I ended up getting out of work a little early today and there was a chance for snow. So I decided even know I would get in the woods a little late, I would still go. So I got home, got showered, got ready and headed to one of my spots in Loch Raven. I got in the woods around 3 and in my tree by 3:20 . Just as I was about to raise my bow up with my pull rope, I heard leaves crunching and knew right away it was the sound of deer running. I went to pull my bow up real quick but before that could happen I had 4 deer come crashing into the woods about 45 yards away, they ran past me and finally stopped about 70 yards away. About 30 seconds later 3 more came right behind the first 4 only they were about 40 yards away and stopped as soon as they got to the edge of the thicket about 50 yards away from me. Of course all I could do was stand and watch them, if I attempted to bring my bow up they would all run anyway so I just waited and watched. The first group started running again and went over the hill that was out in front of me. The second group of 3 started walking around and then not 10 seconds later ran the same place the others went to. So I quickly raised my bow up and got settled and no 5 minutes later on of the does that had just run past me started coming back across the top of the hill in front of me at about 70 yards and looked like she was going to come down to me... Haha yeah right, she took a hard left turn about the time she was 50 yards in front of me and went straight over the other hill into the thick thick stuff. Well I was excited it was just 3:40 and I had already had 7 deer run by and one of them at least think about coming back toward me. Good start to a nice evening. However, the sun had come out and the chance of snow seemed to be going down.
So I waited and listened and waited some more. 4 o'clock then 4:30 came around and nothing else was moving. Around 4:45 I had a fox come by. Finally right around 5 I heard stick break and the next thing I knew here comes this yearling doe running down off the hill. She ran down to me at about 40 yards and stopped, she looked around and started walking. At first she looked like she was just going to keep heading down the hill but she then turned and started walking toward me. She got about 35 yards away at one point walking slowly and stopped again, looked around and took off running again for no reason that I can figure out. She at that point ran down the hill dead away from me and was gone in a matter of seconds.
I sat and waited until the end of shooting light, didn't see anything else. After I got down and was heading out of the woods it finally started to snow....... little late? It only lasted a few minutes, mostly just my whole walk hitting me in the face...
It was interesting to see the deer so early in the day as lately I had been seeing deer later close to dark in that area. But it also tells me the deer are really starting to heard up as I have also started seeing groups of deer along the road ways as well.
well only 10 days left of hunting season this year. It's going to be very cold the next few days so the deer should be up and moving and focusing on food sources. They are also calling for snow the end of the week, so maybe all of that will make the deer a little easier to hunt later this week.
Good luck to everyone this last 10 days!
