PeterM
29-04-07, 01:19 AM
When I got back from Vic, I went out and checked my bow just to make sure it was right, because in the back of my mind I wondered why I didn’t have at least one Mexican deer on the ground. My suspicions where right all my arrows where hitting now 4 to 5 inch low at all ranges, I guessed it must have gotten knocked out on the few occasions when it was pulled up or when it was getting lowered from the tree stand at some point, as I had not fallen over recently, the old pins (legs) have been pretty stable of late.
The rut should be at full swing back home I guessed as I made my way down the back creek in the early morning light; as the day began to brake I spotted a spiker standing on one of the flats right next to the creek in front of me a little way off. Cool I thought someone to check the setup on. It didn’t take too long as the young buck was engrossed in freshening the scrape he had made, using the available cover of the many small shrubs and bushes until I ran out of cover along the creek, now with only open ground to him and the backing timber line which he would most certainly escape into if I tried to get any closer, I took in the current conditions, no wind a nice flat shot, and checked the range, 47 metres, I settled my 45 metre pin a little high in his chest as he was standing broadside and released, the CarbonTech Rhino sailed perfectly thought the air, and instantly disappeared into the exact spot I was aiming for, in the second after the shot, he had disappeared into the creek, and I stood trying to see if I could see him make his escape though the timber. I slowly walked over to the scrape, and checked for a blood trial, I found my arrow only 10 metres behind it and then found him only another 15 metres behind that! Again the Magnus Stinger had done it job well and he was so close to the house that after I took the pictures I gutted him and placed under a spot that would offer some shade though out most of the day and I would come back that night and pick him up with the quad bike.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v314/peterm/Deer%202007/IMG_1012-2-3.jpg
As I continued on from my morning success, full of restored confidence in myself and my gear I made my way down and into the some large gullies, and I was right it was 10am and I could hear a buck grunting up on the side of the hill about ½ a km out, nice I thought, then another started up a little way from him, this chain reaction soon expanded across the whole face of the hill with 5 bucks all grunting hard, for about half and hour straight. As I made my way across the open grazing country and stopped about 300 metres out from the bottom on the hill, I could see the groups of deer all doing there thing, bucks chasing does and grunting there butts off, what a sight!
No joke, the bucks would only have maybe 10 to 15 minute brake, and they would all chime in again. I sat there chewing on a muesli bar and a doe and with a spike in toe walked in from my right, she was heading to a small ground of does and buck that I had worked my way too in the open just out from the bottom on the hill, the buck was grunting well and all within 70 metres of my position, she walked straight in and he new to stay out in the safe zone, so I pulled out my camera and gave him a doe call, he soon turned and started to walk my way, I was hidden in a depression in the ground and only had my hands in the air holding the camera as he grew ever closer, in the end at about 10 metres he was spooked my waving hands trying to take pictures from lying on my back in the depression.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v314/peterm/Deer%202007/IMG_1003-2.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v314/peterm/Deer%202007/IMG_1005-2.jpg
Ummm I think i'll stay here
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v314/peterm/Deer%202007/IMG_1006-2.jpg
What the!
I watched the entire show until about 1.30pm when the wind changed so I now could get in for a closer look at the deer on the hill, the buck that was closest to me had eventually moved off and now it was time to try work my way across the bottom of the hill side and see if there was any way I might get in for a stalk.
Over the next hour and half, I worked my way onto the hill next the main group of deer and observed them going thought the motions, some bucks holding out other smaller bucks and spikers while another buck of equal size would swap groups and hold on to the same deer while the other move to the group the other had just left and continue to sing there song at the does in the group, it was a funny type of partnership, by an uneasy one, I was hoping to see a good knock down drag’em out fight but these two had some type of arrangement going. The afternoon soon saw the does move down off the hill side and slowly work there way out into the open paddock, the two main bucks where not far behind, when I saw them continue straight out in the open side by side, grunting and they walked some 500 metres right out and into a dam and up to there chests and had a drink, they stopped occasionally to grunt, when they left, and walked back towards the does and the split up and moved to the two separate groups and started grunting and carrying on again, a really interesting afternoon show.
I decided that since they where not that big and the open country made any stalk extremely difficult I would climb up and over the hill and into the timber on the other side, as I knew if there is five bucks going off out here in the open these will be double than in the bush.
As I stopped at the bushes edge at the top of the hill, and thought, well I’ll start here and work my way into and down the other side, and this will take me back to the open country and the creek and back out by tonight. It was just after about half 3 so I decided I would wait, the bucks will start soon. Did not even get to sit down to listen, one started some 150 metres to my right in the timber, so away I went. As I approached I spotted him with about four does, and he was not a too bad of a buck either, but the wind was marginal and I would have to circle back out into the open and back in behind him to have a go, all the while the does were moving down and trying to get away from him by the look of things, eventually they disappeared from sight, by this time their was another buck grunting in a better position back to my left and the wind was better for this approach so I made my way deeper into the bush, and down a regularly used game trail.
I located him some 100 metres on the trial and carefully made my way in, again even though we have had good rains, that was over a month ago and the ground was almost as dry as it was during the drought, all like corn flakes, really, really hard to take single step without some much noise. I closed to with 70 and watched him bullying some does, but eventually they gave him the slip too, and he trotted off in their pursuit. As I made my way around the face on the hill in the timber, it was almost like some one had flicked the switch to on, within 15 minutes there where 15 bucks grunting all echoing though the hills, all well spread over the mountain side and deep into the gullies below, some where way out in the open on the other side, decisions, decisions, where do I start?
I spent the next two hours sneaking into onto no less than four different bucks all holding does, all with satellite spikers all on the outer fringe, the seen was the buck would be grunting his butt off, chasing out spikers and quickly back to gather his girls, and then he would repeat it, all while I would try get in for a shot over the extremely noisy ground, this took some time, and in some ceases it would turn into a big fight, as it attracted another buck into the rutting timber and the scapes they where standing on. It was awesome to see these bucks smash together and then jostle and fence there way around all with the on lookers watching the show, the buck that always could get the higher ground had the advantage would then push hard and try drive his opponent into he ground, only to have the other counter attack or mauver his way into the better position, until one would give up and bolt and the winner would case him out of there, all while the does would run off. In all this action the main buck would never stop moving and this coupled with the bush and other deer in the way meant there was a very slim change of getting in close without being seen or herd, who said the rut was easy.
As I worked my way from buck to buck, without any success and getting a clean shot, but I knew that the does where heading down and out to open to feed, with very little daylight time I had left I worked my way to bottom of the timber and just out into the open country and placed myself next to and few bushes and waited in ambush, it was a long shot but worth a try.
The sun had set and I could here bucks grunting in the timber, some where at different heights and ranges, as they followed the does out into the open, but I also could hear some coming my way, as luck would have it, it was really going to push the absolute limits of available light for my pins, and my own eyes to be able to identify my target correctly, but sometime its about pushing the limits and even though I knew if I got a shot it would be close, the amount of time I had left was running out fast. At about 30 metres I identified the some of the does, as they moved toward me in the very dim light, it was soon obvious that the buck was not to far behind by his deep loud grunts, which soon placed him right in the lane I was standing on, his out line materialized in the fading light as the does moved ever closer and closer, I remained dead still, with my release locked and bow arm up ready to draw as soon as I new the time way right.
As he moved ever closer, and grunting straight at me at times in almost darkness I checked my pins, boy the only pins visible where the trusty green FitzFibers, defiantly not bright but still enough to see, I thought about the turning my sight light on (to illuminate my pins!) but I didn’t want to test theory and check if there right about deer cannot see the little blue light which is thrown from the little LED that Trophy Ridge use to illuminate the 5 pins installed in my Matrix sight. I could aim effectively enough still so I got really. I waited till he closed to about 15 metres and slowly drew, anchored, I had to rely on good form as the No Peep was very hard to identify if it was line up perfectly but I could see it was close none the less in the near darkness, then he was at 10 metres max, with two does, one on my right at 15 metres the other was at a mere 12 metres, when I drove the arrow into the bucks chest as he was facing directly towards me at no more than 8 metres! The grunting instantly stopped the does around me made a short burst and stopped, I knew they where trying to identify what had just disturbed the bucks mating ritual, but they struggled as I did to see in the low light, I guess they knew instantly now what was standing it wait in the darkness. The buck had disappeared in from my view at only about 15 metres. I stood there motionless listening for any sign that he might have either dropped, or heaven forbid start grunting again, be there was just the echoes of the other bucks in the distance, they wouldn’t know what had just unfolded below them as I heard the does sneak off.
I waited 5 minutes (really about 2 minutes in “I’ve just shot a deer!” in bowhunter’s time frame) and I pulled out my torch and walked forward from my position and started looking for a blood trail, I carefully scanned the ground looking for any sign or even a part of an arrow, as I zigged and zagged my way over the area I saw the buck exit on, I didn’t see any sign, or any arrow in the first 10 metres, it was just about total darkness, and thoughts just started to fill my head, like I had missed? I thought it was possible but everything felt really good and the pin was spot on at such closed range, only entered my head for 2 seconds when out of the dim boarding light of the torch, I picked up a different colour to the dry light brown grass, as I raised the torch to confirm, what it was the instant message from my eyes to my brain confirmed the out line of antlers and the dark brown coat, instantly vanished any negative thoughts from it, there he was, he only made it 20 metres max!
As I set him up for the self timed pictures, I had hit him straight in the front of the chest and the arrow was hanging out just in front of his right back leg, just about a perfect heart shot, couldn’t think of an better shot for this occasion for a non existent tracking job at this time of night, also turned out to be a nice head also, but he had some good open wounds and heavy scars which had ruined his cape, but how lucky could I have been!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v314/peterm/Deer%202007/IMG_1030-2-2.jpg
To be continued………
The rut should be at full swing back home I guessed as I made my way down the back creek in the early morning light; as the day began to brake I spotted a spiker standing on one of the flats right next to the creek in front of me a little way off. Cool I thought someone to check the setup on. It didn’t take too long as the young buck was engrossed in freshening the scrape he had made, using the available cover of the many small shrubs and bushes until I ran out of cover along the creek, now with only open ground to him and the backing timber line which he would most certainly escape into if I tried to get any closer, I took in the current conditions, no wind a nice flat shot, and checked the range, 47 metres, I settled my 45 metre pin a little high in his chest as he was standing broadside and released, the CarbonTech Rhino sailed perfectly thought the air, and instantly disappeared into the exact spot I was aiming for, in the second after the shot, he had disappeared into the creek, and I stood trying to see if I could see him make his escape though the timber. I slowly walked over to the scrape, and checked for a blood trial, I found my arrow only 10 metres behind it and then found him only another 15 metres behind that! Again the Magnus Stinger had done it job well and he was so close to the house that after I took the pictures I gutted him and placed under a spot that would offer some shade though out most of the day and I would come back that night and pick him up with the quad bike.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v314/peterm/Deer%202007/IMG_1012-2-3.jpg
As I continued on from my morning success, full of restored confidence in myself and my gear I made my way down and into the some large gullies, and I was right it was 10am and I could hear a buck grunting up on the side of the hill about ½ a km out, nice I thought, then another started up a little way from him, this chain reaction soon expanded across the whole face of the hill with 5 bucks all grunting hard, for about half and hour straight. As I made my way across the open grazing country and stopped about 300 metres out from the bottom on the hill, I could see the groups of deer all doing there thing, bucks chasing does and grunting there butts off, what a sight!
No joke, the bucks would only have maybe 10 to 15 minute brake, and they would all chime in again. I sat there chewing on a muesli bar and a doe and with a spike in toe walked in from my right, she was heading to a small ground of does and buck that I had worked my way too in the open just out from the bottom on the hill, the buck was grunting well and all within 70 metres of my position, she walked straight in and he new to stay out in the safe zone, so I pulled out my camera and gave him a doe call, he soon turned and started to walk my way, I was hidden in a depression in the ground and only had my hands in the air holding the camera as he grew ever closer, in the end at about 10 metres he was spooked my waving hands trying to take pictures from lying on my back in the depression.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v314/peterm/Deer%202007/IMG_1003-2.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v314/peterm/Deer%202007/IMG_1005-2.jpg
Ummm I think i'll stay here
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v314/peterm/Deer%202007/IMG_1006-2.jpg
What the!
I watched the entire show until about 1.30pm when the wind changed so I now could get in for a closer look at the deer on the hill, the buck that was closest to me had eventually moved off and now it was time to try work my way across the bottom of the hill side and see if there was any way I might get in for a stalk.
Over the next hour and half, I worked my way onto the hill next the main group of deer and observed them going thought the motions, some bucks holding out other smaller bucks and spikers while another buck of equal size would swap groups and hold on to the same deer while the other move to the group the other had just left and continue to sing there song at the does in the group, it was a funny type of partnership, by an uneasy one, I was hoping to see a good knock down drag’em out fight but these two had some type of arrangement going. The afternoon soon saw the does move down off the hill side and slowly work there way out into the open paddock, the two main bucks where not far behind, when I saw them continue straight out in the open side by side, grunting and they walked some 500 metres right out and into a dam and up to there chests and had a drink, they stopped occasionally to grunt, when they left, and walked back towards the does and the split up and moved to the two separate groups and started grunting and carrying on again, a really interesting afternoon show.
I decided that since they where not that big and the open country made any stalk extremely difficult I would climb up and over the hill and into the timber on the other side, as I knew if there is five bucks going off out here in the open these will be double than in the bush.
As I stopped at the bushes edge at the top of the hill, and thought, well I’ll start here and work my way into and down the other side, and this will take me back to the open country and the creek and back out by tonight. It was just after about half 3 so I decided I would wait, the bucks will start soon. Did not even get to sit down to listen, one started some 150 metres to my right in the timber, so away I went. As I approached I spotted him with about four does, and he was not a too bad of a buck either, but the wind was marginal and I would have to circle back out into the open and back in behind him to have a go, all the while the does were moving down and trying to get away from him by the look of things, eventually they disappeared from sight, by this time their was another buck grunting in a better position back to my left and the wind was better for this approach so I made my way deeper into the bush, and down a regularly used game trail.
I located him some 100 metres on the trial and carefully made my way in, again even though we have had good rains, that was over a month ago and the ground was almost as dry as it was during the drought, all like corn flakes, really, really hard to take single step without some much noise. I closed to with 70 and watched him bullying some does, but eventually they gave him the slip too, and he trotted off in their pursuit. As I made my way around the face on the hill in the timber, it was almost like some one had flicked the switch to on, within 15 minutes there where 15 bucks grunting all echoing though the hills, all well spread over the mountain side and deep into the gullies below, some where way out in the open on the other side, decisions, decisions, where do I start?
I spent the next two hours sneaking into onto no less than four different bucks all holding does, all with satellite spikers all on the outer fringe, the seen was the buck would be grunting his butt off, chasing out spikers and quickly back to gather his girls, and then he would repeat it, all while I would try get in for a shot over the extremely noisy ground, this took some time, and in some ceases it would turn into a big fight, as it attracted another buck into the rutting timber and the scapes they where standing on. It was awesome to see these bucks smash together and then jostle and fence there way around all with the on lookers watching the show, the buck that always could get the higher ground had the advantage would then push hard and try drive his opponent into he ground, only to have the other counter attack or mauver his way into the better position, until one would give up and bolt and the winner would case him out of there, all while the does would run off. In all this action the main buck would never stop moving and this coupled with the bush and other deer in the way meant there was a very slim change of getting in close without being seen or herd, who said the rut was easy.
As I worked my way from buck to buck, without any success and getting a clean shot, but I knew that the does where heading down and out to open to feed, with very little daylight time I had left I worked my way to bottom of the timber and just out into the open country and placed myself next to and few bushes and waited in ambush, it was a long shot but worth a try.
The sun had set and I could here bucks grunting in the timber, some where at different heights and ranges, as they followed the does out into the open, but I also could hear some coming my way, as luck would have it, it was really going to push the absolute limits of available light for my pins, and my own eyes to be able to identify my target correctly, but sometime its about pushing the limits and even though I knew if I got a shot it would be close, the amount of time I had left was running out fast. At about 30 metres I identified the some of the does, as they moved toward me in the very dim light, it was soon obvious that the buck was not to far behind by his deep loud grunts, which soon placed him right in the lane I was standing on, his out line materialized in the fading light as the does moved ever closer and closer, I remained dead still, with my release locked and bow arm up ready to draw as soon as I new the time way right.
As he moved ever closer, and grunting straight at me at times in almost darkness I checked my pins, boy the only pins visible where the trusty green FitzFibers, defiantly not bright but still enough to see, I thought about the turning my sight light on (to illuminate my pins!) but I didn’t want to test theory and check if there right about deer cannot see the little blue light which is thrown from the little LED that Trophy Ridge use to illuminate the 5 pins installed in my Matrix sight. I could aim effectively enough still so I got really. I waited till he closed to about 15 metres and slowly drew, anchored, I had to rely on good form as the No Peep was very hard to identify if it was line up perfectly but I could see it was close none the less in the near darkness, then he was at 10 metres max, with two does, one on my right at 15 metres the other was at a mere 12 metres, when I drove the arrow into the bucks chest as he was facing directly towards me at no more than 8 metres! The grunting instantly stopped the does around me made a short burst and stopped, I knew they where trying to identify what had just disturbed the bucks mating ritual, but they struggled as I did to see in the low light, I guess they knew instantly now what was standing it wait in the darkness. The buck had disappeared in from my view at only about 15 metres. I stood there motionless listening for any sign that he might have either dropped, or heaven forbid start grunting again, be there was just the echoes of the other bucks in the distance, they wouldn’t know what had just unfolded below them as I heard the does sneak off.
I waited 5 minutes (really about 2 minutes in “I’ve just shot a deer!” in bowhunter’s time frame) and I pulled out my torch and walked forward from my position and started looking for a blood trail, I carefully scanned the ground looking for any sign or even a part of an arrow, as I zigged and zagged my way over the area I saw the buck exit on, I didn’t see any sign, or any arrow in the first 10 metres, it was just about total darkness, and thoughts just started to fill my head, like I had missed? I thought it was possible but everything felt really good and the pin was spot on at such closed range, only entered my head for 2 seconds when out of the dim boarding light of the torch, I picked up a different colour to the dry light brown grass, as I raised the torch to confirm, what it was the instant message from my eyes to my brain confirmed the out line of antlers and the dark brown coat, instantly vanished any negative thoughts from it, there he was, he only made it 20 metres max!
As I set him up for the self timed pictures, I had hit him straight in the front of the chest and the arrow was hanging out just in front of his right back leg, just about a perfect heart shot, couldn’t think of an better shot for this occasion for a non existent tracking job at this time of night, also turned out to be a nice head also, but he had some good open wounds and heavy scars which had ruined his cape, but how lucky could I have been!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v314/peterm/Deer%202007/IMG_1030-2-2.jpg
To be continued………