Bittersweet Afternoon Hunt

[fnshtr]

I'm always sad on the last Saturday before our deer rifle season begins on Monday of the week of Thanksgiving. Sunday hunting is not legal in the counties that I choose to hunt... and I hunt pretty much Trad bow ONLY.

Although bow season doesn't "officially" end until December 31... it is VERY tough to bow hunt in the areas I hunt in after 2 weeks of rifle season. There are also rifle "antlerless" seasons and ML season after our rifle season. The deer become scattered and "holed up" in the thickest, remotest places they can find.

Yesterday was like my "last day to bowhunt" for the reason stated above.

I started out in early afternoon (12:30pm). Began working my way up through the hollow of oaks.Our acorns did not "hit" this year and the deer have stayed "near the grass" this season.

The oak patch was select cut last year and there are lots of treetops left scattered about. I like to still hunt from tree top pile to tree top pile. They make good "temporary stand sites" as I hunt my way into or across the prevailing wind.

Here is a pic of the type of terrain I hunt.

 

[fnshtr]

A short way up the east side of a north/south hollow, I caught movement across and low in the hollow. It was a deer running north to south.

The rut is full on now in this area and anytime you see deer running... especially at 1:30 in the afternoon... it gets your attention.

I watched as an "alpha" doe stepped into the small stream below me. It was probably 150 yards away... but the 10X50s allowed a close up view. The big doe headed north, traveling up the stream bed and out of sight. I noticed her looking back up the hill before she stepped out of sight. I knew there was another deer coming and expected it to be a buck since she had been running.

[dhermon85]

[fnshtr]

In a few seconds the second deer appeared. It was a spike buck. He too kept looking back behind him and I expected another buck to show. Instead, a second doe followed him the same direction that the first doe had gone in.

In a few minutes I seen the white of a deers rump running on up the hollow. Definite rut activity going on there.

My plan was to hunt my way up around the head of the hollow, below a "saddle" and down the adjacent ridge to an area we call the "greenbriers". It is a bedding area that is very thick. I had my 3 legged stool on my day pack and had planned to set up near a large scrape I had found last week.

[fnshtr]

Before reaching the head of the hollow, I came upon a fresh rub.

 

Here is a close up.

 

[fnshtr]

I was keeping a sharp eye out across the hollow as I knew the deer that I had seen earlier were headed that general direction. It wasn't long before I caught another flash of white as the doe deaded up the adjacent hill and then abruptly turned south up higher on the hillside.

I sat still as I was now within 100 yards of them and was expecting to see more deer anytime. I expected that they might cross to my side as it seems they like to run in the open oaks (I presume that is because they can see danger easier in the more open woods).

Then I seen something 15 yards to my left that I have never seen in 50 years of hunting.

A piebald squirrel!

 

[South MS Bowhunter]

And?

[fnshtr]

The deer appeared to have moved south on the ridge that I had planned to hunt for the evening. It was a blustery fall day with high temperature in the high 30s with overnight lows in the teens to low 20s. Predominant wind was out of the south pretty steady.. but strong gusts would kick up from time to time out of the north. That kind of ruined my plan to hunt the north south ridge adjacent to me... where the deer seemed to be doing their running. The wind was steady from the south when I had made my plans at the beginning of the hunt.

Then it happened. As I was moving around the head of the hollow below the saddle, a crash directly behind me got my attention. As I turned slowly around... 15-20 yards behind me were two bucks. The smaller one was typical for our area... a "basket racked" 8 point (maybe a 12" inside spread). But directly behind him was a dandy!

They had apparently caught my sent as they seemed puzzled, not knowing exactly where I was. Unfortunately I was in the wide open oaks with no cover around. The leafy suit top and face paint seemed to be working. But before I could raise my bow they jumped the neighbors fence and took a couple of bounds up the hill and stopped.

I grunted as I thought of nothing else to do under the circumstances. The big boy took note and was searching all around me with his eyes but hadn't picked my out. What I had failed to realize is that a hot doe had come through ahead of them and I hadn't even heard her.

They eventually headed up the hill and I finally seen the doe that was leading them away.

[fnshtr]

They stopped again and I found myself putting my arrow back in the quiver and reaching for my camera.

I couldn't get it out quickly enough as they quickly continued their running up over the ridge. As I stood there putting my camera back into my left pocket... I looked up to see a nice bodied six point following the exact same course the other bucks (and apparently the doe) had followed. He was sniffing and panting with his nose on the ground. He was also gone as he jumped the fence and followed the path the other deer had taken.

I ended up seeing a couple of small does on my evening sit... but they were both this years runts.

Sorry to disappoint you with no game taken. Just thought I would share my experience.

I'll sit with a grand daughter the first day of rifle season and then take the bow back out the second week as things begin to calm down a little.

Whenever I go into the woods I have a sweet time. Oh yeah... I almost forgot. The big boy sported 10 points evenly distributed and carried on a rack probably 18-20". Real nice for my area.

Thanks for letting me share.

[treepasser]

A day of action sure beats sitting in empty and
forlorn woods.

[South MS Bowhunter]

Great afternoon no doubt!

[Hopewell Tom]

Thanks FOR sharing.
Enjoyed it, as it sounds you did. Lots of anticipation involved.

[elkken]

Thanks for sharing … any day in woods is a great day,game taken or not    

[T-Bowhunter]

Great Day in the Woods, thanks for sharing.

[Cookus]

Good  post brother and my fellow mountaineer.  God bless and enjoy every moment with your granddaughter on the morrow!  The older I get, the more I appreciate those oh-so-close traditional bowhunting encounters.  I enjoy success but the experience means so much more at 45 and 31 seasons passed! I too will sit with my nephew tomorrow... Trad lessons will start when the snow falls since he's enamored by trad's simple beauty and legacy.  Thank you for your service brother!

Thst squirrel was cool looking! I hope you get a crack at that 10pt!

Bisch

[fnshtr]

Thanks for the positive comments. Good luck out there!

[fnshtr]

Bisch: That squirrel looked like a skinny skunk coming down that tree! I've seen "black" squirrels but that was my first piebald one.

[Gen273]

That sounds like it was a fun hunt! Thanks for taking us along.

[tradarcher816]

Very cool thanks for sharing