Well it sure was a fast hunt…less than 30 minutes from the time I sat down in the tree stand the buck was down. I had barely settled down and opened my book to read when the opportunity to wreak revenge availed itself.
The wind was in my face, everything was a go, then less than 25 minutes into the hunt, I heard the telltale noise of a deer moving up from behind the stand, down wind from me..isn't that typical !! I was truly expecting to get busted, but he came out of the cedars on my right side and meandered in front of the stand, about 5’ from the ladder. Proof it pays to be up 16’, keep your scent above them !
I finally got my first look at him, as he emerged from the left side, and low and behold, it’s the same buck that had stuck his tongue out at me earlier in the day at my pop-up. Revenge :)
He was totally oblivious that I was sitting almost directly over him, but I actually couldn’t shot him. He was in too close, the gun was resting on the bar in front of me so I had to wait till he moved out some. A few more steps and he gave me decent quarter way shot. The old Mil-Surp 6.5 x 55 Mauser was true to aim, as always and I was able to punch the lead thru the heart and out his front right shoulder. Impressive damage inflicted by those Norma 156 gr bullets.
He ran a few yds with the front leg flaying and what was amazing was the blood trail that I could clearly see from up in the tree stand. Blood was spraying against the trees as he ran and it looked like a red carpet on the ground. Dropped right beside the trail, stoned cold dead.
Went back to the house, picked up the sled and bought him back to the barn and got him gutted and skinned. I’ll let the meat cool overnight then de-bone it in the morning.
Pulled the trigger at 3:00 and was washing the knives and my hunt cloths by 5:00, the sun hadn’t even set yet…my favourite kind of hunt. !!!
Here's a pic I have of him from a few days ago.
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...psefpnxowt.jpg
The recovery kit !!!
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...psszczmebg.jpg
