Evening Hunt Trips 10/15 – 10/16/2013

Well, I was hoping that 3 afternoons in the woods back to back  would turn up some positive results.. Tuesday I headed back out to Loch Raven to one of my normal stops that is a great rut location, just hoping maybe the deer had started some pre-rut activity and maybe some of those bucks would be up and moving.  I was also looking for a nice close shot at a doe for the freezer, either would have made me very happy.  I sat, and I sat and I did not see anything Tuesday evening... Until, I had already lowered my bow down and was about to start climbing down, I had a spike come down off the hill right to me, it was pretty much dark and no longer legal shooting light so it didn't matter.. But I was frustrated that 1 that was all I saw all evening, and 2 that when I did finally see something it was too late.  So, that was my Tuesday evening in the woods.  Wednesday evening,  headed back out to Loch Raven to a different location yet from the past two evenings... Got in nice and early and had high hopes...  I heard some stuff, but again I sat, and sat, good thing I like sitting in a treestand enjoying the outdoors and the birds.. Growing a dislike for squirrels but only because they can sometimes sound like deer at a distance and I have seen a lot of squirrels this week. Well, finally, at about 6:30 I saw doe standing on the edge of the clearing, she had no idea I was there and she starts walking out.  I quickly got ready, grabbed my bow and was about to draw.... She had already walked past my shooting window as she must of been in a hurry.  At this point I was even more frustrated with myself for not being more alert and ready knowing with the moon the deer had been moving real late.  I waited a few more minutes and it was getting to be 6:40 I still had about 10 minutes of legal shooting light left, but where I was with the clouds it was getting too dark to shoot.  So, I started packing stuff up and I look over and see another doe coming out into the clearing the same place the last one did.

I quickly spun around and grabbed my bow, she walked even closer than the last and again had no clue I was there.  She started feeding and was moving a lot slower.. But, I had in the back of my mind, its getting real late and the car is a long, long way away and if I shoot her this late I will never get home... Nevertheless, as she walked I got ready, she walked into my opening and stopped and I drew back on her and looked. It was an easy 19 yard shot, perfect broadside. But, I had the voice in my head reminding me of all of life's tasks that evening and that it was pretty late.  I looked at the shot and could just barely make out an outline of the deer and could easily see my pins.. I thought about it and followed her as she kept feeding.. Finally, she walked out of my shooting window and I let down, will I regret not taking the shot, maybe but I did get my honey-do list done and to bed before midnight so I guess I should just be happy and take the shot next time....

I just hope there is a next time the way this season has been going for me.. But with rut coming and over 3 months left to the season, I have faith that all will work out.

Anyone get out this week and do any better??  Anyone Muzzleloader hunting this weekend? Let us know how you are doing!

8 Responses

  1. Clay
    I didn't hunt this weekend, but I checked my trail camera on Saturday and was surprised to see a 8pts buck around 12:30PM and 4:30PM from Friday OCT 18.
    • admin
      Clay, That is good news. The bucks seem to be getting up and starting to move. Just maybe not so much before dark yet. However, I went and did some scouting yesterday and saw 5 younger bucks all in a clearing together fighting. So, pre-rut is starting so you should start to see some antlers moving around in the next two weeks when the bigger bucks start to chase off the little ones. So far, I have mostly just seen the little ones being at all aggressive which is likely why I also haven't seen much in the way of scraps or rubs. Good luck to you!
  2. alan
    I made it out Saturday and Sunday morning. Saturday I saw one buck around 8 am. There are pictures of it on this site where it has a small drop-tine on it's left side and a fork on the right side. It fed around me for 30-45 minutes but never got close enough to present a shot. It got as close as 50 yds but that's too far for me in a wooded area with branches. Sunday morning I made my way up into the same tree as Saturday and it was pretty slow until 8am again. I spotted two bucks in the exact same spot where the buck the previous morning came in and fed. It's in a creek bottom downhill 80+ yds from my tree. Neither one was the buck from Saturday and I was scared that they too would not present a shot and feed away from my tree and into the underbrush. I was watching them for 15 minutes when one of the bucks started to work it's way uphill to my tree. It got to 30 yds and turned broadside when I shot. It ran back down the way it had come and I watched it crash into a briar patch, unsure if had gotten back up. I was certain I had hit it well but had a very difficult time finding blood and never found the arrow. My dad (who was hunting 100 yds away from me further up the hill) picked up the blood trail roughly 60 yds away from the impact site while I was about 30 yds away from him. Immediately after he yelled to me, I looked to my left and saw white in the briar patch where I saw him fall - the area was very thick with underbrush and I walked too far past looking for it. I'm pretty pumped about the deer since it's pretty trashy and has character. It is a 5x2 with what looks like the start of an extra main beam on his left side. The right side never looked like it formed correctly. I thought initially that it was bnous buck since I don't remember seeing pics of him over the summer. I looked back yesterday and found a pic I have him in August in his bachelor group. He's the deer closest to the camera. Definitely my biggest bodied buck to date. Now time to go after his friends since I got my does out of the way with in September. It's been a great season so far!
    • admin
      Alan, Thanks for the update and congrats! Great deer and glad you got one of those bucks to come up to you! This is the first buck down we have seen this year and hopefully the first of many to come! Great to hear you already have your does out of the way and have that chance for a second buck. If that bigger 8 that you sent us trail cam pictures of is still out there hopefully you get a crack at him in the next month! Again congrats and good luck! Side note, we are working to get those pictures to fit it's a computer code issue!
  3. alan
    Trail Cam Pic
  4. They have started moving on us too. My partner on our place near Annapolis took a doe on saturday. I am hunting either thursday or friday....go time!!!!
    • admin
      Kirk, Glad to hear the deer have started moving on your property. I don't see how you can go wrong Thursday or Friday, weather will be cooling down Wednesday the back side of the cold front should really get them going! It is go time!

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