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Hunt Hard by Glenn Austin
Hey buddy. I shot a nice little 9 pt. on the Cahaba River Management area on Jan. 2 at 8:56. I checked him in and Chas (Cahaba River Wildlife Management Area Biologist) has the pic and info for it. This was the 3rd time I had seen him, and I was finally was able to make it happen. I am a huge bow hunter and have been really snake bit this year. Didn't hardly see a deer in the woods during bow season. Shot a nice doe with my muzzle loader, the Friday before gun season started, on a green field. Then didn't hardly see a deer in the woods again until about the 2nd week of December. Then I started seeing some pretty much every time I went but just couldn't seem to make it happen. I saw 7 different deer on Thursday morning, Dec. 22. They were moving all morning but were either to far away for a bow shot, had limbs and stuff in the way on one, and one doe came in down wind of me and smelled me and bolted. I had a 4 pt. chasing a doe right by my tree and enjoyed watching them when I saw this 9 pt. about 50 yards to my west in some small trees. He was just watching the action but didn't seem interested. Then he turned and walked off to the west. A couple of days later I saw several deer in a group walking one behind the other going south to north over to my west in that same area and they were to far away for a good shot. I moved my stand that afternoon about 70 yards to the west and closer to that area. I tried not to touch anything and what I did touch I made sure I had gloves on. The next two times I hunted I didn't see a deer. Didn't even see a squirrel playing. It was like the woods were dead. I gave the area a rest for several days and came back on Tuesday morning, the 29th. Didn't see a deer all morning again until about 8:45 when this same 9 pt. came in behind me and came up on my right side. I was planning on him showing up in the small trees where he was before, which were now a little to my left since I am a right handed shooter. He is about 25 yards to my right and slightly behind me. I slowly stood up and tried to turn around to see if I could make the shot through some small limbs in the smaller trees next to mine hoping he would maybe come around more in front of me. You know a right handed shooter trying to draw and shoot to the right out of a tree stand is tough. Well, he started moving and slowly walked off away to my right and was quickly lost in the tree limbs. Talk about disappointed (lol). But, that's bow hunting. I kept telling myself, " He never saw me, he never smelled me, he never knew I was there". I hoped, if I was careful with my scent and so on, that he would be back. I hunted two more mornings and didnt' see a deer. Tried rattling some and grunted a little. Tried the little can call some but no luck. Didn't even see a doe or anything at a distance. I had to work on New Year Day, so I missed the Friday gun hunt but was able to get out there on Saturday morning, January 2 for the last rifle hunt. It was cold and a little breezy. North wind that cut right through your clothes. But 3 layers of clothes and some insulated cover-alls and I'm there dude. Two pair of gloves and 3 pair of socks. Got a little warm walking into my tree before daylight but after an hour or so sitting still the only thing that got a little uncomfortable was my toes. Sat there all morning and didn't see a thing. From before daylight to around 8:30 I only heard 4 shots and only one that sounded like it was in the same county as I was. I'm thinking there is nothing moving. We have had a bright, full moon for several nights and I know they are moving most of the night. About 8:30 I stood up and stretched a little. Got rid of a little morning coffee into an old water bottle I carry with me for just that purpose. I am very careful about my scent control. Some people say they can pee right out of there tree stand and it doesn't affect their hunting, but I just don't take the chance. A 20 oz. large mouth power aid bottle works great and you can dump it out back at the truck. Yeah I said large mouth bottle (lol). Well, I sat back down and got still again thinking I'll give it a couple more hours and then pack it in. I sat there and had a little quiet time with the Lord. I told him I really appreciated him blessing me with good health where I could enjoy the outdoors and hunt like I do as I will be 50 in a few months. I absolutely love sitting in a tree and watching the woods come to life in the mornings. I have seen all kinds of different animals. I had a big hawk land in the tree next to me one time, and he was only about 8 to 10 ft. from me. He didn't have a clue I was there. I've had squirrels almost climb in my lap. I've had coyotes and foxes run by. Couldn't begin to count the Turkey's I've had walk right by my tree. It's cool to watch the squirrels chase each other when they are trying to mate. I love it man. What else can you say. I am thankful no doubt. I asked God to bless my efforts and help me make it happen. It couldn't have been but just a very few minutes later that I heard those beautiful leaf crunching foot steps coming up behind me and to my right. I slowly turned my head and cut my eyes to the right and there was this 9 pt. coming up the same way he did almost a week ago. I slowly stood up and took the safety off my 7 mag. This time he came on up to my right and then around almost in front of my tree...25 yards. I could have nailed him with my bow, but my 7 mag did a fine job. I bow hunt so much that I didn't think to put the cross hairs on his shoulder and break something. I put it right behind his shoulder like a bow shot and dropped the hammer. He jumped straight up in the air and then took off running. He ran about 50 yards straight away from me and then either ran or fell down this super steep hillside. I knew I hit him good. I could see blood sprayed everywhere on the leaves from my stand. I said Thank you Lord about 25 times and after about 15 minutes and calming down, I climbed down. He got hung on a couple of small trees about 40 yards down, or I guess he would have slid or rolled all the way to the bottom which I couldn't even see. I gutted him right there. I guessed he weighed around 150, and I knew I wasn't going to be able to get him to the top of this mountain side so I cut his flanks just below his ribs around to his spine and used my little tree saw to cut his spine. I took him up the hill in two pieces. Two trips but I don't need back surgery (lol). That was a good move. Once I got him to the top of the drop off, I loaded him on my cart and rolled him about 3/4 of a mile to the truck. If you don't have a deer cart, I would advise you to get one if you hunt out here. This is the first year I have had one and it is worth its weight in gold. I had to drag one about 3/4 of a mile last year and my right shoulder hurt me till Easter (lol). If I could say I learned anything from this hunt it is to be patient, be careful with your scent, and be quiet especially when you get aggravated and see one but cant make the shot. If he doesn't know you were there, he will come back through there again.
Hunt hard and Hunt safe, Glenn Austin Alabaster, Al. |
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