The Doe That Tried to Ruin My Hunt

[Black Crow]

I left work early Friday and got to the woods at 4:45, about an hour and a half later than I planned. I walked fast because I was in a hurry to get to the stand. Well, when I finally got my climber up the tree I was soaked with sweat, but I'd still be okay if the wind stayed NE. So I began the sit.

At about 5:45, I heard a couple grunts about 100 or so yards off in the woods and I thought, "What jacka** is hunting my woods?" As my blood started to boil and I contemplated trying to find him, I heard some crashing coming around the back of my stand. I turned and lo' and behold it was a little 4-pt chasing a doe. I was really surprised to see chasing and such aggressive grunting this early. Anyway, grunting and chasing they were. I got nervous cause they were coming around behind my stand, a direction I had not planned on. They were coming in directly down wind of me and I knew they'd bust me cause I stuck to high heaven. Sure enough, the doe stopped and put her nose to the air. I froze. She took a couple more steps toward me and looked right into my eyes as if to say, "I'm about to ruin your hunt." And she did. She blew her lungs out and all the deer in the area, seen and unseen, scattered. I remained motionless as I watched her run off.

Curiosity killed the cat right? She came to a walk and started to circle back at about 75 yards. She stopped at 60 yards and and started stomping. She began taking a couple steps at a time and then another stomp. She continued this until she went under a branch about 30 yards out. I drew. As the seconds passed she remained under the branch. 15 seconds, 20 seconds, 45 seconds. I can hold my draw for about a minute and still make an accurate shot. At least I can in the backyard. So as the clock ticks toward one minute my arms begin to get seriously tired and my eyes began to go in and out of focus like I was about to faint. I whispered a prayer, "Lord please bump that doe and get her out from under that limb." As soon as I uttered the last word she took five steps, stopped in front of my twenty yard stump. She stomped again. At this point my arms are numb, I cannot see and I was forced to take my eyes off the deer and focus on another point to let them relax. When I could see again, I looked back through the peep and took the shot. Double lung, complete pass through. I watched her run forty yards and tip over. :D

Sorry about the picture quality. I had to take it in the truck headlights.

[wvsportsman]

Good job! Way to hang in there!!

[Bowhunter2]

Sounds like a great hunt! All that practice paid off for ya. The guy I hunt with said he saw a 4 point chasing a doe opening day also.

[Crappie Reaper]

Nothin like a bow hunt for sure! I can't count the times a doe or buck has been face to face with me within 20' while I stayed frozen. They knew something was there, but was not sure what it was. I had an 8 point play this game with me for about 20 minutes one year. I was easing up an old road on a no wind evening. I could hear the buck walking towards the road. I had a friend about 25' behind me. This buck walked out into the road just ahead of me. Saw me and started doing his version of the stomp dance, head bobs and about anything to try and get me to move. I hadn't drawn, but was in the position to draw. This buck had turned his back on me twice with his head tilted back all the while watching me very intently. He finally turned back around, stomped around some more and did the head bob thing again. The buck eventually turned and bolted back to whence he came. I can only assume that my friend had made a movement that spooke him. There had been times he appeared to have looked around me, to see him. I like to still hunt, and the furthest shot I've ever taken was about 25 yards, the closest shot has been less than 5', just the other side of a tree.

Congrats on the doe and be safe up in that climber!

[beenfishin?]

Not unusual to see that. Little known fact, the first "rut" period occures in Oct. Down here it is usually towards the end of oct. States that have a 1-1 buck-doe ratio have ruts as early as sept.

[78mudbug]

good job black crow sounded a bit exciting. aim high and let her fly

[blueball]

good shoot way to hang in there

[yankee doodler]

and the outa focus eye thing. Nice doe. Just goes to show how the practice pays off. Congrats.

[Black Crow]

Thanks for the compliments guys. Imma try to let the air out of another one tomorrow and this weekend.

I'm also gonna have to consider some of my stand locations. With the exception of the one that I shot the doe from, I haven't seen anything encouraging from them. So I'm gonna shift to a deeper section in the woods nearer the sloughs and oak groves. Hopefully I'll find what I'm looking for.

and the outa focus eye thing. Nice doe. Just goes to show how the practice pays off. Congrats.

Man that was the worst ! I have had my eyes go out on me before and caused me to miss deer. I didn't know anyone else had the same problem. One thing I'm gonna try to remember to do is to not look through the peep until it gets to shooting time. Hopefully it won't happen again. Good luck to you this season.

[Perch Jerker35]

nice doe, thats some good eating!