The last several firearm seasons in Mo. have been kind of frustrating for me.Within weeks of each opener I find out that the properties I intended to hunt are off limits.Last year found me bowhunting in town through the firearms season. That in itself was not really terrible in that I saw some really nice bucks... but I never could connect with one of them.
I acquired permission to hunt this 200 acre farm several weeks prior to the opening of the '03 firearms deer season, along with two other friends.It is mostly open crop fields with timbered draws that run down hill into a larger draw that contains a 4 acre pond on the northwestern boundary of the property. After two recon missions onto the property,one.. an evening walk around, the other.. a long range bowhunt, more for observation of deer movement than hunting.I decided to hunt the northwest corner of the property.This area is a wide deep draw, full of oak trees and blowdowns, about 400 yrds long. The northwest corner provided a natural funnel for deer movement and also put any westerly winds in my face.
I saw deer everyday I hunted,mostly small bucks.I saw a total of six coyotes,one never made it out of the woods
. On Wednesday at about 11 am, I got up to go eat lunch and jumped a huge buck with a doe. Somehow they managed to sneak in and bed down not 60 yards behind me without me seeing them :banghead: With only a hind shot through the trees at a running deer... well, I did'nt even shoot.
Friday morning was cold with clear skies,and I was back in my home for the week.Just before sun up I listened to the coyotes howling there new day song... this was going to be a great day, regardless of the outcome of the hunt.
A little before 7am I watched a small racked 8 pointer sneak through my little woodlot about 80 yards away. About twenty minutes later I saw a doe followed closely by a nice buck skirting the edge of the woods to the west.They moved to a point about 150 yards away and just stopped,outside of the timber. I'm not sure what her gaze was fixated on, but the buck was focused on her. At this point I started to get a little anxious, fully expecting them to bolt across the cornfield away from me. I started scooting down the hill on my hind end, looking for a clear shot. There was the opening, about a 10" open area to shoot through 140 yards away on a 150 yard target, normally an easy shot with my .308. At the shot, he jumped and kicked out his hind legs and turned to run straight at me.He zig-zagged his way down through the ravine about 30 yards in front of me and up the other side. I felt sure I hit him... but after he ran down and up the hill I was'nt sure.
I went to the spot where he crossed the ravine and found some blood. I followed his trail up the hill and found him just
inside the woods.I only had to drag him about 20 feet to get to where I could drive my pickup.
Here's a few pics of him.
I hope you all enjoy my short story Thanks
I took some pics of some of the heads and racks of deer I have been fortunate enough to take through the years.If you would like to see them, here is a link. My Bucks
I acquired permission to hunt this 200 acre farm several weeks prior to the opening of the '03 firearms deer season, along with two other friends.It is mostly open crop fields with timbered draws that run down hill into a larger draw that contains a 4 acre pond on the northwestern boundary of the property. After two recon missions onto the property,one.. an evening walk around, the other.. a long range bowhunt, more for observation of deer movement than hunting.I decided to hunt the northwest corner of the property.This area is a wide deep draw, full of oak trees and blowdowns, about 400 yrds long. The northwest corner provided a natural funnel for deer movement and also put any westerly winds in my face.
I saw deer everyday I hunted,mostly small bucks.I saw a total of six coyotes,one never made it out of the woods
. On Wednesday at about 11 am, I got up to go eat lunch and jumped a huge buck with a doe. Somehow they managed to sneak in and bed down not 60 yards behind me without me seeing them :banghead: With only a hind shot through the trees at a running deer... well, I did'nt even shoot.Friday morning was cold with clear skies,and I was back in my home for the week.Just before sun up I listened to the coyotes howling there new day song... this was going to be a great day, regardless of the outcome of the hunt.
A little before 7am I watched a small racked 8 pointer sneak through my little woodlot about 80 yards away. About twenty minutes later I saw a doe followed closely by a nice buck skirting the edge of the woods to the west.They moved to a point about 150 yards away and just stopped,outside of the timber. I'm not sure what her gaze was fixated on, but the buck was focused on her. At this point I started to get a little anxious, fully expecting them to bolt across the cornfield away from me. I started scooting down the hill on my hind end, looking for a clear shot. There was the opening, about a 10" open area to shoot through 140 yards away on a 150 yard target, normally an easy shot with my .308. At the shot, he jumped and kicked out his hind legs and turned to run straight at me.He zig-zagged his way down through the ravine about 30 yards in front of me and up the other side. I felt sure I hit him... but after he ran down and up the hill I was'nt sure.
I went to the spot where he crossed the ravine and found some blood. I followed his trail up the hill and found him just
inside the woods.I only had to drag him about 20 feet to get to where I could drive my pickup.
Here's a few pics of him.
I hope you all enjoy my short story
ThanksI took some pics of some of the heads and racks of deer I have been fortunate enough to take through the years.If you would like to see them, here is a link. My Bucks
