My first nh buck.

whacko

NES Member
Joined
Jul 26, 2012
Messages
14,471
Likes
16,761
Feedback: 3 / 0 / 0
As I've said before I've always been a deer drive hunter in mass. First season scouting. Missed an opportunity last weekend on a doe that walked 15 yards from me when I wasn't paying attention. Worked out for the better 141 pound 6 point today. The rut is on. This guy was stomping around in the woods straight behind me for 20 minutes. Came out 5 feet to my right and I thought it was not gonna happen if he made me he would bolt. I sat still as I could ......he walked around and stopped 20 yards straight in front of me and saw me and stared at me........had to sit tight and see what he would do. He stood still for a few seconds then snorted loud and bolted around and ran straight away from me.....I though it was over but I got the gun up in case he stopped.......he ran about a 50 yard circle........came back to the same spot broadside and stared at me pawing the ground......boom! It was my first experience shooting a non driven deer and it was amazing. Unfortunately I hit a bit high.....he want straight down and was paralyzed but still alive. Had to reload quick and hit him in the head. Shot one antler off but I don't mount my deer so the head shot to me on a put down is the fastest way. From the amount of blood in the cavity when i dressed him i think he'd have bled out on his own but i don't like to watch them lay there and bleed out so i gave him the mercy shot to the head.

Very excited. 2 hours from gunshot to butcher.....its warm out I had to hurry. 20201107_072311.jpg
 
Last edited:
Congratulations on a nice buck.

Shooting a deer “one on one“ is a totally different experience. I stopped doing drives decades ago for that reason. I’m not putting down deer drives. It’s just not my thing.

Bob
 
Congratulations on a nice buck.

Shooting a deer “one on one“ is a totally different experience. I stopped doing drives decades ago for that reason. I’m not putting down deer drives. It’s just not my thing.

Bob
Ill agree that one on one is a totally different experience. That snort was so loud and huge vapor cloud of breath came out of him before he bolted and turned around. Like I said I thought it was over when he ran but he came right back around to stare me down and pawed the ground which gave me the opportunity to take the shot. Very exciting.
 
As I've said before I've always been a deer drive hunter in mass. First season scouting. Missed an opportunity last weekend on a doe that walked 15 yards from me when I wasn't paying attention. Worked out for the better 141 pound 6 point today. The rut is on. This guy was stomping around in the woods straight behind me for 20 minutes. Came out 10 feet to my right and I thought it was not gonna happen if he made me he would bolt. I sat still as I could ......he walked around and stopped 20 yards straight in front of me and saw me and stared at me........had to sit tight and see what he would do. He stood still for a few seconds then snorted loud and bolted around and ran straight away from me.....I though it was over but I got the gun up in case he stopped.......he ran about a 50 yard circle........came back to the same spot broadside and stared at me pawing the ground......boom! It was my first experience shooting a non driven deer and it was amazing. Unfortunately I hit a bit high.....he want straight down and was paralyzed but still alive. Had to reload quick and hit him in the head. Shot one antler off but I don't mount my deer so the head shot to me on a put down is the fastest way. From the amount of blood in the cavity when i dressed him i think he'd have bled out on his own but i don't like to watch them lay there and bleed out so i gave him the mercy shot to the head.

Very excited. 2 hours from gunshot to butcher.....its warm out I had to hurry. View attachment 408904
Congratulations
 
Ill agree that one on one is a totally different experience. That snort was so loud and huge vapor cloud of breath came out of him before he bolted and turned around. Like I said I thought it was over when he ran but he came right back around to stare me down and pawed the ground which gave me the opportunity to take the shot. Very exciting.

They do that a lot so always be ready for it. They will spook like that but are so curious they want to know what it was that spooked them.

Bob
 
As I've said before I've always been a deer drive hunter in mass. First season scouting. Missed an opportunity last weekend on a doe that walked 15 yards from me when I wasn't paying attention. Worked out for the better 141 pound 6 point today. The rut is on. This guy was stomping around in the woods straight behind me for 20 minutes. Came out 10 feet to my right and I thought it was not gonna happen if he made me he would bolt. I sat still as I could ......he walked around and stopped 20 yards straight in front of me and saw me and stared at me........had to sit tight and see what he would do. He stood still for a few seconds then snorted loud and bolted around and ran straight away from me.....I though it was over but I got the gun up in case he stopped.......he ran about a 50 yard circle........came back to the same spot broadside and stared at me pawing the ground......boom! It was my first experience shooting a non driven deer and it was amazing. Unfortunately I hit a bit high.....he want straight down and was paralyzed but still alive. Had to reload quick and hit him in the head. Shot one antler off but I don't mount my deer so the head shot to me on a put down is the fastest way. From the amount of blood in the cavity when i dressed him i think he'd have bled out on his own but i don't like to watch them lay there and bleed out so i gave him the mercy shot to the head.

Very excited. 2 hours from gunshot to butcher.....its warm out I had to hurry. View attachment 408904
nice, congrats
 
They do that a lot so always be ready for it. They will spook like that but are so curious they want to know what it was that spooked them.

Bob
I've actually got very close to alot of deer in my 5 days of hunting this season. Seen them every time out but this was the first day I got a shot off.
 
Nice.

I’m going to try my luck again now that I’ve moved to NH. I’ve seen more deer in six months than in 48 years living in Mass. Ddint help on youth weekend, but we’ll see what Veterans Day brings.

One thing I like about Unit A where I live is the season ends a week early. That gets me back into small game faster. (not that I can’t SG hunt during deer season, I just don’t want to)
 
Nice.

I’m going to try my luck again now that I’ve moved to NH. I’ve seen more deer in six months than in 48 years living in Mass. Ddint help on youth weekend, but we’ll see what Veterans Day brings.

One thing I like about Unit A where I live is the season ends a week early. That gets me back into small game faster. (not that I can’t SG hunt during deer season, I just don’t want to)
The best part about having one in the freezer this early is I don't have the pressure to get out there. Now I can go after rabbit again and do short hunts.
 
Last edited:
Congrats! I've only been once this year. I've been spending time getting my brother set up he's new to hunting. Scouting and set up some stands for him. He had a doe at 10 yards on Saturday. But he was late to the game so he didn't have a doe permit. I got some meat meet for the freezer Friday night. Deer vs motor vehicle Lol. The rut is definitely on.
 

Attachments

  • KIMG0604.JPG
    KIMG0604.JPG
    331.1 KB · Views: 16
Congrats! I've only been once this year. I've been spending time getting my brother set up he's new to hunting. Scouting and set up some stands for him. He had a doe at 10 yards on Saturday. But he was late to the game so he didn't have a doe permit. I got some meat meet for the freezer Friday night. Deer vs motor vehicle Lol. The rut is definitely on.
What zone is your brother hunting?
 
The best part about having one in the freezer this early is I don't have the pressure to get out there. Now I can go after rabbit again and do short hunts.
Congrats!

Thats what I always say about shooting a doe or two on Sept 15th in CT. Pressures off.... now I can just wait for big antlers the rest of the year, and it works because letting small ones that you would have shot walk, you would never see the bigger deer 10 minutes behind it. You'd be gutting, dragging or recovering.
 
Back
Top Bottom