A lot of big bucks meet their maker on Halloween

I once read someone's "Rut Journal" when the I phone first came out with that title. That was right about the time when I first started to get serious about bow hunting. Well, today (Halloween 2012)... was a day I'll not soon forget. My original plan was fouled by other hunters this morning but a quick relocation just before sunrise was still possible and wow did it pay off. I was set up only moments before legal shooting light and instantly had movement behind me. The wind was blowing to my right to left and chasing was commencing all over my little 7 acre suburbia forest. But it was only dink spikes and hot does. I stopped a mature doe dead in her tracks with burp of a sound from my mouth but she hudinied on me at the last second. How on earth they do that I have no idea inside of 15 yards with a 31"draw and 70+ pounds. But oh well. "Why shoot a hot doe in the rut" I was once told on here. Well, because I haven't shot anything yet this fall, that's WHY.

I started rattling soon after I decided to ignore the youngins to play at will. The spike was willfully stomping away but the mature doe still wanted to play as far as I could tell. I think they (sexually mature does) will take as many dicks as they can find this time of year.

One sequence of rattling for 30 seconds at a time every 10 minutes at first light or so. I may have just finished my second set when I first saw a well dressed mature buck cross the neighbors yard in a perpendicular angle to me... getting very close to downwind I might add, but still a good ways off. This buck went straight to where I first saw the spike and doe at first light this morning. I quickly picked up the antlers and gave the most gentle of tickles to attract his attention because he was less than 100 yards and the winds were 5 to 10 tops. I have never seen on hunting programs, fictional TV, magazine articles or even my dreams how quickly this deer reacted to the slightest of antler tunes. He rushed in and cut 100 yards to 30 in seconds. The wind was so dangerously in his face I thought for sure I was busted. I barely had time to drop the antlers and knock the release. Before I could get my first grunt in to stop him he seemed to slam on the breaks... too late, it was out. He froze, I was drawn, it was less than 20 yards now slightly quartering towards me... like Brave Heart... "LOSE!" I dropped him in his tracks at 20 yards, high shoulder hit, 3 blades muzzy. The arrow only penetrated maybe 1/3 (31" arrow) and he was on his back. What I witnessed for the next 15 minutes I wouldn't want to describe to anyone but he finally expired. I sent another two arrows his way, the second only repeating the first in the shoulder, poor penetration but the third found its mark. How alive I felt today cannot be put into words. It’s my second buck, my first true mature buck and a trophy I will not soon forget.

It may have been an early morning shot but by the time this rookie showed off to the neighbors; gut, drag and drove to the taxidermy and butcher I only just barely made it to my sons Halloween Parade at 2pm.... but guess what... I made it and the first thing my son said to me in the middle of all the other parents in the classroom was, "Daddy!.... you made it... I knew you'd come." What a day. I think I'm still shaking and I took the shot over 14 hours ago. I've said it before on a doe shot...... you just can't bottle that kind of feeling.

Happy Ruttin and Happy Halloween. I'm done for now. Heading north to finish my week vacation on my true love... steelhead. I doubt I'm topping this anytime soon.

Here's a shot of him from last year. But I've never seen him on stand.


Oh, we, John C, Sebastian, Diego and I just got back from steelheading. IT was a lot of work with several miles hiked each day, it snowed, freezing rain, dense fog, blinding rain.... all day at times but the fish cooperated. We worked so hard for a few fish but also landed some true hogs. Diego getting one of the biggest I've seen, in the teens probably. Awesome fish they are. Now I need a vacation.