1. The moon has been bright late. I haven't needed a headlight to walk to my stand all week.
2. Although not too warm like last year, we haven't seen enough cold yet. We have way more leaves still on than normal.
3. We have a coyote problem. Twice yesterday the mountain came alive with dozens howling. The deer hit the fields to safety.
4. I have about 500 acres of still uncut corn within a half mile of my stand.
But, I'm off on vacation anyway and have to make the best of it. Up until yesterday afternoon, I saw a buck every hunt for five days straight. Unfortunately, they were all small spike, 3, 4, 5, 6 and finally one 7 point. Yesterday afternoon I finally saw a coyote but wasn't able to get a shot. He picked out my movement against the skyline. I believe the coyotes all out on patrol kept the deer out of the area.
This morning the weatherman failed me. I was dressed for the temperature, but not for the rain. I mean, I have been rained on every day but one this week so its not like I haven't gotten used to it. Its just that normally I'm expecting it and prepared. A few hours of it was all I could take.
Saturday morning will be perfect; unseasonably cold. But tomorrow, it will be cold and extremely windy. The deer don't seem to move much around here on very windy days. So, this afternoon I knew it was my last good chance before the weekend. I was up in the stand by 2:30pm and things were quite calm. About 3:30pm, I caught movement way out. A couple longbeards were skirting up the ridge. Although it was thick and about 75 yards out, I was able to find a spot clear enough to get a shot. As I slid over in the stand to get a clear view, one of the gobblers must have saw me move and stood up strait looking my way. He provided the maximum silhouette possible and the CVA Optima nailed him just above the breast in the neck area not wasting any meat. I'm still determined to get one with archery gear, but they have been elusive the last couple seasons.
After a quick reload and retrieval of the turkey I was back in the stand. About an hour later, I caught movement above me. About 60 yards out coming my way was a buck. At first glance I thought he was an 8pt that I've got on camera. He walked down an established trail heading directly at me. I cocked the hammer and was following him in the scope. At about 40 yards, he veered to my left off the trail which provided my first glance at a side. He never stopped walking. Just after he turned enough sideways, I placed the crosshairs on the front shoulder and squeezed the trigger. Since he was moving, the bullet hit perfectly behind the shoulder. He turned downhill trotting and after about 20 steps started getting lower with each step. He eventually bottomed out about 35 yards to my left.
It's been a few years since I bagged a turkey, and to bag a buck on the same trip made all the time in the stand seem worth it. Of course, the day wasn't totally complete until another unexpected rain storm dumped on me as I was field dressing it. Hey, sometimes you just got to roll with the punches.
DuckHunt
