Deer Season Photos and Stories
- Thread starter Alan
- Start date
gofers
Member
It's been a couple of years. Between warmer fall weather, and hunting heavily pressured public land, we've struck out, lately. This was the last mulie I harvested. Of all the shots I've ever taken, I am proudest of this one.
Wind was gusting to 60mph, and I was chilled to the bone by 8:00 am. So, decided to do some old-fashioned, Wisconsin "still-hunting", walk 2-3 steps, stop, look and listen for 2-3 minute, then, take 2-3 steps, wait, rinse, repeat. Starting in a creek bed, where I saw zero sign, eventually working up-hill, across open ground, hiding behind single trees, like the one behind me, in the pic. Peering up, into the deadfalls, playing the "cloud game", where you try to imagine shapes, only in the shadows, instead of in the clouds.
My radio went off, time for the 9 o'clock check in, with my nephew and hunting partner. "Uncle Butch, have you seen anything?" No...oh wait, I think I see something in the brush, in those fallen trees. Wow, the biggest doe I've ever seen. Oh well, keep hunting. Talk to you at 10. After getting off the radio, a thought struck me: if there's a big doe, maybe there's a buck, in that deadfall. Slowly shifting to other side of the tree, and lowering myself so the binos were below the branches, I continue the imagination game, when I spot 2 symmetrical branches, in the tangle. Then, a big black dot (nose) and two smaller dots (eyes). The buck and I are staring at each other, 80 yards apart. At this point it becomes a race, me trying to adjust my walking/shooting stick. Buck, trying to get up out of his bed fast. I've got him in my crosshairs, and the wind is howling, to the point I can't get a steady sight picture. Deciding my best course is to lean into the wind, and slowly sweep the crosshairs, up and into his shoulder as he's jumping to his feet, I heard the gun go bang, and Buck dropped like sack of potatoes. One shot, high shoulder, anchored him. I usually go for a double lunger, but that wasn't happening today. Radio goes off: "Uncle Butch, was that you?" Buck down, kid, go get the cart; I'll start gutting.
Not a huge mule, but still over 60 pounds of meat processed.
Wind was gusting to 60mph, and I was chilled to the bone by 8:00 am. So, decided to do some old-fashioned, Wisconsin "still-hunting", walk 2-3 steps, stop, look and listen for 2-3 minute, then, take 2-3 steps, wait, rinse, repeat. Starting in a creek bed, where I saw zero sign, eventually working up-hill, across open ground, hiding behind single trees, like the one behind me, in the pic. Peering up, into the deadfalls, playing the "cloud game", where you try to imagine shapes, only in the shadows, instead of in the clouds.
My radio went off, time for the 9 o'clock check in, with my nephew and hunting partner. "Uncle Butch, have you seen anything?" No...oh wait, I think I see something in the brush, in those fallen trees. Wow, the biggest doe I've ever seen. Oh well, keep hunting. Talk to you at 10. After getting off the radio, a thought struck me: if there's a big doe, maybe there's a buck, in that deadfall. Slowly shifting to other side of the tree, and lowering myself so the binos were below the branches, I continue the imagination game, when I spot 2 symmetrical branches, in the tangle. Then, a big black dot (nose) and two smaller dots (eyes). The buck and I are staring at each other, 80 yards apart. At this point it becomes a race, me trying to adjust my walking/shooting stick. Buck, trying to get up out of his bed fast. I've got him in my crosshairs, and the wind is howling, to the point I can't get a steady sight picture. Deciding my best course is to lean into the wind, and slowly sweep the crosshairs, up and into his shoulder as he's jumping to his feet, I heard the gun go bang, and Buck dropped like sack of potatoes. One shot, high shoulder, anchored him. I usually go for a double lunger, but that wasn't happening today. Radio goes off: "Uncle Butch, was that you?" Buck down, kid, go get the cart; I'll start gutting.
Not a huge mule, but still over 60 pounds of meat processed.
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huntsman22
Member
Here are a few deer I've taken on the ranch I work on.
