October 1 - I take opening day off work every year and hunt some food sources that I have scouted good activity late summer early fall. This farm is 5 mins from my house and is a 400 acre goldmine. I see deer here every time I am out and opening day I was fortunate to connect on a doe with my compound.
My opening day stand.....
A nice doe to start the season
I saw this buck a few times but he never presented a shot.
A nice way to finish an evening sit....
One morning hunt I noticed the geese coming off the pond and flying over my field unusually low as the headed out to feed. I decide to get out of my stand and head to the west side of the property and try nailing one with my bow. I hide in some brush and when the next flock arrives overhead I drop this young one out of the sky......no joke.
Shotgun week early November - We hunt in Arthur and only get out Monday and Tuesday. This year we connected on 4 does the first 2 days and we also managed 2 more bucks stand hunting for a total of 6 this year. We saw more this year then we ever had but they kept eluding our set ups.
A few of the crew.....
Big Jake said enough of this dragging business....
Our deer for the day....
November rut was busy with activity but the bucks again stayed just out of shooting range. I probably saw 10 different bucks between 2 farms but couldn't get one close enough I wanted to shoot. I did have a couple of fork horns and a small 6 in range but on this farm I try to let them grow.
I am guessing this year I had a least 15 opportunities at shooting deer while on stand. Some nights the field had 10 does and I waited for the bucks that only showed up at very last light. I had does and fawns, a couple small bucks but never a shooter.
I used scent drags and saw them pull in deer. I used a buck decoy that attracted a small buck and some button bucks.
Late December hunt.....
I get a chance at a deer yard.....WOW what a sight this was. I average seeing 50-60 deer everyday. I had a chance at shooting a deer every time I went out.
Does like crazy....
Just about to climb into my stand and this little one doesn't even run off at 15 yds.
Just below my stand.....
I had a chance at the 10 pt with my crossbow but he never turned broadside to give me an ethical shot. I decided to sit on the ground between a bedding area and food source Dec 31st. Around 8 I see a doe and fawn walking up the trail right to me and behind them I I see the big guy. They are closing fast and I think here we go finally. The doe and fawn pass at 20 yds and have no idea I am there. The buck is taking his time and licks a branch for 30 seconds and then decides to turn right and go and bed into some pines close to the owners house. I am thinking you are kidding me but will say am proud I didn't take a careless 40 yd shot through brush quartering away.
I didn't go home empty handed and shot another doe the day before the buck encounter.
The blood trail.....
The arrow.....
She kind of quartered towards me but recovery was 30 yds and she piled up within in 2 minutes within my sight.
Last but not least the butchering and the year is done.
I didn't get my buck but overall I had a very successful year and have many memories and learning experiences from the field.
Chris
