luckyshot

well guys i'm back from Kansas with NO good news! This was by far my worst trip to Kansas. Oct. 27th thru Nov.10th should have got me into some rutting activity for sure right? WRONG.....not one friggin trace of a rut. Temps averaged 72 -79 as daily highs. All the milo fields that i normally hunt around were cut but 2 neighboring farms still had standing milo. With this summers drought the milo was only 3 feet or so, not 5-6 feet like normal. So the deer had their favorite local food at a good grazing height on neighboring farms. To give you an example of the difference in deer movement on the property, I keep a journal of each sit in my treestand at the end of each day. In 2009, my first year in Kansas, I was there for 1 week and I had 78 deer i could have killed. For me that means within 25 yards of my treestand. This year i spent 2 weeks and i only had 7 deer i could have killed. Of those 7 only one was a true shooter. A 10 point 140-145 buck who came to 27 yards from a direction i didn't expect and when he stopped there was a branch covering his chest out at about 17 yards. I waited for him to choose his direction, down a trail that lead 18 yards from me or around the pond and away from me. He chose neither opting to swim across maybe due to the high temps.
Well last day rolls around, my cousin who put me up for the 2 weeks, asks me to shoot something for the freezer. During the morning sit i have a doe come to within 10 yards but she was a mule deer doe and i don't have a tag to shoot her. My trip ends with me and a buddy(who met me for the 2nd week) both getting skunked.
When i get home and unpacked i find out that the airlines or TSA have broken the sight of my bow. The SABO sight i had been practicing with for 4 months was totally snapped. So i put back my old sight and peep from last season and try to sight in. Lat night i head out to my small food plot behind my mothers house. She had been telling me about 2 nice bucks she'd been seeing while i was away. After an hour in the stand out comes a doe to feed. Shortly after a pretty nice buck cruised by the food plot but never noticed the doe. I lost sight of him in the woods at 120 yards and heading straight away. So as the light grew dimmer i decide to use one of my doe tags. I settle the 20 yard pin on her and touch off. I hit her low but seems like a good hit. She turns and jumps the stone wall and i notice no exit hole. Hitting low from 18 feet is not so good because i think it only hit 1 lung but it should still do the trick. Just then the buck comes running back and runs that doe toward the west. If he didn't show i know she would have laid up less than 50 from me. I called a buddy to give me a hand after it was dark and we blood trailed for 2 1/2 hours but didn't find her. Now as i right this it is raining just about as hard as it can rain. The odds of my finding her are not good.
I have to be honest here. I am really losing my faith in bow hunting. I've been doing it now for 10 years and it has been full of misery. I've never tried so hard at something and still not be good at it. Its frustrating and humbling i get that but it throws me into a depression every year. My wife even makes comments about it.
I'm headed out to look for that doe in a driving rain storm, hope your day is better than mine.

iayotehunter

Luckyshot, sorry to hear about your luck. I know how you feel though I've only had 5 deer within bow range all season. Been see 150+ class bucks all over had one come to 50 yards and turn the other way. Not as many deer in my area as there has been in the past. Bow hunting is tough but keep at it. Enjoy the time in the woods even if you don't get a deer. In the end all the years and hard work will pay off.

Arjuna

I know this is my bowhunting team, but I just can't contain my excitement! My springbok and impala just came in today from South Africa! It's been a year and a half.

iayotehunter

They look awesome!! Hunting in Africa is on my list of things to do after college

iayotehunter

I had a 6 pt chase a doe from behind me and could have shot the doe at 5 yards she was tired and was just panting to catch air but I heard the buck coming so I didn't shoot.
Then I saw the 140 8 or 10 a crossed the field so I grunted and he came looking for a fight then I heard another deer behind which was the 150 class had no clue I was there I drew back the arrow made noise as I was drawing he spooked a bit I waited for him to turn again he did at 30 yards I aimed a little high he ducted arrow just missed the top of him.. He walked away snort wheezed at the other buck I got another arrow nocked then he blew 6 times while running the other buck hung around not knowing what happened I grunted at him he walked closer turned and then he went after the 150 class

huntalot60

nothing yet, gun hunting here. i will be out once muzzleloader season is over.

saulthunter

well sorry i haven't been on in a while guys but i've been busy with school and stuff.
Past 2 weeks were our gun season up here in Ontario. Not a great 2 weeks and only 3 deer spotted, horrible year for us just no deer showing up with any sort of shooting light left. I saw 2 of those deer and managed to harvest one and little 7pt at 60 yds with my muzzleloader, wish it would have been with the bow but there was no way i was passing up this shot considering the season i've had thus far.
hope all is well guys

iayotehunter

Well guys, didn't get it done over this past week should have had a 120 class deer walk from 500 yards all the way to my stand smelt the ladder of the stand then continued on his way never had a chance to draw because he walked straight at me with his head up the whole way. had plenty of other encounters just none of the bucks I wanted to take. I will be hunting dec 15th-jan 10th or until I fill my tags still have 4 to fill

iayotehunter

Well I didn't get it done this year. I am excited for next season, I learned a lot this year and enjoyed all my time in the woods this year. Next year I will be hunting new properties and won't spend all my time on one property I learned from my mistake this year. I'm hoping to buy the 2013 Mathews ZXT this summer and have it for next season. Good luck to any one that is still hunting it was nice getting to know everyone. Sorry I couldn't help the team out with a kill.