For those scanning ahead there is no kill in this exciting hunt! L
The leaves are as crunchy as rice crispies as I make my way to my stand.
Just as I start up the last crest, I see a nice buck run from the ridge. The image
that stays with me, is that his visible tine was swept out equal to his nose. Damn, I just jumped a shooter less than 100 yards from my stand!
Flash forward ahead to 5:15, all situated in my tree. I got busted in this tree last time due to the closeness of deer, so I go high..way higher than I like. My Range finder says 8 yards to the ground. I see a deer come into the acorns on the side of the slope that I"™m facing. It"™s a spike (ear length) I see another deer behind him. This one is a 1 antlered 3 point (no brow tine). They feed and mill around crunching acorns within 30 yards of me. Now these deer are straight out from my stand, I look to the right and there is a shooter buck, stepping into a fire-trail about 70 yards out. High Tines 8pt at a minimum!
He"™s feeding and crossing the lane. What can I do?? If I grunt these 2 bucks that are close will lock onto me and make me unable to move anyway. The big buck crosses the lane and disappears. The 3 point walks down and I"™m looking between my feet at him, he walks behind my tree works a scrape and a sapling. The spike wanders off the way he came in. As the 3 point is heading down the fire trail, a deer comes back in, the way the spike left. I just figure it"™s him, but I better check. Nope it"™s a doe. She feeds off and the 3 point heads up her way.
I can see another deer out in the distance through binoculars but can"™t make it out. Ok, now it"™s getting very close to dark. I"™m figuring my exit strategy when I hear deer running. Something chasing something, which can only mean one thing this time of year, buck! They are within oh 50-60 yards but in the heavy woods I can"™t make them out. This has to happen NOW, shooting hrs end at 6:50 and it"™s close! I grunt, they make it within 20 yards I"™m not looking at my watch ..crap, I don"™t need too, I know it"™s too dark. I hang the bow. So I pack everything up quietly, at least one deer is still close I can hear acorns being munched! I wait I wait..still munching. It"™s not pitch dark but it"™s time for me to get out of here. I remember someone saying give a coyote howl. OK what the hell, I can"™t sit here all night! So after being quiet for the better part of 3 hrs I try and howl..not easy, but not bad. Ok I reach into my pack and grab a bottle of docs doe pee, and throw it to the ground.
It has no effect on the deer. I try again, nothing! Ok well, I"™ll lower my bow and fanny pack. The deer is still crunching away! I shake my bow in the leaves and howl. Nothing, in fact I hear another deer coming at me fast! It hits the fire trail right behind me I can still see somewhat in the clearing on this cloudless evening. Even though the deer is basically at the foot of my tree, I use my binoculars to see the head. BIG WIDE BUCK! I give him some time to move off. With the other deer still below me I descend. It"™s 7:30 now. That acorn chomping deer didn"™t leave till I hit the head lamp to pack up my stand!
Apparently my coyote call sounds attractive to big bucks..lol
So in my 2.5 hr sit I saw 9 deer. 5 bucks, 3 shooters, 1 doe and 3 unidentified.
Tommarow you need to be in that tree all day,can't ya feel some sniffles coming on a, little light headed.
You sure wouldn't want to give your cold to all the guys you work with.
Thats a great day in the woods Bob, I would have like to of seen you in the tree howling like a coyote Got to love this bowhunting, just a few more minutes of daylight or a few yards closer and you would have been posting a picture today!
Have a great time with the kids tonight.
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Hot Shot Manufacturing, Stratton Game Calls.
GR8, Great night in the woods...fantastic in fact. Shame you can't hunt tonight, alot of bucks fall on Halloween. I love Halloween as ONE day of hunting. Get back out there tomorrow and good luck.
What a night!
