Calling it a Season

[Meat Manager]

So its been an active season, but I only scored once (in Pennsylvania, not NY) and I am starting to feel a bit of Stand Fatigue...this morning was the first time I was planning on hunting and the weather was good that I decided not to go.

I think this indicates that I am calling it a bow-season and putting the bow down despite a couple more chances to get out. Here is how my season went:

I missed 4 deer this season (all clean thankfully), 2 in the first week that were well in range but I think I just had deer fever and pulled up on both. The third was a bad yardage call (called 35, walked it out to be closer to 50), and the fourth was a tight squeeze shot that just went under him at 35 yards. Five shots one deer...yikes, feeling like a novice.

The first week all of my primary stands produced good sighting and shot opportunities, but it wasn't until my third chance that I scored on this 2 3/4" spiker. It was close shot high angle slightly quartering toward, which made for a pin-drop recovery that went over 200 yards. It was a great feeling to recover that deer, but even my harvest was not a great shot, so recalibrating my shot-selection discipline will be priority one going into next season:

The second week I got busted again (after missing point blank the week before) at my PM stand and that was the last time I saw deer there. I should note that I really only hunted about 6 or 7 evenings and they cut the corn early, but 2 nights of sightings was a disappointment, especially after 4 deer went right underneath my stand during the first 2 sits.

My AM stand was another story, and I continued seeing deer every time I hunted it until just after Sandy hit, then I went two days without sightings, then went right back to seeing an average of a deer an hour. Unfortunately after the first week, all of these sightings were outside 40-50 yards and I never really got another good opportunity from that particular tree.

So last weekend I switched that stand location and moved it up the ridge to the superhighway these deer had been circumventing me on. First thing the next morning I missed that little buck in the 35 yard tight squeeze. A few days later I set a stand about 150 yards back down the ridge in order to cover both escape routes on the top of my funnel.

I was planning on hunting the upper stand this morning, but I had a nagging feeling that it would end up being more harm than good (considering I've already missed 3 deer in that area this season), as I really want this stand to produce on opening day and beyond through gun season.

As far as rut, I did see lil' bucks on does in the first 10 days of the Season and then I did not see that again until right before Charlie's predicted times. Second year in a row I saw bucks on does right at Charlie's predicted cruise times. My dad got this doe on Saturday, just before Charlie's predicted time:

Anyway, my preseason scouting seemed to be really good, my blood tracking skills still seem to be well on point and my deer sightings definitely went up from last season, probably just as much of product of cooperative weather as it was my abilities.

On the con side, I shoot and shoot and shoot, and I never have problems hitting a foam target in arrow fracturing groups, but between bad yardage calls and pulling up to see like it was my first time shooting at a deer I have a couple issues to work out before next year. I am really looking forward to getting to use my new Xbow in PA next year.

Alright, I'm ready for hunting season phase 2, hopefully I will fill tag 2 on Saturday.

[BizCT]

You shot a spike in PA? Doesn't all of PA have AR's?

[Pygmy]

You shot a spike in PA? Doesn't all of PA have AR's?

Anything under 3" is considered antlerless in PA, and NY for that matter...

[Meat Manager]

Anything under 3" is considered antlerless in PA, and NY for that matter...

Right...though I didn't have my calipers out when I shot, the spikes were way below the ears and I was right on top of him so I took the shot...definitely glad I did considering its the only meat in the freezer so far, and that is primarily why I hunt.

Edited November 14, 2012 by 7J Everyday

[BizCT]

I know that. But knowing the difference between 2 3/4" and 3"? damn thats some pretty good eyes.

[BizCT]

Right...though I didn't have my calipers out when I shot, the spikes were way below the ears and I was right on top of him so I took the shot...definitely glad I did considering its the only meat in the freezer so far, and that is primarily why I hunt.

What unit did you get that spike?

[Meat Manager]

I know that. But knowing the difference between 2 3/4" and 3"? damn thats some pretty good eyes.

When I was a kid the old guys always used to say below the ears was legal, I used that as a good estimate, and these were well below...in fact first I thought it was a doe, and only when it got in real close could I see its tiny spikes.

2 3/4" was the longer spike that you can see all of in the pic, and that is measured from the base, the spike itself was only about 1 1/2", the other one was less than 2 1/4"including base, and when it ran under my cousins stand after I shot it he thought it was a doe...that being said I certainly would't publish it if I hadn't measured it and confirmed it was legal afterwords.

Edited November 14, 2012 by 7J Everyday

[Sambuca]

It looks really good hanging. Congrats on your deer, its a keeper!

[Five Seasons]

so you shot a spike and missed 4 deer? Do i have that right?

[fasteddie]

Congrats on getting a deer !

[Paula]

so you shot a spike and missed 4 deer? Do i have that right?

looks like you have it right