I went bowhunting last night and was sitting in a tree stand I had not used so far this season in IL. The stand faces west overlooking a rolling hay field with a picked cornfield about 100 yards away to my left. The bedding areas are to my right and directly behind me. The wind was blowing almost directly out of the north at approx. 10 mph. At about 6PM, I saw three does out at the edge of thecornfield to my left approx. 100 yards. Since shooting hours were almost over, I decided to get out of my stand and try a stalk since the lay of the land would allow me to get closer without being seen and there was a large group of hay bales pretty much in between us. When I got to the bottom of my stand, two does and a small buck appeared from the depression/draw in front of me but out of bow range. They proceeded to join the other deer. When they made it up the hill and out of sight, I started to walk up the hill slowly becasue I was not sure where they were. When I got to the top a saw several deer, maybe 10, walking to the East behind the hay bales. I thought I was good to go and started to move forward when two more deer appeared from behind another hay bale. They saw me and I hunkered down and they just stared trying to figure out what I was from about 25 yards or so. They finally gave up and followed the rest of the deer and I started to walk behind the bales thinking I would come up on the group at about 20 yards and have my pick. Well, I thought wrong as they must have finally winded me and took offf running. I stopped the group with a grunt call and two started to walk back briefly before ambling off.

WasI wrong to have to have tried the stalk, especially with the wind? Would anyone else have tried to make something happen? I really think this stand is going to be more of a gun stand due the distances. Sorry for being long winded but I am sort of doubting myself for doing it.