Napping in the woods

I think part of my problem is that I may have been relying on skills and instinct that I developed long ago, but haven't tapped into for quite some time. It's like muscle memory, it's there but sometimes just a little (or a lot) out of shape. I've been pretty successful with the rifle/shotgun/muzzeloader over the years, but archery hunting takes a whole different set of skills which seem to be very rusty, in my case. Things haven't slowed down for me yet, and I've probably made some bad mistakes because I'm probably rushing my sequence and decision-making. Eventually, things will begin to unfold in slow motion. Oh, I also forgot to inhale and exhale this morning during the shot sequence, during practice I try and time my release with pause between an inhale and an exhale. My wife just laughs at me, but I think she's starting to get concerned because the freezer stock has been completely depleted from last year. You guys have been a boost, much appreciated.

Thanks folks, I'll back in the stand tomorrow morning but hopefully a similar story but with a different ending!

Northern 3M...bucks trailing/seeking. Young buck movement up until 7:30 this morning; no 3.5 yo yet though but they may not even be around. Bucks seem to have been seeking for a week. Thought they might be in lock-down mode until this mornings activity. Had been seeing a herd of yearlings (10-12) with only one or two mature doe indicating all the other mom's were off doing their thing with appropriate suitors. The herd showed up this morning with two bucks in trial from different directions. All deer observed today were moving across the wind. Daytime weather could be cooler, but mornings have been awesome with low's in the mid-30's.

So I started bow hunting when I was 14 or so and hunted hard every year until I was 33 with a few respectable deer harvested, particularly as I got into my early 30's. went off to grad school and had to hang up the bow for a few years; but not the rifle/shotgun/muzzeloader. Now I'm 40 and suffering through my first season back in a stand with a compound. I've seen a ton of deer this year and I've messed up several shots in the following ways: 1. Doe: Didn't bend at the waist. Dropped anchor arm and missed high. 2. 8 point last week: Big time buck fever, shaking like a leaf in a hurricane, peeked after release on a quartering away shot with deer standing on a slope...miss high and back; broadhead still in tree. 3. Different 8 pt this morning: same exact spot as last week's buck, much calmer this time but upon first draw, my peep sight didn't twist correctly and wasn't aligned, let down and drew again. Nerves came back, but Peep aligned this time, felt for familiar anchor points, bent at waist...everything checked out...set pin just under shoulder at white/brown hair line on a quartering away shot at 32 yards. Second guess distance to 28 yards, ever-so-slight, awkward feeling at release, but not crazy weird, CRACK! Missed low and hit a rock, destroying arrow and broadhead. Mark off distance...33 yards. This morning, although very, very humbling, was cool. I saw a few young doe, about 75 yards off and hit a bleat. Next thing I know I have a dozen deer, mostly young doe with 1 or 2 momma's mixed in, and a small buck trailing/seeking; not really chasing, mostly annoying them. Offered no shot, especially with that many eyes watching me. They all mull around for awhile, the young buck grunting up a storm and scent checking does and wind. Does wander off, small buck stays about 50 yards out. try another bleat and then a grunt, no response but he keeps looking up wind and passed me. Sure enough, a bigger, but not "huge," 8 point is coming in from the opposite direction. He follows the new script...you know, that one you only figure out after you've seen deer actually move through the area, not the one you conjured up in your head when setting the stand...<insert #3 above>. I just flat missed, again. Feel like I'm learning those hard beginner lessons all over again. I'm in a good spot and seeing plenty of deer. I think I'm guilty of not being able to control my nerves, rushing the shot, not going through my sequence, and I've lost my confidence in judging short yardage; not to mention the false confidence I built up over those long hours of shooting this summer from stands and different distances. Part of me wants to hang it up for the year, before I do something that will keep me up at night, but another part of me wants to keep going. I don't feel like I belong in the woods with a bow right now, but I know the only way I'm going return to my old form is to keep at it. Such is my love/hate relationship with archery hunting.

Cover and my comfort zone drive my decision...and the cost of ladders. Although, now that I have a climber I'm tending to focus on my comfort zone and the situation. Generally I try to get up 20 feet in good cover. I encounter decision-making problems when there are multiple trails in an area; can't effectively hunt all of them if there is even a slight breeze so which one do you focus on? I find once I get much over 25' I get a little uncomfortable when the tree sways in a breeze. I've been climbing trees for 20 years and still can't get over that. I know plenty of people that go 30-35+, if they ca. They seem to particulary prefer stand sites on a side sloping hill where deer can walk out uphill and nearly eye level with them or down slope from the stand and almost 60 vertical feet below them...yes, I consider them to be crazy. It all depends on the situation and your personal comfort zone. I can stick to +/- 20 feet because I tend to hunt areas with thicker cover...although once the leaves drop "thick" becomes relative real quick.

Not to confuse the issue, too much but it could depend on what WMU you are in...I got two "leftover" tags on Nov 1 for 3M. If there were extra DMP's in your zone, he may now have two tags. More than likely though, they probably just reprinted it or printed a new one and void the first.

Got my M150 yesterday and hunted out of it this morning, I love it! Looking at the M60 too. Let me know what think of it. Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

The last two sentences from Belo above are words to live by when selecting a shotgun scope. Save your money for another month and buy a scope that you won't have to replace in a year or two. Don't go cheap on such an important element of your equipment, it will just frustrate you to no end and you'll end up just tossing it in the trash. I have a $300 Leupold on my 12 gauge and it's worth every penny along with all the grief I got from my wife when I bought it! Ha, ha...she completely understands, but keeps me honest.

3m, still no significant rutting activity nor buck sitings since last week's warm weather. Activity definitely picked up this morning with deer moving everywhere before 7:15 and then everything went silent. A little spike wandered out alone around 4:30 followed by some distant leaf crunching. Activity picking up, but still no mature buck movement in daylight hours. The rut will either come and go quietly this year or it will come with a bang in the next several days.

Make sure you can get a cantilevered extra barrel for the scope you are going to want for deer and it won't cost you twice as much...not sure what they run individually.

JackULL, The Millennium M7 uses a hang-on bracket. Mount the bracket on the tree, then slide on the stand and tighten with one or two straps. What's nice about this is you can get several of the them (~$30) and have them pre-positioned....multiple sets, 1 pretty comfortable stand.

Let me know how you make out, if you get it. I've got the "monster" in the UPS system somewhere and I can't wait! You can view the instruction manual on the millennium site if you'd like a bit more detail.

I do not have this model. It isn't a climber though. It will stay tight when packing in and depending on how you opt to attach it to the tree, it should be solid. No matter how they are supposed to attach to the tree, I always use a ratchet strap or two. Not sure if this uses a receiver or some other mechanism. I do know every mellenium stand I have experience with (but not this one) is super comfortable, rock solid and quiet..rarely a noise. I've been in three of the heavier lock-on models and two of their ladder stands. If you opt to purchase, don't go through the mellenium site to order though. it will take two weeks or so for them to ship it, because they have to build it. See if you can find online with a retailer. If not, it's totally worth the wait. Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

All depends on where you are, things seem kind of patchy this year as last weeks warm temps slowed things down during the day. Have fun and good luck.

Their microlite hang-on is listed at 8.5 lbs....http://millenniumstands.com/products/portables/m7-microlite

do yourself a huge favor and check Millennium Stands, they have several hang-on versions that range from super light to their "monster" at 19.5 lbs....just added this one to my arsenal. Their stands are rock solid, quiet and the most comfortable on the market, IMHO.

northern 3M...not much. Haven't seen a deer during the day all week. Might have to shake things up a bit this afternoon.

Looks like the 6 I took last season in 3N during shotgun....I kind of wish I'd let him walk, but no promises that he'd be around this year or next especially on state land; and the fact there was a guy 250 yds down the trail (and down wind) from me. In the same breath I've had several "deer damage" issues of my own and I was pretty ticked too. However, deer don't understand our "rules." If either of them walk in front of you, you'll be faced with decision. You will either make the decision or the decision will be made for you. Good luck with that....either way it'll be a rush. After how this season has gone, I wish I would have shot that spike under my stand last week, at least it came to the inside of ears; but, I'm not bitter nor do I feel incompetent. Ha, ha. We won't talk about the shot at that doe I cleanly missed because I didn't drop my bow/anchor arm...first season back after 12 years and it has been humbling. Enjoy the success, whether you shoot or not.

Hey Gang, I have DMP's for 3M, I'd be interested in trading one of them for a 3N DMP if anyone is interested. 3M still has plenty of DMP's left, so I don't have any illusions of holding something of value. Thanks.

Even if they had one, they probably wouldn't be that good. I purchased a cantilevered slug gun a while back with a separate scope. Got it home and was having a ton of trouble siting it in. Turns out the scope was way loose among a other things. box stores are great for toys, but not for working on them.

Saw 3 this morning, two were by moonlight around 6:30 as I was getting settled in...winded me and were gone. Had a lone doe come in around 8:20 AM, with no suitor in tow, 10 yards. Drew the Bear back, settled in and released, all in a nice smooth motion that gave me that ever so slight startle. If I would have bent at the waist and not lowered my bow arm, I'd be dragging one out right now. I hate when I do stupid things. First season bow hunting after 12 years, I'm still a bit rusty I guess. Just glad it was a clean miss. Saw a small, fresh scrape on the way out so things might be starting in my area (3M), finally.

When I lose one glove out of a pair only two weeks after I bought them! I really liked them too! really hoping its laying next to my stand.

I haven't seen anything all week hunting morning until 8:30 or 9 and then in the evening starting around 4:30 or 5. Full moon probably has them feeding through the night with a mid-day stroll for some snacks. Just saw my first little scrape yesterday. Southern Ulster County.

2013 Easton Game Getter for first deer ever (1995; 8pt); 8mm first rifle deer in PA (1999; 4 pt{10pt the next year}); 12 ga single sho, first shotgun deer in NY (2002; Doe); .50 guage flintlock (first PA Christmas hunt; Doe); .50 in-line (early PA muzzleloader, 2014; Doe); a whole bunch with my Remmingtion .270 since 2005, I've stopped counting.

Garrison Fish & Game Club There is another in Kent too, don't recall the name though.