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SMST is going to make a valiant effort to provide it's visitors with hunting stories directly from the field by our own hunting visitors, complete with all of the facts and fictions of their trips and experiences as they live it and write it. You don't have to be a best selling author to submit your stories to us, we want it real and from real hunters, and we want you to tell your story in your own way.
SMST@SOMD.NET
Women and the New Found Hunting
I have been reading a whole bunch of articles lately about how Female Hunters are on the rise.
Between 2004 and 2009, the number of women hunting with firearms jumped 50%, from 2 million to 3 million, according to the National Sporting Goods Association. Bow-hunting women climbed from 500,000 to 800,00 and female target shooters increased from 4.3 million to 4.7 million.
Some women believe that firearms are way too scary and violent, thus handling them makes them nervous. Bow hunting seems less invasive and the sound a bow makes when fired is more peaceful. Also the bow doesn't have any recoil action when fired. Bow Hunting just seems gentler all the way around. These types of women believe that Bow hunting is less violent of a sport and less intimidating.
Taken one step further removed is the female archer that only shoots at targets and not at animals. There are archery competitions and the indoor ranges have been seeing more women in their establishments then every before. Partly because the Manufacturers have been listening to women and what they would like in a bow and arrow and in doing so have made the bows more female friendly. The Bow Manufacturers have even been naming them a female type name and/or adding a splash of pink here and there. Companies like Matthews makes a Mustang geared more towards women and the PSE Pink Chaos was available in 2009.
When I started bow hunting it was because of my father. He was an avid archer. I remember watching him in the back yard setting up the target, marking and measuring the length away, and preparing his long bow and arrows. I was amazed, almost mesmerized at the fine tuning, and patience resulting in his accuracy, time and time again.
My birthday is the third day of bow hunting season. I have spent the first eleven birthdays in the woods because my dad was an avid bow hunter. He passed away when I was eleven. When I was little, my big brother accidentally shot me in the face with his new bow/arrow and yet it still never deterred me from archery.
I didn't get into firearms until years later. My home was broken into twice within 6 mos. time. I live on a 200 acre farm out in rural America. The thought of my children being hurt because of a break in made me realize it is time to be able to defend my family and home.
I started shopping for pistols, went to the range and took CCW classes, and I have been a card carrying member ever since 2004. From there it was a natural change for me to include firearms season hunting. My love for firearms has grown. My collection is every increasing, everything from a Heritage .22 revolver to a Thompson Center .50 cal Muzzle-loader.
Dawn Freeland - WHT
Bow hunting for whitetail deer has been like therapy for me. Time spent in the woods quietly has been very relaxing. I have been able to connect with God on a more personal level, when all of my daily distractions are gone.
When you are bow hunting you are not as likely to be hunting in a shelter type blind. There is a good chance you are open to the elements either in a tree stand or a ground blind or perhaps sitting on a five gallon bucket against a tree. Either way, you become part of the woods. You are in the heart of the deers home. Camouflaging is very important. You are camouflaging your appearance, your actions and your smell. You become part of the environment. Now whether or not you do a good enough job of it, is the decision of the animal you are hunting.
I enjoy the sights, the sounds and the smells. I am not sure why, but this year the smells have been especially noticeable to me.
I have noticed the smells of the freshly pawed earth from a buck scrape. I have noticed the smell of freshly rotting leaves in the marsh. The "just-cut" alpha field has been tickling my nose trying to get my allergies to act up. All of the buck rubs on the many different types of trees add another depth of smell for the senses.
Birds have been having a great time picking at the corn and flying between the corn stalks like a stealth bomber airplane.
Squirrels of every color jump from limb to limb as if they are putting on an acrobat show of my very own from the wildest circus of all. The noticeable chipmunks let me know they are there by announcing with a loud, startling shriek! On occasion the turkeys leave the cover and comfort of the corn field to roost for the night, flying loudly over my head into the trees surrounding me. Acorns that drop from the sky like tiny bombs without notice, and the annoying little pesky mosquitoes let me know they are hungry. At times I believe they know I cannot make any sudden quick movements, so they enjoy their supper just a little bit longer.
Being a successful deer hunter isn't measured by the quantity of animals that you have harvested, its the feeling in your soul that you receive for having another chance to experience the amazing outdoors.
Saw a few this past Saturday, got three good looks on Saturday evening. Sat there for a couple of hours and saw nothing, and then in the span of 20-30 minutes, I got three great looks.
I was hunting in another guy's stand who told me during early muzzleloader that he felt it falling apart while he was in it so he got out. Not very confidence inspiring so I made sure to wear my harness/fall arrest vest even though I was assured it had new straps and was fixed.
So I'm sitting there watching all the damn squirrels trying like hell not to shoot any of them (wow is that frustrating!!!!) for about 2.5-3 hours when I hear a deer behind and over my left shoulder. It was about dusk at this time so I couldn't see great, but he came from about my 7 o'clock. I watched him for awhile because there is no way I could've gotten a decent shot off, then he got closer and started walking away from me, but still behind the tree I was in. He then stops in a cluster of about 5 large trees between him and I at about 40 yards or so. After a few seconds he slowly walks to a small opening when I got a dark glimpse of his head; ANTLERS!!!!!! Just as this happens, I decide to check on that damn squirrel I realized was making noise the whole time and turn to my right, come to find out, it's not a squirrel this time, it's a doe at about 20 yards, but facing away from me! So I'm watching both trying to decide which to shoot at, at the same time. The doe sort of made a u-turn and started walking away from me into some thick holly, a dead tree on the ground and a large tree. So I glance back over to the buck and can barely make it out as it's getting darker. Glance back to the doe and can hear her, but can't see her behind the thick shit. Basically end up losing sight of both of them after a few minutes. The doe must've walked straight away from me, with the holly, dead downed tree and large tree between us because I didn't get a good look after that.
So then I'm sitting there mad at myself when I hear something over my right shoulder and see that it's a deer, but at this point, it's hard to tell if it was a doe or a buck. At about 15 yards away, it stops behind two dead trees leaning on a live tree making an X, right over top of the deer. All I can make out are legs at this point and since I'm right handed and half afraid I'm going to fall outta the tree stand, I try to position myself to get a good shot, but it was too far to my right since I'm right handed. So then I decide that I probably can get a decent shot if I stand up, but as I try to, I realize that I strapped myself in too damn low on the tree for me to stand up and can only just barely get my ass off of the seat, but still can't get the gun around that far. As I'm struggling, the deer hears me and takes about 3-4 good hops forward and is facing away from me. So I put the gun up, nothing; too damn dark to see through my $90 Bushnell scope (guess I should've paid attention to that "light transmission" nonsense huh?). Put the gun down and can barely even make out that there is a deer there it's so dark; gun back up, nothing, can't even find it in the scope. By this time, it was pretty much too dark for me to even see with the naked eye, so I lost it. Some of the guys I hunt with probably would've just shot in the general direction of it, but that's not something I consider; kill shot or no shot is how I like to hunt so I wasn't about to shoot it in the ass and hope it stopped.
Fun night, but also frustrating at the same time. Another guy we hunt with saw 15 or so deer haulin' through the woods about 4 p.m. and got two shots off (jammed in between) with his rusty old bolt action, open-sighted 12 gauge, but missed with both. Later on he got Bambi without any spots.
So Thanksgiving rolls around and I have a tough decision to make, either go to Jamaica with my family, or stay home in Va and have 4 whole days all to myself out at our farm to hunt. Very, very, long story short, I decided to stay and hunt. So Tuesday I get out of school, start piling up my gear and almost (as well as almost an equal volume of homework...) Say good bye to my parents as they depart early Wednesday and I head out not long after.
I was out in the field by Wednesday afternoon and hunted till dark, saw a few does but it was a slow day due to the weather being unusually warm, hunted my usual evening spot where i can shoot potentially to 585yrds with most deer milling around in a large food plot between 300 and 385yards. When I got home to the house there was a pile of trail camera photos as well as a message on cell phone from a good friend who put in the food plots. He had put up two trail cameras to see what deer we have running around. So of course, I called him and we talked about where it was taken and I hunted the hilltop where this buck was spotted Thursday morning, the whole morning I only saw a few does as walking back out, they were standing almost under the porch of the house, go figure.
That afternoon I went to said friend's house for Thanksgiving and the photo was a big topic of discussion, with some more input from far more experienced hunters than I, I decided to hunt the hill again Friday morning. Then I scouted the terrain on the other side of the thicket on the off-side of the hilltop, an area I've almost never gone and never hunted. It was a large valley that was about 250ft vertically lower than either hilltop, and a creek ran along the bottom as well as a thicket at one side and a food plot along the hilltop. It looked very promising so i decided to just stay there and see what happens. Saw some does move around but not The Buck or any others, however I did clearly see which paths the deer were taking and saw the choke points, and decided on my spot for the last and final morning of the hunt. This evening forum member and good friend "Trebark" and his nephew came out to hunt Saturday as well, they hunted the "long range" spot on the property that is from 100-585yards, however I won't go too much into detail as Trebark may be doing a write up of his own. We discussed The Buck some more and pondered some other sightings of other bucks, we believe there is a 10pt of the same size out there as well, as well as a very tall 8pt, both deer we spotted earlier in bow season, but decided that this buck must be a different one as he had been seen three times on the other end of the property.
So, finally, the last morning of the hunt I leave the house at around 5:50 (first light at 6:36) and head out, as I am running a little late and due to it finally cooling off (24F) I either had to really haul a** or take a four wheeler, as I was wearing 5 layers of clothing, i decided to drive to the midway point, then hike up the hill, along the ridge down the back, up the opposite hillside and set up on my spot half way up. Unlike most hunters here in Va, I don't always hunt from a tree stand (in fact, not been in one at all this season). I set up on my little 3 legged stool with a tree just at my right and a big rootball from a fallen tree behind me. Due to my "lightweight" rifle being at the gunsmith, I opted to take my ultra-accurate .308win F-T/R rifle (complete specs later) shooting 190gr VLDs, complimented by a monopod, as well as the normal bipod.
So I am in spot and done making noise by 6:15 and settle in. I have one hand warmer to keep my left hand warm (I'm a left handed) and another to keep my ammo warm, as CCI BR2s are known to fail in the cold. Right away i start seeing deer and get excited, i started counting does, and before the day was over stopped counting around 35, however I bet I saw over 50, now how many of those were the same ones that left and came back I cannot say. At 7am, I saw my first good buck with a rifle in my hands. A nice typical 8pt, with a huge body on him. Took him at 71yards with a new shot DRT. I was very happy, this was my first ever Whitetail buck, and he wasn't too shabby! But since i saw him drop, I decided why not sit here some more and see what happens? By 7:15 does were already milling around again, one hung around the buck for quite a while, even nudging him, I think I shot her boyfriend... oops!
Then, at 8:45 I decided I would leave at 9, as I had an invite to hunt another farm that afternoon, and I wanted to quarter the 8pt without being rushed. But remember how trebark was telling me that twice he has seen shooters come out just as he was packing up at 8:55, so I decided I would wait till 9:10 to leave (I kid you not). At 9:01 or 9:02 I thought I saw a branch move off to my right at the edge of the thicket, nope, that's not a branch!! That's THE BUCK! Here he comes walking along at just over 100yards directly across the valley on the other hillside, I try steady myself and put the crosshairs on the choke point I watched countless does go through at 107yards and then 15seconds later he is walking right to left through the point so I put the crosshairs from my Sightron SIII 6-24 and my .308 barks and I watch him hit the dirt! At this point I was... not shaking, convulsing would better describe it! I got on the radio and called "Trebark" and told him I'd just shot a monster and have two bucks down not 40yards apart from each other! An 8pt and an 11pt!
While talking on the radio I saw the 11pt kicking a little bit but I've seen deer do that before, but I chambered a 150gr Interlock and adjusted my scope anyway just in case, a few seconds later he tries to get up, just manages to kick off and sort of land on all 4s on the steep incline, he is running/crashing down the hill spewing blood and falls again 20yards further, I send an Interlock and drill him through the neck again, blowing almost a 4" exit hole, he doesn't so much as twitch after that.
I pack up, call my friend who put in the foot plots and tell him I got The Buck as "Trebark" and his nephew walk over and we get the bucks out and admire them. So I went from no bucks, to an 8pt and 11pt in a day. I haven't scored the 8pt, but the 11pt was very typical (the 11th pt was a little unicorn kicker) so scored him right away. He scored 153 3/8th Gross and 148 5/8th B&C Typical.
My Rifle specs are: .308 Winchester built by Jeff Walker at Walker Custom Rifles, 1-11tw 28" Hart SS barrel, HS Precision stock, bedded, rem M700 LH completely trued and trigger pull lightened to 2.5lb.
My load specs are: 190 VLD- healthy dose of RL17 (not giving weight for safety reasons), Lapua brass, CCI BR2s, 2859fps. Yes, 2859fps with a 190gr bullet from a .308. My rifle is set up for this combination. My brass is still going strong and stretching is minimal, i have fired this load through several chronos and out to 1200yards with data matching perfectly. 150gr Interlock- 47.3gr RL15, Fed brass, CCI BR2s, 2990fps.
Here are some photos of me and the deer.
 Another Big Buck Down - Maryland 2010 Bow Season Submitted By: Xtreme43s10 - November 11, 2010 Location: Montgomery County, Maryland
Finally, shot the buck I've always wanted, a perfect 10 point. Had to do some side work after work today, I hurried up and got it done, and had enough time to grab my bow and hit the woods for an hour, still in my work clothes and sitting in a creek he came in behind a doe. I watched him for a good 20 min, then another doe came flying threw with a big 8 on her, and he turned and went after him ( all while I'm about 15 yards away in the creek ) and looked like they where going to go at it. I stood up slowly and drew my bow and let an arrow fly. He ran about 30 yards or so and rolled over, I had my brother come up since he was hunting a couple hundred yards away and give me a hand and I, couldn't be happier, everything worked out great tonight.
 Early Bow Buck - Maryland Bow Season Submitted By: Xtreme43s10 - October 2, 2008 Location: Montgomery County, Maryland
Shot him at 8 yards on the ground. Used the rain last weekend to do some in season scouting and went into his bedroom and feeding area and found a tree that just fell which would make for a perfect ground blind. I was sitting there just watching the squirrels run around not seeing any deer just wondering if I could even pull this off and have a tree right in front of me, I'm watching one about 5 yards away not paying much attention and he walks right behind the squirrel, and I'm thinking oh shit, so I just slowly move my bow up and draw it back and rest the pin on him and as soon as I had it on him let it fly, it was wild how quiet deer can be walking through the woods. I never heard him or saw him till he was that close. Just goes to show you don't need all the latest high tech gadgets, I used the wind and the tree to my advantage and he came right down the trail like I thought he would and gave me a perfect broadside shot. He dressed out at 185lbs and he scored 131" and change.
Opening Day Monster - Maryland 2010 Bow Season Submitted By: L. Muldoon / September 15, 2010 Location: Prince Georges County, Maryland
Before you look at these pictures, please listen to the story that has to be told. I have watched this buck since he first sprouted this year's antlers in April/May. I spend most summer evenings glassing and taking pictures, being careful not to bump anything. I saw him twice last year, but I could never catch up with him, he was putting on some serious miles between October and December and he was popping up a couple different places on the ground I hunt. All the way back in May, I posted pictures and said he was going to be a good one. After a while I realized he was really good.
When I went out glassing on Sept 14, I hadn't seen the buck in over a month. But I saw a big buck in the distance and I figured I'd set up where he came out the previous night. I was so busy on sept 14 I couldn't get the pictures on the computer to see what deer it was, and I decided it wasn't really that important anyways, I'd be in the tree the next day either way. Well, it was him, and on sept 15 he was probably 30 yards farther away walking than expected, and I had to yell to stop him. He ducked a bit but I made the shot. I connected with him with a Muzzy 100 grain 4 blade broadhead. He took off through a marsh/swamp and through some nasty stuff and I looked for him until about 11:30 at night, making it probably 350 yards or so.
I found him the next day at about 11:30 a.m. around a quarter mile from where I shot him. So please, watch the progression of pictures here too. Harvest photos are also at the end. I enjoyed watching this big boy grow. I got a lot of history with this deer and he occupied a lot of my free time. I couldn't be happier now, but I have nothing to do with myself!
I kept thinking it shouldn't be this easy, the story shouldn't go like this. I have watched a couple big ones before in the past through the summers, but I never made it happen. I got close and actually went through a couple seasons not even shooting a buck because I was so intent on chasing a few. I will admit that I have learned a lot since then. I'm still really young but I learned a lot from following a couple bucks over the past few years. You could say I didn't learn anything at all because I barely saw any of the really big ones once the season came around. I never had a problem finding the big ones in the summer, it was just tough getting a shot at them through the season.
This buck taught me a lot, I'm almost sad to see him go, I was prepared to hunt him hard all season. I didn't get an age on him yet. Last year I saw him about this time in October, maybe a little later in October, and he was bachelored up with a couple other big ones. He was considerably bigger than them. I thought he was probably a 5.5 year old at the time. I then saw him again around December and he looked much, much smaller. So I was second guessing myself and I thought him to be 4.5 then, at the very least. He was also quite a way from where I saw him in October and I'm guessing he put on a lot of miles going after does. When I saw him in December he was chasing a couple does around still. So, at the very least he was at least 5 when I killed him. The taxidermist will save the jawbone for me though. I haven't put a tape on him yet. I haven't ever put a tape on a deer, although my taxidermist enjoys it and I'm sure he will. I'm not for/against it, I just appreciate a big old buck for what it is. I like 'em big though, for sure.
Congratulations and we hope you have bountiful future hunts. - The SMST Staff
White-Hoof - The Shotgun Season 8 Pointer
Submitted By: SMSTADMIN
Don't you think this buck didn't come with a bucket full of frustrations my friend. I have been seeing the same three 8 pointers and three 6 pointers and four 4 pointers for 2 months now, and for the past 3 weeks, nothing but tree rats.
It was a totally and completely unexpected situation as well, I actually climbed down out of my stand and got in my ground blind, with the wind whipping like it was, I would not have been able to put the crosshairs on his boiler room at all, about 4:20pm I had pretty much given up, due to the wind, any hope of even seeing a tree rat, I had made the decision to just go home and see what my wife had for food, my luck has not been providing, but, somehow my wife has meat on the table every night LOL.
I had actually stood up and just stood there for a minute, and then I noticed this fawn at about 20 yards so I set back down and started looking really hard through the 5 x 5 hole in my camo burlap, and then I saw a deer of some kind out about 40 yards, and I looked back towards the fawn on my right and that's when I noticed the rack on this 8 pointer, if had not of moved I would not have seen him, he was only about 25 yards away, so with some serious patience, I waited for him to cross over to my left where it was clear of the low holly trees, I grunted, and the Rossi 20 ga. slug slinger sent the Remington Buckhammer right to the boiler room at 40 yards.
when I finally walked up on him, I could not believe it, he looked like a cow laying there, his neck was so swollen and his glands were dripping, he was on a serious mission when we met (for about the third time) I seen white-hoof coming, so, I felt like meeting him face to snout this time. To get the right perspective on his size, you must know, I am not a small fella, him and I pretty much take up the bed of the truck LOL, unfortunately, as we all know, pictures just can't describe what it is in real life.
That's the easy part, I'll spare the details of what the time frames are after you pull the trigger. As a further note of interest, this buck had one white hoof, so, the trophy has been securely dubbed, "White-Hoof"
 First Morning Hunt 6 Pointer
Submitted By: Chris Hurley
Yesterday morning was pretty nice, I was kinda worried about it because of the 15 mph winds that were supposed to blow through, but apparently I had no need for concern.
At 5:30am I was just getting settled into my stand, I had been there for about 2 minutes when I heard one moving through, from the sound of it, it was hitting my salt block. So I sat quietly, and all of the sudden this deer just starts snorting at me (I'm assuming it was me)... what a way to start the opener, I was quite discouraged, so this deer takes off, and turns around and comes back in just to snort at me a few more times. Off the deer went.
So I shrug it off and continue my wait, finally- shooting light rolls around.
Now, I hunt on my Grandad's property. He owns a nice 70 acre section of land that I hunt the back of, and neighboring it is a 700+ acre farm that some fellas at the end of the road own/hunt. So its about 15 minutes after shooting light, and I start to hear the 'whirrr' of an engine and see some headlights coming through the woods. I guess I'm gonna have to buy these jokers a new alarm clock or something to get their butts in stand on time, but what I'd really appreciate is if they would not hunt RIGHT on the edge of our property, the engine stops 125 yards from my stand, and the guy gets into his blind... so far, all this morning has brought me is a headache and a bit of distaste towards our neighbors.
The next hour and a half goes by fairly quietly, except for the 4000 tree rats running all over the place. All of the sudden the squirrels just disappear, things get dead quiet, and a slight movement through some thickets catches my eye, off the nail comes the gun. Now I guess the guy that had a bit of trouble getting out on time fell back asleep in his blind or something, because these 2 deer came right from his direction. I take a look through the binoculars and see the first deer is a small spike, and see the second one looks to be a small 8. They were cruising through, and didn't give me much time at all, the spike just kept going and was gone before I knew it, but the 8 point stops to check things out, offering me a very sharply quartered away, 60 yard shot. It was a bit sharp for my liking, but I was wasn't about to pass up the opportunity, I take the shot off hand. Well the deer takes off slowly, tail down but besides this I had no indicator of a hit. He ended up going about 25 yards and bedding down, 5 minutes later he goes belly up.
So, I gave him another 15 min. just to be sure, and climbed/fell down, leaving my pack in my stand I was so excited! I walk up on him and find that he was actually a fairly wide 6 point. I also, with much disgust, found I had placed my shot a little far back and had clipped the deers gut. But on opening him up I found that I had also, thankfully, blown his liver away and gotten his right lung. He's nothing too big but he's my best to date, as well as my first morning buck, and I've just been replaying those 60 seconds through my mind ever since!
So yeah, any other bored fellow hunters with a good story feel free to share!
 One-Eyed Opening Day 8 Pointer
Submitted By: Rick Poole
I have had my trail camera out for a few weeks and I have seen this nice buck several times on it but all at night.
Today is the first day of Maryland's gun deer season. I got to my stand at about 6:15 am and all set up. Then at first light it sounded like a war with all the shots (and some before legal hours) And I was sitting in my stand and not seeing a thing. Then about 10 am I saw 3 does running like a bat out of heck and didn't get a shot at them. about 1/2 hour later the same doe came back around but just out of range. I came out for lunch at about 11 am.
I went back in to the stand about 1:30 and all set up. At about 3:30 PM I saw 2 does come running past me and didn't offer me a shot. I was getting a little mifted. Then about 4:30 PM I heard something coming to me and it was the buck I have been watching on the deer camera. It got with in 30 yards and I brought up the Encore 20 ga slug gun and took aim once he stopped I took the shot. The shot hit higher then I wanted on the shoulder.
The deer took off running and I watched it thinking I missed some how. I got down and went to where I shot it, I couldn't find any blood or anything. So, I started walking the way it went. I could see the turned up leaves I then saw a very few drops of blood. I followed the trail the best I could and about 100 yards away I saw him dead.
When I got him his body was not as big as I thought it was but the rack was OK. When we got the deer to the truck the in-side spread was just 20 1/2".
If you look at the left eye you will see it was missing and healed over and if you look at the buck in the video you can see the same eye missing.
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First Bow Buck
Submitted By: Philip Muth
So basically im 14 years old and i Live in Dayton, MD and hunt alot at my dads game farm Howard County Game Farm. I got a compound bow for my birthday. After practicing for a while i decided to see if there were any deer out, so i put some corn in one of my dads tree stands gave it a day and first time out there only about 30 minutes into my hunt two bucks and a doe came up. The first buck was a four point but i knew there was the bigger one behind it so i passed it off and then it came up to the corn, i shot it and then it dropped down about sixty yards away. Not very wide spread and it looks like only a two or three year old but was pretty exciting to shoot a deer on my first time hunting with my new bow and ill have to say really enticed and encouraged me to get back out there again. Thanks again for posting my picture.
P.S. the link i posted is my dads game farm located in Dayton, MD and specializes in pheasant and quail.
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