- Location
- The Conservative part of Ontario
My one and only deer so far this year went down something like this.
It was a very cold morning, and had snowed overnight. I headed out with the knowledge that any plan on my sitting all morning was doomed to failure. Too damned cold. So i planned to sit for an hour, then walk for a bit, and sit for another hour.
Forward to 10:00am. I'm at the spot I was aiming to get to. a 50 foot cliff overlooking two beaver dams, about a half mile from my vehicle.
I've been there for an hour, but it has warmed a bit. Never the less, my bladder is complaining, and I stand for relief. Completing that task, with my back to the stiff breeze, I turn to see a doe clearly outlined against the snow, across the beaver dams on the next bump of the ridge.
It was one of those 'oh f--ck' moments, because I knew that the drag out would be epic.
Anyway, I took the shot, or rather I squeezed the trigger.... click.
Waiting a few moments, I ejected the cartridge. The deer was gone, so I peered at the primer. Not much of a dent, Damn, I didn't get all the water out after moose camp rainy season.
But then the deer reappeared, and I tried again, this time with a bang.
But a branch drifted down from the trees, and the doe bounded away tail down. Followed by an unseen fawn, and a fairly decent buck from what I could make out over the rocks below.
Grumbling to myself, I made my way slipping and sliding down the ridge, and across the two beaver dams to where the doe had been standing.
There were her tracks, so while waiting a bit, I dug out my GPS and checked. 314 feet. Should have been an easy hit, but no blood.
I followed and found where she had kicked in the after burners. No blood.
I followed further, she bagan to walk. Hmmm I guess it didn't scare her much, she only ran three bounds. Another 50 feet, and a spot where she stumbled, still no blood.
This is weird!
A few feet more and I see here laying head up, looking the other way. I ended her quickly with a head shot.
Analysis:
Shot hit too far back, clipped the diaphragm, blew a few small organs to bits, and then exploded the paunch.
Messiest deer I ever gutted. OMG mess.
Both entry and exit were plugged with fat. Although she was broadside at the shot, it still hit too far back, and the bullet went on a tangent inside, exiting behind the entry, not across from it. I blame the branch for that.
The entrance, and exit were more of a slice than a round hole.
The drag:
12:30 I was still dragging that deer, along the far side of the beaver pond, in hopes that the guys would soon be along to help. They were, and the last hundred yards were easier with three on the ropes. Up the cliff was using my Jeep, and a collection of ropes and straps.
Length of drag .54 miles. Uphill 200feet. Through a recently selective logged area, nice whippy beeches, tree tops and raspberry cane, punctuated with spears left by the beaver for the unwary to fall on.
Deer were scarce in our area this year, and when I left, I was holding the top of the list in the local buck and doe draw, with one day to go. The doe only weighed 117.5lbs.
Rifle: scoped 88 Winchester, cartridge: 308W, Bullet: 165 Hornady Interlock
It was a very cold morning, and had snowed overnight. I headed out with the knowledge that any plan on my sitting all morning was doomed to failure. Too damned cold. So i planned to sit for an hour, then walk for a bit, and sit for another hour.
Forward to 10:00am. I'm at the spot I was aiming to get to. a 50 foot cliff overlooking two beaver dams, about a half mile from my vehicle.
I've been there for an hour, but it has warmed a bit. Never the less, my bladder is complaining, and I stand for relief. Completing that task, with my back to the stiff breeze, I turn to see a doe clearly outlined against the snow, across the beaver dams on the next bump of the ridge.
It was one of those 'oh f--ck' moments, because I knew that the drag out would be epic.
Anyway, I took the shot, or rather I squeezed the trigger.... click.
Waiting a few moments, I ejected the cartridge. The deer was gone, so I peered at the primer. Not much of a dent, Damn, I didn't get all the water out after moose camp rainy season.
But then the deer reappeared, and I tried again, this time with a bang.
But a branch drifted down from the trees, and the doe bounded away tail down. Followed by an unseen fawn, and a fairly decent buck from what I could make out over the rocks below.
Grumbling to myself, I made my way slipping and sliding down the ridge, and across the two beaver dams to where the doe had been standing.
There were her tracks, so while waiting a bit, I dug out my GPS and checked. 314 feet. Should have been an easy hit, but no blood.
I followed and found where she had kicked in the after burners. No blood.
I followed further, she bagan to walk. Hmmm I guess it didn't scare her much, she only ran three bounds. Another 50 feet, and a spot where she stumbled, still no blood.
This is weird!
A few feet more and I see here laying head up, looking the other way. I ended her quickly with a head shot.
Analysis:
Shot hit too far back, clipped the diaphragm, blew a few small organs to bits, and then exploded the paunch.
Messiest deer I ever gutted. OMG mess.
Both entry and exit were plugged with fat. Although she was broadside at the shot, it still hit too far back, and the bullet went on a tangent inside, exiting behind the entry, not across from it. I blame the branch for that.
The entrance, and exit were more of a slice than a round hole.
The drag:
12:30 I was still dragging that deer, along the far side of the beaver pond, in hopes that the guys would soon be along to help. They were, and the last hundred yards were easier with three on the ropes. Up the cliff was using my Jeep, and a collection of ropes and straps.
Length of drag .54 miles. Uphill 200feet. Through a recently selective logged area, nice whippy beeches, tree tops and raspberry cane, punctuated with spears left by the beaver for the unwary to fall on.
Deer were scarce in our area this year, and when I left, I was holding the top of the list in the local buck and doe draw, with one day to go. The doe only weighed 117.5lbs.
Rifle: scoped 88 Winchester, cartridge: 308W, Bullet: 165 Hornady Interlock
