Post by ruger7mmmag on Nov 5, 2007 11:52:47 GMT -5
Sorry guys, it's been awhile, but been so busy. I used my Parker Terminator Crossbow I bought last year and was using the NAP Spitfire per you guys' suggestion on my 150lb crossbow.
This Saturday, I got in the stand an hour before light, put out my decoy and had my crossbow ready. Saw a huge bodied 4 point show up at 7:30am and he checked out the decoy from afar, but mainly decided to eat some of the turnips and other stuff on the plot. Our lease is 6point or better, so he wasn't a shooter so I actually shot a few minutes of him with my video camera which was pretty cool. As soon as I find a way to upload that, I may do it.
I left the stand at 10:30am, headed into the little town of atmore and ate lunch and headed back, did a little scouting and then headed back to Plot 22 where I was in the morning. I left the decoy in my truck and this time got into the ladder stand about 1pm on the opposite side of the plot where the buck crossed in the morning thinking that was the trail the deer were using and this would put me in range where he never was closer than 70 yards that morning.
About 20 minutes before DARK, the 4 point came out to my left, about 10 yards away. He was big, about 150lbs, but not a shooter so I just enjoyed watching him browse. 2 minutes later, a CARAVAN of bucks arrived! Before I could comprehend what was happening, I had SIX bucks within 20 yards of me. SIX! Every single one had TALL big horns, but from what I could make out, I was seeing two sets of twin 4 points, a nice 6 and another deer which was a 6/8 which was the closest to me.
The problem, when they were at my 9-11 o clock, I had NO SHOT. They had to cross at my 12 to get a shot. Needless to say, every minute that passed at this point was darker than the next and I was running out of time. To make matters worse, the bigger deer I wanted a crack at was feeding slowly farther and farther away and staying in that 10-11 window I had no shot from up close.
Finally, when he got about 40 yards out, he was far enough where I could stand up in the ladder stand and shoot OVER the tree crap that had hidden me. He still had his butt towards me, but eventually he quartered away and when he swung his head away, I placed the lower third dot in the sweet spot and squeezed the trigger sending my bolt blazing after him. The "clack" was EXTREMELY loud it was so quiet when I pulled the trigger. I saw the arrow in flight disappear and heard a sound like someone punching a pillow. He immediately took off full speed along with every other buck in a flash and didn't appear to be hit in his movement.
As a matter of fact, after getting down and looking over the foodplot for half and hour and not finding blood, if it wasn't for the sound, I would've thought I had missed completely. But it was so dark at that point, I was having a difficult time even establishing where he was when I shot. After searching to no avail, i decided to walk the edge of the foodplot where I saw him go, or so I thought I saw him go as references at this point were out the window. Turns out I found a speck of blood the size of a pin head on a rock!!!!
I got down on my hands and knees and looked into the woods and found a few more drops on a few green leaves and knew I was in business. I called some friends who were on their way (told them I had blood and they told me to wait him out until they got there (an hour).
WHen they arrived, we took about 20 minutes before we found him, about 100 yards in. Thank goodness they came, bc no way I would've pulled him out by myself.
Without further ado, he weighed out to 185lbs, 10 point, I'll get his score in a few weeks. He's probably around 110-120 and my first deer with my crossbow.
This Saturday, I got in the stand an hour before light, put out my decoy and had my crossbow ready. Saw a huge bodied 4 point show up at 7:30am and he checked out the decoy from afar, but mainly decided to eat some of the turnips and other stuff on the plot. Our lease is 6point or better, so he wasn't a shooter so I actually shot a few minutes of him with my video camera which was pretty cool. As soon as I find a way to upload that, I may do it.
I left the stand at 10:30am, headed into the little town of atmore and ate lunch and headed back, did a little scouting and then headed back to Plot 22 where I was in the morning. I left the decoy in my truck and this time got into the ladder stand about 1pm on the opposite side of the plot where the buck crossed in the morning thinking that was the trail the deer were using and this would put me in range where he never was closer than 70 yards that morning.
About 20 minutes before DARK, the 4 point came out to my left, about 10 yards away. He was big, about 150lbs, but not a shooter so I just enjoyed watching him browse. 2 minutes later, a CARAVAN of bucks arrived! Before I could comprehend what was happening, I had SIX bucks within 20 yards of me. SIX! Every single one had TALL big horns, but from what I could make out, I was seeing two sets of twin 4 points, a nice 6 and another deer which was a 6/8 which was the closest to me.
The problem, when they were at my 9-11 o clock, I had NO SHOT. They had to cross at my 12 to get a shot. Needless to say, every minute that passed at this point was darker than the next and I was running out of time. To make matters worse, the bigger deer I wanted a crack at was feeding slowly farther and farther away and staying in that 10-11 window I had no shot from up close.
Finally, when he got about 40 yards out, he was far enough where I could stand up in the ladder stand and shoot OVER the tree crap that had hidden me. He still had his butt towards me, but eventually he quartered away and when he swung his head away, I placed the lower third dot in the sweet spot and squeezed the trigger sending my bolt blazing after him. The "clack" was EXTREMELY loud it was so quiet when I pulled the trigger. I saw the arrow in flight disappear and heard a sound like someone punching a pillow. He immediately took off full speed along with every other buck in a flash and didn't appear to be hit in his movement.
As a matter of fact, after getting down and looking over the foodplot for half and hour and not finding blood, if it wasn't for the sound, I would've thought I had missed completely. But it was so dark at that point, I was having a difficult time even establishing where he was when I shot. After searching to no avail, i decided to walk the edge of the foodplot where I saw him go, or so I thought I saw him go as references at this point were out the window. Turns out I found a speck of blood the size of a pin head on a rock!!!!
I got down on my hands and knees and looked into the woods and found a few more drops on a few green leaves and knew I was in business. I called some friends who were on their way (told them I had blood and they told me to wait him out until they got there (an hour).
WHen they arrived, we took about 20 minutes before we found him, about 100 yards in. Thank goodness they came, bc no way I would've pulled him out by myself.
Without further ado, he weighed out to 185lbs, 10 point, I'll get his score in a few weeks. He's probably around 110-120 and my first deer with my crossbow.
. ... so here is the first thing that comes to mind......why the lack of blood? 
