First off.... I Know am a week late, but you know life is crazy.
Second off..... The last day of hunting season this year = BRRRRRRRRRRR
I went to a friends private property to try to harvest a doe for meat. I was hunting that evening from the ground with my crossbow. I went late knowing the deer normally travel this location the last hour or so light. Got in the woods around 330.. A couple minutes after I got in the woods I saw a single doe already wondering along a field edge that joins the property I was hunting. I watched her for a little while and started to get cold... and Colder... And started to get numb.
funny enough it had only been about 30 - 40 minutes, but at 8 degree's with a breeze I was less than dressed warm enough as it turned out. But soon enough the doe, and about 15 of her friends very quickly came up the hill from this field. They all came up and started looking at me trying to figure out what I was. I figured the gig was up, I never expected that many or for them to come from that direction. They were from 20 - 50 yards away but I couldn't move a muscle or they would all spook. I had already gotten the crossbow in position from where I thought they would cut across the woods, so I was sorta ready but no in that direction. So, I played the waiting game. They stamped their feet and and watched me and I waited on either one to make the mistake of walking out in front of me, or them all the blow out of the woods.
Eventually a couple of fawns walked in front of me, I couldn't shoot them as they were super small and skinny and sorta looked like a big puppy, not a deer. But it was a good sign that they were maybe getting less nervous with me being there. I waited longer and I started shaking from the cold... Finally, one of the mature does started to walk from my left to my right. She just needed to walk about 20 yards and I would have her broadside at 15- 20 yards.
I waited and she kept stopping and stomping her feet, but she was slowing getting closer to the opening i needed her in... After the waiting, and getting colder she finally turned and started walking.... I lowered my head the inch or two hoping the other deer didn't notice to look through the scope, and clicked the safety off. She walked the finally distance and stopped right in front of me at 15 yards. I quickly took the shot and she took off down the hill. I knew it was a solid hit and just a few seconds later I heard her crash down over the hill. The deer scattered around but didn't all run off, I quickly re-cocked the crossbow and got another arrow and even know I was frozen and shaking, I got ready in case I got another shot. Well, time pasted and the deer were wondering around at 60 - 80 yards staying just out of the range I would be willing to take a shot. I was getting numb to my core and I had texted my friend the owner to come help. That was the end of the hunt. But, a cool encounter as I have never had that many deer that close when hunting from the ground. Plus, I successfully harvested a mature doe for the freezer!
Last day, but hey better late than never. I was sad as hunting season ended I wasn't able to harvest a deer with my compound bow this year, as that is my favorite way to hunt. But I was able to harvest a nice 8 point buck during late muzzleloader season, and I now harvested a mature doe in the final hour of bow season with the crossbow.
I didn't get nearly enough time to hunt this season as I would have liked or normally do, but life is life and we do what we can when we can right?
Another great year in the books and I look forward to hopefully better weather, more hunting time, and hopefully some better bucks on the property I hunt!
Hope everyone had a great season and I look forward to sharing my off season adventures!
