My first 2 days of deer season.

[SpokaneSlayer]

Figured I should give a field report for the past couple days:

Opening Day:

Met up with my partner at 0430 and we head up to my blind.  Got all settled in and waited for shooting hours.  It gets light out and what should scoot out 20 yds in front of us?  A coyote!  Nothing would be cooler than to start my first deer archery season than to pop my first dog with a bow.  Well, he stops, looks at the blind, and continues trotting.  I draw and try to lip squeak him back.  He stopped but all I could see was his head so I let him go.  Godd looking dog too.  Later, a hen and a poult come out for a visit.  By this time, I need to answer the call of nature.  Of course, this would be when the first deer of the day shows up.  She snorts cos she saw me through the netting since I had gotten to close to the window.  A while later, behind us to our right about 25 yds away, another deer snorts.  We're sitting there wondering what happened.  I realized that the side widows were open and the wind was going uphill.  Windows closed.  Then 4 does show up and hang out for a bit.  Lead doe was a TANK!  Later on that evening 5 nice toms, each with 6-8" beards come in to feed.  4 more does come in before we call it a night.  Not bad for opening day.

1 Coyote
7 Turkey's
10 Deer

Day 2:

I slept in a little today and didn't get into my blind til about 0715.  A half hour later, an entire flock of toms and jakes waddle down the hillside.  Didn't see my first deer til about 1645.  A single yearling doe.  Then a family consisting of a mature doe, a yearling doe (probably her offspiring), and a spotted fawn.  They leave and return later on.  Next to show is another family plus one fawn, "the twins" as my wife has called them.  Well the twins got smacked upside the head for trying to get in mom's way of the salt lick.  By now it's about 1920 and things get interesting.  I'm kinda switching my position to stretch my legs and I spot a deer.  It's a buck!  And then another follows closely behind.  It's the 4x4 and 3x2 from the trail cam pics.  My hear is racing.  I slowly pick up my bow and clip the release on.  The smaller buck made his way over to the salt lick with the bigger one taking his time.  Finally, the 8 point walks up and turns broadside at 20 yds!!!!  So I draw, get the 20 yd pin on target, and let her fly.....right over the bucks back!  I was stunned.  I know I was on him.  But I missed.  The deer bolt about 20 yds further away, and stop to look around.  I thought about flinging another arrow, but they don't seem that spooked and they might come back.  No luck.  They mosey up the hillside.  So I wait a bit to make sure they are gone and get out.  I find my arrow with not a speck of blood.  At least it was a clean miss. 

So that's that.  first time shooting at a buck and I choke.  Oh well, there's always tomorrow. 

[finnman]

Thanks for the short adrenelin rush!!! I love short stories like that, I have to wait till Oct. 11th to do my deer hunt.
Get that 4 pt. and take his picture!!!

[wastickslinger]

Dang!! Sounds like he will be back in a few days though. Likely had no clue what took place. Keep after it.

[ellsworth]

Few questions cause i'm new to the area:

Are you in spokane?  If so where are you seeing turkeys???

I got two toms last year in Wisconsin and i'm itchin real bad to take one out this year.  And the closest birds to cheney i've seen are around chewelah, at colville.  Any suggestions?

Next, are we allowed to hunt over bait for deer?  I can't find anything about it in the regs, and i'm having a real bad season thus far, seeing a lot of deer but usually after I jump them from a spot...

Hope you can tag one of those two soon! Post pics.

Ellsworth

[DeKuma]

I agree on the adrenaline rush.  Great report.
Do not worry, sounds like he will come back and you can try again.

[SpokaneSlayer]

Thanks everyone for the encouragement.

Ellsworth- I am in Spokane and yes baiting of deer is legal.  As far as where exactly I'm seeing turkey's I'm sorry to say but I was sworn to secrecy by my bud who found the spot.  I looked on Go Hunt and it looks like there is a big piece of state land right outside Cheney.  I know there are turkey's around there.  I've seen them around the wildlife refuge but you can't hunt it. 

[Machias]

Ellsworth there are a BUNCH of turkeys all around Cheney.

[ellsworth]

Sorry about the thread jack, Slayer 

But it will kill time till we get to hear from you again 

WHERE!!!! lol, i've been driving all sorts of around and I can't find any of them.  We don't have a lot of huntable land at least in turkey territory, that big junk on the GOHUNT near cheney is the wildlife refuge  and they don't let you hunt.

I've even tried volunteering there to get in good, but no can do. lol

Slayer get out any more since the last post?

[tlbradford]

You need to look harder Ellsworth 

These are all Cheney Birds

[ellsworth]

I'm guessin private land?   

[DeKuma]

I need TLB to teach me both coyote and turkey!!
He is the man!

[tlbradford]

I wish.  I didn't get a shot at a nice tom this spring.     My partner shot two bearded hens, but he is getting them mounted.  I passed on some smaller 1 and 2 year olds and a few bearded hens, trying to hold out for a balldragger I had patterned for awhile.  I had one shot at him, but he didn't like something on my set-up and headed out the other way.  I need to post my little video clip of him.  He is an old bird, straggly beard pushing 12" and spurs close to 1-1/2".  Hopefully, he is around next spring and I do a better job.  I runned and gunned the last few days of the season and blew two chances at two other nice birds with 9"-10" beards.  So from my record this spring, it shows I pretty much stink at the turkey hunting.   

[DeKuma]

Yeah, I got skunked too.  We had one coming in for my wife, but just as I could see him in the brush and she prepared for him to come a little closer he bailed off.  Had one other chance with my bow at 40 yards on a nice tom, but he would not clear a small brush patch and I could not hold at full draw any longer and he busted me.
That was it all season.

[SpokaneSlayer]

I just looked and the area I'm talking about is directly west of Cheney, pretty much n the city limit.  And it's state land, not federal like the wildlife refuge.  I'm not sure if it's huntable but it's a good place to start.

I did get out this afternoon.  Only thing that came in was a doe with twin fawns and more turkey's.  Planning on going grouse hunting tomorrow to give my spot a day to settle down, then it's back after deer Fri, Sat, and Sun.

[ellsworth]

Lol yeah I think the land manager for that area is, Eastern Washington University.

I don't think it's open lol.

I'll be out there in spirit with ya, going for deer friday, saturday and sunday.

Hopefully you'll tag one!