I hunted an 80 acre farm for the first time of the season this morning. I checked my stand in early September, looked good to go. I walked in this morning and noticed my climbing sticks were loose. I'm thinking someone jacked with my stand. Upon further review (with the help of my flashlight [8D]) I saw that my tree had been hit by lightning....it was split big time. Talk about screwing up your morning plans.[&:]I ended up standing on the ground about 40 yards from my stand, overlooking a well travelled funnel. The first hour showed nothing, then about 7:45 I spotted movement, a basket rack buck working through the bottoms. He went on his way, about 5 minutes later, a small spike shows up from a different direction. He too moves on quickly. I then started grunting to try to liven things up, I hear some movement and see a TOAD of a buck moving through the funnel. He picked me off (and probably saw me shaking like a leaf
) and went back where he came from. Fast forward 2 minutes or so, I start grunting again and here comes another buck....much bigger body wise. He's a solid 140 8pt....crazy mass, wide, he had it all. He has no clue I'm around.....he pauses in an opening at 30 yards. I draw, settle the pin and shoot. CRACK!!! The buck took 2 huge leaps, then started slowing down....then I hear silence as he's now out of my view. I sat for 30-45 minutes and go to get my arrow........which is lodged in a tree about as big around as a half dollar.[:'(]No blood, no hair, nada....just a ruined BH and a deflated hunter. Great hunt this morning with an ending I'd rather forget. I'd also like to apologise to anyone who got one of my profanity laced text messages.........missing a P&Y deer seems to do that to me.
Whiffed on a wallhanger this morning
