Congrats Merc,
Keep the spirit up Youngfart, sounds like you had a productive day even though you didn't shoot anything.
I was able to get out last night for the first time with my bow. Man, it was an experience all in itself.
I decided around 3:00 to get out in the stand, a spur of the moment decision. I took a quick shower, got my gear ready,sprayed myself down, loaded up the truck and headed out to a ladder stand my father and I keep up all year long. (It beats setting up a stand in the mid afternoon.)
I had good cover entering the woods(standing corn field)and a stiff wind in my face. I figured the corn field would be the best way to get to my stand since it I really didn't have a clue where thedeer would be at this hour.
Here is where it got interesting. I startedtrucking through the cornfield, itdidn'tdawn on me until I got a good clip inside the field that this field is just covered in wild cucumbers. I had to clean out one of our combine heads this year, in the same field, why I didn'tremember, I don't know. So I just got covered in wild cucumber needles. They are about 6 times worse than burrs. Tiny needles like splinters, just covered my clothes, gloves, hat, backpack, everything Itook with megot covered. Ieven had a bunch in my face, neck and hands. (Still do). I had to deal with that the rest of the night. In fact, I didn't even wear gloves since mine got covered in needles. Luckily I had a hand warmer, which indeed got covered as well. I felt like a pin cushion.
Got to my stand fairly undetected. Climbed up the ladder stand and got settled in. I figured it would be a slow night, Iwas pretty right. At about 5:30 two does and one fawnsnuck in on me. They were coming in at a pretty quickpace. Heading straight forthe IL River which is directly behind my treestand. The stand is at theoutletof a creek which dumps into the IL. I am figuring they wanted to get a drink because their is a heavily used path running behind my stand directly to the river.
I wenttopull my hand out of my hand warmer but the last doe detected movement. She instantly stopped, blew once and turned the other direction. Luckily, she wasn't spooked too bad. I don't recall seeing a flag. The other two deer turned around and followed. They ended upgoing north of meaboutthirty yards to the creek, but I lost them because the trees stillhad a ton of leaves left.
Before long it gotdark. I had to get down. Of course I had dropped a few things over the course of just a few hours. Had to get the glove and the rattle bag I had dropped. Luckily I had the StreamLight headlamp. It worked great. This time I decided to follow theriver dike back to my truck.
It was a great night. I would havetaken a doe if I had the chance. Man, deer hunting just gets the blood pumping. Especially with the bow. I about shook myself out of the tree after those does left.
Today is my son's 2ndBirthday. We're going to have a party for him tonight. Otherwise, I mighthave found myselfout in the woods again.
Hope things are going good for everyone else.
Good luck and God Bless,
Dave
P.S. Does anyone knowthe best way to get rid of wild cucumber needles?
