Tell us your Best deer hunt EVER

I went out in the morning and set up my stand. I went up in my stand, and sat there for awhile. Then I started rattling. As I was rattling I heard something and turned around. There was a big 8 point about 20 yards away when I looked back. I snatched up my crossbow, hit the safety, and set the antlers on the seat. It was pretty lackidazical (sp?) because the antlers fell of my seat with a clang and it didn't even spook, just kept on going! The deer walked where I couldn't shoot it and then behind me. I thought it was going to keep going but it turned around and started to come back, right through a pile of small trees that I had piled up when I cleared my shooting lanes. By now it was about 5 yards from my tree behind it, and I couldn't maneuver my crossbow around to get a shot. It ended up turning around and going down the hill behind my tree. Then after that deer disappeared, another 8 point smaller than that came in. It never came close enough to shoot but I was ready to get it as well. From then on I saw deer here and there but nothing I wanted to shoot. That afternoon I decided to hunt in a different tree for the first time that season. Well I'm not as small as I was when I picked out that tree, and being it windy, my tree started to crack, and it was pretty skinny. I climbed down and went to the place I turkey hunt. I was sitting in my turkey spot which has a deer trail right there as well, and I saw a yearling pass by in the afternoon. That evening as I went down a little before dark, I heard my dad calling me. I went down to the trail and there he was with the bigger 8 point I had seen earlier that day. He decided to try hunting by my area, but he said he got tired of walking around so he just went up in my tree. He says it was about 5 p.m. and he was going to give it one last-ditch effort with his rattling thingy before he came down. He rattled and within five minutes the deer had come in. The deer had ran by him before chasing a doe, and he said it came in with a dazed look on its face D ). He said he came to a full draw when it was about thirty yards away, and then it walked right behind a tree with a white thumbtack in it which I had measured to 20 yards. He put the pin on it and got a double lung shot. I chose this to be the best hunt I've had because it was the first deer either of us have shot since I've been hunting, and it gives me confidence that I am in a good spot, and it gives me hope for the future. This was also the biggest deer my dad had shot. I helped him drag it down the hill and we gutted it and checked it in.

Here's a picture, and I hope you all enjoyed reading this and sharing this memory with me.



It may not look that big, but if you take the antler size and compare them to the size of my dad, it is bigger. The deer weighed about 200 lbs.

Thanks again for reading.

 

my best hunt happened about 5 yrs. ago.i can't remember if i had my howard hill or robertson stykbow.any way i had 10 bucks in front of me at the same time.spikes up to three that would qualify for p&y and their hair was standing up!one little very hot iddy biddy doe was the prize they were seeking.one big 8 pointer actually touched the tree i was in as he was the hottest on the doe that went thru first.then a io comes by and the largest a non typical come by 20yds away to my right.the 8 and io i had many good broadside shot at 5-15 yds. but i was interested in the nontyp which was shortcutting across to intercept that doe.one problem i had was all the smaller bucks were looking in my direction as they watched the show unfold too.Perhaps they were hoping i would slay those big old mean bully bucks.watched all this for about 15-30min. as they finally got way out of range.decided to stay longer as it was about11:00 and about an hour another big buck 8pt.marginal pope follows the trail to the left and scraping against my tree like the three earlier had done and he posed broadside for a perfect shot but i drew ,then decided to pass.i had the sheds of this deer from last year and had drew on him too then for practice,while he lay in his bed at 10yds.about 1:00 o'clock i am tired and figured i had enough excitement for the day.oh,how i wish i could have filmed that.it would have been better than the big non typ. on the ground.

 

Mt best deer hunt happend in 2000, as soon as I got in the woods I heard grunting...Bucks were chasing does everywhere! I saw two ten pointers and a 8-pointer, they were chassing does back and forth acroos a hillside, the two tenpointers fought..But none were close enough to shoot...I had about given up when a 6 point ran down the hill in front of me, and stopped ten yds away, The buck fell instantly when I shot it with me crossbow.

 

14 pt 161 Gross P&Y

About 6 years ago, I got into my stand around 4PM in late October just south of Ft. Wayne, IN where I grew up. I got situated in my stand when I heard a neighbor boy out riding his 4-wheeler around his property that borders mine. Even though he was a good 200-300 yards away, I thought for sure that this would disrupt any activity. After 5 min and the neighbor leaving, I see a doe that came from where the 4-wheeler was. Soon after, I see a massive body and bright shiny antlers. Wow! The doe walked pass me at 25 yards along with the buck, but I had a tree limb on that side that wouldn't allow me to shoot behind me from that side. I noticed that he was trailing her, not looking to breed her as it seemed he had already done his business. When he started to walk in the opposite direction, I grunted on my call and he stopped. As soon as he started walking again, I grunted again. He finally turned and seemed interested. This grunting and turning went on for 15 minutes and I turned him 4 times. (Remember this is all happening 20-25 yards away.) Ironically, my grunt tube was making a really deep grunt which proved to be beneficial for me. I needed to get him on the other side of me, so the last time I grunted, I pointed the grunt call away from me. His fourth turn was one of furry as he blew out of disgust. He started walking to where he thought the grunt came. I was able to fully turn to the opposite side and wait. The buck stopped 7 yards to tear up a bush to show his muscle before what he thought would be a fight. He stepped away and I drew and released hitting both lungs. The arrow was sticking out of both sides and he ran 40 yards and laid down. I saw him trying to clot the wound with leaves. I waited 30 minutes, got down and exited to go get assistance and to give him more time. I came back with a buddy to find him laying in the spot. We were both amazed on his size and mass.

Just goes to show that any hunt can turn productive no matter what is going on around the woods!

 

There have been hundreds, every minute spent bowhunting has been a blessing. Most memorable is definately my first successful bowhunt. A close second would be my first deer ever.

 

For me, it had to be way back in 68 when I got the opportunity to hunt in the Ravenna Arsenal in Portage Co. It was bowhunting only in those days and home of some of Ohio's biggest whitetails.


I was positioned on stand on a wooded edge along a golden rod field . As the drive progressed towards me, deer were coming my way and I noticed a huge buck following a group of does. As the does passed the big 10pt veared to my left as I drew the old Kodiak Hunter preparing for a 30yd open running shot. I increased my lead and released narrowly missing the neck and watched as the arrow sailed over the deer's back. I knew then that I had just missed my buck of a lifetime.

At the time, I believe Gary Landry's 182 Wayne Co. monster was the state record. My cousin had mounted that deer for him and I had seen it many times. The huge typical I missed that day had bases thick as a man's wrist and a spread in the 24" catagory. Under fair chase rules, it would'nt have counted anyway but I knew in my mind I had just missed a true 200 class deer! I was able to take a nice 140# doe later that day.

Many don't know but Ohio's great Hole-in-the-Horn was found entangled in the Arsenal fence after being struck by a train many years ago. My son gave me a copy of Legendary Whitetails for Xmas and the story is fully explained in there by Dick Idol.

Sadly, bowhunting was disallowed in future years and gave way to shotgun only. Hats off to the old members of the APCO Sportsman Club who held the archery tourney every year and provided so many good memories for the hunters in Ohio.

Due to the events of 911, the Arsenal is now restricted to military personel only. Those on these threads who hunted there knew it was an exciting hunt to say the least. How I long for the old days and the way it used to be.........TF

 

TF, I've been in the aresnal 5 times for special hunts myself over the years. 5 x 5 miles of nastiness. Alot of folks think an arsenal hunt is like shooting fish in a barrel. Funny huh? I'm not sad to see APCO out but the hunting there changed when ODNR turned it into a shotgun only area. Now any idiot (and plenty get in) with a license and $7 for an application fee can hunt there. They actually resumed regular draw hunt this fall by allowing those whose hunts were cancelled by 911. The plan (as far as I know) is to draw for 2003 (youth and adult) hunts as before. I saw a monster similar to the one you described 2 years ago 4 different times yet never had a clear shot under 60 yds. What a brute he was! He died last fall, losing a fight with a full size Dodge Ext. Van. I held the horns and after tossing a tape on it a green score would be in the 200" plus range with a bunch of deductions typical or 220" non-typical from kickers, stickers, and drops. Oh well!

 

Stacker.....Glad to see someone remembers the GOOD times!I'm from the same town as ODNR Chief Mike Budzik and am going to e-mail him concerning the Arsenal. I can't see why bows could'nt be sobstituted for shotguns, can you? I'd be interested to here his response on the matter!

At least the hunting has resumed. Word I got was they were'nt killing enough deer with bows, hence shotguns came about. I snuck in the last year I hunted to a shot gun area with my bow and as usual saw another mnster that day that I might have killed with a xbow. Over the years I've seen a few non-typicals like the one you described.....absolute record material.

Your right , can get dangerous when the lead starts flying,huh? I may apply this year with my son for his first trip. I still don't think he believed me on the countless stories I've told him. After he read the Hole-in the-horn story, he's changed his perspective a bit !LOL...I'll let you know if I get a reply from Chief Budzik---TF

 

revenna is open again , several of my buddies went this year and i was picked for next year, cant wait. my friends who went this year all had doe only tags . one of six got a doe.all they mostly saw all day was big bucks . one guy had a 14 and 12 walk 10 yards away. i have a nice 12 point (138) on the wall from there. it was my first deer ever . got him in 93.

 

Turkeyfoot,

In one of your posts you ask the question,

"I don't see why bows couldn't be substituded for shotguns, can you?"

In my opinion you answered your own question in a earlier post when you said,

"I drew the old Kodiak Hunter preparing for a 30 yd open running shot"


Kim

 

Lundy........Have you hunted in Ravenna when bows were the only weapon allowed? Tough to get a good standing shot. I guess you don't approve of a clear, 30 yd running shot on a deer with a bow, but it's OK with a gun?........TF

 

TF, I hope you questions and concerns don't fall on deaf ears. ODNR typically won't tell you much. If you have a friend there you're fortunate, don't believe stories you hear from other hunters, most just talk BS. Scott, how did you get selected for 2003 fall hunt in the Arsenal when applications don't even get mailed until Summer? Are you one of the Alternates from 2001-2002 that didn't get in in 2002 so they're tossing you guys on top? Guess I missed something in the explanations I got from Columbus myself.

TF, Only problem I see it certifying bowhunters with ability. A guy can go to Dicks and buy a x-bow, walk into the arsenal and expect to be permitted to hunt? Yikes! We had to qualify by shooting a minimum score on silohets (remember how much fun that was). A blind man with 1 arm could nearly qualify. I always shot in the 900 to 1000 pt. range. Not great but alot better than a bunch of guys who had no business trying to qualify or hunt there. I've taken state courses and have bowhunted for more than 15 years now but I would expect to have to prove my ability before gaining access. This will take a testing facility, judges, and $$$$ that ODNR won't likely spend. I'd pay a small fee to shoot a course and certify my skills, show my Bowhunter education certificate, and apply for an archery permit for the arsenal. Think they'd go for that? Maybe, Problem is, there are thousands just like me who would. I love seeing flocks of 100+ turkeys, and bears, and yotes in therer too. What a great area! Too bad they didn't sell it to the guys who wanted to make it a hunting preserve. Damn feds hosed us, atleast they're still willing to have deer hunts, just wish they'd get someone in columbus to do it right!

 

Turkeyfoot,

I only stated my opinion. A running shot with any weapon is a iffy proposition at best.

I also don't see where I ever even suggested that a running shot was ok with a gun.

These are just the ethics that I choose to live by and feel strongly about. No one else has to live by MY ethics, to each his own, but I will state my opinion

Kim

 

Lundy......That's what makes the world go round, we alldiffer in opinion most of the time! No problem here, just wanted to know where you stood. Gotta remember then I was only 19 at the time and time surely has a way of changing a man's thinking. Funny though, the doe I did shoot that day was also running. I guess you could say I was over confident in my ability back then. By the same token, that confidence has carried me thru the years and made me a better hunter regardless of weapon!....TF

PS.....By the way, I own a Lund too......nice machine!

 

Stacker..... I have'nt got off my but to e-mail Budzik yet but will try to do that today sometime. After reading your reply, it gave me a few more ideas as to what questions to ask Mike --thanks for the input.

I did'nt really know what went on between APCO and the Feds. Maybe you could enlighten me a bit? I did notice that their buddies got placed at the better stand positions. I probably would have done the same. On the tough drives , swamp & buckbrush, THEY got to stand most of the time!

Although it was fairly easy to qualify, shooting a good score was'nt. Tuff course and ranges were extended back then. One target as I remember was 58yds over golden rod! I won the tourney that year with an 840 barebow, still have the trophy& APCO patch yet today. Used a 66" Hoyt Pro-Medalist recurve at 42# with weighted X7-1914's. Used to melt lead shot and pour it into the target points in order to make the required 400gr. minimum arrow weight. I think screw-in adapters were just being introduced back then, longer than I want to remember.....LOL

What would it take to get archery back in the Arsenal? Like you said, probably more than the ODNR wants to deal with! Recent hunting accidents sure don't help, but could happen at anytime even with a shotgun in that environment. I've always believed it's the person behind the weapon! A lot has to do with hunter ed and experience. Will try to get afew answers asap and will keep you posted.....good jawin with ya.....TF

 

Lets get back to hearing the stories, and get away from the crossbow and gun thing again.

 

i was picked for last year , then they shut it down , when they opened it back up this year they closed off several areas and didnt have room for us this year, so they said we will be one of the first groups next seasone.

 

Good deal Scott! I hope to get drawn for this fall, there will be some nice bucks in there do to the limited numbers taken this fall (under 100 I hear). My club has land on the Rt. 534 border of the Arsenal and we see some deer that regularly move in an out of that area. Fortunately that area is never hunted "legally" because it's an Army Reserve tank training range and closed to all non military access. Regardless, we'll have to keep in touch and see. I've hunted that area alot and joining forces to drive small sections (igloo's) is extremely productive although most guys aren't interested because they want to sneak in on that monster rather than kill deer like the ODNR likes. They honor Urban tags there for antlerless deer so why not fill'em huh? Some folks are just selfish idiots.

TF, e-mail me at sysman@modesinc.com and we'll go over the arsenal issue offline then follow-up here with any pertinent info.

 

Tank training? Moving target tank training? Lol after seeing the deer on the telephone pole, I would hate to see what a tank could do to one!