This morning I hit the woods about an hour and a half before sunrise. I knew my sneak approach to the stand would be somewhat better than normal, it had just rained the night before, and the wind was howling. So my footsteps were almost silent. Walking in with just the cover of darkness, I made it to my stand undetected, and even noticed a large doe grazing in the same place I walked through about 15 min earlier. At sunrise I continued to watch the doe make her way to me. I had that gut feeling that today was going to be a good day. Knowing that I had absolutely no meat in the freezer, I knew this deer was mine if she came within shooting range. As she made her way closer to me, I caught the sight of two tails flicking about 50 yards from the doe. It was the landownder's dogs barreling through the clearing, hell bent on catching that doe (avoiding those dogs on this property is like trying to avoid the plague). So of course, she spooks and never comes back. After waiting two more hours in the stand and seeing nothing, the wind and cold air got the best of me, I anticipated warmer temps. discouraged and cold, I decided since it was still early that I'd try a stalk hunt on the way back to the truck, the winds were strong and coming from a perfect direction for me to cover a lot of property and still be down wind. I made my way slowly and quietly, stopping every 30-40 feet to look for deer. About 100 yards later, I found myself in the corner of a clearing. Looking up at a nice white oak, I stood there thinking to myself, "that'd be a great tree to climb for a future hunt, plenty of cover, nice acorn drop" when CRACK! About 8 yards to my left i see a doe spook out of the brush heading straight towards me! With the thoughts and memories of my unsuccessful deer season playing on repeat in my mind, I saw this doe as my chance to end the slump. She ran so close to me, I could smell her, at the same time thinking "trip her! grab the knife! this is your chance!" It was as if the script of some great hunting story was being played out in front of me. Most hunters I know don't get this opportunity too often. Instead, I stood there like a deer caught in the headlights, and watched her fly by me within feet of bare-knuckle brawling distance (3-4 yards away). Yeah, I would have gotten the **** kicked out of me, I knew it would have been a hell of a brawl, but I knew that I could have taken that doe with my bare hands. I froze on the one of the most improbable situations I could have ever imagined finding myself while deer hunting. Don't get me wrong, I've walked up close to deer before, but i've never been able to see the reflection of the sun in their eyes before, like this one. I could have walked into the woods a bow hunter, and walked out a knife hunter, like the Pequot indians that had hunted the same exact land 300+ years ago. But I froze, and damn near destroyed a new pair of underarmor compression shorts. I managed to sneak back up within 25 yards on her, catch her broadside, only to get busted while drawing my bow back. This hunt will definitely go down in the books as one of the best "what-could-have-been" hunts I've ever had. I never knew this day could have gotten as intense as it did. Sorry for the long-winded post, but my heart is still beating out of my chest.
Trip her!! That's classic. Great story, sometimes the best stories don't end with a deer down. Thanks for sharing
Sounds like you had a great time, congrats! I am positive that you should be glad you didn't try and grapple with her.
what a cool story! thanks for sharing. Would have been cool if you could have stuck her with your buck Knife but you will remember that moment for a lifetime.
Wow that's a great and crazy story!! I'm sure I would've stood there thinking is this really happening. Lmao. Good luck on getting outta the slump soon.
Sweet story. Reminds me of last year when a friend and I called in a Bull Moose within 20 yards before frailing our arms and yelling at him to scare him away. If we had it to do again we would have let him come to within feet of us. Keep in mind the only reason he was approaching us is because it was the rut, and he was pissed that another bull moose was in his territory... Scary, but amazing at the same time.
killing a deer with your bear hands is no simple matter. A buddy, his son and I are returning to a cabin a nice fella let us use last year when we encounter a doe hit by a car along a dark twisting rain soaked road. Neither of us had a blade, but we knew the critter would not live with two broken front legs. Not even a large rock in sight and she keeps trying to drag her self onto the road. So I (after much head scratching) jumped on her back and apply a Judo choke. I have some training in this area, but mostly in striking arts. The left arm crosses the neck and locks onto the right bicep and the right hand pushes the deer's head into the forearm. After two minutes of total exertion the deer goes limp. I rolled to the side completely spent thinking he (it was a button, felt the nubs with my right hand on the head) was dead. The little guy recovers (five minutes later) just when I recover from the exertion. Finally, a guy arrives with a knife and we are able to finish him. Still, the deer did not go easy. The point, you had a great experience, and taking a healthy critter with your bare hands is no simple matter. Fighting an animal capable of an 8ft vertical leap bear-handed is not conducive to a long life.
As good of a story as it was I'd have to say please don't attemp to take a deer with a knife. the chances of you actually being able to hold on to the jumper critter along is hard enough, but imagine the harm you could cause if you simply stab her a bunch. plus its not nice to hit a girl, unless that girl is Rosie O'Donnell.
I was hoping using the truck would be good luck for you. I wish I was there for that one though haha.
this happened to me last year.. i snuck in the back of a field on the deers escape route and had my dad come into the field yelling to scare them to me.. well he went early and they came barreling by within feet of me while i fell on my back trying to get my release on.. my friend was behind my at the time laughed his butt offf.. i didnt think it was so funny haha
Glad you guys enjoyed reading! It was a wild hunt, that's for sure. If that doe were a big buck, I think I would have turned around and ran for my life.
