Sweet november

This story ended on November 2nd, 2022, but it began on Friday, October 28th.

I began my evening sit at the hawks nest stand. This was my first evening sit at

this location and it was eventful. Lots of activity from the does and seeing 2-3

year old bucks along with a couple 4-5 year olds. My buck (PD) exited the buffer

strip along the river and began following three does north through the cornfield

ranged at 75 yards east of me. He was so locked in on the doe he didn’t even

pay a bit of attention to me. PD stayed with the doe and moved out of sight for

the evening.

Moving through the next six days was a dream. I saw three target bucks in

those days but distance and opportunity did not allow me to get a shot.

It was a rough start to the morning of November 2nd. While pulling up to the field

my #1 buck was exiting the property and walking north and out of reach. The

morning sit was long and irritating, so I got down and began to

head to lunch to get my plan together for the evening.

During lunch, I made the decision to return to the hawks nest.

It was extremely warm and DeerCast was not giving me the warm and fuzzy,

but I am stubborn and was hunting hell or high water. Off I stepped with my

gray Brother’s Keeper Outdoors t-shirt, black baseball cap, with all the hopes in

the world. I set in around 2:30 and began to wait. I observed three does moving

west of my location around 4:05 and that got me alert. I grunted a few times

and had no luck.

5:15 I hit three grunts and southeast of me, all I see is white antlers and they are

heading right at me through the brush. At 70 yards I see PD exit the buffer strip

and enter the cornfield walking north, exactly like he did on Friday evening. I

was able to recognize him by his drop tine on his left side. I decide to grunt two

more times. During the second grunt he turns halfway through his step and is

coming in just north east of me about 45 yards. PD enters the shooting area

turning and walking straight south. This was putting him at 25 yards broadside

east of me. I draw back my Matthews V3X and PD stops with his vitals in a

picture perfect opening between two trees. I waste no time and release my

arrow. I smoked him, I smoked him! PD runs 40 yards stumbles slightly, stands

up on his hind legs and jumps onto his back. He is dead. Holy cow he’s down!

PD was dead in less than a minute from being shot.

The shot hit him behind his front shoulder and exited in front of his other front

shoulder.

Wow, sweet November!

Written by Jon Cheney