3rd Times a Charm; Mature Doe Down
I headed to our leased land first thing in the morning but found out one of our buddies had decided to go to the spot I wanted. So I went on top of an oak ridge in an area that usually is a better night stand than morning. I hunted to about 9:45AM then helped my Dad drag a doe out he had killed the night before. For my PM hunt I decided not to go to November and pursue my black ghost due to strong winds and decided to hunt Bravo for a good doe.
.JPG)
I was hunting over a Brassica plot that has just about failed because of over browsing but the deer are still traveling through it to other food sources. This doe came down to me around 5:30PM by herself. I used my range finder and saw she was about 30 yards. I pulled back, put my 30 yard pin on her and shot. The arrow soared just over her back and she jumped and ran into the woods. About 10 minutes later she started coming back! I couldn't believe it, it had to be a combination of hunger and the high winds that made her think there wasn't danger.
.JPG "PA Brassica Food Plot")
An example of what the food plot looks like only it is much more barren and browsed down.
This time determined not to over shoot I used my range finder again she was at 45 yards. I put my 40 yard pin on her and shot with the same result the arrow soared over her back and she ran back to the woods. Another 10 minutes passed and she came back a second time! I was impressed with the luck she had and decided I would wait and see if another one came.
She stood on the edge for about 15 minutes then slowing started to eat towards my stand another doe came in the far end but was much smaller. She eat around a circle until she was 10 yards from my stand. I pulled the last good arrow out of my quiver and took the shot.
I saw my arrow hit and she ran off. The issue was it was beginning to rain and got dark quick. I went and got help we kept losing her blood trail and back tracking until it disappeared altogether because of the rain. My brother-in-law and I split up he went right and I went left just as I was beginning to think we would have to resume in the morning he yelled he found her.
We got her on a wheeler and drove her out of the woods. She is at least 3 1/2 years old and had a ton of fat on her. The only reason I can think I was shooting so high was I was wearing a face mask and gloves and my reference points must've been thrown off causing me to over shoot. Looks like I need to practice with my gear on to get over that.
.JPG)
I was hunting over a Brassica plot that has just about failed because of over browsing but the deer are still traveling through it to other food sources. This doe came down to me around 5:30PM by herself. I used my range finder and saw she was about 30 yards. I pulled back, put my 30 yard pin on her and shot. The arrow soared just over her back and she jumped and ran into the woods. About 10 minutes later she started coming back! I couldn't believe it, it had to be a combination of hunger and the high winds that made her think there wasn't danger.
.JPG "PA Brassica Food Plot")
This time determined not to over shoot I used my range finder again she was at 45 yards. I put my 40 yard pin on her and shot with the same result the arrow soared over her back and she ran back to the woods. Another 10 minutes passed and she came back a second time! I was impressed with the luck she had and decided I would wait and see if another one came.
She stood on the edge for about 15 minutes then slowing started to eat towards my stand another doe came in the far end but was much smaller. She eat around a circle until she was 10 yards from my stand. I pulled the last good arrow out of my quiver and took the shot.
I saw my arrow hit and she ran off. The issue was it was beginning to rain and got dark quick. I went and got help we kept losing her blood trail and back tracking until it disappeared altogether because of the rain. My brother-in-law and I split up he went right and I went left just as I was beginning to think we would have to resume in the morning he yelled he found her.
We got her on a wheeler and drove her out of the woods. She is at least 3 1/2 years old and had a ton of fat on her. The only reason I can think I was shooting so high was I was wearing a face mask and gloves and my reference points must've been thrown off causing me to over shoot. Looks like I need to practice with my gear on to get over that.
