Opening day here in west-central NY was last Saturday, 11/17. Where I live there was a 2” snowfall overnight. At my hobby farm, about 12 miles east, there was 4 or 5 inches.
Thanks to an issue with the furnace, I got to the farm around 7:30; about an hour late. Spent the morning in a ground blind I had erected. Saw several does and one spikehorn buck. Very comfortable in that blind. The sun warmed it nicely. While the snow dropped from the trees, I watched numerous small deer”¦on all sides”¦.between naps :shake:
Looking directly north I noticed a couple of bucks near the eastern edge of a hilltop field. One seemed to be big. Too far to shoot. Finally, the smaller buck disappeared into the brush on the steep east side of the hill. The bigger buck then ambled off to the north in pursuit of a doe.
After lunch, I worked my way north a bit and spent some time sitting in an old fertilizer tank that often serves as a blind. The tank lies at the southwest edge of a finger of brush the juts north into the hilltop field. It covers one of the main approaches to the field from the southeast. I sat there for an hour or so and saw nothing. About mid afternoon, I got tired of the confinement of the tank and decided to get close to the spot where I’d seen the bucks earlier.
Worked my way east through the brushy finger to a point opposite of where the bucks were seen. There I set up my portable chair in a little cut in the brush so I would be in a position to shoot if either returned. Trouble was, I didn't know whether a buck would come from the north or the south and the position was so exposed that I’d be easily spotted. Luckily, there was no wind.
About 4:45 it was starting to get dark and nothing had showed. I had to pee and couldn’t put it off any longer. I got up to go and, while peeing, looked to the north through a hole in the brush and saw a buck moseying along the east edge of the field headed my way. Looked like the big one.
Finished my business, got back in my chair, elbow propped on knee, hammer back, finger on trigger, sights lined up on the spot where I expected to see him. 5 seconds later he was there, 40 yards away walking along unconcerned. I let her go when the front sight was on the point of his right shoulder. He never saw me.
When the smoke finally cleared”¦no deer! He must’ve gone over the steep bank on his left. So over the edge I go and start looking for blood. Nothing but tracks. Was traversing back and forth on the hillside with fading light just about convinced I'd missed when I see a big splash of blood, then another, then more. Between splashes a lot of red spray and droplets; he's headed northeast with huge bounds.
Followed the trail with the last of the light until I found him lying dead in a stand of pines in the northeast corner of my property”¦about 130 yards from where I shot him (50 yards of it near vertical).
Big deer! Probably the second biggest I'd ever seen in the flesh. 15 points on a nontypical rack....seven on one side, eight on the other. 17” inside spread. He was old, he was heavy, and he didn’t smell too good. Rut was in full swing for this guy. That probably put him off his game.
It took a good three hours work to get him gutted, into the truck and on his way to home. And that was with the help of an old Ford 4000 for lights and hauling him up the hill. Hunting alone, I had a struggle getting him in the truck. I think he went well over 200lbs. field dressed.
The gun is a TC Hawken with a .54 GM 15/16” roundball barrel. The load was 90Gr of Pyro RS under a .535 Speer roundball with .018” T/C pillow tick patch and a bore button. Shot a doe each of the last two years with this gun and load. Most consistently accurate ML I own.
The ball hit the deer just behind the right shoulder, angled back, nicked the rumen, and exited just behind the ribcage on the left side. Other than having an amazingly tough hide, he dressed out easy. His age has been estimated at 8 to 10 years.
Thanks to an issue with the furnace, I got to the farm around 7:30; about an hour late. Spent the morning in a ground blind I had erected. Saw several does and one spikehorn buck. Very comfortable in that blind. The sun warmed it nicely. While the snow dropped from the trees, I watched numerous small deer”¦on all sides”¦.between naps :shake:
Looking directly north I noticed a couple of bucks near the eastern edge of a hilltop field. One seemed to be big. Too far to shoot. Finally, the smaller buck disappeared into the brush on the steep east side of the hill. The bigger buck then ambled off to the north in pursuit of a doe.
After lunch, I worked my way north a bit and spent some time sitting in an old fertilizer tank that often serves as a blind. The tank lies at the southwest edge of a finger of brush the juts north into the hilltop field. It covers one of the main approaches to the field from the southeast. I sat there for an hour or so and saw nothing. About mid afternoon, I got tired of the confinement of the tank and decided to get close to the spot where I’d seen the bucks earlier.
Worked my way east through the brushy finger to a point opposite of where the bucks were seen. There I set up my portable chair in a little cut in the brush so I would be in a position to shoot if either returned. Trouble was, I didn't know whether a buck would come from the north or the south and the position was so exposed that I’d be easily spotted. Luckily, there was no wind.
About 4:45 it was starting to get dark and nothing had showed. I had to pee and couldn’t put it off any longer. I got up to go and, while peeing, looked to the north through a hole in the brush and saw a buck moseying along the east edge of the field headed my way. Looked like the big one.
Finished my business, got back in my chair, elbow propped on knee, hammer back, finger on trigger, sights lined up on the spot where I expected to see him. 5 seconds later he was there, 40 yards away walking along unconcerned. I let her go when the front sight was on the point of his right shoulder. He never saw me.
When the smoke finally cleared”¦no deer! He must’ve gone over the steep bank on his left. So over the edge I go and start looking for blood. Nothing but tracks. Was traversing back and forth on the hillside with fading light just about convinced I'd missed when I see a big splash of blood, then another, then more. Between splashes a lot of red spray and droplets; he's headed northeast with huge bounds.
Followed the trail with the last of the light until I found him lying dead in a stand of pines in the northeast corner of my property”¦about 130 yards from where I shot him (50 yards of it near vertical).
Big deer! Probably the second biggest I'd ever seen in the flesh. 15 points on a nontypical rack....seven on one side, eight on the other. 17” inside spread. He was old, he was heavy, and he didn’t smell too good. Rut was in full swing for this guy. That probably put him off his game.
It took a good three hours work to get him gutted, into the truck and on his way to home. And that was with the help of an old Ford 4000 for lights and hauling him up the hill. Hunting alone, I had a struggle getting him in the truck. I think he went well over 200lbs. field dressed.
The gun is a TC Hawken with a .54 GM 15/16” roundball barrel. The load was 90Gr of Pyro RS under a .535 Speer roundball with .018” T/C pillow tick patch and a bore button. Shot a doe each of the last two years with this gun and load. Most consistently accurate ML I own.
The ball hit the deer just behind the right shoulder, angled back, nicked the rumen, and exited just behind the ribcage on the left side. Other than having an amazingly tough hide, he dressed out easy. His age has been estimated at 8 to 10 years.
