Bow LI

[NFA-ADK]

10/17/15

I get to the stand in the dark with only one low snort as I came in, great not too bad I think!  Nice and quiet.  I figure let me get the GoPro out because morning is usually good action.  As I open the zipper to my day pack I notice the lights are on so I try to turn it off and it starts beeping and flashing and ARG!!!  R U kidding me!  This goes on for about a minute before I finally get the dam battery out.  Then I hear the tell tail noise of a big deer walking AWAY!  Figured I blew the area so I smoke a but only to notice a doe directly below me, she heard me put it out but never looked up.  That was my only morning action. 

 

3pm and I'm off stand for a stretch and notice a small buck 65 yards out.  I get back in stand and 20 min later a small doe dives into some brush 10 yards out and froze.  I figure she was trying to escape the young bucks harassment.  Saw another 3 doe at about 120 yards.  Doe in the bushes did not leave until I did.  7 deer total 1 4pt

 

 

10/24/15

2nd day hunting and it was for half a day.  Set up and in stand by 2:30.  Had some good action seeing 10 deer total with one 4pt pushing doe. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slrgU4-4s5k&feature=em-upload_owner

 

After some more calling I was able to stop what I thought was the largest doe and take her at 22 yards.  My first with a bow and I was able to get it on video.  I pulled up slightly so the shot was high.  Rage did the trick as the arrow broke off and spun around, no pass through.  I don't think my death grip on the bow helped my form, lol.  She went 40 yards, blood trail was spotty a couple of times.  Gave her until dark to wait but you can hear her pile up in the video.  10 deer total 1 4pt and my first bow kill. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxfsMDedRok&feature=em-upload_owner

 

 

 

[The_Field_Ager]

Big girl

[ATbuckhunter]

Congrats on your first deer with a bow! 

[Fletch]

Nice job, congratz!!

[Steve7]

Awesome.  congrats.  enjoyed the footage.

[Red]

That's some good action congrats that's a big doe

[NFA-ADK]

Thanks!  It was a nice day with good action thats for sure .  I would have taken another but my buddy said buck only after the doe and its his access so I had to listen.  By the time he gave me the green light to get the 2nd doe she was out of range. 

[NFA-ADK]

First time at the DEC check station today in Ridge with my friend.  By the time we got to the parking lot it was past first light.  (Hunted a new spot.)  My buddy never shot a deer so I wanted him to go in first and I would follow.  I told him I would hang back 50 + yards doing a very slow stalk to give him some room.  After about 10 min I jumped a deer on a crossing trail.  He told me the trail got really thick ahead so I asked him to come back to the spot I jumped the deer. 

 

I set him up on the trail so I could do some calling and try to get something to come into him.  I start my fawn distress call and work it for about 30-40 seconds, after about 5-7 min he gets up and says he is going to stalk back on the trail again.  (Surprised he did not want to stay I did not object and off he went.)  I moved on the opposite side of where he was and did two more doe in heat calls and 2 minutes later a deer comes in.  At first I though I saw spikes the size of its ears but though I might just be a doe.  At 10 ft when it was behind a bush I went to full draw expecting it to take two more steps for a perfect broadside view and possible shot if it was a doe.  Well I guess 10 ft is too close and it heard me draw the arrow, it hesitated for a second then bounded off.  It might have scented me as the wind was swirling slightly. 

 

That deer bounded off west and 30 seconds later behind me at about 70 yards a monster chased something and made a bunch of noise and one grunt, the other bow hunter I met at the parking lot heard the exact same thing.  You could hear this was a big deer!

 

After explaining to my buddy that after you call you need to sit for at least 15-20 min he said he knows that.    ​   I am just upset that I could have helped him get his first if he was a little more patient.  He is a meat hunter so a spike would have been on his radar.  Just like with fishing, sometimes the best skill a hunter can have is patients and persistence.  This is not a new hunter and he is experienced.  Maybe he just thought my calling sucked? lol

 

Was planning on going to sleep now at 4 pm to prep for a 2:45 am scramble for another hunt and was just informed that will be delayed, arg!  I should have stayed in the woods but I wanted to rest up for this possible brute we are after tomorrow.   Come on Birthday buck!!! 

[NFA-ADK]

First time at Ridge check station.  Jumped one in Rocky point 10 min into my stalk.  Called one into 10 ft before it smelled me or saw me draw.   Heard a big one chasing a doe.  Buddy saw some chasing.  Nice day with some good action considering it was 68 Deg.  My buddy left the area just before I called in the spike, It would have been his first had he stayed with me during the entire call sequence.  Shame but he will get another chance! 

 

Sorry for the double post, Site was giving me some issues.

 

Edited November 6, 2015 by NFA-ADK

[jjb4900]

First time at Ridge check station.  Jumped one in Rocky point 10 min into my stalk.  Called one into 10 ft before it smelled me or saw me draw.   Heard a big one chasing a doe.  Buddy saw some chasing.  Nice day with some good action considering it was 68 Deg.  My buddy left the area just before I called in the spike, It would have been his first had he stayed with me during the entire call sequence.  Shame but he will get another chance! 

you went there twice today??

[NFA-ADK]

No just one time.  Second version was the quick version as I did not want to type it all again...

Edited November 6, 2015 by NFA-ADK

[NFA-ADK]

11/17/15 Just got back from the big ADK trip and my buddy said he was hunting in the AM.  I was way to tired.  Then a few hours later he said PM hunt, be over by 11:30 AM!  I was in! 

 

11/18/15  Warm day 54 down to 52.  Had a doe come in on me but this gray squirrel would not leave me alone to the point where he was chirping about 4 ft from my head on a branch!  With the doe staring directly in my direction I was frozen for almost 45 minutes or so.  She milled around the area for another 15 minutes before exiting the same direction.   4pm with only a half hour left I stand to have a wide view.  About 10 minutes later a nice basket 9 or 10 came in but really presented no shot and was just small of what I wanted about a 120.  Tough to pull the trigger on one when much larger roam the area but I have two tags and one is starting to burn a hole!  My buddy took down one I would have passed.  10 pt or 7 depending on how you judge.  Nice buck but again tough to take something like this when other beasts are in the area, at least so far!

 

 

 

[NFA-ADK]

11/20/15 Late morning to early afternoon hunt.  Saw 1 doe and 2 fawns going in and 2 more doe when my buddy pushed.  Had a 57 yard shot though some brush but it was a bad shot even though she posed for 2 minutes so I never drew the bow.  Hope tomorrow the big boys are cruising again, noticing the scrapes are not attended to for at least a week +. 

[NFA-ADK]

11/21/15  Full day hunt with a early brake for breakfast/lunch in between.  WoW what a day.  I saw a total of 40 deer for the day and heard more moving around that where out of sight.  Had one spike and a 4, all the rest where doe or fawns.  Saw 13 in the early morning sit and 27 in the evening sit.  Between me and my buddy we actually saw 89 deer.  Amazing day of sightings with movement a good portion of the day.  The nice one I saw a few days earlier did not show and the brute we are after showed late and retreated back over the hill.  Hope we get a crack at one of these brutes otherwise doe season should be in full swing for us after Thanksgiving.   

[Fletch]

Holy crap 40 deer is more than my whole season so far!!! What do you fart acorns!

[NFA-ADK]

LoL  This is our honey hole and we have a real brute in the area.  He is 170 or better plus we have a few 135-150's in the area.  I am told I have a free pass for my first buck but it is hard to pull the trigger on some of them knowing what is on  the camera.  I am sure many of these deer I saw that day where the same and just roaming back and forth in the area. 

[NFA-ADK]

12/5/15 Late afternoon hunt I was in stand by 2pm.  Saw about 10 deer but only had shots on the 2 different yearlings one browsed under my stand for about a half hour and the second one stayed for about 15 minutes.  Heard something crash about 3:30 and found my buddy had taken a doe in our big buck only spot.  He had not taken anything in 2 years so it was nice for him to get one down.  9 yard shot was hard for him to resist.  She was an old girl and blind in one eye.   Good day hunting.  Not seeing the big boy on camera anymore, depressing.  Hoping one of the other spots will produce.  Now I just need to find more permethrin! 

[NFA-ADK]

Not much to report on last weeks hunting.  4 days of heat with only 2 spikes and a doe seen on private land, nothing seen on public.  On a good note I found a flat footed brute that is on public land and I will go after him this weekend.  No clue what the antlers look like but based on his print he is the one I am after!  2 weekends to get him before gun season opens up on LI.