Quote (SheriffCool @ Mar 18 2015 02:59pm)
I was in a swamp that bordered a pond on one side and a big corn field on the other. I made a ground blind in the spring at the base of a big white pine tree that the roots basically made an island in the knee deep water of the swamp. I had seen the deer swim across the pond before when we kicked some up scouting and put my blind on the main trail they used to get out of the swamp to get to the corn field. It was opening morning and my Dad and Grandfather and I went out a little before dawn and got settled into our stands. I heard a shot about 30 minutes after light from my Dad's direction so I got ready in case he spooked some deer my way, but I never saw anything all morning. We had predetermined to meet back up at the vehicles at 12:30 for lunch, so when I got up there my dad had shot a nice 8 point buck and had it hanging already, and my Grandfather reported he did not see anything like me, so he said he would push the thicket on the opposite side of the pond for me on his way back to his other blind he was going to sit in that afternoon. After lunch he said he would give me 30 minutes to get back to my blind before he headed to his. I got settled in and about 20 minutes later I heard a bunch of splashing and I knew that deer were coming across the pond. I watched them come out and shake off like a dog about 30 yards in front of me, It was the first time I had ever saw that and was pretty cool, something I will never forget. There were nine does first followed by a yearling maybe 2 year old 4 point buck. I was getting ready to shoot him when he gave out a snort and took off running right past the does who were walking, which I thought was weird, and then I heard another deer shaking off and it was that big buck. I already had my gun up, I just had to wait for the buck to look away so I could swing back his direction. I was thinking worst case scenario I would just wait and let him walk into the spot where I was going to take the other deer, but he turned away from me and started walking away. I swung around and got my gun ready and let out a loud whistle. The buck turned and looked back at me, quartering away and I shot him in the chest with my 7.62x54 and he never took another step. I ruined some shoulder meat on the right side where there exit wound was, but still got quite a bit of good meat off him. I won both big buck contests I was in that year and won a savage 20 gauge pump shotgun from one and 20 pounds of jerky from the other. I wish I had signed up for a bunch of them, but I wasn't expecting to see anything like that in the woods.
Killer story man and congratulations, that's a buck of a lifetime. I haven't had any luck in the past 5 years, not seeing many deer. I haven't been prepared either, as far as scouting as much as I should be and I've been very stubborn on moving to another spot. This year however I will be putting alot of time in, which means I'll be more prepared, have a new spot and give myself a better chance than last year. I'm actually heading out this weekend to shed hunt and just check the area out in the spring, never did that before.
Since you shared a story, I'll share the best one I had:
So, about 12 years ago, I just became old enough to hunt without my Dad having to be in my area, in vision. I hunted my usual spot all morning, lunch time came, we met up and I decided I would go back to my spot. It's on a bank, looking down into a hollow - the left side is pines and the right side goes up to a power line. Deer always funnel down through and walk the bank, right under me basically, to hide themselves and travel. I probably seen 5-10 deer in the morning, but I just had the itch to hunt a deer grass field that was behind me. So after 2:00p I decided to take the 1 mile walk up the tram road behind me and see if I could sit off the field. I found a nice little mound that was about 15 yards in the woods that looked out about 500 yards each way with field. I sat there for about 30 minutes and had a doe come up behind me. I then seen a few deer to my left, running the side of the field/wood line. About 3:30p I looked out in the middle of the field, it kind of peaked at about 300 yards then still had about 200 yards behind it, area I couldn't see. I seen a deer running right on top the hill of the field. I grabbed my 30'6 rifle, scoped it and thought I seen horns. I then was trying to figure out how far away it was. Well as I was scoping it, it turned around and I put my gun down because that sucker is heavy - so holding like that for 5 minutes gets tiring you know? I picked it back up and scoped it again, no horns. I'm like WTF. I just seen like 3 or 4 points. I walkie my Dad and Uncle and tell them I seen a buck and to give them a heads up because they were on the other side. I scoped it again, seen the horns, verified it and was like alright I'm gonna aim like 2 inches above its back/neck - it was around 275 yards away. I shot...nothing. I put the scope back up and the deer is still standing there. I go to pump another bullet it, I jam up. I am just jamming it and slamming the action, making a good bit of noise. I mean you can hear a sniffle in quiet woods if you know what I mean, but I couldn't get the gun to load another bullet as one was jammed. I was probably messing with it for 2 minutes, but it seemed like forever. I walkied my Dad again, "Dad, that was me, I just shot at a buck, but I'm jammed and the deer is still standing there". He walkies back, "What do you mean you're jammed?". I walkie, "I took a shot and now I got a bullet jammed, the deer is still standing in front of me.". He walkies, "Pull it back the whole way and then push the pump forward fast." I finally got it through, scoped up the deer and BANG! BANG! BANG! 3 shots. I aimed like 1 inch lower this time on the first one, nothing. Shot again, nothing. Waited like 30 seconds and tried again. The deer disappeared, I jacked my nose good and it was gashed/bleeding. I scope it again, no where to be seen. So after I shot, I didn't know what the deer did cause I really bashed my nose like a mother. My Dad walkies back, "Randy are you okay!!!?" I didn't respond because my walkie cord got messed up and the earpiece fell out of my ear - I was all kinda of messed up, shaking, nervous, bleeding, pissed, confused. I disconnect the earpiece and I hear him again, "Randy..are you okay, Randy!!!?" Because all he knows is that I tried the last thing he said, to fix my jam. He thinks I shot myself! I get back on the walkie finally and said "That was me, sorry!!" I explained what happened and said I would head down to the deer to see if I got it. My Dad said he would be right up to help me track it. I get down off the mound, go to the middle of the field where I think I shot it. I walk up the little hill and there is a deer. Laying down, in the field, scared the hell outa me. I walk up to it, poke it with my gun, the sucker is dead - thank god. I go over to its head...NO HORNS. NO HORNS. I about shit my pants. I go to grab the head, THE HORNS ARE DOWN IN THE GROUND. It was a half rack 5 point. I let out a HUUUUGE gasp and was just the happiest person ever. I knew I seen horns. I was however scared to death to disappoint my Dad, uncle and cousins, let alone what kind of fine I would have to pay/etc. Keep in mind I'm like 14-15 years old. My Dad gets there, sees the deer and congratulations me, high fives me and I just knew he was proud. I showed him the buck. He goes, "So where the hell were you again, where did you shoot from?". I said over there by the wood line, I said "see that orange seat over there in the distance?". I actually left my orange seat over there, you could barely see it. He goes "You were the whole way over there?". I told him yeah then he goes, "Where the hell was the deer?". I said right here. The deer literally just fell over about 5 years from the point where I shot it. He goes "Holy shit...are you serious?!!!?". I said oh yeahhh. Well turns out the shot was around 275-300 yards away. Insane. He couldn't believe I hit the deer. Checked the gun wound, right in the broad shoulder area - 100% perfect shot. HAHA. To this day he hasn't seen/heard of anyone shoot a deer farther away than that nor did I ever hear of anyone shooting a deer that far away.
So, it was a pretty good story because not only did I shoot a buck 300 yards away, my Dad was scared to death cause he thought I shot myself and when I walked up to the deer I thought the sucker was a doe cause the horns were in the ground on the opposite side. All he heard was "BANG" "BANG" after he told me how to un-jam my gun. My Uncle heard everything on the radio too and was like WTF is going on...My Dad to this day always remind me of it. He always says, quoting me "He's just standing there". Referring to the deer, cause I shot like 3-4x and the bastard wouldn't move. So it's a great story about how far it was and how it happened. Was a story I'll never forget.
Also to note: Juniors could hunt/kill any buck during that time as long as the horns were like 3 inches tall.
This post was edited by BigMooker on Mar 18 2015 02:33pm