Bud calls a close to his deer season early, with two does to show for it
Well, the long-awaited Indiana deer seasons are rapidly coming to an end. It is amazing how long it takes for deer season to get here and how fast it ends. I can remember looking back at the “Xs” marked on the calendar as I marked off each and every passing day, and I couldn't wait until October 1. If you are a serious deer hunter, you understand what I am talking about.
My deer hunting seasons were not quite what I had originally anticipated. Early October was dry, warm, and windy. I didn't want to hunt very many mornings. Most of that was my own fault. I guess being retired sort of spoiled me, and I found it easy to roll back over and decide to make an afternoon/evening hunt, hoping it would be somewhat cooler.
For the first time in my hunting career, I saw deer activity every time I went to the woods, but most of the deer I saw were too far away for what I considered a high percentage shot. The deer that were close enough were small, and I didn't want to fill my tag with a small deer. I did manage to take some fun-filled videos of deer walking within spitting distance of my location.
To make it even more difficult, I had some stubborn issues with my ATV. I had to order a part that took several days to arrive, and I no more got that situation taken care of when my crossbow decided to lose a part. I had to order a new part , and then the trigger system jammed up. I was forced to buy another new crossbow.
Needless to say, I was very familiar with my older crossbow. It had put several deer in the freezer for me. Trying to get the new crossbow set up and sighted in took a few attempts, but I know I will have a great opportunity to harvest deer in the future. The more I shoot it, the more I like it! It’s just a matter of getting confidence.
Before I knew it, the firearms season was here, so I switched equipment to my .50 cal. CVA muzzleloader. I hoped they would get the standing corn picked and the weather would cool off. I was certain once they did that, deer activity would increase, and I was correct!
I backed the trailer into the parking spot, and I unloaded the "Critter Getter." I hurried to the ladder stand, and I saw 14 deer. I knew with the muzzleloader, I could easily reach out to longer yardages, and the ladder stand I was hunting was my favorite spot. I had taken a huge number of deer from it, so I was confident it would happen.
The next morning, I made my first morning hunt. It was indeed cool, and my handwarmers proved to be a wise investment. It was a frosty morning with very little breeze, and I just had a feeling this was going to be a great morning.
I heard the neighboring hunters drive the gravel road to their parking spot, and I also heard them drop the tailgate on their trailer. Within minutes, I heard the sound of deer running through the woods in the darkness. I could not see them, but it sounded like they knocked over several trees departing. I just hoped there would be other deer passing through after daylight.
I pulled the hood up on my parka and zipped the zipper up as far as it would go. I eagerly awaited daylight. It seemed like forever before I could see the ground. Just at first light, I heard some leaves rustling, and I saw a nice doe walking in. I didn't see any other deer with her, and I decided to take the shot.
As she walked within 40 yards of me, I bleated to her, and she stopped and looked around. I pulled the trigger, and she dropped right there. I sent my grandson a text and told him I just shot a nice doe and he told me he was headed my way to help me. I saw several other deer as I waited. Conner got there and helped me get her loaded on the back of the ATV.
I took a break for a few days and got some things done around the house. The next Friday, I went to the same ladder stand, and shortly after daylight I took another doe that was slightly bigger. The funny thing was this deer walked the same trail as the previous deer I shot, and when I dropped, it was about 20 feet from where the other deer fell.
Once again, I notified Conner. He was hunting the opposite side of Cass County, and he told me he would meet me at my truck in about 30 minutes. He and his high school buddy, Brady Hammond, drove over and gave me a hand field dressing the deer and loading her on the ATV. We got her back to my truck, and I was back home just before noon. I had made only two morning hunts, and I tagged a deer both times.
I had filled two deer tags, and I still had a buck tag left. Then, I did something that surprised me as much as everybody else. I knew I had a lot of things I had neglected during the hunting season, and the holidays were approaching. So, I opted to pack it in.
I unloaded my hunting equipment from the truck, cleaned my muzzleloader, washed my hunting clothes, and packed them all away for the remainder of the seasons. No, I did not harvest a big buck this year, but I have two mighty tasty does in the freezer to enjoy some great meals for myself and my family.
All in all, I consider the past season a success! So now, I am back to marking dates off the new calendar and awaiting October 1, 2025, to get back in the stands again!