BigJ71

Well, the first weekend is under my belt. I saw lots of deer from my stand, one ok buck (too far to shoot) and just this afternoon I had three does (momma and two fawns)under my stand. I was going to shoot one but it had just started lightning and raining and the wind was picking up pretty bad. They were close and I'm sure I would have killed one and it probably would not have gone far........BUTjust in case I knew if I had to track a long way the rain would have not helped. Plus to be honest there ALOT of does, this may sound funny but I am sure I will have no problem shooting one this year. I was really looking for one of the nice bucks I had seen before scoutingto come around.

If the weather was not so bad I probably would have shot the doe, but the season is just starting so I decided to pass. I did however do what I alwasy like to do with deer that I am not planning on shooting and that is to see just how much I can get away with before getting busted.

I'm right at 16ft up and we still have lots of leaveson the trees so I will keep it at this height until they fall then go about 4 more feet up. Well they never knew I was there. I first saw them walking to me (about 40ydsout) and stood up before they got into the clearing I'm set up over. I was able to draw and let down on two of them (momma and fawn) without notice I even went as far as to slowlysit backdown and was never busted. Get this.....the WIND was blowing due east right INTO the direction they were comming and they STILL never knew I was there!

This has really got me excited, It's just a matter of time before one of the bucks makes his way down the path I'm over (I hope) I kinda figured (by the tracks) that it was mostly does using the path but come the rut I think the bucks will come. I know they are in the area as I'm seeing more and more rubs.

All in all it was a great first weekend.

Trapper_Hunter

Cool story.. was you using any cover scents or anthing.

GGBH

Why would you even think about shooting a Doe with fawns, They need her to teach them how to survive. GGBH

BigJ71

All I do is spray myself down with some type of odor neutralizer, I really don't put too much into scent blocking stuff, just watch the wind and in this case it still didn't matter. They milled around under me for some time. The momma was about 15yds out and the two youngsters were even closer (about 10feet away) at one point one of them walked right to the tree I was in and was directly under mebefore they slowly made their way out of the area.

Well not really, they were out of spots and pretty good size (probably early born) Soon the mothers will start to push them away anyway. The size they were they would be fine on their own. If they had spots I would not of even thought about it.

bowhuntin fool

cool story