Ran my second annual end of year cull hunt back this year. This year looking for a deer I call "Siete Grande". Another deer that has slipped through the cracks for a couple years, he was a 7 that did not get seen much last year. This year he matched up to be an 8, but had the exact same horn configuration with both g2's sweeping way forward.
Last year:
This yr
Packed my truck for a couple of weeks, and headed out about lunch on Christmas day. Got down about 2:00, and unpacked and headed to the blind. About 4:40 he popped out, and walked straight to 20 yards. He fed for about 30 minutes, offering multiple shot opportunities.
I had him at <20 and didn't shoot. This will be our last yr on this place (landowner issues), and I didn't want it to be "over" yet… plus it was so easy I figured he'd be back.
Worked Thurs, and sat that evening. It was hot and I didn't see much. Cooked a steak and potatoes for dinner in the cast iron and it may be the best stake I've ever made
Friday was a repeat of Thursday, hot with little mature deer activity. I didn't shoot let one fly on a javelina at 70 yds, but I hit him in the foot and he ran off with my arrow.
Saturday morning he was on camera at 5:50, so I was hopeful he'd show up. Instead he went to a stand where I turned the feeder off and stood in the pen staring at the feeder for 25 minutes.
Saturday afternoon I headed to Refugio to a friends place for a few nights. We quail hunted with dogs Sunday morning, which was a first for me. It was an absolute blast. I fired one shot, and killed one bird. Sunday night we hunted hogs and drank… I was hurting Monday morning.
Got back to the lease Monday around 1, and took a nap. Got up at 3:30, and shot a little before heading to the stand.
It was 91 degrees, so I really wasn't expecting much movement, with what I did see coming late. Was doing the daily wordle, and looked up to see him at the feeder like 70 yds away.
He screwed around eating corn and then worked his way up to join the does eating the corn I had put 20-30.
He worked his way up to 25 and turned, and I drew on him. He turned back facing me, causing me to let down.
By this time I was nervous as ***** After a minute or so, he turned again and I drew. He was maybe 23 yds. While I was at full draw he pushed a doe about 10' to the left, putting him out of frame. When he stopped broadside I let it fly.
This is where it gets hairy…
I'm not sure if my fletching hit the window, or if he turned right as I released the arrow, but it hit him back. Like back back. Like right in front of the hindquarters. He took off, and ran about 70 yds and stopped. I grabbed my binos and looked, and became even more confused… the way my arrow was angled was like he was HEAVILY quartered away…. He was more or less broadside when I shot.
I sat there for a couple minutes trying to decide what to do… he was all hunched up with his head down, and was definitely hurting. I thought about sending one with my bow, but he was over 80 yards and I just ****ed up a chip shot so I wasn't super confident. I was also worried if I missed it would make him run a long way.
I eventually decided to see if I could sneak out of the blind and go get a gun. I figured I had to get out eventually, but was also aware that if I left him alone he'd probably lay down there. I made it about 5 yards from the stand and he looked at me and took off. ****.
I went and looked where he was standing and there were 2 piles of blood, but not much after. Decided to back out and call the dogs (again).
Robbie hurt showed up about 7, and we headed to the stand. I fully expected him to find the deer alive, and sure enough the dogs got into a foot race about 400 yards from us.
Robbie and I hopped in the truck to get closer, and when we got out of the truck the barking had stopped- Dead deer.
150 yds into the brush, there he lay… 750 yds from the shot.
Entrance is absolutely terrible, but the arrow made it to the off shoulder somehow.
Upon gutting I learned I had gotten one lung.
Super frustrated he wasn't in frame, because I still don't know what happened. I know where I was held and how he was standing, and both the entrance wound and angle of the arrow when I found him are conflicting to that. Oh well, important thing is I got him.
Taped out at 125" almost 21" inside with one G2 almost 11" and a broken G1. My widest deer to date.
Went out this evening to try and shoot a pig and a quail or 2. No pig, but ended up with a quail.
Currently sitting by the fire with a miller lite, watching the penn st game and waiting for coals to build for my tater.
Great close to 2024. Gonna miss this place!
Last year:
This yr
Packed my truck for a couple of weeks, and headed out about lunch on Christmas day. Got down about 2:00, and unpacked and headed to the blind. About 4:40 he popped out, and walked straight to 20 yards. He fed for about 30 minutes, offering multiple shot opportunities.
I had him at <20 and didn't shoot. This will be our last yr on this place (landowner issues), and I didn't want it to be "over" yet… plus it was so easy I figured he'd be back.
Worked Thurs, and sat that evening. It was hot and I didn't see much. Cooked a steak and potatoes for dinner in the cast iron and it may be the best stake I've ever made
Friday was a repeat of Thursday, hot with little mature deer activity. I didn't shoot let one fly on a javelina at 70 yds, but I hit him in the foot and he ran off with my arrow.
Saturday morning he was on camera at 5:50, so I was hopeful he'd show up. Instead he went to a stand where I turned the feeder off and stood in the pen staring at the feeder for 25 minutes.
Saturday afternoon I headed to Refugio to a friends place for a few nights. We quail hunted with dogs Sunday morning, which was a first for me. It was an absolute blast. I fired one shot, and killed one bird. Sunday night we hunted hogs and drank… I was hurting Monday morning.
Got back to the lease Monday around 1, and took a nap. Got up at 3:30, and shot a little before heading to the stand.
It was 91 degrees, so I really wasn't expecting much movement, with what I did see coming late. Was doing the daily wordle, and looked up to see him at the feeder like 70 yds away.
He screwed around eating corn and then worked his way up to join the does eating the corn I had put 20-30.
He worked his way up to 25 and turned, and I drew on him. He turned back facing me, causing me to let down.
By this time I was nervous as ***** After a minute or so, he turned again and I drew. He was maybe 23 yds. While I was at full draw he pushed a doe about 10' to the left, putting him out of frame. When he stopped broadside I let it fly.
This is where it gets hairy…
I'm not sure if my fletching hit the window, or if he turned right as I released the arrow, but it hit him back. Like back back. Like right in front of the hindquarters. He took off, and ran about 70 yds and stopped. I grabbed my binos and looked, and became even more confused… the way my arrow was angled was like he was HEAVILY quartered away…. He was more or less broadside when I shot.
I sat there for a couple minutes trying to decide what to do… he was all hunched up with his head down, and was definitely hurting. I thought about sending one with my bow, but he was over 80 yards and I just ****ed up a chip shot so I wasn't super confident. I was also worried if I missed it would make him run a long way.
I eventually decided to see if I could sneak out of the blind and go get a gun. I figured I had to get out eventually, but was also aware that if I left him alone he'd probably lay down there. I made it about 5 yards from the stand and he looked at me and took off. ****.
I went and looked where he was standing and there were 2 piles of blood, but not much after. Decided to back out and call the dogs (again).
Robbie hurt showed up about 7, and we headed to the stand. I fully expected him to find the deer alive, and sure enough the dogs got into a foot race about 400 yards from us.
Robbie and I hopped in the truck to get closer, and when we got out of the truck the barking had stopped- Dead deer.
150 yds into the brush, there he lay… 750 yds from the shot.
Entrance is absolutely terrible, but the arrow made it to the off shoulder somehow.
Upon gutting I learned I had gotten one lung.
Super frustrated he wasn't in frame, because I still don't know what happened. I know where I was held and how he was standing, and both the entrance wound and angle of the arrow when I found him are conflicting to that. Oh well, important thing is I got him.
Taped out at 125" almost 21" inside with one G2 almost 11" and a broken G1. My widest deer to date.
Went out this evening to try and shoot a pig and a quail or 2. No pig, but ended up with a quail.
Currently sitting by the fire with a miller lite, watching the penn st game and waiting for coals to build for my tater.
Great close to 2024. Gonna miss this place!
FJB
