Christmas Eve/day hunts- close range close calls

[catman529]

Christmas Eve- sat in a grown up field on private land with no shots past 10-15 yards. Only a select few spots allow for 20+ yard shots, but the deer prefer the thicket stuff on their evening route.

Doe came in suddenly almost straight ahead and angled to my left. No time to draw. She stopped at 10 steps and saw me, and the stomping and blowing commenced. Long story short I got the bow drawn, but no shot before several deer blew off to the thicker stuff.

Christmas Day - same spot, different angle, multiple shooting lanes and enough room to see the deer coming.

Around 4 pm I got a much better chance. Saw her well before she was in the open lane. Got drawn back ahead of time, waited 45 seconds, and finally she stopped 2 steps short of clearing the last scrub tree to the first shooting lane, and stared at me. Again, only 10 yards. I didn't move, she must have just seen my shape sitting there.

I thought I had a pocket to shoot through, but clipped a limb and she tore off into the thick stuff, with several other deer behind her blowing. Arrow had ricocheted into the ground (thankfully) and completely missed. Before I left, I cut out the offending limb for next time. Hope to give it one more shot in a few days before season closes.

I play the wind and the deer never smell me, they just come in so close, they see me. Almost impossible to set up for a shot longer than 20 yards, and if I do, the deer slip through the thicker stuff nearby. At least I got em somewhat patterned.

Back to public land tomorrow evening with the 30-30.


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[Mudbone]

Leafy suit. I thought I gave you one. They help a lot in those situations.

 

[catman529]

Leafy suit. I thought I gave you one. They help a lot in those situations.

nah I don't have one


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[Mike Belt]

If all your trees look like that you need a hang on in there instead of a climber. You might could get higher.

 

[catman529]

If all your trees look like that you need a hang on in there instead of a climber. You might could get higher.

ladder would be the only practical stand, and only on a select few trees for that matter. Most all the trees are too small for a stand. Plus, I hunt there to hone my ground hunting skills, and have other places to hunt from a treestand. Let me say I definitely enjoy the thrill of a deer 10 yards away on the ground vs when I'm in a tree looking down. Even if she busts me or I make a dumb mistake, it's a lot of fun.


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[TLRanger]

I thought deer could not see orange....Just get a set of orange coveralls if this is true.

 

[Henry3030]

Catman, someone has been in there hard hunting those does all season and burning a free education into their firmware. Good luck with it, it's going to be a challenge.

 

[muddyboots]

Blind

 

[Coker]

Blind

My thoughts exactly. Ground blind, brushed in real good, in that thicket would never be seen.

 

[catman529]

Blind

My thoughts exactly. Ground blind, brushed in real good, in that thicket would never be seen.

maybe if there was more than a week of season left. If I can't get it done sitting under a scrub tree then I just won't kill one like that this year. I got me another doe on public land yesterday so I'm not as pressured to kill another one now.


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