I've been hunting my rear off since opening weekend and have only had a couple deer in bow range. I managed to kill a doe a couple weeks ago, but wasn't really seeing any deer. I was in an area with decent white acorns dropping, but the deer didn't seem interested.
I also need to add that I've had one tree stand stolen...our gate to our camp was nearly torn from its hinges, and the local 4-wheeler traffic has turned the fringes of our property into I-79.
Last friday, I hunted the same area of our farm, thinking the rut was close. After sitting till 11 and not seeing a deer, I pulled my stand and set out to find a new spot. I jumped a decent buck and several does on an oak flat, so I decided this was the spot. I'd killed deer here in the past, so I set up 20' high in a white oak.
I didn't hunt it friday evening. First thing saturday, I was in the stand. Just as it was getting light, a decent buck crossed in front of my stand. I judged the distance WAY wrong and shot over him. When I got down to get my arrow, the buck was only 17 steps away. I judged him at a little over 25.
I saw 14 more deer...all does...before 10:00. Then I heard something RIGHT behind me. It was close and in the wind had snuck right in on me. The sound was nearly underneath me when I glanced down and saw 2 ears and horns. The buck ate acorns under my tree for a couple minutes (seemed like an hour) and a couple times he looked up right at me. He never spooked, and finally eased about 5 yards from the tree and looked away. I drew and stuck him through both lungs. He only went about 30 yards and dropped. It was a 7-pt. Nothing magnificent, but a trophy in my book.
Funny how the area was so similar to the one I was striking out in. Guess the deer didn't find it similar.
Saturday afternoon, my wife and I covered a good bit of 400+ acres and didn't find a scrape...and only found a couple rubs. They're not into it on our property yet.
Hope you guys are having fun too!
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The more you cry, the less you have to pee
Congratulations on the buck! I went Friday and Saturday morning too, and while my buddy and I saw one scrape and more than a handful of rubs, we are seeing no rut activity whatsoever. I got a doe, and let's just say he had three shots, and we couldn't find a small 8 pointer he shot. Without bait, we probably would have seen about three deer between us both. Oh, and as we were packing to leave, a spike buck came to within about 10 yards of my deck, staring at us. I wouldn't have shot him anyway, but it is funny how he came right in to the trailer at 11:00, when we wouldn't have had any confidence in seeing deer while on stand!
As I mentioned in another post, rut activity has seemed to go into rifle season more often than not where I am at. Considering the lack of it so far, I imagine we'll see it this year too, if there are any deer around!
Doug...Congrats on the doe. That's something about that spike. A couple years ago, the 7 of us at camp during rifle season had killed 1 buck by wednesday evening. That night...under the security light in the front yard at the feeder...there were 5 bucks. All were legal and one was a dandy. I think those damn things disappear during the day.
To be honest, our deer look pathetic this year. The does are spindly looking. I sure hope we don't have a real harsh winter, or the die-off could be huge.
Good luck!
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The more you cry, the less you have to pee
Finally, some good action in WV.
