Arrived last Friday afternoon and just chilled out.
Had a few beers as the rest of the gang filed in.
We had dinner together that night and just caught up.
Saturday the weather was not in out favor.
35 mph winds kept the deer movement at a minimum.
Saw one forkhorn at about 400 yards, walking down the county road.
Sunday we knew we had a front coming with high winds and rain.
Got up early, around 4:30AM, checked the weather forecast and went back to bed.
Stayed in bed til 9:30
It finally stopped raing about 2:30 and we hit the riverbottoms.
Sat until dark and saw 2 small bucks, one running through the timber the other just sneaking along.
Monday.
Clear. 21 degrees at daylight. No wind at all.
Deer were moving.
One of the guys picked out a nice doe and squeezed the trigger on his 7 RM that I had worked up a load for. Instead of the Fed 215 lighting 65 grs of RL22, he was rewarded with a resounding "Click" . Bad primer........
All I saw were yearlings that day but three of the other fellas connected on nice does by 8:30.
Tuesday.
Clear and 24
About the same as Sunday and Monday.
Small bucks and yearling does.
Wednesday.
Clear and around 25.
Saw a few small does early on. Like just after LST.
Was beginning to wonder if I was going blind as I hadn't seen anything for 2 hours,
when I saw a good sized doe sneaking through the 4-5 foot tall grass.
At 200 yards I shot and she took off running.
Knowing I hadn't made a solid hit I cranked another round into the 7STW.
When she stopped broadside at 250, on the edge of the timber, all I could see was the top of her shoulder, head and neck.
I settled the crosshairs on the top of her shoulder and shot again.
When I recovered from the recoil, she was no where to be seen.
I waited a few anxious minutes and climbed out of the stand.
After searching the area I thought she was in for a few minutes, I had no indication of a hit.
I just happened to look over toward the edge of the timber and saw her belly, about 30 yards away.
She was done.The 160 Partition hit right where I was aiming, breaking both shoulders.
How she made it 30 yards is beyond me.
The rest of the week was very uneventful.
Small bucks, yearling does, no racks and very little deer movment during the daylight hours.
I never even saw a coyote this entire trip which is very odd.
Creedmore arrived Thursday in time for the afternnon hunt.
For some reason though we have a tradition of the "11th hour buck "
For two years in a row it was I that punched a tag on the last morning we were to be in camp.
Both deer were shot at 7:30 in the morning too.
Last year it was my ace compadre and hunting partner, Gary that completed the feat.
This year, 15 minutes left to hunt it was Creedmore's turn.
I'll let him tell the tale though.
Mid December it's round 2 only this time it'll be with a muzzleloader.
Had a few beers as the rest of the gang filed in.
We had dinner together that night and just caught up.
Saturday the weather was not in out favor.
35 mph winds kept the deer movement at a minimum.
Saw one forkhorn at about 400 yards, walking down the county road.
Sunday we knew we had a front coming with high winds and rain.
Got up early, around 4:30AM, checked the weather forecast and went back to bed.
Stayed in bed til 9:30
It finally stopped raing about 2:30 and we hit the riverbottoms.
Sat until dark and saw 2 small bucks, one running through the timber the other just sneaking along.
Monday.
Clear. 21 degrees at daylight. No wind at all.
Deer were moving.
One of the guys picked out a nice doe and squeezed the trigger on his 7 RM that I had worked up a load for. Instead of the Fed 215 lighting 65 grs of RL22, he was rewarded with a resounding "Click" . Bad primer........
All I saw were yearlings that day but three of the other fellas connected on nice does by 8:30.
Tuesday.
Clear and 24
About the same as Sunday and Monday.
Small bucks and yearling does.
Wednesday.
Clear and around 25.
Saw a few small does early on. Like just after LST.
Was beginning to wonder if I was going blind as I hadn't seen anything for 2 hours,
when I saw a good sized doe sneaking through the 4-5 foot tall grass.
At 200 yards I shot and she took off running.
Knowing I hadn't made a solid hit I cranked another round into the 7STW.
When she stopped broadside at 250, on the edge of the timber, all I could see was the top of her shoulder, head and neck.
I settled the crosshairs on the top of her shoulder and shot again.
When I recovered from the recoil, she was no where to be seen.
I waited a few anxious minutes and climbed out of the stand.
After searching the area I thought she was in for a few minutes, I had no indication of a hit.
I just happened to look over toward the edge of the timber and saw her belly, about 30 yards away.
She was done.The 160 Partition hit right where I was aiming, breaking both shoulders.
How she made it 30 yards is beyond me.
The rest of the week was very uneventful.
Small bucks, yearling does, no racks and very little deer movment during the daylight hours.
I never even saw a coyote this entire trip which is very odd.
Creedmore arrived Thursday in time for the afternnon hunt.
For some reason though we have a tradition of the "11th hour buck "
For two years in a row it was I that punched a tag on the last morning we were to be in camp.
Both deer were shot at 7:30 in the morning too.
Last year it was my ace compadre and hunting partner, Gary that completed the feat.
This year, 15 minutes left to hunt it was Creedmore's turn.
I'll let him tell the tale though.
Mid December it's round 2 only this time it'll be with a muzzleloader.
