Bow stand log

[bottom-bouncer]

went out tonite sat a spot that I have not hunted yet this year. Had a doe and fawn come in around 5 they hung out untill 6:15 she kept trying tp pick me off eventually she did a couple hoof stomps and some head bobbing so she had to go she should have just kept her mouth closed. I was going to let her walk But Thaawap! The last of my doe tags with the bow I am going to try muzzy hunting this year so I wanted to save one tag for that being I have never shot a anything with a smokepole before.

[tunrevir]

Was out last night for the evening sit. Saw a single doe early meandering along and later towards dark a decent 8 point that trotted in when I grunted, then turned and headed into the wind after checking out the area. Best part, is the deer turned and walked right in on my buddys setup just down the woods and he thumped him.

Tunrevir~

[MUSKY18]

Went out yesterday morning and sat from 10-1. Walking into my stand location, I found 5 new scrapes that have appeared within the last couple days. Tried some rattling and grunting, but nothing was moving, at least where I was. Had to leave to take my daughter to the Orthodontist, and as I am walking back out to the truck, I find a fresh scrape over the top of my footprints from the walk in. Go figure?!?!?!?!?! Its the way my season has gone so far.

[96trigger]

Went out last night. Had a doe and two button bucks come through and feed in front of me. She was cagey, know something was up, but didn't spook. About 6:00 a buck runs out and chases her back in the woods. Another bigger 6 or smaller 8 point buck. Nothing to shoot at. Tomorrow is my last day in the stand with the bow, I have all day off and plan on using it to sit pretty much all day. Hopefully I can seal the deal, wish the weather was going to be a little nicer.

Jamie, Have not seen the pics of that big buck yet.

[DonBo]

Finally put some venison on the ground this morning. Love those bonus tags! Hit her at 8:30, in the truck by 9:30, in the fridge by 10:30, back to work by 11:00. Not a bad morning.

My wife was so happy. She thought we may actually have to buy some beef pretty soon.

[delmuts]

Was out this morning from daylight til 10:30. Watched a 2 1/2 year old attack a tree! The tree was about three inches in dia., and he had it bent over lunging at it! Course he didn't come my way!! Had a small doe come thru but out of range. A good morning. Plan to be out in the morning again. This afterenoon is out. Just got done with therapy on my shoulder. To sore to even try pulling my bow! I'll finish winterizing the boat instead!

[FL SNIPER]

Tunrevir...thanks for scaring that buck my way last night...I take back what I said about you on the forum the other day!!!!

[96trigger]

Sat all day yesterday. Wind had them hunkered down. Didn't see a deer until almost 6:15, and it was dark. Walking out they were just coming out in the field to feed. Don't know what to tell you about the rut. There was a decent buck (small 8) feeding with does when I left, I didn't see any chasing and the does all had fawns. On Tuesday night in a different location I had a younger buck come and chase off a doe with her two fawns. I haven't seen the big guys. I have had almost no luck calling anything in with either the rattle bag, or the grunt tube. It really feels to me like we are still in a pre-rut stage in my area of the southeast. When the rut is going, I'll see bucks cruising across fields and wandering through the woods at all times. Have not seen that this year yet. Its been a strange fall.

[NELS-BELLS]

I also sat all day yesterday and like 96trigger, I didn't see anything until the evening. I was set up near the edge of a picked bean field in the afternoon and saw 5 deer come into the field right after the sun set. One was a small buck that was about 120 yards out in the middle of the field. I used a grunt call to call him within about 40 yards of me. When I thought he wasn't going to get any closer, I took a shot at him, guessing he was only about 30 yards out. Unfortunately he was more like 37 yards out because the arrow went about 3" below him. Oh well, at least I had some excitement.

I'm going to take a break from bowhunting until late December and focus on Pheasants now.

Nels

[1eyeReD]

Sat Thurs morning... Bright & early. Had a 10 pt cruise within 25 yds at early light about 7:40am. My 2nd encounter with a shooter buck this week. This guy must've went 140". He was under a lower canopy of brush which made it hard to find his outline through my peep site, but he did offer one shot. I let off one arrow off at a spot I picked behind the shoulders. Low & behold there were a few twigs sticking up from a brush about 10 yards out that I didn't see... Again, there was enough light to see my pins and some color on the ground but the buck was in the darker area.. The arrow deflected and missed him clean. Oh geeze.. I don't think I'll have any more opportunities like that after gun opener (please tell me different).

Now it's time to focus on a doe to avoid tag soup after the gun season closes. Got a nice place up north where dumb does are plentyful.

[archerystud]

Have been bowhunting all week. I'm seeing a few deer and passed on 3 small bucks. I did have a nice 8 (130 class) at 25 yards on Monday but couldn't get a shot at him.

On Wednesday night I found a freshly picked cornfield that I had permission to hunt and in a back corner was a tree that had fallen down with corn around it. So I decided to try a "corn blind". I had a small 9 point buck and a doe fawn anywhere from 5 feet to 20 yards away for 20 mins. It was a blast. I'll post pics of the buck later when I get to my computer (using my parents now and the USB port is broke). I could here the doe chewing on corn. At one point she peed in the field and the buck was so close he did a lip curl and I could hear him breathing in.

Last night I had a group of 4 does go by. I've seen the 4 together a few times but this time one bedded down by me and let the other 3 leave. After a few minutes she got up, peed on her back legs and took a different trail away. She was on the same trail I had seen the nice 8 on Monday night so I was really pumped until quitting time. No bucks showed up during legal light. Oh well.

I got some pretty good pics from some different stands. I'll post them on the view from a stand topic next week.

One more evening until gun season. Still got a chance.

[Lunker]

North-cenrtal WI. Been hunting evenings this week. Pretty slow, couple does,a spike, and a fork is all i've seen. On the camera there were two eights two nights ago, both feeding actively. Haven't been seeing much sign of the rut yet.

[archerystud]

UGGHHHHH!

Well I saw the big 8 tonight and put a bad hit on him. I drew back and thought he'd follow the does but he didn't. Then he stopped with his butt facing me for a long time and I was just about to drop my bow and he turned quartering away. I hit him in the back leg. I am completely sick to my stomach.

I plan on going and listening for coyotes in about an hour. Otherwise I'm leaving him overnight. I'll go in with the gun tomorrow. Wish me luck!!! I hope I get some sleep tonight.

Lesson learned is next time I'll drop my draw and just not take the shot.

#$@%@!#$%@@#$%@#$%

[Steve Foss]

Best of luck finding him dead and intact, archerystud!

[archerystud]

Thanks Steve, I swear minutes are ticking by like hours right now.

[Sproguy]

Well ArcheryStud your story gave me the courage to confess my story today. I am just sick and will most likely not sleep tonight!

I have hunted everyday since Friday the 29th. I have seen a couple good bucks and one MONSTER that winded me at 45 yards. I have seen mixed results, the wind mid week really had them down, but finally this am the deer were moving. I had a doe early, a fork, a doe being chased by a different fork, and 2 does that were VERY twitchy to say the least all before 830. Well about 845 a beautiful 10 pointer showed himself, not a giant but shooter in most books, and is for sure a shooter in mine. He came in and slowed down right at the perfect spot, then really slowed down. He was about to enter my 25 yard lane and I drew and just knew this buck was mine! Well he stopped and turned toward me and just stood there. I had my bow drawn for awhile and my mind started to RACE. I just didn't know what to do, he lifted his head and busted me! Well my mind at the speed of light thought, "Other guys shoot them from straight ahead!" At the same time the other side of my brain was screaming NO, NO, NO, as I released the arrow. He turned on the string I guess and I hit him in the shoulder with about 90% of the arrow hanging out he ran away! I almost threw up off the stand, I knew how bad I had screwed up. It was a huge mistake! I have no one but myself to blame, I know better and I just flat out screwed up. (To my fellow bowhunters, I honestly am sorry!)

I gathered a friend and we tracked him for almost 200 yards before we found even a drop of blood, then a short blood trail that lasted maybe 75 yards and it stopped. I spent 4 hours on my hands and knees trying to find even another spec of blood, there just isn't any. No arrow, no blood and no deer. Finally around 4 I started doing grids to see if I can find the deer. No luck! All told I think there was less then 25 actual drops of blood over a 75 yard stretch. I hit him in the shoulder, I screwed up! I will look again tomorrow but I fully expect that he is wounded but still on his feet, for that I can not say how sorry I am! I feel terrible! I am a man but a couple times while crawling on my hands and knees I got tears in my eyes knowing I wounded an animal that might not die for several weeks/months.

I am truly sick! So Archerystud and my fellow bowhunters that have screwed up, please remember it has happened to others as well. You are not alone in the sick empty feeling that will haunt you for a very long time.

Sorry guys, I tried, but I had to leave a wounded animal out there because he isn't wounded enough. I am just sick!

[archerystud]

Sproguy,

It will happen eventually but I know how you feel. I had a blood trail but with the cooler temps time is on my side. Yotes might find him but I'd rather find half a deer than no deer.

As an ethical bowhunter we should feel bad. The best advice to give would be to think what you did wrong and how you could correct it. I know what I'll do next time. I panicked because I rushed the shot since I was worried I held the bow so long. I think this winter I'll practice some "long hold" shots and see what kind of group I can hold.

I haven't heard any coyotes yet but I'm going back out in a few minutes.

This is one time I'm hoping I'm more LUCKY than good.

[Stratosman]

Spro Guy.... takes alot of guts to admit your mistakes where everyone can blast you...It is sad when a deer is wounded and lost, but we owe it to the deer to do what we can to find it which it sounds like you did. And then realize it's a painful and very valuable lesson. I bet you will never take that shot again! We've all been there so I surely 'aint about to cast the first stone...

Archerystud good luck in findin him, at least it's a cool night, hopefully you hit the main artery in the leg and he bled out in short order.

[delmuts]

We all make bad shots sooner or later! It sucks! The best we can do i do what what ever we can to recover the deer, then learn from our mistakes! I did the same thing last week. Had the deer quartering away, and shot to close to the front leg missing all the vitals!

[archerystud]

Update:

I have a good blood trail up to the river where the buck jumped in.... I have a call in to get permission to check on the other side. It will be a tough track but if he made it across I think I will be able to find it. At a minimum I think I'll get permission to go in after season, which I will do as early as I can.

Stay tuned I'm not done yet......

[DonBo]

Update:

I have a good blood trail up to the river where the buck jumped in.... I have a call in to get permission to check on the other side. It will be a tough track but if he made it across I think I will be able to find it. At a minimum I think I'll get permission to go in after season, which I will do as early as I can.

Stay tuned I'm not done yet......

Be sure to check your side of the river far downstream. I've seen them swim/float for some time and end up on the same side. We found one dead, floating up against a deadfall far out into the water.

Good luck, hope you don't have to wait till the season's over to have a look.

[Shu]

Spent about 7 hours in the stand with my son today in WI and never saw a deer. Very strange. The wind was really blowing but that may be the first skunk of the year. We'll try it again tomorrow.

[Rippinlip]

sproguy,

Happens and is it not unbelievable how bad it makes us as hunters feel?

Sounds like you did what you could, good luck and move on.

archerystud,

Hope it all pans out for you that you might be able to recover him in whatever shape he is in, closure is a big part of it.

Good Luck gentlemen in finding and getting over some bad situations.

Mark

[archerystud]

Hey guys,

I never found where he crossed. I spent nearly all day Saturday looking for the buck and have no idea how many miles I walked. I looked until 5PM and never picked up the track. I did recover the arrow and it never passed through so it may only be a flesh wound for that guy.

Donbo,

He either didn't make it across or he did like you said. I checked all of our shoreline but that's all I had permission to check. As high as the MN river is right now I doubt he could have swam up stream.

[Steve Foss]

Sorry to hear it, archerystud. It happens to most every dedicated hunter sooner or later, but it sucks when it does!