Title: My Brother's First Deer
nybowhunter.com - January 26, 2009 03:43 PM (GMT)
This season I finally convinced my brother to come deer hunting with me. He had never deer hunted before, but loves to Turkey hunt and Dove hunt (we used to rabbit hunt almost every weekend when we had dogs).
We decided to take the shotguns out in NY and head to some public land. After a long hike in the dark in an area I had never been to before we settled along side a ridge to watch a swamp edge below. It was 19 degrees and very windy. We saw nothing. Finally we were cold enough to start moving around 9am and we started hiking the ridges. I was telling my brother how the deer like to use the ridges because it gives them a vantage point with two exits depending on where danger is coming from. These ridge tops were also covered in thick mountain laurel patches so the deer had some good bedding cover.
On the drive up my brother was asking me what he should do if he saw a deer and wanted to know if he should grunt with his mouth like they do on TV. I told him that would be a good idea to stop the deer before taking the shot.
About a half hour into our hike the ridge split into a Y shape. I took the left, Derek took the right. As I walked I saw the mountain laurel move. I quickly put my scope on the spot, but didn't see anything. I then took a step and put the binos on the spot - nothing. One more step and I saw a flash of antler. I got ready - boom, boom, boom - I missed :)
My brother saw a doe on the ridge where I was shooting from and was confused since he heard shots but neither of us had a doe tag. Then he saw the buck come out and he nailed it freehand at 75yds (my shots were about 50 yards). As the gun went of the scope kicked back in his face and gave him a nice gash that started bleeding pretty good. The buck then ran down the ridge right towards him so my brother got to try out his grunting skills and stopped the deer at 30 yards where he put another sabot into the buck and dropped it in its tracks. It didn't matter his face was bleeding, he had his deer and a unique buck at that!
It was an awesome hunt (besides the 1+ mile drag up and down ridges and through swamps to get back to the truck!), he was so excited and he already signed up to take his bow hunter safety course next month. Add another one to the brotherhood!
We decided to take the shotguns out in NY and head to some public land. After a long hike in the dark in an area I had never been to before we settled along side a ridge to watch a swamp edge below. It was 19 degrees and very windy. We saw nothing. Finally we were cold enough to start moving around 9am and we started hiking the ridges. I was telling my brother how the deer like to use the ridges because it gives them a vantage point with two exits depending on where danger is coming from. These ridge tops were also covered in thick mountain laurel patches so the deer had some good bedding cover.
On the drive up my brother was asking me what he should do if he saw a deer and wanted to know if he should grunt with his mouth like they do on TV. I told him that would be a good idea to stop the deer before taking the shot.
About a half hour into our hike the ridge split into a Y shape. I took the left, Derek took the right. As I walked I saw the mountain laurel move. I quickly put my scope on the spot, but didn't see anything. I then took a step and put the binos on the spot - nothing. One more step and I saw a flash of antler. I got ready - boom, boom, boom - I missed :)
My brother saw a doe on the ridge where I was shooting from and was confused since he heard shots but neither of us had a doe tag. Then he saw the buck come out and he nailed it freehand at 75yds (my shots were about 50 yards). As the gun went of the scope kicked back in his face and gave him a nice gash that started bleeding pretty good. The buck then ran down the ridge right towards him so my brother got to try out his grunting skills and stopped the deer at 30 yards where he put another sabot into the buck and dropped it in its tracks. It didn't matter his face was bleeding, he had his deer and a unique buck at that!
It was an awesome hunt (besides the 1+ mile drag up and down ridges and through swamps to get back to the truck!), he was so excited and he already signed up to take his bow hunter safety course next month. Add another one to the brotherhood!
bigguy24 - January 26, 2009 04:42 PM (GMT)
I've had quite a few "battle scars" with my kills...nothing to be ashamed of, when brown's down, thats all that matters! :)
bklyn hunter - January 27, 2009 01:47 AM (GMT)
congrats nice buck its ok chics dig scares :D
NYDeer - January 28, 2009 02:15 AM (GMT)
Awesome feeling getting another involved in hunting..
Hopefully, he's still single though, wives & GF's usually aren't as 'appreciative' of his new found joy..
Tell him awesome deer, & the scab eventually falls off, but the memories last forever..
Hopefully, he's still single though, wives & GF's usually aren't as 'appreciative' of his new found joy..
Tell him awesome deer, & the scab eventually falls off, but the memories last forever..
A6A6 - January 28, 2009 05:56 PM (GMT)
ide prefer to keep the scar , a reminder of a great first hunt with my brother.....
congrats
congrats