Archery
Lakewood, Townsend, Mountain areas
Monday 11.06.23, however, I did observe a fine young buck (not a monster) that came trotting through my yard (in Riverview) while I was out on the deck slurping my morning coffee.
How aggravating.
RR
I stopped about half-way into my evening stand site, and took a seat upon a convenient freshly fallen birch tree to rest (on account of my being old and all). My Tenpoint crossbow was strung with a bolt in place. I sat there for a few minutes, when suddenly I sure thought I heard a deer approaching. Then I heard it again.
A massive doe came thundering to my left at 20 yards, with an equally massive buck in hot pursuit, grunting and snorting. The buck made a wide circle, and passed by me broadside at 20 yards. He was looking right at me, apparently unconcerned, and continued his circle, seemingly attempting to locate the path of the doe. I had him briefly in the sights, quartering away at 25 yards, and then again broadside at 40 yards. Then he was gone.
I never fired the weapon.
So there I sat, stunned, cursing myself for passing this opportunity to take my first nice buck with the crossbow. There again, the quartering away shot was ugly, and the second broadside shot was at the far edge of crossbow range. I sat for several additional hours in that spot, but the magic was gone, as you can imagine.
I’ve made peace with myself that I didn’t maim this magnificent animal, and he’s not lying out there suffering in agony with my careless and sloppy crossbow bolt in his guts. They’re still out there gentlemen.
RR
Rikj,
appreciate your comments, but what I stated below is correct. I’m well connected throughout the area. We run cameras on the logging roads all year and you should see the activity after dark! Hunting miles west of Carter is better and deer don’t yard in the torpee from the area you hunt. We should take these conversations to the forest county hunting thread. ????
S.P. I guess I forgot about bad winters as being a huge factor in the deer population, a bad winter will wipe out 50% of the deer population up there. Yes the Natives are very hard on the population also,according to a very reliable source each person can get 10 permits. This guy knows 6 from the tribe that fill all their permits but the meat doesn't go to waste as it is shared thru out the tribe and elders.
Yamatroller, I will tell you the 2 strongest factors for Southern Forest counties deer issues....WEATHER and the southern Forest County residents that shoot yarded deer in the Torpee Swamp for a lack of better things to do. Been going on for many years since the CASINO was built. Brought many new people to the area. Its a handful of people according to the local chatter. Many shots during summer nights as well from UTV riders on the logging roads.