2008 dissapointments lead to 2009 successes for this novice bowhunter
10-06-2009, 04:39 AM
#1
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Mahoning County, OH
Posts: 47
2008 dissapointments lead to 2009 successes for this novice bowhunter
Who knows what finally ended my bad luck from last year's Ohio archery season. I logged 25+ days on stand, seeing less than 10 deer, none of which presented shots. I wish I could have hunted more but I am in school out of state and can only make it back home on the weekends. Lucky for me, the second shotgun season gave me a nice doe as well as some much needed meat for the holidays.
The worst moment last year came when Tony, an older guy who has been hunting my uncle's farm since long before I started, called me in November to tell me about the nice 8 point buck he arrowed practically underneath my favorite stand. The story gets much better though, I was back home that same weekend he took the deer and hunted Friday and Saturday then had to go back to school to see a football game. The only reason I went back was because this girl I liked wanted me to go with her (go figure right?! haha). Well Tony went out Sunday morning and took that deer. If I had been home I would have hunted that spot as I have priority over Tony and would have had a chance at that buck. I was practically heart broken!
I started my scouting in June this year and was anxious to take advantage of parts of the property I haven't hunted hard in the past. I had cameras out and moved them around all summer, glassed deer in the fields and pastures (all while sniping a personal record of 18 groundhogs) and found a new spot in some hardwoods, near a tractor trail that gave deer easy access to neighboring crop fields. Hoping that my scouting was done well, I took a chance and hung a stand there. I put it 23 feet up in a tree and placed a corn feeder in the vicinity, filled it up, and left that area alone until opening day.
Archery opended September 26 and of course, a weather front was making its way through. While walking to the new stand in the pitch black that first morning, I just about soiled myself as the familiar "Whoosh!!" of a deer's alarm wheeze came from a nearby wheat field. Finally settled at 0630, I stayed until 1000 while only catching a brief glimpse of a small doe hurrying through the trees far ahead of me. That evening gave no action for me but my buddy, hunting at the other end, had a buck appear and disappear without giving enough time to take a shot.
We woke the following morning around 0500 to a heavy downpour of rain and some light thunder, deciding our beds were a better option than our treestands, we chose to head out that afternoon around 1500. The front had finally passed and the sun was shining bright, we knew the deer had to be moving that evening. I took a different route to my stand this time, making a wide circle and coming in from behind. I jumped two doe on the way in, confirming that the deer were out. Two hours went by in the stand until 5 doe started making their way towards me from about 100 yards out. They could have went anywhere but they kept inching towards me. The lead doe, the biggest one, decided to leave the tractor trail and head right towards me. I stood up, picked a lane in front of her at a known distance of 13 yards and waited until she entered. I drew my bow, grunted at her, and watched as my red lighted nock disappeared behind her shoulder sending her sprinting behind me. I caught a glimpse of her at about 80 yards out, where she stopped to look back at the other deer, which I think were her kids. The other doe lingered around my stand for just over a half an hour and after they left I climbed down and found my doe, dead, right where I last saw her. I was ecstatic!!
I still can't believe that I am already enjoying fresh deer steaks this early in the season, after last year I didn't expect much. This is only my 2nd. deer I have taken with my bow, the first being a young buck (which was also my first buck ever). I have only been hunting deer for 8 years and I am the only person in my entire family who hunts and it took me 4 years of learning from my mistakes to take my first deer. Taking this doe this year is a big deal for me because of all the work I put in during the off season and all of my experiences over the past 8 years. It is just awesome to have it all finally come together.
The worst moment last year came when Tony, an older guy who has been hunting my uncle's farm since long before I started, called me in November to tell me about the nice 8 point buck he arrowed practically underneath my favorite stand. The story gets much better though, I was back home that same weekend he took the deer and hunted Friday and Saturday then had to go back to school to see a football game. The only reason I went back was because this girl I liked wanted me to go with her (go figure right?! haha). Well Tony went out Sunday morning and took that deer. If I had been home I would have hunted that spot as I have priority over Tony and would have had a chance at that buck. I was practically heart broken!
I started my scouting in June this year and was anxious to take advantage of parts of the property I haven't hunted hard in the past. I had cameras out and moved them around all summer, glassed deer in the fields and pastures (all while sniping a personal record of 18 groundhogs) and found a new spot in some hardwoods, near a tractor trail that gave deer easy access to neighboring crop fields. Hoping that my scouting was done well, I took a chance and hung a stand there. I put it 23 feet up in a tree and placed a corn feeder in the vicinity, filled it up, and left that area alone until opening day.
Archery opended September 26 and of course, a weather front was making its way through. While walking to the new stand in the pitch black that first morning, I just about soiled myself as the familiar "Whoosh!!" of a deer's alarm wheeze came from a nearby wheat field. Finally settled at 0630, I stayed until 1000 while only catching a brief glimpse of a small doe hurrying through the trees far ahead of me. That evening gave no action for me but my buddy, hunting at the other end, had a buck appear and disappear without giving enough time to take a shot.
We woke the following morning around 0500 to a heavy downpour of rain and some light thunder, deciding our beds were a better option than our treestands, we chose to head out that afternoon around 1500. The front had finally passed and the sun was shining bright, we knew the deer had to be moving that evening. I took a different route to my stand this time, making a wide circle and coming in from behind. I jumped two doe on the way in, confirming that the deer were out. Two hours went by in the stand until 5 doe started making their way towards me from about 100 yards out. They could have went anywhere but they kept inching towards me. The lead doe, the biggest one, decided to leave the tractor trail and head right towards me. I stood up, picked a lane in front of her at a known distance of 13 yards and waited until she entered. I drew my bow, grunted at her, and watched as my red lighted nock disappeared behind her shoulder sending her sprinting behind me. I caught a glimpse of her at about 80 yards out, where she stopped to look back at the other deer, which I think were her kids. The other doe lingered around my stand for just over a half an hour and after they left I climbed down and found my doe, dead, right where I last saw her. I was ecstatic!!
I still can't believe that I am already enjoying fresh deer steaks this early in the season, after last year I didn't expect much. This is only my 2nd. deer I have taken with my bow, the first being a young buck (which was also my first buck ever). I have only been hunting deer for 8 years and I am the only person in my entire family who hunts and it took me 4 years of learning from my mistakes to take my first deer. Taking this doe this year is a big deal for me because of all the work I put in during the off season and all of my experiences over the past 8 years. It is just awesome to have it all finally come together.
10-06-2009, 10:30 AM
#4
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Mahoning County, OH
Posts: 47
