Shot in the Foot by Thermals

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jhpa
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Joined: Fri Mar 23, 2018 4:40 am
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Shot in the Foot by Thermals

Unread postby jhpa » Tue Nov 17, 2020 6:28 am

Was out Saturday evening watching an oak bottom. I was sitting near the base of a hill, watching the bottom, with next to no wind. Private pasture and brush was about 100 yards from my 1 o'clock to my 5 o'clock. Expected bedding from sign and past experience was in the brush on the private.

I am a lefty shooter, and set up with my best shots to my right and just right of my front, expecting movement from bedding to be on a rub line or trail from that direction.

Expected that if a deer was bedded on the ridge opposite the bottom from me, said deer would work up into the oaks behind me. I had a tree to my left for cover. I expected that if, by chance, a deer came from the left, he would work up the hill into a shooting lane I had behind that tree.

What do you know, a nice 8pter came up from the bottom to my left (unexpected). Then, rather than work into the oaks, he walked along the bottom toward me from left to right (also unexpected), thus staying behind the tree I used for cover the entire time. He was cautious and watching hard from the minute I saw him, so I tried to keep movement to a minimum. Excitement grew as he worked in front of me. I only needed 2 more steps and he would step out from behind the tree into my shooting lane at 20 yards. I was sure I was about to get an opportunity at the best buck I have ever had a chance to shoot.

Then, he stopped to feed, caught my dropping thermals, blew 2 times and took off into the closing darkness.

After a dry spell, and a long season of few sightings at legal deer, such an encounter is both crushing and encouraging. If he would've approached as expected, I would have had a chance. Even after kicking myself for the blown chance, I see little I really should have done differently. Yes, this one time, I should have set up farther to my left. But, the sign showed that, on average, I was near the tree I should have been in. Though the cover got in the way, it is not necessarily a better choice to be hanging on a skylit telephone pole. I could have, and possibly should have, set up 10-20 yards lower on the ridge.

He was pretty clearly scoping out the open oak ridge with both his eyes and nose before leaving cover to feed.

I write this novel to vent my frustration and share the learning experience. Thanks to the folks on this site who have shared their knowledge and help us novices trudge through the learning curve. I hope my experience saves any poor sap who spent the time to read this marathon post the 10 yards I wish I could take back.



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