rookie mistakes

[DoubleJ]

I know, I feel more confident every time I am out and I still have a lot of season left. I am taking it all in stride and see it for what it is a learning experience. My girlfriend gave me a good idea though. Since I update how my season is going everyday she suggested at the end of the season whenever that may be, that I take all my posts and put them in a journal and keep updating it every season to hand down to my daughter and/or grandchildren.

See?  The internet is good for something.

[_TONY_]

It's so annoying when they do that! Happens to me all the time.

Yeah, this...

[DoubleJ]

Happened to me tonight as a matter of fact

[akashasdaddy]

Day four update....
I get to my spot about 445 this morning,after my miss yesterday, I really want to get in and get settled in the dark. Soon as I walk in past the gate I get this feeling that there is something wrong/different. I shrug it off and walk in. I get settled on top of an old stump that wasn't cut clean so it has a good back rest; it is surrounded by small pines that give me plenty of cover from the front and side but, still gives me plenty of clear shooting lanes. I am sitting there for about an hour before nature calls and its urgent  . I climb down and start quickly but quietly walking back to the truck so I can find a bathroom cause I don't want my smell to soil my hunting spot. Half way between my stump and my truck I hear something walking through the brush. I stop, try to figure out exactly where the noise is coming from. Its close! I get down on all fours and crawl closer. After I crawl about 20 yards, I stop, the sound is right beside me. I get into some brush and wait. After about 30 mins the noise stops. I wait another 30 but nothing happens. I figure whatever was making that sound got passed me. I stand up just in time to see the back end of a black tail slip into some tall fern and blackberry bushes. I start to crawl again. I want to sneak up on this deer. No sooner did I hit my knees that a doe comes out on the other side about 20 yards away. this must be my lucky day cause she looked the opposite direction from me. I pull to a full draw and taking the lesson from yesterday to heart I put my 25 yard pin on her and I aim low. As soon as I locked in behind my jaw she turned straight at me. We had a stare down for what felt like an hour but was only two mins tops. I don't move and she can't make me. She turns broadside to follow her friend. I twist my foot on the ground a little just to get her to stop, which she does and I let it fly. Right as I released she dropped and bolted forward at the same time. Next thing I see is my arrow bouncing off the ground right where she was and skid off into the brush. Another miss    . I then circle around cause I know where they are going and I can cut them off. I meet them about 200 yards down; they don't know I am there but they are on edge big time. They keep looking behind them and walking in a zigzag. Keeping an eye on them I forget to watch my step and kick a rock. The larger of the two stops and looks in my direction both ears focused on me. I am covered real well so I stop with one foot still in the air. She can't make me. She even jumps up on a dead log and stomps a little but no snorting. If I could make a 40 yard shot I would have had a perfect one but I can't so I wait. She starts walking toward me. I get excited; shes doing the work for me. I loose sight of her behind a tall shrub for just a second. She passes the shrub, stops and we make eye contact. I am still hidden pretty well but she knows somethings up and bolts into the timber. I circle around to the other side not positive of where they are going this time but I have a good idea. I set up just inside the timber line on a well worn trail. I can here them getting closer but can't make their location. Then they just stop. I wait for about an hour and a half...nothing. I get the bright idea to toss a rock just trying to get them to move some more...still nothing. I wait for as long as I can but my daughter has some school meet and greet and I have to call it a day.

I am learning so much about these animals. Its just a matter of time til I punch my tag. With everything that has hapened to me, all the bad luck, some people may just decide to give up. Not me; I have 20 more hunting days before I go back to school and I am determined. Even if I don't punch my tag this year, I may not be happy, but I will have learned enough to make me an even better hunter next season or even the late season if my class schedule will allow it. One thing I must do, is practice more to lengthen my range. I really need to get to a point that I feel comfortable out to at least 40 yards.

[DoubleJ]

You'll punch your tag Thursday night   I know it for a fact.

2 things from talking to you today and from this post that I noticed.

1.  Even if you felt like you could make a 40 yard shot, attempting one on a deer that was so on edge and alert would have yielded a miss at best, a wounded doe at worst.  With your bow set at 50lbs, too much time transpires at a 40 yard distance for a shot on an alert, on edge deer.

2.  NEVER EVER EVER EVER EVAR EVER look a deer in the eye.  She may stare at you while you stare at her but NEVER NEVER NEVER make eye contact!!!

[sebek556]

  keep your head up man. When you punch your tag, you'll be a lot better hunter than many out there right now. Once your shooting catches up then the whole picture will be complete and you'll be a killing machine

[fair-chase]

Pulling for you.    You're going to have yourself one well earned deer here shortly.

[DoubleJ]

keep your head up man. When you punch your tag, you'll be a lot better hunter than many out there right now. Once your shooting catches up then the whole picture will be complete and you'll be a killing machine

I agree whole heartedly.  When his shooting comes along, he is going to be an opening day tag filler for years.  Justin can seriously hunt.  I am super impressed where he is after only a few days into his 2nd season and only days into his first bow season.  We need to turn him loose on elk next

[MatthewHunter98]

things happen. good luck on gittin that history taken care of

[sirmissalot]

Awesome write up on your season so far, keep up the good work. Sounds like a blast, I'm sure you will kill but of not you sure got to experience some great bow hunting. Can't say I've got within 20 yards to very many blacktail during season, that in itself is a great accomplishment. Can't wait to see a successful picture with you and your deer at the end of this thread.

The best advice I have ever got for hunting, especially bow hunting, was to pick a spot. Just aiming for the vitals isn't enough, aim for that tuff of hair just behind the shoulder, put your pin on that small spot and let her rip. Aim small miss small, as they say.

[jackmaster]

They are trying to smell you out of the glands under their eyes.   They have seen or heard, but have not smelled you yet.   Some will do it over and over again, or even reposition and try some more in oreder to figure out what you are.   

MANY confuse this with a buck snort, snort/wheeze.   THEY ARE NOT RELATED

[akashasdaddy]

Thanks everyone for all the support. With everyone's positive feed back and advice on this post; I really Hope I am able to end this thread with some pics to share with everyone. I don't want to leave it with an anticlimactic ending.

No hunting for me today so no real update to write about.

[sebek556]

when's you next day in the woods?

[akashasdaddy]

I will be out all day tomorrow.

[sebek556]

  good luck man, I'll be hitting my deer blind tomorrow myself, stuff to do around the house so can't go chase elk in the mountains tomorrow so big buck here I come, and the storm tonight should keep everyone tucked in bed