wisconsinteacher
Handloader
- Dec 2, 2010
- 1,980
- 293
Well the 2014 WI deer season is over for me. It was a tough year but ended with a bang. After looking at my notes, I missed 6 days of hunting since mid-September due to a wedding, and my masters classes. If I was not working or in school, I was in a tree. Due to our hard winter last year, our numbers are down so seeing a deer every time out was not a guarantee but my wife and I kept hunting. I knew our hard work and time were going to pay off mid-November when I sat for 3 days and saw 26 deer with 14 being bucks. During that time, I missed a nice 10 pt at 7 yards with my longbow and then had him at 11 yards 2 days later but could not get a shot.
The week before rifle season, we got 10" of snow that shut things down but the good news was that I had permission to hunt the same farm with a rifle that I bowhunt for the first time ever. The farmer gave me and my dad permission to hunt so I was feeling good. On opening day, I put dad it a stand that I had seen 2 bucks in while bowhunting. As he got settled in, a flashlight came through the woods and walked up to the base of his tree. It was a guy who says he has hunted there for 20 years and that he would be 100 yards away and his son was 200 yards on the other side of my dad. He was not happy and to make it worse, they both had a buck down by 8 o'clock. After talking to my dad, I was not happy but there was nothing I could do. After 11 hours in the stand and no deer seen I was starting to second guess my plan for rifle season. At one point, I was ready to call it quits and go home to prep for icefishing the next day. One of the biggest reasons for rifle hunting this year was to use my late father-in-laws Sauer 30-06 in his honor and after 11 hours holding it, I was starting to think using it was a jinx. Finally 30 minutes before dark, I decided to take my bibs off and head out for the day. As I was in the process, I looked behind my tree and see a deer walking towards me at 80 yards. As the deer closed the gap, I found an opening and let the 180 grain AccuBond fly. I knew I hit the deer and watched it tear off. I finished undressing and went to look for blood. As I got closer, it was easy to see the trail. It was about 1' wide and there was not a spot where there was not blood on the path of the deer. I walked it for about 60 yards and found my doe for the year. I hit her behind the shoulder about 1/3 up. The shot was perfect and the AccuBond did a great job. The exit wound was the size of a tennis ball.
When we got home, dad said he was not feeling good and the forecast of rain was not helping his mood. He said if he was not awake to go without him. At 4:30 the next morning, he was still sleeping so I left alone. My plan was simple to sit in the fog and rain until I could not take it any longer. I was in my stand a dressed 30 minutes before shooting light and as I sat in the dense fog, I questioned my sanity but said to myself, you have to put time in to get a deer. After about 45 minutes in the tree, I looked to north to see a leg and chest of a deer at 30 yards. I slowly removed the scope covers and lifted the .338wm to look at the deer. As I did, he turned his head and presented his antlers. At that point I knew I was going to shoot because it was a buck. The wind was blowing his way and he was getting nervous so I took the shot with him looking straight at me. At the crack of the shot, he dropped in his tracks. From there, I climbed down and walked over to him as he was taking his last breath. When I got there, I was shocked by the size of his rack and body. I climbed back in my tree and called my dad, who thought I was making up a story. After a few hours of work, I pulled in to the garage with the best buck of my life.
I had seen this buck one other time during bow season and had him coming to a grunt call but he winded me at about 60 yards. He is not the 10 pt I missed because he is bigger. To say I was happy is an understatement. It was weird being done so early but there is a reason for everything. I was able to go home and be with family over Thanksgiving and help prepare the meal while my parents were at the hospital with my 88 year old grandmother who was diagnosed with cancer the day before.
Like I said it was a tough year but I told my wife from the beginning that I was going to hunt hard no matter what happened. Now that it is over, I am thankful for the 3 deer in the freezer and the knowledge that there are a few bucks on the farm that I will get to chase next fall.
The week before rifle season, we got 10" of snow that shut things down but the good news was that I had permission to hunt the same farm with a rifle that I bowhunt for the first time ever. The farmer gave me and my dad permission to hunt so I was feeling good. On opening day, I put dad it a stand that I had seen 2 bucks in while bowhunting. As he got settled in, a flashlight came through the woods and walked up to the base of his tree. It was a guy who says he has hunted there for 20 years and that he would be 100 yards away and his son was 200 yards on the other side of my dad. He was not happy and to make it worse, they both had a buck down by 8 o'clock. After talking to my dad, I was not happy but there was nothing I could do. After 11 hours in the stand and no deer seen I was starting to second guess my plan for rifle season. At one point, I was ready to call it quits and go home to prep for icefishing the next day. One of the biggest reasons for rifle hunting this year was to use my late father-in-laws Sauer 30-06 in his honor and after 11 hours holding it, I was starting to think using it was a jinx. Finally 30 minutes before dark, I decided to take my bibs off and head out for the day. As I was in the process, I looked behind my tree and see a deer walking towards me at 80 yards. As the deer closed the gap, I found an opening and let the 180 grain AccuBond fly. I knew I hit the deer and watched it tear off. I finished undressing and went to look for blood. As I got closer, it was easy to see the trail. It was about 1' wide and there was not a spot where there was not blood on the path of the deer. I walked it for about 60 yards and found my doe for the year. I hit her behind the shoulder about 1/3 up. The shot was perfect and the AccuBond did a great job. The exit wound was the size of a tennis ball.
When we got home, dad said he was not feeling good and the forecast of rain was not helping his mood. He said if he was not awake to go without him. At 4:30 the next morning, he was still sleeping so I left alone. My plan was simple to sit in the fog and rain until I could not take it any longer. I was in my stand a dressed 30 minutes before shooting light and as I sat in the dense fog, I questioned my sanity but said to myself, you have to put time in to get a deer. After about 45 minutes in the tree, I looked to north to see a leg and chest of a deer at 30 yards. I slowly removed the scope covers and lifted the .338wm to look at the deer. As I did, he turned his head and presented his antlers. At that point I knew I was going to shoot because it was a buck. The wind was blowing his way and he was getting nervous so I took the shot with him looking straight at me. At the crack of the shot, he dropped in his tracks. From there, I climbed down and walked over to him as he was taking his last breath. When I got there, I was shocked by the size of his rack and body. I climbed back in my tree and called my dad, who thought I was making up a story. After a few hours of work, I pulled in to the garage with the best buck of my life.
I had seen this buck one other time during bow season and had him coming to a grunt call but he winded me at about 60 yards. He is not the 10 pt I missed because he is bigger. To say I was happy is an understatement. It was weird being done so early but there is a reason for everything. I was able to go home and be with family over Thanksgiving and help prepare the meal while my parents were at the hospital with my 88 year old grandmother who was diagnosed with cancer the day before.
Like I said it was a tough year but I told my wife from the beginning that I was going to hunt hard no matter what happened. Now that it is over, I am thankful for the 3 deer in the freezer and the knowledge that there are a few bucks on the farm that I will get to chase next fall.
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