Wanted to take my dad out this morning, but he woke up with a pretty bad headache. I'm taking my brother-in-law out this afternoon on a really good piece of property. Seen a group of 6-8 does there, and I can only come to think that there has to be a nice buck with them.
Good job Chopper! Not so much for me...my morning sucked eggs. One of my best stands (usually) and didn't see piddly squat. I don't know what's going on with our deer but this area sucks big time right now.
Congrats Chopper! Cold and rain here. Had a doe 25 yards but she never presented a shot. Ran to Field and Stream and picked up one of those hand warmer pouches. I cannot stand cold hands and it got bad this morning!
Good job Chopper! I saw 3 does, a buck with a single spike and a nice young 6 point (8 with no brows). 30mph winds had em all hunkered down. Headed back out in about an hour.
You're just not dedicated...LOL. You know that was a joke. It keeps raining here and I honestly really hate hunting in the rain so I am not sure if I getting back out this evening or not now.
49F and sunny here. I'm going to change things up and hunt the corn I left standing in one of the fields. Bucks all disappeared, had to go somewhere. That little corn patch was chopped up with tracks the other day when I drilled wheat in there.
Congrats chopper! I'm sitting in the timber at an awesome funnel. The woods really pinch down from 400 yards across to about 60..
Back on stand for the afternoon. Went out with my Dad this morning and it was only 11* but we made it for about 2.5 hours and each saw a buck but no shots for my Dad. Hoping they're up and moving again as my sister is now out with us and I want her to get her first bow deer! Good luck all and congrats chopper on getting the doe.
I decided to brave the rain. It has changed from rain, to freezing rain, to snow and now back to rain. However about 4pm I saw movement 70-80 yards out in the thick stuff and thought it looked like a deer. I hit the grunt tube and it charged (literally) right in. It was a huge bodied 7 point (brows broke off or it would have been a 9) and the G2 was palmated and split (making the 7th point). The only shot I had was at 5-7 yards down between its shoulder blades as it came right by my tree so I passed hoping it would turn. It never did until it was about 50 yards out and then it was too thick and too far. I think it was a 3.5-4.5 year old buck, very large body but not a huge rack. It was ready to go and looking for a fight. Raining really hard again I may just pack it up.
TOTAL DISGUST!!!! I shot the doe at 20 yards this morning at 8:30. I figured it would be a perfect lung shot, maybe a tad high but as she ran I swear I heard her go down. I left her for an hour and started looking at about 9:30. I searched and searched and searched to no avail. About 1 pm my father and my brother came to help me. About 1:30 we found a blood trail but the blood was about waist high, nothing on the ground. The blood trail was spotty because we would find blood every so often instead of a good trail. I started thinking that I hit the "no mans zone" between the spinal cord and the lungs. For another two hours and loosing the blood trail, we had nothing. I was quick on the key board as this was the first deer that I finally shot with a bow. I was filled with so much emotion just like I had been before shooting deer with a gun. I apologize to everyone on here and will hopefully have another chance at her!! Thank you all for the support though but man is that a tough feeling knowing there is a deer out there wounded. I think she will be alright because she wasn't bleeding profusely. And I just watched the latest episode of BHOD were they were talking about everyone going through it were we all have a bad shot. Sure enough it was my first deer!! Good luck to everyone and thanks again!!!
I should have added 135 points today! I had a nice 10 point at 35 yards, but he wouldn't come any closer. He finally took off after a group of does, trotting by at 22 yards, and I just couldn't get his attention. I can't wait to get back out there tomorrow when the wind isn't 137mph...
Well, I didn't go to the corn field farm. Instead I went back to the one I've been hunting Crossbow on. Sat in my climber again on one side of the farm. I pulled the cards when I came home. While I was on one side of the farm, I had this guy using the feeder on the other side, lol.
Totally caught the sarcasm Being told that though just made me so irritated! Wasn't a great night. Froze and got wet. Wet snow for three hours. I thought I was in rifle season! Had a small four point in range but nothing else. This season has been tough. Glad others are having success (seeing is success!). Sorry about not finding your doe Chopper.
I'm glad you knew I was joking. I still can't get the sight out of my mind of that buck being so close and I just couldn't get a shot I felt good about. I always preach you don't have to shoot just because a deer is in range and I practiced that last night. I have never seen a body that large on a Pa "mountain" deer, it was really big. The rack wasn't huge, maybe 105-110" but it was a mature buck for sure. I came home and looked at a bunch of aging whitetails on the hoof pics and I really think it was at least 3.5 but more likely 4.5. That is rare for public land around here. I got back in pretty far yesterday and that may have been why. Sorry about losing your doe Chopper. That's a tough one to swallow. But don't give up, just take your time and make a good shot next time and it will come together for you.
I missed! I've never missed before...not a fun feeling. It was a big 11 (10 with split brows on the left), quartering away at 17 yards. No clue what happened...just sent it over his back.
