Busterbrown
12-10-2011, 10:23 AM
I headed up to the Princeton area a couple of days before my partner was to arrive for our annual archery trip. I had passed on a couple of bucks in the late rifle season as I did not want to be tagged out when the bow season arrived. Figured I could take the first couple days getting a feel for deer movement before he arrived. It did not work out as planned.
I arrived in camp about 14:00 and was in a hurry to unload the quad and start lookin. As I was travelling between two of our honey holes I see a couple of does standing on a hillside staring at me. However they continued to look back over their shoulder behind them. This was enough to make me stop and wait for what ever was on the other side. That is when this guy pops his head up from the other side of the bank. He had no idea I was there . His head was level with the ground and had the big lip curl going on.
It turns out there were 5 other does with him as well as two smaller bucks. I found a spot where I could get closer to them and began the stock. I managed to get to with-in 40 yds and while I was fumblin around for my range finder ,the does began to leave over the hill. I knew I had to shoot now or the buck was gone. Lined up pulled the trigger and shot under the deer.
Panic then begins to set in so I find my range finder and begin to crawl up to the top of the knoll to see where they went. When peeping over the top all the deer where standing there oblivious to me . I quickly ranged him at 26 yds and let her fly.
I could hear the arrow hit him but did not see it, he jumped in the air and bolted down the hill into the nastiest deadfall imaginable.
When arriving where the deer was standing I could see no blood and because of the number of tracks I had no idea which were his.At this point doubts about the shot placement began to creep in.
I waited about 15 minutes then began the grid search of the immediate area. I found the first sign of blood 35 yards from the hit location. The blood trail quickly turned into and path about 2 feet wide and was real easy to follow in the snow. He was piled up about 30 yards futher. The shot was a little high but did go through both lungs
As I was by myself and losing daylite I quickly found a path that I could clear to get my Grizzly close After cleaning the buck getting him loaded was a chore. I had him back to camp by 1900 .
As the temp was -10 I decided to leave the hide on him to prevent from freezing. It didn`t work. The thing was nearly frozen solid the next day.
http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc9/Busterbrown_08/PrinctonHunting042.jpg
I arrived in camp about 14:00 and was in a hurry to unload the quad and start lookin. As I was travelling between two of our honey holes I see a couple of does standing on a hillside staring at me. However they continued to look back over their shoulder behind them. This was enough to make me stop and wait for what ever was on the other side. That is when this guy pops his head up from the other side of the bank. He had no idea I was there . His head was level with the ground and had the big lip curl going on.
It turns out there were 5 other does with him as well as two smaller bucks. I found a spot where I could get closer to them and began the stock. I managed to get to with-in 40 yds and while I was fumblin around for my range finder ,the does began to leave over the hill. I knew I had to shoot now or the buck was gone. Lined up pulled the trigger and shot under the deer.
Panic then begins to set in so I find my range finder and begin to crawl up to the top of the knoll to see where they went. When peeping over the top all the deer where standing there oblivious to me . I quickly ranged him at 26 yds and let her fly.
I could hear the arrow hit him but did not see it, he jumped in the air and bolted down the hill into the nastiest deadfall imaginable.
When arriving where the deer was standing I could see no blood and because of the number of tracks I had no idea which were his.At this point doubts about the shot placement began to creep in.
I waited about 15 minutes then began the grid search of the immediate area. I found the first sign of blood 35 yards from the hit location. The blood trail quickly turned into and path about 2 feet wide and was real easy to follow in the snow. He was piled up about 30 yards futher. The shot was a little high but did go through both lungs
As I was by myself and losing daylite I quickly found a path that I could clear to get my Grizzly close After cleaning the buck getting him loaded was a chore. I had him back to camp by 1900 .
As the temp was -10 I decided to leave the hide on him to prevent from freezing. It didn`t work. The thing was nearly frozen solid the next day.
http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc9/Busterbrown_08/PrinctonHunting042.jpg