More deer hunting success!

This nice doe walked by the stand at 11 a.m. on a cold, crisp day.

I had an amazing day in the woods on Wednesday. I went bow hunting in the morning in Wisconsin, then gun hunting in Minnesota with my friend Bernie Schwab in the afternoon. It was COLD. When I got out there in the morning, it was 16 degrees.

I didn’t get up in my bow stand until after shooting light, but there was no way I was going to climb in earlier in that cold. I was planning to be there until at least 1 p.m. or until I got a deer, so I didn’t want to get there early and risk getting chilled. I ended up waiting in the stand for four hours, then caught movement through the brush at 11.

I stood up and grabbed my bow,  then a doe came out right on a trail 15 yards from me. It’s the same trail the small buck came through the week before that I missed. She was walking nice and slow with her head down. As she approached the spot where I wanted to shoot, I drew back. She got there and stopped, just like I wanted her to. I anchored the pin right behind her shoulder and made sure it wasn’t too far back, which is the mistake I had made just two days earlier. I executed a nice, smooth release and the arrow hit right where I aimed.

With the lighted nock, I saw the arrow hit right behind her shoulder, and it passed through. I heard the thump, then she jumped and started running. I knew the hit was good. She went about 60 yards, then slowed down and wobbled. She darted a little more, and fell over and died. It took less than 10 seconds, and it was the first time I have ever seen a deer fall that I hit with an arrow.

Unfortunately, I was so focused on her that I didn’t notice the small buck following her right down the same trail. By the time I turned around and saw him, he was coming into the clearing. I tried to grab another arrow, but he saw me and veered off. Then, another small buck came from a different direction and the two bucks were milling around for a few minutes before walking off. Very cool.

Just for kicks, I went to the blood trail and tracked it to the deer. A 5-year-old could have followed it. When you get a shot in the right place, an arrow can kill a deer just as fast and effectively as a gun. I registered the deer, took it into a processor in Prescott called Ptacek’s, then went down to Red Wing to hunt with Bernie.

He had been out that morning with the landowner and they got a nice 10-point buck that the landowner took in to a butcher to get made into his favorite venison treat — jalapeno sticks. So, it was time to get a deer for Bernie.

I climbed into a stand that had been productive, and began the wait. I saw a doe out feeding about 200 yards away, and hoped it would come my way. Instead, she went back into the woods after about 15 minutes.

Things were quiet until about a half hour of shooting light remained. Then, I heard movement behind me to the right in the woods. In a matter of seconds, I spotted a deer walking in the woods behind me very close. It swung around to my left and turned to go into the field. I got a good look at its head and body, and saw no antlers. We had antlerless tags left, so I was good to go. When the deer stepped out into the field at about 15 yards, I fired. The shot hit low, which meant the deer didn’t die right away. I had to go after it and make a finishing shot, which I did.

Here’s the great part — the landowner came out with his truck to pick up the deer, then invited us in for soup and hot chocolate. Can’t beat that!

We have been very blessed to hunt this property. We have killed some nice deer there, including a pair of 10-pointers Bernie and I shot there two years ago. Bernie’s son Dan got his first deer there, too, and my son Andy shot his first Minnesota deer there last year. Andy got another doe there this year, and my brother Paul got a deer, too, on a different property on opening day.

All in all, a great deer season, and it’s not done for me. I still have two archery tags left for Wisconsin, including my buck tag. I think I will wait until the weather warms up later next week, then try again. I would like to get a deer for some friends who don’t have one yet. I was able to give a deer to Bernie last year that we got in Montana, and I would like to help someone out again this year. With the deer herd down in Minnesota, things have been tough for hunters overall.

I think part of the reason for our success is we’re hunting properties we’ve hunted before and have stands set up in good spots. From what I can tell, the area we hunt seems to have plenty of deer, and I’m hearing the same thing from other hunters there.

It will be interesting to see what the DNR does with the deer limits. All indications are that they will relax the restrictions at least somewhat. I’m optimistic the herd will bounce back. For now, I’m counting my blessings and thanking the Lord for another great deer season!