I was out last night, not too far away from where I shot my buck, in an area where I've seen doe come out for the evening dinner appetizer in the disked corn field. The wind was non existent for the majority of the evening. Right on cue, the family of ladies stepped out of their bedding right into where I hoped they'd go, yet a little father away than I was anticipating. I could have taken a 35+ yard shot but elected to wait in anticipation of them coming closer, like they had the last three times I've been in that general area. Then a breath of wind brushed over my shoulder and a few seconds later the matriarch of the bunch stuck her nose in the air and started sniffing. None of them busted out, put up a flag, or made any indication that they spooked apart from the lone doe that knew something was amiss. They simply turned around and walked back into the thicket and I didn't see any more deer. Now I'm kicking myself for not taking the shot when I had the opportunity, but I'm fairly positive I'll be able to get at least one more in the next few weeks. It sucks because I make so much effort to control scent; and still, I believe I got winded. The only other possibility is that she saw a little movement right when I saw her and didn't like the mis-shaped tree as I had swung around to the back side of the tree to avoid being seen (I was in my saddle last night). Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk
That my friend is called deer hunting with a bow. Go with your gut, even when you are confident in your range, sometimes were not committed to that particular shot. You made the right decision. Sent from my Lone Wolf treestand using Bowhunting.com Forums
Heading back out tonight… Going to make the 35 minute drive and hike into the stand to try and hunt this giant. Quite frankly the stand I want to hunt I just don’t like the west wind for it… The only other stand I have faith in has been over hunted and movement has been super slow. I have one other stand option and I might just go with it.
Nothing last night. As predicted super slow - it's so crazy because I have two cameras on scrapes in this travel corridor that's very defined by geography - I've got a creek on the east side and I've got super steep hill country on the west side. North to south travel only unless they are crossing one of two creek crossings (basically where my two cameras) are all in a 200 yard stretch. To the south the creek is awfully damned up by a Beaver so it's pretty obvious where they're crossing as you can imagine. The stand along the creek is where I've been spending most of my time. Bottom right corner is thick CRP - so you've got deer bedding in that and all along the creek side potentially on any given day. Everything else is big woods - hilly/open timber. But I keep getting random daylight and night time buck photos - not always the same bucks. But they're using this travel corridor. 9/10 when I've hunted this stand I'm seeing no deer. I bumped a fawn bedded by my stand coming in last night. I feel so pot committed at this point - like once you've volume hunted a stand so much it's just like I'm forcing something to happen that probably isn't going to happen for me this year. Next year. Years after - probably. Just this year it hasn't come together for whatever reason and I can't figure it out. Weather sucks today. Probably try and get out for a quick hunt before work on Friday. Then looking at Saturday morning and Saturday evening if I'm lucky. Weather looks pretty hit and miss for Sunday.
I know this feeling. I chased two 190+ bucks last year and both were shot by the neighbors, because others were using gators and hunting stands too much on bad winds. Keep the perseverance going, it will pay off and yep maybe next year. Although I hope it is this year! Sent from my Lone Wolf treestand using Bowhunting.com Forums
Where is the late season food, or where is there a cut or disced corn field in relation to your creek stand or the other two ticks it looks like you have for stand locations? Sent from my iPad using Bowhunting.com Forums
Got through my week of work now I’m back in the stand. I’m off Monday too so hope to get a few sets in. Good Luck!! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Just had 5 does/fawns slip by behind me. Maybe they’ll circle around. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
What is your strategy for late season morning hunts? All the ag has been disked under, so basically I'm limited to transitions and bedding areas. I've got sparse pics of deer under my ladder stand but it's inconsistent at best. Most of my other cameras are nocturnal movement. With only 5 or 6 sits left, I need to maximize my efforts. Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk
Got until January 17th. Disked Ag presents some opportunities, but I have some pinches to hunt. Sent from my Lone Wolf treestand using Bowhunting.com Forums
Nothing for me today. Sat all day again and only saw 5 does. This is turning into a marathon here. Should be able to get a couple more sits in before Christmas. Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
8 cameras and not a single daylight pic of a deer this morning not even at the feeders. This is insane... Going to cool off here a little next week. I hope something changes soon. The kid is about out of patience and I don't blame him.
How many of us are still "in it" at this point? I've got probably 4-5 more sits left before the end of my season. I really want to put a doe down as I'm already running short on prime cuts of the first deer I shot this year. If I play my cards right I'll shoot two more, fill my tags and be done by the time Christmas rolls around. If not, I shot my first ever buck and I'll still call it a very successful season! Let's sound off with season end dates and goals for the remainder of our time for the 2021 season Dec 31 is our last day I'm MN Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk
