Faulkner
Member
For me, the annual deer hunt is as much about quality time with my dad, who is 77 this year, and my own sons, as it is about putting some venison in the freezer. So far this season it's been a great time of family fellowship and a successful hunt.
I decided this year to start opening weekend carrying my model 1892 carbine in .357 magnum, it's a good close in gun. I have a good spot scouted out on a flat rock shelf about 5 feet off the ground that butted up to a low bluff. A slow flowing creek runs by the bluff and I have a field of fire that ranges out to about 75 yards at most. The rock shelf has some rocks lined along the front about waist high that afford me some concealment and I carry a surplus camo netting in my backpack to drape across the rocks to sit behind.
I've hunted this spot in past years with some success. Since it's pretty remote I usually ride my ATV to within about half mile of the spot, then I hike in the rest of the way. I've scouted the spot a few times the past month or so and I've seen plenty of sign of deer activity, and have seen elk in the area in past years. What looks like a well used game trail runs parallel to the creek on the bank closest to my perch.
After parking my ATV I hiked in to my perch and set up about 30 minutes before daylight. At first light I caught sight of several doe easing down the game trail, snacking on white oak acorns along the way. About 30 minutes later I saw a bobcat slip by under my perch. It stopped about 30 yards directly in front of me and seemed to check the air for scent, looked right in my direction, but after a short bit it nonchalantly eased on it's way. Not three or four minutes after I lost sight of the bobcat I caught a glimpse of movement from the direction the bobcat had originally come from. I slowly raised my Steiner binoculars for a closer look and saw a very nice whitetail buck. Interestingly, it seemed to be slowly following along the exact same path as the bobcat.
When I saw the buck stop to pick up an acorn I eased the binoculars back down, then slowly started working my lever gun up to a low ready position, butt on my shoulder. It was about 60 yards away, but if it continued on it's current path I anticipated it would come to nearly 25 or 30 yards of my perch. As is often the case when deer hunting, they have a tendency to do the unexpected. This one took one or two more steps in my direction then unexpectedly cut to the right and headed straight for the creek. The ground cover was much denser in that direction and although I could visually track the buck I didn't have a clear shot. I was thinking at that point that I should have taken the 60 yard shot when I had the chance, dad gummit.
The buck continued on towards the creek, paused at the bank though I still didn't have a shot, then stepped off the embankment down into the creek and I completely lost sight of it. Not knowing where the buck might reappear, if it did at all, I raised my rifle from the low ready up to the full ready and covered an open spot on the creek bank where I hoped I might get another sighting. Then I waited . . . and waited. What seemed like thirty minutes was probably only 4 or 5 minutes, but I finally caught a glimpse of the buck's antlers and ears as it walked along the creek bank below the embankment, but it was heading in the right direction. Finally, it a quick motion that somewhat surprised me even though I was anticipating it he came up over the creek embankment very near where I was expecting him. For an instant the thought that ran through my mind was it looked like that majestic image from the Hartford Insurance Company that I had seen on television as a kid.
I quickly thumbed the hammer back on my lever gun, took about a half second to align the sight picture and squeezed the trigger. A .357 carbine does not have much recoil so I levered in another round and brought the rifle back in place if a follow up shot was necessary, but the buck was gone. As the boom from the rifles report diminished I could hear splashing in the creek. Was it running off down the creek? I couldn't tell and I saw no movement. No, the splashing doesn't seem to be moving off . . . I think the buck is down . . . sounds like it's just over the embankment. While holding the rifle ready prepared for another shot should he gather his legs under him and bound away, the splashing sounds diminished in less than a minute.
After couple of minutes, I eased the hammer down on the rifle and lowered it, then reaching for my water bottle I took a long drink, then several deep breaths. I looked at my watch and while keeping the rifle handy I forced myself to hang tight for about ten minutes. Seeing and hearing nothing, I left my rifle in the perch and climbed down off the rock shelf then drew my S&W .357 model 65. I took my time and silently slipped over to the edge of the creek embankment where the buck had been standing, then peered over the edge. I was relieved to see the buck laying at the bottom in the edge of creek.
I went back to my perch and dug out a rope and two small pulleys from my backpack that I bring along for just such a purpose. I hooked them up, tied onto the deer, then pulled the buck out of the creek and up the embankment. I tagged the deer, then left most of my gear except for the rifle and hiked back to my ATV, then rode it back to within about a hundred yards of where the deer lay. I went back for my gear, loaded it on the ATV, then went back and dragged the deer back to the ATV and loaded it up and strapped it down. At that point I was worn out. I sat down and downed what was left of the water in my water bottle. I recall reading an article some years back that there is always an increase of reported heart attacks during deer season, and after all this physical activity I can see why.
We were blessed in that both of my sons and my dad got a deer opening weekend. They're all dressed out and we'll have enough venison to last us until next season.
I decided this year to start opening weekend carrying my model 1892 carbine in .357 magnum, it's a good close in gun. I have a good spot scouted out on a flat rock shelf about 5 feet off the ground that butted up to a low bluff. A slow flowing creek runs by the bluff and I have a field of fire that ranges out to about 75 yards at most. The rock shelf has some rocks lined along the front about waist high that afford me some concealment and I carry a surplus camo netting in my backpack to drape across the rocks to sit behind.
I've hunted this spot in past years with some success. Since it's pretty remote I usually ride my ATV to within about half mile of the spot, then I hike in the rest of the way. I've scouted the spot a few times the past month or so and I've seen plenty of sign of deer activity, and have seen elk in the area in past years. What looks like a well used game trail runs parallel to the creek on the bank closest to my perch.
After parking my ATV I hiked in to my perch and set up about 30 minutes before daylight. At first light I caught sight of several doe easing down the game trail, snacking on white oak acorns along the way. About 30 minutes later I saw a bobcat slip by under my perch. It stopped about 30 yards directly in front of me and seemed to check the air for scent, looked right in my direction, but after a short bit it nonchalantly eased on it's way. Not three or four minutes after I lost sight of the bobcat I caught a glimpse of movement from the direction the bobcat had originally come from. I slowly raised my Steiner binoculars for a closer look and saw a very nice whitetail buck. Interestingly, it seemed to be slowly following along the exact same path as the bobcat.
When I saw the buck stop to pick up an acorn I eased the binoculars back down, then slowly started working my lever gun up to a low ready position, butt on my shoulder. It was about 60 yards away, but if it continued on it's current path I anticipated it would come to nearly 25 or 30 yards of my perch. As is often the case when deer hunting, they have a tendency to do the unexpected. This one took one or two more steps in my direction then unexpectedly cut to the right and headed straight for the creek. The ground cover was much denser in that direction and although I could visually track the buck I didn't have a clear shot. I was thinking at that point that I should have taken the 60 yard shot when I had the chance, dad gummit.
The buck continued on towards the creek, paused at the bank though I still didn't have a shot, then stepped off the embankment down into the creek and I completely lost sight of it. Not knowing where the buck might reappear, if it did at all, I raised my rifle from the low ready up to the full ready and covered an open spot on the creek bank where I hoped I might get another sighting. Then I waited . . . and waited. What seemed like thirty minutes was probably only 4 or 5 minutes, but I finally caught a glimpse of the buck's antlers and ears as it walked along the creek bank below the embankment, but it was heading in the right direction. Finally, it a quick motion that somewhat surprised me even though I was anticipating it he came up over the creek embankment very near where I was expecting him. For an instant the thought that ran through my mind was it looked like that majestic image from the Hartford Insurance Company that I had seen on television as a kid.
I quickly thumbed the hammer back on my lever gun, took about a half second to align the sight picture and squeezed the trigger. A .357 carbine does not have much recoil so I levered in another round and brought the rifle back in place if a follow up shot was necessary, but the buck was gone. As the boom from the rifles report diminished I could hear splashing in the creek. Was it running off down the creek? I couldn't tell and I saw no movement. No, the splashing doesn't seem to be moving off . . . I think the buck is down . . . sounds like it's just over the embankment. While holding the rifle ready prepared for another shot should he gather his legs under him and bound away, the splashing sounds diminished in less than a minute.
After couple of minutes, I eased the hammer down on the rifle and lowered it, then reaching for my water bottle I took a long drink, then several deep breaths. I looked at my watch and while keeping the rifle handy I forced myself to hang tight for about ten minutes. Seeing and hearing nothing, I left my rifle in the perch and climbed down off the rock shelf then drew my S&W .357 model 65. I took my time and silently slipped over to the edge of the creek embankment where the buck had been standing, then peered over the edge. I was relieved to see the buck laying at the bottom in the edge of creek.
I went back to my perch and dug out a rope and two small pulleys from my backpack that I bring along for just such a purpose. I hooked them up, tied onto the deer, then pulled the buck out of the creek and up the embankment. I tagged the deer, then left most of my gear except for the rifle and hiked back to my ATV, then rode it back to within about a hundred yards of where the deer lay. I went back for my gear, loaded it on the ATV, then went back and dragged the deer back to the ATV and loaded it up and strapped it down. At that point I was worn out. I sat down and downed what was left of the water in my water bottle. I recall reading an article some years back that there is always an increase of reported heart attacks during deer season, and after all this physical activity I can see why.
We were blessed in that both of my sons and my dad got a deer opening weekend. They're all dressed out and we'll have enough venison to last us until next season.
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And thanks for sharing the pics and the story of the hunt.
