I hunt mostly Zone 5 in Western Mass, Montague, Levrett and Gill in the Pioneer Valley. One day I was committed to going hunting, the overnight rain was supposed to stop but didn't. In the morning, I pulled out my rain poncho, and decided to just walk across the street and hunt a pinch point and heavily used deer run. The plan was if it started pouring, I'd just come home. Id gotten about 100 yds into the woods when I jumped a group of deer. They ran down a hill into the hemlocks, but didn't go far. I sat under a tree, blew my call a bit, covering my Whitetail Hunter Pro with the camo rain poncho. I could see a couple deer moving in the trees, one kept sneaking closer, then moving away, then coming back, frustrated because the wind was completely in my favor. After a bit I decided they knew something was up, so I packed up and started climbing the mountain along an old sugaring trail. About 1/4 mile up, two roads speed and I found a good tree to lean on with some cover. The wind was blowing into my back, and in front of me was a small dip and a steep drop off beyond that. I used my call some, and had a bit of doe estrous I sprayed, after de-scenting and using some cover scent. Not 15 minutes later I saw move movement, and 30 feet to my left I saw a chunky 4 point, pushing his head thru some scrub. If I had gone a bit further, I'd have seen a scrape. Either he was out freshening up scrapes after the rain, or heard my call or both. I sent one and he mule kicked good, and he started to walk away, not run, down into the dip and stopped maybe 15 yds directly in front of me. While he took that walk, I reloaded. There was a small tree and some scrub in front of me, then open space. I'm looking, and thinking 'he should be leaking but I don't see it..,. He was looking around, pretty sure he stopped in front of me catching that estrous scent. My elbow slipped and he looked right at me. I'm camo'd up, and body and gear descended. Still, I slit my eyes, at this close distance he might have seen them. He stomped his back foot. Then his front one. Son of a gun if he didn't turn around and start heading back to his scrape, where I first shot him. As soon as he came clear, I released my 2nd shot and sent him straight to heaven. He mule kicked for the last time. I nicked his aorta right next to his heart. He went about 20 yards and piled up. It all happened in about 2 minutes. The drag was all downhill, and I'm eating venison jerky now. The wind direction and geographic terrain made that spot perfect. The wind was behind me and pushed off that steep hill. I'll be back after I give the spot a rest. Hung the buck about 6 days then butchered it myself. Turns out my first shot nicked a small branch, then nicked his front leg and sliced open his fur and chest, not deep enough to break all the way thru the skin, but it was a clean slice he'd have easily survived. The second pin was about as good a shot as it gets. I watched him go down and pulled out my phone, texting wife with the BUCK DOWN and a happy face. He was 140 lbs dressed. He still had a lot of fat and a full belly.. pic is my grandson next to him. Nov 25th 2025
I guess my point was, my fav an go to spot is about 10 miles away. I always hunt my favorite mountain. Shooting a buck within walking distance of my house never really entered my mind. Until it did. This'll definitely change my options, after giving the spot a rest, I'll be back there again!
