VA Bow Opener (long but w/pics for your enjoyment)
#1
VA Bow Opener (long but w/pics for your enjoyment)
Well it was very eventful even though I have not punched a tag yet. Myself and the two guysI hunted with saw a combined 37 deer. I got skunked in the morning (hunted until 11:00) so I changed my plans for the evening. The stand I hunted in the morning was nice but the deer are hitting some different food source much harder than I anticipated. Once the weather gets cold I'll go back to this spot asI feelthey will be back, here is a pic from the standyes I know the arrow is off the rest)
My buddy Steve has hunted for years but this is just his second bow season. I hung a stand over the summer 150 yds off the edge of a corn field (still standing)on a nice breakline between a cutover and hardwoods. He saw a total of seven and managed to take his first bow deer at 10:15. Here is a pic:
One more with my buddy Jimmy and the ride:
Steve saw5 more that evening and passed on a small fork horn just before dark. You guys can imagine how excited he was and honestly that made my whole day, awesome hunt!!
Myevening hunt was very exciting as I hunted a tripod stand off the perimeter of a cut corn field. I should have snapped a photo of the actual standset-up as it was really sweet. We stuck the tripod in a clump of small trees and the seat& platform were hidden perfectly in the treetop branches and you could stand up and shoot right over.
Unfortunately the twelve does (4 adult, 2 yearling, 6 spotless fawns) paraded around for over two hours just out of bow range and then just before dark two decent bucks came out at 60 yards but worked straight away from me, both had big bodies but the second looked like a solid eight (p.s. He and I have a date tomorrow evening, I didn't tell him about it but I hope he shows up anyway!!). I did snap some photos from the stand and you can see some of the slickheads in the back ground.
To my left:
To my right:
Does in the background:
A little blurry, I had to shrink the photos and my camera isn't "super" top of the line, sorry.
My buddy Jimmy hunted a small pocket in the field around the corner from me to my left. We were seperated by several hundred yards and a big wind break but his evening was just as exciting. He saw 9 does and was getting ready to shoot one at 20 yards when he heard movement at the ditch crossing behind him. He slowly turned and saw one of the biggest bucks he has seen in the woods. He said he was a solid 9 that isprobably near 140". But it was not meant to be, he said the buck didn't spook but he hung up and stood staring out into the field for what seemed like forever and then just as quickly as he arrived he turned around and walked back the way he had come. Extremely shook and dissappointed he turned his attention back to the field and ten minutes later (around 6:15)this buck came out in front of him at 35 yards. He did notfair as well as the first buck, here is his pic:
A big bodied 5 pointer (no brow tines) about 3 1/2 years old.
That deer is heavy, the pic doesn't really look it but Jimmy is about 5' 11" 175#.
All in all a fun day and I am going to bed right now because I will be on the road by 3:45 Monday morning to see if I can make something happen there tomorrow. I'm off Tuesday as well but the honey-do list takes priority that day...........although I'm pretty sure I can knock that out by 3:30 and maybe slip away for an evening hunt.......alright I hear her coming, I gotta go.
My buddy Steve has hunted for years but this is just his second bow season. I hung a stand over the summer 150 yds off the edge of a corn field (still standing)on a nice breakline between a cutover and hardwoods. He saw a total of seven and managed to take his first bow deer at 10:15. Here is a pic:
One more with my buddy Jimmy and the ride:
Steve saw5 more that evening and passed on a small fork horn just before dark. You guys can imagine how excited he was and honestly that made my whole day, awesome hunt!!
Myevening hunt was very exciting as I hunted a tripod stand off the perimeter of a cut corn field. I should have snapped a photo of the actual standset-up as it was really sweet. We stuck the tripod in a clump of small trees and the seat& platform were hidden perfectly in the treetop branches and you could stand up and shoot right over.
Unfortunately the twelve does (4 adult, 2 yearling, 6 spotless fawns) paraded around for over two hours just out of bow range and then just before dark two decent bucks came out at 60 yards but worked straight away from me, both had big bodies but the second looked like a solid eight (p.s. He and I have a date tomorrow evening, I didn't tell him about it but I hope he shows up anyway!!). I did snap some photos from the stand and you can see some of the slickheads in the back ground.
To my left:
To my right:
Does in the background:
A little blurry, I had to shrink the photos and my camera isn't "super" top of the line, sorry.
My buddy Jimmy hunted a small pocket in the field around the corner from me to my left. We were seperated by several hundred yards and a big wind break but his evening was just as exciting. He saw 9 does and was getting ready to shoot one at 20 yards when he heard movement at the ditch crossing behind him. He slowly turned and saw one of the biggest bucks he has seen in the woods. He said he was a solid 9 that isprobably near 140". But it was not meant to be, he said the buck didn't spook but he hung up and stood staring out into the field for what seemed like forever and then just as quickly as he arrived he turned around and walked back the way he had come. Extremely shook and dissappointed he turned his attention back to the field and ten minutes later (around 6:15)this buck came out in front of him at 35 yards. He did notfair as well as the first buck, here is his pic:
A big bodied 5 pointer (no brow tines) about 3 1/2 years old.
That deer is heavy, the pic doesn't really look it but Jimmy is about 5' 11" 175#.
All in all a fun day and I am going to bed right now because I will be on the road by 3:45 Monday morning to see if I can make something happen there tomorrow. I'm off Tuesday as well but the honey-do list takes priority that day...........although I'm pretty sure I can knock that out by 3:30 and maybe slip away for an evening hunt.......alright I hear her coming, I gotta go.
#3
RE: VA Bow Opener (long but w/pics for your enjoyment)
Well, glad to hear you had some action. I didn't even get to go on opening day. Working nights. Good news though; I get off in the morning and then I'm off for 11 days. Hopefully I'll find something to stick.
#6
RE: VA Bow Opener (long but w/pics for your enjoyment)
Nice story. I'm glad to hear you had some action opening day. I was totally skunked, didn't even see one. Unless of course you count the ten pointer I saw standing in the road as I was leaving...figures. The highlight of my day was a bear that came in to within six yards of me as I was hunting the ground. However, that season doesn't open 'til next week so I was helpless there too.
Anyway, congrats to your buddy on his first. I'm still waiting for mine.
Anyway, congrats to your buddy on his first. I'm still waiting for mine.