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Team 8

Got out early this morning hoping to put one down before the expected nor'easter washed out the weekend.
A light drizzle started at grey light as I watched ominous clouds make their way overhead. At 07:10, a buck circled around the apple trees along the edge of the plot, nose to the ground, and headed directly towards me. I drew, ready to let him have it when he turned to go up the hillside trail but instead he continued along the edge. He stopped at an overhang of brush and thrashed it with his antlers. After he was done, he turned around and went up that hillside trail, hugging the brush edge the entire time so I couldn't get a shot. I had one opening at 28 yards for a broadside shot if he continued up, but he turned away before then. He disappeared out of sight just as it began to rain down hard. I bailed, hoping the rain would ease up so I could get back out midday or evening, but it came down in buckets all day.
 
Where I hunt dictates what I try and kill. On the family farm I’ll try and kill mature bucks or mature doe. When I hunt the burbs my goal is basically to put down anything I see because reducing the population is what we’re there for.
This deer was from the burbs. I hunt a 3 acre parcel that is thick with deer traveling thru it. On both the east and west sides are houses. They bed on the north side of the property. Typically deer will travel north back to bedding in the morning. This guy was munching on some goodies in a yard to the south of me. Lost sight of him while I was trying to put a shot on a doe. Something spooked him and he ran across a dirt road and approached my tree from the 4 o’clock. This is ideal as I’m a lefty. He was on alert and kept bounding 10 or 15 yards and looking back towards the house. Finally stopped about 18 yard from me at my 2 o’clock and started licking his shoulder. As I was drawn already I waited a second to get his head out of the way and smoked him. He went about 30 yds and crashed.
Thus far my season has been nuts; I took a shot and hit a branch, I clean missed a shot, I killed a deer that took me 3 days to find so I didn’t get any meat. I needed this one to go smoothly and thank goodness it did. Helped me get my confidence back and put some meat in the freezer.
 
Andrew920 said:
Where I hunt dictates what I try and kill. On the family farm I’ll try and kill mature bucks or mature doe. When I hunt the burbs my goal is basically to put down anything I see because reducing the population is what we’re there for.
This deer was from the burbs. I hunt a 3 acre parcel that is thick with deer traveling thru it. On both the east and west sides are houses. They bed on the north side of the property. Typically deer will travel north back to bedding in the morning. This guy was munching on some goodies in a yard to the south of me. Lost sight of him while I was trying to put a shot on a doe. Something spooked him and he ran across a dirt road and approached my tree from the 4 o’clock. This is ideal as I’m a lefty. He was on alert and kept bounding 10 or 15 yards and looking back towards the house. Finally stopped about 18 yard from me at my 2 o’clock and started licking his shoulder. As I was drawn already I waited a second to get his head out of the way and smoked him. He went about 30 yds and crashed.
Thus far my season has been nuts; I took a shot and hit a branch, I clean missed a shot, I killed a deer that took me 3 days to find so I didn’t get any meat. I needed this one to go smoothly and thank goodness it did. Helped me get my confidence back and put some meat in the freezer.
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nice work! Love not tracking.
 
I’m having a hell of a go so far this year. Got skunked the entire early season out of state. Opening day here I missed that buck then Saturday I had an encounter with a brute but it was pouring and I wasn’t comfortable with the shot (I’m color blind tracking is hard enough without rain) and then tonight I was loaded up with does probably 15 minutes before last light and some knuckle head came barging through the field blowing them all out. On private land. What’s the point in hunting if you’re out of the tree well before dark?!
 
Tim0712 said:
I’m having a hell of a go so far this year. Got skunked the entire early season out of state. Opening day here I missed that buck then Saturday I had an encounter with a brute but it was pouring and I wasn’t comfortable with the shot (I’m color blind tracking is hard enough without rain) and then tonight I was loaded up with does probably 15 minutes before last light and some knuckle head came barging through the field blowing them all out. On private land. What’s the point in hunting if you’re out of the tree well before dark?!
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Keep grinding. It’ll pay off! The weather has sucked for us so far, way to much rain. Hopefully that nonsense stops soon
 
Andrew920 said:
Keep grinding. It’ll pay off! The weather has sucked for us so far, way to much rain. Hopefully that nonsense stops soon
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Gonna stick with the spot I’ve been hunting the last 2 nights first 2 times ever in that tree seen deer both times. Been hunting it on north and nw winds wondering if I hit it on a south wind if they come out on my side of the field instead. If that’s the case they’ll be dead quick! Winds are showing a shift Wednesday Thursday so I’ll be after it!
 
Andrew920 said:
Saturday should finally be a good day for us Michigan people. Temps are dropping 20 degrees and finally no rain!
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I gotta work Saturday. Im planning to be out Monday morning. Probably hunt all day. After the kids have knocked a few down, it's gonna have to be big for me to let one loose.
 
I can’t win lately. Since my home season opened last week I’ve sat 4 times and seen deer all 4 the stars just don’t want to line up for some reason.
 
Tim0712 said:
I can’t win lately. Since my home season opened last week I’ve sat 4 times and seen deer all 4 the stars just don’t want to line up for some reason.
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I may have seen 4 deer my whole 1st season moving off the green fields. Sounds like you are doing something right to me.
 
Tim0712 said:
I can’t win lately. Since my home season opened last week I’ve sat 4 times and seen deer all 4 the stars just don’t want to line up for some reason.
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Seems like everyone I know is having a weird season. Keep grinding brother!

I saw a nice 8 or 10 chasing a doe this morning, unfortunately they never came closer than about 50 yds. I’m gonna take a break and then head back out to try and get pretty much anything. I’d be happy with a doe.
 
Got out this morning before the rain hoping to catch one of the bucks that have been passing through at sunrise. Only one doe came through before shooting light. I thought for sure one would come in when it started to drizzle but I guess they decided to sleep in.

Temps are supposed to drop this week so that should get them moving.
 
Tim0712 said:
Nice buddy You called it! congrats!
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Thanks man! Last night I went out to the family farm. It was pretty nuts. I shot the doe fairly early and she crashed close. Then every young buck in the area came out of the corn and was hanging out by her body. I’ve never seen that before, although to be fair this is only my second season bow hunting, so I don’t know it may be common. I passed on a 6, a couple of forks and a spike. I want my buck upgrade to be an 8 or a 10.
 
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