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One Christmas Eve morning in lower Wisconsin.  I set out for a bow hunt. I had to get permission from  the  land owner weeks in advance prior to the hunt.  As long as I or any hunters I would bring with me, would not bring any ATVs out on his property he had no problem with us bow hunting his land. I agreed to those circumstances.  I saw a herd of whitetails crossing the snow covered field days before the hunt They had just come out of a huge batch of pine trees and were heading North across that snowy field.  Why did I pick Christmas Eve morning ?  Because I had not taken a deer yet that year during the bow season.  I had the opportunity to sneak out that morning so I took it.   I realized I would be at a family event on Christmas Eve but as long as I could get in a few hours of bow hunting  I would definitely take it.  The second bow season that followed the deer gun season would be coming to an end in  January  so I tried to sneak in any chance I could .  Beside that  you never know of the weather in winter. Especially  in Wisconsin were I live.  If we were to encounter weeks of extreme weather conditions it could effect the opportunity to hunt. We just had weeks of bad weather. Winds, rains , extreme cold. Then warmer days then cold, then snow. The  snow  was more acceptable.  So here it was. A chance to take advantage of a bow hunt.  Even if it would only be for a few hours on that day.  That was better then no chance at all.

I know I  may get an opportunity again.  Maybe the day after Christmas or the following weekend.  But in case I did not. I would go now.  But I would not go alone.  I  was lucky enough to bring two other friends with me on the hunt. I called them a couple of days prior to the hunt as I was planning on going and taking advantage of what days I had off of Work. Thank Goodness I have an understanding wife.   My friends  Joe and Art would be going with me . I was glad because with about six inches of snow on the ground or a little more and acres of land it would be a tough hunt. six inches of snow is not bad but alone out there and the possibilities of taking a deer could make it tough on one hunter.  Especially if that hunter were to have to drag an animal a long way.    Hopefully the morning of the hunt would not be in the teens or below.  Our clothing was warm enough but with a little bit of warmth from the sun and very little wind maybe the deer would move around a bit.  Of course we would not know about weather conditions until the day of the hunt.  Even though the weather reports were calling for temps in the thirties by midday. One never knows for sure.The morning was in the teens. That's not always a bad thing for hunting but pretty cold for sure.

The morning of the hunt I awoke about 5:00 A.M.  Thanks to my radio alarm clock.  I have to admit I was tired when it went off. Still dark and cold outside. I  could not get the coffee maker on soon enough. I had to have my morning cup to get me moving.  The break of day would not appear until around 7:00 or 8:00 A.M.. or so this time of the year.  About six o clock A.M.  I  called  Art and asked him if he was ready.  He said yeah Joe is ready too. He called Joe.  He told me that Joe would meet us out there.. Joe, Art and myself all lived in different areas in lower Wisconsin. However not one of us had enough land to Deer hunt on. So we had to find some, by asking around.   After I picked art up we talked a bit on the way about hunting and I was kind of excited about this.  It's not to many holidays I get a chance to hunt.  If I would get a deer I would refer to it as my Christmas deer.  Of course my wife Gayle is not crazy about that phrase .   She does not have a problem with me hunting.  However taking a deer on Christmas and calling it my Christmas deer is not her idea of wise words. Plus she may have not been real thrilled of me hunting on a holiday morning. But she seemed alright about it . So I went.  My only concern was  during winter is that the animals are hungry.  Which includes coyotes. They also like to hunt deer.   If a hunter were lucky enough to put an arrow in one he or she better get a good hit on it or trail it well.  Because if an animal is not found within a reasonable amount of time. Coyotes may be all over it. Especially in the winter when food is scarce.

Here in Wisconsin you can hunt coyotes year round as long as you have a small game license.  Except in some areas during the deer gun season.  Coyotes seem to be doing to well in Wisconsin  in which is not always good because that can create an over abundance of them.

When we finally arrived to the farm field where we would be hunting for the whitetail deer we planned out the areas where each of us would position our selves for the hunt. We were not familiar with the area but none of us really could find the time to scout it before we decided to hunt there.  We also did not wish to disturb the area so late in the season and possibly upset the deer with the potential of scaring them out to another area..  The whitetail are very smart and their senses work very well in most cases.  Although I have taken a few of them  because of their own carelessness.   It was time to get  started.  We looked around at the field and the forest that connected. There were islands of different  hardwood trees that ran through it.  Art asked me if I wanted to take the tip of the small forest on the right .  I agreed.  Joe walked straight ahead which would have been East . The trees I took to the right would have been South.  Art went to the left and grabbed an edge line of trees to the North.  When I stepped into the edge of the small forested area I  stepped near a large spruce.

 

I nestled as close as I could. But only by standing there.  I did not carry a tree stand with me because I had no intentions of setting one up anywhere at that hour of the morning. I did not want to make any more noise then possible. As we already did walking in on the snow.  Art brought one with but  decided not to set it up at that time.   Later in the day he would have put it up. But our hunt would end by late noon or around one o clock.  We all had later plans with our families for the holiday.  This was it for this day.  It would be a morning hunt only. It was do or do without.  As I stood there after an hour or so I was starting to feel a little cold.. As for the other two guys I am not sure how they would take the weather. It was suppose to warm up as the day went on according to the weather reports. However it was still a bit cold yet. It was about 9:00 a.m  maybe about 9:30 .   I have to admit it  I had to move around a bit.  But as quite as I could. That is not easy to do in snow. I did hear some squirrels and I watched a mole scamper by my boots and then hide under the snow. It was kind of funny to watch. I and the other two guys had some of the warmest gore tex clothing money could buy.  So getting cold was not an option. However I was feeling the cold a bit. I tried to keep it as quite as I could.

After I stood there awhile. I heard some more noise but it was a slow moving more low key sound. As if something were moving through the snow off to my left . I was nervous to turn my head or move suddenly. So I waited a bit. I was getting impatient.  It was taking awhile. But something was definitely working it's way around a few trees to my left.  Which would have put it right in front of me if it did not know I was on the other side of that spruce. If it's a deer it may wind me or it may not be traveling alone. Which deer usually travel in at least groups of two or more.  So I waited. Suddenly I found the patients to hold still and wait this out.  When off to my left front side my peripheral vision caught a glimpse of a larger animal moving closer to me.  I was nervous. This animal is going to be gone out of here quick if I don't do something.  I was afraid to draw my bow but I had no choice. I'm sure it's a deer. But if another one catches my movement. I will only hear that loud blowing sound that they do and that would be it. I would get busted and they would be gone. It's now or never. I drew back as quietly as I could. I followed the direction of what I was seeing. When it appeared. A fairly good size doe. I think I'm in luck. So far so good. Then a sudden stop. It's now moving it's head  looking around. I am scared it's going to bust me. Perfect it is looking south of me. Now! fire. Let the arrow go.

I release my arrow. Right through it's vitals.  A good hit. It moves quickly and darts straight west in the direction it was walking. No other deer were with it. I believe it was feeding on branches and whatever food source it could find.  A good hit. Now just wait for a half an hour or so. This was perfect an early morning kill about 10:00 A.M.. Beautiful. it gets no better then this. especially ground hunting in the cold deep snow. Unreal but I was thrilled. After about a half an hour I went trailing it.  At first nothing but small blood spots here and there. Then more blood spots and larger blood spots. Then I could see where she sprayed blood. She darted under trees and trough some tough terrain but I found her.  I wasted no time field dressing her. I was done around 10:30. or 11:00 A.M. I marked the area with some orange marking tape that I carry with me.  I had to leave my bow and come back to get it. I had to start dragging my deer out into the field where the guys would see me when they came walking back in.  Again I was in luck.  Because around 11:30 I did not get very far when I saw a small shape of one of the guys off in the distance walking toward me. It had to be Joe. Because he was coming from the direction Joe walked into. it was him. As that small shape got larger moving toward me he was easier to see. You got one? ! he said with excitement. Yeah I replied. I have to go back and get my bow.  I had to leave it to drag this thing. I told him.  Take a break he said. I'll walk my bow up to the truck and come back to give you a hand.  Joe and I draged that doe right up to the truck when Art came walking toward us.  After we got up to the truck and tied the deer down we saw Art heading toward us. I told Joe. I'll go in to get my bow and you stay here to tell Art what happened. I'll be back in about ten minutes or so.   That was tough. The snow felt much deeper then it was and I was tired. But it felt good.   Both Art and Joe were as proud as I was.  I shared my venison with them that year. We went out there together. I felt it was only fair.  Art also was kind enough to share his venison with us. Because I let him talk me in to going out one more time just before New Years.  What happens?  He takes a nice six pointer out of there.  At any rate we found some new hunting grounds

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Written by :

drr1289