somethingbenign
Member
- Joined
- Dec 23, 2017
- Messages
- 944
Well got my first deer. Was with buddies that were showing me what to do but got separated and was enjoying the quiet and landscape accepting I might go home empty handed. Took one last look over my shoulder before circling back to camp and sure enough here comes a buck down the hill. Had enough time to put ear pro on, brace for a more steady shot, and just kept my crosshairs on him as he made his way to a pond. Someone else shot in the distance to catch his attention but not spook and I squeezed off a shot at about 70 yards. Watched him run off and luckily he entered the tree line right by the one dead tree so I had a solid landmark to start from. Collected my brass and made my way to where he disappeared to wait when one of my buddies showed up after hearing the shot. He really wanted to start tracking right away and I seemed to remember it being prudent to wait a bit. He had about as much experience as I did so we split the difference and waited but probably only five minutes. Found the blood trail and tracked the still breathing but not going anywhere buck about 100 yards away. Put him down quick with a second shot and he was gone. So since my buddy was as green as I the only thing we could remember about field dressing was don't cut anything South of the stomach and need to get the organs out to cool the meat quicker. After a very nerve-racking gutting we got it done and according to the guy with the most experience in our group "well the field dress is done right but looks like you were drunk while doing it." Got him hauled back and learned to quarter it out on the tailgate of my truck. Just got done butchering and everything is in the freezer as of yesterday. Things I need to change for next time: better pack, was just using a fanny pack for odds and ends but something to carry a quartered deer would be preferred. Also game bags, trash bags did the job but felt awfully wasteful and didn't hold up well to the bones. Bring written instructions on gutting if only for confidence. Clear a spot in the garage for butchering, this year I did it in the garage and I think I spent as much time sanitizing every surface after so my wife didn't make me sleep on the couch. Dedicated hunting boots, my work boots did great but steel toes are heavy and a longer blood trail or pack out and things could have been miserable.