G13 tags don’t last very long. Day 1 and done.
- Thread starter DanSanDiego
- Start date
Long day, but definitely worth it!
Got to my spot early and went to a rock pile I had marked on OnX. It is in the farthest corner of a popular public spot. I’ve been watching it this year and didn’t think anyone else was going in to this far, out of the way corner. But after sunrise I realized that someone must have hunted this exact spot on the opener - three cigarette butts were there and looked new (who smokes 3 miles in when a fire there would have been unstoppable?).
I stay for 3 hours but don’t see anything. Begin to hike along the base of this hill looking up at where I know there are deer trails. I stop between three close trees and decide it has one of the more open views in this treed hillside. Within 15 minutes a small doe comes in from my left (I think this is a fawn from this spring but it looks big for a fawn). I am letting it pass and another, bigger doe follows it. Then a third doe enters from the left and I know this is the one. I steady against one of the trees (I had a shooting stick but the leaning tree was better), aim, take the safety off, and click! I look down to make sure the safety is off and it is. Then I’m thinking, “what the heck!” All this time the does haven’t seen me and are walking and grazing. I chamber another round and can’t believe the doe don’t run but they keep doing what they are doing. The third doe is still in range and stops to graze a low branch. That’s when I pull the trigger and she only goes 30 yards before crashing into a brush pile.
The next 5 hours were gutting, skinning, quartering, and carrying out. Had to stop several times and lost my hat in the process.
Stopped at Cal Fire on the ride home for tag counter signature.
Got to my spot early and went to a rock pile I had marked on OnX. It is in the farthest corner of a popular public spot. I’ve been watching it this year and didn’t think anyone else was going in to this far, out of the way corner. But after sunrise I realized that someone must have hunted this exact spot on the opener - three cigarette butts were there and looked new (who smokes 3 miles in when a fire there would have been unstoppable?).
I stay for 3 hours but don’t see anything. Begin to hike along the base of this hill looking up at where I know there are deer trails. I stop between three close trees and decide it has one of the more open views in this treed hillside. Within 15 minutes a small doe comes in from my left (I think this is a fawn from this spring but it looks big for a fawn). I am letting it pass and another, bigger doe follows it. Then a third doe enters from the left and I know this is the one. I steady against one of the trees (I had a shooting stick but the leaning tree was better), aim, take the safety off, and click! I look down to make sure the safety is off and it is. Then I’m thinking, “what the heck!” All this time the does haven’t seen me and are walking and grazing. I chamber another round and can’t believe the doe don’t run but they keep doing what they are doing. The third doe is still in range and stops to graze a low branch. That’s when I pull the trigger and she only goes 30 yards before crashing into a brush pile.
The next 5 hours were gutting, skinning, quartering, and carrying out. Had to stop several times and lost my hat in the process.
Stopped at Cal Fire on the ride home for tag counter signature.
Attachments
Think I figured out why my first shot misfired. I carry my rifle with its sling over my left shoulder most of the time. I’ve noticed when I’m walking that the bolt handle bumps my side. So, I’m thinking that my bolt handle was slightly lifted and that caused the misfire. The bullet doesn’t show any signs of being hit, so I don’t think there was an issue with the firing pin or primer. In the future, always check that the bolt is fully down when taking the safety off to fire.
She must have been on her way home from church, because she is holey.
Dude...I'm going to church this Sunday.. confession...it's been a long 3 months...thank the Lord it's over..time for some down time..Texas..here I come!! By the way Dan..did I mention I like girl deer? Wish Ca would make shooting girl deer more accessible to the general public...all of the girl deer where I choreograph mammal murders at..will die of old age or lions or bears..man we have some old lady's out there that need to be dispatched...shame really... congrats on a fine piece of meat.
Sixteen days later, pictures of the spot I cleaned/butchered my doe.This may be an extreme example of nothing going to waste in nature. Absolutely nothing was left. Carcass dragged somewhere (probably up a tree), stomach and intestines taken/eaten, lower legs gone. Nothing left but the blood.
