Over the past year there have been quite a few changes and challenges, both at work and home/family life. In August, we found out dad had to have major surgery at the end of September. Dad and I did manage to go out to western North Dakota bowhunting before he had to go under the knife. He had also drawn a rifle tag for this year. We weren't sure if he was going to be able to go or not. I'll be honest, with everything that went on over the last year, it kind of took the desire to go hunting away. I just wanted dad to get through this. There are several other things along with this but they are not for this forum.
Dad got through the surgery and everything went well. I tried to get out hunting but it just didn't feel right. Usually, hunting is my way of escaping everything and just take in nature and everything it offers. This fall was different. In October, one of her cousins passed away, the brother to the one where I hunt. It came as a complete shock to all of us. Every time I tried to get out, it seemed like something else came up or the weather didn't cooperate. I was getting pretty frustrated.
A week before rifle season opened, dad called me and said he wanted to go hunting! Wooohoooo! His tag was for the unit where I live so that meant he was coming here. Naturally, things came up at work and I had to be there Friday morning. Dad called me to tell me he was at the house. I wrapped up what I needed to get done and headed home. We got out hunting by 12:30 or so. Saw quite a few deer but didn't connect with anything.
As we sat there Friday afternoon, I spot a deer coming into an opening. After glassing it, I saw it was a small 3x3. I didn't have my bow with me and of course he came strolling up to 45 yards away and not a bit bothered by us sitting there.
We headed out Saturday and he was able to fill his tag in the afternoon. Awesome!
Note: He was wearing the proper orange - we were close to the truck and he had to shed some clothes.
With him feeling good enough to go hunting and being able to fill his tag, my desire to get back into archery season hit me again. The day he filled his tag, I got to thinking that I would take the afternoons off the following week so I could bow hunt during the rut. Dad went back home Sunday morning and I headed out hunting Sunday afternoon.
Got all set up and tried some rattling and calling. Nothing responded but I did have several does and fawns show up at the blind at sundown. They hung around me for about 30 minutes before heading out. I had forgotten what a rush it is to have several deer within 10 to 30 yards of you.
On Monday, I couldn't get out of work as early as I wanted to. I still managed to get out there though. As I was getting ready, her cousin came out to visit a bit before I headed out. I can see the opening in the brush near my blind where I park the truck. I happened to glance over there and something got my attention. I grabbed the binoculars and sure enough, there was a deer crossing the opening where my blind is at. I finish getting ready and hike out there. I spotted the deer 300 yards north of my blind and it's a smaller buck.
I set up again and tried some rattling and calling. Again nothing responded. However, at sundown, I had 3 does come in and hang around the blind again for about 30 minutes. I kept thinking a buck might be trailing them but nope, just the does.
On Tuesday, I got out of work when I wanted to and got out there. As I was getting ready, I was debating on setting up my other blind northeast of my existing blind due to the wind direction. As I was I thinking of what to do, I spot another deer in that opening. I grab the binoculars again and it's a small forked mule deer. I decide with the wind direction and the way the does had been coming in that my existing blind would work. I head down to the blind.
When I got to the blind, I decide to try to re-position the blind. It had shifted from the winds we have had and I wasn't real happy with how it was sitting. The wind had also ripped one side wide open too. I worked on that for about a half an hour and I was having a tough time getting the anchor back into the ground. I should have known better than to try to redo the anchor in semi-frozen ground. I wasn't being real quiet about anything either. I said the heck with it and decided to attach the tie down strap to an anchor on the side. It wasn't ideal but it was better than nothing. I set up my chair and get that positioned. The adjustments I made to the blind were better than it was so I was happy. I got my bow set up and an arrow ready to go. Grab my black face mask and put that on my head. I hadn't pulled it down yet and I hadn't put on gloves yet. I did have my release on though. I happened to glance up and wow, there's a buck standing at 30 yards facing me!
Instinct kicked in and I reached down and grabbed my bow and in one swift movement, I hooked up my release and drew the bow back. As I settled in at full draw, the buck started moving towards me straight on. At 20 yards, he stopped and turned more broadside (still quartering towards me slightly). I settle the pin on him and the arrow took off. I heard a thump and he took off.
I could see my arrow stuck in the ground so I went and grabbed that. Real good sign on the arrow but didn't see any blood on the ground and we don't have much for snow. I go back to the blind and call dad and let him know what just happened. After I got off the phone with him, I went and looked for any kind of a blood trail. I wasn't finding any. About 30 yards on the trail that I figured he was on, I found 2 drops of blood.
I decide to go back to the truck and shed some clothing and to grab my knife since I forgot it at the truck. I stop and visited with her cousin a bit before heading back down there. After 40 minutes passed, I headed back down there. I went to the last blood sign and kept looking. No blood trail. I did see some fresh deer tracks in the bare dirt in spots. I kept following that trail and as I worked around the brushy area, I found one more drop of blood. Great! I'm on the right path. I took a few more steps and looked ahead on the trail and there he was - down on the ground as he was heading into the next brushy area!
Her cousin showed up at this point and took a few pics and helped me load him up in the truck.
These last 4 days of hunting were the best I have had and very much needed.
Dad got through the surgery and everything went well. I tried to get out hunting but it just didn't feel right. Usually, hunting is my way of escaping everything and just take in nature and everything it offers. This fall was different. In October, one of her cousins passed away, the brother to the one where I hunt. It came as a complete shock to all of us. Every time I tried to get out, it seemed like something else came up or the weather didn't cooperate. I was getting pretty frustrated.
A week before rifle season opened, dad called me and said he wanted to go hunting! Wooohoooo! His tag was for the unit where I live so that meant he was coming here. Naturally, things came up at work and I had to be there Friday morning. Dad called me to tell me he was at the house. I wrapped up what I needed to get done and headed home. We got out hunting by 12:30 or so. Saw quite a few deer but didn't connect with anything.
As we sat there Friday afternoon, I spot a deer coming into an opening. After glassing it, I saw it was a small 3x3. I didn't have my bow with me and of course he came strolling up to 45 yards away and not a bit bothered by us sitting there.
We headed out Saturday and he was able to fill his tag in the afternoon. Awesome!
Note: He was wearing the proper orange - we were close to the truck and he had to shed some clothes.
With him feeling good enough to go hunting and being able to fill his tag, my desire to get back into archery season hit me again. The day he filled his tag, I got to thinking that I would take the afternoons off the following week so I could bow hunt during the rut. Dad went back home Sunday morning and I headed out hunting Sunday afternoon.
Got all set up and tried some rattling and calling. Nothing responded but I did have several does and fawns show up at the blind at sundown. They hung around me for about 30 minutes before heading out. I had forgotten what a rush it is to have several deer within 10 to 30 yards of you.
On Monday, I couldn't get out of work as early as I wanted to. I still managed to get out there though. As I was getting ready, her cousin came out to visit a bit before I headed out. I can see the opening in the brush near my blind where I park the truck. I happened to glance over there and something got my attention. I grabbed the binoculars and sure enough, there was a deer crossing the opening where my blind is at. I finish getting ready and hike out there. I spotted the deer 300 yards north of my blind and it's a smaller buck.
I set up again and tried some rattling and calling. Again nothing responded. However, at sundown, I had 3 does come in and hang around the blind again for about 30 minutes. I kept thinking a buck might be trailing them but nope, just the does.
On Tuesday, I got out of work when I wanted to and got out there. As I was getting ready, I was debating on setting up my other blind northeast of my existing blind due to the wind direction. As I was I thinking of what to do, I spot another deer in that opening. I grab the binoculars again and it's a small forked mule deer. I decide with the wind direction and the way the does had been coming in that my existing blind would work. I head down to the blind.
When I got to the blind, I decide to try to re-position the blind. It had shifted from the winds we have had and I wasn't real happy with how it was sitting. The wind had also ripped one side wide open too. I worked on that for about a half an hour and I was having a tough time getting the anchor back into the ground. I should have known better than to try to redo the anchor in semi-frozen ground. I wasn't being real quiet about anything either. I said the heck with it and decided to attach the tie down strap to an anchor on the side. It wasn't ideal but it was better than nothing. I set up my chair and get that positioned. The adjustments I made to the blind were better than it was so I was happy. I got my bow set up and an arrow ready to go. Grab my black face mask and put that on my head. I hadn't pulled it down yet and I hadn't put on gloves yet. I did have my release on though. I happened to glance up and wow, there's a buck standing at 30 yards facing me!
Instinct kicked in and I reached down and grabbed my bow and in one swift movement, I hooked up my release and drew the bow back. As I settled in at full draw, the buck started moving towards me straight on. At 20 yards, he stopped and turned more broadside (still quartering towards me slightly). I settle the pin on him and the arrow took off. I heard a thump and he took off.
I could see my arrow stuck in the ground so I went and grabbed that. Real good sign on the arrow but didn't see any blood on the ground and we don't have much for snow. I go back to the blind and call dad and let him know what just happened. After I got off the phone with him, I went and looked for any kind of a blood trail. I wasn't finding any. About 30 yards on the trail that I figured he was on, I found 2 drops of blood.
I decide to go back to the truck and shed some clothing and to grab my knife since I forgot it at the truck. I stop and visited with her cousin a bit before heading back down there. After 40 minutes passed, I headed back down there. I went to the last blood sign and kept looking. No blood trail. I did see some fresh deer tracks in the bare dirt in spots. I kept following that trail and as I worked around the brushy area, I found one more drop of blood. Great! I'm on the right path. I took a few more steps and looked ahead on the trail and there he was - down on the ground as he was heading into the next brushy area!
Her cousin showed up at this point and took a few pics and helped me load him up in the truck.
These last 4 days of hunting were the best I have had and very much needed.
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