mauser06

well, ya'll know it was opening day of PAs season. in the woods at 0500, settled in by 0530. opted not to goto the lock on i had hung in the area. i was walking through the spot i got a shot at a buck last season, and boy was it rainin white oaks. good thing i had my climber just incase so i setup shop there.

somewhere aroung 0600 ive heard a sound ive NEVER heard in my life. i been runnin coon hounds at night since 5 or 6..never scared of the dark one bit. ive heard yotes yip and howl..heard the meanest coon squals..but whatever walked by made a chilling sound. it was deep and piercing at the same time. it was like a bark but it was also like a growl all in the same sense. loud, deep, and piercing all in the same sense..stood every hair on my body on end. did it 4 or 5 times right infront of me...boy i never been so scared...i'll admit it..i didnt move or blink for minutes...still dont know what it was. figuring a fox or yote...tons of them in the area...

fast forward.....0840. not 5 minutes after i woke up...i was half sleepin from about 0800..still fightin the cold...im looking around enjoying the cool, crisp fall morning in good ole PA when i heard something coming from behind me to the right in the thick stuff. KNEW it was a deer. grabbed the bow, which was laying across the front of my Viper and stood up...looked and seen antlers coming! here we go!!! he steps out...3 points on top..gimme a browtine on either side...he looks in my direction and he got nice brows..LEGAL! he starts walking away from me/to my left..behind brush..i draw..he steps out...about to settle the pin...15yd broadside, close leg forward..cant ask for more than that.

then...i noticed that my arrow was pointing at the ground [:@] [:'(] [X(]

i lay the bow across the front of the viper with the arrow nocked. shooting a nap 1000 prong rest, the arrow lays between the rest and riser. this all happend so quick, and i didnt think, my muzzy caught my riser and popped off the string [:'(] he heard it..i didnt even notice till i was about to touch off. we starred at eachother. i couldnt do anything but watch. he gave up and figured he didnt see anything and walked away/left more. gave me GOOD shootin at probably 30yds broadside...but i wouldnt do it. not without a range finder. what if hes 25? what if hes 35? i just aint good from a treestand to get within a yard or 2...i know when they are within 25 and know thats top pin shootin and GO time.

so...a QAD LD and a range finder is on the shoppin list for next year...lessons learned. i know i shoulda been payin attention and shoulda smoked him at 15. im kickin myself...but, thats why its called hunting right?? BTW...he was 12-14" wide 8pt. not a monster...but i would been proud for a first bowkill thats for sure...first thought was actually let him pass...first day, not even 9am...but with the luck im having, i need to get one on the ground and get my game upto par before im picky...

my buddy was only 400yds away or so on the next farm. 9am he killed a little 7pt. 10am i got down and we got it out of the woods. figured wed have a track job(he used to be a horrible shot) but he put a montec 3 or 4 ribs from the end of the rib cage and blew it out infront of the far shoulder. buck only made it 20yds. we just got in from breakfast...

headin back out here shortly...hopefully hes dumb enough to come by the lock on this evening. i know i gotta wait a bit to hunt that setup again...he never blew..didnt hightail..but knew something was up...my lock on is only 100yds to right. he most likely walked by it a few minutes before making it to me. maybe his daddy will walk by the lock on this evening....and i do things RIGHT

iamyourhuckleberry

Bummer....but you're right. That's why it's called hunting! Best of luck next time!

Finch

Well, sounds like you had a good day regardless. I still have a week to go.[&o]

mauser06

any day i have a buck in bow range is a mighty good day

im pumped to get back out there. realllly dreading hunting from the lock on though...i REALLY need a nap. this ear/sinus infection is draining me....i know i dont wanna hunt that same spot..im just gunna head into the lock on and do what i gotta do...tie my harness off at the very highest i can so if i do fall asleep and fall forward, it catches my before i fall

good thing i got a bunch of camo this year(thanx to my buddy Germ) got all the mornings stuff out on the line...going to have to bust out the Predator fall gray now...gunna go real well with a realtree jacket once it gets cold enough for a jacket this evening...but oh well...the deer aint gunna notice

man i still cant kick myself hard enough....talk about a rookie mistake...that just means it wasnt meant to be...maybe a bigger one is going to be sent my way thats my outlook...gotta stay posative...

Rob/PA Bowyer

Damn captn if it weren't for bad luck.....hey, it's only the first morning, long season ahead, hang in there.

mauser06

lol Rob, i called my dad to tell him this afternoon....he said the SAME thing lol. things will come together sooner or later for me.

all i seen this evening was a beautiful gray fox. most likely what scarred the daylights outta me this morning.

already talked to my farmer buddy. told him to keep an eye out because i am NOT burning my honey hole out this year. REALLY didnt wanna go back in there this afternoon...but figured moving to another setup 150yds away would be OK...too much commotion i think this evening. had a groundhog hunter in the field shooting like he was in a war not 150yds away from my stand...dove hunters all around the other fields...quad riders in all the other woods. people outside at their houses in the distance yelling and playing with dogs...someone sawin firewood for hours on end...ya...if i was a deer i wouldnt been moving around the area either

glad im into bucks already....and the season is young...