Good luck Joe! I always try to get a doe down early and hopefully that happens this Saturday in PA or next Saturday in OH.
No luck Tuesday afternoon. I had pictures of deer from all directions but I think hunting a north wind is bad for my stand location. The plan tonight is to get back out but hunt a small nine acre piece of property that I have permission on. I'll let you know how it goes tonight. I am self filming these hunts so once I have enough footage I'll put together a video for you all to check out.
Wow some big deer on that scorecard already. These pics are killing me. I hate that our season opens so late. Few more weeks!!!
Well guys, I shot a doe tonight at 7:32. She came down wind of me less than 10 yards. I drew back on her once but I couldnt line up my eye with my peep hole because I had to turn around in my climber to face her and my bow kept hitting the top of the climber. So I leaned over the back of the climber and drew again, and let my arrow fly. She took off the way she came and jumped over a fence. After awhile I got down went home and ate some food and grabbed all the stuff I would need for the rest of the night. Cutting up utensils, etc... Got two friends to help me track and we had very little blood. I got a clean pass through with bright red blood on it. I'm not sure how to slow down the footage to see where the shot went in but I will try to upload it tomorrow night if you guys want to see it. This is the first time that I have not recovered a deer that I've shot. This is very disappointing. I wasn't expecting much on this property. Its 9 acres of woods, I set out a trail camera a couple weeks ago and only got two does and a dozen raccoons. However, I pulled the card when I got down from the stand tonight because I thought it might have the doe on it because she was right by the camera when I shot. When I checked the camera I was amazed to see two shooter bucks showing up!!! I'm really excited about that but at the same time if I put a bad shot on that doe at close range what am I going to do if one of those guys gets within range? Here they are....
Those are some dandy bucks. I cannot wait for my trip to Kansas in November. I would not give up on the doe yet, there may be better sign to follow in the daytime.good luck
Bummer Joe. Sounds like maybe you only got one lung, close range and up in a tree is a steep shot angle. I am sure that doe is dead unless it was just muscle you hit. Unless it was hot last night I would have gone back this morning and looked in the daylight. Nice bucks though, good luck.
Sorry to hear about the deer Joe. Bright red blood is usually a good sign. I agree I would check one last time. I'm hoping to be able to get out on opening day but that might change this year since I just got a new (first) full time job as an EMT on a ambulance. So I'm still waiting to see what shift I'll be on. Either way it will open up a decent amount of time for me to hunt since we work 24 on 48 off. I'm still looking for that elusive first buck. I'm hoping this is the year I can put it all together. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I had work early this morning so I couldnt get back out. I went out a little bit ago and found her. From 7:30pm-3:00pm she had been picked almost clean. I talked to the dnr and law enforcement. They told me that in a situation like that as long as you don't use the deer for anything, then you do not have to use your tag on it. Had she not been picked clean it has been too hot out here in Kansas, there is no way the meat would have still been good. I'll add a picture of her final remains. Guys, I tried my best on this and I stunk it up. If you all want me to step down as captain I will. I don't do a whole lot but if you want someone else representing us I understand... Hope you all have a good weekened.
Stepping down as captain is extreme. No need for that. More importantly you were ethical and didn't hunt again until you made a full effort to find her. You hunt long enough and it is bound to happen. Go smack a giant.
Exactly. Plus as captain you are basically acting as middle man between us and Fitz and also making sure everybody posts their kills properly lol. We all represent Team 13 and I don't think anybody wants you to step down because of this . It's hard, but try to put it behind you and move forward. Changing topics; my bow is ready, my truck is packed, and I am pulling out at 3:30am tomorrow. We have 3 guys hunting covering some good spots. I think at least one of us is going to shoot (or at least shoot at LOL) a deer tomorrow.
Don't take it hard Joe Bear. You found your deer, it just happens that way sometimes. Go whack a dozen or so of those coy-dogs.. It'll make you feel better..) Good luck to everyone in a stand already. My niece killed her first bow buck this morning. She was a happy camper.
Joe tough go man. Been there, done that... unfortunately. I always tell this story when I see posts of lost deer and hunters getting down on them selves. It sounds crazy to say this, but I think the best thing for a hunter is to lose one kill. Honestly. When I started bow hunting in my teenage years I was naturally a good shot. And took a lot of big game and talk even more smack about "how do guys miss"? "how do these guys make poor shots and not recover deer"? The reality was every kill I had was under really good conditions. Few years back I learned my lesson on a black bear. Made a stupid shot in a uncomfortable position when I really should have either waiting for a better shot, or not shot at all. I was so anxious because this was easily a B&C black bear, one of the biggest I have ever seen. So I made a poor shot and we searched for days and found nothing. There is no doubt this animal died somewhere. And was a complete waste of a B&C animal. But the reason why I say its good for every hunter to experience. Because after that day, I am more relaxed and calm when a difficult opportunity presents its self and always wait. If it doesn't come and the deer walks..... oh well. Because I always remember the one trophy I didn't find. And I was always tell myself, what if I didn't release the arrow and saw him again the next day???? Would he be a rug today? Either way don't beat yourself up on it. It happens to every hunter at some point. And if it hasn't yet, it will. Get back in that stand and shoot one of those monsters!!!!
Well I passed on a very small doe (no spots but they had to be newly gone) at first light and a small basket rack 8pt around 8:30am. Storms are moving in so I am done for the weekend (no hunting on Sunday's in PA).
We had a tornado touch down in our service area last night. All crews along with myself worked all night to get broken poles and tree damage repaired. I may try to pull some cards later today. I found a great spot for ground blind yesterday. Blind is brushed in with new camera guarding the path. Hopefully in a few weeks, I will know if the gamble was worth the effort.
Yeah a friend of mine got us permission on a farm near his house in 2B. I was hoping to arrow a doe early but that one was just way too small.
I checked cameras yesterday on my permission property near me. I only have 2 stands set up their, I prefer it that way. The property is split into two general areas and I have one stand each. I don't like to trample into their sancutuaries so I set up on pinch points between bedding and food. Both stands were active last year, and after looking at the pics it is this year as well. I normally don't see a ton of bucks on cameras until hunting season. My property is usually a ***** house LOL So I have 7-10 does on a single picture. I'm pimping lots of does LOL I had a couple nice bucks show up too, nice 8 and a 10. Both could shooters, although I would let them walk until later in season. Up here we have much bigger deer. One bad thing is it looks like I had some teenagers hanging out on my stand. I walked in and found two empty cans of beer and a empty pack of zig zags. I'm afraid to leave the camera there anymore in case it gets stolen. Was thinking of putting one high up in the tree to take a pic down ward. I got 10 more days until opening!!!!!
