Rut is almost Here

I haven't been able to get out and hunt lately as I've had company a few weekends and also the weather here in PA has been all rain for two weeks. It not only has rained but we have had high winds that you were not able to even sit in a ladder stand or climber without being tossed around. Due to these unfortunate circumstances, I haven't been able to archery hunt. But, this weekend is calling for sunny skies and Friday might be the day. I have been letting my digital camera do the work for me as it has taken a few buck pictures as you can see in my last post. I set this camera up on a scrape and the does and bucks have been there to check it out. I just checked my camera on Saturday and again the big buck from last week came through to see what had been in its area. I got another picture of that beautiful rack, although it was the back again. I have really enjoyed using the digital cameras. It helps to locate the deer and tells you what time they are moving through the area. This buck seems to be coming through in the early morning hours. It was 3:15 and 1:15 that I got this bucks photo. The rut should be getting started shortly as the bucks will begin to chase the does. I did get out and hunt last night however, with the time change and my work schedule I was only able to sit for about 1 hour before darkness was upon me. I did see one doe eating in the field after I had climbed my tree but that was it. Nothing else moving for me. I will keep you posted as to my hunting adventure this weekend. Hope it gets interesting.

If you get time, check out our website at http://www.howtoagedeer.com The deer aging tool makes a great christmas present for those hunters in your life.

Until next time.


One Happy Hunter,



http://www.howtoagedeer.com

Big Bucks In My Backyard

I haven't been able to make it out hunting in a while but I was able to check my camera's and I found that the bucks are starting to check the scrapes as you can see by my photos. I caught these bucks coming to see what does have been in the scrapes. I put alittle active scrape that I had in this scrape and they were there to check it out. These are some nice buck and I am glad they are in my backyard. Check these out. I will post more if I am able to get out hunting this weekend.


Till then!


One Happy Hunter,


http://www.howtoagedeer.com

Scrapes and Rubs Have Started in Pa

YES!! Finally, I am beginning to see some scrapes and rubs. I found 3 scrapes and a mess of rubs just within the last week. Most of the rubs I found yesterday while out hunting. I was walking through a small cluster of trees and on 6 trees there were 6 rubs. WOW! That is exciting. I found 2 different scrapes that appeared to be active and cleaned out. I could tell becuase the leaves have been fallen pretty regularly and these scrapes didn't have any leaves in them. We'll I'll keep you posted as the hunt for the big buck continues.

One Happy Hunter,


http://www.howtoagedeer.com

So Close, Better Luck Next Time

I went out hunting after work on Monday night. It was beautiful out. 79 degrees, hardly any wind, seemed perfect. I arrived at my tree and used my climber, after getting settled I check my watch and it was now 5:00pm. I was hunting a new spot for the first time on Monday because of the scrapes I found. I thought I would try it and see, you never know if that buck will come back and check the scrape. So, I sat and waited for about an hour. Then, I saw some movement, but I wasn't sure what it was. I slowly slipped out of my seat and came to a standing position. As I did my climber made a noise and yes, the movement that I saw was a deer because as soon as she heard that noise, off she went. Okay, I spooked not only one but 3 because I saw 2 more following her. I thought, maybe a doe call would bring them back and just think I was another deer. I tried it and sure enough.

Here they come, back to me for another chance. I slowly tried to position myself for a shot. I noticed one deer, and then another, and then another, all walking calmly, eating, smelling etc. It was awesome. I even saw one deer grab a tree limb, shake it, and then let it go.

What a site!

As I positioned myself for the first doe, another doe came in for a better shot. Okay, I'll take this one. But then it turned so back to the first one. The whole time I tried to draw my bow and once one of the deer went behind a tree, I would look over and the other ones would be standing there with there head up sniffing the air. I couldn't draw, if I did, they would hear me or spot me and then be gone. I didn't want to take that chance, I would wait for a good opportunity to draw. I just needed to be patient. Well, they walked around for a good 15 minutes, eating and sniffing. The one doe I had my eye on decided to circle around and head away from me and the other does followed. At one point, I counted 5 doe. Wow! Great, I would get a shot at one of them. Well, I couldn't be that lucky. As it turned out the doe were heading away from me, but then one of the decided to come back. She came back at a different angle and was heading right towards me smelling the air. I had put some doe in estrus out and some doe urine. She was smelling that. As she proceeded to walk towards me at the worst possible angle, she looked straight at me in my climber. I think we actually made eye contact. As she looked at me, she stomped and then off she went, along with the other does. They were gone and so was my shot at one of them.

What a great hunt, with no success but it was exciting. My heart was ponding like you wouldn't believe, I couldn't even image if one of those deer would have been a buck. What a feeling.

Hopefully, my next hunt will be just as exciting but with a reward at the end.

One Happy Hunter,


http://www.howtoagedeer.com

Spotted Some Deer Scrapes

I was out on Sunday 10-8-06 and explored alittle bit more looking for some deer signs, rubs - scrapes. I did come upon 4 scrapes. 3 were small but one was a decent size. I hope to see it picking up in the next week or so. I still haven't seen any buck rubs.

I hunted tonight, 10-9-06 and arrived on stand about 5:00pm. I didn't see anything until around 6:00 when 5 doe came through by my stand. I couldn't get my bow drawn because there was so much activity between all 5 deer that I was afraid I would spook one and they would be gone. As it turned out the one doe came around on me and headed straight toward me. Worse possible direction because as she approached she looked right at me and she was gone. She also took the other 4 does with her as they trotted off. Yep, they got spooked and didn't know what I was, just knew it wasn't right. I also saw 2 doe eating in the field while on stand but way to far away to get a shot off.

Can you believe they are calling for snow this weekend in pa. What is up with that. Well, we'll see if I make it out this weekend to hunt or not. I will keep you posted.

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Part 2 of Opening Day

Glad to see you came back for the second part to my opening day archery story. To continue, I had an exciting morning and I couldn't wait to get back out there for the evening. I set foot into the woods around 4:00pm. I choose to take my climber out for the evening because the wind was just switching directions in the morning and I felt I would have a better chance at getting a deer with the wind being in my favor. I set up my climber and waited. I had decided to leave the woods around 6:00pm because I had to go see my parents that evening as well. So, it was about 5:55 and I decided to wrap things up. I hadn't seen anything so I guess it was time to go. As I took one last look around before starting my climb done, I noticed a doe approaching. Now, wouldn't you know it. I had been sitting there all that time and nothing, then I decide to leave and a deer appears. I quickly sat back down, the problem was I had already lowered by bow to the ground because I was leaving. Now what? I decided to quickly and quietly pull my bow back up. I glanced over and could still see the deer moving in the woods. Okay, I thought, it is still there. As I was pulling my bow up I heard a snort. Oh no, now it would be gone. I managed to get my bow back up and get an arrow on it. I was ready but now the doe was gone. I decided to give a doe bleat call just to see if something would respond. Well, it did. I saw a deer heading my way. Great, I thought, it is back. As I watched the deer, I noticed another deer moving behind it. It appeared to be a momma and a baby. I would definitely take the mother. I waited as they approached anxious to take a shot but still telling myself to concentrate on my breathing, slow it down. I was getting pumped up and it was only a doe. Well, I did calm down and wouldn't you know it, the deer went behind a brush pile. Okay, I would wait for them to walk out and right into the field, a clear shot. I waited and waited, nothing. Where could they be? I decided to sit back down and as I did I noticed at the end of the field the deer had appeared. First the mother came out and then the baby. They had walked down the edge of the woods, staying in it the whole time until the end and the cut the edge of the field. Great, I had lost my chance at a deer. I wondered what had spooked them? Could they have smelled me and stayed in the woods. Quite possible but we will never know.

All in all I had a great day. I saw plenty of deer and enjoyed my first day of archery season just being in the woods. It couldn't have been much better, well it could have with a deer but you know how it goes. I can't wait for the next time I can get out in the woods.


One Happy Hunter,


http://www.howtoagedeer.com

Opening Day Has Come and Gone

WOW! What a great opening day. No, I didn't get a buck, I didn't even get a doe but I did get to enjoy the great outdoors and it was peaceful and exciting.

Okay, here's how my opening day of archery season went in Pa. I got up and got ready to go in my full camo gear. I hunt behind my house so it's about a 5 minute walk to my hunting area. Really nice and convenient, everyone should be so lucky. Anyways, as I approach the field I am going to enter where I have a ground blind set up, I get snorted at by a deer. It snorted a couple of times and then it was out of there. Nice, I thought. The deer are here. So, I make my way to my blind and I sit down to get comfortable. As I am sitting there, within minutes, I get snorted at again from behind me. Okay, I turn to see what it was and because it is still 6:20am it is dark and all I see is a black outline of a deer. I was seeing deer early, good sign. This snorting and stomping routine went on for awhile. I was betweeen where the deer wanted to go and they couldn't by me. The deer wasn't sure what I was it only knew I shouldn't be there. I guess it couldn't get a good smell on me because it must have snorted at me about 50 times. No lie! After a while, I saw 2 other deer appear to join this one and begin to try and figure out what I was. I thought, this is it, I am going to get a shot a deer so early. Great!
We'll I was wrong. I still couldn't see because it was dark and I wanted to make certain that I was shooting at a doe and not a spike or something illegal so I had to wait for it to get light. While I was waiting the 3 deer made there way past me and down into another part of the field and then into the woods. Okay, so I didn't get a shot at those deer but I did see deer and it was only 7:00am. Keep in mind they were probably 20-25 yards from me a couple of times. So, I sit and wait.
About 8:15 I see movement in the woods, more deer. I saw about 4 deer and received a couple more snorts but nothing would come close enough to me so I could get a shot. Off they went. So, I ended my morning and returned to the house.

I will leave you with that for now. Come back tomorrow as I finish my first day of archery story, it gets interesting and heart pounding, that's for sure.

One Happy Hunter,


http://www.howtoagedeer.com