unique hunting experience.
Got out to my stand today around 5pm and was feeling confident about my hunt. Attached my equipment to my pull up rope and began climbing with my stand. I got into position, pulled up my bow and my pack and got situated as quickly as possible. It must have been 10 mins later and i heard something hauling ass through the woods. Then a doe ran out right in front of me (about 20 yds.) and stopped. It appeared to be worried about something that was behind it because it stopped and looked back. It stopped for all of about 30 seconds and took off agian. I then heard something running after her and sure enough it was a couple of black lab pups. Boy was I upset! I finally got over it and sat in my stand for another hour or so and saw a very large bearded turkey come strutin right up the other side of the hill in the open field. I must have watche him for about 20 mins. Finally it was beginning to get dark and i decided to call it a hunt and start heading back down the tree. I lowered my eqiuipment, strapped my feet into my stirrups and started decending I got about 15 feet from the ground and all of the sudden my feed slid out of the stirrups and my bottom rack fell out from under me. Only when it feel it didn't catch the tree. Boy did i feel a panic coming on. Here i am sitting on my gun rail on the top part of my climbing stand with my bottom part of the stand hanging by the safety rope. Luckily I tied a good knot and pulled up the bottom peice and after allot of strain finally got it latched back onto the tree within reach. I got to tell you this is the first time this has ever happened to me and i was worried to death. Honestly, it was my faught for not tieing the top and bottom peices closer together and for not tieing them further towards the teeth that grab the tree. I know now that i am getting some metal stirrups and practicing better safety. As far as not the hunt it was very entertaining.