Bow Season 2014

[KahrMan]

Didn't make it out this morning but am heading out this afternoon.  Hopefully they will be moving.

[TNMTBik3r]

Doe in the bed of the truck and heading home. Will tell the story later but I saw 10

 

Alright, so I actually saw 13 this morning. I pulled into the cemetery lot right at 5:00am and had 2 stand up in the headlights. The property I hunt has a right of way behind the cemetery and a dirt trail down the edge of two other peoples property for a few hundred yards.

 

Parked and walked down the ridge and got into my climber I left out there Thursday. At 6:20 two deer came walking up to my left and a bit behind me - I could see their outline well and one of them kept standing on it's hind legs eating at branches. I had a shot, they were only at about 25 yards but it was still a bit too dark for me to feel comfortable taking the shot as I knew there was brush in that area that I could not make out.

 

Settled back in and a few minutes later heard something walking up the ridge directly in front of me. 3 does popped over the edge and stopped at 20 yards. I let the arrow fly at 6:35 and heard the smack. At 7:00 I climbed down and found the arrow, verified blood. Sat some of my stuff down at the tree stand and slowly began trailing. I was going very slowly and looking ahead, at 7:30 I bumped her from where she bedded down - saw her right before she stood and hobbled away over the top of the next ridge.

 

I snuck down to where she had bedded and saw a nice pool of blood,decided to wait a bit before continuing as she was moving slowly but too far ahead for a shot or me to catch up. I stood there for 5 minutes and all of a sudden heard walking behind me. I slowly turned as 5 does came walking down the ridge behind me and stopped 20 yards away feeding. I had a shot but decided I did not want to trail 2 deer.

 

I waited another 5 minutes and slowly shifted my feet in the leaves causing them to look up and then walk off. I continued trailing, got to the top of the ridge and the 13th doe jumped up about 50 yards to my right. Another 60 yards and my doe was laying up against a tree. I finally got back to the truck about 8:20 with her.

 

I didn't make a great shot but clipped a lung and she finally bled out. Went in in front of the shoulder and out behind the other shoulder. I kind of rushed the shot because this doe was in front and standing still but the other 2 were moving up quickly - should have waited to see where they would have moved and taken more of a broadside shot. 

 

I am going back out this afternoon and tomorrow morning, want to have 2 in the fridge before I start grinding burger.

 

Used a Horton Pro 175 crossbow with red dot. Horton Bone Collector Carbon bolts and NAP Spitfire Edge 100gr 3 blade broad heads. 

 

I don't think anyone will mind these pics, not very graphic but this is a WARNING if someone looking over your shoulder is squeamish...

 

[TNMTBik3r]

Now I have a decision to make, hunt the ridge again this afternoon or switch to the field stand and see if anything hits the pear tree.

Pears have been getting ate, I just don't know when... wish I had a trail cam out there but maybe next year.

[rugerla1]

First off, congrats on the doe!

Holy crap, what a day so far! Went to eat and as I'm walking in 4 deer in front of my stand at noon! I do my crouching tiger/hidden dragon (hillbilly version) so I don't spook them. They ease out, I get in the stand. Wife calls and they're on a trip so I whisper answer to make sure everything is okay. 5 sentences in and deer coming to the stand...You okay? Okay, gotta go lol. Ends up being the two mom's with youngins from this morning so I let them walk right under my stand. Cute lil fellers when they have their spots. Hope more come out so I can get one, but happy to be out here and seeing deer either way!

[TNMTBik3r]

Checking the weather while sitting here and see a frost advisory for the morning. Should be another great time to hunt.

[rugerla1]

Checking the weather while sitting here and see a frost advisory for the morning. Should be another great time to hunt.

Yeah, looks like another good morning indeed. I'm only hunting a.m. tomorrow. Two all day - ers ain't as easy on me as they used to be. That hour and half lunch break today helped vs the 14 hrs straight! Came home empty handed but seen deer all day, could always be worse!

[Chris]

Two down. Butchered and in the freezer. 

Pressures off, now I can relax and enjoy the rest of the season.

[rugerla1]

Two down. Butchered and in the freezer. 
Pressures off, now I can relax and enjoy the rest of the season.

Wow, congrats! Great start to the season!

[KahrMan]

Two down. Butchered and in the freezer.
Pressures off, now I can relax and enjoy the rest of the season.

Nice!

[Slappy]

I couldn't hunt today.  Went to go see MSU (my Alma Mater) whip Texas A&M only to have those dang Black Bears steal our thunder beating Alabama....but hey, what a great day for Mississippi!  Hopefully arrows will fly next weekend!  

[TNMTBik3r]

Never taken a buck with a bow before so shot a small one this morning, think it was a 5 point. Would have let it walk with a rifle but meat is meat...once I find him anyways.

Sitting in the truck waiting a while to track him. He took a step right as I released so I thought I hit a bit too far back. But he ran 20 yards then crashed, only to get up and take off again 30 seconds later.
I waited 45 minutes then got down and checked the arrow and has some slime and acorn pieces on it. I think I heard him crash a second time but giving him a couple hours to bleed.


ETA - dragging him out now. He was down right where I thought I heard the crash, about 40 yards out of sight. Only a 3 point, looked like a 5 earlier. Almost wish I had passed on him now but it is meat. Edited October 5, 2014 by jonathon1289

[Omega]

Never taken a buck with a bow before so shot a small one this morning, think it was a 5 point. Would have let it walk with a rifle but meat is meat...once I find him anyways.

Sitting in the truck waiting a while to track him. He took a step right as I released so I thought I hit a bit too far back. But he ran 20 yards then crashed, only to get up and take off again 30 seconds later.
I waited 45 minutes then got down and checked the arrow and has some slime and acorn pieces on it. I think I heard him crash a second time but giving him a couple hours to bleed.


ETA - dragging him out now. He was down right where I thought I heard the crash, about 40 yards out of sight. Only a 3 point, looked like a 5 earlier. Almost wish I had passed on him now but it is meat.

Don't fret, better ones will come along my first was but a spike.  Congrats on a successful hunt.

[rugerla1]

I wanted to hunt this morning but I didn't make the alarms, I slept like a log! I may try and get out this evening.

[TNMTBik3r]

Arrow took him through the lung and liver before passing through his stomach, explains the first crash, he was dying.


I know better ones will come along, I haven't taken many deer with a bow anyways and always excited about any deer I get. I have just made it a habit to try and pass on smaller bucks with my rifle. This property has some decent bucks, taken a couple nice 8 points during rifle season.

[rugerla1]

Well I headed out this evening after debating on whether the cold this morning would have them bedded down with fat bellies this evening. Well, in my area today I must have been right haha. Didn't see one deer. Watched a HUGE red - headed woodpecker for a good while. I have never seen one that big. Even when there are no deer, the woods offer so much for enjoyment. I haven't seen my buddy the fat groundhog in a couple days.

[Wingshooter]

Well I headed out this evening after debating on whether the cold this morning would have them bedded down with fat bellies this evening. Well, in my area today I must have been right haha. Didn't see one deer. Watched a HUGE red - headed woodpecker for a good while. I have never seen one that big. Even when there are no deer, the woods offer so much for enjoyment. I haven't seen my buddy the fat groundhog in a couple days.

Maybe he saw his shadow, lol. I'm sure he'll be back. I haven't seen the one at my hunting spot since that first day. There is a red fox that I would see in past seasons and have seen him on trail cams recently, but I haven't seen him in the flesh this season yet. The other critters of the woods are definitely entertaining and help to pass the time.

Last year (late season) I was rifle hunting high on top of an isolated ridge. It was steep, so I just nestled into the base of a windfall tree and was sitting on the ground. After a long day of sitting, a family of raccoons walked straight up the hill towards me. One of the babies got so close to my foot, I couldn't resist stretching my leg to try and touch it. You can only imagine how bad they all freaked when they made me. Absolutely hilarious. I almost laughed out loud in the woods. It made my day, lol.

[rugerla1]

Maybe he saw his shadow, lol. I'm sure he'll be back. I haven't seen the one at my hunting spot since that first day. There is a red fox that I would see in past seasons and have seen him on trail cams recently, but I haven't seen him in the flesh this season yet. The other critters of the woods are definitely entertaining and help to pass the time.

Last year (late season) I was rifle hunting high on top of an isolated ridge. It was steep, so I just nestled into the base of a windfall tree and was sitting on the ground. After a long day of sitting, a family of raccoons walked straight up the hill towards me. One of the babies got so close to my foot, I couldn't resist stretching my leg to try and touch it. You can only imagine how bad they all freaked when they made me. Absolutely hilarious. I almost laughed out loud in the woods. It made my day, lol.

Wow, I'm glad momma coon didn't commence to whoopin on you! LOL I was hunting at my sisters old farm in Lebanon several years ago and a steroided up fox squirrel saw me from a few trees over. I've yet to see one that big since that day or before him, he was huge! He started a stare down that I thought was funny. Then he started across the limbs towards me, tree to tree till he was in the one in front of me. Just happened to have branches reaching out to about 10 feet from me (well, branches that would support his big a$$). He came all the way to the end of the one that would hold him and just stared at me. At that point I started wondering exactly what I was gonna do should he pull a straight on diving attack LMAO <--I laugh now, I wasn't then ha ha. I seriously considered pointing my 7 mag at him and dispatching his rear end! He ended up leaving after about 2 minutes that seemed like 20. Crazy son of a gun was letting me know who the alpha squirrel in the woods was!  :rofl:

[Wingshooter]

Haha, that's funny. Other animals can be so entertaining when we enter their world.

[rugerla1]

Yes they can. I found out today that my wife's boss's boss's husband invited me to hunt with him on some property they own. I'm not sure where it is but he hasn't hunted it in years, and neither has anyone else. He said he's really missed going deer hunting and asked if I'd go with him. Of course I gladly accepted! This could be one of those chances for me to see deer like I've only seen in videos. Yeah, I'm pretty dadgum excited! 

[Wingshooter]

Wow, that's awesome. Sounds like a great opportunity. The biggest deer that my dad and I have shot over the years have been the result of being invited to hunt property that we didn't know anything about, scouting it with topo maps, picking a natural funnel and walking in with a climber. Undisturbed land is a good opportunity. Do you know what size tract? Might be hot when the rut kicks in!

[rugerla1]

Wow, that's awesome. Sounds like a great opportunity. The biggest deer that my dad and I have shot over the years have been the result of being invited to hunt property that we didn't know anything about, scouting it with topo maps, picking a natural funnel and walking in with a climber. Undisturbed land is a good opportunity. Do you know what size tract? Might be hot when the rut kicks in!

I don't really know anything about it except that it's not been disturbed for years, and apparently quite a bit of land. My wife is supposed to find out more and give him my number tomorrow. He's in his late 60's and I think he is really excited about going and having someone there to help him if he knocks down a monster ha ha. Also, I'm excited but I'm not going to count my chickens so to speak. He may get busy again and not be able to as in past years, but just the chance is enough to put a huge smile on my face  :rock:

[Wingshooter]

Sounds like it could be the start of a great thing. I hope it works out and you score a sweet place to hunt!

[rugerla1]

I'm not really sure if it's a place I'll be able to hunt regular. I'm assuming it may be a couple times with him type thing, but who knows. I guess I'll find out. Also depends on where it's at too ha ha.But hey, if it's 4 hours from here and I get to hunt one weekend a year, I'm good with that! 

[Omega]

So I am the process of putting up a barbed wire fence on a run that doesn't have one yet.  All day with the post hole digger and bar hammering away at large rocks and staples and using the chainsaw etc, when I start back up the line 100 yards down I jumped about 6 deer.  Might have to carry my bow with me when I go back to finish up; thats the third time I jumped a herd like that in the past two weeks.

[Luke E.]

I'm not really sure if it's a place I'll be able to hunt regular. I'm assuming it may be a couple times with him type thing, but who knows. I guess I'll find out. Also depends on where it's at too ha ha.But hey, if it's 4 hours from here and I get to hunt one weekend a year, I'm good with that! 

 

 Well hopefully once you go out there a few times with him he will turn you loose on it. I've got 110 acres a few miles from the house that hasn't been hunted in a very very long time because the family that owns it doesn't do any hunting. I has taken me all of my "spare" time and a day of help out of a couple others to get the 120 acres out at my folks place ready so I've not even walked this 110 acre tract. I've got a buddy that I grew up with that lost his hunting land, at least for bow season, because some guys are in there logging it right now so I told him that he could help me hunt that place. We're supposed to walk the place and do some scouting one morning this week but once we figure out what we've got there you're welcome to hunt out there some if you need or want a different spot to hunt sometimes. I'll keep ya posted on what we figure out. I may stick a camera up out there if I find a hot trail to point it at.