fyrfyter43
45 Cal.
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2008
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My plant closed down this year for the last 2 weeks of December due to a major industry downturn. Despite the fact that I'm unemployed for 2 weeks, I was pretty excited, since I could hunt with ML every day except Christmas and Sundays.
Saturday morning I had some things to tend to at home, but I was able to get out in the afternoon in the middle of the big snowstorm. I headed out to a spot I haven't hunted much in about 15 years.
Typical of so many of the spots I can hunt here in NJ, it's just a small piece of private property...probably less than 2 acres that I have permission to hunt. It's a narrow strip of woods, probably 150 yards wide, but beyond the land I can hunt is quite a bit more land that is hunted by a gun club. About 75 yards in is a dry stream bed, with a good-sized hill on the other side. The deer often follow the stream bed for a couple hundred yards before crossing towards my uncle's backyard, where they often spend the night browsing.
I got there around 2:00 in the middle of some pretty heavy snowfall. I walked in about 40 yards and set up with a seat that I hang on a tree. http://www.bowyersedge.com/treeseat.html Within a half hour, I was covered in snow. It helped me blend in a bit better, but it sure wasn't helping me stay warm.
Around 4:00 I noticed movement off to my left. A doe was coming down the hill, headed straight toward the stream bed. She was about 60 yards out. This was the first deer I've even seen all season, so I was a bit excited. As soon as she went behind a small group of trees I shifted into position, slipped the cow's knee off my lock, cocked the gun and brought it up. Now I just had to wait for her to step out.
Once she stepped out from behind the trees, I put the sights on her chest. Just then I realized that my rear sight was packed with snow. I couldn't see the front sight at all through the notch in the rear sight. I raised the muzzle up slightly until I could see the front sight, then lowered it again until the front blade just disappeared. I aimed for the lungs and squeezed off the shot.
When the smoke cleared, I saw she was down, but trying to get back up. I realized I must have hit high, either in the shoulder or the spine. I quickly reloaded and finished her off.
As I was reloading a second time, another doe came up and stood over the fallen deer. She had been behind the group of trees just a couple yards away. I don't think she knew what had happened. Since I am allowed to take 2 deer at a time, I raised my gun and took a shot at this second deer, but missed. She ran off about 20 yards unhurt.
By this time it was getting dark and I knew I had my work cut out for me. I walked up to the downed doe. The second doe stood watching me until I was within 5 yards of the downed deer, then took off over the hill.
I dressed the doe then took my gun and seat out to the edge of the woods, since I had to cross the rocky stream bed. I returned to drag the deer out. I got halfway across the stream bed with the deer when a rock twisted out from under my right foot. I went down hard, with my foot twisted around under my leg. I knew I was hurt, but there was no one nearby who could help me. After about 10 minutes I forced myself back to my feet. I could barely stand, but I had to get out of the woods. I dragged the deer nearly 500 yards to where I had parked my truck, then returned for my gun and seat. It took more than an hour and a half to make the 2 trips.
I finally got the deer hung and got home around 7:30. When I took my boot off, my right foot and ankle were swollen to about twice their normal size. I've been stuck in the house ever since, unable to put any weight on my right foot. I went for an x-ray Monday, but nothing looks broken. Now I just hope it heals enough that I can get back out for a day or 2 before I have to go back to work. Fortunately, I can hunt with ML through Feb. 13.
Saturday morning I had some things to tend to at home, but I was able to get out in the afternoon in the middle of the big snowstorm. I headed out to a spot I haven't hunted much in about 15 years.
Typical of so many of the spots I can hunt here in NJ, it's just a small piece of private property...probably less than 2 acres that I have permission to hunt. It's a narrow strip of woods, probably 150 yards wide, but beyond the land I can hunt is quite a bit more land that is hunted by a gun club. About 75 yards in is a dry stream bed, with a good-sized hill on the other side. The deer often follow the stream bed for a couple hundred yards before crossing towards my uncle's backyard, where they often spend the night browsing.
I got there around 2:00 in the middle of some pretty heavy snowfall. I walked in about 40 yards and set up with a seat that I hang on a tree. http://www.bowyersedge.com/treeseat.html Within a half hour, I was covered in snow. It helped me blend in a bit better, but it sure wasn't helping me stay warm.
Around 4:00 I noticed movement off to my left. A doe was coming down the hill, headed straight toward the stream bed. She was about 60 yards out. This was the first deer I've even seen all season, so I was a bit excited. As soon as she went behind a small group of trees I shifted into position, slipped the cow's knee off my lock, cocked the gun and brought it up. Now I just had to wait for her to step out.
Once she stepped out from behind the trees, I put the sights on her chest. Just then I realized that my rear sight was packed with snow. I couldn't see the front sight at all through the notch in the rear sight. I raised the muzzle up slightly until I could see the front sight, then lowered it again until the front blade just disappeared. I aimed for the lungs and squeezed off the shot.
When the smoke cleared, I saw she was down, but trying to get back up. I realized I must have hit high, either in the shoulder or the spine. I quickly reloaded and finished her off.
As I was reloading a second time, another doe came up and stood over the fallen deer. She had been behind the group of trees just a couple yards away. I don't think she knew what had happened. Since I am allowed to take 2 deer at a time, I raised my gun and took a shot at this second deer, but missed. She ran off about 20 yards unhurt.
By this time it was getting dark and I knew I had my work cut out for me. I walked up to the downed doe. The second doe stood watching me until I was within 5 yards of the downed deer, then took off over the hill.
I dressed the doe then took my gun and seat out to the edge of the woods, since I had to cross the rocky stream bed. I returned to drag the deer out. I got halfway across the stream bed with the deer when a rock twisted out from under my right foot. I went down hard, with my foot twisted around under my leg. I knew I was hurt, but there was no one nearby who could help me. After about 10 minutes I forced myself back to my feet. I could barely stand, but I had to get out of the woods. I dragged the deer nearly 500 yards to where I had parked my truck, then returned for my gun and seat. It took more than an hour and a half to make the 2 trips.
I finally got the deer hung and got home around 7:30. When I took my boot off, my right foot and ankle were swollen to about twice their normal size. I've been stuck in the house ever since, unable to put any weight on my right foot. I went for an x-ray Monday, but nothing looks broken. Now I just hope it heals enough that I can get back out for a day or 2 before I have to go back to work. Fortunately, I can hunt with ML through Feb. 13.
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