No hunting for me today and probably tomorrow. Got a call today saying they were doing some plumbing out at the parents new house, so with near 90 temps, I headed out there for the day. I MIGHT head out tomorrow afternoon, but only if I can lock up a spot in my cousin's cooler in case I kill something. Next weekend I won't be able to hunt at all. We are having a party for my sister Saturday, and then Sunday we are hanging insulation in the house. There is a small chance I could sneak out next Tuesday or Wednesday for an afternoon hunt though.
Small doe, shot was 16 yards. Arrow hit a small twig on way to animal. Clean pass through, 1 blade of muzzy 3 blade chipped and bent. Believe I may have hit liver. Backing out until morning and will take up the track. Long sleepless night............I hate the overnight recover thing.........hope I find her. Dave
We've all been there, Dave .... like I said via text.... temps are good.... pray the yotes stay off her...
Well me and a friend (NavyCraig on the website) looked and looked. Hit every trail, briar patch, creek bottom etc etc. I figure with the amount of fox and some yote pictures I have that they either got to her or pushed her during the night. I hate not to recover an animal but I feel we put out an honest effort to recover her. All I can do now is get back in the saddle (treestand) keep hunting and put it behind me. Craig if you see this post thanks alot for the help, valid effort my friend !!! Dave
That's tough Dave, but it sounds like you gave it your best effort to recover her. It is something every bowhunter goes through at some point.
Went out and shot 30 arrows each at 20, 30 and 45 yard pins. Bow was dead on which I knew it would be. Washing camo now and will back in the tree tomm. morning. Dave
Sorry about your luck Dave, and hopefully you have better luck on the buck you saw. I got out Sunday morning, had lots of movement but nothing in shooting range. Around 8:30 they started cutting corn in the field I was sitting, good for future hunts, bad for that one. I'll be back in the stand with my son Wednesday evening, not sure if I will be hunting or filming. One positive note, starting to see things that make me think that the prerut is nearing. Looks to me right now it could be in full swing by the last week of October. Thats about a week earlier than we usually see things heating up around here. Time will tell I guess.
I'm bumming guys, I had this long account of my weekend all typed up and ready to post. For some reason this site went down and I lost everything I submitted. I didn't save a lick! I'll give you the short version until I have time to re-recount the weekend. Scott Bevins (the kiwi) and I went to McGrew, Nebraska to hunt on a friend's 300 acre property. It's river bottom and loaded with critters! We each had an either sex and bonus anterless tag. We had a green light on any deer..., but nannies were the priorty. This property's buck to doe ratio is whacked! The owner hasn't shot a buck in six years. He's doing his best to get the balance back-one doe at a time. I had a doe jump string on me Saturday morning. I shot over her back from 25 yards. She dropped like a lead brick! Speed is not over-rated! I will argue that point until the cows come home! Late morning/early afternoon Saturday, Scott and I enjoyed some awesome fishing. We caught blue gills, northern pike, and bass. I forgot how much fun fishing could be! Not much action other than a doe, fawn, spike Saturday evening. All three passed out of range. I saw a toad of a deer Sunday morning. However, he passed under my stand ten minutes before I could see well enough to shoot him. I spent the quiet midday period finding a new stand location. I found a great site in the middle of a clearing. My gut was telling me, "this is the spot". I placed my hang-on and returned around 3:30pm. The first deer showed up at 4:00. She took an arrow in the vitals. The shot was from 30 yards. It was real similar to the shot I took on the muley buck a few weeks back. The condition of the arrow was distinctly similar as well-hardly a drop of blood and evidence of maybe 8-9 inches of penetration. We found the deer five hours later with the assistance of dogs (wire haired pointers). She was still alive and alert-she could not get up to her feet though. I was simply amazed (both by the deer and the ability of the dogs)! Deer are tough! The second deer was arrowed at 6pm. She stood in the exact location as the first doe. The shot took both lungs. She dropped within 70 yards. I enjoyed the rest of the evening watching deer move past-40 something in total (four bucks). One was an enormous 170 class 10pointer. He posed for me at 12 yards. I killed him with my mind. I had no regrets filling my tags with nannies...I scored a whole bunch of, " sure, you can come back" points. I figured if the owner hadn't killed a buck in six years, then why should I. I respected him for his logic and effort. It seemed only right to do as he has done. Deer filtering past me on their way to an alfalfa field. Scottie even got a deer of his own! The group
Again Will, a great story. Looks like you guys had a fun and successful trip. That 170 class deer had to be an unbelievable encounter. I did get to hunt last night. It was still very hot here, and I kicked around the idea of bass fishing, but the SW wind, and the time to make the hike, just kept bringing me back to a public land spot and buck I had scouted last winter. I put the Lone Wolf stand on my back, put my clothes for the hunt in the backpack, and started my long, sweaty hike back into the 2000 acres of land that is behind my house. The spot I was headed was what I had discovered to be a travel route for a particular buck I had 3 encounters with last year. He was a low 130 class 8 pointer that I had first seen on the afternoon of October 23rd, and was headed my way before the wind swirled and sent him down over the hill. 2 days later, a light rattling sequence brought him directly to the base of my tree while the horns were still in my hand, and the bow on the EZ Hanger. No shot was given, as he put on an unbelievable grunting show for me. One last run in during a December scouting trip gave me a little more knowledge of the area he was using. I knew the weather wasn't on my side, but I felt confident in my setup. I will not have another chance to hunt this spot for at least 2 weeks, so I wanted to take advantage of it while I could. On my way in, I was blown away with the amount of sign already in the area. I counted in total 13 rubs and 20 scrapes along the route I had marked out this past winter. I set up along the trail, smack in the middle of 4 fresh scrapes, and enough acorns to feed an army of deer. My buck didn't play the role though. A small button, a doe, and a coyote were the only animals to show themselves. It looks like I will probably get out again Wednesday afternoon with a little luck.
hopefully heading out today after work, still warm but i guess a bad day in the woods is better than a good day at work!
Well guys, got busted by two does walking out of blind sat am....was too darn hot to hunt, so I took the kids fishing for the afternoon lol. I am outta here at two for an interview and have my gear in the Durango!! 1st day of unstable weather and cooler temps. Should be a productive evening!!!
Well guys its official.....turn down the funk and turn up the suck....about 645 this evening I had a doe come in and offer me a 15 yard slam dunk broadside shot, and I shot over her back. Not sure if she was tense or sensed something wrong, but I shot clean over her. This is only my second time shooting from a ground blind.( 1st time with this bow) It was perfect right to left just high, major league high. I am thinking my anchor was not right. Its totally different when your peep and sight are dark with the pins glowing like hot coals. I am just happy it was a clean miss and not a long drawn out tracking job. I should be able to get back out later this week, if not maybe one day this weekend. Good luck guys and shoot straight. PT I know you will brotha!!
What a pathetic loser! I am obviously just kidding ... Reese .. I really appreciate you keeping me posted like you do ... it helps pass the time until the season opens here
LOL thanks PT!!!!! at least I know YOUR on my side LMAO and you are more than welcome!! I WILL anchor something to the ground there. WAY too many does there and only a handfull of young bucks and maybe 5-6 spikes...there is a 150plus running around that I have glassed. I was so ticked at myself that I didnt pull my trail cam on the ridge tonite. I had plans to but a swing and a miss is pretty much time to head home....
You'll put one down there man, not a doubt in my mind. Like I said earlier, tough luck on the shot, but the next time it'll be a different story.
Only a few more days there PT....can't wait to get that picture text of that bruiser NY buck you nail down.
Tough luck there Reese, stay after it though. It would be called "easy" if it were easy-flat out. And, don't feel bad. I missed a bull elk from six feet. I shot right over it's back and the bloody monster was laying down. There was not way he could have jumped string! Things like that happen. Yes, thank God for clean misses...you'll get it next time! Man Tony, remind me never to move to New York. I know I couldn't handle the wait. Hang tough buddy, you're almost there. I'm off to Wyoming this weekend to chase Pronghorn with my rifle (I still have an open buck tag). At this late stage, I wouldn't stand a chance killing a buck antelope with my bow. There are too many gun hunters in the field now. The speed goats are constantly on the run... Results pending... Everyone hunt hard this weekend. When I was in Nebraska, I was starting to see scraps. They'll be chasing soon. We need to be out there to kill em! Go team!
