Moose Droppings

What a week of deer hunting I just had. On Friday Evening, the last day of the muzzleloader season, I had 15 deer in front of me and with the approaching of the end of shooting light I took a big doe. She was about 60 yards from my stand and the 300 grain sabot dropped her as the rest of the does and small bucks fled the field.

This would have been the perfect ending of the week except I had one more day to go and Saturday was a rollercoaster of a ride. All was quiet for the first couple of hours but about 8:40 am I caught movement as a doe came bounding into the field and headed towards my stand on the run. About 200 yards behind her was an 8 pt buck and he seemed bound and determined to catch that doe. The buck was circling the field in the brush attempting to catch the doe. The doe brought the buck within 60 yards of my stand before she turned and headed back the way she came. I tried grunting to stop the buck but he was determined to catch the doe but the doe stopped right in front of my stand at about 100 yards in front right on the edge of the brush. The buck was running to catch the doe and much to my surprise he ran right by her. I had my rifle up anticipating him to slow down if not stop but much to my surprise he hit the afterburner and blew by her and causing me to miss. There was a bit of buck fever going on and I absolutely chocked. I had not noticed a second doe had entered the field and that was now his object of attention till the quietness was broken by my 243 going harmlessly off. The does ran out of the field and the buck went out the way they all came in. Had I’d been thinking clearly I should of anticipated what happened next when the buck took a sharp turn and trotted back across the field and into the brush on the heels of the two does. Had I’d been ready and ejected my shell I could have had a second opportunity.

I kicked myself good as the quietness returned to the field and I gathered myself and got down to check to make sure I missed even though I was certain I had. I couldn’t find any sign of a hit as I checked the field where the buck had been when I shot and I followed the trail across the field and back to the trail he and the does had taken. I certainly should have my shirt tail cut as I let buck fever get the best of me.

I returned to my stand early opting to catch a power nap to get ready for the afternoon hunt. Seeing where I have a tower stand there is really no risk to stretching out and getting a little shut eye. The afternoon was slow with little activity except for the vultures discovering the gut pile from my doe the day before so they kept me entertained.

The day before the first of the deer started showing up around 4 and by 530 there was 15 of them however this day that seemed unlikely. About 515 I spotted some movement at the far end of the field and to my surprise the 8 pointer returned to the field. It took him a while to offer me any type of a shot but I was using breathing techniques to hopefully keep myself under control.

Lets face it I took up hunting as an adult so I’m still looking to kill a good buck I take far more does every year. This would appear to be the perfect opportunity if I could keep myself together. The buck turned and I squeezed the trigger and watched the buck spin and start to run. “Dog gone it I missed again” How? I don’t know but he is not showing any sign of being hit. The buck stops and I can tell he has no idea where the shot came from. This time I had ejected the shell and I carefully line up on him as he is looking around and I shoot again about the same time he decides to head back to the opening he entered the field. Now he is running as I eject another shell while trying to block out my doubts. I get on him again and fire as he is only a few bounds from the trail he entered the field as I eject the shell I realize I only put 3 shells in when I loaded it so I bring the empty gun up and look through the scope to see the buck standing at the trail opening with his tail wagging and his head looking around. He stands there for a couple of minutes it’s a good 230 yards from my stand and I debate with myself about throwing another round in and attempting to take another shot. Well he is standing with his tail towards me and I’m certainly not going to attempt a Texas heart shot. I drop my gun down and throw another round in and hope he’ll turn broadside. I put my gun back up and I realize the buck is gone.

Once again I climb down out of my stand questioning if something has happened to my scope because that should have been a dead deer. I hurriedly head over to the field edge where he was standing when I took the first shot before I lose the last of the daylight. I get to the spot I marked by the trees and there is no blood or hair on the grass. I’m dumbfounded and pretty dejected as I check the area once again real good. I start walking the field edge towards the area where the second shot should have been and once again no signs of a hit.

I continue to walk the field edge that is circular in this area headed towards the path and the last place I saw the buck with his tail wagging. I’m about to the spot when about 10 yards beyond the path I see the buck lying in a heap. In a split second I go from depressed to excited as I walk up and verify he is dead.

A second opportunity on this buck happened for me it was just much latter in the same day. When I skinned this deer I found a second bullet hole that we missed seeing on Saturday night, going under the left leg and lodging in the right shoulder with no exit, so two of my three shots had hit. That’s good and I’m sure glad I looked because I could see how somebody might have looked at the first and maybe the second spot and then left without following the field all around.

I spent today processing these deer and have it all done except for the grinding of the burger. I’ll do that another evening this week and needless to say we have a full freezer once again.

Did you enjoy this article? Check out these:

• All the Odds Are In Our Favor
• Georgia Teen Saves Vermont Turkey Hunter’s Life
• The Quest For A Moose
• Song of the Beagles
• Search Team Needs Public Help in Locating A Shoe Print
• Missing Boy Scouts In NC Mountains
• Lightning strikes twice Originally posted 12/05
• A Huge Piedmont Buck Taken
• A Virginia Bear Hunter Survives an Attack by a 600lb Black Bear