Post by: AKBowman on December 10, 2011, 06:46:45 PM
I got into the stand tonight right at 3pm. It was sprinkling and lightly raining for the first time in probably 10-12 days here on the wet side. I heard something moving in the reprod in front of my stand a couple different times over the first hour, sounded like it was within 50 yards and paralleling the trail I was set up on working from my left to right.
I hosed down a couple of key wicks pretty liberally with doe piss. Well about 3:57 I hear a crashing noise in the reprod in front of my stand and slightly to the right. No doubt it was deer, elk, bear or human. I grabbed my bow off of the hanger and situated my legs, look up and to my right and I see the front half of a deer half in and half out of the reprod. Cant tell if its a buck or doe yet until he lowers his head, yup buck...and a big bodied one at that. Hes about 35 yards away angling towards me. He makes his way towards me and around a small fir. He is now about 20 yards and staring a hole through me. He shakes the mess of branches and grass from his antlers (the crashing I heard was him raking brush) He's on alert looking around but fairly relaxed. He works his way closer to my stand still facing directly at me until he is now under 15 yards. My doe piss wicks are now only 15 feet in front and to the right of him and if he walk towards them to check them out it would put him 12 yards almost perfectly broadside. Well thats exactly what happens, I draw back and he lifts his head to inspect the movement. I keep thinking to myself get your anchor point make sure your anchor point is good. I draw, put my 20 yard pin about 6 inches up from the bottom of his chest just behind the front leg and release. In slow motion I can see the flight bath of the arrow looks perfect and all of the sudden I see the arrow strike exactly on the bottom line of his chest and a puff of hair. He takes two big mule deer jumps and stands 35 yards quartering away.
I was so shook up I figured if I cant put an arrow in him at 12 than I am not shooting at 35. He walks off out of my life. Hopefully not for good.
Post by: bobcat on December 10, 2011, 07:09:05 PM
Post by: BOWHUNTER45 on December 10, 2011, 07:14:15 PM
Post by: dreamunelk on December 10, 2011, 07:16:13 PM
Post by: AKBowman on December 10, 2011, 07:20:16 PM
Thanks guys, after I missed from 12 and he ran to 35 yards and stood there it seemed/looked as though he was standing at 80yds. Not a good feeling.
Post by: DWP on December 10, 2011, 07:43:57 PM
Post by: AKBowman on December 10, 2011, 07:48:24 PM
Post by: CoryTDF on December 10, 2011, 08:19:59 PM
Post by: colockumelk on December 10, 2011, 09:07:24 PM
Post by: Angus on December 10, 2011, 09:44:25 PM
I spent all day working a clearcut that I saw alot of deer in last year. At 1st light I spotted a 2 point at 70 yards, closed to about 55 when I spooked his 2 girlfriends that I didn't know were there. :bash:
Saw another 9 deer in this clearing throughout the day, none of which presented a shot. :bash: Then to add salt to the wound, driving out this evening I passed 8-9 other deer feeding in farmers fields, most standing within 20 yards of the road watching me watch them. :bash: :bash: :bash:
Can't wait to get back next weekend :tup:
Post by: AKBowman on December 11, 2011, 10:05:02 AM
I did the same exact thing on a white tail buck a 3x3 this year. Ranged him at 25. Put the 20yd pin on his lower lungs and sent a broad head that shaved off some belly hair. At the shot there was a "poof" and a bunch of white hair on the ground. Except unlike you I thought I smoked him. He acted like he was heart shot. Took a couple bounds stopped, looked back and walked into the thick stuff. So unlike you I sat there in my stand sending texts to people talking about this buck I just smoked. Because after all how could I of all people possibly miss right :chuckle: So gave it 30 minutes climbed down walked over and found my arrow, clean as a whistle. Not a single drop of blood. Just hair. Man did I feel dumb :chuckle: so AK Bowman at least you didn't sit around and have to text people and explain that no you did not actually smoke a
buck :)
That's wierd this buck did the exact same thing after I shot, two huge mule deer bounds then stops looking around like WTF was that?
I saw the puff of hair and knew right away what had happened.
Sucks, I'm in another stand about 250 yards from the spot I missed him yesterday but nothing so far. It's so hard to keep hunting after that.
It's spitting snow so at least the weather is cooperating.
I feel like an idiot.
Post by: DWP on December 11, 2011, 07:16:20 PM
DWP- Do you drive a 90's Ford Explorer or a small white tacoma type pickup?
No sir. I have a silver 2006 Dodge Ram 2500 with a matching canopy and a lumber rack. Cummins powered, of course:)
Although right now the fuel cost has me wishing for my old '86 Mazda pickup!
Post by: blackveltbowhunter on December 11, 2011, 10:22:11 PM
Post by: AKBowman on December 12, 2011, 08:56:06 AM
I scouted a SW slope that is only 1/2 mile away during the middle of the day yesterday and found a large amount of sign and two fairly fresh, large rubs. I was thinking about switching it up with how cold it was last night and dragging the climber to the SW slope for a sit this PM. I cant decide if I want to switch it up.
What is everyones opinion on the amount of deer I have been seeing, would you continue to hunt that spot or make a move with only two days remaining in the season?
Post by: colockumelk on December 12, 2011, 01:09:52 PM
Post by: blackveltbowhunter on December 12, 2011, 01:42:53 PM
Post by: AKBowman on December 12, 2011, 03:02:14 PM
No chance to set up cams. Estrus is out though and that's what triggered the response the other day. :tup:
Post by: AKBowman on December 13, 2011, 09:04:38 PM
I've got Thursday-Sunday to get it done in another unit that's open still. Luckily I've scouted the hell out of that area so I have good ideas and two stands set up already, one hanger and one giant 12' old growth stump that I made a blind out of.
Cant go all year with that miss in my mind, want to wrap my tag around a big one.
Sausage, burger and pepperoni!!!
Post by: AKBowman on December 13, 2011, 09:14:49 PM
Man I have had that dillema more than once. I would sit your current spot this evening. Then if you don't see anything go sit your SW slope spot for a full day. If you don't see anything in your SW spot go back to your current spot.
I did very close to exactly that. I hunted the SW facing spot yesterday b/c the afternoon sun was warming the hillside. About an hr before dark I started hearing deer moving all over the hillside in front of me just never had anything come close.
Hunted back where I missed the buck this pm and didnt see anything pretty sure didnt hear anything either. Full moon sure didnt help. I wish I could have hunted the SW spot in the morning just had to get up at 5 and work til 12 before I hunted the PM so no chance. I liked that SW slope a lot though especially for a late morning hunt when the sun gets high enough to warm things up after a cold night. Everything in the shade was crispy solid all day with ice on the water, the sw slope was toasty thawed and covered with deer crap.
Post by: blackveltbowhunter on December 14, 2011, 08:22:10 PM
Post by: AKBowman on December 15, 2011, 01:43:04 PM
I have through Sunday to get it done, debating shooting a doe if the opportunity arises.
Post by: foambeetle on December 16, 2011, 02:48:51 PM
Enjoy the time in the woods . . . and keep positive, you never know what might present itself in the waning days/hours of your hunt.
GOOD LUCK!
Post by: engelwood on December 16, 2011, 03:13:49 PM
Post by: AKBowman on December 16, 2011, 09:23:02 PM
Hunted from 12-4:50 today and no sightings.
Tomorrow is day 15 of late buck for me. 5 full days and 9 half days so far.
I can't go all season with this miss playing over and over in my head. The only way to clear the mechanism is to redeem myself!!
Post by: AKBowman on December 17, 2011, 07:32:23 PM
Not much moving out there today, no new rubs. Did see a fresh (probably 3 days old) buck track.
Tomorrow is most likely the last day for me, havent seen a deer since the missed shot Saturday. I'm going to leave the stand alone tomorrow and do some still hunting with calling setups.
Caught this buck on one of my cams. Slow trigger speed didnt catch him but he looks older, wide and his thirds are super tall.
Post by: AKBowman on December 19, 2011, 06:17:48 AM
I put in a lot of scouting this yr, but for all the scouting done the past 16 days in the woods hunting has made me realize that I don't know enough about the areas I'm hunting. The only good thing about extending a season to the max and coming home empty handed is that the additional time in the field is well spent and appreciated.
Just guessing I would say I spent the better part of 20 days between April and Thanksgiving scouting, hanging stands, checking cams, etc. My first yr spending the better part of a full year scouting.
Spending the summer and fall scouting for late archery was both gratifying and frustrating at the same time. Gratifying in the fact that I learned sooo much about the area and a little about the deer. Frustrating b/c I scouted all spring, summe and fall watching the action ramp up to the rut only to have to sit on my hands and wait for the late Archery season to open.
Please don't get the wrong impression I am not making excuses or complaining I just came to a realization this yr that I'm making it way harder on myself by choosing the archery deer tag then waiting until late archery to deer hunt the wet side.
I kind of look at it like this:
If you're hunting the modern season and start on oct. 15 your chances get better and better as the season goes on culminating with the last fee days of Oct and a prime 4 days in mid Nov. By Nov 23rd it's hard to argue that the majority of tue rut action is over with in most areas on most years, generally speaking of course. And your chances get worse and worse from opening day on.
I know that there are pockets of rutting deer and it
can be great when and if you can be in an area when a doe comes in to estrus. I had my chance at a deer that responded to estrus and blew it but I would still take hunting the best part of the rut (late oct then nov 17-20) over a season of waning opportunities as the bucks become more and more nocturnal.
Post by: blackveltbowhunter on December 19, 2011, 06:32:18 AM
Post by: AKBowman on December 19, 2011, 12:07:37 PM