I was supposed to go to a buddies house today to do some plumbing on it so I figured I'd try a little hunting before I got there since it in the area. I haven't had a chance to do any hunting lately and never did any scouting this year. I go to a spot where I kept blowing stalks on bucks last year but didn't see a single animal so I walked to another ridge where I tagged out on a doe, still not one animal. I decide to walk further down the ridge and notice a deer. It knew something wasn't right but wasn't sure what it was and slowly walked off. I tried to get into position to maybe take a shot but when I finally saw them they were 112yrds from me. Turns out there were two deer, one was a spike and the other my forky. They still couldn't see me and just walked over the ridge. I make my way down the canyon then back over the ridge I last saw them but this time they were @130yrds walking away over the next ridge. I kept thinking that it was getting late and I shouldn't push them but they hardly noticed I was there so I pressed on and kept chasing. I get over the next ridge and see them above me @85yrds so I drew back and stepped out from behind the brush I was at but didn't take the shot and they walked over the next ridge again. Being that they still didn't seem too bothere by me I kept after them. I pop over the next ridge and I have a doe staring at me @35yrds. I could see the forky behind the brush so I back out and walk up the ridge 10 more yards then pop back up to have the spike starring at me @20yrds. I thought for sure I was busted but he just stared at me confused. I can still see the forky moving behind the brush and I thought he was going to come out so I pulled back but he turned around walked back. The doe and pike are still starring at me then the spike starts walking to the forky. I'm still drawn back but pointed towards the ground so my arm can rest some then the spike starts walking back towards me and the forky follows him, the forky stops @30yrds so I pull up and release. I can hear the arrow go right through him and all 3 deer dart off but the forky isn't moving very fast, he runs up the hill into some other brush and the other two walk off, I'm thinking he's done. I retrieve my arrow and started to walk to the forky and as I get close to him he jumps up and runs down hill as best he can, at this point I realize that I shot a little far back. I tracked him for some time with very little blood but I had his tracks to follow. It took me awhile and I got really discouraged thinking I want going to find him so I text my brother and a buddy to maybe come help me. They were at least an hour out so I just kept looking and then jumped him once more from 10ft away as I was jumping over a ravine. At this point I think I need to try and circle past him and get below him so he doesn't jump and run down hill anymore. As I'm circling I ended up walking up right next to him and found him still breathing so I put an arrow in his neck.
Now that I found him and my brother/buddy wasn't there yet I figured it quarter him up and start making my way back up the mountain, that's when I realized how far I had been following them. This was the hardest/furthest I'd ever packed an animal out. My brother got me on the phone but wasn't sure what ridge I was on so I never met up with them till I was about 700yrds from the truck, turned out to be 3-1/2 miles from where I shot the deer but up/down about 5 ridges/canyons in steep thick terrain. I was tired and out of water when the met me so my buddy gave me some water, took my loaded down pack and gave me his empty pack. My buddy is new to hunting and has only been out coyote hunting with me a few times. As we are walking back to the truck he is leading, sees a deer bust us and yells hey look there's a deer!! That's a nice size one! To our surprise it didn't go far so my brother(who also has a tag) grabs my bow/release, walks down the mountain about 40yrds to find a doe feeding 45yrds from him and takes the shot. My buddy and I hear it hit and the doe run up the hill the expires within 40yrds so now we have another deer to quarter up and split between us. This one ended up being about 500yrds from the truck but it still took forever trying to make the climb to the truck. I shot mine @9:30am and we made it back to the truck @3:30pm dead tired and hungry. I've shot a handful of deer with my bow but this is my first buck with one. I'm super stoked but telling myself I'll never shoot a deer that far down a canyon again. :
Never did get a picture of my brothers doe, my phone was dead and I think we were to tired to realize we forgot anyways.
Now that I found him and my brother/buddy wasn't there yet I figured it quarter him up and start making my way back up the mountain, that's when I realized how far I had been following them. This was the hardest/furthest I'd ever packed an animal out. My brother got me on the phone but wasn't sure what ridge I was on so I never met up with them till I was about 700yrds from the truck, turned out to be 3-1/2 miles from where I shot the deer but up/down about 5 ridges/canyons in steep thick terrain. I was tired and out of water when the met me so my buddy gave me some water, took my loaded down pack and gave me his empty pack. My buddy is new to hunting and has only been out coyote hunting with me a few times. As we are walking back to the truck he is leading, sees a deer bust us and yells hey look there's a deer!! That's a nice size one! To our surprise it didn't go far so my brother(who also has a tag) grabs my bow/release, walks down the mountain about 40yrds to find a doe feeding 45yrds from him and takes the shot. My buddy and I hear it hit and the doe run up the hill the expires within 40yrds so now we have another deer to quarter up and split between us. This one ended up being about 500yrds from the truck but it still took forever trying to make the climb to the truck. I shot mine @9:30am and we made it back to the truck @3:30pm dead tired and hungry. I've shot a handful of deer with my bow but this is my first buck with one. I'm super stoked but telling myself I'll never shoot a deer that far down a canyon again. :
Never did get a picture of my brothers doe, my phone was dead and I think we were to tired to realize we forgot anyways.
