the smell of blood and guts(and most nasty smelling things) even if they are just a pet...hope you find him
