last light missed opportunity

safehunter

safehunter

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South Western Onterrible
I was deer hunting in some foul weather on some farm fields (yellow squares) by a swamp (blue circle). Winds about 40km/hr (arrow showing wind direction), snowing pretty heavy.
I was hunkered down in a chair, at the red X at the end of a deer trail. 5 minutes left of legal light I spotted 4 deer, at the green X, about the beginning of the trail. At about 100 meters, it was too far for a bow. One of the does was staring at me pretty intensely.

deer%20fields.gif


I figured I had 3 options:
1) do nothing, sit quiet and hope they move up the trail
2) move down the trail towards them, through brush - probably make a ton of noise and spook them
3) skirt the edge of the fields moving low. Given I had 5 minutes to cover about 500 meters, I probably would have spooked them moving too fast.

So I did nothing and hoped. They didn't move, I ran out of time, packed up and left.

I can't help but replay the whole scene for the past few days trying to think what I could have done differently.
 
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With 5 minutes left? Not much but take the chance to get close enough for the shot then hope in those weather conditions and that low of light that the shot is good. Personally I am not a fan of evening hunts though I know at times we are limited in our chances to get out plus evening is prime time for alot of game but I hate trying to find downed game in the dark. it's much easier as it gets lighter out than darker out. I think you played your best option.
 
Haha...been there on the replay thing. That's how you learn though right? I watched a deer yesterday from my stand on an adjacent property. With the wind in my favor I was actually able to get out of my stand and walk to the fence line to take a picture with the deer not spooked. I walked out at last light with just a glance from her as I passed about 75 yard away.




 
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When in doubt , it is best not to shoot . With only five minutes of light left , it would be next to impossiable to track a wounded deer in the dark if you happen to have a no-kill shot. The professional hunter does not take " HALE MARY " shots , and hope for the best.......you are a professional hunter , and did the " RIGHT THING " by not taking a wild shot in poor weather conditions , and so close to dark........
 
Can always try a call or some rattling - I have been in the same situation and started some aggressive grunting to varying degrees of success - from the deer not moving to the deer running away to the deer charging in to see what was going on - he is on my wall - and what the he!! there if there's only 5 min of legal light left ........
 
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