# My Mid Week Hunt



## Al33 (Nov 16, 2012)

The bucks had been putting down their signs hot and heavy last week so I was really looking forward to another trip back to the club. Despite the strong winds Tuesday I headed up not so much to actually hunt but to get things ready for a hunt Wednesday morning. I did hunt Tuesday but not for long as the winds were howling.  Wednesday morning arrived and the strong winds had died as I climbed into my stand a bit later than I had hoped to. Just as I grabbed my bow to remove the pull-up string I heard then saw a doe run up then stop underneath my stand on the back side of my tree. I managed to get an arrow on the shelf but was not able to get a shot off before she got out of range. I turned around to face outward and saw two more take off at about 35 yards apparently having seen me move. A minute later and another doe came by but out of range. I had only been in the stand 4 minutes and had seen 4 deer which equaled what I had seen all season. Before the morning turned into Noon I saw 11 deer and on two other occasions heard them running the ridge behind me but never got a glimpse of them. I heard a lot of chasing and three times I heard grunting. Three of the eleven were confirmed bucks, a spike, a 4 or 5 pointer, and another large racked deer I couldn’t get a point count on. The spike came by walking broadside at 25 yards and I skipped an arrow off of his back. He was being followed by the 4 or 5 pointer and I shot at him at about 29 yards but he was gone before the arrow got there.  It was a memorable hunt to say the least and had I known the activity was going to be so hot I would have packed a lunch and plenty of water. I hunted the stand again that afternoon and saw two but no shots.
Thursday morning I was back in the same Big White Oak stand but wishing I had a stand 40 yards back up the ridge where I saw most of the deer crossing. Not long after I was settled in I heard one blowing downwind of me about 100 yards. Seven different times I heard deer blowing and all but two of those times were downwind of me. The breezes became wishy-washy and my confidence was not what it was when I climbed up. The tree-rats were very busy all morning in the draw behind me and I pretty much ignored their noises but at 9:45 I heard that tale-tale but distinct sound of a deer walking behind me and was certain of it. I slowly stood up hoping I wouldn’t get busted, turned to look behind me and saw a doe not more than 8 yards from the base of my tree. She worked her way up the ridge to my right side angling away as she progressed. She stopped at 10 to 12 yards quartering away but there was a lot of small limbs I would have to clear to make a shot. Concerned she would wind me in the unpredictable breezes I opted to try and thread the needle so to speak with an arrow through a pie plate size hole that revealed the kill zone. I heard the WHACK then a quick bawl as she bolted and fled back through the draw and towards a creek bottom a few hundred yards away. I watched her for about 75 yards and I could tell she was hurt bad. As she went out of sight I cupped my ear trying to hear a fall but none came. I did not see the arrow hit and wasn’t certain of the shot so I gave her until 11:00 before starting my search. While waiting I had another large doe come prancing by at 25 yards just as the two smaller bucks had done but never even got the string tight for a shot at her. 
The first three of the following pic's are views of the shot from the stand with the circle being the area i had to shoot through. The remainder are of what I found on the ground as I followed the blood trail. I even found a good rub I had not seen before about 75 yards from the stand.


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## Al33 (Nov 16, 2012)

The blood trail led towards and down a step ridge where I began finding evidence of where she had stumbled. I had just taken the second pic of this sequence showing where it appeared she had struggled to stay up and took two steps then saw her about 15 yards away.

As I followed the blood trail I had wondered about the fletch end of the 2114 that Timberghost had made up for me, Amazingly it was still in her and only the nock was keeping it from falling out.

The Simmons TreeShark had done a number on her and I am still amazed she managed to go 200 yards with holes like that.


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## pine nut (Nov 16, 2012)

Did ja find her?  Sounds like a great day!


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## pine nut (Nov 16, 2012)

Guess I was a bit impatient, Al!   Great job!


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## littlewolf (Nov 16, 2012)

Nice shot!


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## Al33 (Nov 16, 2012)

Did the self portrait thing and after a long hard climb back up the ridge I went back to the cabin where I retrieved my large back pack compliments of lorren68. Returning I then got down to business doing the Warren Wommack method of field quartering that Chris Spikes recently performed in one of his videos. Worked great!!!


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## deepfryit (Nov 16, 2012)

just amazing how them jokers will run any distance let alone that far with such destuction...if that was us we would just ball up and die  lol...awsome story and pics friend


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## jerry russell (Nov 16, 2012)

Man that is a big hole in that deer. Amazing that she could go that far. Great work Al. I always love your stories.


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## robert carter (Nov 16, 2012)

Outstanding Mr. Al. Womacking them beats the heck out of that up hill drag.RC


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## SELFBOW (Nov 16, 2012)

Congrats Al!


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## whossbows (Nov 16, 2012)

Way to go al


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## Skunkhound (Nov 16, 2012)

You really write a great story Al. Great shot too.


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## longbowdave1 (Nov 16, 2012)

Real happy for you Al! Man, that shark punched some good holes in her!


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## sawtooth (Nov 16, 2012)

Awesome AL! nicely done, I'm proud for you.


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## BkBigkid (Nov 16, 2012)

Great Deal AL, 
Way to go,


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## Robert Warnock (Nov 16, 2012)

Great hunt, great story WTG


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## Woodsong (Nov 16, 2012)

Congrats Al- sounds like you saw in one day more deer than I may have seen in my entire hunting career!  haha.  Congrats on a successful hunt and a good time in the woods.


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## dm/wolfskin (Nov 16, 2012)

Great going there Al. That was a big old hole in her. Congrats. mIKe


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## Clipper (Nov 16, 2012)

Great hunt and a great story.  Sounds like deer were really moving good for you on wednesday.  I'm glad you got your deer.  You made a great shot through the hole in those limbs.  That takes real confidence in your ability.


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## chenryiv (Nov 17, 2012)

Way to get it done Al. Congrats


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## Apex Predator (Nov 17, 2012)

Great job buddy!


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## Dennis (Nov 17, 2012)

Good job my friend


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## hogdgz (Nov 17, 2012)

Congratulations Al. That's a big hole. That's the way to get it done


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## charlie 2 arrow (Nov 17, 2012)

congrats Al! them critters got a lot of life in em dont they?


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## ngabowhunter (Nov 17, 2012)

Way to go AL!! Sounds and looks like you had a great hunt. Thanks for sharing it with us.


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## Stump Shooter (Nov 17, 2012)

Good Job Al! I'm kinda liking the hole them sharks eat into a deer, may justs have to try one in the near future!


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## Blueridge (Nov 17, 2012)

Good shot Al. Congrats


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## rapid fire (Nov 17, 2012)

WooooHoooo.  Good job brother Al.  Man what a hole.


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## Al33 (Nov 17, 2012)

Thanks all!!! RC, I expect I will do more of the Womacking quartering if for no other reason than the practice. Of course that all depends on me killing another deer. I had tried it once before but had problems with cutting through the leg joints. Once I saw Chris explain it in his video it went well but certainly not as fast as he did it in the video 'cause I was afraid I was gonna cut a finger off .

I am flat out sold on the Simmons heads and especially the TreeShark. RC sent me to try on turkeys a few years back and it worked great on a large tom. I think a lot of folks suspect they are too difficult to sharpen and shy away from them but a simple small file will do the trick and a little honing will put a razor edge on them. Just takes a little practice is all.


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## OconeeDan (Nov 17, 2012)

Good job Al!  It was a good shot, can't believe how hard they run dead on their feet!


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## ChrisSpikes (Nov 17, 2012)

Awesome deal Al!  I have no idea how you got that big head through that little hole in the limbs, but one thing's for certain...you can't kill em if you don't shoot at em!


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## Al33 (Nov 17, 2012)

ChrisSpikes said:


> Awesome deal Al!  I have no idea how you got that big head through that little hole in the limbs, but one thing's for certain...you can't kill em if you don't shoot at em!



No doubt it was a risky shot Chris, but after exactly two months of not getting a shot and with the winds what they were I was compelled to try it. Actually, the pic's make it look more difficult than it looked when I took the shot. I DID have a pretty good hole to shoot through.

Thanks again for the great video on field quartering, it helped me a bunch!!!


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## dutchman (Nov 18, 2012)

Good deal, Al. Congratulations.


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## 2wheelfoster (Nov 19, 2012)

Great Job Al!


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## GrayG (Nov 19, 2012)

Good shot! Congratulations!


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## TNGIRL (Nov 19, 2012)

WOW Great shot and find!!!!!  
And nobody to even tell you which way she was looking!!!!   haha!!! (love you Al!!!  )


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## belle&bows (Nov 19, 2012)

Way to go, Al. Congratulations!


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## Jayin J (Nov 19, 2012)

Great SHootin buddy!!!!


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## Jake Allen (Nov 19, 2012)

Good job Al; great shot!

I am proud for you!


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## Al33 (Nov 19, 2012)

TNGIRL said:


> WOW
> And nobody to even tell you which way she was looking!!!!   haha!!!



Only 'cause I ain't never seen a deer walk backerds.


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## fredw (Nov 19, 2012)

Al, nicely done!  Congratulations.


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## TIMBERGHOST (Nov 20, 2012)

Outstanding!  

Reckon you are starting to run low on 2114s... They are a great shaft and very versatile (fly well off many draw weight bows)  but they are a tad fragile.  I'll keep shooting them as long as Easton makes them though.


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