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crossbow hunting

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Jake:
second time crossbow hunting this week. Last week I saw 11 deer over 2 sits - total between 7 and 8 hours. 9 were out of range - more than hundred yards away. Two were in range, about 35 yards - but they were very small so I didn't harvest them. Crossbow is fun, but way different than rifle. The main difference is the range. I will not shoot over 40 yards - even though I am quite accurate with it, I don't think the bolt has enough momentum for a clean kill. So with a range of less than 40 yards, you have to be extremely quiet and stealthy. I am hunting from the blind I built over the summer, and height definitely helps not to be detected.

Last week on my early sit, I got out about 45 minutes before sunrise, and there were 3 bid deer right in front of my blind and inadvertently I scared them away as I walked towards them.

I sat tonight for three hours and saw 2 does and a buck - both were out of range at over 100 yards. But for the morning I am taking a different approach. I will sleep in the blind! it's 16 degrees here in central wisconsin - so here is hoping I don't freeze!

I got some work to do first, and then I'll go to sleep around midnight.

micah:
awaiting today's update.  Also, did you die of exposure?

Jake:

--- Quote from: micah on November 08, 2019, 06:22:21 AM ---awaiting today's update.  Also, did you die of exposure?


--- End quote ---

I didn't die, but it got damn cold! ambient temp got down to 4 degrees - I wish I had my cold weather sleeping bag, because I froze my.....feet off. No really, my feet suffered the most. was it worth it? it depends on how you look at it.  I woke up at 5 and got prepared. First deer sighting was at a quarter to 6, but very far away. As I was studying it with my binoculars, a fawn in range appeared in the clearing. I started getting ready in hopes that mama would soon follow...and she did. But she was very fidgety and would not give me a shot. In a few seconds she got spooked and ran away. The fawn did too in another minute or two.

Meanwhile, the deer that I saw first that was far away now had a friend (sister) and Mama. When the two that were close to me ran away, these three started making their way down. I got ready again and had my sights set on the big doe. They came within range and started munching on some of the brush that was peaking out of the snow. The two fawns were broad side to me for more than a minute but again I concentrated on the adult....she would not give me a clean shot. One of the fawns walked away into the forest, and I had a feeling that mom would follow it. So I aimed for the neck and took the shot. I knew I hit her as she jumped in shock and started running away. I saw a lot of blood, so I figured it was a good hit and that she would expire shortly. So I waited about half an hour in hopes she has laid down somewhere close by to bleed out.

I was wrong. I tracked her for over 3 and a half hours. at first there was a lot of blood and later there were only drops. She finally led me to a forest of small (4-10 foot tall) red oaks, and even though there is snow on the ground, there were so many other tracks and so many dark brown oak leaves that I lost her track :( which is the worst thing that can happen. She has little to no chance of survival and instead of a clean and fast harvest she is suffering and will become a meal for coyotes or wolves.

So yeah, not very happy with my self at the moment.   

Jake:
I searched for her last night...but tracking in the dark is not an easy task. There was a large pack of coyotes close by howling up a storm and I didn't have my side arm so I stopped about an hour later :/

KnuckleBuckett:
Lots of meat eaters in the wild going to owe you a favor.

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