No Luck at the Vineyard

Saw two does and 5 fawns.  No, one did not have triplets, I never saw a mother for one of them.  I had both does in the cross hairs but one was on a neighbors property and the other I would have been shooting toward the road.

It was fun just being out there though.  I do have a couple of good pics.  The grapes dead ahead are of the Barbera family, the pond is about an acre and the only nearby water source and the fence you see to the left is on two sides of the vineyard and was placed to try and deter them from coming in.  Guess what, it did not work, hence I am there!



[image]local://204/CC6EBF44F72C4DD2A4D6D8322DA24CF1.JPG[/image]

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Love playing that string music and sending a Muzzy flying!

A wider shot of the same area:

[image]local://204/40AD3C46327A457A8874AC0F2978EB96.JPG[/image]

Attached Image(s)

Love playing that string music and sending a Muzzy flying!

Dave:
 
Better luck next time, bud; although seeing wildlife and getting out and enjoying nature should be considered a successful outing.  Heck, if bowhunting was easy, everyone would be doing it.  I guess that's a blessing in disguise because I wouldn't want "everyone" out there with me while I was bowhunting!  LOL! 
 
Thanks for posting.
 
Take care and Good Hunting!
 
Best Afield,
 
Steve

How do you know three of the fawns weren't triplets belonging to one of the does?

Mike Stephenson
aka Topgun----30-06

Two were on one side of the farm....one was on the other.  About 50 acre apart.  The one lone fawn was wandering in the grape vines all alone.  I never saw a mom for that one.

Love playing that string music and sending a Muzzy flying!

Not talking crap here but please allow me to be the devil's advocate. I was under the impression that this is a depredation hunt, correct? The owner of the property wanted hunters to come on board and kill anything and everything that feeds upon his product, correct?

Not that I am the type to kill fawns and such but I thought the rule for hunting on this property was "if it's brown, it's down" is that not right??? I may be wrong but I think the owner wants all deer eliminated from his property and wants hunters that will do so without any hesitation or reservations. Maybe a 10 foot high chain link fence would be the cure to this farmers problems.

Just asking.

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit."

Martin....reread post #1.  My only shots at anything were on neighboring property, toward the road or back toward a house.  Both does had twins.  One was on a neighboring property and the other was toward a road.  As an ethical hunter, fawns notwithstanding, I am NOT shooting toward a road or a dwelling with a rifle!

I made that clear to the owner that evening when I discussed the evening's events with him.  He respected my choices.  I advised him that if he wanted the fawns killed I would be in better position for shooting next time.  He asked that they be eliminated.

I will not be in the same position next time around, but I will also not advertise "success"!

Dave

Love playing that string music and sending a Muzzy flying!

Dave:
 
Sorry, bud... I thought you were hunting with a bow.
 
Take care and Good Hunting!
 
Best Afield,
 
Steve

I love my bow and would prefer to hunt with it.  But taking a lot of animals on a depredation permit is not very effective with a bow.  I pulled out the smoke pole!

Love playing that string music and sending a Muzzy flying!

Dave:
 
I hear ya; I have nothing against gun hunting at all.  I suppose somehow my mind was focused on your avatar picture when I was reading and I completely missed the "cross hair" mention in your opening post.  Either way, I hope you're able to knock a few of them down and fill the freezer. 
 
I am itching to get out there and do some hunting myself!
 
Take care and Good Hunting!
 
Best Afield,
 
Steve

ORIGINAL: Bowman_No4

Martin....reread post #1.  My only shots at anything were on neighboring property, toward the road or back toward a house.  Both does had twins.  One was on a neighboring property and the other was toward a road.  As an ethical hunter, fawns notwithstanding, I am NOT shooting toward a road or a dwelling with a rifle!

I made that clear to the owner that evening when I discussed the evening's events with him.  He respected my choices.  I advised him that if he wanted the fawns killed I would be in better position for shooting next time.  He asked that they be eliminated.

I will not be in the same position next time around, but I will also not advertise "success"!

Dave

Dave,

From your tone, you must have thought that I dissed you or something. That was far from my intention and I apologize if you took it that way. I was just trying to understand the circumstances. I myself, would never shoot towards or over a road or take an animal on a piece of property that is not part of the owners property that allowed the hunt. To be honest, even if I was offered to participate on a predation hunt, I do not think that I would be able to kill a fawn but that is a judgement call that each person must make on their own. Of course I would have no problem shooting every doe and buck I saw that presented an ethical and clean shot without presenting a danger to others or their property. For my participation in such a hunt I would ask that I take at least half the meat from the harvest.

Again, JMHO.

Martin

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit."

Martin,

No offense taken.  I just wanted to make sure that all the cards were on the table.  I am not real keen on taking fawns as well but it is his place and he wants everything shot.  He allows me to keep any and all meat taken from his farm.  I have even hooked up with some folks that deal with local food banks and Hunters for the Hungry.  The meat will not go to waste by any means.

All is cool!

Love playing that string music and sending a Muzzy flying!

  Too bad no shots.  At least you're out hunting!  Good luck still!

Jeff

Bowman4
 
you been able to get back out to the vineyard? Just wondering if you've seen anything else.
 
Kent

The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.
Thomas Jefferson

NAHC-L, NRA

I commend you on your ethics...if the shot aint safe or out of your legal shooting area you have to let it go... As safe and ethical stewards of our great sport it is imperative we do the right thing all the time not just when convienient or when someone is watching...
Steve Albers

I was back out at the vineyard again this evening.  I had a deer blow at me at last light.  I saw nothing else.  We had some storms and rain move through the area earlier.  May have had them buggered up a little.

May try again on Friday or Sat..  Not sure yet.

Love playing that string music and sending a Muzzy flying!

I also had at one time,  a chance to hunt on a place almost just like this one. It was an organic vegetable farm and the owner wanted everything shot. He had 2 animals that he did not want shot and they were foxes and turkeys. The hunt took place in the mid-springtime and even if presented, I could not bring myself to shoot a doe. With them being with fawn and the bordering fence being low, to me it was not ethical. I could not bring myself to shoot one. Sorry, I guess I won't be hunting there anymore at that time of yr. Good luck bowman on your next visit.

Gary Scheel
NAHC LM,RMEF LM,NRA Member, Lonestar Bowhunter, TexasHogHunter Pro Staff Member