The season ended January 10, and I still had two tags.
I had not seen a deer in two weeks hunting public game lands. So I got permission to hunt a friends family farm. The last morning I tried stalking up on a bedding area, but got busted. A small buck and doe spotted me and headed out in a hurry.
I had done this a few years ago, and got lucky later that day. Back out now and sneak back in early this afternoon, and get on stand in a tree line not far from where I figured they had went. Got on stand that afternoon and about 45 minutes later had two doe west of me about 150 yards out in a bean field. Watched them for about 10 minutes, but they aren't getting much closer. I look around for some more, and here is this buck about 250 yards NE of me heading for the tree line I'm in. But he will be down wind of me about when he reaches the trees. He walks down the hill and stops when he gets wind of me, at about 200 yards. I'm thinking it is all over. Two other deer come out of the tree line and join him. After a minute they all disappear into the trees. Now, I know it's over. I go back looking for the doe I had been watching. They are nowhere to be seen. I look back to the north and this buck is back in the corn field looking my way. I can't believe it. He starts walking my way. There are some bushes between us to cover my movement, so I bring the rifle up and get ready. At about 80 yards he starts out in an arc into the field, looking for me. When he clears the bushes and stops, giving me a quartering frontal shot I pulled the trigger. The smoke cleared just in time for me to see him go down. I can't hardly believe it. I run up and look at him and realize how big he really is. I come to the realization that I NEED HELP. I tag and gut him, and head the half mile back to the truck. At the truck I make several calls for friends to help, but no luck. The are either working and can't get away or didn't answer. So I call my dear loving wife. All the deer I have gotten over the years, I have never asked her to help me. I drove back home and picked her up. She really didn't know what she was getting into, and I don't think she will be so eager next time. I drove the truck in as far as I dared without getting stuck. We still had about 3-4 hundred yards all up hill to bring the deer. I got my two wheel cart out and headed down hill for the deer in the dark. Linda, not being use to walking in a stubble corn field in the dark had the flashlight. (She gets all the comforts.) Her only comment afterwards was, next time shoot one smaller and closer to the truck.
Dressed out he weighted about 230, and the rack green scored 136 &3/8. Not big enough for the B&C, but should make it into the NMLRA, Long Hunter Society.
Not bad for me building the rifle from scratch, casting the ball and napping the flint.
http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn66/Leon-Iowa/100_3803.jpg
I had not seen a deer in two weeks hunting public game lands. So I got permission to hunt a friends family farm. The last morning I tried stalking up on a bedding area, but got busted. A small buck and doe spotted me and headed out in a hurry.
I had done this a few years ago, and got lucky later that day. Back out now and sneak back in early this afternoon, and get on stand in a tree line not far from where I figured they had went. Got on stand that afternoon and about 45 minutes later had two doe west of me about 150 yards out in a bean field. Watched them for about 10 minutes, but they aren't getting much closer. I look around for some more, and here is this buck about 250 yards NE of me heading for the tree line I'm in. But he will be down wind of me about when he reaches the trees. He walks down the hill and stops when he gets wind of me, at about 200 yards. I'm thinking it is all over. Two other deer come out of the tree line and join him. After a minute they all disappear into the trees. Now, I know it's over. I go back looking for the doe I had been watching. They are nowhere to be seen. I look back to the north and this buck is back in the corn field looking my way. I can't believe it. He starts walking my way. There are some bushes between us to cover my movement, so I bring the rifle up and get ready. At about 80 yards he starts out in an arc into the field, looking for me. When he clears the bushes and stops, giving me a quartering frontal shot I pulled the trigger. The smoke cleared just in time for me to see him go down. I can't hardly believe it. I run up and look at him and realize how big he really is. I come to the realization that I NEED HELP. I tag and gut him, and head the half mile back to the truck. At the truck I make several calls for friends to help, but no luck. The are either working and can't get away or didn't answer. So I call my dear loving wife. All the deer I have gotten over the years, I have never asked her to help me. I drove back home and picked her up. She really didn't know what she was getting into, and I don't think she will be so eager next time. I drove the truck in as far as I dared without getting stuck. We still had about 3-4 hundred yards all up hill to bring the deer. I got my two wheel cart out and headed down hill for the deer in the dark. Linda, not being use to walking in a stubble corn field in the dark had the flashlight. (She gets all the comforts.) Her only comment afterwards was, next time shoot one smaller and closer to the truck.
Dressed out he weighted about 230, and the rack green scored 136 &3/8. Not big enough for the B&C, but should make it into the NMLRA, Long Hunter Society.
Not bad for me building the rifle from scratch, casting the ball and napping the flint.
http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn66/Leon-Iowa/100_3803.jpg
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