Originally posted by GarGuy
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A few years ago, I was bowhunting one of my favorite spots on the edge of a massive marshy thicket. I had been hand corning for a month and opening day was finally here. The weather was hot and humid with a big storm system on the way but it was opening day and i just couldnt miss the evening hunt.
I was sitting a tent blind that was set up perfect and kept the steady drizzle off of me. 30 minutes before dark, I hadnt seen a deer. even the birds were quiet as the rain really picked up. "Time to get out of here", i thought to myself. I was putting my arrow in the quiver when a glimpse of motion caught my eye. It was a 5.5 year old 8pt that I knew well. He came straight in and only paused to flick his head and tail at the cloud of mosquitoes on him. 20yds broad side... I eased my bow back and put the pin center behind his shoulder and watched my arrow blow through right in the crease. He bolted dead away.
It was about then that the bottom just fell out of the clouds. it was raining so hard that the woods were just a roar of noise and it was like someone just turned the sun off and it got dark quick. I got my flashlight out of the bag and discovered a dull yellow spot from last years batteries. no problem, he couldnt have gone far. too dark to see blood, i just headed the way he ran. I got about 100yds in and figured I would just circle back....now which way is back? Hmm... I walked about 100yds and could see a slight opening far through the trees but about 90 degrees to the way I thought I should go. that had to be the road though. Now its really dark but about 10 steps later, saw something white. I eased up there and sure enough it was my big old center punched 8pt.
Get the picture, I have my bow, binoculars, flashlight(now dead), and a stud of a buck in as bad a thicket as you could dream up. Until now, I had a hand free to wipe the mosquitoes away but with my shirt soaked to my skin and hands full, I was literally covered. The thicket was so bad, I couldnt drag a straight line but headed generally toward where I had seen the "opening". 250yds later, i got there and immediately recognized the spot as an old slough deep in the thicket. Probably 350yds from where I needed to be. I knew where i was and which way I needed to go but I had already drug that deer and all my gear a long way and was exhausted. I headed out and immediately was tangled in the black dark. I would drag a while, rest a while and wipe the worst mosquitoes i have ever seen. Still pouring rain by the way.
Two hours of this and I had no idea if I was even headed the right direction anymore, I was too tired to go on, and it took both hands to keep enough bugs off to keep my sanity. I started to leave my gear but figured I might never find it again. I finally admitted defeat and called my Brother- in- law Sam. he was over an hour away and it was close to midnight by now. I asked him to please drive to my truck and blow the horn.
I sat there and fought those bugs for the eternal hour it took him to get there. When he drove in the old logging road, I could have almost touched his truck! Five more steps and I would have been in the road! He sure made fun of me for a few years on that one. Lots of lessons learned on this one. Hunt with a partner, check your flashlight, compass, skeeter spray.. Oh well....I killed a nice mature deer on his home turf!
I was sitting a tent blind that was set up perfect and kept the steady drizzle off of me. 30 minutes before dark, I hadnt seen a deer. even the birds were quiet as the rain really picked up. "Time to get out of here", i thought to myself. I was putting my arrow in the quiver when a glimpse of motion caught my eye. It was a 5.5 year old 8pt that I knew well. He came straight in and only paused to flick his head and tail at the cloud of mosquitoes on him. 20yds broad side... I eased my bow back and put the pin center behind his shoulder and watched my arrow blow through right in the crease. He bolted dead away.
It was about then that the bottom just fell out of the clouds. it was raining so hard that the woods were just a roar of noise and it was like someone just turned the sun off and it got dark quick. I got my flashlight out of the bag and discovered a dull yellow spot from last years batteries. no problem, he couldnt have gone far. too dark to see blood, i just headed the way he ran. I got about 100yds in and figured I would just circle back....now which way is back? Hmm... I walked about 100yds and could see a slight opening far through the trees but about 90 degrees to the way I thought I should go. that had to be the road though. Now its really dark but about 10 steps later, saw something white. I eased up there and sure enough it was my big old center punched 8pt.
Get the picture, I have my bow, binoculars, flashlight(now dead), and a stud of a buck in as bad a thicket as you could dream up. Until now, I had a hand free to wipe the mosquitoes away but with my shirt soaked to my skin and hands full, I was literally covered. The thicket was so bad, I couldnt drag a straight line but headed generally toward where I had seen the "opening". 250yds later, i got there and immediately recognized the spot as an old slough deep in the thicket. Probably 350yds from where I needed to be. I knew where i was and which way I needed to go but I had already drug that deer and all my gear a long way and was exhausted. I headed out and immediately was tangled in the black dark. I would drag a while, rest a while and wipe the worst mosquitoes i have ever seen. Still pouring rain by the way.
Two hours of this and I had no idea if I was even headed the right direction anymore, I was too tired to go on, and it took both hands to keep enough bugs off to keep my sanity. I started to leave my gear but figured I might never find it again. I finally admitted defeat and called my Brother- in- law Sam. he was over an hour away and it was close to midnight by now. I asked him to please drive to my truck and blow the horn.
I sat there and fought those bugs for the eternal hour it took him to get there. When he drove in the old logging road, I could have almost touched his truck! Five more steps and I would have been in the road! He sure made fun of me for a few years on that one. Lots of lessons learned on this one. Hunt with a partner, check your flashlight, compass, skeeter spray.. Oh well....I killed a nice mature deer on his home turf!
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