DE Archery Season (Oct)
 

OK Guys. With 4 pages worth of post piled up, I figured we' d start a fresh thread.

So far its been DeBob with a nice buck and 6pt with a nice doe in the freezer. The rest of us are being choosey or, like me, just not seeing a heck of alot of deer. I know we had more kills on the board by this time last year. August' s scouting showed so much promise. Guess it doesnt always work out the way we think it will.

With Smoke Pole Season Oct 11 - 18 there' s not much time left before the deer start getting shot at. It' ll only get harder to get one after that. The weather is cooling down nicely though and the rutting activity should pick up good soon.

Keep the post coming and continue luck to us all!!!

RE: DE Archery Season (Oct)
 

Duck, count me in to. I got my first (a nice doe) the evening of the 23rd @ 5:10PM. Haven' t been back out since but am planning a all day hunt this sat. Now that the pressure is off I' ll be looking for something with horns. Saw some rubs and scrapes while tracking my doe. She only went about 70 yards but it was pretty thick cover. Once I got into the thick stuff I started to notice all the sing. I hope to be able to update next week about the big one. -Ken

RE: DE Archery Season (Oct)
 

DE-Hunter,

I apologize that I forgot your Deer! A belated Congrats! [:-] Nice to hear some nice deer are being taken.

I' ll be getting out Saturday and a couple times next week. Hoping for a change in my luck. ;)

RE: DE Archery Season (Oct)
 

Duckmastor 2 Hey Scott we picked the Ennis farm today, I am in there chopping stalks until 7 pm , saw nothing.. :ot of deer damage to the corn we will be back in the morning, if you come down I will probably be on the tractor chopping stalks, stop over and say hello,... I was wishing this afternoon that I had your cell number would have called you while we were in the field.. The boys on the pickers saw a few deer , I saw nothing...

RE: DE Archery Season (Oct)
 

Thats OK Ron. I couldnt have gotten away from the office today. Shame you didnt get to it until next week, but thems the breaks. Thanks for keeping me informed. Next time I' m down, i' ll try and swing by.

RE: DE Archery Season (Oct)
 

Scott got a;; the stalks chopped. 2 guys came in a Ford this afternoon while I was chopping I finished about 7 they were still in there. Havent seen a thing bucks are still not chasing does but soon I think after this cold snap.... I wi;l be across the road chopping tomorrow...

RE: DE Archery Season (Oct)
 

Did anyone get out this weekend? I was a traitor and headed over to South NJ to hunt with my dad on his turf. Once again, no deer. Talked to a guy at parking lot of the WMA we hunted and said the boys out in the morning did see some deer moving and a couple nice bucks, just nothing came within shooting range.

I would just like to get doe in shooting range at this point.

I' ll be out and about Tuesday and Thursday this week. I' d like to blast some snow geese next saturday if they ever cut the field I hunt. If its not cut, deer saturday too.

Keep the reports coming.

RE: DE Archery Season (Oct)
 

I was a traitor too...hunted Blackwater Refuge in MD for Sika deer:D. May have to do that again sometime;)!

RE: DE Archery Season (Oct)
 

I got out on Saturday for an all day' er. It was my first day back to this location since last year. Not able to do any scouting because the propery is ouwed by a friend of a friend. Dame near got lost going in. I' m sure I made to much noise in the AM trying to find a tree. Kind of crappy sitting in the rain half the day.
Finally around 4:00 I gave out a couple of grunts and heard some movement. Although I never saw the deer, it circled down wind and busted me.

Won' t be back out until this Sat. Going for another all day hunt but this time I' m going to the property where I got my doe.

I' d like your opinion on my set-up. Lot' s of pines and good cover on top of a hill with some scrapes here and there. Oaks running in a line from top to about two thids of the way down the hill. Super thick bottom with a poor excuse of a creek but a few rubs. I was half way up in the oaks when I got my doe who was traviling from top to bottom.
Should I move? -Ken

RE: DE Archery Season (Oct)
 

I made it out tonight. Hunted the public ground. At sunset 7 deer came out (2 then 3 then 2 more) from the opposite corner of the finger woods I was hunting. They never came into bow range. Nothing came out of the corner I was covering. I was encouraged going in because it looked like the trail I was ambushing had been used quite a few times in recents days. What can you do.

If the wind is the opposite it was today come thursday, i' ll move across to the other side of the woods. If not, opportunity lost. Come Saturday when a smoke pole hunter is sitting in the state stand close by, those deer are going to get educated real quick.

Its going to be a long season.

RE: DE Archery Season (Oct)
 

You said State land , were you on the Ennis Farm or somewhere else?

RE: DE Archery Season (Oct)
 

Yes Ron, the Ennis Farm. It was nice finally meeting up with you in person tonight. I got the weeds cut around our goose pit. I wasnt too happy that Snow had tilled the field under after he cut the corn. I hope he at least planted some winter wheat or something. A couple good rains and that field will turn into a bog. Guess we' ll have to wait and see.

No deer tonight. The wind was ok but I got there later than I' d wanted. Walked right up on a red fox on the way in. Camo must have been good because he looked at me 3 times and never saw me. I got within 20 yds of him and he didnt take off until I stepped on a branch. Pretty cool.

What really hurt tonight was some clown was shooting up the place either in the marsh or the woods behind me. The only thing that you can shoot at that I can recall at this time are Snow Geese, Squirrels and Rail Birds. None of which can be hunted at the place I was and definately none of the legal hunting hours go after sunset. Also, at one point, the guy fired 6 straight rounds. No Time to reload. I left the area 10 mins earlier than I wanted hoping I' d catch the @sshole in the parking lot on the way out, but by the time I got out, there was no one else around. Where' s a warden when you need one? Its been that kinda year. [:' (]

Dont know what saturdays plan is. Geese or deer? I' ll have to sleep on it.

Goodnight.

RE: DE Archery Season (Oct)
 

Copied from the Muzzleloader Thread. It is an Archery Report anyhow... :)

I was out this morning. Took the Bow. I dont smokepole Did see some deer movement at the leased place which had been ice cold the last 2 week. All does. One was a big ass doe though. She just never got in range. Had 2 yearlings come within 30 yds, but they were too small. I' d been embarrased to take them to the butcher...

I heard just 2 shots over by woodland beach. One 10 mins after shooting time and one about 8:20am. Pretty quiet out there today. Later in the week its suppose to cool down nice. Maybe that will get things going. Good Luck!

RE: DE Archery Season (Oct)
 

Scott, if Bruce Snow tilled that field he will be planting wheat in it, he wouldn' t till it and leave it lay fallow. Wheat will be better for your goose hgunting. I cchopped stalks last nite Fri until 8 pm saw a ton of deer , coming north from Ennis around sharp curve past cross road first field on left, joins up to state laand, some were nice size/ saw one laying in fieeld that an archer had hit and it didnt make it.

RE: DE Archery Season (Oct)
 

taking the bow wed..and i hope that i dont get shot. u ever see some of the guys out there with gunssss....lordy:) '

how many turkeys are u guys seeing in DE??? i havent seen one in the st augustine area...i am lying ...i saw one for 3 days alone around houses. i would like to turkey hunt this spring. can anyone give me some leads.

thanks

RE: DE Archery Season (Oct)
 

Heading out tomorrow (10/16). Geese in the morning , Deer in the afternoon. Should be a full day. Hopefully i' ll something besides my lunch! :D

I' ll report on results.

RE: DE Archery Season (Oct)
 

Been hunting the leased farm hard. Hunted Thursday and Saturday. Lots of does working the area. On Saturday, had my dad covering one side of the swamp bottom and myself in the my stand on the edge of the field. 6-10 deer came by me out of range with just 5 mins of light left and by the time the 1st one got to my dads location, it was too dark to shoot. When he stood up to leave, deer were running everywhere. They came back by me, but it was just too dark. If they did what they did 10 mins earlier, I think this story would be a little different.

Commited to a duck hunt tomorrow in NJ in the morning, but I' m going to try and get back down in the PM. Might move out of the stand and move into the woods and just sit be a tree or something. No use sitting in the stand and watching them parade by every night just out of bow range. I just wish there was some cover in there and it wasnt so swampy. If I go, I' ll report.

How' s everyone else doing?

RE: DE Archery Season (Oct)
 

duckmaster.....where are they hiding...inthe swamp??? how do they walk through that stuff. i hunt the same situation. they come to dry land though...probably more than we realize. nov is about here and the action should heat up. i am hunting the second week hard. any rut activity out there??

RE: DE Archery Season (Oct)
 

I choked tonight. But let me start from the beginning.

Got down to the leased farm about 2:45pm. The wind was SSE so I couldnt hunt my stand. But, I wanted to put some corn out and I decided to get down and dirty in the bottom where all the deer keep passing me by. Got all geared up and headed out. Now I didnt want to use the wheel barrow for the corn because its so noisy, so I decided to just throw the 50 lb bag on my shoulder. It was cool, so i figured I wouldnt sweat. All was going good until I got about 30 yds from the stand. The corn bag kept slipping down my shoulder so I went to shift it back up and my back went into a major spasm. I put everything down and stretched. Didnt do much good. I took the corn the rest of the way to the stand and put it out.

I was in pain, but I didnt want to go home. I began th slow trek across the bottom. Hopping from high spot to high spot. I found dry high ground right around the thicket I always see them pass through from the stand. I back off as far as I can from the major trail (5 - 10 yds) and built a small ground blind. Winds in my face and its now 3:45pm. I sit until 5:45pm. Alls quiet. Sunset is 6:15pm. I decide to stand up and move 10 ft to my right and stand behind this tree. If the deer come the way I' ve seen, it' ll be a 4 yd shot, and they' ll never wind or see me. Well, when I move I dont bring 2 things, 1) my grunt call, 2) my quiver. I figured one arrow would be all I need and I was planning on just staying quiet tonight. Well, I no sooner get set up and I hear something directly behind me. I turn and see a Buck working a tree over. Looks like a 4 pt. He' s directly down wind of me and I figured I' d be busted for sure, but the I guess the scent lok and marshy odor gave me enough cover, because he never smelled me. He worked around the thicket for a while and headed, yes you guessed it, right to my stand! There, he met up with another buck, looked like a 6 point, and the spared a little. When they were through, one went to eat the corn I just threw out and the other walked right under my tree!!! They never do that when Im in it! B@stards. After about 15 mins, the walk off, not to be seen again.

Well, now its past sunset. 6:30pm. I look across the woods and here comes this doe. Not hugh, but nice. Shes heads right for me. I get ready. When shes 20 yds out, I draw and hold. Well, she stops. Didnt see me, but stopped. My back is screaming at me. Cant hold the draw and let down. Unseen. To the right now comes what appears to be a button buck. The two deer meet up and continue to walk towards me. I' m running out of light. Finally, they stop and turn broadside 4 yds away! The doe turns her hear away to lick herself so I draw, put the 15 yd pin behind the shoulder, release..... Deer scramble, the doe I shot at is now standing 4 yds off to my right, unhurt!! I F' ing missed!! And to add insult to injury, she' s stand 4 yds away, with a perfect quartering away opportunity, and my quiver is 10 feet behind me. I' m standing there shaking in disbelief. Pissed, dumbfounded, in pain, all at once. Eventually the doe walks away. But before I can even turn to start packing up, the Button comes back! Its getting dark and I want to look for my arrow, so I just say screw it and turn my back on him (remember he' s 4 yds away) and walk away. He lets me walk to my stool, sit down, grab my arrows and doesnt move! I look at him and say " Dude, you better run" That got him moving. ;)

I grabbed my flashlight and quickly found my arrow. From where it was I had to have shot over her back. No blood or hair. Thank goodness, a complete miss. I grabbed all my stuff, and quickly exited.

So, I blew it. Had the perfect plan, and they came just as I thought, but I didnt execute. Its only the 2nd time I' ve released on a deer and I was excited, but its no excuse for missing such a short shot. Im just glad I missed clean. I will chalk it up to a learning experience.

Things I learned tonight: 1) Relax and concentrate before you shoot. 2) When they are that close, compensate. I should have aimed at the low vitals instead of right on being she was that close. 3) bring the F' ing quiver with me when I move! I give myself the dumb F@ck award for that one. 4) Dont carry 50 lbs of corn on your shoulder for 1/2 mile and if I hurt my back again just go home. I couldnt hold the full draw long enough and I was uncomfortable when I shot. Its not an excuse, but it didnt help matters.

Well, I cant get out again until saturday. There are plenty of deer in the area there, so I' ll be back. A little wiser and hopefully a little more successful.

Goodnight, good hunting!

RE: DE Archery Season (Oct)
 

Since Mondays screw up I' ve been out in the back yard practicing. Making sure the bow is still tuned and making sure it was just me that choked. I made some minor adjustments but they were more to make me feel better. Before any adjustments, I made 5 shots with the same arrow I missed with from the same distance on my decoy and all 5 were in the boilermaker. The bottom line is, I got doe fever on monday. [X(] It had been 2 years since I actually got a deer in range and she was so close, I figured even with the low light, it' d be an easy shot and I got sloppy. It wont happen again.

With this cold weather moving in, the deer should be really on the move. Anyone else been out lately and if so, what have you been seeing. I' m planning on making a day of it Saturday. Of course, that afternoon its suppose to warm up [:' (] But the morning will be cool. Lord, give me that 4 yard shot again! :D

RE: DE Archery Season (Oct)
 

NICE STORY..I WILL BE OUT NEXT WEEK....OFF THE 2ND WEEK OF NOVEMBER...ALOT OF DAYS TO HUNT IN THE COMING 2 WEEKS...RUT SHOULD KICK IN

RE: DE Archery Season (Oct)
 

Put 7 hours in between morning and afternoon hunts on saturday (10/25). Didnt see a deer. In the farm next to where I was, they were duck hunting for youth day. They blasted away from opening light until 9am. Im sure that didnt help matters deer wise.

Looking like a warm week ahead. I have Thursday afternoon off, but if its too warm, I may cancel and go in Nov on a cooler afternoon. Ruts right around the corner.

Threads been quiet. Anyone else out there hunting or has everyone else given up?

RE: DE Archery Season (Oct)
 

i will be out there again on wed...off 12 days in nov...second week

RE: DE Archery Season (Oct)
 

what are the red little berry on the sticker bushes that the deer here are tearing up??? they are a little bitter i think.

RE: DE Archery Season (Oct)
 

Last bow hunt of October this afternoon. No deer. Nothing. The woods is flooded out and I sat in standing water. The same place I missed the deer last week. There was fresh sign around so the deer are there, just not tonight.

I' ll hunt in the morning Saturday. Maybe some DE youth will shoot some my way. I hunted youth day last year in the evening and listened to some kid blast away, 6 shots in all over 5 mins at a deer. Wonder if he/she ever got it?

It was a quiet Oct from the DE crowd. Guess the itch is gone and hunts routine. Im planning 5 hunts in Nov before shotgun. Lets hope for cooler weather to get the rut going good.

See you in the November Thead! :D

RE: DE Archery Season (Oct)
 

Sorry for the absence guys..I' ve been chasing Sikas over in Maryland every free chance I could...finally got one last Thursday:D Nothing special...a medium sized doe, but it sure has been a blast chasing those little buggers around the marsh;)!

I' ll be hitting the whitetail timber pretty hard for the next few weeks! Sure hope the weather breaks.....70 degree days can' t help:(!