Here is a photo and story of my
1999 deer, he's not my biggest but he gave me
the best hunt yet.
about 5 miles from my house and
have 5 permanent tree stands set up, they
have been there for years. Its a
mile and a quarter walk down a trail across
posted land ( all down hill ) at
the end of the day its all up hill! For
Christmas 1998 I bought myself my
a sportsman 500 ATV to get the deer out of
the woods, but only drive it in
to get the downed deer. I will not drive in
to hunt I respect other hunters.
Opening day muzzleloader on my
way to first tree stand I jumped a by buck,
spent the next 6 hour in that
tree stand, saw or heard nothing else. Next day
went to same tree stand, saw nothing. Next day same
tree stand around
saw movement, it was a doe see
was about 125 yards in thick brush, see was
passing left to right it could
have been a decent short but a wont take a doe
that early in the season. Next
day same tree stand nothing again, it seems to
be every alternate day they used
the run. So again the next day same time
same place here comes the doe
again, I let her pass again. That afternoon I
move my tree stand up into the
thick brush where they have been passing
through. The following day
(alternate day ) nothing, next day same time same
place I see movement coming down
the valley, a nice buck 8 pointer comes
around the corner, perfect
shooting position from tree stand the only problem
when I raised my muzzleloader my
scope ( IM 1/2 blind too ) it wasn't a
morning short ( pure sun ) could
not pick him up, after squinting for about 5
minutes, a doe behind him turn't
and went up the hill, he followed but
stooped broadside about 100 yds
away. It seemed to be a pretty good short so
I raised muzzleloader again,
gently squeezed trigger, misfired! Fist misfire
ever. Took capper installed new
cap and another misfire, fumbled for capper
again I new I had an inverted cap
coming up in the capper, while trying not
to loose site of the deer and
recap I drop capper from tree stand, waved
good-bye to buck. Next day
(alternate day ) nothing. I wont give up on the
tree stand, next day
disgusted I climd down tree stand
load up backpack start up hill I get 50 ft
from tree stand and here he
comes, drop to knee, one short, one kill. Walk
out got 4 wheeler, hoisted him up
oak tree, field dressed, strap him down and
said " thank you ",
thank you for the best hunt ever.
Deer dressed out at 187 lbs 7
point