2nd weekend - 3 nights nothing, then 3x3 at 15yds but he wouldn't come out from behind a bush...no shot.
3rd weekend. In my bush blind at 4PM on Fri. at 4:05 (clock isn't on DST) a nice forkie RUNS into far end of meadow to 60yds and stops. He ran by my camera see photo below.
Thought it was weird he was running (maybe a bigger buck chasing him off?). He keeps looking back but 60 is to far for me. After a few minutes he runs straight at me and stops behind a bush 30yds away, still looking back. He steps out, I draw, center the pin for an easy heart shot, pull the release just as he bolts (THWACK - Hit). I know it's back but he arched nice so I've got my fingers crossed lungs. I reach down to grab my quiver and look up and what do I see?
Yep, a big kitty running trotting after him. Now for the first "What do you do"? It's gonna be DARK in less than an hour. Well, I go check for arrow and blood to help determine next move. Can't find an arrow. 4:30 and I figure I'll walk where he ran and look for blood. At 30yds I find one tall blade of grass with a drop on it. Hmm, he's not bleeding much. Go about 100yds and find a second drop of blood on the ground. Now going on 5PM and twilight. Push another 50yds with headlamp now and find a clot about the size of a silver dollar, with two drops 10yds past that. I drop my pack at the pool, my bow at the drops and push on. Headlamp is getting weak, so I get on my hands and knees for about 10 seconds before I realize DON'T DO THAT YOU IDIOT, there's a big CAT out there!! Change batteries in head lamp. Now what do you do, push on or go back to the tent and resume in the AM? I pushed for about an hour in concentric arcs for about 50yds from last blood for an hour. At 8ish, NO MORE BLOOD and I got SMART and went back to the tent.
Next AM, up and at the last blood by sunrise. Didn't find any more blood till 8:30 or 9. It was 200yds from the clot and looked like a similar clot but slightly bigger (about as big around as a racquet ball). Interesting because it looked like he bedded there and was spooked because there were deep hoof marks like he bolted/was startled. Looked for 3 more hours and no more blood. Either the Lion spooked him Friday night, or I did Saturday morning. Now what do you do? I felt sick but it sure looked like it was a non fatal wound. I went back to hunt mode, not feeling really "into it" and didn't see anything for the next 3 days.
Tuesday I get home and download my latest round of camera pictures. 3 items of note. First good news. I think this is the same buck (see the spot, maybe bloodstain)? Maybe wishful thinking but in the series he lifts his left rear leg weird. Also, the left side rack looks slightly smaller than the right, just like the one I shot at.
2nd and 3rd points of note: If two hunters pass in the night but don't see each other, is that something to worry about? Guess two hours isn't such a close encounter, right???
3rd weekend. In my bush blind at 4PM on Fri. at 4:05 (clock isn't on DST) a nice forkie RUNS into far end of meadow to 60yds and stops. He ran by my camera see photo below.
Thought it was weird he was running (maybe a bigger buck chasing him off?). He keeps looking back but 60 is to far for me. After a few minutes he runs straight at me and stops behind a bush 30yds away, still looking back. He steps out, I draw, center the pin for an easy heart shot, pull the release just as he bolts (THWACK - Hit). I know it's back but he arched nice so I've got my fingers crossed lungs. I reach down to grab my quiver and look up and what do I see?
Yep, a big kitty running trotting after him. Now for the first "What do you do"? It's gonna be DARK in less than an hour. Well, I go check for arrow and blood to help determine next move. Can't find an arrow. 4:30 and I figure I'll walk where he ran and look for blood. At 30yds I find one tall blade of grass with a drop on it. Hmm, he's not bleeding much. Go about 100yds and find a second drop of blood on the ground. Now going on 5PM and twilight. Push another 50yds with headlamp now and find a clot about the size of a silver dollar, with two drops 10yds past that. I drop my pack at the pool, my bow at the drops and push on. Headlamp is getting weak, so I get on my hands and knees for about 10 seconds before I realize DON'T DO THAT YOU IDIOT, there's a big CAT out there!! Change batteries in head lamp. Now what do you do, push on or go back to the tent and resume in the AM? I pushed for about an hour in concentric arcs for about 50yds from last blood for an hour. At 8ish, NO MORE BLOOD and I got SMART and went back to the tent.
Next AM, up and at the last blood by sunrise. Didn't find any more blood till 8:30 or 9. It was 200yds from the clot and looked like a similar clot but slightly bigger (about as big around as a racquet ball). Interesting because it looked like he bedded there and was spooked because there were deep hoof marks like he bolted/was startled. Looked for 3 more hours and no more blood. Either the Lion spooked him Friday night, or I did Saturday morning. Now what do you do? I felt sick but it sure looked like it was a non fatal wound. I went back to hunt mode, not feeling really "into it" and didn't see anything for the next 3 days.
Tuesday I get home and download my latest round of camera pictures. 3 items of note. First good news. I think this is the same buck (see the spot, maybe bloodstain)? Maybe wishful thinking but in the series he lifts his left rear leg weird. Also, the left side rack looks slightly smaller than the right, just like the one I shot at.
2nd and 3rd points of note: If two hunters pass in the night but don't see each other, is that something to worry about? Guess two hours isn't such a close encounter, right???
