This was......4 years ago now I suppose.....I took a couple days in early november off to be in the woods for the chase phase. I was sitting in an inside corner and the wind was perfect. I was in the tree early, and didn't see a thing. I had a few errands I had to run, so around 10 I climbed down. I headed back out after I was finished, and hopped on my climber and up the tree I went. It was straight up noon. I had literally just got to hunting height and taken off my backpack....I've been in the tree MAYBE 20 seconds. I hear something running to my left, and there is a doe busting tail straight at me.

"Hm, what's her freakin deal?" I ask myself. Didn't take long to find out. A 140 class 10 point was chasing her, and it's obvious they are going to pass by my stand. And they'll be here in like...10 seconds. Oh, did I mention....BY BOW WAS STILL ON THE GROUND???!!!! [:@] I hadn't even had the opportunity to pull it up yet.

That big ole boy stops, perfectly broadside, @ 15 yards. Ya'll, this was a PERFECT shot. Except for that one small problem. So he runs off, and I quick fast pull my bow up, because there is another buck coming. Bow in tree, he stops in the same place, but is an illegal buck. He takes off, and I nock an arrow. Here come the doe and the first buck, around my other side, through the bean field. Oh, that's right.....I DON'T HAVE MY RELEASE ON YET!!! [:@][:@] He stopped @ 20 yards this time, and I drew anyway......But I knew I was just going to wound him so I let him go. They run off, and I watched those 2 bucks dog that doe the next ridge over for the next 3 hours.

Needless to say, I do a few things differently now.