• The SH Membership has gone live. Only SH Members have access to post in the classifieds. All members can view the classifieds. Starting in 2020 only SH Members will be admitted to the annual hunting contest. Current members will need to follow these steps to upgrade: 1. Click on your username 2. Click on Account upgrades 3. Choose SH Member and purchase.
  • We've been working hard the past few weeks to come up with some big changes to our vendor policies to meet the changing needs of our community. Please see the new vendor rules here: Vendor Access Area Rules

Closest I've come to my first Harvest

A

AL79

New Member
Joined
Nov 29, 2022
Messages
33
Location
Massachusetts
In my buddies Line Wolf hang in he let me borrow tonight. 2 deer 17.4 yds to my right side at around 420pm. Facing towards my stand. I reach to slowly grab my bow and they jump 20-30yds off. DANG IT. My adrenaline and excitement took over. I should have let them cross. I was still until that move and they had no idea I was there. My closest opportunity so far!!!
 
Good luck. You'll get it done yet! It's a learning experience for sure. Not sure there is much to be said about how to move when deer are in range. It's something that you learn by trial an error. It's all about watching body language and mood. There's times you can get away with all kinds of movement and seconds later even when they haven't picked you out yet, moving a fraction would spook them.
 
AL79 said:
In my buddies Line Wolf hang in he let me borrow tonight. 2 deer 17.4 yds to my right side at around 420pm. Facing towards my stand. I reach to slowly grab my bow and they jump 20-30yds off. DANG IT. My adrenaline and excitement took over. I should have let them cross. I was still until that move and they had no idea I was there. My closest opportunity so far!!!
Click to expand...
Keep after them and don’t give up! Getting one in range is most of the battle and you did that, it will come soon!!!!
 
AL79 said:
In my buddies Line Wolf hang in he let me borrow tonight. 2 deer 17.4 yds to my right side at around 420pm. Facing towards my stand. I reach to slowly grab my bow and they jump 20-30yds off. DANG IT. My adrenaline and excitement took over. I should have let them cross. I was still until that move and they had no idea I was there. My closest opportunity so far!!!
Click to expand...
I’m still after my first bow kill everything else has been with a gun but I know exactly how you feel right now! Been there done that a few times!! I just channel my attention to study what I did right and learn for the next time! Getting them in front of you is the hardest part of it all and once you start proficiently doing that the stars will align!!!
 
AL79 said:
In my buddies Line Wolf hang in he let me borrow tonight. 2 deer 17.4 yds to my right side at around 420pm. Facing towards my stand. I reach to slowly grab my bow and they jump 20-30yds off. DANG IT. My adrenaline and excitement took over. I should have let them cross. I was still until that move and they had no idea I was there. My closest opportunity so far!!!
Click to expand...


You gotta be the tree. Ever seen a tree move on its own? No. You know why? They always wait until you're not looking before they do it. Just like Buzz and Woody from Toy Story. :tearsofjoy:
 
Thanx guys. I'm definitely learning. Of course now I realize I probably should've remained like DB4x4 said "like a tree" and waited for them to pass. Probably would've been smarter to move when their backs were towards me. Hoping to get another chance before the season ends!!! Thanks all for the motivation too!!!
 
AL79 said:
In my buddies Line Wolf hang in he let me borrow tonight. 2 deer 17.4 yds to my right side at around 420pm. Facing towards my stand. I reach to slowly grab my bow and they jump 20-30yds off. DANG IT. My adrenaline and excitement took over. I should have let them cross. I was still until that move and they had no idea I was there. My closest opportunity so far!!!
Click to expand...
Sounds like you aced the hunting part. That is step one. Now to ace the killing part which starts with getting in position to make a shot. It takes time and for me, lots of screwed up encounters, to get a handle on what you can and can not get away with when deer start getting close. Dont get too hung up on not moving. We have to move to be in position to capitalize on shot opportunities. Just make smooth easy movements mostly when the deer's eyes are obscured and remember that sometimes they can see you thinking and hear you change your mind ;). Like was mentioned above, late season they have more opportunity to pick us off due to lack of cover and they are naturally more wired from being pursued all season. Stay after 'em.
 
AL79 said:
In my buddies Line Wolf hang in he let me borrow tonight. 2 deer 17.4 yds to my right side at around 420pm. Facing towards my stand. I reach to slowly grab my bow and they jump 20-30yds off. DANG IT. My adrenaline and excitement took over. I should have let them cross. I was still until that move and they had no idea I was there. My closest opportunity so far!!!
Click to expand...
Stick with it and you will learn when to make your moves to grab your bow and draw. The adrenaline rush when you have a deer in your sights is something I live for.
 
Earlier in the season I can do aerial yoga and get a shot at almost any doe or buck up to 2YO in the woods. This time of year I get busted by button bucks and lazy possums for slowly putting my hand in a muff. As others have said, closing the gap to shooting range is a huge victory regardless of whether you draw your bow. That feeling never gets old, even when the hunting gets a little stale.
 
That much of a difference from early season to late season? Man, I gotta say, I was barely moving and they spotted it! Lesson learned: will be keeping the bow in better range and will be waiting for deer to pass to catch them at their blind side. I severely underated their senses.
 
AL79 said:
That much of a difference from early season to late season? Man, I gotta say, I was barely moving and they spotted it! Lesson learned: will be keeping the bow in better range and will be waiting for deer to pass to catch them at their blind side. I severely underated their senses.
Click to expand...
Sometimes they won’t pass or waiting for them to pass can be a missed opportunity. Patience during the shot timing phase of the hunt is imperative; however, it is a fluid process that can change in nano-seconds. My only advice, beyond all the other great already given is to watch their eyes and body position and your first opportunity you get to slip an arrow into one of their vitals…. take it! Taking the “temperature” of the deer is an important learned skill based on experience. Sometimes they’re on a hair trigger, other times you have to chase them out of the way of you!! Keep up the good work!!
 
I guess the deer didn't need the proverbial 6th sense on that encounter when #1 or #2 served them just fine. :) That's all part of it though. All good advice above and as others have said just getting in range means you're doing things right.

Closing the deal at the moment of truth however is still a pretty big step. Relish the encounter and learn from it, but don't let it go to your head. The deer are not going to make a mistake on the next encounter or the next and the one after that, if ever. It'll still be up to you to get it done.

Hopefully, you'll get another opportunity before the season ends. I know from personal experience the off season feels twice as long with a blown chance haunting your mind the whole time. :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top