The Bow stand Log thread.

[BLACKJACK]

Nice deer Codeman!!! Congrats!!!

[96trigger]

congrats to every one on the bow kills great to see. Muzzy, I wouldn't give up either. You did find blood, and that is a good sign. all you have to do is get a lung and he will more than likely bleed out, but it might take awhile. You originall said you thought you had a good hit, stay with that. Take someone with you that will keep you positive and keep you looking. Just because he went up hill doesn't mean a whole lot, he might be dead just on top. I have had deer go up hill when shot and that is when they really start to pump the blood. Go back and look some more.

CODEMAN, you rule. I was going to give you a smartarse comment that you should have aimed at that little tree and maybe you would have hit the deer, but after finishing your story you pulled off one of the toughest things to do as an archer, a second shot, congrats man, that is great.

[panfried]

My buddy and I hunted the S.E. metro this past weekend, Oct. 24 and 25th. Sat for 12 hours on Saturday and only saw 2 deer and 6 Coyotes. Went back out on Sunday to the same stand but totally different weather. About 1/2 hour after legal shooting light the same Doe and Fawn came in like they had the day before. The Doe picked us off, pretty much the same as the day before. Only this time she got a little too carried away in her obsessiveness to bust us. She came back for a second look at 30 yards and took a Muzzy to the lungs. She ran about 50 yards and piled up. Midwest Whitetail. We decided to stay in the stand to see what else may happen. We have had our sights on 2 bucks and have been getting quite a few trail cam pics of. Most of the pics ahd been coming form the cam located 25 yards out in front of our stand. 1 is about a 120" 9 pointer and the other is about 110" 8 pt. We had already made the decision that if one of these guys came in we would take em. I personally thought the buck we would see is the 8 pt. because we were getting tons of pics of him all day long. This deer is about 3.5 and does nto have a problem with daytime movement. The 9 pt. on the other hand has been somewhat reclusive. So anyways, about 1/2 an hour goes by and as i am watching some does on the opposite ridge my buddy gets my attention and points out a deer at the bottom of the valley we were hunting. I looked and immediately new this was a buck. The body size was a dead giveaway. He had his head behind a big tree so we could not tell which buck it was. When he stepped out we saw that rack and new exactly who it was. The big 9 pt. He was at about 50 yards. After watching him for quite a while the does i had been watching made there way down to the buck. He started nudging the one doe around and she ran to our side of the valley. He followed and i thought i was going to get my shot. When he got over to her she turned and ran back to the other side again and he followed. No shot. Then he gave up on chasing her and went to browsing and just hanging around. Just when i thought he was going to feed out of the area he caught the trail my Doe had exited on from the earlier kill shot. He backtracked it right to the exact spot the Doe was standing when i shot her. Only thing was he was facing the opposite direction and his vital area was obstructed by a small sapling, some leaves and twigs. All he needed was one more step and i had him. Instead of taking that step he stuck his neck way out to get that last wiff of what ever he was trying to confirm. All of a sudden his head jerked up and he went to a nervous posture. All i could think is that he smelt some sort of distress sent the Doe laid down while she was stomping her hoof before i shot her. Whatever it was he was now on edge and ended up turnig and heading back to the other side of the valley. There he met up with the Tall 8 which we then just realized was over there. They chased the does around for a bit and when they pretty much chased them all out of the area they resumed to feeding on browse and acorns. All the while they managed to stay out of affective bow range. They eventually wondered off into a thicket and i sat down and was just in disbelief. How could i have both shooters right there for over half an hour and not get a shot? My buddy and i were talking it over. All of a sudden my buddies eyes got all big and he said "Here he comes, the Tall 8". I turned and looked and he was already at 35 yards and still coming. So of course there i sit in my stand bow hanging up and everything. He came in to 20 yards and turned broadside. I was able to get my bow without any detection. Just as i stood up he looked right up at us. After a short stare down he went back to feeding. He turned his head the opposite direction and i drew back. I settled in and let her fly. The arrow hit the mark and i double lunged my second deer of the morning. He also ran about 50 yards and crashed. We switched palces and i got behind the camera. Afterall it was only 9:15. About 15 minutes later a heavy 8 that we do not have pics of came by at the bottonm of the valley, well out of range. He was hot on the trail of a doe. Nose to the ground just dogging. Things slowed after that and we got down to do our recovery's. Just goes to show how 1 day can make all the difference in the world. Really, minutes can make a difference. I went from a 12 hour sit and 2 deer, to a 3 hour sit and more action than some people see in an entire season. It's on. The bucks are jsut beginning to chase and the big boys are up on there feet. The next 2 weeks should be prime. My buddy and i have 9 of the next 14 days off and are hoping to get the big 9 down. If not him hopefluuy another big one. Get out there and hunt hard. The time is now. Thanks and good luck to everyone.

[Code-Man]

Hey if you can't have a little luck once in a while it don't make it any fun. I'm shocked I wasn't in tears when I saw my arrow sticking into a tree!

Congrats to everyone that stuck one also! Time to go cape him out.

[sticknstring]

Quote:

I know it was a risky shot but wanted to know what y'all think.

I think you made a very poor decision. Way too many wounded deer threads this year. Wait for the right shot. If it doesn't present itself, well, that's part of the game with bowhunting. Quite a few of our neighboring states require a bowhunter education class, it probably wouldn't be the worst idea for MN to adopt a similar policy as well.

[Meat-Run]

had a chance at an 8ptr lastnight twice but couldn't seal the deal believe it or not he was to close and caught me off gaurd both times and wasn't ready but he was nose down and on the prowel.

mr

[ARROW 1]

Wow great story panfried. Now I miss being out there even more.

Congrats codeman nice deer

[tracker x-2]

Nice deer code man. Thats some work i wouldnt mind (caping out a big buck). Is that your first archery buck thought i remember seeing you with a nice one last year?

[rbs]

Went out this morning and had a small buck come thru down wind of me and was very nervous. He actually bolted right away only to come back 2 mins later and walk right past me on high alert.

Later on I had a doe and a fawn upwind of me and not even close to my trail in the field act really nervous. I don't know what she didn't like but I know she could not have smelled me or seen me for that matter. I am really getting used to grabing the camera first instead of my bow...I don't know if that is such a good thing...lol

[ARROW 1]

Sorry my bad I was thinking of another post when I said 1st archery buck.

[Wanderer]

Cool shots rbs!

[vister]

no no no, we don't need a bowhunting education course. firearms safety doesn't teach you where to shoot game, just how to be safe. they make us take drivers ed, and how many people drive like they haven't taken it! it seems more risky shots are taken on nice bucks, than anything. take me for an example, as i've taken a risky shot on a nice buck. its just the thought of that deer not presenting a better shot, when he steps out in front of ya, and you take the first best shot you get. buck fever is what i believe they call it!

nice bucks guys!

[bigbucks]

Going to have to agree with Vister on this one.

[sticknstring]

Buck fever has nothing to do with taking low percentage shots. For some folks, a little education wouldn't be a bad thing.

[DonBo]

no no no, we don't need a bowhunting education course. firearms safety doesn't teach you where to shoot game, just how to be safe.

Please let's not turn this into a thread on the pros and cons of hunters ed, but I gotta say, I am a Bowhunter Education Instructor, and in our classes at least, we DO teach about shot selection. It's a very important part of our classes. Firearms Safety and Bowhunter Ed are two entirely different classes.

I think Muzzy learned the lesson the hard way.

BTW, rbs, nice photos! I may have been trying to get a shot at that doe instead of the photo, but that's just me.

[muzzy]

I don't think I need to justify why I took the shot. Like I mentioned, I knew it was a low percentage shot and Vister was right. The day before I passed up a doe in the exact same spot. This was a buck...not gonna lie and had a bit of buck fever because he just appeared so quickly BUT I took my time and was confident with my shot. I've been bowhunting for over 12 years and this was a hard lesson learned with it being the first deer I've lost. SticknString may feel like it was a poor decision and that's fine but it was my decision that I made...it is what it is...don't need this to be a long drawn out discussion. Bowhunting Education is a good thing but it will depend on the shooter as if the shot will be taken or not. I learn from experiences and this will be one for the record! I am sad to say that I spent the good part of the day looking for the buck but lost the blood trail as he went uphill. I'm bummed he is now injured but am confident that he will survive as it had to be a direct shoulder hit. There was only a few inches that went in him.

[Stratosman]

Maybe he will be fine and you'll get another shot at him... At least you put in a solid recovery effort.

[mudslinger64]

sat until 10:00 this morning saw nothing,went to a different stand in the afternoon until dark and again saw no deer....

[96trigger]

Went out, started rattling at 5:00. About 20 minutes later I see horns coming at me. He is taking his sweet time and I already know that he is only a basket. He walks by me, gets downwind, takes a couple of big leaps and I don't hear anything else. About a half hour later, I hit another rattle sequence. I hear a deer coming at me from behind. I am assuming that this is that basket 6 coming back. I see the deer out of the corner of my on my left side, but he came in so fast, my bow is in my lap and I am frozen holding this rattle bag. We both sit there for 10 minutes, I slowly turn my head to get a better look at him. Definitely not the 6 pointer, but its still a 1.5 year old 8. Great potential. Eventually, I lower the bag and grab my bow just in case his daddy shows up. He is still standing there like a statue, pretty PO'd trying to find out where the bucks were at. He starts to wander off, I grunt few times just to play with him. He turns and comes back but goes behind me and travels the long way back around. He went full circle on me. Cool to see, hopefully both can grow another couple of years. I am still waiting for the big dogs to come out, but this has been the most positive night yet.

[Finlander]

Good job 96Trigger! Good to see self restraint to let them get bigger down the road!

Now if only more people could be like you!

[Code-Man]

Ya this buck is my second that I have taken in 2 years with a bow. I had him measured tonight 132 5/8 gross 126 6/8 final. he is a 9 pointer since one base point was long enough.

[tunrevir]

Sat last night for a couple hours. Got to the stand and within 20 minutes had a lone doe come through but couldn't get a shot, 15 minutes later another doe but to far off, 520 had two more does move through but again to far off. Worked a light rattle sequence in and in 5 minutes had a large bodied deer move in. Got a good look at him at 30 yards a small 8 point. He gave me a nice broadside shot but I decided to pass. Hoping for a nice 10pt. I saw on Sunday evening. Of the deer I saw last evening, the buck and the first doe moved into the wind but the other deer were walking with the wind.

Tunrevir~

[BLACKJACK]

Buck fever has nothing to do with taking low percentage shots. For some folks, a little education wouldn't be a bad thing.

I think it boils down to a lack of respect for the deer. "Its just a deer, if I can't find this one, I'll shoot another one". The same guys that take a marginal shot with a bow are the same ones that will take the long poke and hope shots with a slug gun - and don't think about the shot off legs and wounded deer that run away. And I think that buck fever does play a part, people are so hyped to get a deer that that they take the marginal shots.

Hopefully everybody that reads the stories about lost deer will think about that when they are on stand and they get a 35 yard shot, when their accurate range is <25 yards. Nothing wrong with passing on a marginal shot and hopefully that deer will present a better shot some other day.

[crappieflop30]

i got my first deer with a bow this past weekend. it was a doe at about 20 yards. she went around 60 yards and tipped over. definitely glad i started bow hunting. can't wait to get back out and look for my first bow buck.

[DonBo]

Way to go crappie! Hooked big time now ain't ya?