The pic was taken on opening day of PA's archery season. Here's how the 1st day went...
My morning stand yeilded nothing but squirrels and I was out of the woods by 10:00.
Back out to an evening stand near an old crop field where I took a decent buck last year... rain rain rain... passed another bowhunter on the way out. We spoke, I have rain gear, he didn't.
On stand by 15:30 hours, two does enter the field 20 minutes into my sit. The rain had stopped after a brief soaker and the deer were moving. I had two shot op's on the does but let them pass hoping their boyfriends would show up. About 15 minutes later, 3 more deer, one a small 6 pointer, enter the far side of the field. The lead doe is bigger bodied than the 6, who, even though is legal in the region, should be left to mature another year or so.
The big doe feeds by me and slams on the brakes where the other hunter and I stopped in the field to speak. She's at 34 yards and alert... not a good thing. It's early in the hunt and considering her state of mind, I let her walk.
All the deer are feeding in front of me, some 60 odd yards, when another pair arrive. 2 little button bucks enter the scene from the base of my tree. They're having a good time and I enjoyed seeing the little knot heads out there goofing around.
The big doe from earlier strolls by me again at 28 yards... she stops, smells the ground, looks a bit less concerned, but is quartering on hard. There's a bunch of eyes in the field now that may bust my draw, and unless she turns, her angle is less than perfect. I don't even try to raise my bow as she walks on.
It's started raining again and the thunder has me thinking about my aluminum stand. Most of the deer have fed on and only the doe and knot heads are in sight. I hear another deer grunt from the treeline beside me and the two little button bucks run to meet this deer. They bleet to each other as they run past my stand on their way who I've figured is their mother. That was kewl to see / hear.
The big doe is still in the field and a yearling is feeding into view from the right corner of the woodlot. The big doe seems interested in the deer that grunted and heads my way. I range a clump of grass that she's likely to walk near and get a 22 yard reading. She's closing the gap from about 80 yards, so I wait to draw only after her head is obscured by branches. She's only 15 yards before reaching my chosen shooting lane. She's broadside and moving, I'm at full draw and she's going to walk by.
*Maaa*... just soft at first so she wouldn't pick me out. Nope, that didn't work, she's still walking. Ok, Louder then... *MAAAAA!*... YES. Stop! I've been swinging with her, holding the 20 yard pin tight behind her shoulder. She's stopped and my carbon arrow is speeding on its way. I watch the fletchings dissappear and she wheels to run, exposing the arrow now sticking smartly in the tall green grass where she had stopped.
She runs a big arc and I watch her crash in the field just 30 yards from the treeline. It had stopped raining, no tracking was required, it was still light out, I didn't get too wet and best of all, I can concentrate 110% on baggin' Mr. Big.
I've never taken pic's of the does I've harvested, but after having read the mod's post I realize that I was missing the boat. All outdoor experiences ARE worth photographing.
