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Wind Chilled Venison

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bucktales

50 Cal.
Joined
Feb 21, 2007
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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.
IMG_6475.jpg


Here's the entrance hole the .54 Ball made
IMG_6481.jpg
 
:haha: Better you than me out there today. The woodstove has it nice and toasty in here so I stayed put. Grats on the nice venison Ed. :thumbsup:
 
Good job.

I remember one day I was sitting out from 7:00AM until about 9:30AM in -15ºF with a 10 mph wind. Have no idea what the wind-chill was. Maybe something like absolute zero plus 3º or so. My eyes were freezing over! I was never so friggin cold in all my life and hope to never again be. I shot a little six pointer and it felt like sticking my hands in boiling water when I gutted him . . . though after the initial "burn" it felt darned good.

I think next time it's that cold I'm going back to bed. Brrrrrrr.
 
Congrats on a fine shot and I'll bet a tasty deer. I would have gone out today myself, cold or not, but I ended up having an unexpected date with the Roto-Rooter man. $335.00 that I'll never see again, but at leats I can use my throne.
 
Thanks Gents!
I'll be thinking about how cold it was when I'm grilling steaks from this deer next Summer.
One more day off and last day of the Season is Tomorrow. :hmm:
Still have 1 Tag left and Only 2 degrees forecast in the Morning with NO wind. :hmm:
Wonderin if I should give it a go in the 9th inning or stay warm and start Christmas shopping? :hmm:
 
oh go for it bucktales! after today huntin will be a breeze! :thumbsup: c'mon..last day? you have months to rest up....give it a try.. :thumbsup:
 
What a difference a day makes. :grin:
It was 5 Below when I went into the woods this morning with no wind. Felt downright tropical compared to yesterday. :haha: Nice bright morning and seen some deer moving, but no shots. Good way to wrap up the season.
 
Good goin'! :thumbsup:
Ya gotta get out for the last day no matter how cold it gets. Shouldn't be too bad with no wind. :wink: Good luck!
 
Yeah...Ya gotta go out that last day or you'll always be asking yourself "I wonder if...". This way you know that you got gave it your best effort even through you got skunked. This way there's no wasted time running that mental video loop of woulda-coulda-shoulda.
 
Nice job on a well-earned deer. There was a time when I'd be out on my day off come hell or high water but no more. You're a better man than me, I would have been at home.
 
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