G
Guest
Guest
I just got back from a morning hunt, and what a morning it was! I went with my brother, out to Wheeler NWR, just west of town here. Anyway, being public land, I don't ever expect for things to be spectacular, but I have consistently been able to kill deer on this particular parcel of the refuge, so I keep at it. It's very gratifying to get one on public land when it is hard to do. Anyway, we went out, and I decided to hunt a new section of the area we hunt, a little farther in from a favorite stand of my brother's. We walked in, he stopped off at his tree, in a little hardwood finger between two fields, adjacent to an old borrow pit that is now a dry pond, due to the drought. I continued on around from there, trying not to stomp all over his area. I walked around about 250-300yds from his stand, on the other side of the pond, so we could try to catch them coming or going, so to speak. I found a great tree, and set up my climber, put on my harness, and went up. Got situated, and was about to nock an arrow when I heard something over my right shoulder. Turned (slowly) and saw a doe. She had another behind her, and they were about 20yds off. Two more are off in the woods about 35-40yds through thick brush. Bear in mind, it was about 7a, as we were a little late getting in this morning. I waited until they weren't looking, and slipped an arrow out of my quiver and nocked it. My jacket got a little hung in the tree bark, and the two of them heard it. They didn't spook, but they turned and walked away without my having a clear shot. I was bummed, but excited, too. So I sit down, and wait a bit. A light fog set in, and with the sun coming up over the treetops, it was really beautiful. Now, visibility is about 30yds on the ground for me right now, and all of a sudden I see three deer materialize. One big doe, one medium doe, and a fawn still sporting a couple of spots on her red coat. They are coming straight at me, and there's no vegetation between us of any value for cover. So I sit still, and begin to form a plan to get around for a shot. They are approaching from in front of me, but will pass on my right, so I will have to turn all the way around for a shot. I start inching around when they aren't looking, and the lead doe is now about 8yds from my tree. She busts me, but not terribly. She starts head bobbing and stomping, but never figures out what I am, so she stiff-leg walks away, then snorts once when she is about 25-30yds off behind me. I'm trying now to inch around on the medium doe, as she is coming around to stand right where the other one just was when she busted me. I never get all the way around, and they all walk off through the brush without offering another clear shot. But, hey, I'm feeling like the mighty hunter now, and marking this tree in my mind to return many more times. About 35-40min later, four does come trotting by, right to left, and I tried every trick I know to get them to stop for a shot, but nothing. I was drawn, ready, and had one jog through a perfect shot window at 20yds, but she wouldn't stop. Still, pumped doesn't begin to describe how I'm feeling at this point. I don't even sit down in my stand anymore all day. Then about 20min after the four does, I get what I think is going to be the shot. I see a buck coming through the woods; nothing big, but a nice, big-bodied, high racked four point. I get set, and notice he is being followed by two smaller deer who are jostling and tussling along, but sport no visible headgear. I assume they are young of the year bucks, by their behavior. Well, they don't help me any, as the 4pt turns before he gets to any open area for a clear shot, and trots over to them, sort of 'corrals' them a little, and leads them off about 55-60yds away, through heavy brush. Now, I've never killed a buck with my bow. In fact, I've never seen a buck during legal shooting hours while bowhunting. So I am beyond stoked at this point, and I sit, waiting on the next round, but I have to climb down before any other deer show up. So, in total, I saw 14 deer, one of which was a verifiable buck, though a little small. I get over to my brother and he explains that he missed a spike (he's never killed a deer with a bow, at all, and he's pretty psyched out about it, and has missed a few). The four does I saw moving fast were leaving the commotion of the spike bolting after the miss.
So, overall, I'd say I had a great day in the woods, despite not getting a shot. That's the joyful frustration of bowhunting, ain't it?
So, overall, I'd say I had a great day in the woods, despite not getting a shot. That's the joyful frustration of bowhunting, ain't it?
