With 2 Days left in Connecticut's ML Season and a Foot of New Snow, I figured time's a wasting. Besides a Pa. doe, we needed more venison to hold us over.
This season in Ct. proved fruitless in many outings during the Modern impliment season as well as as the second week of ML season. It seemed The deer were always where I was, only about 12 hours earlier.
Today seemed no different.
I got to my hunting area before daybreak and it was a bone-chilling 8 degrees standing temperature and 30 MPH winds on top of that, bringing the wind chills well below Zero.
I walked around a field and on to a Logging road, deer tracks everywhere. All from yesterday. At least 10 sets.
I got to my first sitting spot and sat till 9 a.m. and saw nothing.
With the big wind, it was time to sneak around. I figured the deer would be hunkered down in the Swamp or Mountain Laurel.
Nope, old tracks in and out and nothing jumped.
They have to be somewhere?
When it got to be about 11:00, I figured it was time to start walking out, I'm frozen enough.
When I was walking along the property boundry, I rounded a blind corner, and a doe was standing 100 feet in front of me.
She started stomping the ground. Busted I was, and way too close to a dwelling to shoot.
She took off, and the 4 others with her took off too. :shake:
I then figured, they're going in the same direction I am ,so let me try to make a wide loop and cut them off.
When I was about 300 yards downwind, I walked to some high ground overlooking a frozen stream. I caught a leg moving behind a blow-down.
I raised my rifle, damn, no shot, too much in the way.
I then kneeled, still no shot.
I then sat and leaned way backwards and found a window, and the shoulder was in view.
Now or never. Took the shot and saw the deer jump.
Lost view of it in the thick stuff.
I knew at least I hit it. I reloaded and then waited 20 min before walking the 60 yards to see if there was blood.
Didn't have to go far, there it was, about 50 feet away, crashed into a blowdown.
It was a Button Buck. Not a huge deer, but it will be a good eating deer.
The shoulder shot blew the heart to bits.
Lyman GPR, .530 Round Ball, .015 patch with SWAMPY'S Deer Lube . The bag is also a Swampy creation. A Road Kill Possum Bag.
I guess all that practice shooting at small paper targets paid off.
This is one of the coldest days I remember hunting in.
I think I earned this one.
Here's the entrance hole the .54 Ball made
This season in Ct. proved fruitless in many outings during the Modern impliment season as well as as the second week of ML season. It seemed The deer were always where I was, only about 12 hours earlier.
Today seemed no different.
I got to my hunting area before daybreak and it was a bone-chilling 8 degrees standing temperature and 30 MPH winds on top of that, bringing the wind chills well below Zero.
I walked around a field and on to a Logging road, deer tracks everywhere. All from yesterday. At least 10 sets.
I got to my first sitting spot and sat till 9 a.m. and saw nothing.
With the big wind, it was time to sneak around. I figured the deer would be hunkered down in the Swamp or Mountain Laurel.
Nope, old tracks in and out and nothing jumped.
They have to be somewhere?
When it got to be about 11:00, I figured it was time to start walking out, I'm frozen enough.
When I was walking along the property boundry, I rounded a blind corner, and a doe was standing 100 feet in front of me.
She started stomping the ground. Busted I was, and way too close to a dwelling to shoot.
She took off, and the 4 others with her took off too. :shake:
I then figured, they're going in the same direction I am ,so let me try to make a wide loop and cut them off.
When I was about 300 yards downwind, I walked to some high ground overlooking a frozen stream. I caught a leg moving behind a blow-down.
I raised my rifle, damn, no shot, too much in the way.
I then kneeled, still no shot.
I then sat and leaned way backwards and found a window, and the shoulder was in view.
Now or never. Took the shot and saw the deer jump.
Lost view of it in the thick stuff.
I knew at least I hit it. I reloaded and then waited 20 min before walking the 60 yards to see if there was blood.
Didn't have to go far, there it was, about 50 feet away, crashed into a blowdown.
It was a Button Buck. Not a huge deer, but it will be a good eating deer.
The shoulder shot blew the heart to bits.
Lyman GPR, .530 Round Ball, .015 patch with SWAMPY'S Deer Lube . The bag is also a Swampy creation. A Road Kill Possum Bag.
I guess all that practice shooting at small paper targets paid off.
This is one of the coldest days I remember hunting in.
I think I earned this one.
Here's the entrance hole the .54 Ball made