Welcome to TheOhioOutdoors
Wanting to join the rest of our members? Login or sign up today!
Login / Join

Brock/Mason 2021/22

brock ratcliff

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
24,834
247
Thanks for the comments, fellas. I am having more fun than I can adequately describe. Being on a controlled hunt chasing deer that seem to be abundant where it’s ok to actually shoot animals without worry of hurting your future hunting... yeah, that’s a good time.
I met Townzen at the park around 230. He wanted to hunt the bottom of the hill where we have been getting multiple daylight pics of some really good deer. I brought a climber from home for him to use and he headed out. I went to my stand and settled in, thinking about where I need to move the stand. We will make a couple moves on Saturday. We are learning on the fly here. Around 445 I saw the deer I eventually killed. She was in the same thicket where yesterday’s deer was but eventually moved in to about 20 yards from me. My stand is very low, no cover to hide behind. Once the deer get out in the open, it’s very difficult to move let alone draw the bow undetected. So even though this deer was quartering to me a bit, when she stepped clear I drew. And as I figured she would, she picked me off about 2/3 through the draw. I got to anchor, settled in and aimed tight to her shoulder. Impact was a shade higher than I’d like, but it was angled down and back into the goodies. Two other deer bounced when I shot. I hadn’t even seen them in the thicket. She ran 100 according to OnX. She was 80 yards from the blacktop road. I had her dressed and loaded onto the game cart before Townzen made it over to me. He took over from there. My buddy Steve, whom I’ve shot traditional bows with since I was a teenager, nearly died from Covid. He was in ICU for two months, vent for three weeks, flat on his back for three months. He started back to work Monday but is still weak as a kitten, and he has always been one of the strongest men I’ve known. Anyway, he wanted some venison, so I drove the deer to his house in Circleville. Last nights deer went to a friend of my parents. Feels good to provide venison to folks that want it. I hope to get him another if the opportunity arises. I hope to take Steve to my property too later in the season. While I was at his house Steve tried to draw a couple of his Black Widows. He’s got a ways to go yet but I told him I’d hook him up with a crossbow, heated blind and cornpile before seasons end.
 

brock ratcliff

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
24,834
247
Great couple of hunts Brock! Hope a big one walks by you next.
Thanks brother. I’d like another look at a big one too, but I’ve had a lot of fun just shooting deer. Been a long time since I was in a situation where I was encouraged to just send ‘em. It was fun, but maybe I should plan to use a little more patience going forward. Lol