What a crazy morning!
11-09-2004, 11:40 AM
#1
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location:
Posts: 94
What a crazy morning!
WARNING (LONG winded!!!)
I headed out to a suburban area I hunt this morning. I kicked 2 deer up on the way to the stand around 5:30 which is normal, but always gives me a tinge of worry. I saw my first deer at 6:30 which I think was a button buck but it was a little too dark to tell.
The squirrels proceeded to take over my life for the next hour. They really irritate me that early in the morning when I'm completely on edge for every sound. At 7:30 I hear footsteps behind me and turn to see the big bodied 8 pt I'd seen two days ago. He was about 30 yards behind me, walking through the trees and twitching his head around as he went like a mosquito was in his ear. I'm holding out for a couple of larger racked bucks in the area but it sure is hard to pass him up with that big of a body. As I watch him go by I glance to my left and spot another deer working on a scrape near the same point where the first deer came off the walking trail. I see horns but can immediately see he's smaller - probably a nice 1.5 year old 6 pt. I watch as he passes behind me at 10 yards. Not more than 15 minutes later there is a 3rd buck coming from the same area. He's about the same size as the one before and he meanders in the same general direction the 3 before have gone. At this point I'm getting a little suspicious. I've seen no does but I do have some scent out (no drag line, just hanging in a tree). None of the deer have gone towards the scent however. It's probably another hour and here comes the 4th buck of the morning. A nice 4 point with no brow times - he looks like he could develop a nice rack in the future. He also heads in the same direction as the other 3 (east). It's now getting to be about 9:00 and I probably need to head to work. I start packing up for the day and as I'm doing that, hear footsteps to my right. I quickly see a nice 8 pt which is a definate shooter! He looks like he's going to pass into one of my shooting lanes within 10 yards but does a sidestep and circles a bit. I quickly find out my stupidity in the shooting lanes I cut as he's easily within range but blocked. Unless he makes a drastic change in direction, I'm not going to get a shot. He teases me for what seemed like eternity in the brush - hinting he'd step my way but then turning. Keep in mind at this time I don't have a glove on my hand that is holding my bow because I had previously taken it off when I was packing up...and it's 35 degrees out! He gradually moves away on a path that I know won't bring him by me and my heart starts to sink a little. I get to enjoy watching him tear up a tree or two and make a few scrapes which is great. As he gets about 40 yards away I hit the can and he seems a little intersted, but not much as he stops but only for a moment. When he's to the point I can't see him anymore I hit the rattle bag as best I can with 1 hand. That actually brings him back! He starts walking back into range and a possible lane when at the last moment he veers off and takes the same path he used to avoid me the first go around (ARGH!!!) After he gets past me I end up keeping him interested with the can for a minute or so but he's not coming back... [:@] It's now 9:15 and I'm going to be really late for work so I start to think about packing up again. Before I can even think twice about it, ANOTHER buck starts my way. This is the 6th buck of the day (7 if you count the button
) He is BY FAR larger than the previous one. He really gets me going because he looks destined to come my way... but as the previous deer did, he veers off and into the brush, still within 20 yards! My heart can't take this anymore.. .that previous 8 pt's games drained me quite a bit and now this guy is completely toying with me also! This buck actually ends up circling me 2 times. Everytime he gets where he looks like he's leaving me I'm able to get his attention with the rattle bag and the grunt call. At one point, he's within 10 steps of a great shooting lane and cover to draw but he never does it. I don't think I ever got winded... they just didn't want to walk the right way. There were no stomps or running away, even with what I consider overcalling in desperation.
I guess I learned a few things this morning:
1)I NEED to cut better shooting lanes. I know you can't expose yourself too much but I didn't realize how greatly I had limited my range. I simply can't handle having a deer be within 20 yards for quite a wide area and not have a shot at him.
2)The rut is definately on...... after the way those big boys acted and watching them all scrape and rub trees it was quite a site.
3)BOWHUNTING RULES!!!! Ok. .I knew this already, but a day like this reminds me of why I get up early and freeze my you know what off. I have never had a 2 hour period like that and may never again but I do know that I'll remember it for quite a while even without a deer to tag. Happy Hunting!
I headed out to a suburban area I hunt this morning. I kicked 2 deer up on the way to the stand around 5:30 which is normal, but always gives me a tinge of worry. I saw my first deer at 6:30 which I think was a button buck but it was a little too dark to tell.
The squirrels proceeded to take over my life for the next hour. They really irritate me that early in the morning when I'm completely on edge for every sound. At 7:30 I hear footsteps behind me and turn to see the big bodied 8 pt I'd seen two days ago. He was about 30 yards behind me, walking through the trees and twitching his head around as he went like a mosquito was in his ear. I'm holding out for a couple of larger racked bucks in the area but it sure is hard to pass him up with that big of a body. As I watch him go by I glance to my left and spot another deer working on a scrape near the same point where the first deer came off the walking trail. I see horns but can immediately see he's smaller - probably a nice 1.5 year old 6 pt. I watch as he passes behind me at 10 yards. Not more than 15 minutes later there is a 3rd buck coming from the same area. He's about the same size as the one before and he meanders in the same general direction the 3 before have gone. At this point I'm getting a little suspicious. I've seen no does but I do have some scent out (no drag line, just hanging in a tree). None of the deer have gone towards the scent however. It's probably another hour and here comes the 4th buck of the morning. A nice 4 point with no brow times - he looks like he could develop a nice rack in the future. He also heads in the same direction as the other 3 (east). It's now getting to be about 9:00 and I probably need to head to work. I start packing up for the day and as I'm doing that, hear footsteps to my right. I quickly see a nice 8 pt which is a definate shooter! He looks like he's going to pass into one of my shooting lanes within 10 yards but does a sidestep and circles a bit. I quickly find out my stupidity in the shooting lanes I cut as he's easily within range but blocked. Unless he makes a drastic change in direction, I'm not going to get a shot. He teases me for what seemed like eternity in the brush - hinting he'd step my way but then turning. Keep in mind at this time I don't have a glove on my hand that is holding my bow because I had previously taken it off when I was packing up...and it's 35 degrees out! He gradually moves away on a path that I know won't bring him by me and my heart starts to sink a little. I get to enjoy watching him tear up a tree or two and make a few scrapes which is great. As he gets about 40 yards away I hit the can and he seems a little intersted, but not much as he stops but only for a moment. When he's to the point I can't see him anymore I hit the rattle bag as best I can with 1 hand. That actually brings him back! He starts walking back into range and a possible lane when at the last moment he veers off and takes the same path he used to avoid me the first go around (ARGH!!!) After he gets past me I end up keeping him interested with the can for a minute or so but he's not coming back... [:@] It's now 9:15 and I'm going to be really late for work so I start to think about packing up again. Before I can even think twice about it, ANOTHER buck starts my way. This is the 6th buck of the day (7 if you count the button
) He is BY FAR larger than the previous one. He really gets me going because he looks destined to come my way... but as the previous deer did, he veers off and into the brush, still within 20 yards! My heart can't take this anymore.. .that previous 8 pt's games drained me quite a bit and now this guy is completely toying with me also! This buck actually ends up circling me 2 times. Everytime he gets where he looks like he's leaving me I'm able to get his attention with the rattle bag and the grunt call. At one point, he's within 10 steps of a great shooting lane and cover to draw but he never does it. I don't think I ever got winded... they just didn't want to walk the right way. There were no stomps or running away, even with what I consider overcalling in desperation. I guess I learned a few things this morning:
1)I NEED to cut better shooting lanes. I know you can't expose yourself too much but I didn't realize how greatly I had limited my range. I simply can't handle having a deer be within 20 yards for quite a wide area and not have a shot at him.
2)The rut is definately on...... after the way those big boys acted and watching them all scrape and rub trees it was quite a site.
3)BOWHUNTING RULES!!!! Ok. .I knew this already, but a day like this reminds me of why I get up early and freeze my you know what off. I have never had a 2 hour period like that and may never again but I do know that I'll remember it for quite a while even without a deer to tag. Happy Hunting!
11-09-2004, 11:47 AM
#2
Fork Horn
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Saegertown PA meadville,pa,us
Posts: 165
RE: What a crazy morning!
Great morning! I had a buck walk around me this morning stopping just outside of 3 different shooting lanes but never had a chance either. This is what bowhunting is all about! Good post.
11-09-2004, 05:11 PM
#4
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location:
Posts: 94
RE: What a crazy morning!
High Country - I did make it to work unfortunately. Believe me, I was kicking myself as I left the woods. I wanted to stay all day but just didn't have the equipment for it.. i.e. footwarmers, food or water. Thankfully I have a manager who is pretty good about things. She doesn't hunt but enjoys hearing stories and wouldn't mind a few roasts if given the chance. I'm eyeing Thursday or Friday as I've got some vacation left.. just trying to see what day the wind might be better. We're scheduled for a stormy wednesday with highs in the 50's then dropping to highs in the 30's the next two days. I'm hoping that weather will mean good movement but not sure.
