ArcherandShooter
Member
This morning was the opener for gun season in TX, and the first time I've ever made it into the woods for dawn on opening day.
Boy, am I glad we made it this year.
First of all, it was one of the most beatiful dawns I've ever experienced in the wild. I was in a tree over a meadow deep in the Sam Houston National Forest, 12 feet up and facing east, so as the sun finally rose I caught it full on, and could glory in the warmth.
Anyway, when Springmom and I had gone up yesterday to hang my treestand and setup her blind, she saw a deer cruising the border of the meadow, and we saw lots of tracks, so we went to bed hopeful. Hit the stand about 5:30, an hour before dawn, and settled in to be quiet and still. I more-or-less saw a pair of deer-shaped ghosts stroll by downhill from me, but way before shooting light, either practical or legal.
There was no movement for the first couple of hours after the sunrise, at least not in my meadow. There were guns going off all OVER the place, though, so the deer WERE up and moving, and I just kept still. After a couple of hours, I looked at what I thought was movement in the middle of the meadow, but the grasses there are so tall I could not be sure. A minute later, though, I could see a young deer working his way through the open. I had no shot where he was, 'cause I could not see more than the top of his head most of the time. Eventually, though, he worked his way around to a bare spot. As he went behind a tree I raised my rifle. When he came out moving I made a soft grunt and he stopped broadside to me. He was looking my way, but I already had him in my sights, so had no need to move. I squeezed off a round of .30-.30 and he jumped high as it hit. The shot felt good, and he didn't dash off, more like a fast walk, until he disappeared into the brush about 50 yards down hill.
After about 20 minutes I called Springmom on the radio, and she came over to help me track my deer. We finally found him but he had fallen down to the bottom of a steep-sided 15-foot deep gully.
It took a while to get him up and out, but here he is - my first ever whitetail deer, harvested on opening day!
As an extra bonus, when we went to the ranger station for the deer check, we found out they were giving out antlerless tags!! Seems there are too many does in the forest. Guess we'll have to help them do something about that.
Boy, am I glad we made it this year.
First of all, it was one of the most beatiful dawns I've ever experienced in the wild. I was in a tree over a meadow deep in the Sam Houston National Forest, 12 feet up and facing east, so as the sun finally rose I caught it full on, and could glory in the warmth.
Anyway, when Springmom and I had gone up yesterday to hang my treestand and setup her blind, she saw a deer cruising the border of the meadow, and we saw lots of tracks, so we went to bed hopeful. Hit the stand about 5:30, an hour before dawn, and settled in to be quiet and still. I more-or-less saw a pair of deer-shaped ghosts stroll by downhill from me, but way before shooting light, either practical or legal.
There was no movement for the first couple of hours after the sunrise, at least not in my meadow. There were guns going off all OVER the place, though, so the deer WERE up and moving, and I just kept still. After a couple of hours, I looked at what I thought was movement in the middle of the meadow, but the grasses there are so tall I could not be sure. A minute later, though, I could see a young deer working his way through the open. I had no shot where he was, 'cause I could not see more than the top of his head most of the time. Eventually, though, he worked his way around to a bare spot. As he went behind a tree I raised my rifle. When he came out moving I made a soft grunt and he stopped broadside to me. He was looking my way, but I already had him in my sights, so had no need to move. I squeezed off a round of .30-.30 and he jumped high as it hit. The shot felt good, and he didn't dash off, more like a fast walk, until he disappeared into the brush about 50 yards down hill.
After about 20 minutes I called Springmom on the radio, and she came over to help me track my deer. We finally found him
but he had fallen down to the bottom of a steep-sided 15-foot deep gully. It took a while to get him up and out, but here he is - my first ever whitetail deer, harvested on opening day!
As an extra bonus, when we went to the ranger station for the deer check, we found out they were giving out antlerless tags!!
Seems there are too many does in the forest. Guess we'll have to help them do something about that.
