The One That Got Away, and a few questions for more experienced hunters.

[travisd]

I'f you spook a deer, be still and quiet more will show up. The most important thing is to be still. Deer will normally stare at you for a while, but if you are perfectly still they don't care for the most part. I stared my last buck down for several minutes before i was ready to shoot him.

I saw him when he was about 10 yards away. I stood up and got my bow up extremely slowly when he looked away. At that point here was close and staring right at me, so I stood there in the stand pointing my bow at him for several minutes trying not to move. He didn't spook, and when he turned sideways and walked behind a tree about 10 feet from my stand i drew. I grunted when he came out on the other side and as he stopped and looked up i released. Hit him and he ran about30 yards and fell over.

My heart was pounding the whole time but i just tried to relax and think about what i needed to do to get him in position for a good shot. Concentrated on aiming for his vitals when i drew and you forget about a lot of the excitement and jitters for a minute.

Of course you have to watch the wind too, but if they don't smell you they won't scare off unless they see you move. Wind will help with them not hearing you and the branches moving will make it a little easier to blend in too.

 

[VTGD7940]

I've never been one to make things competitive, but I'd be willing to say I'm the happiest person on the whole road right now. Went out this morning, around 6:30, again. Nothing. Dad asks me if I was headed back out this evening, but I wasn't really feeling up to it. Then, about 3:00, I decide, "What the heck. Not doin' anything else better with my time." Plus, I'd yet to do any evening hunting this year. All of it had been early in the morning. So, I grab the .303 Enfield and head out to the woods. Set up on the path, in a different spot than the one I'd been using, but not too much of a difference. Maybe 20 yards or so. The squirrels were going absolutely nuts today, so there were a lot of leaves rustling in the woods off to my right. I sit for awhile, nothing's happening. Then, about 4:45, I hear something to my back left. I say to myself, "Just more squirrels." But I chance a look anyway. There's the one that got away. The catch, he's standing JUST on the other side of my neighbor's fence. My one neighbor is alright, and had I shot one on his property, it would have been no issue. This neighbor is a pretty big liberal, and he used to complain when I would just go out and shoot at targets in my bottom field.

So I sit there, resigned to the fact that he's not going to cross the fence, and I'm going to have to let him go. Then, he magically crosses the fence. He didn't even jump. One second he was on their property, the next he was on mine. So, I take the opportunity, raise the barrel, and put one right in his chest. He took off running, and for a second I feared I'd missed him, even though the sights were dead on him, I was sure of it. He takes back off over the fence, and I follow him down. I look across into the field, and I see what I thought was him lying down, but I wasn't 100% certain.

I head up to the top and ask Dad to run me over to ask the neighbor if I can go and get the deer off their property. The liberal guy wasn't even there. It was some woman with out of state license plates (a relative I'm guessing). She said it was fine and thanked me for asking. So, we get the lawnmower, put on the hauling attachment (can't for the life of me think of the actual name. Like a wheelbarrow, but it gets pulled behind) and head down to his field. I look around and can't find it, and I start to get worried. So I head towards where he'd jumped back over the fence, and I see him again. Lying down, dead as a doornail. Brought him back.. skinned, gutted, and butchered. He's currently in my kitchen sink soaking.

Thank you all for the wishes of luck and the tips. I don't remember who gave this tip, but the one I found most useful was to tell myself, "He ain't down yet. No reason to get excited." I managed to keep (relatively) calm, keep good aim, and put him down relatively quickly and humanely with a shot to the lung.

At some point I'll post some pics, because I'm a firm believer in the saying "Pics or it didn't happen." (Well, that and I do want to show off just the slightest little bit ). Though both pics are around 5 MBs and apparently the limit for .JPG files is 200-something KB. Anway, thank you all again for putting up with my massive wall of text. Thanks again for the tips and wishes of good luck. I plan on becoming more of a regular on THR after all of this, so I'm sure I'll be seeing all of you around!

EDIT: Nevermind... apparently it put one up without telling me, haha.

 

[travisd]

That's a great deer especially for your first. Congratulations

 

[VTGD7940]

Thank ya! Now, would that be a 5-pointer, or a 6-pointer? There were only 5 actual "points" on it, but (I think you can see in the picture as well) there was a tiny one starting to form on the bottom. Does that count?

 

[WayBeau]

Thank ya! Now, would that be a 5-pointer, or a 6-pointer? There were only 5 actual "points" on it, but (I think you can see in the picture as well) there was a tiny one starting to form on the bottom. Does that count?

Can you hang a ring on it? That's how I count. If it's big enough to hang a ring, it counts.

Congrats! Hard to shake the fever once you get it.

 

[travisd]

6 point. Technically it has to be an inch long (which it looks like it is) but i don't get too picky personally.

 

[ironworkerwill]

Persistence is a virtue. Now you have become the dominant predator. Nice first buck!

 

[3212]

Congratulations!Now you're on your way.The best way to learn how to shoot deer is to shoot deer.

 

[okiewita40]

Congrats to you young man. I know the feelings that you have had. As I also got my first deer ever this year. And to think that I am 46.

You will remember everything about this hunt for the rest of your life. Just a start of some great memories. Once again conrats to you.

 

[Woodworker74]

Congratulations to you! That is an awesome story of persistence and not letting the initial letdown deter you from success. I too, shot my first deer this October (at the not so young age of 39). As he stated above, you will never forget the details of this hunt, and this deer, for as long as you live. Congratulations again on a beautiful buck!

 

[jim in Anchorage]

Here I started reading this thread and I was going to give you all kinds of great advice and you ruined it by shooting a deer!

 

[Cemetery21]

In my case, I think the first 2 missed opportunities gave me the tools for success. I relived those 2 over and over, as I think this young man has, until I developed a determination and focus that has served me well since that first deer down about 45 years ago.
And, it is ever so sweet to think back on that day - seems like it was just this morning.
Thanks for letting us relive this one with you!

 

[Dthunter]

WHOOHOO!

Good job my man! I would like to believe that You took my post to heart!

Was it post(#19)?
Lol!

Everyone here is giving you encouragemet and thats all that matters.

That is showing some good concentration and control!

We all here are proud of you! Great picture as well! There is nothing like achieving a big goal!

I was there once, and it took me awhile to get through the buck fever thing as well!
Bieng able to concentrate on the task at hand, and calmy executing the task, will pay dividens more than you can imagine! Bieng able to perform under pressure is fullfilling!

Here is a moment about 2 hours after "THAT DEFINING OPPORTUNITY" For me!





If I hadnt learned to perform under pressure, I never would have been able to make the shot that I did!

My deer qualifies for B&C, and was featured in "BIG BUCK" magazine.
You just never know what might walk out in front of you!

VTGD7940: once again congrats! You earned it! Keep at it! The Sky is the limit!

 

[twofifty]

Congratulations.

You tell your story is such a way that is compelling.
I also appreciate the thinking and respect that went into your hunt, both for
the animal and for your father.

Other's comments will be valuable to me as well.

 

[VTGD7940]

Another big thank you to everyone who has congratulated me. Even now, a few days later, I still find it hard to believe I finally got him. I find myself going out to the freezer and looking at the (9) gallon bags of deer meat with a sense of pride knowing that I put it in there.

Dthunter, that would be the one! I appreciate the good advice. It definitely helped out quite a bit. Also, congratulations on that B&C Buck. The body on that thing, in and of itself, is huge. That rack... WOW!

twofifty, thank you for the kind words. I've always had a problem with talking too much, so I guess that translates into some pretty decent stories, haha. As for the thinking and respect, thank you again. I most certainly respect my Dad. He's a really good person and is always there. I definitely have love for him. Same for the deer. It died so that I could fill up some empty space in the freezer with deer meat, so I definitely have respect for that.

Everyone else, who I didn't specify by name, thank you again. I'd like to think that this is just the first of many more to come. Heck, there's still the whole month of December, and a bit of January, if I'm not mistaken. Going to have to check the DGIF website to figure out exactly how much hunting time there is left, but it's definitely a good little chunk.