| LostHawg |
10-31-2008 01:58 PM |
This is a buck I rattled and grunted in. I got to my stand late and decided to try some calling. (The feeder went off as I was boarding my 6' quadpod)
I got seated, did a moderate rattle routine with my rattle bag, then waited about 5 minutes and gave 3 soft grunts at about 10 count intervals. A few minutes passed and I heard a snort and some stomping. This continued for about ten minutes as the buck circled my location. It finally went quiet and I grunted twice at a five count interval. The buck answered back with a snort and in a few minutes he stepped into a clearing down and slightly cross wind from me; about 40 yards. He then circled toward me downwind and took the trail that I'd walked in on directly to me. At 10 feet he saw me and backed up 3 steps. I'm thinking, "he's gone", but to my surprise he circled me at about 10 yards not slowing down for two of my 3 shooting lanes. The third was under the feeder where he started eating the corn facing me the whole time. When he finally turned broadside and relaxed I was able to make the shot. I focused on an imaginary spot at the top of his heart and when he ducked, he swung slightly toward me. The arrow went through both lungs and sliced the liver, before landing on the rocks on the exit.
He ran 26 yards and expired. I really don't remember drawing the bow, only hitting anchor. I was so focused on that spot behind his leg, I guess. While I sat there giving him time, I filled out my license log and tag. I forgot that on my last deer and a good friend had to remind me. I felt really lame about it too. Just glad it wasn't a warden that had to remind me!
The dude was FAT. I bet he'd go 150 - 160 live weight. Had to use one of my "revival" chairs to load him into my truck and my back was about played out when that was done. Its NO fun having two degenerated vertebrae! I was having to pull fat out just so I could gut him and the same to skin him. My friend doesn't want us gutting the deer on the end of his property we hunt, so we have to load them belly-full and haul them to a gutting area.
A young 6 point, but when they give ya the evil eye, that auto-pilot kicks in and there ya go... :D
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