Noodling Deer

[CNP]

Firearms and bows …...meh. All you need are strong arms and a knife

Was going to take a break today from hunting...….but you wake up at 0600 and start thinking. At 0630 I get up, it's too late for breakfast and coffee, just get dressed and go.

Don't need my truck, just walk from home to a 1/4 of no-contact lease nearby. I bought an undersubscribed MD doe tag when they were released for sale and this is what I was going to fill.

Dressed in white camo head to toe I'm sitting on the ground my back against a fir. At the appointed hour I let out a couple grunts. Minutes later 3 X WT does appear and walk within 20 yards of me. Oblivious. They take their time browsing and enjoying the morning.

Only another minute later, a big commotion behind me, I can hear hooves pounding the ground. The WT does are all looking past me at whatever is happening behind me. I'm thinking.....is it a buck? I also have a WT tag.

So everything quieted down, the does are still looking right through me to whatever is on the other side of me. Then the sound of leaves and steps behind me. I've been absolutely motionless this whole time. A deer head comes into my peripheral view, like one foot away! It takes a step or two coming up right beside me. Places it's nose on my beard, yes I feel the touch and the deer's breath. It's a MD doe. It continues to smell me all the way down to my boots. This camo works good lol. Somehow it doesn't pick up that I am bad medicine.

After having done all that, the MD doe starts to walk away. The WT does are still there watching and browsing! If I am to achieve my desired outcome I have to make a move now. The doe was only 6' away when I raised the crossbow, of course I expected pandemonium to break out from all the deer around me and I was not surprised. As the MD doe started to run I had the scope tracking her boiler room and as I also thought would happen, as typical with a MD, it stops less than 20 yards away. Arrow goes pffffft, passes through the MD and it's dead on the ground less than 20 paces away. While I was engaged in all of this, I saw why the MD doe was pushed to me...…..a MD forkorn was among all the deer that exploded when I reached for my bow.

I'll remember this one for the madness of it all.

[deerfarmer]

No doubt! Sounds like quite the experience

[Masterchief]

That is a pretty cool story!!

[WhiteTailAB]

Great read lol

[Howard Hutchinson]

Very cool. Can only imagine this going on with the deer sniffing the whiskers. Surreal I bet.

[Big Lou]

Touched your beard! That’s nuts! I had a mule doe almost knock my rifle out of my arms when she hit the barrel years ago but that is something else. Thanks for sharing.

[Zuludog]

What a cool experience. I've had deer with 10-15 yards on more than one occasion, each time I was leaning against a tree but that close is just a crazy, once in a lifetime experience.

[7magtime]

That experience right there is part of the reason why we hunt!! Good read!

[Masterchief]

Were you wondering if the deer could hear your heart pounding as it sniffed you?

[MyAlberta]

The draw of archery. I could feel the grass push against me as a wt doe passed. The second fawn and I made eye contact at 5 ft. It backed out and wondered back and forth for another hour. I’ve been charged by mules. I imagine they can give a nasty kick.

[ghfalls]

What did her breath smell like?

[kilgoretrout]

Thank you for the tale..... enjoy your reward

[bessiedog]

That there is a very cool story!!

[saddleup]

Now that's a New Noodling story.... love it.. thanks for sharing

[lannie]

Sounds like a hunt you won't forget!

[KazIce]

I had to read that story twice. Amazing. Thank you for sharing it

[urban rednek]

Thanks for posting your experience, that is an awesome story.
My second thought upon reading it was along the lines of: you sure must smell nice, Disneylike: