azhuntress

Swapping for a better model....that's exactly what I did! My past boyfriend gave me crap every archery season because I went hunting every possible moment so I threw him away and found someone that loved hunting as much as I did. He's now my husband and he hasn't ever given me one nasty remark on how much time I'm in the woods even when I'm gone every single day. Now that's a keeper!

Sounds like you had a fun night. Congrats!

A couple of years ago someone stole a stand somewhere in the county in which I live. I read about it in the newspaper under the "Reader's Speaks" section. The person who had their stand stolen wrote a letter telling how his stand was stolen and how he had a trail camera with 7 clear pictures of the guy who stole it. He told the guy "if you leave my tree stand at such and such a place on this certain date then I will destroy the pictures and forgive you. But if I don't get my tree stand back I will take these pictures to the police." About a week later the guy writes back in the "Reader's Speaks" section and thanks the guy for returning his tree stand and said the he destroyed the pictures. Now that was pretty funny! I bet the guy who stole the stand will think twice the next time he thinks he will steal another one.

I take scent free showers and wash my clothes in scent free soap. After they are washed or after hunting I keep them outside. I go pretty high up the tree with my climber so I haven't had any issues with deer smelling me. I know a guy that doesn't use any scent free stuff, smokes cigarettes and pees off his stand and he kills nice bucks every year. I just don't understand how he does it.

Yes, I agree. I have grown real weary of this wind also. Friday's wind forecast for where I hunt is 16 mph, Saturday is 19 mph, and Sunday is 21 mph. Monday is finally supposed to be a tolerable 8 mph. As much as I hate hunting in the wind it's not going to stop me from going.

I shot a doe several years ago in PA with my bow during the week long muzzleloader season that's held each year in mid October. The guys in the camp next to mine were jealous because they hadn't even SEEN a deer and here I come dragging a doe out that I had shot with my bow. During the late muzzleloader season in NY I always carry a bow. I have never shot a buck during that season but have taken a doe with my bow two different years.

Great Job! Congrats to you!

I am a woman and my priorities have changed over the past 20 years or so of hunting. I used to just hunt for meat but now I hunt for trophies. BUT, if I don't get a trophy I will shoot a doe so I can have some meat.

I did the same thing a few years ago but I shot under not over. A beautiful buck was headed my way right down the trail. Should have been an easy 20 yard shot but before he got to me he turned and went down another trail. He was probably 35 yards when (not thinking) I put the pin in the center of his chest and let the arrow fly. I had a clean arrow (no blood or fat) but did give him a slight haircut. I sure was mad at myself that day. Although another time I WAS thinking clearly and shot at a buck with my pin set at 20 when it was actually over 40 yards. I didn't have time to set my sight so I just held the pin about 3 inches above his back and let the arrow fly. I made a beautiful shot right through his heart and he died within eyesight.

I saw this buck (in my profile picture) last year on November 6 at 11:50 a.m. during one of my all day sits. I knew he was in there as I had seen him twice before so I figured if I sat all day he'd have to come through sometime. He was by himself most likely looking for a girlfriend. I was hunting out of my climbing tree stand in a strip of woods that was only about 70 yards wide. On one side of the strip of woods was approximately 30 acres of fields and the other side was approximately 50 acres of clear cut. I figured he wouldn't want to be out in the field in the open and he probably wouldn't want to be in that clear cut since it was so thick (and then he wouldn't be able to see the girls). Unfortunately I didn't get a shot at him that day as I was in the wrong tree but I finally bagged him on the 5th day of the rifle season at 8:30 a.m. He was chasing a doe the day I shot him.

In archery season I will do a few days of all day sits sometime during the last two weeks of the season but the weather has to be cooperative as I will not sit out all day in the rain or on super windy days. Over the years I have seen many bucks during the "off" hours and sometimes wonder why I make myself get up so early.

I hunt in 9R. On October 16th I watched 5 bucks chasing a doe all over the place but haven't seen any chasing since then. It must have just been 1 early doe coming in estrus. The deer are getting hit left and right on the highway near my house and that's always a sign that the rut is getting into full gear. I haven't been able to hunt the last few days due to rain, high winds or work but I get to go out everyday this coming week. I AM PUMPED!!!!

I'm super duper sad that I have to work 8:30-4:30 on Sunday. I'll be looking out the window daydreaming a lot I'm sure. With the time change I won't even be able to get out for the last hour BUT I do get to hunt Monday morning and it looks like it's going to be a crisp one out there. The hunting should really start getting good now. I'm pumped!

I think the rut is a little strange this year. On Oct 16th I watched 5 bucks chasing a doe all over the place. I haven't seen any chasing since. The last few days I have seen mothers with their fawns which is strange. I thought they would have chased them off all ready? Hopefully, the next two weeks will be better.

I have been bow hunting for 18 years now and have used climbers for the last 16. I started out with a Summit and used it for years. About 2001, I switched to a Lone Wolf (hand) climber. I used that for about 8 years and then I purchased a Lone Wolf sit-n-climb. I like this one the best as I like the sense of security I have with the rail in front on me. The stand weighs about 17 pounds. The stand is so quiet going up or down that on numerous occasions I have only been half way up the tree with my bow still on the ground and have deer within 20 yards of my tree. I have never once had the stand slip on a tree and I feel extremely safe with it. I usually go up about 20 feet and almost never have been busted by a deer seeing or smelling me. I do like to pick trees if I can that are either multiple trunked or with two or trees threes clumped together.

You are right on about that! I had a friend who once worked in the deli department at a grocery store. She told me that the ham salad was made by all the leftover ends of the hams. The ham pieces would sit in a bucket until there was enough to make the salad. She said many times the pieces of ham were so old they were covered with a green sheen. She said that after grinding they would mix a packet of red colored Kool-Aid so as to give it a pink, fresh appearance. I have NEVER eaten ham salad or any kind of meat salad from the deli ever since she told me that story and that's been a lot of years ago.

I have an older trail camera, the Cuddy Back Capture. On that one you don't necessarily have to have an SD card in it as it has some memory and there is a way to transfer the pics to the card. Perhaps your trail camera has the same feature and you don't know about it??? Did you keep your owner's manual? If not, you could look it up online. Maybe you will be surprised that it has a memory also! Good luck!

Hello everyone! I'm a minority in here, I'm sure. I say that because I am female. I love hunting just as much (if not more) than many of you. I have been bow hunting for 18 years now and to date have harvested with my archery equipment over 30 whitetails, 2 coyotes, 1 bear, several turkeys, squirrels, grouse, rabbits and woodchucks. In addition to hunting I also compete with my bow and am proud to say that I am a 2 time I.B.O. National Triple Crown champion. Last year I spent over 140 hours in a tree stand trying to get one particular buck with my bow. I seen him 3 times but was unable to connect with him. Fortunately, I shot him on the 5th day of the rifle season. He was a 10 point and scored 142. He was the biggest buck I have ever shot! I've included a picture of him. I'm excited to be a part of this forum and look forward to reading about other's successes. I hope that someday soon I can add my own success story for this season!

So sorry to hear of you losing your buck. I know how frustrating it is. I have a brochure that I received last year about dogs that can help find your deer. I saved it "just in case". Here are three numbers....the Founding Chapter (845) 227-5099, a Western N.Y. Chapter (716) 648-4355 or Finger Lakes Chapter (585) 935-5220 It says on the brochure that "For WNY and Finger Lake chapters the areas are generally covered but not limited to the following counties: Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Chemung, Erie, Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Niagara, Ontario, Orleans, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Wayne, Wyoming and Yates". The website is www.deersearch.org Good Luck!