Call it lazy or maybe just smarter, but the older I get the more I analyze difficulty of the retrieval before taking a shot.
@Master Carper - tell the young lady congrats! Nice doe!
Thank you!
@Okie4570 looks like a carolina wren. They spend a lot of time in brush piles and are super curious.
With the weather finally cooling off, the doe herd has increased significantly as family groups start to mingle. Christmas night was the first time 4 groups all showed up to the backyard plot. They got a pass as i was more interested in time with the kids inside.
Last night, i wrapped up work and sat on the porch around 515. By 520 the yard deer showed up (1 doe 2 yearlings). Next was the doe and 2 yearlings from the west. They're also regulars, so not on my list. Next was the group of 2 does and 3 yearlings from the east. They just started coming in the past few days and were targets. I waited for one mature doe from the east group to clear the others then surprised my wife and kids with a trigger squeeze (to be fair, i warned them before i went outside). First deer from the backyard and shortest drag I've ever had; 10' so i didn't have to drive the tractor into the plot
She had a ton of fat on her.
With the weather finally cooling off, the doe herd has increased significantly as family groups start to mingle. Christmas night was the first time 4 groups all showed up to the backyard plot. They got a pass as i was more interested in time with the kids inside.
Last night, i wrapped up work and sat on the porch around 515. By 520 the yard deer showed up (1 doe 2 yearlings). Next was the doe and 2 yearlings from the west. They're also regulars, so not on my list. Next was the group of 2 does and 3 yearlings from the east. They just started coming in the past few days and were targets. I waited for one mature doe from the east group to clear the others then surprised my wife and kids with a trigger squeeze (to be fair, i warned them before i went outside). First deer from the backyard and shortest drag I've ever had; 10' so i didn't have to drive the tractor into the plot
She had a ton of fat on her.
Congrats @Master Carper and @makeithappen. I like both of the stories too, super cool.
@makeithappen
The only thing wrong with that is you shot her in the evening. That’s rule number one for my place…”we don’t shoot does in the evening”. I hate trailing and cleaning deer in the dark and especially dark AND cold, and unless it’s a B&C quality buck, there’s no way I’m shooting a deer in the rain either. Heck, unless I have a big buck on camera, there’s not much chance of me even getting into a stand if there’s rain in the forecast.
Oh well, you do you, Boo Boo.
Congrats on the yard nanny!!!
The only thing wrong with that is you shot her in the evening. That’s rule number one for my place…”we don’t shoot does in the evening”. I hate trailing and cleaning deer in the dark and especially dark AND cold, and unless it’s a B&C quality buck, there’s no way I’m shooting a deer in the rain either. Heck, unless I have a big buck on camera, there’s not much chance of me even getting into a stand if there’s rain in the forecast.
Oh well, you do you, Boo Boo.
Congrats on the yard nanny!!!
Yeah, i broke my own rule on it too but.... the non-resident does only come in during the evening, so they forced my hand. I made sure there was no tracking needed due to shot placement and had her in the cooler with the carcass buried by 8pm. Not terrible.@makeithappen
The only thing wrong with that is you shot her in the evening. That’s rule number one for my place…”we don’t shoot does in the evening”. I hate trailing and cleaning deer in the dark and especially dark AND cold, and unless it’s a B&C quality buck, there’s no way I’m shooting a deer in the rain either. Heck, unless I have a big buck on camera, there’s not much chance of me even getting into a stand if there’s rain in the forecast.
Oh well, you do you, Boo Boo.
Congrats on the yard nanny!!!
If I can’t drive up to it with the ATV or truck, the deer lives to see another day.Call it lazy or maybe just smarter, but the older I get the more I analyze difficulty of the retrieval before taking a shot.
When asked why the old man let the buck walk off the next ridge over, he replied "If I shoot him way over there, I have to walk way over there. Then I have to drag him way back over here. I'll wait for a closer one. "
My dad has a mantra he lives by every deer season. "Hunters in the know, drop them by the road."
