slug gun success! first deer with a shotgun!

[mazzgolf 1,095]

Another first for me - first deer with a shotgun  !! Slug gun, to be exact. Yes, I did arm myself with the proper equipment this time, and it worked!!

It's a long post - feel free to skip to the bottom for the pix  

As you recall, I went out earlier this week with my SG but I only brought my smooth-bore with buckshot - and I saw a few deer but just too far away for buckshot. I then took the abuse from you all because, well, I deserved it  BUT! I took the advice, and brought my slug gun and it was a good thing I did.

Here's the story.

At 5:30am, I got to the same spot I went to earlier in the week - except I positioned myself just a bit closer to where I've been seeing the deer and I sat next to a fallen tree that crossed a path. This was a perfect spot because the tree had a split-trunk so not only was I well hidden behind the branches and trunks, but I was able to use the lower trunk as barrel rest for shooting. Wind in my face. I'm not worried about deer coming behind me, since they'd smell me well before they'd see me. But I'm expecting the deer to come in from my front, as they have the past few times I've been here, so the wind was perfect.

At 6:20am, I heard some running around about 50 or 60 yards out - wasn't deer, they were moving too fast. It was still kinda dark, but with the light snow on the ground, it wasn't too dark to see --what else? -- coyotes! At least 2 of them, but I think I saw a third. I can't believe this - everywhere I hunt deer, I see coyotes. And this is a completely different place from where I've been hunting deer in the past. These things are EVERYWHERE. If it was shooting time and I had more light, I definitely would have taken a shot. They were in the open, so I think I could've gotten one. Oh well... I wasn't there for the yotes anyway.

When they went away I realized they came from the direction where I've seen the deer come in, so now I'm worried they spooked the all deer away.

I sat some more and didn't see or hear anything for the next 45 minutes or so.  A little after 7am and I start getting antsy. I'm moving around when I just happened to look up and I see this buck about 100 yards away! Never fails, whenever I'm moving around, that's when the deer show up (and usually when they bust me). He kept walked slowly in my direction. But he soon disappeared into the trees and I figured he turned and went away.

That's when I saw a doe coming in my direction! I'm not one to care about antlers much, I just want the meat (and I did buy a permit that allows me to take does in this zone), so I watch her with the intent to take her. I put the gun on my tree rest (this was just an awesome spot, it's like the tree fell in the perfect position at the perfect height - the gun was steady the whole way and I was able to look through the scope just as comfortably as if I was sitting at the range). I put her in the crosshairs, but then something made me wait. She didn't look all that big, and I was hesitant to waste a shot on a small doe, plus, I wondered if maybe that buck was following her. So I gave her a minute to walk closer and I was going to see what happened.

Sure enough! Here comes that buck like a ghost - just appeared again and started walking in her direction. I put the crosshairs on him and waited for him to give me a shot. He stops at 50 yards, with his head behind a tree, but the boiler room is just sitting there wide open! I could not believe it - it was the most comfortable shot I could have got - sitting with the barrel resting on a trunk, with a buck straight in front of me at just 50 yards away (a shot I just practiced a few days ago). God answers prayers!  No way I would have shot with buckshot, by the way  

I pull the trigger, and the buck immediately lurches and I know immediately I got him. He turns and runs and I watch him till he disappears into the trees.

After I collect myself ("I can't believe that just happened") and I wait for the woods to quiet down, I go to where I think he was when I shot him. No blood. I walk around. No blood. How can this be? There's snow on the ground! It should be easy to see blood! Now I'm questioning myself - did I really hit him? Please don't tell me I missed! I walk out another 10 yards, 20 yards, up and back... no blood. Now I'm getting worried. I walk out to maybe 30 yards and there I see him laying on his side next to a tree. I still see no blood until I look real close and finally I see a small blood trail. Real faint until I got closer to him and then I see it. I got an education here - I thought I would see a large blood trail starting at the point of impact with a slug, but it just wasn't there. I had to go out at least 20 yards before I could see any blood. (this is the first time I ever shot a deer with a gun - so what do I know? )

Well, I knelt and prayed a little thank you to God. I didn't think I would get one this year.

The shot seemed good - at least the hole was where I aimed. When I found him, he was already dead, and the hole had bubbles, so I guess I got him in the lungs. Gutted, dragged, and taken to the butcher - and now I'm looking forward to more venison dinners this year!

Just a 4-pointer, but a healthy deer with some good meat on him!

[buckfever1974 329]

Thanks for the story.  Awesome reading when there is genuine excitement in the words.

[The Buschman 247]

Great read/buck … congrats!

[archer36 1,352]

Congrats! Your excitement is great!

[BHC 3,247]

Congrats on a popping your shotgun cherry !!!!! Thanks for the play by play (yes I read the whole thing)

[Psehunter 439]

That's awesome, congrats!!

[County Hunter 33]

love it! congrats! what brand of slug?

[Mixbaghunter 580]

Congrats  one first buck 

[not on the rug 1,443]

Congrats!  Theses are the stories I like to read.  Nice job

[BowhunterNJ 4,165]

Yeah man!  Congrats on your first and great shot!

[dlist777 587]

Awesome man.  Congrats!  That's a real cool 4 pointer too.  

 

Edited December 6, 2018 by dlist777

[SPEARFISH 1,027]

Great post and congrats.

[nmc02 1,157]

Congratulations...looks like a 5 pt

[BillW0323 1,365]

Congrats!

[NorthJerseyMike 133]

Yeah buddy!