Bow Season Concludes

Bow season concluded Friday, and much like the two previous bow seasons (four if you include my time in Washington hunting elk), I've come up empty handed. That's not entirely unexpected. I knew going into the season that my time would be limited, and you have to put the hours in to have a reasonable chance of getting something. So expectations were low, at least for the archery season.

But once I saw the amount of deer on that tract of private land, my hopes suddenly skyrocketed though it was late in the season. I got that feeling in my stomach that tells me something is about to happen. And it almost did.

First two deer

 On Thursday, I took up my stand in the Southeast corner just before daybreak. Not twenty minutes later I spotted two deer forty yards away moving through the overgrown field adjacent to the property. Although they weren't going to come my direction, I consider any deer movement a good sign, especially when they don't bust you. 

Injured buck and a doe

 About an hour later, an eight point walked into the adjacent cornfield about 150 yards off. I thought he would eventually head my way, but he had a bad limp to him and was laboring hard just to walk. He lay in the field for about twenty minutes, getting up every five minutes or so to walk a couple yards before bedding down again. I thought maybe he was recently shot him and was going to die right there in the field. Eventually, a doe appeared near him and it was apparent from their actions that they were paired up and the doe was in heat. 

My best chance

About half an hour after the buck and doe left the field, I turned to see a four point about ten yards off and a doe about fifteen yards off. Even with my movement, they didn't spook. So long as the buck kept ambling about, he was bound to walk through one of my shooting lanes. Then both deer suddenly jerked their heads to the direction of the field. I couldn't move my head to see what they were looking at, but I suspected it to be another hunter, possibly trailing what I thought was that wounded buck. When I finally got my head turned, I saw that another doe had entered the field exactly where the previous buck and doe had lingered. 

Well, the excitement of another doe proved too much for the four point. In two quick jumps he cleared the woods  and made a straight line for that doe, who quickly scattered into the other woods at the sight of the buck. The other doe headed back from the direction she came. And that was that. 

The four point returns

An hour and a half later, I turned to my backside and there was that four point again standing ten yards off. He had snuck in from the other direction. I needed to get my bow and body square to the buck, which required a near 180-degree maneuver.  I waited for him to go behind a tree and then I made a quick attempt at facing him. He never directly caught the movement or pegged me, but he knew something wasn't right. He made two quick leaps away before walking off slowly. 

Almosts and the pair

And that was that. I almost called in another doe and the wounded buck and doe would reappear again in the same spot at 2PM and 4PM. Apparently, the buck was not fatally injured. 

On Friday, I switched stands, but nothing walked by. Other appointments called to me, and bow season was over at noon Friday. 

Next year, I suppose.