MLN1963
12-23-2011, 04:10 PM
I have incredible luck.
There are 3 days left of Holiday Antlerless (does or 3" or less antlers) hunting so I planned on going this afternoon. I got there a couple hours early in case any deer decided to get out on the wheat field and eat before the light was too low on the horizon. It sure would be nice to gut a deer by daylight instead of flashlight. I headed to the blind trying not to make too much noise getting there, impossible, but I tried. I got set up about 4:00 PM and began the wait. It was eerily quiet out there which is unusual because the wind is usually whipping around pretty good. I didn't see anything, not a bird, squirrel, armadillo, nothing!
After an hour I thought I noticed something on the other side of the field, it's about 500 yards so I wasn't sure. I got my binos out and and saw one deer standing at the edge of the woods waiting to come out. After a little while she walks out on the field. In a little bit I see some more movement and out comes another deer. Then another deer, then 2 more deer. Before I know it I have 8 deer out out grazing on the wheat. A couple minutes later in another spot here comes some more and before I know it I have 15 deer out on the field. Amongst them was a bruiser of an eight point, not the typical anorexic Oklahoma deer I see, but one that looks like I grew up with in MN. He was a dandy for sure!
While admiring all the deer through the binos I thought I seen more movement to my left. Yep, more deer making there way out on the wheat! 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8 more for a total of 23 deer! 23 deer out of range and teasing me. I decided to open the side window of the blind so I could see my far western boundary, low and behold, there are 5 more on that end making a total of 28. I went from seeing nothing, to 28 deer in a matter of 30 minutes. I watched a few little bucks sparring. One got brave and tried to take on big boy but that only lasted about 15 seconds and then he scurried off. I think I could hear big boy snickering all the way across the field.
As soon the sun started going down they were leaving in masses. There were a few stragglers out on the field and three does started working my way. I was thinking I might get to fill my tag if they would get close enough. I wanted to keep the shot to under 250 yards in the fading light since I don't have the greatest scope on my gun (next year I will have a better one!). The three does made it into my self-imposed 250 yard limit and I was sizing them up through the scope. They were stopped and facing directly toward me, but I needed them to turn broadside for me. My gun was nice and solid on my steady sticks, and I was comfy in my chair. It was a waiting game, would they turn before I ran out of light or would I watch until it I couldn't see them anymore? That was my only concern as I knew I was capable of the shot. As I impatiently waited, I heard a coyote howl from behind me somewhere. Instantly the deer got nervous and two of the deer quickly darted into the woods. That left one a couple yards out in the field, I figured she would turn towards the woods to give herself a quick escape route and me a perfect broadside shot. Then another coyote started in behind me, I suppose in response to the first, and my doe started to turn broadside. I watched her take a single leap into the woods as I was in the process of finding the safety with my thumb. I had played and lost the waiting game.
I said I had incredible luck, but I didn't say if it was incredibly good or incredibly bad. I'm not too upset getting to see 28 deer out and about in my hunting area. I'd bet there are folks who don't get to see that many in a complete season much less one day. I'll likely never get to see that again but I will always have the memory. So I guess I would have to say I had incredibly good luck today.
There are 3 days left of Holiday Antlerless (does or 3" or less antlers) hunting so I planned on going this afternoon. I got there a couple hours early in case any deer decided to get out on the wheat field and eat before the light was too low on the horizon. It sure would be nice to gut a deer by daylight instead of flashlight. I headed to the blind trying not to make too much noise getting there, impossible, but I tried. I got set up about 4:00 PM and began the wait. It was eerily quiet out there which is unusual because the wind is usually whipping around pretty good. I didn't see anything, not a bird, squirrel, armadillo, nothing!
After an hour I thought I noticed something on the other side of the field, it's about 500 yards so I wasn't sure. I got my binos out and and saw one deer standing at the edge of the woods waiting to come out. After a little while she walks out on the field. In a little bit I see some more movement and out comes another deer. Then another deer, then 2 more deer. Before I know it I have 8 deer out out grazing on the wheat. A couple minutes later in another spot here comes some more and before I know it I have 15 deer out on the field. Amongst them was a bruiser of an eight point, not the typical anorexic Oklahoma deer I see, but one that looks like I grew up with in MN. He was a dandy for sure!
While admiring all the deer through the binos I thought I seen more movement to my left. Yep, more deer making there way out on the wheat! 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8 more for a total of 23 deer! 23 deer out of range and teasing me. I decided to open the side window of the blind so I could see my far western boundary, low and behold, there are 5 more on that end making a total of 28. I went from seeing nothing, to 28 deer in a matter of 30 minutes. I watched a few little bucks sparring. One got brave and tried to take on big boy but that only lasted about 15 seconds and then he scurried off. I think I could hear big boy snickering all the way across the field.
As soon the sun started going down they were leaving in masses. There were a few stragglers out on the field and three does started working my way. I was thinking I might get to fill my tag if they would get close enough. I wanted to keep the shot to under 250 yards in the fading light since I don't have the greatest scope on my gun (next year I will have a better one!). The three does made it into my self-imposed 250 yard limit and I was sizing them up through the scope. They were stopped and facing directly toward me, but I needed them to turn broadside for me. My gun was nice and solid on my steady sticks, and I was comfy in my chair. It was a waiting game, would they turn before I ran out of light or would I watch until it I couldn't see them anymore? That was my only concern as I knew I was capable of the shot. As I impatiently waited, I heard a coyote howl from behind me somewhere. Instantly the deer got nervous and two of the deer quickly darted into the woods. That left one a couple yards out in the field, I figured she would turn towards the woods to give herself a quick escape route and me a perfect broadside shot. Then another coyote started in behind me, I suppose in response to the first, and my doe started to turn broadside. I watched her take a single leap into the woods as I was in the process of finding the safety with my thumb. I had played and lost the waiting game.
I said I had incredible luck, but I didn't say if it was incredibly good or incredibly bad. I'm not too upset getting to see 28 deer out and about in my hunting area. I'd bet there are folks who don't get to see that many in a complete season much less one day. I'll likely never get to see that again but I will always have the memory. So I guess I would have to say I had incredibly good luck today.