It was misting rain this morning and I was in my stand thinking of the work I should have been doing instead, when I saw a big old doe standing in the bean field about 150 yards away ... way too far from me to do anything about with a crossbow. She didn't seem inclined to move much, as she was happily ingesting my Roundup Ready Pioneer soybeans ... so I didn't know what to do ... unless ... would it work?
It has been my experience that almost all does react instantly to fawn-in-distress bleats, and that is something I practice all summer. Especially in spring and early summer, I've got many a doe to come charging to me, having abandoned all caution, to see what's working on the dying fawn. That maternal instinct seems to wear off after they come in estrous in the fall ... but we have such an early bow season I was fairly certain she would still respond. Didn't have anything to lose, and I'd brought a fawn-in-distress call, so I decided to try.
It was misting rain, so I knew the sound would be muted a little ... I started off with a "captured" cry ... that doe flung her head up; I followed with a bewildered, frightened series of calls, and she moved off in the wrong direction because of the echo against the woods edge ... so I stuck my head out of the stand a little and gave a gut-wrenching "hurt" cry ... and here she came, on the run! She stopped about 60 yards out, and I continued to give "help" calls ... and she'd come 5 yards, and stop ... on high alert. She couldn't see me, because the stand wall blocked me from her view. When she was about 40 yards from crossing in front of me, I readied my Exomax for the shot, and kept calling ... here she came ... a little bit at a time, looking for the threat.
Eventually she was directly in front of me, about 10 yards out, looking and looking ... but ahead, not at me. The stand I was in isn't too high, so my head level was about 9 feet off the ground ... and I couldn't see anything but the top of her ... backstrap up, because the beans were so high. I've been bowhunting a long time, so I know about what I can do and can't do, and because I was shooting this powerful crossbow at high speed, and because I was eager to see what the Wasp Boss SST 3-blade head would do, I lined up the crosshairs and shot her through the shoulders. She took off like a scalded dog, ran in a straight line down the row for about 60 yards, and just keeled over.
I saw everything very clearly through the scope. She DID NOT MOVE before that bolt hit her, even though the Exomax is EXO-LOUD. That bolt was through her and beyond her before she lifted a leg.
The bolt passed through about 2 feet of bean tops, and both scapulas, and took out the arteries atop her heart. Both entry and exit holes were large, clear and well defined. Ribs were cut going in and coming out. I don't know where that bolt stopped ... it ripped through her and kept on trucking. Probably buried itself in the mud ... ground is very wet here right now.
I recovered her, boned her out on the gambrel, and she's in the cooler right now. As for me, I'm a little tired, but it's a good tired!
This was my first crossbow kill.
Grizz
DISCLAIMER: While I don't recommend shooting through anything to take a deer, I'll defend my action by noting that I have done this a number of times ... it was an experienced judgement call, so don't tear me up too bad for hurling one through a little cover. Soybean tops are very soft; I don't think that bolt's travel path was affected at all.
Still, I wouldn't recommend it, just to be politically correct!
STUNG ONE WITH A WASP! (First Xbow Deer)
Moderator: Excalibur Marketing Dude
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Grizzly Adam
- Posts: 5701
- Joined: Fri Aug 04, 2006 8:36 pm
- Location: Decatur County, Indiana
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Grizzly Adam
- Posts: 5701
- Joined: Fri Aug 04, 2006 8:36 pm
- Location: Decatur County, Indiana
NOTE: The hunt was on my farm, and I'll look for the arrow later. I know just where she was when shot. Since I live here, and since the beans are a long way from picking, I can wait. Wanted to butcher her first, and now I've got some work to do. Maybe tomorrow ... but I'll get it.
Good to mention that we should look for arrows, though ... especially when hunting on someone else's property.
Grizz
Good to mention that we should look for arrows, though ... especially when hunting on someone else's property.
Grizz
First X Bow kill
Way to go Grizz
and great story,I saw it in my mind clear as if i was there.
I lived in you great state for a while.Hendersonville.
Love those mountains.
Keep the stories commin.I live for this %^&# Stuff
and great story,I saw it in my mind clear as if i was there.
I lived in you great state for a while.Hendersonville.
Love those mountains.
Keep the stories commin.I live for this %^&# Stuff
Scott
http://www.myspace.com/saxman1
Take a kid hunting
They don't remember their best day of watching TV
Excalibur Equinox
TruGlo Red/Green Dot
NGSS Absorber by NewGuy
Custom strings by BOO
Groundpounder Top Mount
ACF Member - 2011
http://www.myspace.com/saxman1
Take a kid hunting
They don't remember their best day of watching TV
Excalibur Equinox
TruGlo Red/Green Dot
NGSS Absorber by NewGuy
Custom strings by BOO
Groundpounder Top Mount
ACF Member - 2011
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raydaughety
- Posts: 2411
- Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2003 11:32 am
- Location: North Carolina
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GA.crossbowhunt
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- Location: savannah,ga.
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Grizzly Adam
- Posts: 5701
- Joined: Fri Aug 04, 2006 8:36 pm
- Location: Decatur County, Indiana
Man! I don't know what brand the thing is. It doesn't say on it. I don't even remember when I got it, or where. I do clearly remember that the package said it was a "Fawn-in-distress" call, though, and that's the only sound it makes.
It's a pale-green color, short and compact. It sounds just like a high-pitched baby crying ... goes "Waaaaahhhh!" You have to cup your hand over the end and sort of fan the call to get the effect.
It does work, especially in summer, when you can't hunt. In my experience, they don't pay as much attention to it in the fall, especially just before, duriing and after the rut. Also, those old horse-head dominant does don't fall for it sometimes ... they just clear out ... but breeding does around here really seem to pay attention to it.
Natural, I guess. As you may know, many does will run off predators like coyotes, foxes and bobcats if their fawns are threatened ... I've seen it. They can be very aggressive and defensive about young, even if it's not their own.
Grizz
It's a pale-green color, short and compact. It sounds just like a high-pitched baby crying ... goes "Waaaaahhhh!" You have to cup your hand over the end and sort of fan the call to get the effect.
It does work, especially in summer, when you can't hunt. In my experience, they don't pay as much attention to it in the fall, especially just before, duriing and after the rut. Also, those old horse-head dominant does don't fall for it sometimes ... they just clear out ... but breeding does around here really seem to pay attention to it.
Natural, I guess. As you may know, many does will run off predators like coyotes, foxes and bobcats if their fawns are threatened ... I've seen it. They can be very aggressive and defensive about young, even if it's not their own.
Grizz
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wildwindom
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