Bangflop: Ancient Indian word meaning, gun go bang deer go flop.
I live 6.5 miles from a WMA here in Arkansas. It is only 126 acres, but is in deer central. Back at the end of September I decided to scout it. Saw plenty of sign and bumped a few deer. Once bow season started up I went out to see what I could see. That morning I had a deer below me before day light and then a small spike (legal deer with spikes fewer than 2 inches). He was too far to shoot with a bow. I did not have another chance to hunt before the ML season started this past weekend. I went out to the area but the wind was wrong where I was sitting. Close to dark I had 2 does out in front of me. They winded me and took off. I had to take Monday and Tuesday off from hunting to visit the doctor. Went back at it again this morning. The wind was supposed to be right and the temp was nice.
Last night I through my blue jeans in the wash with a camo shirt, black sweat shirt, green carhart jacket and a pair of tan wool coveralls. I squeezed some HS Scent Away Body wash in the washer and let er rip. Before I went to bed I bathed in the SA soap. This AM I was up at 5:15 and ready to go. I made my way to the WMA and found my parking spot (only one parking spot/lot on area). I sprayed down with Evolved Harvest 3D then walked into the stand that someone had left last year. It had a tree fallen on it and was obviously abandoned. Not long after daylight I caught movement to my right. I watched as a small buck worked his way to me. He was a spike with a brow tine on the left antler. He walked right under me at about 5 yards. When he got to my walking trail he stopped. He sniffed my trail the started heading straight to my tree. He got to about 10 feet away then looked up at me. I froze. He then proceeded to meander around the area within 40 yards and eventually leave after about 15 minutes. He looked at me one last time before he left. I was eying him constantly but no matter how much I tried he would not grow that 3rd point on his antler. It was nice to see him and watch him eat the locust beans.
About 30 minutes later I was debating getting down. The sun was shining down and it was almost 9:30. I just happened to look to my right and saw a tail flicker. Out at about 80 yards I could see a deer standing. I picked up the scope and could tell it was a doe. I saw some movement behind her. She had a sister with her. I was pumped. The pair turned around to leave and the second doe stopped quartering away from me. I dropped the hammer. When the smoke cleared I could see her flopping on the ground. The other doe hopped off about 30 yards and then turned around and started heading back to the down doe. I was fumbling with my ML trying to load it. Had I left my primers in my pocket I could have got her. She spooked as I was reaching in my pack.
I got down and went to retrieve my doe. I was headed to her and looked up and saw Hunters Orange! My Doe was
laying about 20 feet in front of me and a guy was sitting about 40 yards past her. I was shocked. I had never known he was there. I hollered to him. He never knew the deer were there until I shot. He heard the doe blowing but could not see her. I never saw him even though he was decked out in Orange with a vest and hat. I apologized profusely for not seeing him when I shot. He had come in after me this morning and was not aware of me either. He told me it was OK and that it was Public Land and things like this happen. I continued to apologize for shooting his direction. We talked for a few minutes and then he walked off. I tagged my doe and hooked my drag to her and began to haul her out. My wife was happy to finally have some meat in the freezer.
