8 Pt in Pike, NY

[FX]

With a hectic Fall schedule and this past weekend possibly being my last opportunity to bowhunt this season, I took the afternoon off on Friday with hopes that the cooler temps would kick the rut into gear. Halloween weekend has historically been prime "chase phase" time where we hunt. After a rough week at work I couldn't wait to get down to camp. After turning onto the dirt road to camp, I see the corn has been picked leaving a lot of excess for the deer . Looking across the way I could see a large bodied deer about 800 yds away up in a pasture. It was big enough to stop the truck and get the spotting scope out for a "closer" look. Yep - a hammer of a buck zig zagging across the field acting like a beagle on a fresh rabbit trail . The weekend was lookin good . After gettin camp set up, flinging a few arrows, and three buddies arriving, we made plans for the night hunt. The wind was right for the "South Hedgrow " stand. Saw 17 deer with 3 different bucks, 2 were 1-1/2 yr oods and one looked to be 2-1/2 and NONE were interested in the many doe that were around and I decided to pass on the two that presented a shot . Back at camp we swapped stories and tallied 33 deer sightings with 7 immature bucks and one mature buck walking past 3 doe without interest. We still felt that the bigger bucks we'd seen around would be "chasing" any time now. Sat. morning there wasn't much of a breeze, so one of the guys checked his "smart phone" for the wind direction and says N/W all day. Well, that ruled out my ambush plan at the "Secret Blind" I headed out at 6:15 to another stand and when I got up on the hill, I was met with a steady South breeze Turned around, went back to camp, got into my truck and drove around the corner to the "Secret Blind". Around 7:15, a fox bolts out of a pine lot at 50 yds. Hmmm, what spooked him? then a lone doe emerges from same pines and heads away from me. A few minutes later a decent 6 or 8pt comes out and follows the doe. He chased her around and she wanted no part of it and he left. At 8:45, I catch movement through the trees and see part of a white rack and a big bodied deer that will pass by at 15yds as long as he stays on the path. He does, but hurries by the first shooting lane, slows a little, I draw, he gets to next and last shooting lane, speeds up, I lead him and release, but the arrow hits a little high and back of where I'd like. He crashes out throught the brush and I review the scenario over and over and can only come up with........ the dreaded "gut shot". After calming down and letting the area settle, I snuck out and went back to camp. One of the guys hit a small doe (his first with a bow) about 1-1/2 hrs before and figured it was a good shot, so we decided to look for that first and give mine the 3 hrs I wanted. After locating the doe, it had been about 3 hrs since my shot, so one buddy and I went to find the "trail" of my deer. We found blood right away and 80 yds later there he lay. The autopsy showed that the Rage broadhead found back part of each lung ! A nice 8pt that weighed 167lbs on our scale.

I got back home today only to find my 3D deer target laying on the ground????? After closer inspection, it appears that a local buck didn't quite care for him so he violated him. The "crazed" buck pushed the target over uprooting the rebar that had been pounded 10" in the ground. There are antler point marks on the target and the ground where he kept after the target. Sure wish I had video of that!

Looks like it's kickin into gear guys - good luck to all.

Shawn

[salmonbound1]

Them rages are deadly nice buck congrats

[ray koziatek]

Thanks shawn just what i need another succesfull deer story as i get ready to head out to the woods.. The switch was flipped here yesterday (rut) 3 dead buck and one doe overnite dead along a 15 mile streach of rt 86....Thanks for the story and remember its the wet finger not the weather channel that determins the wind ....

PS ....just so you know i was talking to your neighbor and he said some lady was in your back yard with a broom handle beating your target Hollaring "If that S O B goes hunting or fishing one more time he ,s gonna end up with this stick aside his head" Just thought id give you a heads up and dont store your drills near the boat...

PSS: thought you might want to know ,FISHINMAN called and said you were target shooting at 10 yds ,your arrow deflected off the back of your target and when ya went in the field to find the arrow it was stuck in the deer you got by accident..........hey wait is that tire marks across that deers chest ?

[T_barb]

Fx.. Great job andf great story.. Thanks for sharing..

[Reel Doc]

WTG Condolences on the 3D target, it may never seem the same when you shoot at it!

Greg

[on the lam]

nice story, congrats

[woody 184]

Nice story and nice buck...... Now Im jonesin to get a deer down... been quiet around hear I hope Ray and your deer target are right........

[RUNNIN REBEL]

CONGRATS Shawn,

Great story-pics-results.

Thanks for a deer cam idea there with a decoy.

Good luck in gun season also.

Jerry

[Legacy]

Congrats Shawn

[skipper19]

Excellent story Shawn, and congratulations on a very fine buck.

Mark

[33canuck]

Congrats Nice job!

[laker taker]

Shawn, Way to go!! Great buck and might I add... looking younger everyday !!!

Chuck

[FX]

Thanks everyone! Ray, now that you mention that, it musta been FISHINMAN in his Halloween costume beatin up on the deer target Note to self: no jerky for Tom Meat is now stacked away in the freezer after cooking some fresh cuts on the grill of course. Good luck to you guys the rest of the season.

Shawn

[Tank]

Nice Buck, good job! My target got hit this weekend too. That's the second time he's been attacked! Tank

[FISHINMAN]

Thanks everyone! Ray, now that you mention that, it musta been FISHINMAN in his Halloween costume beatin up on the deer target Note to self: no jerky for Tom Meat is now stacked away in the freezer after cooking some fresh cuts on the grill of course. Good luck to you guys the rest of the season.

Shawn

Note to self: no more ice packs or steak sandwiches for Shawn, but still take care of his nice parents when they come in for dinner at Tournedos Steak House (a little self promotion ) they can't help it their son went bad after moving out

[Silver Fox]

Nice!

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

[bluewater]

Nice buck and congrats! My 3D target got destroyed about a week ago behind my friends house. It got ripped in half, the ear was broke off and it had holes in the neck from antlers!!!! The rut is really on now.

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

[RUNNIN REBEL]

Shawn,

PLEASE tell me your deer jerky operation has been up & running flawlessly so I can relay the message to my wife Kristen & 5 year old Morgan.

Thanks in advance.

Jerry

[FX]

Jerry, stop by and you'll see.

Shawn