And, there is a story

[deadeye]

Here is a trail camera picture of the buck I encountered on Friday.  It was quite a challenge but I won out in the end.


I shot him about a mile from where the picture was taken


Because a forester was coming at ten o'clock on Friday to complete a "Forest Stewardship Plan", I decided to walk to a close stand.  As usual, I got settled in just after legal shooting time.  One half hour later (right on sunrise), I saw him, nose to the ground on a track that should take him past me at about 30 yards.  When he was out 50 yards or so, he made a quick left turn and headed straight away from me towards a swamp about 100 yards away.  I thought it was over for sure especially if he turned left at the swamp.  Good news, he turned to his right which would bring him past me but now at 100 yards and a lot more trees and brush.  I gave a can call to stop him but in heat of the moment, I didn't pay attention and stopped him directly behind several clumps of trees.  Good news is he stopped, bad new is I couldn't see a single hair of him, just knew he was there.  After a few tense moments he stepped out and started on his way.  No time for another can call so I just gave a "grunt, snort wheeze".  I don't know what sound I actually made but he did stop for a split second and I let one fly when I got the scope settled.  He turned back and while running, I could see he didn't have much control of his front legs.  He didn't go far and went down at which time I could just see his white tail.  I gathered up my stuff (gotta have lots of stuff) lowered gun and climbed down.  Being I saw him go down, and in the excitement I didn't mark a tree or location so I just walked toward where I though he was.  The area was fairly open so I assumed I would just walk up to him.  NOT.  I got almost to the swamp and still no sign of him.  I then assumed I went too far west and headed east.  I didn't go far when I spotted antlers and an upright deer head.  I held the gun on him for about 10 minutes and finely convinced myself he was dead and his antlers were just caught in the brush.  I circled and approached from behind and when I was 10 feed away, I could see he was laying normal and still breathing.  While I was waiting for him to expire, he made a sudden movement like he was going to attempt to get up.  I had the gun at the ready and shot him through again.  His antlers actually were caught in the brush because when he died, he never moved.  Still looked like a bedded deer.     

[Cody Gruchow]

Very nice deer deadeye

[The General]

Way to go 

[Boar]

Awsome! Neat story!

[dakids]

Great deer deadeye. Congratulations