Posted By: Bigfoot
Great hunt today in the SHNF! - 12/20/16 10:01 PM
It took me 7 trips this year to get it done but I finally got it done today. And I am very proud of this doe since it is my first public land harvest. I was a little late this morning getting to my spot. I like to be in at least by legal shooting time and I arrived 10 minutes late. So I finally get settled in under my tree and within 5 minutes I can hear some footsteps in the distance. I couldnt figure out where they were coming from and then all of a sudden I see a large deer pop out of the creek about 90 yards in front of me. I think it was a buck but it happened so quickly I wasnt sure. All I could tell is that it had a big body. Didnt matter anyways it was gone. Thats OK starting out better than Friday where I never heard or saw a thing all day. So about 40 minutes later I can hear some crashing through the leaves and this is uphill and downwind of me. So I switch my gun to my left hand (which I plan on practicing from now on at the range) and sure enough boom I can see a deer through the brush at 20 yards. Ive got no shot and she has me pegged. She starts barking and stomping and wont shut up. I was ready to put a head shot on her and all she had to do was walk another 2 yards in to the opening and I was done for the day. But she finally runs off barking like crazy. Finally about 9:30 I see 2 deer hanging around the creek just milling around looking for acorns. They are about 100-120 yards away and I dont have a shot and I am still not sure if these are does or little bucks. So I get ready and in position for a shot and after about 10 minutes they finally came up to about 50 yards of me and once she stepped out in the open I popped her with a Hornady SST 120 grain from my 6.8 AR. Granted this is only my second deer ever and my heart was pumping out of my chest. I definitely did not take my time on my shot. As soon as that doe stepped out I popped her instantly and hit her about 8 inches to the right of the shoulder in mid body area. She crumbled right there and never took a step but it happened so fast that I wish I would have taken my time more andmade a perfect shot. I learned a lot of valuable hutning lessons doing this on my own and a great deal of personal satisfaction. Ive got to work the next 4 out of 6 days but you can bet come next week I will be back in my spot looking for a buck and a pig!!
agree & would like ta add pic up a bow... Nothing wrong with rifle, still use one at time, archery is close range & can learn it's behavor... 