2011 Archery Log

[james_walleye]

Found him !! Story to come......

[Archerysniper]

Congrats James can't wait for the story and very buck and pic too.

[Stratosman]

Hey nice job! Let's get the story posted...

[james_walleye]

Well I was set up early with the decoy out. About 745 a 5 pointer and buttonbuck came in. The 5 pointer reacted to the decoy picture perfect. The 2 settled in and were munching on acorns. About 800 I noticed the deer looking past my tree at something. Afraid to move I waited. He eventually came into view behind me. It was the 10 pointer I had watched last night through the spotting scope. I got drawn and let it fly. To my horror I pulled the shot badly to the left. Sick to my stomach I just got down and went to my truck. A couple friends and I walked in about 230. The initial blood I had found disappeared. After 10 minutes and no blood my friend was booting and hollering. He had stumbled across the buck. Nearest we could tell he came across the fenceline but couldn't jump it and walked up the hill and bedded in the grass. I had hit guts very far back but I was obviously thrilled that my poor shot didn't result in a lost deer. He weighed in at 180 lbs. He was just a hair shy of 17" wide. Havent taped him fully but should gross in that 125-130" range. I expierienced the whole roller coaster of emotions today. It was a fantastic hunt.

[mabr]

WTG James, we all know that feeling. Thankfully you recovered him. I went through something similar earlier this year on a doe I made a terrible shot on and recovered her by pure luck.

Nice buck by the way.

[Archerysniper]

How did he respond to the decoy,did he come face on and give you the perfect shot. Just wondering if he did what most of mine do when the come to the decoy.

[james_walleye]

With 2 other bucks feeding near the decoy he just fed his way in. At one point me made his way 10 yards downwind of him with was basically facing him, but didn't pay a lot of attention to it.

[Archerysniper]

Congrats James I very happy everything worked out even the recovery,you put your time in and did everything right and deserved the trophy. Now I hope I can do the same thing tomorrow night I'm finally hitting my rut stand tomorrow night and bringing the 14 year old neighbor girl with and hope to show her how it's done it wont matter to me how big it is just so she has fun and can hopefully connect on the big one running the area.

[goblueM]

what a relief to find him! glad you got him back, there's nothing worse than that feeling haunting you for a long time

[Wanderer]

Congrats James and good luck Jeremy.

Work, broken tractors and higher learning have been keeping me out of the woods. I'm cheating on my homework right now as it is. I am thinking I might not be feeling real good in a few days though.

I hope I have something to share with you guys soon!

[Archerysniper]

Congrats James and good luck Jeremy.

I am thinking I might not be feeling real good in a few days though.

I hope I have something to share with you guys soon!

I think works gonna slowdown this week for me also

[Rippinlip]

Congrats on a great buck and so happy for you on the recovery.

[Rippinlip]

As far as hunting goes this year for me, its really been up and down.

Most of my time on the stand this year, being that it hasn't been all that much.

Has been fairly good, seen deer most of the time.

I think sometimes I have set my standards too high on bucks, I have passed on 2 bucks well within shooting range, 1 at 15 yards and another at 6 yards.

Saturday was another story. I had 1 of the 2 shooters I want come in and gave me no true shot, had him at 25-30 yards most of the time, but the angles and brush let me no clear shot and I want to make a killing shot, not to wound or hope for a kill.

Luckily the wife put one in the freezer already.

I am just hoping the Deer Gods will grant me another encounter with a nice buck this year.

Think I will make this week a little shorter at work....

[96trigger]

Rippin, don't lower your standards, the time where you should get a shot at one of your choice bucks is just around the corner. Stay at it and hopefully you'll get your shot.

[Abndoc]

Don't lower your standards...things are just heating up!! I was starting to feel the same way, it’s that October lull getting to you. I have past on everything small so far. A couple of basket 8's and 6's, because of the big boys I know have out there. I was also starting to second guess myself this week after not seeing much on the last couple of hunts...well that changed last night, and I'm pumped about the next 2 weeks. I went out yesterday morning—nothing, back out yesterday about 2pm. At 5, I see 3 does working towards me along a ridgeline, they then disappear into a swamp. About 6, I see a tail flicker 75 yards away. Then I see a deer falling? hopping? acting very strange. I grabbed my binos to see if this was a wounded deer. No!! It was a very large 8 chasing those does around. well he chases one into the swamp and they disappear. The other 2 start coming at me, by this time is starting to get dark. I draw back waiting for one of the does to step into my shooting lane. I have does tags over here in Wisconsin. Well she finally steps out at 35 yards, but being just alittle to dark for my liking, I back off. I start to get my gear together to call it a night, and crash, crash. Here comes the big 8 after the other doe. Knock an arrow real quick to see if they come close. They are coming right at me, I draw back, just waiting for the chance, well they turn down the same route the other does went. I again back off, not taking the chance of hitting some twig I can’t see. Frustrating yes! Exciting! Yes. Those days we are all waiting for are here or coming. Be patient, you’ll get your big boy or aleast another chance! Good luck everyone.

[Bear55]

Nice buck James! Congrats

[mrklean]

great looking buck

[sticknstring]

Congrats on the 10 pt James - sounds like an exciting morning!

[archerystud]

Things are heating up. I've got 2-3 on camera that all need one more year. I had a nice 2.5 year old 8 pointer at 22 yards on Sat night. Hope to have him at the same distance in 2-3 years.

[Archerysniper]

Didn't pan out for me tonight with bringing my neighbor girl out. I get her all camoed up and we walk the 1/4 mile to the stand,in the tree at 5 and were jokeing around and around 5:30 a gun shot ring out about 100 yards away not sure if it came from the other neighbors house we sit and then another shot. I tell her to stay in the tree and I'm going to see whats going on,we are hunting a cemetery and have permission from the church. I walk down into the woods and can here a duck call and walk up to 2 teenage boys trespassing and duck hunting a 20 yard wide slough. So I tell the to grab their gear and get. So I thought that was it and might salvage our hunt and climb back into the tree with her and settle in. At 6:15 a truck pulls into the cemetery and start blowing his horn then holding it down,then they jump out and start walking thru the woods. I pack up my gear and head towards the truck to see what the problem is. It was the kids dad and says I have no right to kick his kids out, I then explain I have permission to hunt it and asked if they did also and the father replies I have lived here all my life and don't need to ask it's church land. I explained that it is still private property and he needs to ask and can't do what whatever he wants. He then tells me he will make sure that I never kill another deer out of there because he will drive thru honking and get out and walk through the woods. That's when I explained that is hunter harassment and he should read his game laws because I will call the warden and he uses his truck the will seize it and charge him with a misdemeanor. That was when his attitude change and he walked off to his truck and left.

[goblueM]

wow that's just an unpleasant experience right there. glad you kept your cool

[Andrew Erickson]

wow thats [PoorWordUsage]

[gopher_nation]

That is the definition of an A - HOLE. Sounds like he is also setting a good example for the upcoming generation of hunters also. You handled the situation well, good job.

[paceman]

Good Job archerysniper! Those situations really suck but you handled it like a true sportsman. Hopefully the neighbor girl was not too upset by it and will go out with you again. Kudos to you for taking her out!

[96trigger]

Man, it seems like there is one born every minute. I would have had a hard time being that diplomatic.