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Deer Hunting 2014

Big sumbeach...looks like he is expecting a cold, white winter...

Very possible. Folks outside of MS don't realize we do get a heavy snow occasionally in the northern counties. Been a few years since the last one, so looks like we're due. Fall is early this year also, by about a month.
 
Just to give you guys some more motivation, this big 10 pointer has been hanging out the last few days chasing does and marking his territory.

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Just for the record, I'll be in the stand in the morning. ;)
 
No Mossy it isn't.

If you noticed the structure in the background, that's an old cabin that my Uncle and I built about 25 years or so ago.

It is on my family's property though.

Or were you asking Gunny?
 
That's what I meant,,your property.

Did you get out there today?
 
Yes I did. And I totally blew it.

I got out in my spot about 4 minutes before 8AM this morning and it was a cool and crisp 46*. Light fog. Beautiful morning.

After getting settled in and comfortable, about 8:35, I could hear a coyote giving long howls in the distance for about 15 minutes. Cool to hear, but not while deer hunting.

The 10 pointer didn't show up about 9AM as it had been, so I waited a while longer and about 9:40, the spike and a doe came in. The Spike was really skiddish and I knew I couldn't get a shot off at him and he was determined not to get any closer, so I took my chances with the doe. Both deer were sticking their noses up in the air and they were downwind of me so I didn't have that to my advantage and they were about another 10 yards farther than I had planned to shoot, but I pulled the trigger anyway because I knew I could hit her and somewhere between me and the Doe, the bolt hit a tree limb and bent the arrow and deflected and landed in the ground probably 6 feet behind the doe. I saw the lighted notch on the bolt change course about 3/4 of the way to the doe and was like watching a tracer round ricochet off of armor.

Spike and Doe both took off, and I packed it up and brought it home.

But I was glad to have been able to be out in my element and getting a chance to at least draw down on one. While I'm a little bummed that it happened, that's why they call it hunting and Lord willing, that wasn't my last hunting trip. Even after all of these years, my adrenaline still spiked when I saw those two coming in to me, so the thrill is still there. ;)


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Yeah, it'll take a lot more than that for me to give up. It is what it is. That's why they call it huntin'. That wasn't the first time I've ever blew a shot.
 
That would be my luck.

I think I'm going to cool it for the next 2 weeks and not pressure them any more than I have and go back when rifle season comes in on the 8th.
 
@John A. Sounds like a fun hunt John. Over time you will learn to pick out those branches and such. I've stuck more than my share over the years shooting 3D. Line of sight and line of flight on a bow is a bit different than with a gun. And harder with a scope than with open sights.

A while ago I was getting bored not seeing deer so I decided to take a shot at a large squirrel rummaging around outside my tent. I pulled up, sighted him in and proceeded to shoot a nice big hole in the tent just below the window line. DOH!!!

What are you using the eye bolts for in the riser?
 
Mike, I put the eye bolts in the holes where the front sight were because I plan to put a roof over my tree stand.

From the roof, I am going to drop 3 pieces of paracord from the rafter(s) and am going to snap them in the eye bolts so I don't have to sit and hold the xbow all day because "sometimes" I need to use my hands for something else. Unscrewing the coffee thermos lid, etc.

So, I'm going to hang the bow in position. Kind of like a makeshift gun rest, but in reverse.

My explanation may not make a whole lot of sense, but if you could see it in my head it would LOL
 
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First buck on the trail cam. Unfortunately I think this one was shot the next day buy a neighbor hunting the other side of the field.

Some shots from the stand. I decided to hunt with the Excalibur last time I went out.
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Those are my turkey decoys out in front of the stand.
 
Anyone else NOT seeing deer? I have only seen hand full of deer while on the stand. I finally saw a buck on Sat but I let him go, he was little more than button buck with spikes barely sticking above the hair. So far this has been the worst year in quite a wile for seeing deer. Possibly still the effects of last years extremely cold and brutal winter.
 
I passed on a small doe this Saturday morning. She probably wouldn't have went 80 pounds on the hoof, so I let her grow for another day.

While I have seen a bunch on my camera coming to my plot, they've been really skiddish of everything for some reason.

I have only seen a spike (which was too skiddish to come in close enough for a shot) and a doe (I missed the doe with the crossbow because of hitting the little tree limb with the arrow), but that's the only 3 deer that I have seen this year while hunting.

It's not just there Mike. Even my friends have been talking about what a difficult year it's been for deer hunting.
 
I shot two bucks this year with my bow and both were ruined by coyotes by the time I recovered them...I attached pictures of one of them...
 
I shot two bucks this year with my bow and both were ruined by coyotes by the time I recovered them...I attached pictures of one of them...


That sucks. What was your recovery timeframe?

I shot one the season before last with my muzzleloader that I let sit overnight and I was actually surprised the yotes had not found it. I've been lucky so far.
 
There have been so many coyotes on the property that I hunt its crazy. I am going to spend a weekend and cull the pack when I get a chance.
 
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