GMMAT

NYBowhunter's spot and stalk thread inspired me today....so at 3:50 I decided I'd go hunting. I threw on my camo and grabbed the longbow....and headed to the little 10 acre woodlot across the street....where I shot my piebald a couple years ago. I only hunt this woodlot 3-4 times a season....and it had been a while.

So ....I'm literally set up at just after 4:00....lol.


I picked a spot where a blowdown with a big, clay root ball was right beside a shoulder-width oak....and I sat down. I could see behind me between the root ball and the oak trunk....and ahead of me was gonna be sketchy, at best.

I sat there about 45 minutes and thought I heard something behind me. I turned to see a doe about 35yds away. Cool. I figured I'd wait 'til her head went behind a tree....then I'd stand and get ready in case she came my way. I get my bow off the blow down.....and turn to see where she is. WOW. There's ANOTHER doe. A big, old gal. She's at <20yds....and I have no idea how she got there or where she came from.

So.....she pegs me.....kinda. She can't figure out what she saw move....but she's definitely onto where I'm sitting. She starts to her right (my left) and when her head goes behind the tree...I swing my arrow over to the other side. I figure if she closes ground....I'll draw and shoot. When she appears....she's dropped off to 20+ yds....and is looking, intently. She walks by....and I figure I'll just let her go and hope the next one (the other one) walks by and isn't alert). I look back for the other doe.....and the first one is now at about 15yds. She gets to about 13-14 yds and she's gonna be directly downwind.....so I come to full draw. She stops. I'm blocked by deadfall limb. No shot. She blows.....end of story.

I won't go into all the details......but I had three more come in....and no shot ops. Incredible hunt. Best part was the ease of set-up!

If you think playing the wind doesn't matter....try hunting like this one time.

I'll be back at it soon (this way). I've got one more week and I figure much of it will be from the ground with the longbow. Coolest hunt all year.

MO_Bowhnter

Awesome, sounds like a blast. Would be a great way to end the season.

Schultzy

Good stuff Jeff!!! That was a fun read!!!

buckmaster

Cool story Jeff!! IM ready to see you get one with the Long bow.

virginiashadow

Great story Jeff. I skipped out on my hunt today to do other important stuff. I was going to ground hunt as well because the ground was wet and the wind was blowing. I wish you much luck with your trad gear.

GMMAT

I could go on and on about the other three does in there....but I didn't wanna bore anyone to death. It was a GREAT afternoon, though.

I felt less naked in the shower today (at least I had a curtain!) than I did standing in front of that tree with those last 3 does in there....lol.

Just a lot of fun

NY Bowhunter

Good stuff Jeff. I've said it before and I'll say it again. There is nothing like hunting them on their level. It's just a real cool experience when you have encounters. Not the best of ways to get it done and have success, but man is it a rush. I have a couple pieces of land aside from my main property that I go play around on from time to time. I just go hunt the ground or pooch around and still hunt. Seems like everytime it ends in a memorable hunt. Wait til you put one on the ground like that.

Rickmur

Supurb story Jeff.A story from a Jan huntlast year. Myself and DaveH were returning to the site of his morning hunt from my tree stand site. He had climbed his tree to remove his stand while I was standing next to a tree about 15 yrds from him. We both saw them at the same time, a big 6 and a doe coming across the creek and heading our way. I was standing perfectly still while Dave was frozen still in his tree stand with his bow on the ground. With the doe leading she spotted me and the stiff legged walk and stare down began as the buck stayed a few yrds behind here watching intently. They closed to right below Dave's tree 15 yrds from me when the doe had enough and blew out of there with the buck right behind her. I was caught beside the tree but if I had been able to shift to behind the tree that buck would have been mine with Dave watching the whole thing from above right on top of it all. If he had his bow the buck would have fallen to his arrow as they were 100% focused on me. Awwww the excitement of it all.

rybohunter

Cool. Hope you put one down with the longbow. That would be awesome.

neb

Yep it's a hard way to hunt. I live in badland country and hunt mules and spot and stalk is the only way to hunt them. There is no mstakes when you hunt this way. Anyone that has come west to hunt in open country in a spot and stalk hunt has there work cut out for them. Very tough hunt but very rewarding.