So I got a mule doe draw for 3-38 for the month of November this year. Yay...but. Father in law retired, and treated the while family to a tropical getaway, gone from Nov 1 to 12. Wife works shift work and have 2 young kids, which means I have 3 days total in which to hunt. Last year I got skunked on mule doe in 3-26, despite way to much time and effort. But learned alot.
Day 1. Got to the area around 10am (have to drop kids at school/preschool and drive an hour). Did my usual tactic of park before large cuts and walk the road or thru the cut. Parked, and just fumbling around getting my gear together when I see a white tail doe, tail up take off for the bush. At least I know things are moving. Walk the cuts, see lots of sign, but no deer. At 3pm, just walking to where I planned to set up for dusk when an older guy road hunting rolls by in a GMC pickup and wants to chat. Aaand that's the plan foiled. Nothing shows up at dusk, unsurprisingly.
Day 2. Same plan, different area. Walk and glass cuts, then get to a huge cutblock where I took a doe 2 years ago. At noon, I creep in to a high point in the cut, glass a bunch, then try fawn in distress call. About 350m away hear the angry snort as a Mule doe and buck take off. I don't have a rangefinder, and they're moving fast for the back of the cut about 800m away, so no chance for a shot. I glass a bunch more see nothing else. Take a walk down the road a bit, see a grouse. Walk back to SUV, get shotgun, get back to where grouse was, spook him and a friend into the thick. Walk back to SUV, replace shotgun. I really need a little badger or something.
Also v surprised to see 1 day old bear tracks in the snow. And scat. Pretty late for bears! Crazy weather.
At 3 pm, start up to the road that leads to the back of the cut, glassing every few steps. About 550m or so i see silhouette of a deer on a ridge. It's a doe, but don't know range for sure, and all amped up, so not confident to take a shot from where I am. I start working my way in closer. Wind is in my favour, so creep, glass. Doe is looking my way but unsure what I am, and still feeding. I pick a stump as my shooting rest, its 3m away, pack is off to use as a rest, I'm calmed down, shot will be about 200m, no problem. And then I feel the wind on the back of my neck, towards the deer. Fack. I rush forward, but hear the snort of displeasure and watch her book it into the trees. Night falls. Better luck next week.
Day 3. Head in to same area as last week. Same plan, same cut. Walk around and glass, then 3pm hike up to the back of the cut again. There is a branch road heading thru the middle, so I walk along that as it offers different sightlines. Turn around at the landing and head back towards the main branch when I see movement about 60m ahead of me in the cut! Bonos up, its a mule doe obliviously eating towards me! I walk a bit closer , take a knee and wait. She's standing in the ditch, 50m away, straight on, only chest and neck visible, and looking at me trying to decide what to make of me. Line up on the brisket, a bit jacked up, and pull the trigger. BOOM goes the 7mm. Scope comes up and when it settles, deer is gone. I hurry forward, and see a doe bouncing away to the treeline. Double faaaaack!! Look for blood, nothing, just fresh hoofprints. Kicking and cursing myself, I continued to the top, glassed vainly for a while, and sank into depression. Last chance for the year ruined by a needlessly rushed shot. Morosely head back to the car. I figure there's a bit of light left I might as well hope there's blood after all and go check where the deer was standing. I Look around, and look over one dirt hump back from the ditch, and see... the doe piled up on her back. Was there the whole time. O-M-G.
Get car, drag deer, drop guts, rush home, text wife once back in cel range. Woohoo!!
Boned out and in the freezer by 1030. A good last day!
Shot was tikka 7mm rem mag with 150gr Barnes TSX over 7828ssc. Entered left brisket/frontal, exited midway on right abdomen. DRT, must have shocked brachial plexus.
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