successful deer hunt

[critter]

We have a long deer season here in SE AR and I hunted most of it. I have seen a very large number of deer this year but passed them all up because I saw no big ole bucks and was not interested in killing a doe-yet.

Today is one day before the end of our season. Yesterday pm, it rained big time and was cloudy, rainy most of the night. SO---I decided that it might be a good day to hunt and that it was time to take a doe if I could find one.

I took only my pistol with me today. It is a Contender super 14" in 30-30 Win with a 4X scope. It was filled with my handload of a 125 gr Nosler BT and 28 gr of IMR 4198, a VERY accurate load in my gun.

I saw several deer this am that were just ambling around. About 7:30am, I finally found a big doe that was broadside, still with head down eating and about 70-75 yards. I shot her low through both shoulders & ribcage. DRT! No tracking needed. (That is why I like that shot for handguns.)

She weighed 105# and had a layer of fat on her back and butt and lots of fat inside the body cavity. She will be good eating!

So, you see, waiting till the last minute lets you hunt ALL season! ha

 

[ACP230]

I have sometimes done it the opposite way, shot a doe early, and then spent time looking for a buck. Venision in the freezer early takes some of the pressure off.

 

[critter]

Ha! I've done that too, but it CAN be overdone! We have a short, early ML season here and I took a buck on opening day. Then, I took another buck on opening day of the modern gun season. (We are allowed only 2 bucks.)

The rest of the season was sort of mizerable cause I knew I couldn't shoot another buck. Oddly enough, I DID see the BIGGEST buck of my life later in the season-watched him wander out and toward me for about 50 yds and me looking at those big ole horns through 10X binos!

Restraint paid off though. I got to shoot him late in the season during the following year. EXACTLY identical horns-just a little bit heavier.

Anyway, I always enjoy being in the woods no matter what I shoot/don't shoot.