|
Jesse's Hunting > Hunting Articles > Articles > Second Effort Pays Off on D-5 Buck
Second Effort Pays Off on D-5 Buck
Kirk Edgerton - JHO ProStaff
- Sacramento, CA
March 07, 2007
Peering thru the binoculars, it sure looked like a buck to me, but with the deer over a mile away and my spotting scope sitting in the closet at home, I could only sit and hope antlers would soon materialize.
I yelled over to my partner, Rick (Zimm) Zimmerman that I had a deer spotted, and he joined me to glass. Thus began our lengthy, “is it a buck or doe,” discussion.
I swore to Zimm that I saw antlers when the deer raised his head. When he confirmed, I said, “He’s yours.”
Looking back at me, he replied, “You spotted’em, now go kill’em.”
With those words, I was off.
The odds of getting this buck were pretty much slim to none. He was over a mile away and across a large flat canyon, halfway up the ridge on the other side. To get on this buck, I would have to run thru the bottom, climb the far ridge line, and circle in from above. With the August sun now up and the warm rays hitting the deer, I knew he’d soon be off to bed, I needed to hurry!
Out of breath and soaked in sweat, I glassed the buck one more time and was finally able to get a good look at his three-point frame. From this spot, I needed to move up a small drainage hidden from his view. Marking the buck’s location at the base of a large oak and near a poison oak thicket, I dropped my pack and began the climb.
As I reached the crest of the hill, I knew the deer was close. Nocking an arrow, I headed west, above the deer. The landmarks looked completely different, except the top of the lone, oak tree. Glassing back to Zimm on the far rim, I could see him motion me to the right and down. I crept forward slowly, taking one step, and then glassing for movement.
Just rewards
Despite a presumed miss and scant blood trail, the author persevered to find this nice buck in the D-5 zone. |
Peering into a small patch of poison oak 50 yards away and down hill, I saw the tops begin to move. Raising the binos, I could see the velvety antlers of the buck as he picked poison oaks leaves from the top of the bushes, chewing them slowly. Creeping forward a few more steps and ranging the distance once more, I knew he was in range, but he wasn’t presenting a solid shot or angle.
I’m still not sure if the buck knew I was there or was simply heading to his bed, but he began to move and as he did, I slowly came to full draw. Stopping in the one shooting lane I had, the buck peered to his right, almost looking directly at me, so when my 40 yard pin found his spine, I saw my arrow leave the bow and head his way.
It seemed like minutes for the arrow to get to the buck and as it did, I saw it sail cleanly over his back. An opportunity to harvest my first California buck was there and gone in an instant, I was devastated!
Calling Zimm on the radio, he was positive the arrow hit the buck, and told me that once the buck began to run, it entered a small stand of pines and never came out the back side. My assumption was that the buck was merely spooked, stopping in thick cover to check his back trail.
With all missed opportunities and lost arrows, you still look for blood hoping your eyes either fooled you or the arrow you thought you saw miss, was the arrow after it exited. As enthusiasm turned to regret with no sight of blood, I began to give up all hopes. Trying to cheer myself up, I looked down again, only this time I saw a small drop of blood amidst the oak leaves.
Zimm was now on his way over to help blood trail, but the only trail I could find were the turned over leaves from the running deer. I scanned the ground for blood and the trail up ahead for a downed animal. After 30 yards of dry-trailing, the buck began to open up and the apparent signs of a lung hit were abundant. Just ahead and under the limb of a fallen pine, was the buck I thought I had missed.
It was opening morning, I was hunting with two good friends, and I had just harvested my first California buck. This season was off to a great start…a start that might not have been as good if I hadn't taken one more look for blood sign and persevered on a sparse trail.
|
