I was able to take a ½ day from work yesterday and went home to change into more comfortable clothes (my hunting clothes!). Made it to my hunting area by 1:30PM and into my tree stand by 1:45PM. The area I hunt has some creek bottom, flood plains, some very thick cover and some open fields. I hunt on the edge of the cover and the one flood plain area. When you are up in the stand you can really notice the deer trails that pound the high grass down.

Anyways, I’m positioned about 150 yards or so from a main road. It has a lane heading east and one west, but the amount of traffic flowing on this road is kind of heavy. Maybe a car passing once every 15 seconds. It gets worse during rush hour! So, there I am. I’m just enjoying a nice NJ afternoon with temps at about 70 degrees. At about 3PM I see a large doe walking my way. She’s walking at a decent pace and looking around. I could have taken a shot, but she was moving a little too fast for a decent shot. Right behind her is another decent sized doe and this one is more patient. She’s walking, then stopping, eating, walking, stopping. So, I decide to focus my efforts on this one. The first doe walked by me and is about 30 yards to my right. The second doe is coming along nicely and at about 15 yards she stops. I have a nice vine with tons of leaves to my left which provides me with some good concealment. I pull back and whack the doe. She takes off. The first doe takes off too.

Of course, they are headed towards the road. That’s where they were headed anyways. The first doe is bolting to the road and the deer I shot isn’t too far behind. I’m standing in my stand watching the deer, then glancing at the road, then back to the deer, then to the road, then to the deer. Each time looking back and forth they are getting closer and closer to the road. I have a good vantage point of the road from my stand and can see the first deer bound across the road. I’m thinking to myself, “Oh please don’t cross the road, please don’t. I don’t want to have to track you across the road and drag you back.” But just then I realize I haven’t seen my deer go across the road. Of course, it could have taken a different route than the first deer. So, I get down out of my stand, pack up my gear and head out the other way to get back to my truck. About 4PM I walk back to my stand and begin following the doe. Takes me about 5 minutes to work thru the brush and all. My prayers are answered. There is my doe dead on the ground about 30 yards shy of the road.

Got my 1st doe of the year and will be back out there this weekend (Monday off for Columbus Day…yeah!). Will shoot another doe if given the chance or hope for a decent buck.