Pudelpointer
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Lethbridge, Alberta
So I headed out early this morning, with the goal of making a half-assed effort to fill my 2 whitetail doe tags. The area I usually hunt does can get pretty crazy the first few days of the season (and every Saturday), so I figured today might be okay as it was the 7th day of the season (3rd day of the second four day season).
I hiked into a coulee just after legal light only to find a couple of fellow hunters on the far side glassing the bottom. So I hiked back out and went for a drive around. I often see deer heading into small draws and hidden spots in the stubble fields from certain viewpoints, and today was no exception. Unfortunately all the does I saw were with fawns, so I left them alone.
I decided to check on a little treed patch along a creek, and right beside a fairly busy road, where I have bumped deer while hunting pheasants with the dog. Sure enough, I jump a doe and fawn and they ran across the road. A few minutes earlier a real marksman had taken 5 shots, offhand of course, at what I assume was a running deer down along the creek. At least they came across the creek to look for blood. Next thing I know they are prone and firing 3 more shots across a field that I know is a minimum of 300 yards to where you can see deer escaping up a hill.
Meanwhile another hunter is working his way up a hill on the other side of the creek towards the road, and bumps a doe and fawn, which he does not see. While I am watching them make their way to safety (they were already safe from me) I see an okay 4x4 WT buck come across the road and run flat out along the fence across the field towards the hunter. I was not interested in the buck, not that he gave me a shot, but it was neat to see him run behind the hunter while he looked the other way, cut through the old farm yard by running down the driveway and make his escape without these 3 guys having any idea he was there until it was too late.
I took the dog out for pheasants and we manged one on a fairly long shot. We then headed to another spot where I managed to miss one rooster. On the way home I took a run past a field where I have caught WT's sleeping in the stubble before. Sure enough I spot 4 little heads about 800 yards away, barely visible from the road.
I made an extended walk to get into a position from which I could make a stalk. This year the field was canola stubble, god I hate canola. The last 150 yards or so I crawled on my belly to get into a position where I could shoot prone off the bipod. There were 10 does/fawns all together, so I picked out what appeared to be a yearling that was at the back of the group so I did not have to worry about fragments hitting any of the others. I ranged her at 170 yards, put a few clicks on the scope, held into the wind 6 inches (it was blowing like a bastard) and squeezed.
The rifle hopped and I heard a solid "pop" when the bullet hit her behind the eye. The rest of the deer were up in a second and soon running down wind. I put another click on the scope and adjusted position, and adjusted position again. Sure enough, not knowing where the shot had come from, a big doe with a fawn and a yearling in tow stopped to look around. 8" right, squeeze ..... "pop".
The second yearling was hit just above her eye. They each dropped on the spot, and after 30 seconds or so kicked a couple times, and that was it.
I forgot the camera today, but frankly, I doubt I would have taken many photos anyway. Doe #1 was missing most of her lower jaw, upper pallet and throat. Doe #2's head opened up like a melon, brain was mostly absent; her offside eye was hanging out a considerable length. Not pretty.
I gralloched (for my English friends) the deer and used my belt to drag the first one to the road. I went back with a length of rope and dragged out the second.
Well, now I just need to find a decent WT buck and it will be a pretty good season.
I hiked into a coulee just after legal light only to find a couple of fellow hunters on the far side glassing the bottom. So I hiked back out and went for a drive around. I often see deer heading into small draws and hidden spots in the stubble fields from certain viewpoints, and today was no exception. Unfortunately all the does I saw were with fawns, so I left them alone.
I decided to check on a little treed patch along a creek, and right beside a fairly busy road, where I have bumped deer while hunting pheasants with the dog. Sure enough, I jump a doe and fawn and they ran across the road. A few minutes earlier a real marksman had taken 5 shots, offhand of course, at what I assume was a running deer down along the creek. At least they came across the creek to look for blood. Next thing I know they are prone and firing 3 more shots across a field that I know is a minimum of 300 yards to where you can see deer escaping up a hill.
Meanwhile another hunter is working his way up a hill on the other side of the creek towards the road, and bumps a doe and fawn, which he does not see. While I am watching them make their way to safety (they were already safe from me) I see an okay 4x4 WT buck come across the road and run flat out along the fence across the field towards the hunter. I was not interested in the buck, not that he gave me a shot, but it was neat to see him run behind the hunter while he looked the other way, cut through the old farm yard by running down the driveway and make his escape without these 3 guys having any idea he was there until it was too late.
I took the dog out for pheasants and we manged one on a fairly long shot. We then headed to another spot where I managed to miss one rooster. On the way home I took a run past a field where I have caught WT's sleeping in the stubble before. Sure enough I spot 4 little heads about 800 yards away, barely visible from the road.
I made an extended walk to get into a position from which I could make a stalk. This year the field was canola stubble, god I hate canola. The last 150 yards or so I crawled on my belly to get into a position where I could shoot prone off the bipod. There were 10 does/fawns all together, so I picked out what appeared to be a yearling that was at the back of the group so I did not have to worry about fragments hitting any of the others. I ranged her at 170 yards, put a few clicks on the scope, held into the wind 6 inches (it was blowing like a bastard) and squeezed.
The rifle hopped and I heard a solid "pop" when the bullet hit her behind the eye. The rest of the deer were up in a second and soon running down wind. I put another click on the scope and adjusted position, and adjusted position again. Sure enough, not knowing where the shot had come from, a big doe with a fawn and a yearling in tow stopped to look around. 8" right, squeeze ..... "pop".
The second yearling was hit just above her eye. They each dropped on the spot, and after 30 seconds or so kicked a couple times, and that was it.
I forgot the camera today, but frankly, I doubt I would have taken many photos anyway. Doe #1 was missing most of her lower jaw, upper pallet and throat. Doe #2's head opened up like a melon, brain was mostly absent; her offside eye was hanging out a considerable length. Not pretty.
I gralloched (for my English friends) the deer and used my belt to drag the first one to the road. I went back with a length of rope and dragged out the second.
Well, now I just need to find a decent WT buck and it will be a pretty good season.
