The Shotgun season 2006 !!! Page 6

Shotgun season was just a continuation of the wonderful time much like the archery season!! My cabin is situated in the woods a couple hundred yards from the main road which is a state rte.and the privacy is wonderful there,also there are 2 other cabins there located down a bit from mine with only one other cabin being used after sept. from a neighbor friend who only enjoy's the summer months there with his Kids , fishing, canoeing etc ., the other cabin not far from mine is used mostly during the hunting Months by my other neighbor friend & his Boy's as they normally hunt archery through the gun season as well, However they did not hunt much this year giving me & my brothers , nephews the opportunity to hunt their property as well, The area around my cabin as I had stated on earlier pages is located around a town reserviour which actually borders the reserviour being ard 80 yards from my cabin , We purchace a town reserviour permit to have access to the land around the Propt. yearly the fishing there as well. Well opening day shotgun was a pretty exciting day though we only took a spike buck which my nephew had taken n it was a pretty nice sized spike I had seen several nice nice deer along with a few nice doe's , There hadn't been any snow for the opener though we expected some by the second day , although I had seen 11 or twelve deer opening day I really didnt get any good shot oportunities, As there was alot of shooting & deer I seen were mostly on dead runs I just won't take them shots unless there right in front of me because there just such a low percentage shot & following / shooting at running deer is a no no in my group due to the amount of hunters around the area I hunt.However I had seen a few really nice bucks during archery season I had not seen as of yet during the gun opener & was trying to hold out for a decent deer to come along , However the 2nd day proved much like the first day I had seen only running deer w/ no good shot opportunity , Though I had seen several good looking bucks I decided I would wait til a good shot opportunity came along .. On day 3 it was about 6:45 I had been up in my stand since around 6:00 am I had seen a few doe's crossin the swamp I was hunting from which is located right behind my cabin where it borders the reserviour about 65 yards away from my cabin, I was huntin the proporty alone at this point my brothers & nephew had started hunting by their homes , nearly all the heavy pressure had ceased by the 3rd day , It was about 8:45 now & I could hear my girl open the cabin door to go to work , About an hour later , I started rattling & using my doe in estraus bleat called the can by Primo's I have taken many a whitetail with this handy little can, I knew the rut was in full swing & with no shots being fired decided to give rattling & the can a shot for awhile, Well it didnt take long & though it wasn't like I expected & hunting hardly ever is lol!! it Happend !!! I gave 3 bleats from the can & heard a loud crack behind me in the direction just left of my cabin about 30 - 40 yards away from me I turned & before I could turn all the way around I seen a buck it was a 4 pointer & folks I forgot to mention I had during archery season had my deer decoy / target in my meadow & when I gave out the doe bleat he must have seen the decoy or knew it was there , these bucks have a heavy cover between my cabin & my woods where a stream runs through the property & they bed down there when the pressure is on anyhow the buck stepped right out in the open meadow on my property in front of the decoy which was facing him, a buck will rarely (if ever) approch a decoy deer or another doe straight on & this buck started to walk around heading in my direction so he could approach the decoy from behind I imagine, anyway he got about broadside of the decoy & started to make a scrape right there in the meadow not 15 yards away from it. He was a nice 4 point he then started licking a branch above his head I at that point however still didn't have a clear shot at him, He stomped his foot & grunted at her he then walked slowly & cautiously towards the back of the decoy but in doing so he stepped into a clearing I had cut during the summer months, when he did I took the saftey off took aim & fired the buck went down in his tracks & my drag would be all of about 40 yards from the cabin, I was stunned about what had just happend because I had never hunted using a decoy & though didn't think of the decoy as that I had thought Why didnt I think of that!!! lol however thats how it unfolded though not planned made a successful hunt he was a decent 4 point buck. Looking back when I saw this buck scoot right out into the meadow without hesitation I can only assume he thought the "target decoy"was a real!!! doe pryor to that I had only read & seen this in books & on tv & video's I purchased, never did I imagine myself in a situation like that , However I now know this is how my hunt was a success I used the can & my rattle bag & this deer bought it though not planned folks the RUT!! was in full swing & the pressure of all the opening day was gone & he was thinking breeding. I hope you enjoyed this story as I did reliving it again & sharing it with you's!!! Though I still had 2 doe permits & there was still gun , late archery, & Blackpowder seasons ahead, I chose this year to finish out the season with my Boy Jeremy & do some small game hunting squirrel, Rabbit, pheasant etc. that made for a season once agin to remember & I shared it with my son , A (Special Thanks) here For my girl Carol who made my year worry free by taking care of cooking, shopping, & Most of all the blasted "Beavers"who tourmented us all summer by her tearing down small dams that they kept building that would have flooded my entire cabin area out!!! next season we will have them trapped & re-located to a new home where it will be less destructive to humans again Thank you Carol for all you've done to make our summer camping/ hunting season a real enjoyable success!!! & worry free