snowy day doe hunt

[bigben]

So in pa the game commission is trying to cull the herd down so cwd doesn't get out of control.  So this year they opened a late rifle doe only season to run concurrent with the flintlock season.  It came in on Jan 2nd and runs till the 20th.  I had not planned on hunting with a rifle anymore this year but in an effort to see some new area I was invited to go drive with a buddies group.  The plan was to meet on Friday morn around 7am.  I thought that was a little early for drives but I'm just a long for the ride.  I had not harvested a deer on public ground ever in my life.  I have been fortunate to have private to hunt.  That doesn't mean I have not had any opportunities  just have never sealed the deal. 

New years morn around 1 am I got a phone call from my gram her furnace tripped.  This coming after having a week of problems with my oil burner as well had me at wits end that I had finally got mine figured out now hers is on the fritz.  I tell you this story because it carried the next two days into friday morn.  Not wanting to leave my gram without someone that could reset the furnace I waited till the tech came out again.  I had already told my bud hey i was going to be late let me know where you are pushing.  He gave me a location to shoot for.  I figured it wouldnt be tough to find them. 

8 AM the hvac guy showed i chatted a bit with him and was then off to go join the group.  They were only about 15 mins from the house since michaux state forest is in my backyard.  Im gonna miss it when we move.  I was cruising up the road a pretty good clip and there was some guys in Flo orange standing in the woods along the road.  Sure enough that was them.  I pulled over and got my stuff ready.  After gathering gear I joined the group of standers beside my bud.  The first drive put up a doz deer and two doe on the ground. 

Second drive I volunteered to push as i was new to the group.  We moved through a tangled mess of saplings.  The deer in michaux im pretty sure are burried in them clearcuts.  Half way through the drive it broke over the top and went down a steep ridge.  A couple shots rang out below and i was hoping something else was down.  around that time a shot rang out to my right above me.  a coyote had ran between me and the other pusher.  He waited till it got clear of me and let his .270 rip but didnt connect.  once we got down to the standers the fella that shot missed.  We looked some more for blood but nothing was there. 

The third drive we basically pivoted and pushed back to where we ended on the first drive.  That push I was a stander and the drivers put up a doe and was able to get her.  They also put up two buck so far. 

The next two drives didnt produce anything and the snow started falling heavy.  So the group decided to call it a day.  I drove down off the mountain and got some lunch.  After eating I decided to come the long way home threw the michaux and text my wife as such.  By the time I crested the mountain the snow was over and sun out.  It was 3:30 I figured it would be a good time to go scout if nothing else.  I was pretty dry and felt good.  So I text her back my location and told her I was hunting till dark. 

I pulled up to where I was going to go.  its a clearcut area that has a ridge that goes through the center of it down to a stream.  A hollow on the left flows down to the stream as well and makes a horseshoe shape.  I parked the truck where the open end of the horseshoe would be.  Plan was to walk down the left hollow till a spot I typically see the most sign then cut right to the ridge then work back to truck.  it was about 4 when I got under way. 

As I slipped down the trail it was very quiet other then the wind would kick up now and then.  Snow blowing I was wondering if I was crazy but i kept a slow but steady pace.  A couple steps and then stop scan.  couple more steps stop scan.  It breaks into an open area and that was about where I was going to turn right and work towards the ridge about 100 yards away.  as I stood there scanning i seen a brown body of a deer walking right to left.  a couple steps and it stops lifts its head and looks away from me.  I didn't see any antlers.  I leveled my Trapper 30/30 that i added the irons to this summer.  I settled the front bead behind the shoulder hammer was already eased back when i brought it up.  I stood there for what seemed like forever bead behind the shoulder.  I squeezed the trigger and at the recoil I seen her hunch and mule kick.

She ran about 50 yards from right to left and disappeared over a small tiny rise in the terrain.  I looked back and seen three others running away from me.  They were invisible to my eye until i shot.  I reloaded the marlin and worked to where the doe had ran. 

Cresting the small rise where there was some pine trees I seen her laying there.  Walking up she was just getting done expiring.  It was 4:25  Dark was coming I knew I was a couple hundred yard clip from the truck and I had to decide if i wanted to drag her or field quarter her.  A buddy has been after me to field quarter deer.  I told myself this one was good as any other then my backpack was in the truck.  I figured field quarter then go back get the pack and bags then come down and pack her out. 

I got to work on her and quickly realized the gerber freeman I love so much wasnt really the best knife I had to do the job.  I still pressed on and got one side done.  I learned a few things on that first side so when I flipped her over and worked her other side it went faster.  I finished up gathered my gear and looked at my phone.  it was 5:02  i hoofed it back to the truck and drove closer to the deer. 

I started down in and it was getting pretty dark at this point.  I had headlamps but the fresh snow was bright enough to walk down to the site.  I packed her up threw the backpack on and started back to the truck.  After getting her back I filled the tag out better as the snow had wiped clean the pen from tagging her earlier.  It was 5:40. 

It was a great day in the woods.  I had 5.5 miles on the day between the morn and afternoon hunts.  I packed her out the 600 yards she was down in that hollow.  It was nice to not have to work on her after I got it home.  We went over to my inlaws and hunt the quarters to get air to them and called it a day. 

if your still reading thanks for following along.  The wife now wants to try to hunt the state forest so that will be saturdays adventure. 

[Hawks Feather]

Great read and much appreciated. Congratulations on the venison for the freezer.

[remrogers]

Should be some good eating. Congratulations on filling your tag.

[nastygunz]

Awesome adventure!

[Okanagan]

Really enjoyed reading your story, on this slow western drizzly cold morning as I'm kind of stuck at home, sipping on a hot coffee. You did some good hunting and good shooting, and I like the care you take with meat. You told us just the right amount for me to go along with you on the hunt, without so many details that it gets tedious.  I enjoy reading hunting stories, especially how I got within sight, what I did from the time I saw the animal and what it did till it was down and found.  I and keep learning all the time.

[FinsnFur]

Felt like I was right there with ya. Now I'm whooped
Congrats on the freezer fodder and thanks for sharing the story.
I think I'd enjoy a late hunt. I gave up hunting public land during deer season. Way to many idiots.
A late hunt sounds like real hunting

[bigben]

I also enjoy late season hunting.  Usually it is with the flintlock though and not the rifle.  I only had the rifle as its pretty tuff to shoot a running or moving deer with the flintlock.  Also the trapper is a lot easier to carry then the flintlock weight wise.  We still have two more weekends so I will try to make the best of it.