ArcheryIA44
PMA Member
Like many of you, I decided to keep my early season sits to a bare minimum. I have three sets up (on public land), so that I have somewhere to sit in any wind and I have two cameras out. My neighbor just had his camera lifted from near his stand, so I was anxious to get out and check mine.
Even though I left work early, I couldn't get to my stand until an hour before legal shoot light was over, but I decided to take my bow and check things out. On the walk out (about 1 mile), I jumped two does and a small buck bedded just off the trail, that seemed a good sign.
I found my camera still attached to its tree and pulled the card (which was a major disappointment; only three deer in two weeks). I then went up into my tree and got situated. Since my stand went up when the trees had all their leaves, I didn't realize just how far I could see now that most leaves had dropped. I hadn't even brought my binoculars, but I saw five deer at 150 yards browsing on the other side of a small pond. Nice!
I was a little dismayed when about 200 black birds roosted in the nearby trees because I could hear NOTHING
. But like usual, they decided to go somewhere else as it started to get dark.
With 15 minutes of light left, I stood and attached my release to the string (just in case). Not five minutes later, a heard the tell-tale branch breaking. Soon a hefty doe was coming through. She was on the side of my stand that had few shooting lanes. I came to full draw and had her stopped at 13 yards, but I was worried that there were branches I could not see in the way and let her walk. Her two fawns soon also walked up.
Next, another doe came up and went right under my stand! She then moved into my major shooting lane, but I had to turn 180 degrees to get on her. I started to pull back, but I could no longer see my pins. Oh well. She heard me as I drew down and stood around for a few minutes snorting. I gave some coyote yelps to try to clear her out.
Down went the bow and I gathered everything up and followed. Texted the wife to tell her I was out of the tree.
On my way back to the truck, I have to cross a small stream and I was surprised to see a beaver sitting not eight feet away. "Good evening Mr. Beaver" I said. He just slowly slid into the shallow water and moved off.
What a fun evening!
Brian
Even though I left work early, I couldn't get to my stand until an hour before legal shoot light was over, but I decided to take my bow and check things out. On the walk out (about 1 mile), I jumped two does and a small buck bedded just off the trail, that seemed a good sign.
I found my camera still attached to its tree and pulled the card (which was a major disappointment; only three deer in two weeks). I then went up into my tree and got situated. Since my stand went up when the trees had all their leaves, I didn't realize just how far I could see now that most leaves had dropped. I hadn't even brought my binoculars, but I saw five deer at 150 yards browsing on the other side of a small pond. Nice!
I was a little dismayed when about 200 black birds roosted in the nearby trees because I could hear NOTHING
. But like usual, they decided to go somewhere else as it started to get dark. With 15 minutes of light left, I stood and attached my release to the string (just in case). Not five minutes later, a heard the tell-tale branch breaking. Soon a hefty doe was coming through. She was on the side of my stand that had few shooting lanes. I came to full draw and had her stopped at 13 yards, but I was worried that there were branches I could not see in the way and let her walk. Her two fawns soon also walked up.
Next, another doe came up and went right under my stand! She then moved into my major shooting lane, but I had to turn 180 degrees to get on her. I started to pull back, but I could no longer see my pins. Oh well. She heard me as I drew down and stood around for a few minutes snorting. I gave some coyote yelps to try to clear her out.
Down went the bow and I gathered everything up and followed. Texted the wife to tell her I was out of the tree.
On my way back to the truck, I have to cross a small stream and I was surprised to see a beaver sitting not eight feet away. "Good evening Mr. Beaver" I said. He just slowly slid into the shallow water and moved off.
What a fun evening!
Brian
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