(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y95/HuntnCarve/October%202014/Crossbowbuck2014A_zpsffb76cf0.jpg) (http://s3.photobucket.com/user/HuntnCarve/media/October%202014/Crossbowbuck2014A_zpsffb76cf0.jpg.html)
I was hunting with my Ol Buddy "Dave" last evening when this guy came along. We were hunting with our friend Jeff at one of his spots. As evening approached a group of does popped out in the field in front of me. Wasn't long before a 7 pt came along and started harassing them. I was hoping he would either chase one of the does down to me, or come a little closer to see if he was worth shooting? Well, as I was watching the show 120 yards out in front of me, I happened to glance to my right. Standing bold as brass was this fellow! He was staring up at me about 30 yards away. The stare down went on for what seemed like forever! Finally he started twitching his tail and looked away down the hedge row towards the hard top road. - I was set up in a hedge row about 50 yards off of this road over looking a field. Well, as soon as he looked away I swung the crossbow around and got him in my scope. He was quartering 45 degrees away from me, so I figured I would catch the vitals. Pulling the trigger, the dang crossbow did not go off? Idiot! I forgot to take off the safety. :doh2:
Clicking the safety off, I quickly took aim back behind his shoulder and fired. "Whap!" The buck took off headed right down the hedge row towards the road! I lost sight of him as he went around a blow down. But I figured he would be in the area.
Getting down out of the stand I went over to where he was standing. I found a few drops of blood in the wet leaves, but not much. Heading over to where I last saw him, Jeff caught up with me. I told him I had blood, but not a lot. Jeff said the buck probably crossed the road? Walking up to the bank above the road I was figuring we would have to cross over to pick up the trail. When all of a sudden Jeff yells "He's right there laying on the road!" Sure enough he had managed to cross the white line about 4 feet, and expired. No wonder cars were slowing down?
I quickly pulled him to the edge of the road, and tagged him as vehicles drove by. LOL! What a night!
Thanks once again to Dave and Jeff. They always seem to put me on some nice bucks. Earlier in the day Dave pushed a few smaller bucks by me, but they were not in range. Guess things happen for a reason. :eyebrow:
HuntnCarve
Dave
Congratulations Dave!! Nice Buck, you supposed to be smiling when you kill a niceun. :eyebrownod: cc
Should have gutted him alongside the road to give the rubberneckers something to gawk at! :laf:
Nice buck. He's got some long brow tines.
Thanks guys!
Carl, believe me I was smiling quite a bit. I think I was more shell shocked over how fast it all happened. :laf:
FOs, it actually looked like a CSI crime scene, the buck laying there in a pool of blood. :eyebrow: As I was working my way over to where the buck presently lay, a SUV was turning around 100 yards down the road. The SUV pulled over and was watching us. Probably would have snatched it up in another couple minutes had we not appeared.
I was really pleased with the performance of my new Excalibur Matrix 405 crossbow. Got a few doe tags to fill now.
HnC
Way to go Dave. :highclap: :highclap: Congratulations, that's a beauty. :congrats: :congrats:
Pat
beautiful specimen ya put down there. congratulations...
Very nice bucl and a cool story.
Dave,
Way to go! That is a fine looking buck and will be pretty tasty too.
Jerry
Very nice buck ,congrats :bowingsmilie:
What a night, by "Dave n Dave" :eyebrownod:
Nicely done, Dave. :congrats:
Yes, Dave, congrats on a nice buck. He was a good one to break in the new crossbow!
Oh yeah, be sure to wear your driving boots and brush pants next time down! ;yes;
Bucks are going crazy searching for that first hot doe around here right now. Great time to be out.
:yoyo: :yoyo: Heckuva buck Dave!! Congratulations on a fine shot!!!!!!!! :congrats: :congrats:
Nice buck for sure! :bowingsmilie: Congrats!
Well done sir! It's even better when you fill your tag while hunting with friends. You do know that you can quick freeze and send tenderloins and backstraps UPS overnight. :wink:
John P.
Better yet, you could come on out here and we would set you up to shoot your own. :yoyo:
Years back I realized that being with your friends on a hunt carries a lot more value than a filled tag. If you can do both, so much the better.
HnC Dave
Quote from: HuntnCarve on October 31, 2014, 01:13:00 PM
Years back I realized that being with your friends on a hunt carries a lot more value than a filled tag. If you can do both, so much the better.
HnC Dave
Amen :biggrin:
Pat
Congrats, Dave! Nice one! :congrats:
Wow, Dave. That's humdinger of a buck, way more so with a crossbow.
I got skunked the last two days hunting in high wind, rain or sleet and lots of mud. Your hunt sounds more fun. Wish we could go to Shady Lane ? (where we ate before) to celebrate!
Quote from: HuntnCarve on October 31, 2014, 01:13:00 PM
John P.
Better yet, you could come on out here and we would set you up to shoot your own. :yoyo:
HnC Dave
I think, no I know, my days of going back to PA are over. I have alluded to some of my health issues in other post but never mentioned exactly what was going on, so............... I have had a series of mini-strokes with each one getting progressively worse plus there are other things going on in my "gray matter" which they can't figure out. That is also why I don't post as much as I use to. You wouldn't believe how long it took me just to type this short reply.
John, it pains me to hear what you are going through. Rest assured, we your friends, will keep you in our prayers. I truly hope they will be able to find, and correct the problems you are experiencing. Hang in there my friend. We might not be able to physically hunt with you? But we can sure take you along with us in spirit. So read along when we recount our journeys afield. When you are tired rest, and just respond with a " :laf: " And when you feel like writing, write. We'll know you are there. :wink: In the coming weeks we'll be hopefully hunting turkeys, deer, bear and whatever small game we can kick up? So lace up your boots and follow along.
HuntnCarve
Dave
Quote from: HuntnCarve on November 02, 2014, 01:35:07 PM
John, it pains me to hear what you are going through. Rest assured, we your friends, will keep you in our prayers. I truly hope they will be able to find, and correct the problems you are experiencing. Hang in there my friend. We might not be able to physically hunt with you? But we can sure take you along with us in spirit. So read along when we recount our journeys afield. When you are tired rest, and just respond with a " :laf: " And when you feel like writing, write. We'll know you are there. :wink: In the coming weeks we'll be hopefully hunting turkeys, deer, bear and whatever small game we can kick up? So lace up your boots and follow along.
HuntnCarve
Dave
Ditto to the above. Wish it were not so. Am deeply impressed at how well and graciously you handle the decline. I'm not far behind you.
John,
Like Dave and Okanagan I am sorry to hear of your health problems. I am becoming increasingly aware of what age can do to my body and how my body doesn't respond the way it used to as well. Hang in there and (like me) enjoy going along on other's hunts.
Jerry