Gobble, Crunch-Crunch, Whack

If you live anywhere in the South you have probably heard the “Its Hot” broken record for the last month and a half. If not, I will repeat it once again. The month of September we saw above average temperatures every single day, tied or exceeded all time highs on 6 of those days and recorded no measurable rainfall, period, at least in my neck of the TN woods. Bow season started on Sept 28th and it got up to 94 degrees that day, NOT hunting weather in my book. I opted to visit the grandchildren that weekend and whacked some Panfish, posted some pics over on the Panfish Board. Anyway, temps have cooled a bit due to a North wind which has brought on the urge to get out to the deer woods in hopes of adding venison to the freezer for the coming year. As with most of my fishing forays, I scurried home a few minutes early from work, changed clothes, grabbed the climbing stand, the bow, some cover scent and hit the woods. Up in the stand by 5:30, some turkeys came to visit about 6:00pm



Hens feeding on bugs and seeds, they made cautious rounds in the open field then eased into the pear orchard in front of me, looking my way but never revealing my position. They moved on, safe from my sharpened stick today, but one day I hope to harvest a Turkey with the bow. At 7pm a small buck entered the pear orchard straight across from me and made a bee line to my location. He stopped twice, 50 yards out then 35 yards out and enjoyed a meal of fallen pears. I can hear him crunching the hardened and weathered fruit, drowning out my racing heart, thumping with excitement of a possible shot. He walked straight to me, stopped 11 yards directly in front of my position. I have the sights locked on him but the shot is not favorable. He is getting a little nervous, and I notice the leaves that surround my hidden perch start to quiver a bit. A breath of wind this close will surely send him back to the woods so I take the only shot I have, base of the neck into the bread basket. Whack, the sound of an arrow making good contact with its intended target is unmistakable. If the sound of a Crappie thumping a jig was as audible, I think it would cause the same euphoric feeling as the sound of a good bow shot. He did not make it across the field before quickly expiring, 50-75 yards max.


Lots of blood from the neck shot, the other side of the animal not appropriate to show here. I thanked him for providing my family with food, and gave thanks as always to our Great Creator for the opportunity and success of harvesting one of His beautiful creatures. Hope others will start posting their deer harvest, bow season can be an exciting time in the Fall woods.


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