This story starts out in the spring of this year, when I was in an area I have been going to since a young boy to camp and look for sheds. I found a shed in one particular spot that is very rugged and hard to get to and I have never even thought of going places like this in this area until I was up there this year now that i'm older and getting a better idea of where the bigger Bucks like to hang out and find sanctuary/places that keep them alive. I pushed beyond where I found the shed and I started seeing Deer, it was clear this is where they go to get away from hunters and preds. I bumped what I thought was a nice Buck below some cliffs and said to myself, man I have got to come back here and explore and try to come from above and glass and learn this place.
So back home I went with this place on my mind throughout the summer. Finally two weeks ago I made it back up to this area, finding sheds was on my mind but coming from above that place was top priority, it was a very long hike to come from above and I had to go across a lot of country to get there. On the way there I started seeing a lot of Deer, and some good Bucks too in one particular spot, so I noted. Later in the day coming back through this spot where I was seeing good Bucks I got closer to some of the Bucks I had seen earlier in the day, a 3X2 and a nice 4X4, 30 yards and would have presented a really nice broadside archery shot. I thought to myself if I don't have much action at a Blacktail spot of mine (which I didn't think I would yet, to early), I will come here. So I checked some cams at that Blacktail spot and not much for Buck activity throughout the month of August (this place really heats up Late Oct-Nov), so I thought I will leave it alone and go see about the Mulies, probably a better chance for the early season.
So after work Friday night I packed and drove up ate and slept. Not being to familiar with this place I didn't go in in the dark but started entering the area at first light because I hadn't got to know it that well and didn't want to risk spooking Bucks in the dark. As I got out of the truck right away I was seeing Deer. With the wind coming down the sidehill hard I started my climb up. I had seen that 4 point up top in his bed when I was there a couple weeks before, and when I was 5 yards away from the top of the hill I heard hooves bounding I had bumped some Deer, so I let out a few Doe bleats to try and stop them and waited 5 mins. Then I stepped up onto the plateau and 2 Bucks ran right passed infront of me couldn't have been more than 20 yards. I stopped behind a tree and started to glass immediately, and there they were the same 3X2 and 4X4 that presented that 30 yard shot a couple weeks prior. The 3X2 was about 40 yards and there was no clear shot, the 4 point was at 63 yards and there was a clear shot. I have been practicing twice per week at the range 3D and long range flat field and every day in the house 18 yards, and said to myself I am accurate out to 80 I can take this shot, this is what I have been practicing ever day for it all comes to a head right now, as I positioned my feet and started to draw my bow back they heard the crunching and spooked. Sh!te I thought, 20 minutes into my first hunt of the fall and almost got my first 4 point Mulie!!! What a cool moment and learning experience but had to watch them go the other way. The heart was pounding lol.
Then I hunted the area the whole day and didn't see much else until close to last light it was a very hot day. About a km away from that incident I spotted some Deer about 200-250 yards away, it was the same group but now there were some more younger Bucks with them and a Doe, I always carry a thick pair of wool socks with me when bowhunting incase I want to attempt a stalk and the ground is noisy, I will take my boots off and try and stalk with the thick socks. As I was glassing them I was thinking I should do that and do the stalk the wind was good, but I decided to not potentially push them as I was going to be at that same bedding spot where I almost got the shot in the morning. I should have went for it and did the stalk, because I went to that same bedding area the next morning in a really good set up and was positioned in there an hour before first light but they never came and I never seen them for the remainder of the time I was there.
So now I figured I would head to another spot close by that I want to check out, today was a lot cooler than the day before and on the drive up there I was seeing Deer, lots, they were on the move. As I was going through a spot I had just turned around from because I couldn't get through I was seeing Deer bedded right off this small beat up trail. On the way through I noticed a bedded Doe then on the way back through after turning around she was still there, then a couple minutes go by as I head on and there is another Deer bedded, this time it's a 2 point Buck. At first I thought i'm going to pass on him, but it was my last afternoon there until heading home and I thought here is an opportunity for meat in the freezer so I said what the heck he's only about 30 yards. When I got a bit closer to him he got up and bounded off and stopped broadside at 50 yards, when I started knocking an arrow he took off again. So I thought okay didn't work out and headed on and the trail did a switchback up above where he headed to. Then I seen him when I got up there so I tried my hand again, him looking at me watching me knowing I am there, I had to get closer but couldn't go straight at him so I had to parallel kind of flank him while getting as close as I can. So I started sneaking quietly and slowly flanking and I ended up getting to about 30 yards using small draws/hills and when I got up over the crest of this hill of course he was looking at me, I started to knock the arrow as 30 yard shot is very easy and he bounds off again. Now I thought screw it I am going to head to the truck, then I thought nope going to give it one more try here, so I did the same thing again started flanking not knowing if he took right off or if he was close, then I spotted him again, I got to 52 yards this time there was a clear shot and he was perfectly broadside, I went okay this is my chance and I have been practicing all year to get shots like this I am very confident at 50 yards. So I drew my bow back, got anchored, put the pin on the vitals and released. I shoot my bow with both eyes open now and you can see everything, and as soon as I heard the thwack he jumped and bucked his back legs out, I knew right away the shot placement was perfect.
So I took a couple pics from where I was standing to where I took the shot and waited 20 minutes. Then I headed down to look for my arrow and blood, found the arrow stuck in the tree behind him undamaged, it was a full clean pass through and covered in blood, but not much for blood on the spot of impact. So then I looked on the ground a bit, then in the direction I thought he went, and didn't have to find a blood trail because I seen him laying there maybe 60 yards away. This is my 4th Deer with a bow now, I think from now on I will just be passing younger Bucks up. I am at that stage in my hunting career I have learnt so much and am starting to fine hone my skills, I can find game wherever I go now and I can usually pick spots where nice Bucks and Bulls are. I have shot so many young meat bucks over the years I think it is time to start focusing on mature specimens and letting the younger guys live. But I am happy and grateful for this Buck, I know he will taste great and of course as always the healthiest meat a guy can get.
Those broadheads I used are the new titanium Sevr 1.75" broad heads, they are mechanicals. I use fixed heads in the past and didn't really trust mechanicals but was having a tricky time tuning the old ones that I wanted to move away from anyways, so I tried these on recommendation from my archery mentor he has taken 8 or 9 Deer with them without an issue, and they literally i'm not even kidding fly more accurate than field points.
I highly recommend them if you want a mechanical you can trust, because you don't even have to tune they just fly so true even better than field points. They are downright lethal, Randy Ulmer makes them and they take Elk with them all the time.
Elk hunt next week, excited to say the least. Hope you guys have a great season and connect with what you are after.
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