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LIVE from the saddle 2025

LongRange101 said:
Back out with my oldest. Last year we doubled on our 3rd trip. Its 3rd trip tonight looking for a repeat. Came in at 2pm and had a doe blow right below us, wind and thermals not going in her direction. Think we bumped her coming in. She blew for 7 or 8 minutes. Still sitting sign is too damn good here.
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Saw 4 but around 80 yards eating on acorns on the flat we were on. No shoots available. Try again.
 
I went out and tromped 4 areas, probably 3 to 4 miles all told and didn't see anything I would set up over. No deer sign, no poops, no fresh tracks. I'm leaving the lowlands behind for a while and heading to higher elevations and some hills next week.
 
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5’ up. Bumped several deer on my way in: each blew but im fairly sure they heard and saw me, rather than smelled. I kept checking with my milkweed. Anyway, I thought it was a decent sign and kept going. Maybe it wasn’t - didn’t see anything once on stand. Then saw three more on the way out. Filmed two

 
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mschultz373 said:
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5’ up. Bumped several deer on my way in: each blew but im fairly sure they heard and saw me, rather than smelled. I kept checking with my milkweed. Anyway, I thought it was a decent sign and kept going. Maybe it wasn’t - didn’t see anything once on stand. Then saw three more on the way out. Filmed two

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Hey, you found them. That's 90% of it around here. Good luck!
 
Biggest difference has been moving really slow through woods. Been taking me 75-90min to get back ~1mi to that spot. dead calm, quiet conditions prevail this time of year and crunchy leaves/twigs litter most of the way. But seen more deer on hoof than last all last year in two hunts
 
I made a short 4 hour scout trip this morning. I left the bow at home so I would have no temptation to hunt. I made 2 loops and bumped one huge doe off a bed. This thing had a body like one of our mature bucks. I have an idea how to hunt that spot so I'll be after her next week, hopefully. At another spot I had a really cool encounter. I was easing through some thick pines and I had 2 spotted fawns trot by me at no more than 6 feet. I'm sure they heard me and jumped up from bed. They were not alarmed at all. They just went by and off into the green.

Things are looking up for next week. I've seen deer today.
 
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Saw the most deer I've ever seen in one sit. Astounding, considering the noisy yard sale I conducted while getting up in the tree. Was late, started to change my mind on trees (so I did the confused Travolta meme thing). Spooked one as I was climbing...thought I was done, then the "deer highway" opened up 50 yards from me. Doe after doe just walking in a line. Had two bucks fighting as well. Tried to get down to move closer and more does started coming in and one spotted me, but didn't blow out, just circled.

I'm finding that the hunting low thing is really working. The deer that spotted me didn't know what I was, so decided to come closer and investigate. They seem to be confused if you're in the "bubble" between 8-12 feet.

Going back tomorrow now that I know their route.
 
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Seeing lots of deer. Switched spots for the afternoon, creeping in to where I suspect the deer migrated too, I was correct. Saw a shooter buck and a bunch of doe. Three doe popped out 15 yards from me and we had a staring contest while one of us was at full draw. I blinked first. Wasn’t about to send a full frontal.

I’ve been at full draw more times without shooting this season than I have in my previous four combined. Twice today.


Edit: almost forgot. Second picture in the sunny tree there is an arrow sticking out on the left side. It’s parallel to the the ground, and about 20 feet up. Weird.
 
IMG_9135.jpegPrivate lesson cancelled for 4:15 so I got out at 3:30 for some fresh air. Probably won’t be out more than a couple hours, I’m making pizza for the family tonight and my oldest wants to try for her first deer tomorrow, which will be afternoon til sundown. She’s hitting 3” groups with the crossbow at 20 yds (shooting both eyes open cuz she can’t wink one eye closed lol) and we have been reviewing shot placement and selection.

I do have a few new trees to prep…
 
DelaWhere_Arrow said:
View attachment 121405Private lesson cancelled for 4:15 so I got out at 3:30 for some fresh air. Probably won’t be out more than a couple hours, I’m making pizza for the family tonight and my oldest wants to try for her first deer tomorrow, which will be afternoon til sundown. She’s hitting 3” groups with the crossbow at 20 yds (shooting both eyes open cuz she can’t wink one eye closed lol) and we have been reviewing shot placement and selection.

I do have a few new trees to prep…
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Love that old Bow madness camo!!!!!!!
 
Tethered myself in at ground level and set him up with a platform for a seat with a ghillie shirt for an evening hunt. No deer were harmed but his woodmanship continues to improve as does his persistence, we weren’t walking out until it was 30 minutes after sunset. He thinks I pass on too many deer so we’ve agreed when he is along he’ll make the decision to shoot or pass.
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Well I missed one around 1pm. Rushing had to be home by 330. 7 doe bedded down about 70 yards in front on me. Watched them come to bed. So 1pm I used a bleet to try to get them up. Instead of coming strong side they came weak side. Struggling to range them as they are staring up and bobbing, in waiting for one to blow. I finally get my bow over and around to weak side, I draw back and my thumb release snags on my bino harness and arrow is flung. They hop a few yards and I wait as they start to come back. In a bad position I draw back after ranging at 45 yards, I adjust my tape to focus on my top pin. Draw back and settle on a heart shot, release arrow and it goes 6 inches over her back. In frustration its 1:35 im now going to be late i climb down the tree and yell to get them to spoke away.1000009347.jpg
 
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It’s my 9YO’s first time up at bat! About 25m before we went out, I gave her a hug and a sniff; I said, “Did you put on perfume?” She was all, “Yeah, but only a little…” :fearscream:
I made her get in the shower asap and we had to have THE Talk. You know, the talk every father had with his oldest daughter about responsible perfume use when venison is at steak (pun intended). I said, “Baby you’re not in trouble BUT deer live and die by their noses and they don’t die if they can smell you, jah feel me?”
All good, now we’re settled in. We practiced shot placement this morning with her unicorn and dinosaur toys (similar anatomy) and she gets final say on whether she pulls the trigger. I bought her a youth buck tag and a management doe tag last night so the only restrictions I put on her are no spotted fawns (still a couple here and there) and no really big bucks because our mature bucks are huge and eat arrows and run far before they die sometimes, so pretty much anything 200# or less and 20 yds or less, and broadside or the tiniest bit quartering away, is a fair target. We’re pretty close to other properties (about 100-150 yds), trynna make sure it falls on ours if she gets a shot.
I’m pretty confident we at least see deer tonight, and I’m pretty proud of how she has taken the responsibility and information on with some maturity. She’s snacking on wheat thins quietly now while reading Rinella’s kids’ book. Doesn’t get much better.
I brought my bow too just in case we get a chance to double up :smilingimp: but it’s all about her tonight and if nothing else gets shot, I’ll be back in a tree tomorrow.IMG_9140.jpegIMG_9143.jpegIMG_9139.jpegIMG_9144.jpeg
 
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