ApexerER

Good morning on the lease so far..just not for me.

Browning BAR .308...Hornady ballistic tip 165 gr

I can't really help with your question but that really sucks...plan the trip..get the time off and it doesn't sound like it is working out. Can u just delay a couple days and still do the trip?

Oh and play on my phone

Usually I look for deer...

Wow..beautiful deer Nodeer and buckmaster...way to get it done!

10 in a pack...5 in the rifle...you never know

Holy crap!....here i am plopped on the couch thinking im already for morning...got my rifle next to my gear bag...everything layed out in the garage. All my stuff from bow...glad I read this or I would have left tomorrow morning without even an orange hat...I'm going to go get my vest right now!

I agree with everyone else. I would (and have) shoot a coyote. And even that I would think twice about at 7:30 tomorrow morning. Any other time they are going down if I can get a shot. Even with a .223 I would think a squirrel or rabbit would be pretty much toast if it wasn't a head shot. I am not going to ruin the rest of my sit for a squirrel or rabbit. I would shoot a turkey with the bow but they only seem to come by either just before or just after the season when I am sitting in my stand.

Thanks Grampy...I am going to keep a journal here from now on. I went and reread everything last night and I could replay the day in my head. Good Luck to you as well....Lets get it done with the rifle!

Wednesday 11/16 - Get in my stand and set up just before 6am. Almost no wind so I can't tell which way to point the ozonics. Temp about 40 degrees. Thinking it is going to be a perfect morning. It just stopped raining after an all night long monsoon. As soon as I can see a little bit I check the wind and it seems very slight SE so I point the ozonics at my 8 o'clock even thought scoutlook says NW wind. About 7:30 I catch movement over my left hand shoulder and see a deer slowly coming walking along the edge of the ravine about half way down coming toward me. I believe it is the small 3pt I have seen a bunch of times but couldn't confirm. When he gets just past even with me slowly heads down the bottom of the ravine and up the other side where I lose track of him. No idea what he would have smelled with the super light wind and being down in the ravine but he did go pass where I had the ozonics pointed at about 40 yds and never stopped to scent check. He was the only deer I saw on the morning sit. Head out at 11am for lunch. Afternoon sit I sit in a stand I have not sat before. (Tommy's Stand) Get settled in and by this time (1pm) there is a NNW wind so the ozonics is pointed at about my 2 o'clock. Sit with no deer seen till about 4:15. Just as I was thinking this sit was a bust I hear a noise behind me and look over my right shoulder to and see a doe about 60 yds out. I quickly stand and turn grabbing my cross bow and see there are 5 doe moving through at a pretty rapid pace. I none of them looked my way and they couldn't have winded me in their position so I assume they are being pushed. I wait for about 5 minutes thinking a buck would be following (if on the same path would have been out of range) but nothing showed. I sit back down thinking there can't be more than 5 minutes left of legal shooting time. I no sooner sit down and I catch movement in front of me coming out of the thicket moving from my left to right getting closer. I notice it looks like it has a decent rack but I can't tell how many points. I stand while he is in some thick stuff and shoulder the crossbow and get in position. I need him to take another step or two into an open lane. He steps out looking right at me. I don't know if he saw me move or knew something was up because on his way in he crossed the scent stream the ozonics was hopefully hiding. He crossed it never stopping to scent check and by now he should be able to wind me. I can see his rack is much wider than the ears but not very tall and can't see points with him facing me directly. All this decision making happens in three seconds and I decide I am going to shoot him with a rack that wide. I put the 30 yd crosshair on his shoulder, squeeze the trigger and in what seemed like slow motion I watch the lighted nock fly toward him, change course and smack into a tree behind him which I assume destroyed my bolt because my lighted nock went dead as soon as it whacked the tree. He trotted off maybe 20 yds as I quickly put the stirrup on my boot and grab the crossbow and cock it by hand. (didn't think I could do that, must have been adrenaline) He is looking back my way and I throw the kitchen sink at him, grunt bleat can..i even snort wheezed. He didn't run but slowly left the area. I sat down disgusted with myself looking at the spot trying to see what the heck I hit and replaying the incident over about 1000 times in my head. I decide not to go scenting up the area any more than I have too and back out without retrieving my bolt. Thursday 11/17 - Sad and excited this will be my last archery hunt. I get to the stand I missed the buck in the night before. The moon is super bright and I am surprised how far I can see. Once again the temp is about 40 degrees and the wind is so light I can't tell which way to point the ozonics. I can see with the moon but everytime I check the wind it seems like it is just swirling in one place. I got scent checker powder all over me and the crossbow. It quickly becomes gray light and the woods seem darker than when the moon was bright. I hear a noise coming in on my left and at about 25 yds I can see well enough to tell it is a deer but no idea what. I am staring at the deer and I hear another noise and assume it is another deer coming in but can't see it. I follow the deer I can see and my neck is stretched around to my left and my neck is starting to hurt. I believe I am staring at the deer and I am begging for it to get lighter faster just so I can at least identify what is just over my shoulder. I am staring at this dark patch and thinking did this deer bed right there? As it starts getting lighter I am thinking is that a stump? Yup, I don't know where the deer went, I never heard it leave but I stared at a stump for at least 15 minutes. I am 100% positive I saw a deer but it vanished! The sun comes up and it is a beautiful morning. Wind becomes a little more steady and light out of the NW so I have the ozonics pointed at my 2 o'clock. About 8 am I catch movement at my 2'0clock and I am trying to make and notice there are 4 or 5 deer coming through. Wait those are weird looking deer...I realize they are turkey and they look enormous. They come through never coming closer than 50 yds. Didn't see anything else so headed for lunch about 11:30. Back in the same stand for the afternoon by 1 pm praying i get one more opportunity to fill a tag before the rifle opener. I sit until dark with no deer seen. Well my Archery season is done. I have never had a bow season that i spent so much time in the woods. I stuck to my goal of deer of 6 points or more and doe without fawns. I saw some small bucks, saw two shooter bucks. Had some opportunities that i didn't cash in on. Really can't ask for more other than closing the deal. I will be in the woods Saturday Am with rifle in hand.

Actually...I believe just the opposite is happening...all the people with a civil mind (Republican, Democrat, and independent) are thanking their lucky stars Donald Trump is POTUS elect. The media is so stupid that they believe a majority of the people are happy with these protests, people destroying property etc. Democrats are going to have to swing to a far left agenda to appease these kooks and that is an agenda the overwhelming majority of the people will not support. The democrats were much better off when they just lied to the American electorate about being the working man's party. Now the party's true colors are on full display and an overwhelming majority of the people don't like it.

Well my bow/crossbow season is over with no tags filled. I had some opportunities...passed some some small bucks and doe with fawns. No regrets...enjoyed my season. Be back out Saturday morning with the rifle...

Awesome! Congrats!

Back at it for the evening...fingers crossed I can fill a tag

Jeez is your name Jeff and do you hunt 4k? Do we have written rules about asking...no does everyone else ask?...yes...it is a courtesy...if I ask it gives the person an option to say I want to let that stand rest...I'll be in there in the am...the exact reason why I am sitting where I am instead of where I would like to be..stand owner is resting spot for rifle opener and I respect that. NOBODY ELSE on the lease would consider doing that. You don't have two stands close together to watch a specific area? I have no idea if he saw a big deer. I just found out he has been sitting my stand mon - Fri for two weeks straight when I am at work...and he avoided my trail cameras which you would have to do on pupose. Nobody else here would burn up another hunters stand like that...and yes...we have rules for hours worked on lease and you have to place one stand that is yours and you forfeit that stand when you leave or are not asked back...all august and Sept was ill do it next week. Next week apparently never came for him. So yes I am pissed...agree to disagree

Thank God that psycho won't be running our country

I have to say yes and no. 20+ years ago I would leave for camp Sunday morning with my father and grandfather. It was a really special time for me that I only realize how special now...we would come home Wednesday night...have thanksgiving at my grandmother's and head right back to camp after dinner. I would take those days back in a second. Since I can't take them back the Saturday opener works much better for me presently..

I hope everyone gets a big dear...I am pissed that a new guy this year...who contributed no work to the lease...no trail camera...and no stand...wants to sit in my other stand 75 yds away from me when we have a lot of stands and alot of acerage where we can all easily be separated by at least 500 yds. If he goes to that stand. I will sit someplace else and I may anyway since he has apparently been sitting there Monday thru Friday for two weeks without even letting me know

Slow morning...single deer at 25 yds before light enough to identify it and 5 turkey about half hour ago..they never walk past in season

Well ..I would have said I will be in my ladder stand that I mostly hunt. It is about 200 yds from our property line with a horse farm off my right that nobody hunts till rifle. BUT I have not seen a shooter buck out of that stand all archery season AND we put a stand up late summer about 75 yds away in the bottom of the ravine just in case I was seeing deer moving there this season. (I haven't) One of our lease members asked me last night what time I was going in sat am cause he wants to sit the stand past mine in the ravine and doesn't want to interrupt me going in. (How thoughtful) I said all this land...all the stands we have and you are going to sit on my lap for the gun opener? I wasn't happy. I know this guy has been Hunting my stand hard when I am not in it and I am thinking he saw a good one. We have a lease rule that we can hunt any stand not being hunted by the person that owns it. Most of the guys ask if you mind and don't pressure a certain stand. Not him and not happy about it...hope we don't invite him back next year and I will make sure everyone knows it

Back in the stand from last night. Hoping to redeem myself...couldn't sleep last night

I Googled lockdown today when I wasn't seeing much this morning. Brought up some QDMA articles...anyway according to radio collared deer in PA..lockdown doesn't exist....it also said it showed pressured deer during rifle season go nocturnal during the weekend when pressure is great...basically return to normal by Wed...Thurs...and back to nocturnal for the weekend. Thought that was very interesting....sounds like pressured deer only need a couple days to return to normal

Well...I am not sure if the deer gods are punishing me for such a good season last year or if my new crossbow hates me. I sat in a stand for the evening sit i have never sat before. Just about 4:15 I was thinking nothing this evening and two second later I hear a noise...look behind me to see deer moving through so I stand and turn to watch 5 doe 60+ yds away move through. I stay standing hoping a buck would be following but nothing. As I turn back forward i.catch movement coming in quickly from my left to right getting closer. I see bone and it looks like decent rack. He goes into some thick stuff on my right and I can see enough of him to know he is there but can't make out the rack. He is just in front of a tree that I ranged earlier at 33yds. He steps out and is looking directly my way so I can't see points but I can see his bone is at least 3 inches past the ears. I quickly decide I am happy with that no matter how many points he is..line my 30 yds cross hair with his shoulder and squeeze the trigger. I see the lighted nock flying toward him like it is slow motion...mysteriously hit something and careen into a tree at least 10 ft from the deer and he trots off. I sit down disgusted for the last few minutes and replay it in my head about 1000 times. I don't know what the bolt hit. I was so disgusted I didn't look. My lighted nock went out when the bolt smashed the tree. I will check it all out after my morning sit...hopefully he will come back in the am...

I am not usually one for switching spots all the time...but here I am...trying to make something happen in a stand I have never sat and have no idea where to expect the deer to come. Let's hope they do come