Illinois Hunting Weekend

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Jose
Posts: 858
Joined: Thu Jun 11, 2015 6:47 am

Illinois Hunting Weekend

#1 Post by Jose »

Well I arrived on Wednesday night. My long time friend got home from work and we discussed the morning hunt for Thursday. I sat Thursday morning and saw two, neither close enough. One small buck was injured badly and was not using his front left leg. I decided I would use my buck tag on him if he was close but it didn't work out.

Thursday mid-day he asked if I would help him clear a couple stands that he forgot about. I said absolutely and we loaded up the equipment. One was on a 25 yard wide steep oak ridge with thick cover. One side was a swamp to the river. The other was a cut bean field. We were running the trimmers and got it cleared up. There was a heavily used trail on an old grown over truck path between the stand and the field. He told me this was a good spot and no one has sat there for over a year. It screamed buck country to me! We went back to the house to eat and get ready for the evening hunt. I asked him where he would like me to sit and he replied "the stand on the ridge". I asked, the one we just trimmed two hours ago? He said yep, "you'll see one". So we loaded up and went to the woods.

I walked back to the area and used some tinks to make a trail behind me while walking in. When I got to the stand I used a little more tinks in the shooting lane openings. I climbed up in and thought"wow, this looks good!" I waited about ten minutes and made three short softer grunts. I put the call away and sat back in the stand. There was some high winds but it was much calmer in the ridge area where I was at. In about five, yes five, minutes, I heard something walking in the leaves from the swamp below coming towards me. Then this guy appeared. He stopped at the over grown road beside me and looked awhile. I got the video camera adjusted and got ready. He walked up to the path and smelled the ground. He found my tinks trail. He turned and crossed into my shooting lane sniffing at the ground where I put more of the tinks. I picked my spot and saw the arrow find it's Mark right behind the shoulder. He ran up the hill towards my friend. I saw my arrow was broken on the other side of the path and my string was not moving. Oh no, the tracker was not going to assist tonight.

I texted my friend that I just shot one. He said " already?" I said yep. It was 2:30 p.m. Then he said "I hear him and I think he crashed between us." The rule when we hunt is if you don't see them fall, minimum wait of 2 hours. So I sat back to wait out the evening. I still had doe tags and the land owner was strongly suggesting we thin the herd. Right before dark I hear my friend shoot. He texted me that he shot a doe but hit high.

Moments later I hear more movement. I get ready and saw two smaller doe walking towards me feeding. I watched them get closer and closer. Right before they got into my shooting lane I hear whistling up the path. It was my friend coming to get me. The two doe ran off down the trail. I climb down and meet up with him at the trail. He asked" where did your shot happen?" I showed him the good blood at the impact location. He asked "which way did he go?" I said this way and starting tracking the blood. He then asks "where are you going?" I said to track my deer. He said "well why would you want to do that when he's laying up on the trail to get to the field?" (That's just the kind of guy he is....)

We walked up the trail and about 30 yards away was my buck. Not a trophy in some people's eyes but he was in mine. A very memorable hunt! I field dressed him and found I hit both lungs and his heart. I am very fortunate to get meat for the freezer! His rack had twists that I've never seen before so I look forward to a nice European mount. We then went and retrieved my friends doe and headed back to the house.

I will post the video when I return home to download it. Now, I must get back to doe hunting!!
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IMG_20171109_201505-580x465.jpg (57.55 KiB) Viewed 496 times
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IMG_20171109_175352731-534x300.jpg (52.06 KiB) Viewed 496 times

Crazynate
Posts: 444
Joined: Tue May 23, 2017 9:54 am

Re: Illinois Hunting Weekend

#2 Post by Crazynate »

Congrats Jose. You are the deer slayer .nice buck
Goodnight Chesty Wherever You Are.

stumper
Posts: 2688
Joined: Wed Sep 14, 2016 7:40 pm

Re: Illinois Hunting Weekend

#3 Post by stumper »

Dang dude.....
Nothing clears a troubled mind like shooting a bow.

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Graps
Posts: 6696
Joined: Mon Sep 08, 2014 8:39 pm

Re: Illinois Hunting Weekend

#4 Post by Graps »

:shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:
You have got to let us vegetarians know how to do that!
Way to go Jose, you da man! :D
"Maybe the truly handicapped people are the ones that don't need God as much." ~ Joni Eareckson Tada

Carpdaddy
Site Admin
Posts: 9469
Joined: Tue Dec 31, 2013 7:36 pm

Re: Illinois Hunting Weekend

#5 Post by Carpdaddy »

Amen to what Graps said, you got to teach us vegetarians! That’s a cool rack, to crooked for knife handles! :lol: Congratulations again.

Captainkirk
Site Admin
Posts: 12787
Joined: Tue Aug 26, 2014 8:19 pm

Re: Illinois Hunting Weekend

#6 Post by Captainkirk »

Flatline Bows LLC wrote: Not a trophy in some people's eyes but he was in mine.
The only person who might not find that a trophy might be Stevie Wonder 8-)
Aim small, miss small!

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Graps
Posts: 6696
Joined: Mon Sep 08, 2014 8:39 pm

Re: Illinois Hunting Weekend

#7 Post by Graps »

Au contraire Tony, that would make wonderful knife handles.
The tines would be some very neat patch knifes.
Theirs at least six cool knife handles in that beast.
Where's my saw?
"Maybe the truly handicapped people are the ones that don't need God as much." ~ Joni Eareckson Tada

Carpdaddy
Site Admin
Posts: 9469
Joined: Tue Dec 31, 2013 7:36 pm

Re: Illinois Hunting Weekend

#8 Post by Carpdaddy »

graps wrote:Au contraire Tony, that would make wonderful knife handles.
The tines would be some very neat patch knifes.
Theirs at least six cool knife handles in that beast.
Where's my saw?
Careful Graps; that dude ain’t like me, he can shoot!

Jose
Posts: 858
Joined: Thu Jun 11, 2015 6:47 am

Re: Illinois Hunting Weekend

#9 Post by Jose »

Carpdaddy wrote:
graps wrote:Au contraire Tony, that would make wonderful knife handles.
The tines would be some very neat patch knifes.
Theirs at least six cool knife handles in that beast.
Where's my saw?
Careful Graps; that dude ain’t like me, he can shoot!
Haha.....thanks guys I just have been fortunate this year to have some opportunities. It could happen to anyone here. Dale your safe around me, obviously Tony hasn't seen me shoot targets before!! :lol:

Carpdaddy
Site Admin
Posts: 9469
Joined: Tue Dec 31, 2013 7:36 pm

Re: Illinois Hunting Weekend

#10 Post by Carpdaddy »

Oh yes I have Jose, targets like Deer and Turkey!

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