Early archery season 2020

[oneshot 1]

I got New Heads, got figured out how to shoot my Crossbow and got a Hoist to put Deer in the Pickup. Found I can't walk that far. So I'm fishing.

Seen couple nice Bucks this morning.

oneshot

[fishinwrench]

I've been seeing groups of bucks lately.  Either bachelor parties, or they are going gay.   

MGTOW!   Piss on them doe's!

[snagged in outlet 3]

It’s usually about this time the burb bucks start running scrapes.  No sign yet.  That bastig has torn out 3 lilac bushes in the same spot.  Last year I put an arborvitae there.  He tore it up but it’s still there and growing.  Neighbors wrap there trees and shrubs in chicken wire.  

[JestersHK]

I made it out with my fishing buddy Rob. He pokes fun and calls me the great white fisherman,  and he's the great white hunter of our group lol. 

We're hunting new property this year at his cabin, but still learning the land.  We decided Saturday that we'd go out at dawn and scout.  Scout we did... after about 5 miles with all our gear in the lovely hill country we found our way back to the cabin after finding the power lines... having 1000 acres to hunt is nice but man you can get turned around.

I hunted Saturday afternoon while my partner napped lol.  I saw 2 doe on the trail road and had a stand off as she stomped and snorted at me lol.

This morning got to blind in the dark and heard brush crashing right before daylight. I knew there was something about 30yrds away but was still dark and man the vegetation was super thick everywhere.

Saw that deer at 8AM and was a little buck who got pretty close before he saw me and startled.

Saw another pair on the main trail and did the stare down again on my way out.

As I was almost back to the cabin I was following some fresh tracks down the trail and saw 3 deer about 40 yards into the shrubbery.  I parked next to a tree to watch them.  There was a really nice fat momma doe and her 2 fawns... 

I debated orphaning those fawns and she ultimately made my decision for me by never giving me a clear ethical shot through the vegetation.  3 more steps to the right and story might be different lol.  I did enjoy watching them play and interact though,  and it's not always about the kill. 

I figured I'll have plenty of opportunities and with the amount of coyotes they have there I'd be killing 3 deer by taking that one. 

[wily]

I’ve been five or six times so far...ive seen deer each time I’ve went...but not the right one yet

 

[oneshot 1]

How do you get in the tree sideways?

oneshot

[Johnsfolly]

Really started hunting in earnest a couple of weeks ago. I will have to state a few things. First is that Maryland allows baiting. We have our landlord's permission to hunt the woodlot behind the house but only about 25 to 30 yards into the woods. We have permission from all of the neighbors that live within 150 yards of our spot. There is not a large number of public lands of any great size (>> 100 acres) near us. Last year I had set up a ground blind behind the house and we did bait in two does. One was my daughter's first deer and I shot a second one later in the season. We did see a few bucks and one really nice 9 or 10 point. I know that this is likely not thought of a true fair chase situation, but it is all within the regulations for the state.

Here is the set-up with the blind in the lower left. The second photo shows the limited area and how far from the house we are hunting.

So this year we began baiting the area in Sept. We routinely have had a doe and two fawns hitting the baits. A couple of weekends ago we had a heavy rain and a cold snap. That morning I had a nice mature 9 point but no shot. Later saw a tall and wide 8 pt followed by a spike and a 4 pt. There was also at least 10 does/fawns coming by throughout the day. With the buck around I had no interest in shooting one of the does or fawns. I have sat on stand a few more times, passed on the does and fawns again with the hope that one of the bucks would be back if the does were all still around. Saw more buck sightings while hunting and some while not hunting. Also frequent doe and fawn visitors. Even had wood ducks in the wet areas in the woodlot.

These next few photos show how some of the fawns react to us before I had my daughter pull down her hammock on Sat.

With all of these sightings it has been both a time of anticipation and also frustration. Saturday I put out doe in estrous scent and you would have thought that I had not showered for a week and ran all over the woodlot. I saw just the 4 pt buck (which is legal to take and by now frustration is building) but he just cruised through in front of me and never slowed down. Sunday morning the two fawns came in just before first light and left just after sunrise. I saw only one other deer off in the distance and did not see what it was. We had another 2 inches of rain later that day. It seemed that the rain washed away the doe scents. Today really heavy winds and there was a does and three fawns on the bait at lunch time.

I always think that I should be out on the public lands trying to get a hunt for other deer than the backyard deer. If you want to cast stones go ahead. But there is always so much activity out back that it is hard to try and fill the freezer elsewhere.  

Hopefully myself or my wife and get one or two before the season is over.

Good luck to others. I know of a couple of successful bow hunters that have not posted their successes.

 

[BilletHead]

11 hours ago, Johnsfolly said:

Really started hunting in earnest a couple of weeks ago. I will have to state a few things. First is that Maryland allows baiting. We have our landlord's permission to hunt the woodlot behind the house but only about 25 to 30 yards into the woods. We have permission from all of the neighbors that live within 150 yards of our spot. There is not a large number of public lands of any great size (>> 100 acres) near us. Last year I had set up a ground blind behind the house and we did bait in two does. One was my daughter's first deer and I shot a second one later in the season. We did see a few bucks and one really nice 9 or 10 point. I know that this is likely not thought of a true fair chase situation, but it is all within the regulations for the state.

Here is the set-up with the blind in the lower left. The second photo shows the limited area and how far from the house we are hunting.

So this year we began baiting the area in Sept. We routinely have had a doe and two fawns hitting the baits. A couple of weekends ago we had a heavy rain and a cold snap. That morning I had a nice mature 9 point but no shot. Later saw a tall and wide 8 pt followed by a spike and a 4 pt. There was also at least 10 does/fawns coming by throughout the day. With the buck around I had no interest in shooting one of the does or fawns. I have sat on stand a few more times, passed on the does and fawns again with the hope that one of the bucks would be back if the does were all still around. Saw more buck sightings while hunting and some while not hunting. Also frequent doe and fawn visitors. Even had wood ducks in the wet areas in the woodlot.

These next few photos show how some of the fawns react to us before I had my daughter pull down her hammock on Sat.

With all of these sightings it has been both a time of anticipation and also frustration. Saturday I put out doe in estrous scent and you would have thought that I had not showered for a week and ran all over the woodlot. I saw just the 4 pt buck (which is legal to take and by now frustration is building) but he just cruised through in front of me and never slowed down. Sunday morning the two fawns came in just before first light and left just after sunrise. I saw only one other deer off in the distance and did not see what it was. We had another 2 inches of rain later that day. It seemed that the rain washed away the doe scents. Today really heavy winds and there was a does and three fawns on the bait at lunch time.

I always think that I should be out on the public lands trying to get a hunt for other deer than the backyard deer. If you want to cast stones go ahead. But there is always so much activity out back that it is hard to try and fill the freezer elsewhere.  

Hopefully myself or my wife and get one or two before the season is over.

Good luck to others. I know of a couple of successful bow hunters that have not posted their successes.

 

           Get after them buddy! 

[Johnsfolly]

Found out that one of the fawns was next to the porch eating the last of our tomato plants. So just 20 feet from our living room. Going to have to shoot a bolt soon😉!

[wily]

Finally a shooter...we’ve been hunting every weekend since it opened and a couple days in between...oldest boy finally decided this one was worthy.  Fun times