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I wasn't ready, deer snuck up behind me

AND it rained all day. Froze my ass off in the tree so I walked around and scouted while all the deer were bedded down. Went home to warm up. Found a **** ton more scrapes on my walk though.
 
Just putting my updates here. My scouting Tuesday worked! Sorta. Today I saw a fork buck come through the scrape line I found going up the backside of a hill. I couldn't see his brow tine so I didn't shoot. PA has a rule of three points on a side for an antlered buck.
 
Opening day this year, my first season--did all the scout work, set up before light was sitting there thinking, "*** am I doing. I'll never see a deer!" Flicker of movement caught my eye right at sunrise and there was a buck hanging out about 20 yards off. He never got spooked or got wind of me but never had a clear shot as he ambled into some thick brush. Deflated, I was like, "Welp, that's that." 15 minutes later, a group of three does approached from my 6 o'clock. Downed one of them, tracked her, dressed her, dropped her for processing and was home, showered, and eating lunch by 11. It'll happen for you! Keep at it. You are light years ahead of me and sometimes you just need a little luck to go with your hard work.
 
The fall PA archery season ended for 5c Friday. I had off so I went in just in case. The winds were +20mph all day and the lot was half full of gun hunters getting ready for Saturday. I saw a lot of signs, but no bucks. The season picks up again in late December. So far, three bucks were seen, only one shooter, but I didn't have my release on. I learned a lot for sure this year. Dialed in my saddle kit pretty well. I'm going to keep shooting and will try some more once the season opens up again. Since the winds were so high I stalked most of the day, spooked a few gun hunters setting up their ladder stands, so I guess I am getting quieter. I'm probably going to get an antlerless tag as I would have had a deer by now, 3 on a side, seems hard to come by near me. Thanks for all your advice!
 
i only use releases with a nylon webbing connection, makes it easy to fold the release head back and behind the wrist strap, the only time i don't have my release on is walking in the dark, climbing the tree, or taking a number 2
 
raisins said:
i only use releases with a nylon webbing connection, which makes it easy to fold the release head back and behind the wrist strap, the only time i don't have my release on is walking in the dark, climbing the tree, or taking a number 2
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Yeah, I fixed it right after. It's my first thumb release, a Truball max hunter, and the lanyard doesn't tighten, so I found a short-term solution to tighten it.
 
caddis75 said:
LOL. I have a thumb release and never thought of doing this. I guess I'm afraid it will slip and fall. I'll try this when my season opens again in late December.
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I have never had it come off. But I also keep my backup release in my pack in case.
 
CP3 said:
I have never had it come off. But I also keep my backup release in my pack in case.
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That is also a great idea. Besides the time a 6 ptr caught me without it, I called in a fork during the rut and dropped my release right as I was reaching for my bow. A backup sounds great.
 
caddis75 said:
Hey all. I am a middle-aged new hunter, learning solo, in my second season. I've never killed a deer. I've been scouting most weekends and felt like I had a decent spot to sit for a few hours on top of a mountain, near a scrape and poop piles. I had a rough week at work and slept in, I know I shouldn't have. The closest hunting land is an hour from me, so I got to the tree around 10. Had a PBJ at 11, I took off my wrist release to eat. It was pretty windy so I tucked my head and closed my eyes for a few minutes. I open my eyes to a 6 pointer right underneath me, at 11:15, walking from behind me to diagonally away. I was more shocked than anything. It was a big deer, at least for me anyway. I felt like he was too close to reach for my release and then get my bow so I stayed still till he found a tree branch to lick and was preoccupied. He was behind a tree though, and there wasn't a shot. I grunted and he ignored me, kept walking, and was out of sight. I didn't see squat the rest of the day. The wind was coming from the east and his path was northeasterly. Unsure if and when I'll hunt from that preset again. Getting closer, hopefully, this won't be a one-and-done like last season.
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The Old "I didn't have my release on cost me a deer" reason. I feel your pain. It's never cost me. However, several times I was either adding or taking off jackets and caught myself later w/ no release on! Sooner or later it's going to cost me.
 
1simplemann said:
I've seen guys do this before. Have you ever accidently bumped it and dropped it out of the tree? That's always been my fear of trying this.
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No Sir, I've never dropped it out of the tree, but for peace of mind, I keep my backup release in my pack.
 
CP3 said:
No Sir, I've never dropped it out of the tree, but for peace of mind, I keep my backup release in my pack.
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My luck, I would drop it at critical moment. I tried a button a couple times for hunting. The 1st time the actual button wore a hole in my pack. I got to my tree and no release! I found it walking back to the truck. With a trigger, I buckle it to my bow.
 
1simplemann said:
My luck, I would drop it at critical moment. I tried a button a couple times for hunting. The 1st time the actual button wore a hole in my pack. I got to my tree and no release! I found it walking back to the truck. With a trigger, I buckle it to my bow.
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Yikes! That's crazy. Glad you found it.
 
You guys keeping your backup in your pack... hopefully its in an exterior pouch so you can grab it quickly in an emergency. Dont think you want to be digging for it when mister dirty point comes out.
 
SNIPERBBB said:
You guys keeping your backup in your pack... hopefully its in an exterior pouch so you can grab it quickly in an emergency. Dont think you want to be digging for it when mister dirty point comes out.
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The one that I lost was in an exterior pocket. Now I keep my spare in an interior pocket. My thinking is that if I ever need my backup I will hopefully discover that I need it long before I need to actually need to use it.
 
If I really want a deer to come by I start playing on my phone...never fails lol
 
1simplemann said:
The one that I lost was in an exterior pocket. Now I keep my spare in an interior pocket. My thinking is that if I ever need my backup I will hopefully discover that I need it long before I need to actually need to use it.
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You move it to an exterior pouch after you're in the stand
 
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