The afternoon of October 26th was rather warm. The temperate gauge in my Jeep said 81 as a drove to Chatham county to sit for the rest of the day. My spirits were low as I had just completed my 8th sit in Virginia with out one sighting of a single deer. I was however excited for this sit as just a week ago I had the pleasure to watch a doe and three yearlings feed out into the field in front of me just before dark. The first thing I did while arriving at my brother-in-laws property was to check the trail cameras and corn we had distributed the week before. Deer here seemed to dislike the feeders so we now just dump a bag on the ground. It was all gone but the pile of Swamp Donkey we poured out beside it was still there. I walked back to the Jeep to get another bag. The first camera sits on a scrape, fence line and outside corner. There was a collection of over 15 scrapes in a 60 yard circumference.The cam had showed both bucks and does visiting the scrape. The only daylight picture was the day before and was a small yearling at around 6:45 PM. I swapped out the camera there with a Covert Code Black 3G. The idea being the first instance this week we get a daylight picture we hunt. I set the camera up and sent a test picture to my phone to verify signal. We were in business. I relocated the other camera to a road bed on the property that exits inform of another stand and went to check the ground blind. The ground blind looked untouched but I like an idiot had forgotten to turn the camera back on. Check and double checked it this time. It was on and I heads back to the vehicle. I pulled everything out and laid it on the ground to spray with scent killer spray. I shoved my ScentBlocker jacket into pack and through on my bow vest to walk to the stand. I first get into the stand I hang my bow on the hanger then proceed to setup the Muddy Outfitter camera arm. Once thats attached the Canon Vixia G20 gets attached to the Monfrotto fluid head and attached to the Stealth Varizoom. It seems like a lot of work but I really do enjoy seeing the video even though I currently suck at it. The day goes on and I hear a noise beside me in the woods. Its a squirrel, but a perfect opportunity to grab some footage. I video the little furry creature and scan the field edges as I am doing so. I would much rather be deeper in the woods but the property I have permission to hunt is mostly fields so I take what I can get. the good news is that I have consistently been seeing deer here this year so I was getting excited as the evening moved on. That excitement turned to despair when t approximately 5:30 the sounds of muzzleloaders about 300 yards in front of me started to sound off. The CRACK followed closely by a BOOM was very distinctive and made sense as the muzzleloader season starts next Saturday. The prospect of more people in the woods is promising in that they will push the larger deer to move and hopefully to move to this little pocket. The shots ceased not long after they began and the evening started to settle. You could feel the drop in temps even with the jacket on. the wind had been perfect al afternoon until about 45 minutes before dark. I could feel the wind on the back of my neck ever so slightly. Suddenly I caught movement of what looks like a deers nose on the edge of the treeline. I immediately reached for the bow and turned on the camera. As the deer stepped into view I pointed the camera into its direction. It was a buck and was as wide as his ears. I took my eyes of the rack and started concentrating on what I had to do. I was trying to get the deer in focus and at the same time worried he was going to run away at any minute. He slowly worked his way into the field and stopped slightly quartering to.. No shot yet. The buck threw his head into the air to sniff and I was afraid he was catching my scent. It later dawned on me that he might have been scent checking the scrapes which were upwind as well. He began to circle and was broadside. A quick reading from the range finder said he was at 27 yards. I drew and settled the gap between the 20 and 30 yard pin midway of his chest. I touch the release of on the Mathews Chill X and sent a Nap Thunderhead Edge screaming towards him. Shortly I heard what sounded like a watermelon being thumped and he whirled and ran across the field. I then remembered the camera and reached over to move it. I struggled with the focus. I looked up to see the buck stop and stand wide legged in the field. He then turned to run off and collapsed into the field a mere 70 yards away. I stood and started to pack up the camera gear, never taking my eyes off the spot he fell. I sent several text messages to friends and family letting them know the monkey was finally of my back. I quickly made it down the ladder and walked over to retrieve my arrow. The nocturnal was glowing bright green making it easy to find in the field. The arrow was a nice shade of crimson from tip to nock. I nocked another arrow and started slowly working over to the buck. I wanted to be prepared in the event he decided to jump up and run away, or at least try. Luckily that was all in vain as he had expired. He was not the buck I thought he was but was beautiful the same and a trophy for any bowhunter and best of all….he was mine.
