The Bow stand Log thread.

[koonie]

I saw 14 deer tonight. One really nice buck. Hopefully tomorrow night I can call my taxidermist.

[Jameson]

A couple days ago at the local park I was checking out an Oak ridge looking for some Hen of the Woods mushrooms, and I noticed a couple of large ground scrapes. Just wish I would see the same thing where hunting is allowed!

[bigbucks]

I found my first rub of the year on Saturday. I've seen 4-5 scrapes so far. Put a portable between two of them on Saturday just off a decent trail.

Sat Saturday morning for an hour & a half, it's a first light & last light kind of spot, very open. Didn't see anything, that rub was within a 100 yards.

[DonBo]

Finally cooled off enough for my first sit tonight. Got a spot between two apple trees that's looked good. Three bucks came in, a fork that walked through my shooting lane 5 or 6 times, a heavy 6 pointer that walked through once and a bigger one that never did come in. Two other, I think, does behind them that barely gave me a look. Also heard about 10 or 12 turkeys fly up to roost. All in all a good first night.

[alwaysonthemove]

we've been seeing plenty of rubs, actually way more than previos years. I think the reason is because we have three possibly 4 record book bucks on camera. [ one we don't have one camera yet] The only problem is there all night shots. We are getting the smaller basket racks on tape in the middle of the day. I am thinking that maybe the weather has a big role in this. But I am not sure.

We are constantly moving the camera's to different trails but they are still all night shots. We are thinking that we are gonna try camera hunting till we can find a buck that is coming out earlier to feed. The corn there is plenty green yet and I am sure it will remain till after november. We might be sitting on a bow hunters paradise this year. Letting them go really pays off.

[USPENAMC]

Went out today from around 9 am to 2 pm had to leave since my kid had a medical appointment. I saw two turkeys and some squirrels thats about it. Time to change hunting location I assume. It has been a whole two weeks and nothing.

[rbs]

went out last night to a new area. Looks nice...a saddle between 2 ridges. lots of sign but didn't see anything but squirrels. I will be back to that spot...has some potential!

[96trigger]

Went out last night, sat from 4:30 till dark. Saw 4 does, one buck(I think) 150 yards away. If it was a buck, it wasn't very big. The first two does came trotting by followed by a black dog. Dog went in the cornfield and never came back out. Don't know who's it was and couldn't see if it had tags or not, but I am sure that didn't help me out last night at all.

[alwaysonthemove]

Yeah that is a bummer dogs chasing deer. Not sure what really to do in those situtions.

[alwaysonthemove]

Was out last night after the big frost. It is amazing that the acorns are still on the ground. I was hunting next to a 40 acre oak woodlot and the twigs and branches were snapping all night. 1 doe and her fawn came out to feed in the alfalfa field.

[huntnfish]

I hunted the last two nights and after going 0-3 on my first sits that last two have resulted in some action.

Last night I had two bucks come out and work their way downwind of me at about 60 yards. I had no idea they were bucks when I first saw them. One was a little smaller so I assumed it was a doe and fawn. I didn't pay a whole lot of attention to them since they were downwind and I assumed they would bolt. I would occasionally look over in their direction and after about 5 minutes they started working my way. This is when I saw they were bucks because their racks were silloetted above the horizon. The bigger of the two was a unique rack that looked like a small mulie. It was tall and had deep forks. I couldn't see much for brow tines but it was definately a 2 1/2 year old deer. The other buck was a basket racked 6 point. They never gave me a shot, but I would have taken a poke at him.

Tonight I got out a little late but saw 11 does and fawns. There was a group of 9 that passed at about 100 yards about a half hour before sunset and a doe and two fawns came by right at dark. This cooler weather is a lot nicer all around. No more sweating while sitting in the stand and the deer activity has picked up.

[mudslinger64]

i could only get out from 6:30am till 10:00am,at 8:00 i had 3 does run past my stand at 15 yards.i don't know what spooked them but they were in a hurry,all 3 were mature does.i have been noticing more and more deer in the fields around here,just might have to find one to sit by just to have a little change up now and then.

[Archerysniper]

Went out last night and had two does come through about 75 yard and lots of tree rats. Went back to the same property tonight and sat in my other stand to play the wind had 2 does come through at 12 yard took the nice broadside shot she offer and after 50 yards doe #2 is in the freezer.

[splakeshaker]

Congrats Snipe!!

[rbs]

went out last night. The farmer was taking corn in the field that my stand is near. Didn't see any deer but I had some wood ducks feeding in the corn stubble out in front of me for a while. I videotaped them as well. I talked to the farmer after I was done and he said that there was 2 does that came out in the field around the corner from me but I never saw them. It was pretty windy last night...wow!

[Archerysniper]

Thankyou splake

[bigbucks]

I decided to hunt what we call the sand field stand at a friend's on Monday night. It was a strong NW wind, but over the years we've identified the deer come out there almost like clock work in those conditions as it's protected by a big hill & heavy woods.

I got settled into the stand just before 5:30. I knew it was going to be a good night as there were 10 turkeys, hens & young ones, including the white hen we've seen many times, just North of the gates out in the hayfield. I rounded the corner of the hill & the 7 gobblers my friend's been seeing were up on the sandfield, near the stand. The turkeys all ran off when they saw me walking down the field road. I was getting settled when I noticed a fox bedding down out in the field 50-60 yards downwind of me. Not sure if he was there & just stood up for a bit or if he trotted in while I was messing around. I could just barely make out part of his back line while he lay in the dried down alfalfa. Eventually at least some of the gobblers reappeared, one was as close as 15 yards right in a large scrape to the North of the stand. The licking branch is all ripped up there, like it's a buck with serious attitude for this early in the season. They eventually spooked & ran off, as did the fox. I'm not sure if they saw me or him.

I had my bow hanging up & told myself I was going to hold it from 6:45 on, but at 6:40 I just had this feeling I better not wait, so I grabbed it. Amazingly for once at 6:43 there was suddenly a fawn in the field to the South of me coming towards me at 35-40 yards. I could see it was a button buck. Pretty soon the doe followed & exactly like the one I shot out of that stand last year, she & the fawn looped around in front of me kind of going NE in that 35-40 yard range. Too windy for that shot, plus I figured I might get a better one. They were perfectly down wind, so either I did great with my scent control, or the wind was carrying it over them as they were down hill. With evening thermals going down hill that doesn't totally make sense though, but they are farm deer used to smelling people. She got to about 40 yards in front of me somewhat left, facing left, exactly where I whistled one by in front of the does neck last year & I said to myself, nope, not taking that shot again. Shortly another doe & a fawn appeared from the North about 40 yards to my left. They all milled around together, they were both young does, yearlings or two year-olds at the most. The first one was a bit bigger & more gray, the second one had kind of distinct markings on it's face, can't say how, just a little different shape to her head or the mix with white & brown. She was very aggressive towards the other doe. I decided I'd prefer to shoot the first one, but both were acceptable sized deer, so would take whichever gave me a good shot. (management area) They milled around in that 40-50 yard range for probably 10 minutes. Then the aggressive one kind of chased at one of the fawns, before trotting over to stand in the scrape which I'd ranged at 16 yards. She's steeply quartering towards me, so no shot. Then she & her fawn come to the stand & are sniffing one of the trunks at the base of the ladder, they're twice as far down as they are away, maybe three times, they're right there. I draw on her through an opening in between the trunks of this basswood clump the stand's in, there are 14 trunks, I counted them, pretty solid cover... She's almost straight down & quartering towards, so I'm just waiting for her to turn. She finally does turn broadside after I'd say close to a minute & walks in front of the stand, but she's so close, 3-4 yards, that the leaves that stick up maybe 2' above my stand platform are blocking her. I can just get a glimpse of brown here & there. If I were standing I'd probably be fine, but I didn't dare do that with them walking right towards me. Now the original doe is pointed right at the stand at about 20 yards. Her fawn is over by the scrape somewhere. Then that doe turns & walks to my left & stops, now looking away at a pretty steep quarter about 25 yards. She can't seem me, the other doe & fawn can't see me. I peak at the fawn by the scrape, it's not looking towards me, so I swing onto the bigger doe, while still sitting, & let it fly. I've been drawn for probably a minute to a minute & a half. I'm not shaking yet, but I was considering letting down & was checking to see if I could get away with it when she presented the shot.

I heard the smack as the arrow hit the deer, it wasn't horribly loud, but obvious I hit the deer. I didn't see the arrow hit her or where it entered. I knew it must have either passed through or hit a leg, as it wasn't sticking out of her. She bolted quickly, but not like that all out as fast as they can go death run. She went right up the NW angled trail about 30 yards & disappeared over the hill top, I heard something that could have been her hitting the fence, but it wasn't loud enough for me to be sure. Her fawn followed to the top & stopped. The other doe & fawn have now swapped ends & cleared so they're wide open broadside at 5-6 yards. Obviously I don't have another arrow nocked yet, but I'm not going to shoot a second doe in a Management Area anyway. They stand there for a few seconds, then bolt up the same trail to the top of this hill & stop for a second before proceeding over it. None of the deer had a clue I was there or what happened. I'm pretty sure I drilled her, but not a 100% positive. So I nock another arrow & sit for 2-3 minutes replaying things. I shot at exactly 7:00, so there's about a half hour of primetime left. I needed to know if I drilled her or nicked her or what. I was pretty sure I could see my arrow stuck in the ground, but not positive. I decided to get down & check quick, which of course is right when I'm getting the shakes a bit, but nothing to severe.

The arrow was buried 3-4"s into the dirt & had more blood on it then probably any arrow I've ever shot & it was bright red. I quickly found some blood & stepped over 5 yards to the trail she took & verified there was some blood going up it, although not spraying as well as my WI doe had. I decided to climb back up & wait for dark.

I thought well if she's dead the other doe & the two fawns will probably come back in about 10 minutes, as I've had that happen to me at least three times when shooting does somewhat early primetime on hayfields. Maybe around 7:15 an adult deer appears on the trail to the North where the second doe had come from, I think aah hah, she's down. Then it steps out & I see the antlers, okay it's not that doe, it's a small yearling buck, never could tell if it was a forky or a little 6. His "rack" is 5-6"s high & no more than that wide, he's really little. He feeds out into that same 40-50 yard area for 10-15 minutes & then another deer appears where he came from, so the light's starting to get pretty low. I think that's probably the doe as it walks up to the buck. They nose around friendly like & then I see them head to head & hear the clicking, nope it's another little buck, but I can't see his horns, too dark. He eventually walks right under my stand to 5 yards where the second doe had been then wanders over & I think found the blood trail. By this time I can hear at least one deer behind me in the woods & it's dark & I want to get out of there. I wanted to know what his "rack" was like so I grabbed my digital to snap a picture of him, only to find out the battery was dead. So I grabbed a fair sized branch behind me, snapped it off, they bolted, & I got down to go to the truck for flashlights, help, etc.

My buddy came back with me in the truck. We chased at least two deer back off the field in the headlights as we drove up to the point of the shot. We followed a moderate blood trail up over the hill & then West to the fence. We struggled a bit, but gradually followed it across & down slope a ways until I saw a glassy eye up ahead in the flashlight & she was laying there. I found out her quartering angle was a bit steeper then I thought. I hit her just below the back bone at least half way back & it came out just below middle right behind the off shoulder, pretty perfect really. I got one lung, probably got either the liver or diaphram too, but didn't check that. She's a yearling or a two year-old, my scale showed her at a 100 pounds, it seems to way a little light, we were guessing her at 110-115. Just a nice eating sized doe that should be quite tender.

Now time for more wood cutting, ducks, walleyes, & hopefully a dandy buck.

[archerystud]

I hope to finally put my broadheads on this weekend and get out in the woods. I've been spending far too much time traveling for work. Hopefully I can post to the bow stand log forum soon.

At this point I'm not even going to hunt a couple of my best stands until late Oct.

[WaitForIt]

I've been out a few times and finding the activity pretty sparse so far. Time to switch spots - public land gets hammered so hard.

[alwaysonthemove]

I hope to finally put my broadheads on this weekend and get out in the woods. I've been spending far too much time traveling for work. Hopefully I can post to the bow stand log forum soon.

At this point I'm not even going to hunt a couple of my best stands until late Oct.

Either I wish I had your job or your patience.

you are kinda right on waiting till late oct. to hunt. but my self I can't wait it is like tellin a kid in a candy store to wait cause the fresh shipment comes in two weeks.

[tracker x-2]

Last night was a cool wet night in the stand. Notihng happing in the woods I actually seen more deer on the gravel road on the drive home. Hopefully I'll have a little better luck with some ducks this morning.

[archerystud]

Either I wish I had your job or your patience.

Well my work trips were not my choice so I wouldn't call that patience. I would have rather been bow hunting the opening two weekends but with the economy I'm grateful to have a job. I coach youth hockey so of course that is now getting in full swing.

So I'll coach hockey for a couple weekends and then I'll hit my stands pretty hard. At least I have quite a bit of vacation built up to burn the first week of Nov.

However, in 2007 my first bow hunt was on Oct 12th and I did get a buck with an 18.5 inch inside spread that dressed out at 184. So I do think there is something to staying out of the woods early on.

[Code-Man]

Friday I decided I would work a friday for a half day which would be a gold star for me on a friday. I just had a feeling I would see something. so at noon I took off got some stuff done at home headed north to get to my deer stand. Decided I would sit in my stand where I shot my big one last year. Wind was not perfect but figured I'd have a shot before they winded me. Strong 15 mph nw wind. Set up kept an eye to my west south and east. I'm only 50 yds off of a min road. about 5 I hear something when the wind died down North of me. I turn and there is an 8 point Chocolate rack buck sitting on the other side of the creek. I got my bow and got ready. It was standing at the trail I came down. FIgured I didn't have much time so I put up my range finder which i bought the night before 22.6 yds. OK!!!! Draw back with my Easton Axis ST and my new Rage 3 blade expandables. Picked right behind the shoulder let my arrow fly. As he ran up the hill I could see I hit perfect up down just I hit the shoulder blade. I am partially color blind so I texted my cousin and he called me telling me to get out of the woods and he'd be there an hour later to meet me. Told him how the deer ran off and he sounded excited. Got out of the woods felt greatly confident well now's when the story goes down hill or I should say up and down hills and across the river (3 times). We found instant blood and nice blood. Folowed it for a ways and he went about .3 miles before going back into the woods. We followed him up this hill down that hill across that river and this one. We followed him for 1.5 miles. Well we went tracking at 7 and at 11:30 pm we lost blood. Blood was hit and miss but we marked where the last blood was and decided we'd wait for daylight. Got out at 8 am the next day and we found one drop of blood after last blood (3 feet) and ya that was the highlight.

Don't know what happened to him. He either tried crossing the river and died in the process and sank which we don't think. Or he clotted up and will be found during rifle season when people start driving the woods. Even though we walked the whole property and didn't find him laying. Or he is clotted up and just fine. I hope it's the last one. I have never seen a chocolate rack before in my life and thought it was awesome to see and hopefully He is ok but just feels nasty. I've never lost a deer before and this feeling sucks!!!!!!!! So last night I got drunk to forget but it didn't work...

Today I went and bought new muzzy's to try out. I had them last year and thought Rage would be better for the tracking but I guessed wrong.

[archerystud]

Bummer Code man. About 5 years ago a friend of mine shot one with the gun while hunting next to the river. She jumped in and made it half way across and then he watched her sink.

[riverrat63]

cm, you might have hit him in no mans land it the spot right between the spine and lungs i shoot a doe a couple of years in that spot every thing looket good but never found the deer till gun hunting by brother shoot it and we looket at it had the arrow hole in her it was heeling up but u could still see it, dont worry keep your head up every budy makes mistakes no one is perfiect.