I just started my Muley hunt.... Now it's over.
First day of hunting is in the books. I had a long night and day (8-31-2012). I didn't sleep at all last night. Reinjured my back at a sporting good store in Spokane. Long story made short... a kid about 5 feet behind me messing around with the gun safes and one of the large safes tilted off the pallet when he opened the door. I was turning around facing him and the safe was already 45 degree's when it slammed down on the little boy. I feared the worse. He was screaming underneath and a foot was sticking out flailing. I was able to pull the safe up off the kid and I was screaming for help. the father was over in the rifle section about 20 feet away on his cell phone. He finally heard my calls for help. The store employee's and manager came running.... asking what happened...mind you,,, I am partially disabled and still holding a gun safe at an angle. I screamed at them to help me. The safe's doors actually broke off during the impact. I think that what saved the boy. The boys vital area's ended up inside the safe. He broke one hands by the looks of things and he was screaming. The father thanked me. After my adrenaline rush subsided. I felt the back pain come back. I'm just glad the boy survived. Between that and opening day...I haven't slept yet. I went out earlier about 9 am and also around 5 pm (9-1-12). I had a lot of deer around me but not the bigger buck I wanted. I had Deer 6 yards away from me and they never knew I was there. The wind was swirling as i crouch along an embankment, I was holding the postion so long that i had that numbing pain from the waist down. between the slip system and my TrophyBlend deer scents, I had the wind blowing right in their faces and never smelled my stink!. lol. I wanted to change position so bad but I couldn't. Doe after doe, some with fawns, some yearlings, and a couple non legal bucks passed by at 6 to 10 yards. I ad the arrows nocked and release ready as I was hoping for a good size 3 pointer would come by. Not this night. i found out later as i walked back home that the bachelors had traveled down the other side of the hill. I calmly walked like I was going for a stroll, no being sneaky. The bucks just watched me cautiously as i strolled home. I did range they but they were over 100 yards out. I only had about 10 mintues left of legal time and I didn't want to push the deer away from the area. Because i will be in that same spot this afternoon in hopes that they take that specific deer trail.
Here's some pics I took of the first day. I could of taken any Doe I wanted but I didn't really want one on the first day...I have 29 days more to go.
p.s., This is an edited post I copied from a thread I had on another forum that I wrote last night. Right afterward I passed out... I needed sleep I didn't even go out this morning, my body needed the rest. i reread the post I made after the safe incident and it was horrible, Not even a person that can understand Double S writing could probably have read it. They say you should never post anything when your Tired, angry, or drunk....I was tired. LOL. I'll be adding pics to this post everyday until I kill a deer or you see me BURN my unfilled tag. LOL I'll be going out this afternoon. I've had the best fortune hunting late in the afternoon. I have till 8 PM tonight.
http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/l...2012-9-110.jpg
http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/l...2012-9-120.jpg
http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/l...2012-9-119.jpg
http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/l...t2012-9-17.jpg
My season is over on Day two.
I killed a 3x3 mule deer at 41 yards, quartering to. It entered the right armpit/shoulder area and exited belly area on the opposite side. I nipped a little of the front of the guts but I did get a double lung. We gutted him out quick as to not taint anything, It worked. We're eating steaks as I type this. I dragged him back to the garage by myself...those 10 dollars deer drags on ebay really worked, I couldn't believe it. Place my weight forward and away i went. lol. The Bachelor bucks were coming down the hill fast on both sides of my location. I was situated on a ridge with two deer trails running down the sides of it. On top of the ridge it sounded like a battle I thought it was too early for rutting. I soon figured out what was going on as they came down and did the same thing not 30 yards away from me, but they were not legal bucks. They were rubbing the velvet off their antlers...that's what all the commotion was about.About 10-14 Does and Non legal Bucks passed by ans I laid in wait behind mt Elk Mountain slip system. Looking up at the top of the hill I could see antlers at the top. I could clearly see it was a 3x3 buck. He was coming straight for me at a fast pace. He then stopped at a large bush and starts wailing on it with his antlers. That gave me time to reposition for a good shot. I had ranged several bushes and tree's around my area before the deer started to move. He was wailing on my 40 yard bush and he was on the opposite side of the bush. I repositioned my feet into a shooting stance, arrow at the ready and release on. As he started to come around the right side of the bush. I slowly stood up from the Elk Mountain blind and pulled back to anchor at the same time. He stopped to look around and it was too late. The arrow hit right where I was aiming for....right front shoulder. I knew right after the arrow left the bow that it was a good clean shot, then I heard that beautiful thud of the Fob popping off. It was a pass through at 41 yards. The deer took off down hill...He was out of my sights but I heard him crash down below somewhere. I proceeded to go up just in case is was still alive, I could get a better view of his location and move in form a finishing shot if needed. I made it to the top of the hill and glassed the area below. There he was!. Upside down up against a bush with a Raven on his Belly trying to take claim it for himslef. NOT!.
I raced around the hill and gathered my pack, Slip system and Camcorder and raced down the hill.
Thank you all for the kind words and I pray everybody else is having a safe and fun hunt. Elk is next on my list.
Here's a pic of the Raven sitting on my deer. it helped out a lot. He was squawking away. The picture has been cropped. it's about 120-140 yards away from where I shot him. I took the pic from the spot i hit him at.
http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/l...ofthepic-1.jpg
Here's the arrow partially stuck in the dirt after the pass through at 41 yards.
http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/l...inthedirt1.jpg
I'm standing right where I nailed him. 41 yards away is the Camcorder and elk mountain slip system in the brush, where I was kneeling behind before I shot him.
http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/l...era41yards.jpg
This is what it looked like when we finally got to him,
http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/l...Deer9-2-12.jpg
