Fun hunt! If I could hunt over bait, I would put it at 20 yards from my blind or stand and practice that distance. You could get away with a lot more movement and sound.
It was a very fun hunt! Yeah, here's some info on why the bait is close to me... So I'm a disabled hunter. I have to use a ATV to access any of my hunting spots and it's parked 20 yards behind, normally. Now I do cover it up with burlap and some sticks but it's right there! With my limited mobility and having to use that ATV, I use bait to help get them close, I personally don't like using bait but I know that if I don't there is a very slim chance of me being successful much less even seeing a deer. I put it close to me like that so they have the upper-hand so to say. More of a challenge for me personally. Plus I'm using a recurve so that helps with that feeling of a challenge but I also want them close to make sure I make a good shot with it. Also with me filming my hunts, them being close like that just adds even more of a challenge but also provides some awesome footage and a even more rewarding feeling. Even though I didn't kill him, it was still a successful hunt for me. I know that was a long winded response but there is a reason to my madness lol.
All makes perfect sense. And to be clear, I have no problems with someone using bait where legal. Especially in your situation. No judgement from me at all. I wish you the best of luck and it looks to me like you will be putting some points on the board sooner than later. I learned to shoot on a recurve and have a desire to get back to the basics at some point. I killed a lot of rabbits with an old fiberglass recurve that were munching in my Dad's garden when I was about 10 years old. That was the start to my journey in archery.
Don't wait, get back to it man. I was forced to switch to a recurve back 2020 when my compound blew up a week before season started. That ended up being my best year ever. I killed two bucks, one being pope and young and also a doe that year. I don't think I'll ever go back to a compound. That challenge that it gives me is just hard to beat.
Alright y'all, I'm about to head out and hopefully put up some points this evening. This is the night before a cold front arrives so I'm hoping they move a little earlier. Yesterday evening he came out all by himself... of coarse he would, I wasn't there! I'll let y'all know how it goes. Good luck if any of you are out and about this evening.
Okay, so here is my recap from Tuesday evening. He came out first and started feeding on acorns but he did what I was afraid he was doing. After feeding on acorns for a bit he crossed the fence behind me and walked down the ROW heading to my pile golden nuggets. Well, that puts him walking within a couple of feet from the blind. I have to cross the ROW to enter the blind. He got to where I cross, which is about 6 feet from the blind, smelled the ground scent and bounded off. Little later a couple other bucks showed up and somehow I spooked them trying to film... I think it was the screen glare. So Yesterday, Wednesday morning I decided I'd go move the blind. I moved it so I wouldn't have anymore issues with him coming from behind after he feeds on acorns. So this has them pretty spooked but they are calming down and getting used to the blind in it's new area. This cold front is coming in tomorrow and it's bringing north winds with it. I can't hunt that spot with any northern winds. Not until I get a little water scamp style boat and come from the creek. So, It will be Sunday evening before I can hunt back there again. I will focusing on the lease this weekend and going after pigs and slickheads mainly.
Quiet weekend in this thread, cold front moved through so I expected some bodies hit the floor? I couldn't get out this weekend, but my cousin went on MI and saw 2 shooters out of range, and several small bucks. WI was unfortunately youth gun
I was sick all weekend and couldn't even get out. I'm not sure when I'll get to go out again, dang Ragweed has me all messed up.
I plan on getting out this weekend for the first time this season. We have a cold front now and the scrapes are getting hit.
I have finally got to get back out in the blind this evening. First day in almost a week that I haven’t coughed or sneezed my head off. It feels good to finally be back out that’s for sure. I’ll let y’all know how it goes. *Update* I just saw one small buck this evening. Nothing to exciting.
In the stand for the first time since opening weekend. May shoot a doe tonight if opportunity presents itself. Been quite a bit moving lately but small bucks and doe before dark. Good luck all!
Well, I screwed up….. Story with pics to follow when I’m done sulking….no deer wounded is the good news, but that’s about it
Guys I know I haven't been to active here. I've only been out twice due to the situation with my mother. I'm hoping to get out a little more in the coming weeks but we'll see. Thing of it is, I prepared hard this summer for the season but I didn't know all these circumstances with my family were going to take place. Good luck to all of you who are getting the chance to be out there. Sent from my SM-N975U1 using Tapatalk
Well, I hunted out of one of my stump blinds tonight. Normally like to hunt with my regular bow, but can’t draw back in the tower too well so took my crossbow that I have for the kids and late season. Saw a couple doe/fawns early and then a little spike. The spike went and bedded in the cattails just west of me. An hour or so later I hear some rustling in the cattails and a decent buck bumps the spike out followed by another decent buck. They are about 75 yards away and coming toward me. I’m filming them with my phone when they look across the plot to the east and I shift my attention there and another nice 3 year old buck is in my plot staring at the other 3 bucks, pretty sure two 3 year olds the spike. He was looking for a fight and briefly clashed with the decent 8. After they clashed together, the circled right around my blind and then the 8 started rubbing and scraping 7 yards away from me. After all that, I see another buck come from the cattail edge and make his way toward the party. This buck was more mature, I think a 4 year old and right at my lower limit for a shooter, but I have passed on so many bucks the past few years and he got my heart going so decided I was going to shoot him if he presented the opportunity. Had him at 40 yards for a couple minutes but he wasn’t going anywhere so just thought I’d wait for a better shot. He stared up at me a couple times but never spooked. Eventually he made his way to 30 then got behind a bush at 27. Then came to an opening perfectly broadside at 23 yards. Line him up in the scope and he’s dead to eights. Squeeze. BANG! WTF! My cam was not clear of the window edge. Bolt went flying to who knows where and the buck just kind of takes a couple bounds away. The other bucks are still just watching. My string came off the cams, but limbs were fine thankfully. Toward dark, the buck I shot at re-emerged from the cattails and starts rubbing on trees about 50 yards away. No worse for the wear and a little smarter but not spooked obviously. Well, there you have it. Sorry guys!
