Hunter hunting along a marsh

Ryan Vander Molen

Information

  • Date Taken: 11/15/2019
  • Time Of Day: Morning
  • Method: Shotgun
  • County: Ottawa County
  • Property: Private
  • Dressed Weight: 170

I got in my stand about 6:30 a.m. Shortly after getting in my stand I already had dear in the field I could see silhouette it through the snow. I could tell it was a buck chasing 2 doe around but as it was dark I could not tell how big. About 10 minutes to 7 they went into a thicket. Meanwhile a half rack had came out and was 50 yards from me he kept staring into the brush but would not go over there. At about 10 after 7 a doe popped back out of the brush and shortly after that the big one stepped out I grabbed my gun and shot. He just walked to the tree line where I could not see him anymore. For the next five minutes all the deer stared in the direction he walked then all of a sudden the half rack went over there and chased one of the Doe to the other side of the field by me. Over the next hour I watch the half rack and a 5-point fight each other. While the half-track mated with the doe three times. All I could think is if the big ones alive why would he allow this to be happening. Finally when they had walked off little over an hour later I was getting ready to get down to see if I had blood. As I was packing up I noticed movement along tree line. It was him step back out of the tree line I pulled my gun up and shout again. This time he acted hit and took off running. I waited 20 minutes then packed up and got down to go look for blood. He was bleeding good had a really good blood trail so I decided to track. A 100 yards later I ended up jumping him up. I could not get another shot before he went into some thick stuff. So I decided to back out and let him lie. A little over an hour later went back out looking again. I ended up jumping him up again this time getting another shot on him for him to only go about 30 yards and fall down. 20 inch wide 11 point