The Bow stand Log thread.

[96trigger]

Saw plenty of deer tonight, but they were in another field and nowhere close of enough for me to even get good count, I would say at a minimum 6 deer. On the way out, one deer fed by itself, looked like a buck, but getting dark I could just make out a crown and that was it. He paid no attention to me as I walked back to my truck.

On a crappy note, my trailcam was gone tonight. Would have been nice if I would have at least shot a buck, then I wouldn't feel so bad.

[USPENAMC]

I have seen more deer in our parking lot in eden prairie overnights than I have on my stand i plan on going this weekend again since i have let the hunting area chill for a week now

[Bowfritz1474]

I went out yesterday to an area I just got permission to hunt this year. No sooner did I get settled but I had 15 turkeys under my stand and pheasants in the field edge. After about another hour, I look down and a doe had slipped in near my stand - no idea I was there. I drew and shot - must have deflected a little because when I saw her run off, the arrow was sticking out of her back quarter and her leg was limp. I looked up and had a 3 point standing their eating too - tines about 12 inches long - looked like he was about 2.5 years old.

I waited a little, got down to find my arrow and started to trail. I followed the blood trail (squirting out both sides) and saw where she stopped in a field. I heard her stumbling/rustling in the weeds so I backed out to give her time. About 45 minutes later, came back and she jumped up and ran into the woods/swamp. Checked the area where she was rustling and only found 1 drop of blood - none on the reeds or ground. Went back this morning to find her and found no additional blood and no deer - I did not find my arrow either.

This is the first deer I have ever lost and I feel horrible! I am second guessing my shot and my stand and my bow... I need to get out shooting today, brush it off and get back in the stand (right?).

BTW - the blood trail after I shot her was dark red and squirting out both sides of her body - there was a lot of blood, that is why I trailed her after 45 minutes.

[Wanderer]

This is the first deer I have ever lost and I feel horrible! I am second guessing my shot and my stand and my bow... I need to get out shooting today, brush it off and get back in the stand (right?).

Yes, you should get out shooting again before your next hunt to answer those questions. And yes, you should question your total setup if only to reassure yourself everything is O.K.

You'll replay that shot when you get back in your stand a hundred times - or at least until you figure out what went wrong. To "brush it off" sounds a little like you don't care but I bet you do care and care very much, but you'll move on.

Losing a deer is definately one of the worst feelings you can experience in hunting. Sorry to hear it happened to you but the upshot is you always learn from it.

Good luck out there.

[archerystud]

With the cool weather (and snow) I'm expecting some good reports over the weekend. I'm probably still a week and half a way from being able to bow hunt.

[spivak]

Here in the Duluth area this morning birds were really on the move. Mixed flocks of sparrows (white-throated and fox), robins, bluejays and warblers. Had a golden crowned kinglet land on my arrow. Those fox sparrows are the noisest birds. They get right in the duff and scratch hard as they throw leaves and sticks all over. They always make me look expecting to see a deer. Saw a doe with her fawn at 40 yards eating acorns and moving through the woods. Seems like they are sampling everything.

[mudslinger64]

saw nothing on stand this afternoon but did see 1 cross the road again on the way out.it looked like a big bodied deer but couldn't tell if it had horns.i am going out in the morning to look for a spot to put a stand closer to where i have been seeing all of these deer coming out of,i have been seeing them everytime on my way out but they come out in different places everytime with no real trails they are just popping out of the heavy brush anywhere along a 1/2 mile stretch along the road from the south side going north where i have my stand.

[alwaysonthemove]

I wish i was heading to the stand this morning. Instead I am heading to work so I can try to win the Nobel Peace Prize to just like our feerless do nothing leader.

[tracker x-2]

I was out last night and had two does come by me and walk all around. They where probaby twenty yards or so it was fun to watch and then about thirty min. later a Six Pt. walked by and made a little scrape. All in all it was a great night out and sure was nice to see some deer.

[DoubleLunger]

Was out Thurs. night and saw nothing. Friday morn i passed on a nice doe hoping for some horn. No dice. Friday night brought a doe and two fawns by a different stand, but that's it. The bucks are really scraping now and it's only a matter of time. To get more frustrated probably.

[Stratosman]

The last two sits I have seen an awesome amount of deer movement. Last Sunday I saw between 15-20 deer including 7 bucks, all young ones except one really nice 10-12 with great tines, came to within 35 yards and turned and followed the 8 it as with... oh well. Of course had 3 other bucks come by at 15 yards, but that's why they get big. Last night saw 5, 4 of which were bucks with one real nice one that stayed back in the brush, 3 came out within 30 yards but were only 1.5-2.5 year old 6-8 pointers....Hope to get out tomorrow.

[mudslinger64]

well i got another stand up today.with the snow on the ground this morning i got to get out and scout the area i have been seeing deer cross the road.it turns out there are a few trails coming out of the thick stuff,by 11:00am there were several that were full of fresh tracks so i spent some time checking out the side of the road i have been seeing the deer heading to.i found a real nice looking spot for a stand between 2 very thick alder brush areas,there are 4 different trails that come together into 1 to get through this spot.i found a nice popple tree that has a couple spruce trees behind it to break up my outline,my stand is 20 yards off of the main trail and 20ft up to the platform.the only thing that bugs me about where i have it is i have to walk on the main trail for about 30 yards before i get to my stand,this was the only good spot for a stand lots of balsam and alder brush here,so after i got my stand up i made a mock scrape on the trail put a little tinks 69 on it and hung a scent wick in a tree next to it.i also put my boot pads on with some of the tinks on them and headed out.i will be in the stand early in the morning and hopefully be able to ambush 1 on its way back to the bedding area.

[Bear55]

Sunday night was a fun sit for me, passed up a spiker practically under my stand and then had 4 does/fawn feeding near me for about an hour but they were just out of range in the brush. Then like I usually do I give a couple of grunts with about 10 minutes of shooting light left. Just a few minutes later I see a little movement back in the woods, two deer moving my way. Then it hits me, the urge to sneeze is coming on fast and there is nothing I could do. I tried to supress the noise as much as possible but the jig was up. They started blowing at me and slowly backed out. I couldn't see the racks, judging from the body size they were probably just 2.5 year olds and I would have passed then anyway but I sure would have been nice to get a look at them. Oh well, time to give that stand a little rest and and hit it up in a week or so.

[rbs]

Went out last night thinking that it would be a great night on the stand. I had a couple fawns laying in the corner as I walked up the field edge and kicked them out. I never saw another deer until I started walking out. I had 2 does and 4 fawns 50yds from my truck...figures...lol

What does everyone else do when you know there are deer between you and your exit? I thought about going thru the standing corn but I knew that would make alot of noise. I have had this happen about 5 times now but I want to make sure they all stay around like some decoys for the bucks. If I keep bumping them off the field I would think that sooner or later they will just not come back.

[Stratosman]

You are right about not wanting to continually bump deer, just for the reason you stated... Is there any other way in or out? Might need to get creative, or might have to take the long way out.

Had another good sit last evening. Passed 3 does and saw about 6 more does as well as 2 maybe 3 shooter bucks with 2 other small ones. The biggest came out at 50 yards and walked the opposite direction as me.... That's two times in a row, next time down I am putting a stand where the bucks are staging prior to entering the fields after dark. I am starting to hone in on the big one...

[96trigger]

Go get em stratosman. almost all of my sits right now are scouting sits, it will get good later on, usually I have to move at least one stand, and I usually get a shot at a nice buck in that stand the day I move it. I didn't get out last weekend, but with MEA this week, I'll get out over the next 4 days.

[woody1975]

Have only hunted twice this year - Have a bunch of kids and we are trying to sell the house.

My nephew wanted to get out in his stand again, so against my wifes better judgement, we went out. He had hockey until 4:30, so we couldn't get to our stands before 5:30. About 6:30 I looked through the woods and saw a dark image walking past a car (junk car the land owner has in the woods) and it was moving my way. 6:45 he is 30 yards away and turns into the cornfield that I am hunting and it appears that he is gone. I decide to try grunt a couple times. Nothing. I take off my fat man strap and am getting ready to get down, when I look up and here he is poking his head out the corn field. At this point he is 30 yards away. He moves closer and turns broadside. Two branches are in the way. All I need is one more step, so I draw the Truth 2 and prepare mentally for the shot. By this time it is starting to get dark. He turns and starts to walk closer. at 15 yards he turns so he is quartering towards me. By this time I had held the bow for about 5 minutes. I look through my peep and the &%*$ thing is turned slightly. I do a little mathematical equation and settle my pin high on the front, as he is only 15 yards away and send the arrow. I see it bury right above the shoulder right where I was aiming and he bolts right under my stand and into the woods. Just before he is out of sight, it appeared that he slowed down a bit. I sent my bow down out of the tree and headed right for the truck. Picked the nephew up and we went back to look for any blood (Arrow never came out) - No blood for the first 20 yards. This didn't surprise me without a pass thru, but it was enough to make me nervous. Back to the truck to call in the tracking crew. 2 brothers and a cousin show up about an hour later. By this time, he had an hour and a half to sit. We started the track where I hit it and immediately started to second guess everything. We were following tracks for 20 yards (this is the point where I could no longer see him) and at this point there was still no blood. "Man - I saw the arrow go in nice - I know it wasn't the best angle, but I hit him good?" Another 10 yards and we are basically on our hands and knees looking for anything besides just the tracks. My brother is kinda leading the pack and he looks up with his head lamp - "Well he's right here!" There were high-fives a flying. My shot was right where it needed to be - Above the shoulder - Through the boiler room and was buried just under the hide on the other side. Total distance from shot to recovery was approximately 35 yards. The only problem was I did a horrible job of field dressing, but a trip to the hose fixed that all up!!! It wasn't a huge rack, but a big deer. The interesting thing was that his G2 and G3 tines flared out, which is pretty cool. Pics to follow!

DL

[Wanderer]

Congrats and thanks for the story!

[spivak]

Last night I watched 7 does and fawns parade by on a trail outside of my hunting area. A Goshawk landed on the next tree under my feet. The squirrels were skurring about that. At dark a grouse puttered along the trail. I was sure it was a deer. They make a lot of noise.

Lucky enough to be able to go out again this morning. It was so still and cool. Leaves have come down some and the woods are opened up. It's just the best time to be out there. A small doe fed her way along and under my stand. She went through an opening and presented a nice quartering away shot at 15 yards. The arrow hit behind the shoulder and angled in without passing through. She ran off and then I heard her crash down. I waited 20 minutes and just sat there looking at the leaves and thinking about all the things you set in motion when you take a shot. Heard another deer moving towards me. A forkhorn coming through, talking to himself. Soft little grunts as he was walking through the woods. Forkhorns are a nice little deer. Lots of self confidence, healthy, and looking like a million dollars with that big white throat patch.

Came down and looked for blood by a tree I watched the deer run by. I found no blood. And then I started to get worried. It never fails that I begin to doubt the shot. Looked down the hill and there she was piled up. Back tracked her and the blood trail didn't start for 20 yards. And then it was a torrent. Through the right lung and the top of the heart. A nice doe. Sometimes I wonder if I'm justified in all this when I see this once animated form still and bloody. Seeing a deer walk through the woods brings the whole world alive and in focus.

[sparkyaber]

Congrats woody!

I went north again to my mothers house. Three of us went out Saturday morning, two along a field one deep in the woods. In the wind blow snow, man, it was cold. I saw 3 does running around the field we hunt on, looking like they were playing, never slowed down, just prancing around in the snow. The guy that went deep in the woods must have scared them out. The one buddy comes down the field about 8 0'clock, saying he is cold, so down to the house we go. About 8:30 my buddy that got me out of the stand says the third guy is trying to be the "toughest" and stay out the longest, and I said he is probably gutting one out. I head outside to pick potatoes for breakfast and the guy in the house screams out to the garden "he got one!" Sure enough, here is the last guy in the party dragging a decent sized doe down the field.

His first dear ever with a bow. What a good day for him. He said he saw 10 deer back in the deep part of the woods.

That night I only saw one deer from my stand, and only for a few seconds. I really need to move that stand.

The next morning I head back into the deep woods. We did not have much time to be out because I had to be back to the cities if we got no deer in the morning. I really hoped to get a deer, because I really did not want to rush home.

Well, about 7:30 I hear something off to my left and a lone deer starts to walk off in front of me. I think "man it looks to be a decent size", I decided I was going to shoot it if it came into the shooting lane in front of the stand. It makes its way in front of me, and gets behind some brush, I pull back and as soon as she steps out of the brush, I let the arrow fly, high in the left shoulder and a deafening thud. She turns around and stops running after about 20 yards. I thought, "that can't be, did I miss her!". Then she tipped over died quickly.

Now this is the first deer I have ever shot, period. I have never even taken a deer with a gun let alone a bow. Once she turned around I saw how small she was. Just a yearling. I got down after about 20 minutes and round up my buddies ready to take my ribbings. We get a cup of coffee, and head back out to gut and retrieve it. To put iceing on the cake the arrow came out right through the front of the guts. I thought it was strait on broad side, but she must have been quartering towards me. We figure it was the yearling of the one my buddy shot a day earlier.

Well, I won't make that mistake of shooting a little one every again. I feel kinda bad that it won't grow up to be bigger, but on the other hand, I have my first deer, and she will taste good.

Now I have to wait for the bucks to start moving.

[Wanderer]

What does everyone else do when you know there are deer between you and your exit? I thought about going thru the standing corn but I knew that would make alot of noise.

You may shake your head at this but has worked for me...

It gets tricky and I don't know the lay of your land but if you don't have another way out, what I've done in the past is actually make the noise and sometimes alot of it.

The trick seems to be stay out of sight and down wind - yes but don't travel like a human with the predictable slow step, step, stop.

If, for example in the corn, you can safely pull off a high step trot and keep it continuous and maybe throw in a grunt or two on your call they wouldn't associate that with a human. They might get edgy but will probably stand there and concentrate on the noise out of curiousity.

Maybe change your parking spot too if you can so they don't catch you getting into your truck. If you just disappear out their lives and they can hear you go - they usually don't care.

Sound like a deer. Be a deer. They'll bust ya the other way anyhow so you have nothing to lose.

[96trigger]

Quote:

I won't make that mistake of shooting a little one every again. I feel kinda bad that it won't grow up to be bigger, but on the other hand, I have my first deer, and she will taste good.

Congrats, your first is one to remember. You might get that feeling everytime you shoot a deer as they truly are beautiful creatures. Don't feel bad about taking a yearling, they are the best tasting and I prefer to shoot those over old does anyday.

As for walking out, I wait until dark and bang my release on the stand, not super loud, but loud enough, they usually run off, when I get back to my truck and drive by the field, they are back out in the field again. As long as you don't make human sounds or let them see you, they run, investigate, and return. I do this and have never had one blow at me and I often see the same deer over and over again.

[KOTTKE]

Congrats on your first ever deer!!! Dont ever feel bad about taking an animal with a stick and string.That is quit an accomplishment. She will be good eating.

[james_walleye]

Hey Trigger when do you think things will heat up over there?

[96trigger]

Jamie, 10 to 14 days at the earliest, I will put all my money down on the week after Halloween. I will be out every night that week.