Even though all the self proclaimed gurus say the action will happen after sunset, for some reason I am really pumped about this evening. I went to the stand in the meadow on the neighbor's property. Nothing happened until 6:00 PM when a 130 class 8 ran across the widest part of the meadow and entered the tree line across from my stand. At 6:30 PM two does walked across the very back of the meadow, about 300 yards from the stand. 15 minutes later 3 bucks started across that same part of the meadow. When they got 2/3's the way across they stopped and two did a little light sparring while the 3rd worked on the scrape and licking stick. When he finished, he walked back to the other two and started sparring with one of the others. The one left out went over to the scrape and worked it over and broke of the 1st licking stick and licked a stick higher in the tree. He returned to the other two. The last one stood up and tried to get to the licking stick and appeared to be failing. Then, the three of them slowly started in the direction of my stand. The light was fading fast and I knew they wouldn't get there before all light was lost. As my attention on the buck festivities started to wane I noticed something in front of me out of my peripheral vision. I slowly turned my head to see a doe 35 yards out with some brush between her and me. I carefully took my bow in hand and waited for her to walk into a shooting lane. Finally, when there wasn't any shooting light left, she did. No way to shoot her and now I have to wait for her to vacate the area before I can get out of the stand. Another 20 minutes and she's now 15 feet in front of the stand browsing. I took a dead limb that was next to the stand and threw it at her. She blew and bounded off. I can see the bucks retreat about 50 yards further away (they were still 100 yards out). I slowly made my way out of the stand and through the trees between me and the doe, who was still only 75 yards away. I took the long way back to the house only to discover my quiver had come off the bow somewhere along the line. I dressed down and came in for supper. Afterwards, I jumped into the truck and drove over in the direction of the stand. There right in front of the stand were the 3 bucks!!!! Dang their hides! Why couldn't they come out an hour earlier? They ran to the back of the meadow and I got out and found the quiver 5 feet from the base of the stand. I jumped back in the truck and as I was turning it around there were two more bucks just Southwest of where the stand is. I now know it's in a good spot, I just have to get the bucks to cooperate.
Sounds like a flustrating hunt... which happens a lot. A guy should be use to it !!` LOL Remember a buck I was hunting a few years ago. Set up in a good spot only to see him head another way. The next night I setup where I seen him head the afternoon before... only to see him walk right by my spot I sat the day before. The next morning I figured I would out smart him and setup where he was always coming from in the eveings. Plan worked perfect and I had him at under 20 yards !! It is just too bad we both showed up at the setup spot at the exact same time in the dark. I remember seeing that big rack running away in the moonlight. Here some goose hunters had setup decoys in the feeding area and pushed him back early. Tim
