michigander
New Member
- Joined
- Oct 23, 2018
- Messages
- 16
Still waiting for the first deer with my bow and still waiting for my saddle. I figured even though I was hunting out of my climber I could share my story here.
This season is my second season deer hunting, first season with a bow. Last year I was successful using my Dad's crossbow to take a doe. First couple weeks of the season I had some chances to take a doe on my Dad's property, but he wanted to wait until the rut kicked in to take any does in hopes that it would keep the bucks around. I have been hunting some public also and had does within 20 yards, but there was too much brush to get an arrow through.
My first buck encounter this year was on my Dad's property. I had set up between two trails with the expected travel to be to my left. In front of me I saw a nice 8 point step out into a bit of clearing on the neighboring property. So I waited, hoping he would take the expected travel path. As he crossed the property line he turned away from me and headed toward the trail to my right, this was my chance to stand a get set up to take the shot to my "weak" side, but I hesitated hoping he would loop back. He didn't loop back and I had no other chance to turn and shoot in that direction as I just had to watch him walk away. I took that as a learning opportunity and saw when I should have made my move.
Back on the public property I went back to where I had the encounter with the does hoping I'd have another chance. I set up in a different tree, in the direction the doe were traveling that offered better shooting opportunities. After sitting for a couple hours I finally saw a deer moving around the ridge in front of me, couldn't tell exactly what it was, but I was thinking it was doe based on the body size I could see through the trees. When they stepped out it was just little fawn. The fawn kept feeding 20 yards from me for a few minutes and actually gave me a perfect quartering away shot. I passed on the shot after contemplating it, deciding there really wasn't going to be much meat there. About an hour later I heard some rustling along a ridge to my right. Didn't think much of it since it was downwind and the squirrels had been running all over the place. Then I heard the rustling right behind me. I slowly turned to see a spike about 10 yards from me. I started to reach for my bow and he turned to head away. It looked like he might take the same trail the fawn was on so I started to turn to set up for the shot and turned to head back towards me. I was stuck between sitting and standing with my heart my pounding. I could see my shoulder shaking out of the corner of my eye and I tried so hard to stay still, but he must have spotted my and bounded off.
I feel like I keep setting up in the good places, but I'm never facing the right direction or make the right decisions. I guess all that comes with time. Hopefully I can take something with my bow before the season is over, but my confidence is a little low right now.
This season is my second season deer hunting, first season with a bow. Last year I was successful using my Dad's crossbow to take a doe. First couple weeks of the season I had some chances to take a doe on my Dad's property, but he wanted to wait until the rut kicked in to take any does in hopes that it would keep the bucks around. I have been hunting some public also and had does within 20 yards, but there was too much brush to get an arrow through.
My first buck encounter this year was on my Dad's property. I had set up between two trails with the expected travel to be to my left. In front of me I saw a nice 8 point step out into a bit of clearing on the neighboring property. So I waited, hoping he would take the expected travel path. As he crossed the property line he turned away from me and headed toward the trail to my right, this was my chance to stand a get set up to take the shot to my "weak" side, but I hesitated hoping he would loop back. He didn't loop back and I had no other chance to turn and shoot in that direction as I just had to watch him walk away. I took that as a learning opportunity and saw when I should have made my move.
Back on the public property I went back to where I had the encounter with the does hoping I'd have another chance. I set up in a different tree, in the direction the doe were traveling that offered better shooting opportunities. After sitting for a couple hours I finally saw a deer moving around the ridge in front of me, couldn't tell exactly what it was, but I was thinking it was doe based on the body size I could see through the trees. When they stepped out it was just little fawn. The fawn kept feeding 20 yards from me for a few minutes and actually gave me a perfect quartering away shot. I passed on the shot after contemplating it, deciding there really wasn't going to be much meat there. About an hour later I heard some rustling along a ridge to my right. Didn't think much of it since it was downwind and the squirrels had been running all over the place. Then I heard the rustling right behind me. I slowly turned to see a spike about 10 yards from me. I started to reach for my bow and he turned to head away. It looked like he might take the same trail the fawn was on so I started to turn to set up for the shot and turned to head back towards me. I was stuck between sitting and standing with my heart my pounding. I could see my shoulder shaking out of the corner of my eye and I tried so hard to stay still, but he must have spotted my and bounded off.
I feel like I keep setting up in the good places, but I'm never facing the right direction or make the right decisions. I guess all that comes with time. Hopefully I can take something with my bow before the season is over, but my confidence is a little low right now.