Normally this time of year I would of been checking traps on the 11th of november after setting my trapline out on the 10th but decided to skip the aggravation of dealing with other deer hunters since we are getting into peak rut.
Had a cold front come in this weekend so decided to do a all-day sit. Bought some necessary supplies at walmart after work, coffee creamer and a big box of fudge rounds.
Set my alarm for 3:00 am.
Alarm did go off but I could hardly sleep and when I did, it happened to basically coincide with the alarm about to go off. So I get up at 4:30 instead. Got breakfast, made a pot of coffee, drunk a cup or two and put the rest in my EWO thermos and a bigger stanley travel mug. Had to get gas in the truck so by the time I get to a little parcel of Wayne National Forest which is just across the county line here so I can keep my tags available to use for my local farms. Walk into my stand is about 400 yards so I get setup about 6:30.
I've hunted this place twice before. The first time I hunted it I killed my first public ground deer, a decent buck. Tree I hunted I SRT'd it and didnt realize till I got up there that the crotch I was in was half rotted so needless to say I didnt leave a preset there. This was two years ago. I hunted the same spot again a few weeks ago, just moved a tree over and 2TC's and left a preset. Which is the one I hunted for this post.
Had 4 does come down the opposite hill and away from me around 730 so no chances there. A bit later I had a a high rack 8 come in off to my right. He never really gave me a shot till he went to the hill to little clearing about 30 yards away from me. Was using my tenpoint x-bow. Unfornately I shoot low and completely miss him. He reacts to the shot but doesnt spook too badly and hangs around a bit but then wanders off before I can get reloaded. I wait about a half hour and climb down and recover my arrow before I forget the location. Good thing I did because I would never of found it in the dark as it was darn near parallel to the ground and buried almost to the vanes.
Get back up and catch a small doe come in from my right again and I see something else another 20 yds behind her. She's way too small for a meat deer so I dont get too excited. The other thing finally does pop up and turns out to be another 8. He's not giving me a shot at all and moving up the hill and away from me but not in a hurry. He finally spots the doe and gets somewhat interested. I think he was thinking that she was too small too. He does however come back towards me and the doe but glacially slow. Got the bow up as I think hes about to come in to the same little clearing I missed the first buck. Just before he does though he apparently loses interest in the doe and starts feedign on some honeysuckle. Still hoping it comes closer and out of the brush for a shot. No dice, as he apparently gets horny and lets off a weird wheezing sound and bolts off after the doe, grunting all the way out of sight.
Dont see much for a while then again off to my right a big bodied deer pops up. First glance it appears to be a big doe. It ambles its way towards me and has to stop and scratch and reveals itself to be a rather big bodied spike. He gets a pass and moseys out around 1100.
Things go dead for a few hours though I do hear a doe snorting off to my left near the road, which is only about 200 yards from my stand though not the road I parked on. About 3:00 I have a big doe run in from my left and get into the thicket over there. She never does come out of cover for a shot. 15 minutes later another doe runs down on the same path. Same thing, doesnt come out of cover. Keep hoping a buck was chasing them or one of them come out of cover. Eventually I see them head up the hill and away.
Little after 400 I hear a commotion of to my left and see the second buck of the morning grunting and chasing after another doe but the chase takes both of them well away from me. I do try to do a bit calling to see if any other bucks in the area come in.
440 I hear a noise coming down the hill straight at me and the 4th buck of the day shows up. He comes straight at me. He does luck up at me and doesnt think anything of it. He does turn aside a bit and gives me an easy broadside at 20yds. I hear the hit and he takes off and he falls within view of my stand.
No point staying up in the tree so I break camp and come down. Just as I pack up all my gear and start heading to collect my deer, I hear something approaching on the same path that the deer I shot took. Its buck #1 that I missed. He finally notices me and turns around. Then he spots the dead buck and moves off. He was a bit nicer buck than the one I killed but not a deer to get upset about either if you wanted bragging rights.
Since the buck was within 150 yards of the other road, I decided to drag it up to the road instead of trying to drag it back to the road the truck was on, its 2x closer to the truck so thats a no brainer. You would think that a 10# pack wouldnt really bother you much when dragging a deer that ways slightly than that. But man it certainly does. I ditch the pack and bow and drag the deer up to the road and stash it behind some brush then go back for my bow and pack and walk the road back to the truck instead of going all the way back through the wood even though i still had some daylight.(Only took me 5 minutes to gut the deer and bag the tenderloins, heart and liver).
Had a cold front come in this weekend so decided to do a all-day sit. Bought some necessary supplies at walmart after work, coffee creamer and a big box of fudge rounds.
Set my alarm for 3:00 am.
Alarm did go off but I could hardly sleep and when I did, it happened to basically coincide with the alarm about to go off. So I get up at 4:30 instead. Got breakfast, made a pot of coffee, drunk a cup or two and put the rest in my EWO thermos and a bigger stanley travel mug. Had to get gas in the truck so by the time I get to a little parcel of Wayne National Forest which is just across the county line here so I can keep my tags available to use for my local farms. Walk into my stand is about 400 yards so I get setup about 6:30.
I've hunted this place twice before. The first time I hunted it I killed my first public ground deer, a decent buck. Tree I hunted I SRT'd it and didnt realize till I got up there that the crotch I was in was half rotted so needless to say I didnt leave a preset there. This was two years ago. I hunted the same spot again a few weeks ago, just moved a tree over and 2TC's and left a preset. Which is the one I hunted for this post.
Had 4 does come down the opposite hill and away from me around 730 so no chances there. A bit later I had a a high rack 8 come in off to my right. He never really gave me a shot till he went to the hill to little clearing about 30 yards away from me. Was using my tenpoint x-bow. Unfornately I shoot low and completely miss him. He reacts to the shot but doesnt spook too badly and hangs around a bit but then wanders off before I can get reloaded. I wait about a half hour and climb down and recover my arrow before I forget the location. Good thing I did because I would never of found it in the dark as it was darn near parallel to the ground and buried almost to the vanes.
Get back up and catch a small doe come in from my right again and I see something else another 20 yds behind her. She's way too small for a meat deer so I dont get too excited. The other thing finally does pop up and turns out to be another 8. He's not giving me a shot at all and moving up the hill and away from me but not in a hurry. He finally spots the doe and gets somewhat interested. I think he was thinking that she was too small too. He does however come back towards me and the doe but glacially slow. Got the bow up as I think hes about to come in to the same little clearing I missed the first buck. Just before he does though he apparently loses interest in the doe and starts feedign on some honeysuckle. Still hoping it comes closer and out of the brush for a shot. No dice, as he apparently gets horny and lets off a weird wheezing sound and bolts off after the doe, grunting all the way out of sight.
Dont see much for a while then again off to my right a big bodied deer pops up. First glance it appears to be a big doe. It ambles its way towards me and has to stop and scratch and reveals itself to be a rather big bodied spike. He gets a pass and moseys out around 1100.
Things go dead for a few hours though I do hear a doe snorting off to my left near the road, which is only about 200 yards from my stand though not the road I parked on. About 3:00 I have a big doe run in from my left and get into the thicket over there. She never does come out of cover for a shot. 15 minutes later another doe runs down on the same path. Same thing, doesnt come out of cover. Keep hoping a buck was chasing them or one of them come out of cover. Eventually I see them head up the hill and away.
Little after 400 I hear a commotion of to my left and see the second buck of the morning grunting and chasing after another doe but the chase takes both of them well away from me. I do try to do a bit calling to see if any other bucks in the area come in.
440 I hear a noise coming down the hill straight at me and the 4th buck of the day shows up. He comes straight at me. He does luck up at me and doesnt think anything of it. He does turn aside a bit and gives me an easy broadside at 20yds. I hear the hit and he takes off and he falls within view of my stand.
No point staying up in the tree so I break camp and come down. Just as I pack up all my gear and start heading to collect my deer, I hear something approaching on the same path that the deer I shot took. Its buck #1 that I missed. He finally notices me and turns around. Then he spots the dead buck and moves off. He was a bit nicer buck than the one I killed but not a deer to get upset about either if you wanted bragging rights.
Since the buck was within 150 yards of the other road, I decided to drag it up to the road instead of trying to drag it back to the road the truck was on, its 2x closer to the truck so thats a no brainer. You would think that a 10# pack wouldnt really bother you much when dragging a deer that ways slightly than that. But man it certainly does. I ditch the pack and bow and drag the deer up to the road and stash it behind some brush then go back for my bow and pack and walk the road back to the truck instead of going all the way back through the wood even though i still had some daylight.(Only took me 5 minutes to gut the deer and bag the tenderloins, heart and liver).
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