Talk about going right down to the wire! This has been one deer season that I would of never anticipated. I had such high hopes for the area around my cabin in Luzerne. At least four different shooter bucks were caught on trail cam, and there seemed to be plenty of does, to fill the freezer, just in case the bucks disappeared. Well I hunted more days than I normally do, and only had one chance at “any” deer! That was the second day of muzzle-loader, and wouldn’t you know it I had a miss-fire! When I tried to fix the gun I broke the nipple holding the cap, and that was the end of my muzzleloading season. I had to revert back to my crossbow.
I even bought my 7-year-old grandson a “youth mentor” license thinking it would be a “walk in the park” to at least get him a “shot!” Took him out six times and we never had an opportunity to draw down on anything. It was quite discouraging as well as frustrating, as the deer were there. They were just moving late evening right at dark. The bucks didn’t move till after 11 p.m.
Things all changed for me when I got a chance to hunt a small track of land about 25 minutes from my house in western Monroe County. I have learned not to be very specific when it comes to some information made public. I hunted Friday afternoon/evening and saw this buck and two other deer. They were coming from their bedding area, and heading for a cut corn field. A well used runway went straight through the woods I was hunting. I was using a vacant tree stand that the previous hunter had left 4-5 years ago, and never returned for. Even though it was muzzle-loader season I had a crossbow, due to my gun being broken. Friday night the deer were moving at a good clip, and they were just a “tad” out of range anyway. I was “pumped” and couldn’t wait to get back out in the morning. I was told that the deer head back to the heavy cover after feeding all night, and that this stand was within 20 yards of one of the major runways they were using.
Early Saturday morning it was cold (26 degrees and windy.) At 9:15 a.m. Three deer came trotting my way. A doe followed by a small eight point, and this “bad boy!” They were on the right path, but moving way to fast. I had a gun rail to stabilize my crossbow, but just could not take that moving shot. As the deer passed I almost panicked cause they were getting further away. I tried to whistle, but only dry air escaped my lips. The second try produced a “wimpy” half-hearted whistle, but it was enough to stop the big buck at 35 yards. As he looked back to see what made the noise, I steadied the crosshairs a tad high and pulled the trigger. “Whack!” I immediately saw blood as he turned to follow his partners out of there. The shot looked great and at forty yards he stopped behind a tree, as the others headed back the way they came. His legs started to wobble and down he went. From the time the arrow hit till he dropped dead took all of 15 seconds! I don’t think I have ever had a deer expire that fast, in my life!
The entrance hole was enormous (rage 2-blade) and had went straight through the heart and lungs. In my excitement I left the heart in the “gut” pile. I wanted to take a picture to show the dead center hit this broad head made on the target. I will be doing a blog on “Rage broad heads” in the future. I had to get help dragging this bruiser out, and we estimated his live weight at around 215 pounds. Biggest deer (weight wise) I ever shot.
Sixteen (16) days of hunting up north and It produces nothing! Four (4) hours of hunting around here and I take a bragging size buck! Go figure! Like Yogi Berra said “It ain’t over till it’s over!” That’s what keeps us coming back year after year. You never know how the “story” will end until you get to the end of the story! That’s my own little euphuism.
Mike
Great story and great deer. Kept the good articles coming.