Ahhhh, Hunting season.
I was lucky enough to shoot a small doe this past Saturday so, I'm still interested.
I hunted thru most of the early archery season 20 feet above the ground in my cantilevered tree platform.
All the deer I had seen in late summer crawled into a hole with the exception of a few young 5 points and a small 8.
Come rifle season, I was in Tionesta where we had a couple inches of snow each day. Man does snow make a difference just in the feel of being in the woods.
I didn't see many deer but did have a 4 point come past at 15 yards. I always have a revolver on my weak side for the deer coming in from my blind side. I pulled the gun and aimed at the young 4 and could easily have shot it had it been legal.
No deer from there, we moved the last part of the week to another area about a half hour from home.
I was snuggled behind a fallen log and got busted by 2 doe. We stared at each other and I never got the pistol into position. I think I heard laughter as they ran away. They stopped at the crest of a hill but it was a no shoot presentation.
I moved about 75 yards and saw a doe running that had been spooked from below. I found her in the scope on 3X as she slowed to a walk and stopped.
I could not see her head, front or back legs from trees she was behind but she did leave me the sweet spot behind the shoulder exposed.
I placed the reticle of the Leupold VX5Hd at the right spot and pressed off a round. She went down like a Hammer hit her. The Tikka T3x in .300 WM was loaded with 166 gr Hammer Hunters over RL23.
Over kill for doe, yes but I wanted to see how my elk rifle would do.
I used this load.
2021-10-22_04-04-53 by
poofy27, on Flickr
And ended up with this.
2021-12-06_06-36-45 by
poofy27, on Flickr
Ahhh, I could taste the tenders just looking at her. Ha.
The drag was only about 500 yards but the new knee and the old one were both not liking me.
A few days later on Tuesday, I opted for my tree stand behind my house. Twas a bit chilly the first 3 hours so I called it and went 90 feet to my house to warm up.
At about 3, I went back up.
At 4ish, a small 8 point with a doe following came in to about 50 yards. I glassed them and saw the 8 was legal (we need 3 points up without the brow to be legal).
I put the binoc down, watched them come in, flipped the safety off the Ten Point Wicked Ridge Stealth FX4 at 30 yards. He stopped. Not sure if he saw movement or scented me but stood just about broadside for 20 seconds.
I pressed the trigger and sent a bolt to a happy spot.
The Spitfire 100s mechanical opened up just right.
It was strange to see him basically drop to his chest, kick his hind legs 3 or 4 times to the edge of a steep hill and slide 50 yards to the bottom.
I watched him for about 15 min to make sure he was done done.
I got out of the tree and took most of my gear to my garage.
i got in my truck, drove around to the bottom of the hill and cleaned him.
He ended up about 50 feet from where I parked.
2021-12-07_07-29-05 by
poofy27, on Flickr
Both deer were small but at 72, small is good.
The Hammer Hunter bullet I used for the doe had a really big exit wound.
2021-12-06_06-36-34 by
poofy27, on Flickr
Only one of my friends did good so far.
The other 3 are minimalists and only hunt a few days here and there.
I'm still motivated to get out there even though some days are tough.
I suppose it's because I love being out there, successful or not.
I watched gray herrons, sparrow hawks, turkey, squirrels, chippies andbirds, just loving the out doors.
This older hunter is still interested.