First time hunting report...no pics though

S

SquirrelNuts

New member
I left for my local WMA this morning at 3:45 AM. I got up in the stand, started to freeze. I put on more clothing...still freezing. The wind was blowing all over the place. I had an excellent spot with several clear shooting lanes. The wind was initially coming in towards my face so I had the perfect view. Everything downwind was towards my back. But then the wind shifted and everything I was looking at was downwind from me. Very frustrating. I am not going to get anything this way. I did not see one deer and I could not hear anything with all the wind. :(

-SquirrelNuts
 
Two words. Polypropylene. Underwear.

Get some. With a good underlayer, a decent midlayer (even cotton) and some thinsulate coveralls, I stay pretty warm. Also, target two areas--feet and head. I use a synthetic sock liner, good wool sock, and thinsulate boots. I wear a fleece hunting mask (ski mask) over my face.

Did you scout the area? Was there deer sign where you hunted?
 
It was blowing to beat the band on this side of the Savannah River as well. I've killed deer in almost every weather condition except high winds. Really seems to make them hole up, as they lose 33% or more of their alarm sensors.
 
I did not scout out the area beforehand, but the guy that took me to that WMA has hunted there for ten years, and his buddies have hunter there for twenty years, even before it was a WMA. I heard shots all morning long, some VERY close to me. I think we were the only group that did not get a deer. All of the other hunters got deer on high grounds. My buddy told me that the deer will usually not move in windy weather, but they were all going to high ground. He said once you think you have their patterns figured out, something like this happens and you have no clue.

Tomorrow should be calm, but cooler.

-SquirrelNuts
 
I went back on Saturday (I am writing this a week late). The wind was calm, and I wanted a deer! I went to my old location where a stand was waiting only to find another hunter in a tree 50 yards from me! I crept back up the hill and found a new spot to ground hunt. I sat there for an hour just listening and scanning the area. I heard probably twenty shots in that hour all of them on high ground. I decided to head to higher ground. I went back to where I left my truck and scouted around there. I found a beautiful ridge, but the side was too steep to hunt. Plus I did not feel like carrying a deer up a steep hill. I went to the other side of the hill and found a GREAT spot. I could see for several hundred yards and hand shooting lanes galore. I found a comfortable spot and sat down. I was still moving around getting comfortable, arranging equipment when I saw my first deer. It was playing around behind some brush, too covered up to take a shot.

Fifteen minutes later two more deer popped out from the same hill and ran through the forrest. My heart was racing, I was going to get my chance. I brought up my rifle and waited for them to stop. One of them stopped right behind a large oak tree. I could only see its head and rump, very frustrating! It took a step forward and I could see its forward body. I aimed and took a shot. I hit the tree it was hiding behind, the deer jumped, but did not leave the area. It immediately hid behind some brush and then I saw one deer leave the area. I thought I had hit it. Two came in, but one left. I spent an hour searching the area for ANY sign. I went to the exact location-120 yards off and made a mental grid. The only thing I found was urine.

I left the area for lunch and ran into the hunter that was near my stand. He was friends with the guy I went out there with. We were sitting in the woods waiting for our friend to return when two different deer popped out from behind a hill. I told him there were deer right behind him. He grabbed his .308 and took both of them. My .30-06 didn't see any action :(

They both dropped immediately and we walked over to them. They were both still alive. I finished them with some 127 gr. Winchester Ranger SXT (Black Talon) from my Glock 17. They died instantly. We field dressed them and he felt bad for not letting me shoot them. We actually found the bullet still lodged in the ribs of one of the deer. He gave me the small buck and I had him processed. The meat looks delicious.

The next hunt starts December 13th, and I am going back. I am hooked.

-SquirrelNuts
 
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