My 2005 Wilderness Lodge Hunt

[Leo]

For those who don't know I am still recovering from a serious brain injury from an auto accident 2003. Have some good days, some great days and some not so good. I know it’s been awhile since my hunt to Wilderness Lodge (April 8th, 2005). Have I forgotten that DHNA is responsible for introducing me to the place my first hunt there.

NO!!

I have been truly wiped out and exhausted from the experience though so please excuse me taking so long to make this post. First off Wilderness lodge has very steep terrain that is hard on the most able bodied. I found myself still very limited in what I could do there. I absolutely couldn’t keep up with my brothers so thank goodness Rog got his early and was able to help with my hunt.

The fallow deer the night before flat stole my heart. As a result I wanted one bad. All I brought was my bow. I could have taken one easily with a bow the afternoon before. But alas I was weaponless. Plus this was pre-deal so I didn’t know I could actually try for one then. One brother was sponsoring the hunt, we worked out a deal. Probably gonna cost me later, that’s how sibling hunts go. Anyone who hunts with family knows what I mean. wink.gif

Rog was gonna try and video the event. If I ran out of steam on the stalk, it was gonna be sit and wait time. We got to the gate and met Todd one of the guides with some other clients. I told him I wanted a fallow had he seen them in the area. Yep he said they are in the back field by the wallow. Rog and I knew where that was. That would be a walk for me. We decided to glass from one end of the field and plan a stalk if we spotted any. As we neared the bend I noticed some rubs and walked to the ridgeline to show Rog. There was a huge concentration of rubs there. These deer had been seriously wearing out the saplings in this area.

Standing amongst the ruined saplings and one very worn spruce stump, Rog pointed down the spine of the ridge.

“There they are!!!”, he whispered.

And they were! A group of at least six bucks, all three color phases with two locked in battle. Color phases that naturally occur on Fallows are White, Chocolate and Brown with white spots. The biggest deer was brown with white spots and was one of the ones fighting.

Rog decided to film from there and I kept the ridge in between the deer and myself. I was walking in one of the open fields but with the ridge between us there was little chance of being spotted. The sounds of their own fighting covered my approach. I popped over the ridge right where I thought they would be. I could have taken one right then, but decided I wanted a cleaner shot. Plus I wanted one of the larger white ones. The brown one with spots was out of range plus he probably would have commanded a substantially higher trophy fee. (Later I learned that was the right decision.) The deer started moving towards Rog so I backed back over the ridge and maneuvered to cut them off. I popped over the ridge again just in time to cut them off. I was standing in some serious thick stuff for cover. It was like a natural standing blind. Through the Bushnell rangefinder I read 38yds exactly on the best white one I had a chance at. I was shooting downhill so I put the 35yd pin of the Bowtech tight behind the shoulder. The Montec G5 tipped Carbon Fury arced through the air and the deer reacted to it striking a tree behind him. The deer had taken one hop and was looking at the tree my arrow was buried in. For a second I thought, “Did I miss?”

Then very clearly I saw a red stain appear on the white coat of the deer exactly where I had aimed. And standing in the same spot he had jumped to the deer fell. No blood trailing required.

Rog said, “Good Shot!! Good Shot!! I got the whole thing on video it was awesome!!!”

Rog and I went back to the lodge. Walt and Todd both had good pigs. I didn’t let on I had succeeded yet and quietly slipped on the 4 wheeler with Bruce to collect my prize. I slept the rest of the afternoon. What a trip! We spent the rest of the time there reviewing the video we had and playing guitar annoying everyone.

Fallow deer meat is outstanding. It is truly prime venison. Mary is thrilled as she likes it better than pork. We had fallow hamburger steaks with mushrooms and onions in a Creole gravy with garlic toast on the side as our first Fallow meal.

Had to do some work on the photo. Took awhile.

[buckee]

Man Leo, that's a dandy buddy.
I loved the play by play hunt. You really nailed him good by the sounds of it. The arrow going through him and then hitting the tree, saved you a tracking job for sure. It was just enough to stop him up and let the blood loss take effect....COOL

Sounds like a great video memory too

Way to go my friend...ya done good, ya done reeeeal good

[bulldawg]

Great hunt, Leo. Thanks for sharing it with us.

[big9ptbuck]

We should call you the deer slayer!! Great Job!! Looks reeaal nice!!

[tedicast]

Great story Leo, Thanks for sharing it with us. you really smoked that fallow buck, Great Shot!!! Congratulations

[VermontHunter]

Absolutely great looking Fallow Deer,,,and what a play by play story I was fixed to every sentence in anticipation of the kill....

I'm glad you were able to take such a trophyu and have video taken to preserve that moment for live...CONGRATS and much more sucess on many more hunts to follow...

[Chrud]

Congrats Leo! You really have had a great start to the year!

[Shaun_300]

Congrats Leo, sounds like you had an aweosme hunt!

[too_pointer]

Way to go guy I also hunted there thanks to Normin,and a few others !!! and ya, the hills and valleys were rough !! You shot a great animal. CONGRATS I really enjoyed your story and pics !!
too_pointer

[stevebeilgard]

thanks, leo. you put out a great story. hope you have many more to come. check out the physically challenged bowhunters of america site. you may get a nice antelope one of these years.

[GWSmith]

Thats AWESOME Leo....Beautiful Deer
I bet he's going on the wall!!!!!!!!!

Like that recipe too....LOL

[Swamphunter]

Awesome story and great hunt!! Man I wish you could post the video... is it digital or VHS?

[Leo]

Thanks for the Tip Steve I forwarded the story to them. Maybe it will serve as an inspiration to others.

Yep this one is going on the wall

Swamphunter my brother is digitally capturing all the footage we have from the trip on DVD. I still don't have a copy but I can hardly wait!

[Reloader]

Excelent storytelling, and a real nice buck!
Thanks for sharing.

[VtBowhunter]

Way to go, Leo. It sounds like a trip you won't ever forget.