Hunting Trip 9/14/2013

Headed back out finally (First time since opening day) into the woods.  What a beautiful day it was today, could not ask for better hunting weather..  Now I just have to ask where did all the deer go? Haha

Headed out this morning into Loch Raven with a good friend of mine.  Shortly after sunrise, I had 2 mature does come feeding past me at about 40 yards. At one point one of them did get closer, she was about 22 yards off my right hand shoulder. Another few weeks and she would not have been lucky enough to keep feeding along without me taking a shot.  However, all my excitement for the morning was done by around 7.  I would say that is a slow morning for early season, but I still enjoyed being in the woods and seeing what I did.

This evening I headed back out to the same area of Loch Raven with the same friend.  We got in the woods a little later as we both had stuff going on today, we got in our trees around 4:30.  Shortly before 6 I saw a deer coming from the ticket out in front of me.  I looking closely and discovered it was a button buck.  He was by himself and was acting very odd.  He wasn't really eating, he was moving slowly, and he keep licking his shoulder.  He hung around for a good 20 minutes since he was moving so slow, when he finally got close I was looking to see if maybe he had been shot, or hit by a car to explain his odd behavior. Nothing, he mostly seemed healthy other than acting odd and had no mother anywhere to be found.  I can only explain either something was wrong with the deer, or maybe his mother died recently and he was just lost, either way it was strange the way he was acting.

After he came through the woods I still had high hopes that sometime before sunset more deer would come through the woods.  No such luck, that button buck was the only thing I saw all evening.

Just a slow day in general where I was hunting. Hopefully this coming week will better.

Did anyone else get out today?  How did you do, what did you see?  Did you experience similar activity?

2013 - 2014 Hunting Season Journal
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  1. Henry
    I went out in the morning. Was a very active day. I probably saw at least 30 deer and a few of them were nice bucks. But as a big doe was working her way down to me, she stopped stuck her nose in the air and just stayed there for 20-30 minutes. She kept sniffing the air and finally turned back and slowly walked the other direction. The wind was swirling around and I didn't realize it was at my back. Then a young doe popped up about 20 yards from me,I had no idea she was bedded down. She grazed 10-20 yards from me with a perfect broadside shot for at least an hour and a half. I thought about how yummy those backstraps would be but decided to just enjoy watching her. I don't have an issue with taking younger deer but rather I didn't want to take her and get busted by the other deer.
    Reply
    September 15, 2013
    • admin
      Henry, Sounds like a good day in the woods. Sometimes watching them can be as exciting as anything, and if you are waiting and hoping something is bigger especially a buck, it's sometimes the only thing you can do. However, your right, those backstraps would have been tasty! Good luck to you this week!
      Reply
      September 15, 2013
  2. Clay
    I went hunting yesterday afternoon around 3:00, I got in the woods later than my plan since I had a contractor at the house who didn't finish until after 2:00. I say that because I spook a deer as I was a short distance from my stand. This was my second time out this year, but first at this tree after moving my tree stand. New stand location has a larger shooting lane and opening. About 6:45 a doe comes out, and she extra cautious, could be because I spook it or the squirrel warned her with all the noise it was making. I didn't use my range finder, I guess she was at 30 yards so I adjusted my sight (single pin), and shot. After shooting I pulled out my range finder to range was she was, and it was 23 yards. After 30 minutes I got down to go look for blood, I couldn't find blood but I did find my arrow. Arrow had no blood and no hair. I guess I shot over her back! I was sad that I miss, but glad that I didn't have to track a deer since it was getting later. I am not going to shoot at a deer on weekday after 6:15.
    Reply
    September 17, 2013
    • Gino
      One tip I would give you is to try and range your shooting lanes when you get in your tree. It;s especially effective thjis time of year when you typically only have a few lanes anyway. That way, you have a pretty good idea what your distances are for potential shots. Not saying the deer is going to come right in that spot, but it takes some of the guess work out of it if you aren't able to get your ragefinder out in time. Good that it was a clean miss. You'll get her next time!
      Reply
      September 17, 2013
  3. Clay
    Gino, That is a good ideal, and the first thing I am going to do on my next hunt. Thank you.
    Reply
    September 17, 2013
    • admin
      Clay, Gino has a very good point, which is a great idea. This is something I have been doing since I got one of those handy range finders about 6 years ago. I am horrible about being able to range a deer and get a shot off, although with practice I have gotten better recently. For the most part though I range trees or things in the woods like rocks, trash, funky looking trees when I first get in my tree. That way I can easily find those landmarks when a deer is walking in and guess the range within 1 - 3 yards. This makes taking those shots a little easier, but of course we all still miss. Glad you had a clean miss and you will get her next time! Good luck!
      Reply
      September 17, 2013

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