Deer Hunting 2008

I had been planning on hunting out at Bart and Wayne's farm for a while. I got to Lewiston on Thursday night and went out to set up my stand early Friday. It was snowing when I got up. The yard was total mud. They do not have any gravel at all. Dad's truck sucks in the mud. I was sliding all over and just about got stuck a few times. After I got my stand set up I was walking out of the woods when I looked up and see "the BULL" that Dad and Bart were talking about a few weeks ago when we went out there. He has a pretty impressive set of horns on him and he was eyeing me up pretty good. Needless to say I got over the fence in a hurry. I would hate to get attacked by a killer bull with no video camera on. When I got back to the yard, I had to try to back out because there was no room to turn around without getting stuck. I put it in reverse and stepped it down as fast as I could without spinning. I was sliding left and right the whole time. When I came to the edge of the one shed I decided to back it in and try to go forward. I stopped put it in drive and let 'er rip. Mud was flying everywhere and the ass end was fishtailing pretty good but I made it out. WHEW!

Since it was early I headed down to Winona for a burger and figured I would check out Warren's on the way home. I hit up McDonalds drive thru for a double cheeseburger and a Sprite. How come nobody has Pepsi products. COKE SUCKS!!! As I was heading out to Hoppe's farm I missed the turn and almost headed to Altura. When I turned around there was a nice 6 or 8 point buck standing right in the middle of the road. I slowed down and he trotted off the raod about 50 yards and just stood there. That must have been a sign to go the Warren's. When I got up there it was pretty muddy on the last stretch of field road. I made it out to the field with only a little slipping. On the way out it was a little up hill and I did not make it. Great. Stuck way out here with no one around. I backed up sliding all over as far as I could go till I started to go off the path. I said a little prayer and took off. Right about the crest of the knoll I was almost stopped. So close I could taste it. I decided to let it fly. I spun the wheels and slowly, slowly crept over the hill. Thank God. Tommorow I am going to park in the hayfield and walk.

I set the alarm for 6 in the morning. I figured I Could get dressed and out the door in 15 and 15 to drive out there. Of course when I got up it was pitch black yet. Apparently Mom and Dad don't believe it setting the clocks back for daylight savings time. So it turns out I was in the woods in plenty of time.

I walked out to the far field and down the hill to the big round bail marking teh path into the woods. I picked out a nice tree to stand behind and waited... 3 minuted later some guy comes walking up to me. Its Warren. He says "Phil?" Apparently Dad did not tell him that I may be hunting out there. He was cool with it though. He said he just chased a doe and 2 fawns up the ravine. Coulda had the doe it was pretty big. He took off and I settled in. In about 30 minutes I saw a doe over the edge of the hill about 75 yards away. It wasn't a very good shgot but I let fly hoping it would turn towards me. BOOM! It ran down the hill the other way. Another deer came by about 45 minutes later in the same spot. This time I did not shoot and it walked away too. What to do. What do you think. I went down to where the 2 deer had walked by. Just after I got settled in I look up and see a deer, right where I had been sitting. RIGHT THERE. I put the scope on it and it was a buck. Sniffing on the log I had been sitting on. He slowly walked ahead a little sniffing around. When he got broadside it was fairly open so I unleashed hell on him. He took off through the woods knocking down trees and braches making a hellofa racket. Miss # 2. Screw this I am cold. I am going to the truck to warm up.
I walked out toward the corner and found a nice tree stand so I decided to sit up there for a while. About 15 minutes later I heard something behind me. How do they always know where behind is. I turned and see 4 deer coming my way. They are a little startled. Not to bad just trotting along. 2 of them stop. 2 keep coming on teh trail right at me. Heart rate increases rapidly. They are right under me. I take aim, try to take aim. Apparently Dad has this scope thing on his gun which makes it neer imposible to see anything moving. AAARRRRGGGGHHHHHH!!! I let fly again at them. Miss # 3 and 4 if you are counting. I don't remember if I saw them or just pointed the gun thingy at them. Needless to say I missed. The other to took off fast the other way. I should have just Rambo'ed them. I probably could have jumped on them. Enough of this. I am going to the truck to warm up.

I took about a 15 minute break and ate something. When I was warmed up enough I headed back out again. I went to my original spot. Where I missed the buck. I sat there for about 2 hours and saw nothing. I walked over a ways along the deer trail to where the were all kinds of fresh rubs and some scrapes. There were 4 big trees that fell down together. They were leaning on 5 other trees so it made a real nice stand about 8 feet in the air. I had a great view all around. Soon afterward I heard a deer coming. A lone doe strolling along eating. I let it get closer and closer till it was about 40 yards away broadside. BOOM! Shot # 5. notice I didn't say miss # 5. She went down. Got up and took off. I could see the blood pouring out of her and she jumped kind of crooked. I thought I hit her in the front shoulder. She stopped and I tryed to put her down. Miss # 5. She took off and I Decided to wait it out and let her die. I always heard you should wait a half hour and that would be enough for them to bleed out. Do you know how long 30 minutes is. I lasted 5. I started tracking the blood trail. It was realing pouring out. I followed it for a hundred yards or so and jumped her and she took off. Along with 4 other deer. I started following the blood again and jumped another deer. A big buck I think. He took off head down in a straight line and was gone. So after I lost teh trail and headed back to the truck. I was hoping Warren was there to help me look for it. He wasn't. Insert your own naughty words here. I couldn't believe I lost it. After I warmed up a little Warren puilled up in his truck. I told him what happened and he told me where to go... no not there, He was going to weave around in there looking for it. When I got where I was going I saw another deer and let fly again. Miss # 6. Later another deer ran down the hill across the ravine and I didn't shoot at it. I was getting really cold and was ready to go when Warren hollered. He had found my deer . Whohoo. When I left to go to my last spot he waited a little and headed into the woods right where our trucks were. My deer was right there 10 feet into the woods watching us the whole time. When he started in teh woods it took off and collapsed 100 yards later. No blood left. As Warren went after it he jumped 4 deer by George. Who missed them. Then a doe and fawn took off and Warren took the doe. So right about 3:30 we both had our deer. Thank goodness he found mine. I would feel terrible if we had not found it. I thanked him a bunch of times before I left. He is such a great guy. All told I fired 7 or 8 shots and saw 15 deer. Wow.

This ends the story of this years hunt. The clod lives on though. 5 days and counting.