Chomping At The Bit:

I was able to get out on 2 morning sits this week. Tuesday I was able to hunt till 10am in the "Gorge Stand." After getting winded on Saturday in my climber I decided to locate my ladder stand on the other side of the logging road where I saw the 2 deer. Well, right at 7:15 am I saw a big body 75 yards below me walking the trail. He was headed right up too me and the wind was perfect. I took a closer look at his rack and decided he was worth taking, average 7 point by mountain standards but I was chomping at the bit. I took aim at 32 yards......and looked up to see a branch moving up and down! I let my excitement get too me and should of waited for a better shot, that time in the morning gives out bogus light at that range and it bit me in the ass. I went down and grabbed my arrow, no blood. I was a bit angry with myself but decided to get back up in my tree. Around 9:30 am a small 4 or 6 point came through the field and headed up into the pines. On the way out I was looking at the ground and stumbled across some blood! I guess I ended up clipping the buck with my arrow on ricochet. I tracked it for about 100 yards but the buck was heading up hill and after the 100 yards the blood was very scarce. I am sure he will live to see another day, I hate situations like that in archery, I'll take my experience and learn from it.

I got back up into the same stand this morning (10-11-12) not expecting to see anything because of the commotion I caused on Tuesday. The weather was perfect, 30 degrees and clear skies. No deer moved through the areas from 7am-8am but 15 minutes after 8 I caught a glimpse of a big deer on the field edge. It moved into the woods rather quickly and I didn't see what it was, I got the feeling it was another buck. I haven't scene a doe all season, I will be heading out tomorrow morning, might try a different spot.