Official 2010 Bow Hunt thread.

[LBLDOG]

Congrats Semp, pretty Deer:)

[Dave]

Congrats.
He looks like a nice sized deer.

[LightningInABottle]

Hi, My name is Sarah and here’s my story about my buck…


I had gone out two times before “the big night”, all right near Delaware Valley College. The first night, my dad spotted a very small doe, probably a yearling. The second night, I didn’t really want to go because there was nothing the night before, but my dad talked me into it. This time, we heard a large, startled deer sprint through the forest. On my way out, I saw five doe just standing out in the field, I was mad that they didn’t come into the woods. Both nights, people were just strolling around on some dirt biking paths. It could have been them who were startling everything or it could have been bad luck (or something else).

   When dad gave me the option of going to the horse farm or going to the same spot where the deer kind of knew where we were, I jumped right on the opportunity of the horse farm. I was so excited because I knew there would be at least a doe there because it was where I got my six point last year (my dad said it should have been an eight point, but there was deer fence tangled all around the antlers and you could tell that something had broken off). As soon as we got there, being a horse lover, I went right up to pet them. Dad said to come help him with the unloading of practically the whole car and my backpack because it was a Tuesday and I had some homework to do (luckily it was only a math page and finishing some diagramming). While we were walking the back path to the open gate of the field, dad had already spotted some really large doe just grazing on some man’s lawn. I could tell it was going to be a good hunt.

   We crept into the horses’ shed and put up the camouflage netting so the deer wouldn’t be able to see me or my dad moving around to get set up. I got out a Dick’s Sporting Good’s chair along with my dad. I sat down and started my dreadful homework while watching the deer. My dad was setting up the shooting sticks and made sure that the crossbow rested well on them. Then he sat down and told me practically every movement of the deer. When I got my homework done (yes, I was reading the responses to my dad’s story and one of the questions was ‘did you get your homework done?’ … I did), I started watching very carefully as the deer started pouring into the horse field. I was so excited as I watched them, thinking I would be taking home a prize doe or buck tonight. My dad stared doubting though, as the doe started working their way to the end of the field because they were about seventy yards away and going to where they could smell our scent. Now I was starting to worry, hoping something would scare them back up.

   A fox came through as my dad was trying to scare it away so the deer wouldn’t run because of the fox’s quick, sudden movements (it was a nice looking fox though =]). I wanted to keep watching him, but my dad did say that he could be a BIG problem. We finally scared that pesky fox off, so I was happy. I couldn’t help but look at each deer through the scope and think that he or she could be mine. Then I saw some more deer on the opposite side of the fence and pretended to put the crosshairs on them, too. When I put the crosshairs across the one ‘doe’s’ right shoulder, I almost jumped. “Dad, it’s a buck!” I said, very excited. “I think it’s a spike!” My dad said to calm down and that he thought it might be a three point because of its ‘crab claw’ as my dad had said. I was excited anyway. I kept getting the range finder to see how close it was every other second. I watched as it went from the hundred yards on the other side of the fence to the ninety, the eighty, the seventy, the sixty, to the fifty. I thought, ‘only ten more yards!’ I was so energized and excited, then he started moving away.

   I saw him move all the way to the other side of the field, about one hundred fifty to two hundred yards away. I was feeling hopeless because all the other years I got it within the first hour of the time I went out hunting, mainly the first day of the season. We waited and waited, as dad kept flipping the bleat box over and over, but the small buck wasn’t interested in it. I was getting hyper because of sitting for so long. I was looking every which way for something to move in (happily, no luck just yet =]).

   Dad was looking around the back of the horses’ shelter stall, and saw a bunch of good sized does grazing around out there. He said to grab the shooting sticks and be very quiet around the thick weeds. I was ready when dad had to get something (as usual) from our little hut in the field. When he turned around he saw it.

   He said, “Sarah! There’s a buck out there!” I stopped and turned slowly. I saw the buck, but he saw us first. Dad said if we were very still, he might think we were one of the does in the pasture. I thought he was small along with my dad. We were both so surprised to see him that neither one of us thought about the rack. Dad started to make a grunt call to him up there as we both could tell that he was interested. He moved quickly down to us, but not in range yet. He was chasing some does and also saw that he was grunting. I was so excited I thought my dad could see my heart beating out of my chest. We waited. He was coming into better view. Dad said to get the crossbow up. I put it up on the shooting sticks. Earlier I had practiced being very steady and taking deep breaths before you shoot. I was hoping that would pay off. As I saw him coming into range, I changed the safety to fire. My dad told me to shoot on the first arrow below the crosshairs. I put them up and saw him moving across. Soon enough I had to actually pick the crossbow up and try to shoot off them. I was scared that if I didn’t hit him behind the shoulder and through the lungs, I might injure him badly. I looked through the scope and the crosshairs were on his head. I took a great big deep breath and slowly pulled the trigger. The arrow made a hissing sound. Vooshh! Then I heard a loud thump! And the deer disappeared over the hill. I had my fingers crossed.

   I kept telling dad that I knew I hit him because of the thump, but I had absolutely no idea where. We went out to look for the arrow. No blood, no arrow. We kept on looking. Still, no arrow. We looked everywhere. The grass was thick and uncut. It was a hard job in my opinion. We gave up on the arrow and dad would later find it the next day.
We went to get our stuff and headed for the car. I was jumping around thinking how cool it would be to get the buck. When I looked through the scope the first time, he was big and muscular. Kind of like a beastly deer. I was so excited. Then I asked dad, “Dad, when he was coming toward us, did it look like he was limping to you? Or was that just my imagination?” He answered, “Actually it did, now that you mention it.” Dad also said maybe he got slightly hit by a car or something to that extent (I was still jumping around in my mind).

   Dad said I had to be really quiet when we were looking for this deer. “I marked it on that guy’s lawn, right next to the driveway on the other side of the thin woods. Just keep your flashlight away from the house”, Dad said as he got out of our old black Ford Expedition. We walked into the pasture to look for ANY signs of the buck running through here. Nope, no blood. We went everywhere around the gate. We went up to the borderline of the property. Nope, no blood. We had to go on to someone’s manicured, lush green lawn and keep the flashlight away from the house and driveway on either side of the slim woods. Hard to do right? Dad told me to look in every part of woods that he could have gone into. I was looking and looking. Soon enough, by the way I do things, dad told me not to use the flashlight at all (whoops!). He said he was not in the mood to have someone find a dead deer on his or her lawn or us on his or her lawn so better not use a flashlight. He kept his on.

   I was scared because we were so close to the house. I thought I could see them watching basketball on the TV, but it was the Phillies! Yes! That was Tuesday night when you were all probably home nice and comfy on you little old sofas while Dad and I were out searching for a bloodless, dead deer in the middle of some guy’s million dollar landscape. Dad was way ahead of me when he came sprinting back and said, “DUCK!” I practically jumped out of my skin and flew into the bushes. I was absolutely petrified. I thought he meant that someone was coming toward us. Then dad said, “No, BUCK! I found the buck!” I was overjoyed and so relieved that it wasn’t someone on a midnight walk (it was only eight O’clock, but it felt like one in the morning). Dad showed me where the buck was. The buck was in this little alleyway that the person who lives here cut out. I went over and looked at the buck, then at Dad and gave my dad an enormous bear hug. I was incredibly shocked that we found him. Now all we needed to do was drag him back.

UGH! I asked dad about how much he weighed. Dad said, “a little less than two hundred pounds.” I almost yelled, “Oh My GOODNESS!!!” I couldn’t believe it. Even though he felt like a ton, I only thought he was like 100-150. I am so pleased at this monster. We both tried to drag him back. Dad pulled out his nifty little rope thingy and tied it around the antlers of the gigantic buck. I could barely drag him and I’m not weak (I can pin my brother to the ground as long as he’s not tickling me =]). My dad even had a hard time pulling him along. Finally we were on the horse farm’s property. We drug him about another thirty yards and then dad gutted him. We snapped a few photos then drug him the rest of the way down to where we parked the Expedition.

We snapped about another 10-20 photos (Dad found one of those big EOS Digital Canon cameras on the side of a main highway, picked it up, and it worked completely fine. Now he loves it) and then were getting ready to throw this big guy in the car and then Dad forgot to pack a mat thing to put on the car floor. “Darn!” Dad said, but he did have a trash bag. I found a few of those foot mats for the front and back of cars. We laid those down and then ripped the trash bag in half so it was one big sheet of plastic. Then we threw the prize buck in there. On the way home, my little brother, Dante, called about ten times! We never answered because I wanted it to be a surprise.

When Dante came home from football practice, the deer was out on the driveway. I told Dante what had happened and that there was a spike (what Dante wants to get REALLY bad) there waiting for him. He and Dad are going there one of these days and Dante would probably enter it in this contest, too. I am so proud of myself and I’ve heard about 5-6 of my dad’s friends tell me that and so did my dad, mom, and Uncle Steve.

I hope you like my story!

P.S. He tastes DELICIOUS!!!

He's an 8 point


With a 20-1/2"


Here's the fox we saw. It's only 30 yards away (and a deer in the background).


Here is why it had a limp.  Look at the size of its back right foot, and how it curves the wrong way.  Dad says the rump is really underdeveloped?


And here are a few more pictures.

[pitw]

 Sarah that ranks up there as one of the best stories ever on any hunting site .  I was with you from the carry stuff out to pasture, through the homework and enjoyed chasing the pesky fox off .  I think I hid better than you at the "Duck" and I'm still tired from the drag.  Congrats and thanks for the most enjoyable hunt of the year.

[coyotehunter_1]

Sarah, job well done...   both on the deer and hunting report.  I give you an A+

[Bills Custom Calls]

Sarah Congrats on the very well written story and the successful hunt
I am glad you got your homework done before this buck showed up


Job Well Done all the way around  

[shaddragger]

  WTG Sarah!! Excellent story and a deer to be proud of!

[KySongDog]

    Great story, Sarah!   I enjoyed following along with you.  Congratulations!   

I'm sure glad your Dad didn't decide to field dress him on that guy's lawn!       

[FinsnFur]

Congrats on a job well done, absolutely awesome deer Sarah!

[HuntnCarve]

What a great story Sarah!  Once again you amaze me with your hunting abilities.  Out of all your dad's friends you know that I am the proudest of your accomplishments.  I watched a little girl grow into not only a nick name.  But into a fine young lady.  Meantime, save room for a big bear hug when I see you!   Then again, you got me thinking already?  Can Lightening strike again in the future?   With you, no doubt about it!

Dave

[coyote101]

That is a beautiful buck and a great story young lady! Thanks for sharing the adventure with us. You and your dad should be very proud.

Pat

[alscalls]

 

[vvarmitr]

Most excellent Sarah! 
Marvelous story to boot. 
Hope you get a whole bunch more game soos we can have more great stories & pix. 

[FOsteology]

Fantastic write up. Reading along almost made me feel I was there with you! Thank you for sharing and congratulations again on a truly wonderful buck.

[Bills Custom Calls]

Nothing like Sarah's Story this little doe climbed the ladder and hung her self on the clothes line 
Not really

I had been out a couple times today but just couldn't get one close enough to put the smack down on one.I seen 6 but it just wasn't their time yet

It was getting really close to dark when this one showed up,and I made the choice to take it
Got a good clean shot straight through she dropped and it was over.I had my knife and went straight to work as daylight was almost gone.While I was gutting this one a bigger doe came into sight thats just the way it goes This one will be some good tender eating

[pitw]

Way to go Bill  .  Do you leave 'em hanging until their dry .

[Bills Custom Calls]

Way to go Bill  .  Do you leave 'em hanging until their dry .

If that would be the case I better move it inside since they are calling for 2 1/2 + inches of rain till tomorrow night

[FinsnFur]

Yeah hang it up above the radiator in the hallway to dry. 

Nuttin wrong with that deer, Willy. I'd be happy with that.

[Bills Custom Calls]

Oh I am happy with it,it will be some gooood eating thats for sure

[alscalls]

MMMMMMmmmmmmmmmm........   WTG BIll!!!!!!!