Yesterday was opening day of the NY southern zone firearms season. Since many of my old hunting areas are being subdivided and sold off I have been scouting some state land. I picked up my much younger hunting pal and headed down. We decided to hunt a hill of state land just due to the fact there were hardly any cars there. I had scouted it earlier and found a way up the very steep hill. When I scouted it was loaded with deer sign. Our plan was to get high and sit amongst the plentiful oak and hickory stands. We kicked 3 deer up on the way up including a broken racked buck. After climbing for about an hour we spread out found some deer runs and sat.. By 11 Am I had seen about 12 deer browsing along the hill all within 100 yards but no shots I felt comfortable about. My partner actually tried a shot but had a misfire with his INLINE.!! And I watched him fire 3 caps earlier before loading. Goes to show nothing is 100% reliable.
About 11;30 the broken racked buck was chasing a doe about 60 yards in front of me. He went out of sight and I didn’t see him again but other does appeared out of nowhere. They were within 65 yards but the best shot I had 2 of them were lined up and I didn’t want to risk hitting 2 with a pass through. They disappeared over a knoll. About 5 minutes late I stood and a doe ran up the trail right towards me. She was quartered slightly to me about 60 yards I took the offhand shot and saw her run down into a very steep area with 2 other deer I didn’t even know were there. After waiting a while I went to the spot she was standing found some hair and followed a little way I didn’t like the looks of the blood trail after 60 yards so I backed off. I went got my hunting partner had coffee and a sandwich and decided to go after her . It was about 2 hours after the shot. It was so steep where we were tracking we uncapped our guns not to take any chances. We were actually hanging onto trees while looking for blood sign so as not to fall down the hill. It was very difficult to walk without hanging onto branches. I could tell the hit wasn’t that good. This is the first deer Ive shot with open sights in 10 years . I need more offhand practice.
Anyway, finally we got to a very steep drainage I crossed it following very small drops of blood and there she was dead and stiffening up . We probably followed about 200 yards from the shot. I did pull the shot farther back but caught liver. It was quite an ordeal getting her out of there. Actually sliding down the steep hill on our butts much of the time.
I don’t know how much of this type of hunting I have left in me at my age and 3 stents in my heart now but it was a blast.
By the way; Gun--- TC Renegade. With Green Mountain .58 on it.
Load --105 grains Goex Ffg Hornady .570 ball .
Pillow ticking patch and mink oil patch lube
Sorry so long
About 11;30 the broken racked buck was chasing a doe about 60 yards in front of me. He went out of sight and I didn’t see him again but other does appeared out of nowhere. They were within 65 yards but the best shot I had 2 of them were lined up and I didn’t want to risk hitting 2 with a pass through. They disappeared over a knoll. About 5 minutes late I stood and a doe ran up the trail right towards me. She was quartered slightly to me about 60 yards I took the offhand shot and saw her run down into a very steep area with 2 other deer I didn’t even know were there. After waiting a while I went to the spot she was standing found some hair and followed a little way I didn’t like the looks of the blood trail after 60 yards so I backed off. I went got my hunting partner had coffee and a sandwich and decided to go after her . It was about 2 hours after the shot. It was so steep where we were tracking we uncapped our guns not to take any chances. We were actually hanging onto trees while looking for blood sign so as not to fall down the hill. It was very difficult to walk without hanging onto branches. I could tell the hit wasn’t that good. This is the first deer Ive shot with open sights in 10 years . I need more offhand practice.
Anyway, finally we got to a very steep drainage I crossed it following very small drops of blood and there she was dead and stiffening up . We probably followed about 200 yards from the shot. I did pull the shot farther back but caught liver. It was quite an ordeal getting her out of there. Actually sliding down the steep hill on our butts much of the time.
I don’t know how much of this type of hunting I have left in me at my age and 3 stents in my heart now but it was a blast.
By the way; Gun--- TC Renegade. With Green Mountain .58 on it.
Load --105 grains Goex Ffg Hornady .570 ball .
Pillow ticking patch and mink oil patch lube
Sorry so long
