Archery season. Think I’m done!

[duckydoty]

It’s been my best year yet!  Started off opening day taking a real good eater out behind the house.  Second day of season, I sat in a new spot on public land for what I thought would be a scouting mission and ended up talking myself into taking a little 4 pointer.  Won’t do that again because I saw bunches of good bucks all the way through rifle season on public ground.  The second week of the season I took two more little does for eating on.  The month of October I concentrated on turkeys.  Ended up getting a nice Tom mid October and watched many a deer both big bucks and little ones along with countless does on public land near my house.  One of the bucks I had seen from a distance was a heart stopper. Now I have never hunted antlers, but this guy got me going.  I hunted during rifle season with the crossbow and saw the big guy from my stand about 200 yards off in a draw chasing a doe.  I moved my stand closer to that draw after the morning hunt. I put the stand 20 feet up a tree on the side of a steep hill.  The next morning that heart stopping buck was following a doe right up that draw and stopped right on top of a log that I ranged at 42 yards. I took my time, took a deep breath, let it half way out, concentrated on the kill zone, and slowly squeezed the trigger.  The arrow flew right over the top of the deer.  I was dumb founded as he ran off 20 yards and stopped to look around for 20 minutes.  I did not breath, did not blink, and did not move.  He finally slowly walked up the hill and out of sight.  I went home and resighted in the crossbow thinking I must have bumped the scope.  Nope, it was dead on.  My range finder has the angle feature and I used it while ranging that log.  I went back to that stand Thanksgiving morning. Saw the big guy again but he stayed 65 yards out.  30 minutes later a doe came through and I was gonna let her walk but she stopped on that very same log I ranged for the buck.  I though, I’ve got to try this again.  This time I put my 30 yard pin on her and just knew I would hit the dirt at her feet.  Nope, the arrow punched both lungs just high of where I was aiming.  She dropped after 3 hops.  That steep of an angle was throwing my sights off by about 17 yards.  I definitely felt more confident about another chance at the buck if I got one.  Hunted yesterday morning with my brother Dave. Set him up on the other side of the draw right where I saw the big guy enter the woods when he skirted me 65 yards out.  We saw nothing. Started chasing walleyes about 9 am and had some success with that.  Headed back to the woods by boat at 2. Brother Dave headed to the south, and I started walking to the north to my spot.  As I got closer to the wood line I could here something moving in there.  I stopped and watched. Could not see nothing.  Took a few more steps and stopped. Nothing.  Got right to the wood line and stopped. 2 seconds later, a doe poked her head out. I slowly crouched. She was watching my brother cross the draw. I could hear something else moving behind her.  A few seconds later, I saw antlers. It was the big guy.  My heart started jumping out of my chest. He saw my brother across the draw and made a jump up the hill. He turned and looked at the doe then stepped behind a big tree. I though he was taking off but I pulled up my cross bow up anyways. He did not leave.  He actually came down the hill towards me and when he stepped out, he was 12 yards away. I took the shot and he did a back flip and fell right there in front of me. Biggest deer I have ever taken on the shortest hunt I’ve ever been on. Did not even quite make it to the woods.  Brother Dave heard the crossbow shot and came over to help. We had it gutted by 2:30 and continued the hunt. Me after turkeys and him looking for deer/turkey. He ended up getting a doe right at 5 pm. Great hunt and great season!

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[BilletHead]

5 hours ago, duckydoty said:

It’s been my best year yet!  Started off opening day taking a real good eater out behind the house.  Second day of season, I sat in a new spot on public land for what I thought would be a scouting mission and ended up talking myself into taking a little 4 pointer.  Won’t do that again because I saw bunches of good bucks all the way through rifle season on public ground.  The second week of the season I took two more little does for eating on.  The month of October I concentrated on turkeys.  Ended up getting a nice Tom mid October and watched many a deer both big bucks and little ones along with countless does on public land near my house.  One of the bucks I had seen from a distance was a heart stopper. Now I have never hunted antlers, but this guy got me going.  I hunted during rifle season with the crossbow and saw the big guy from my stand about 200 yards off in a draw chasing a doe.  I moved my stand closer to that draw after the morning hunt. I put the stand 20 feet up a tree on the side of a steep hill.  The next morning that heart stopping buck was following a doe right up that draw and stopped right on top of a log that I ranged at 42 yards. I took my time, took a deep breath, let it half way out, concentrated on the kill zone, and slowly squeezed the trigger.  The arrow flew right over the top of the deer.  I was dumb founded as he ran off 20 yards and stopped to look around for 20 minutes.  I did not breath, did not blink, and did not move.  He finally slowly walked up the hill and out of sight.  I went home and resighted in the crossbow thinking I must have bumped the scope.  Nope, it was dead on.  My range finder has the angle feature and I used it while ranging that log.  I went back to that stand Thanksgiving morning. Saw the big guy again but he stayed 65 yards out.  30 minutes later a doe came through and I was gonna let her walk but she stopped on that very same log I ranged for the buck.  I though, I’ve got to try this again.  This time I put my 30 yard pin on her and just knew I would hit the dirt at her feet.  Nope, the arrow punched both lungs just high of where I was aiming.  She dropped after 3 hops.  That steep of an angle was throwing my sights off by about 17 yards.  I definitely felt more confident about another chance at the buck if I got one.  Hunted yesterday morning with my brother Dave. Set him up on the other side of the draw right where I saw the big guy enter the woods when he skirted me 65 yards out.  We saw nothing. Started chasing walleyes about 9 am and had some success with that.  Headed back to the woods by boat at 2. Brother Dave headed to the south, and I started walking to the north to my spot.  As I got closer to the wood line I could here something moving in there.  I stopped and watched. Could not see nothing.  Took a few more steps and stopped. Nothing.  Got right to the wood line and stopped. 2 seconds later, a doe poked her head out. I slowly crouched. She was watching my brother cross the draw. I could hear something else moving behind her.  A few seconds later, I saw antlers. It was the big guy.  My heart started jumping out of my chest. He saw my brother across the draw and made a jump up the hill. He turned and looked at the doe then stepped behind a big tree. I though he was taking off but I pulled up my cross bow up anyways. He did not leave.  He actually came down the hill towards me and when he stepped out, he was 12 yards away. I took the shot and he did a back flip and fell right there in front of me. Biggest deer I have ever taken on the shortest hunt I’ve ever been on. Did not even quite make it to the woods.  Brother Dave heard the crossbow shot and came over to help. We had it gutted by 2:30 and continued the hunt. Me after turkeys and him looking for deer/turkey. He ended up getting a doe right at 5 pm. Great hunt and great season!

               Way to go friend!  

  Happiness is a full freezer of good eats,

  BilletHead

[Ketchup]

Now thats how the season is done.  Congrats. 

[duckydoty]

Thanks guys

[tho1mas]

Now the only reason you have to go to town is for beer & flour.

[Seth]

That is some wackage and stackage!

[JohnP]

Congrats on a awsome season now onto the ducks, if they ever show up ;).  Hope to run into you sometime this season, what boat do I need to keep an eye out for ;).

[duckydoty]

Thanks John. I’m in the tracker 185 with inboard jet. I’ll be chasing the walleye till the ducks show up.

[Johnsfolly]

Congrats on an awesome hunting season! You were definitely dialled in this year. And you caught some fine walleye as well! Living the dream buddy.

[JohnP]

6 hours ago, duckydoty said:

Thanks John. I’m in the tracker 185 with inboard jet. I’ll be chasing the walleye till the ducks show up.

I'll keep an eye out.