First Day PA Eight Point
10-04-2005, 06:42 PM
#36
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Mercer, PA
Posts: 12
RE: First Day PA Eight Point
Ok. Here is the skinny. I am hunting in western pa, one hour north of pittsburgh. I decided to hunt with a buddy of mine on the in-laws property across the road--50 acres of rarely hunted land.
We set out at 5:30 am and were in our stands by 5:45. I was set up on the tree line overlooking a gas well clearing and my buddy set up 60 yards behind over a stream bottleneck. At 8am I saw two sets of horns across the field heading my way. Just as the two bucks were about to traverse the field I heard a thwump. My buddy shot and missed a doe and hit a tree with his arrow making enough noise to alert the leading buck that something was amiss; they changed course and headed for cover. I got out of my stand to see what happened and my buddy decided he wanted to move his stand across the stream closer to the trail. At this time I headed back to my stand and was able to see the bucks hanging out in the brush. 20 minutes later they came in behind me heading onto the trail straight toward my hunting partner. They totally flanked my position--smart. Turns out they walked 10 yards from his stand but he hadnt hoisted his bow up from the ground after moving his climber and they walked on by. We called it a day at 10am.
I headed back to my stand at 4pm and waited. At 6:50pm the bigger of the two bucks that i had seen earlier came back into the field 25 yards to my left. I had enough time to draw and fire when he was 25 yards broadside at 10 clock relative to my stand. I let the arrow go and made what looked like a gut shot. I was distraught. He ran 30 yds stood for 10 minutes and headed into the woods but i could tell he was hurt and i knew i hit him hard. I left my stand and decided to come back later. At 10 pm i took the neighbors 4 wheeler down and was unable to find my arrow or blood--just too dark. After a sleepless night i returned at 8am to find him lying 40 yards from where i last saw him. liver shot. the spitfires did the job.
My only concern is the meat. It was a 50 degree night. I guess i will find out when i cook it up and eat it.
I'll try to include a pic of my stand.
We set out at 5:30 am and were in our stands by 5:45. I was set up on the tree line overlooking a gas well clearing and my buddy set up 60 yards behind over a stream bottleneck. At 8am I saw two sets of horns across the field heading my way. Just as the two bucks were about to traverse the field I heard a thwump. My buddy shot and missed a doe and hit a tree with his arrow making enough noise to alert the leading buck that something was amiss; they changed course and headed for cover. I got out of my stand to see what happened and my buddy decided he wanted to move his stand across the stream closer to the trail. At this time I headed back to my stand and was able to see the bucks hanging out in the brush. 20 minutes later they came in behind me heading onto the trail straight toward my hunting partner. They totally flanked my position--smart. Turns out they walked 10 yards from his stand but he hadnt hoisted his bow up from the ground after moving his climber and they walked on by. We called it a day at 10am.
I headed back to my stand at 4pm and waited. At 6:50pm the bigger of the two bucks that i had seen earlier came back into the field 25 yards to my left. I had enough time to draw and fire when he was 25 yards broadside at 10 clock relative to my stand. I let the arrow go and made what looked like a gut shot. I was distraught. He ran 30 yds stood for 10 minutes and headed into the woods but i could tell he was hurt and i knew i hit him hard. I left my stand and decided to come back later. At 10 pm i took the neighbors 4 wheeler down and was unable to find my arrow or blood--just too dark. After a sleepless night i returned at 8am to find him lying 40 yards from where i last saw him. liver shot. the spitfires did the job.
My only concern is the meat. It was a 50 degree night. I guess i will find out when i cook it up and eat it.
I'll try to include a pic of my stand.
