I am fortunate in the fact that I can hunt after work. I can go home, grab my bow and camo clothes and be in one of my treestands hunting in about one hour. Since the sun still sets relatively late this time of year I try to get as much bowhunting time in as possible. Friday was no exception. I headed out to one of my spots but I did not have a treestand set up. I did some ground hunting a week ago and spotted a flag indicating the waving tail of a deer running off.
I thought to myself that this spot would be a great location for a treestand in the future. On Friday late afternoon I walked into the woods with bow in one hand, treestand in the other and a stick ladder on my back. I walked up hill to the general spot and discovered a fresh antler rub on a small spruce tree. There is a buck in this area as evident of rubbing his antlers on a small tree. Hmm. I better find a good tree.
I grabbed one of my less expensive stands and stick ladders for this hunt. I like to keep some sort of cover between me and the deer as deer are now learning to look up into trees for danger. I found a small white pine tree next to a large red oak tree. Perfect. I can set up and the red oak may block my image from being seen below.
I set up the stand and then climbed into the perch. Pulled up the Bowtech Guardian compound bow and my day pack. Now for the wait.
At approximately 5:50 I heard some running. The sound of deer are quite distinctive but it was about 75 yards or more away and due to the foliage they could not be seen.
I was hoping my scent didn't give away my position. Although the weathermen forecasted winds from the North and Northwest the wind was actually somewhat variable. The wind would blow from the north northwest then the northeast. At one point it was blowing from the southeast. Great. My scent will go into the little spruce grove where the deer are most likely to go to.
At 6:15 or so I heard more commotion to the northeast. I knew it was deer. Soon the sound was very close and in the grove of spruce that lie to the north of me about twenty yards distant. Soon I spotted a little doe crossing over to my stand area. I said to myself,' That is a baby. This years deer. I am not that desperate to shoot something that small. " Although it was legal I chose not to take such a small deer.
Soon I looked at there were two big does in the grove. I prayed that one would move to the side for a clear shot with my arrow.
My prayer was answered. The large doe stood broadside at around 20 yards. I drew back the bow and placed the sight pin on the shoulder area. I loosed the ST Axis carbon fiber arrow with a Slick Trick broad head. Upon loosing the arrow the illuminated nock turned on and like a green tracer round I saw the light go through the shoulder area of the doe.
Immediately she bolted and ran westward. I prayed for a clean kill as sometimes a high hit can be a kill shot but take longer than normal. Or you can miss the vitals like the lungs and you have lost an animal. I hate that feeling and do my best to take a clean shot. Now I waited. I saw the other deer run off and one was on top of a hill to the right of me about 80 yards looking at me. I may have to move my treestand.
I got down and went to the spot the doe last stood. I found a drop of blood. Then more blood. I looked at there was my arrow sticking in the ground with the nock still lit . I checked the arrow and it was covered in blood. Good. I walked further and spotted the blood trail. A few drops here and there. Hmm. I am getting nervous. Still, I follow and it doesn't seem all that copious.
Then the trail becomes very conspicuous and the blood quite copious. This is a kill shot and now it is a matter of finding the animal. As I walked further I spotted the doe lying on it's side.
I was elated. I felt a sense of joy and happiness at the taking of this fine animal. A prayer of thanks was said for this gift of pure meat and the opportunity to connect with our past.
I get my dragging rope out and begin to drag the doe to my pick up truck. At the truck I make a call on my cell phone to the Connecticut fish and game. The state of Connecticut changed their deer check policy where now you call in or use the internet to register your deer or turkey kill. After a few minutes of punching numbers on the phone I got the confirmation number and wrote it down on the paper tag.
The next step was the process of field dressing and bringing it home to be skinned out and butchered. I did learn some things. I forgot my head light. I have a small Petzl head lamp which would have been great for field dressing this deer as it was dark now. That is basically one thing that I had forgot in my pack but that will be remedied.
At my parent's home I discovered that the arrow was quite devastating. The arrow broke the shoulder blade like a rifle bullet. Sometimes the bow is quite deadly when all of the variables come together.
As I type this out I am reliving the hunt in my mind and soon I shall do some meat packaging with Dad at his home.