I have been out a couple more times with no luck. I have found great sign lately but no sightings. Some really huge scrapes, and rubs everywhere. Just got to keep trying. Can’t let yourself get down.

I went out the next day. It was completely a different day. Sun was shining and it was sort of warm out. I decided to enter the other side of this place because of the wind. I headed to my tree stand. While on my way there. I noticed 8 deer on the neighbors field. I couldn’t tell if they were bucks or doe but I knew they were deer. I made my way up in the stand and watched. They hung out in the field for close to 30 minutes after I got in the stand.

Then they took off. I didn’t know why. But I soon found out that two coyotes where headed into the field and the deer knew it. The yotes never came close enough for a shot. But it was cool sitting there watching them do there thing.

I sat there for another 4 hours and watched the crows fly by and had about 20 prarie chickens cruise through. I got down and moved to the opposite end of the field. Sat there for about an hour. I killed two squirrel there.

Then decided to try and move and rattle. I headed to another field. And went a couple miles in. It is a huge field. I did have a nice 10 pointer walk out on one of my sequences but he had his head to the ground and was chasing does. I never saw him again. I attempted to get ahead of him but it didn’t work.

These have been the best two days of my season so far. The action is either all or none.

Went out this morning November 11th. This is the same day that I shot my first deer with a bow last year. But never found it. I pulled up to the field and was debating on sitting in either a blind or treestand. It was misting out pretty good and was suppose to last most of the morning. So I opted for the blind.

I was in the field around 45 minutes before daylight. I had already prepared a sight to sit in and cut shooting lanes. As I approached I noticed that every step I took I was making a sloushing sound. So I slowed my roll and took a little longer getting into position than I wanted too. I got to the area I had prepared and noticed a dark face staring at me 5 feet away with little white antlers on top. It was a spike buck. He didn’t hang around to long and I moved in and set up my blind. I wasn’t there but 10 minutes and had a 6 pointer only 15 feet away coming straight in. He got within about 10 feet and saw the blind and wasn’t sure about it. He circled out to about 20 yards and just stood there behind a tree. Looking in my direction. I drew on him thinking he was going to be my first kill with the bow. But he eventually blew and ran off. I decided to do a snort wheeze and try to cover his hasty retreat.

5 minutes later I looked out and noticed there was another 6 pointer huge bodied deer some where around 250 lbs. standing 20 feet infront of me right where I had thrown corn out a few days before. He picked up on my movement because of the style of blind I was in. It is narrower on the top. Unfortunately that is where most of your movement is when drawing a bow. He walked away and couldn’t resist the corn he stood out there at 70 yards and just watched. Then he started to make his way back. I got drawn early this time and waited. He came in broadside. I thought here we go he is thirty yards I have this guy. (I am not picky at this point because I am still trying to get something with my bow.) I aimed a little low because on all these videos you see deer jumping the string. So I anticipated this. Anyway my arrow hit a limb and fell right underneath him. He whirled around and headed back into the trees. I knew I didn’t hit him but had to go check the arrow. Sure enough it was a clean miss.

I decided this wasn’t a bad spot if already in 35 minutes I had seen three bucks. I grabbed my pop in my bag and had made up my mind I was going to sit and wait it out. I just happened to look up and saw antlers everywhere. A huge main frame 10 pointer with split brow tines stood exactly in the same spot as the first deer. That is right he was a twelve pointer. I slowly reached for my bow but he saw my arm move. He decided he would step away and I never got a shot at him.

I watched him for about 15 minutes as he hung out just at 50 yards but amongst the Lucas trees. So no shot. Then I heard it. A really loud crack. I looked out the window and saw a nice 8 pointer pushing around a nice 10 pointer. They were only 25 yards away. I grabbed my rattle bag and gave it a smack. The 8 came flying in. He stopped at 35 yards real briefly right in front of me. I started to draw but he was ready to fight and he moved off still looking for the buck that had made that rattling noise. It was me. I watched the 10 standing their looking in my direction. But he went into the trees and never gave me a shot.

I can usually keep my composure relatively well. But when you have 6 – 7 bucks on you in less than 2 hours with a fight and a shot and then rattling one up. I was a mess. I couldn’t believe the buck fever I was feeling. I sat there for another two hours and didn’t see anything I decided to go and maybe come back later that day or the next.

What a day. This is what deer hunting and archery is all about.

Went out with team member Curt Massey in hopes to get a shot at a deer. We headed out early and got into position right before daylight. Started hearing cracks in the woods we were overlooking. We sat on the ground that morning out in amongst some Locus trees that we have seen deer in. Hoping to catch some of them leaving a food plot we had put in. Didn’t realize that the field was covered in cattle. That is until the cracks we kept hearing were actually the whole herd moving through the timber.

We had several come right up to us. We sat there and just watched for the longest time. We had some ducks fly right by us. And more cattle came through. Finally we had enough with the cows and threw some hedge apples there way in hopes to scare them off. It seemed to work but they eventually came back and just stood there. We couldn’t believe it.

We moved further down the creek bed and got closer to the water edge. We decided to do some calling and managed to call in four more cattle. Not exactly what we were after. Eventually we decided to move one more time to the opposite end of the property. We couldn’t catch a break with these cattle.

We sat up and called and had a great looking set up. There was tons of deer sign here from the past season. So we thought we had a shot. After about 30 – 45 minutes we didn’t see anything. So we left. As we headed out we went to check the trail cam. We decided to leave it cause there wasn’t many photos on it. We think this was do to the our unseasonably warm temperatures this year. The deer just didn’t seem to be moving like normal.

Curt happened to look back and saw something moving quickly along the tree line. He said deer. I looked and sure enough it was a deer. A buck that was cruising looking for a hot doe. He stopped right infront of the trail cam. Then headed straight for us. At about twenty yards I gave him a bleat. He was in the open. Like clock work he heard that bleat and stopped. He was moving quick enough though that when he stopped he wasn’t in the open anymore. He was right behind a big Locus tree. You kind of lost him behind that thing. Both Curt and I were at full draw just waiting. He sat there looking right at us. We just knew we had him. Then his next step was a blast right out in the open and trotted off. We both shot. I think Curt’s arrow went behind him. And mine went high and left because he turned.

He acted like he didn’t even know we were there. He just kept going head on the ground. This guy was huge. Probably in the 150 – 165 class. Nice buck.

The rut is on. Better luck next time I guess. Another close call in about four days for me.

Went out today and had a great wind to sit in one of my treestands. But it only lasted about an hour because there were 40 mile an hour gust. It isn’t so fun trying to sit and wait for a deer to come by and hoping you can stay in the tree as it sways back and forth. I did get my first kill with my bow today though. I had a squirrel sitting about 25 yards on the ground munching on some hedge apples. I decided since I wasn’t seeing anything and didn’t want to stay in the tree too much longer, I would take a shot at him to see what happens. What do you know. I got him.

I climbed down and got my arrow and went to pick the squirrel. Which was 20 yards from were I shot him.

After that I decided to go to a new spot. I don’t like walking around in my deer woods all that much. I left that field and went to one across the road where I have seen tons of sign. I sat in about 50 yards this stuff is real thick. I am pretty sure that the deer pass back and forth between the fields right where I sat up. I rattled a little and called and saw nothing. So after about 30 min. I moved a little further in. I was running out of light and was getting antsy.

I made it about 20 yards and had a little doe come blasting out of the timber straight at me. She stopped at 15 yards and looked right at me. I figured I better draw or I wasn’t going to get a shot. We sat there and stared at each other and she slightly turned probably trying to figure out what I was. I had a real steep quartering to me shot. Not a real high percentage one but it was a shot. I let the arrow fly. Knowing I would hit her!!!

Unfortunately my arrow hit part of my backpack which sent the arrow flying hi. Right over the back of the doe. She blazed out of there as fast as she came. I couldn’t believe what had happened. You always read about how you should practice with all your gear on. Those people aren’t kiddin. Practice with this backpack on would have helped me land that shot and my first deer with a bow. Oh well just got to keep plugging away I guess.

Well I tried another afternoon hunt. I prefer morning because it is usually when things are up and moving. The wind was really moving today. It was out of the north slight east. So I had to do some walking to get into my spot without being detected. Everything was working great. I was seeing some sign but nothing real recent. Then it happened. While I was slipping in to an area with a few blow downs I was really scouting things out to maybe place some more stands here. I know that I wasn’t smelled but scene. I heard a crack and looked over to see an eight pointer I believe running through the other side of the creek bottom. I was only twenty yards from him. He must have been bedded and saw me coming through. Not what I wanted but I did get to see a deer. Just sucks it was a nice 140 class buck. Maybe later in the season I will get a shot at him.

I headed out this morning and wanted to set up on a feeder. I did hear some faint grunting going on but never saw anything due to a coyote that decided to chime in right at sunup. I sat for a few hours over some apples and things, the wind was out of the east. I finished up with my mock scrapes. So I hope to see something soon. Oh almost forgot but I know that my camo is working great. I had a red tailed hawk land on a tree only 40 feet from my stand this morning. I was just enjoying being out with nature watching this hawk hunt. I thought maybe he would better luck than I was when he decided to move trees. He flew down and headed straight for me. I thought oh he will veer off last minute. NO!!! He just kept coming. About 2 feet from me I put my arms up in front of my head hoping he wouldn’t hit me. I think I scared him. He was so close I could hear and feel his wings beating. What a rush. I have had coyotes run me over before but never hawks.

Well headed out this afternoon and sat for a few hours where I have had some great pics of deer moving through. The wind was out of the South East. May not have been the greatest but it was blowing away from the creek bottom from where I have seen the deer. So I figured that I would give it a try. It’s still early right. Needless to say I didn’t see any deer, but the bugs where out and about. Hope this place pans out before the rut kicks in. I have a few mock scrapes in the vicinity.

With the hunting season coming up fast. I think I have all my stands in place and mock scrapes made. I will keep you posted.

I finally decided to go ahead and get a faster bow.