A.Becotte
Member
Hunting has never been synonymous with success for me over the first couple years of hunting. I have encountered many deer, but have not been effective at closing the distance. It has been incredibly difficult, and I have learned over and over again about the allusiveness of the whitetail deer in the Northeast. But, I thought that would change with the addition of my first bow in 2020, an addition of multiple deer stand locations, and waiting for the deer to pass by. What I realized really quickly was that would not work for me and that I had a lot of work to do. I would then spend the entire off season e-scouting, getting boots on the ground, and researching the best mobile set up. I knew it would be imperative to the success of my hunting and would allow me to have the best first sit every time. I came to the conclusion that a saddle and sticks would be best for me and I would end up getting a Cruzr XC and Eastern Woods Outdoor sticks and absolutely loving them. This has allowed me to be mobile and have opportunities on deer I could never imagine possible and this past weekend, everything finally came together.
On Friday Oct. 29, I honestly did not expect to see anything. The goal was to walk this big ridge line that I had been dying to walk across. It was as expected to be, with a big run off stream down in the bottom of two ridges with not a lot sign that I could at least see that day. But, I wanted to keep going because I knew of a good spot up North from me that my wife and I found with a cluster of monster rubs. As I kept going I would jump 4 does that were just cruising and I knew that my suspicions about this spot was spot on. At 5 o'clock, I set up in this oak tree that overlooks a thicket of briers and where a mere 300 yds away knew of this bedding area with monster rubs. I waited and finally heard the famous crashing of leaves as I heard a deer coming from behind me. As I turned around and got into position, the buck was 5 yds directly below my stand. I thought he would walk directly below me and I hoped he would come out the other side, but my ground scent spooked him and he jumped back a couple yards broadside. I knew I only had this one chance and let the arrow fly and down he went in his tracks.
To say that I was excited was an understatement. Every missed opportunity on deer that I had crossed my mind as it truly sank in that I finally got one. Years of pressure I put on myself had been alleviated and I finally had peace. It was all that I imagined it to be since I started hunting and now, I am out again for more.
On Friday Oct. 29, I honestly did not expect to see anything. The goal was to walk this big ridge line that I had been dying to walk across. It was as expected to be, with a big run off stream down in the bottom of two ridges with not a lot sign that I could at least see that day. But, I wanted to keep going because I knew of a good spot up North from me that my wife and I found with a cluster of monster rubs. As I kept going I would jump 4 does that were just cruising and I knew that my suspicions about this spot was spot on. At 5 o'clock, I set up in this oak tree that overlooks a thicket of briers and where a mere 300 yds away knew of this bedding area with monster rubs. I waited and finally heard the famous crashing of leaves as I heard a deer coming from behind me. As I turned around and got into position, the buck was 5 yds directly below my stand. I thought he would walk directly below me and I hoped he would come out the other side, but my ground scent spooked him and he jumped back a couple yards broadside. I knew I only had this one chance and let the arrow fly and down he went in his tracks.
To say that I was excited was an understatement. Every missed opportunity on deer that I had crossed my mind as it truly sank in that I finally got one. Years of pressure I put on myself had been alleviated and I finally had peace. It was all that I imagined it to be since I started hunting and now, I am out again for more.
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