This is my first year hunting deer. I posted about a month ago about harvesting my first deer ever with my bow. Its absolutely crazy to me how far Ive come since September when I started fumbling around in the woods and calling it hunting. I have to give credit where it is due, the guys at The Hunting Public and the Hunting Beast put out some great stuff and I truly believe that I've learned a lifetime of experience in a short few months by watching them. And of course all the folks on here for dialing me in on the most kick ass saddle set up ever! Now on to the good stuff!
Played sick on Thursday this week to go hunt public land in GA as I heard the rut was picking up in the area (SW GA) and there was a big front moving in. I had sat one day a few weeks back with not much action and decided to do some scouting as this whole area is brand new to me. I stumbled upon some scrapes and rubs and then the honey hole. An isolated swamp in the way back of the property that after the hurricane is damn near impossible to access. I see sign going in and out and rubs and scrapes circling the swamp. That has to be the bedding area but its so thick I cant get in to check it out nor see where they are entering and exiting. On Thursday I sat on the NW corner of the swamp with a West wind. Silly me brought my WE steps and its all nasty pines. I managed to get 2 stepps to cam and got about 12' up. Immediately I hear grunting back and forth then running in the swamp and some sparing going on. Its like all hell broke loose in there. Not sure if they smelled my estrus urine, me, or were just playing around. After about ten minutes of crazy deer action of splashing and running back in forth the wind swirls and my sent is blasted right to the commotion and poof they are gone. I waited it out till dark with no more action. Friday and Saturday are spent hunting a buck I had jumped the previous Sunday on a piece of public land in Alabama (where I live now). Long days with a few distant does and a lot of rain.. After almost 3 full days of hunting and scouting this morning was a tough one. I almost turned off the alarm and passed out having already agreed to the wifes demands of a noon cut off for some honey dos. Glad I got up! After and hour drive I was walking into the woods with an hour and a half till shooting light. With a very mild West wind I decided to walk in from a new access point from the south. It was swamp city. Knee deep in water at least 4 times getting back. I used my OnX to get close to the swamp. Found a patch of hardwood completely surrounded by water and called it home. Got set up in a younger live oak tree that barely survived the hurricane. It was a total leaner situation that made a great reverse leaning post. Just realized this is the first saddle set up I didn't photograph. I will put together the camera footage hopefully soon. It is absolutely quiet this morning with an ever so slight breeze. I could hear movement in the swamps around me but nothing close. Constantly second guessing my set up, I was exposed and the brush around me was wide open and debating on moving. I heard a gun shot to the west sounded only a hundred yards away or so. It bummed me out and almost convinced me to move. I set a goal sit till 930 then you can go poke your head in their beds. It was cold and I was wet so I all but focused on hunting. Turned around with the tether over my shoulder Im leaning up agains the tree with my back very comfortably. Hear movement at my 8 O'clock (would be 2 if facing correctly) ****!! I just blew my chance is all thats running through my head. Quick glance over my shoulder and see its a buck and damn good one! He is moving quickly and vision is blocked so I turn. Grab my bow and he sees me! 15yrds away at my 1 o'clock!! The tree that im hanging in is snapped and leaning right at my tether point. That dead branch is blocking my head perfectly and the tree my body. He only sees my violently shaking hands and bow that for the life of me I could not keep still. He stomps the ground. Again and again and again. Then miraculously he turns his head back to straight and takes two steps. I draw and my arrow is bouncing all over the rest. I tell myself to get your **** together and kill this buck!. Im now at full draw and he is stopped perfectly at 12 o'clock and I cant see him. With my single pin held at the left edge of the tree he took one step and I let fly on a neck shot as he was about to jump a downed tree. BANG! Arrow smacked his neck and slammed the buck into the dirt. He was motionless for a minute as I shook violently. Then he started kicking and moaning so I reloaded and put an arrow straight through the boiler room that ended him instantly. Wow just like that it was over. This is the second buck Ive seen in the wild (the first being last sunday) and there he lay right in front of me!! It was an incredible feeling and holy **** the adrenalin surge!! Honestly shook for about 3 hours. Climbed down went over and took pics and gutted him. Walked out to get my sled and slid him out so easily. Had him home and butchered by 1! What an epic day and experience! And now the real good stuff....
Played sick on Thursday this week to go hunt public land in GA as I heard the rut was picking up in the area (SW GA) and there was a big front moving in. I had sat one day a few weeks back with not much action and decided to do some scouting as this whole area is brand new to me. I stumbled upon some scrapes and rubs and then the honey hole. An isolated swamp in the way back of the property that after the hurricane is damn near impossible to access. I see sign going in and out and rubs and scrapes circling the swamp. That has to be the bedding area but its so thick I cant get in to check it out nor see where they are entering and exiting. On Thursday I sat on the NW corner of the swamp with a West wind. Silly me brought my WE steps and its all nasty pines. I managed to get 2 stepps to cam and got about 12' up. Immediately I hear grunting back and forth then running in the swamp and some sparing going on. Its like all hell broke loose in there. Not sure if they smelled my estrus urine, me, or were just playing around. After about ten minutes of crazy deer action of splashing and running back in forth the wind swirls and my sent is blasted right to the commotion and poof they are gone. I waited it out till dark with no more action. Friday and Saturday are spent hunting a buck I had jumped the previous Sunday on a piece of public land in Alabama (where I live now). Long days with a few distant does and a lot of rain.. After almost 3 full days of hunting and scouting this morning was a tough one. I almost turned off the alarm and passed out having already agreed to the wifes demands of a noon cut off for some honey dos. Glad I got up! After and hour drive I was walking into the woods with an hour and a half till shooting light. With a very mild West wind I decided to walk in from a new access point from the south. It was swamp city. Knee deep in water at least 4 times getting back. I used my OnX to get close to the swamp. Found a patch of hardwood completely surrounded by water and called it home. Got set up in a younger live oak tree that barely survived the hurricane. It was a total leaner situation that made a great reverse leaning post. Just realized this is the first saddle set up I didn't photograph. I will put together the camera footage hopefully soon. It is absolutely quiet this morning with an ever so slight breeze. I could hear movement in the swamps around me but nothing close. Constantly second guessing my set up, I was exposed and the brush around me was wide open and debating on moving. I heard a gun shot to the west sounded only a hundred yards away or so. It bummed me out and almost convinced me to move. I set a goal sit till 930 then you can go poke your head in their beds. It was cold and I was wet so I all but focused on hunting. Turned around with the tether over my shoulder Im leaning up agains the tree with my back very comfortably. Hear movement at my 8 O'clock (would be 2 if facing correctly) ****!! I just blew my chance is all thats running through my head. Quick glance over my shoulder and see its a buck and damn good one! He is moving quickly and vision is blocked so I turn. Grab my bow and he sees me! 15yrds away at my 1 o'clock!! The tree that im hanging in is snapped and leaning right at my tether point. That dead branch is blocking my head perfectly and the tree my body. He only sees my violently shaking hands and bow that for the life of me I could not keep still. He stomps the ground. Again and again and again. Then miraculously he turns his head back to straight and takes two steps. I draw and my arrow is bouncing all over the rest. I tell myself to get your **** together and kill this buck!. Im now at full draw and he is stopped perfectly at 12 o'clock and I cant see him. With my single pin held at the left edge of the tree he took one step and I let fly on a neck shot as he was about to jump a downed tree. BANG! Arrow smacked his neck and slammed the buck into the dirt. He was motionless for a minute as I shook violently. Then he started kicking and moaning so I reloaded and put an arrow straight through the boiler room that ended him instantly. Wow just like that it was over. This is the second buck Ive seen in the wild (the first being last sunday) and there he lay right in front of me!! It was an incredible feeling and holy **** the adrenalin surge!! Honestly shook for about 3 hours. Climbed down went over and took pics and gutted him. Walked out to get my sled and slid him out so easily. Had him home and butchered by 1! What an epic day and experience! And now the real good stuff....
