***Official LIVE from the Stand Thread, 2018***

Thanks guys.

I've been hunting hard since I moved here, putting off work that needed to be done. Priorities, right?

First, let me say that my new property is only 8 1/2 acres and I was in a tree about 30 yards from our new house/cabin.

There was one dry spell where I didn't see any deer after the mountain lion went through, but after the public land hunt I had shot opportunities on does almost every sit and I hoped it was a matter of time.

It's gun season here and I've switched back and forth between bow and gun depending on where I was sitting.

The last two afternoons I was sitting in a different tree. Both afternoons I saw two deer on the hillside in the neighbor's property but they were too far away to make out what they were. There was one deer feeding and another deer keeping its distance. I assumed it was a doe with a buck hanging back.

Yesterday afternoon I watched them come onto my property at last light when I couldn't see what they were for sure, but when I saw the first deer go between me and the house and saw the other deer go around the house on the other side I was pretty sure.

I slept in this morning and about mid-day I moved a climber between the path the first deer had taken and the house. It felt kinda weird hunting that close to my house but hey, it's in the forest.

This afternoon I saw a doe and two fawns feed across the property at about 4:15 and I wanted to shoot the doe but I didn't want to burn my gun tag on a doe.

15 minutes later I glanced to my left and caught movement. I glassed the deer and it was a lone doe, so I started glassing behind her and after about 5 minutes of glassing I finally caught movement.

I couldn't see what it was at first but I already knew. He finally stepped out where I could see him and I slowly put my binoculars down, picked up my bow and got ready.

It took another 20 minutes or so for the doe to feed by at 25 yards and by the time the buck was at 25 yards I was totally calm.

My eyes were darting back and forth between the doe and the buck and finally there was an opportunity. The doe was facing away from me and the buck's head went behind a big red oak. I drew and he continued to walk out and stop totally broadside at 25 yards.

I took my time, settled the pin, touched the release and when that arrow hit I knew I had him.

He jumped way up in the air, kicked, hit the ground and tore out back the direction he had come from.

He topped a rise and went out of sight and I heard crashing.

They say "when in doubt, back out", but there was no doubt here. I got down a mere 10 minutes later and looked at the arrow. It was covered in blood but it wasn't as good as I expected.

Since I'm colorblind it was no surprise that I couldn't find a blood trail so I took a compass bearing from my tree to where I heard crashing, went back to the house and grabbed my thermal imager.

I went back to my tree, got my compass bearing, picked a landmark and started walking and scanning.

I topped the rise and scanned. I didn't see him and I started to get concerned. I walked a bit farther and saw that the gulley was deeper than I had initially thought, so I took a few more steps and scanned.

There was a heat signature so I pocketed the thermal imager, raised my binoculars and there he was!

My biggest bow buck thus far is only 124" and I don't think this one will top that, but after the season I've had I couldn't be more thrilled.

Gun season ends after tomorrow and bow season re-opens so I can get back after them. There just won't be as much pressure on me now.

 

Yeah, but a pricey one.

 

Good God! The item in the link you posted costs more than we paid for this house and 8.5 acres!

I paid $1900 for the FLIR I have.

I've used it to find five deer (counting the one today) since I bought it and in my opinion it's worth every penny. Having it on standby gives me a little peace of mind when I'm alone like I've been most of this season.

As far as sensivitity goes, I can see the heat signature of the sunlight reflecting off of the moon with it.

No, I'm not kidding.

I can see the heat signature of a cow at well over a half mile and I can see the heat signature of a squirrel at over 100 yards.

 

Based on your question I went outside (it's freaking cold out there and now I'm shivering) but it's now been over 5 1/2 hours since I killed that buck. He's gutted and hanging in a tree behind the house and he's still giving off a heat signature I'd be able to spot a couple hundred yards away with a clear view.

"Clear view" is an important phrase here. In really thick cover these things aren't that useful as anything that is between you and the heat source will block the heat signature.