This hunt took place in a county not far from Buffalo NY. Just on the outskirts
of a small town near where I lived. It was a place myself and friends used to go sight our shotguns etc. in
at. One day I was out target practicing with there with my winchester model 200 shotgun I had recently
purchased. I had been there about an hour . I had never hunted that area before I only had sighted in my guns there til
that year. While I was sighting in I heard a car horn beep. I looked and and upon doing so I seen 3 or 4 deer running across
the road towards where I had been shooting. the deer continued running to a set of woods not far from my location. I decided
to go take a look at the woods there and check out the area for posted land,etc. I hadn't seen any posted signs anywhere in
the area. So I decide to walk around & look for any good deer sign . I knew the area held deer,but seeing them running
across the road fired up my curiosity. As I walked around I was amazed at all the active deer sign I was seeing .
The shotgun season was only 3 or 4 weeks away so I made it a point to check out this area more pryor to gun season and possibly
would consider a hunt there if it looked Promising, Though a fairly long walk back to the woods it did look very
promising there, So I told my brothers I would give that spot a try at some point during the deer season. Well
during week 2 I had filled only one of my Doe permits , The weather was cold n windy. I really didnt feel
like traveling the 60 miles to where I had been hunting during the opening week,So I jumped in my truck &
headed to the area I had scouted weeks Pryor to the opener.I hadn't really scouted the entire area , However had scouted it
enough or so I thought at the time. anyway I made the long trek back to the wooded area that had consisted
of tangle / some Blowdown quite hard to penetrate. I had ended up going around it. I finally entered a wooded
area & before long came across several fresh tracks, As I walked slowly through a small swamp I came upon a creek and
as I followed it a little way's came up on a small man made bridge that went across the stream. I crossed the bridge &
started walking slowly along the stream when I came up on 2 doe who were running in the opposite direction, I believe they
had winded me. I stopped for several minutes & looked around for more fresh sign. After several more minutes I started
to spot n stalk hunt again . After about 10 min of this I came across what looked to be a large set of buck tracks.
I was pretty excited at this point as I hadn't seen any other hunters in the area and figured I was alone. So I
got on the Large tracks and started following them slowly and cautiously so not to spook this deer &
mabye have a chance for a shot at it. After a bit of walking I came upon another set of human tracks,since it was snowing
and blowing pretty good at this point I figured someone else was doing a spot & stalk type hunt as well !!! About ten
min later,I came upon another set of large tracks that joined the one I had been stalking, When I suddenly heard what
sounded like someone laughing with a muffled sound.!!! I immediatly stopped and looked around , I didnt see anything so continued
slowly walking along the direction of the two sets of tracks I was on, When again I heard that muffled sound of what I believed
to be someone laughing, As I looked around this time I seen a hand wave at me . Well I was right the first time
I had come across another hunter & he was pointing out in front of me obviously trying to tell me something so I walked
over near the stream, & quietly asked him if he had seen anything . Well he then informed me that a fairly large buck
was just about 35 to 45 yards out in front of me . He went on to apoligize for laughing at me & then asked me,to this
day I will never forget his words !!! Do you know that you are on a small Island??? I was so embarrassed I could hardly look
him in the eye. As I sure did not realize I had been on an Island at all!!! I had came into this area before 1st light
, when I crossed the stream by the bridge I had not seen the water again as I was more towards the middle,and didn't
notice it was my own tracks I came accross again Because it had been snowing & blowing pretty moderatly. Well with that
being said, I told him thank you & continued back on the trail of this single deer I had been following
right along!!The deer was still there . As I walked slowly along I spotted him again hopping away from me . What I did
next sounds pretty crazy , But I really tried this . After seeing the buck bound off on a prance hopping I knew then
he was still on the Island with me . I immediatly turned & went back the way I came from . I walked about 50 yards &
crazy as it sounds took my coat off hung it on a limb near the path I had already circled at least 3 different times, I then
went back the way I walked while following the buck when the other hunter informed me I was on an Island &
just stopped & sat on a fallen tree near the path. Well I hadn't been sitting a couple minutes when I
looked to my right & here came that same buck, right towards me he stopped looked back away from me towards where
he thought I was, I went down on one knee took aim & fired my 12 gauge Down the buck went!!!. I could hardly believe
it, I actually got the same buck . When he came across my jacket I believe he thought it was me & turned and went back
the opposite way. Only this time I was sitting on a tree waiting in hopes he would be fooled into thinking my coat on
the tree limb was me & turn.Well he did and right back into shot range where I had
a clear shot at him. The hunter who I had talked to who informed me I was on an Island called out as I walked back to get
my hunting coat, did you get him !!! Well I grabbed my coat walked over to where he was on the opposite side of the stream
and told him what I had done right after I left him . he just busted right out laughing & said c'mon you didn't!!!! I said
yes I hung my coat on a limb walked a little more til I saw the deer run off again & just back tracked about
30 or so yards & sat on a fallen tree the buck came around after seeing my coat & gave me a clear shot ,all the while
looking back to see where I was. This story as crazy as it sounds happend exactly as I wrote it here.!!! I will remember that
crazy day forever . I had No Idea I was on an Island until this guy informed me!!! I couldn't have been more embarrassed
as I was until !! I ended up taking that same buck by trying something totally off the wall . I Thanked the fellow hunter,
he laughed so hard he said he would never forget that day either & If he had not seen me circle that Island 3 times pryor
to that He would of Never believed the story himself. I tried something off the wall is the reason I believe I took
this 5 point buck. Well I hope you enjoyed this Round about but funny hunt as did I sharing it with you as crazy
as it sounds.
Please feel free to come back again soon as I will be adding often
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