True story, I hunt the back side of Pentuckaway State park, Deerfield New Hampshire side
about 5 miles from my house and have 5 permanent tree stands set up, they
have been there for years. Its a mile and a quarter walk down a trail across
posted land ( all down hill ) at the end of the day its all up hill! For
Christmas 1998 I bought myself my a sportsman 500 ATV to get the deer out of
the woods, but only drive it in to get the downed deer. I will not drive in
to hunt I respect other hunters.Opening day muzzleloader on my way to first
tree stand I jumped a by buck, spent the next 6 hour in that tree stand, saw
or heard nothing else. Next day went to same tree stand, saw nothing. next
day same tree stand around 7:30 saw movement, it was a doe see was about 125
yards in thick brush, see was passing left to right it could have been a
decent short but a wont take a doe that early in the season. Next day same
tree stand nothing again, it seems to be every alternate day they used the
run. so again the next day same time same place here comes the doe again, I
let her pass again. That afternoon I move my tree stand up into the thick
brush where they have been passing through. The following day (alternate day
) nothing, next day same time same place I see movement coming down the
valley, a nice buck 8 pointer comes around the corner, perfect shooting
position from tree stand the only problem when I raised my muzzleloader my
scope ( Im 1/2 blind too ) it wasn't a morning short ( pure sun ) could not
pick him up, after squinting for about 5 minutes, a doe behind him turn't and
went up the hill, he followed but stooped broadside about 100 yds away. It
seemed to be a pretty good short so I raised muzzleloader again, gently
squeezed trigger, misfired! fist misfire ever. Took capper installed new cap
and another misfire, fumbled for capper again I new I had an inverted cap
coming up in the capper, while trying not to loose site of the deer and recap
I drop capper from tree stand, waved good-bye to buck. Next day (alternate
day ) nothing. I wont give up on the tree stand, next day 7:30 comes, 8:00
comes, 8:30 comes, nothing. now IM disgusted I climd down tree stand load up
backpack start up hill I get 50 ft from tree stand and here he comes, drop to
knee, one short, one kill. Walk out got 4 wheeler, hoisted him up oak tree,
field dressed, strap him down and said " thank you ", thank you for the best hunt ever.
Deer dressed out at 187 lbs 7 point taken during the 1999 season.
