eddie c
Well-Known Member
Yesterday afternoon I had the most fun I've had while bowhunting in some time. First off, a few weeks ago I fell while cleaning up stuff in the yard and jammed my right shoulder hard on the concrete. As long as I'm active I'm ok but if sitting still for some time hurts.
One of my leases was planted in corn this year, which is good because the property has very few oak trees. The farmer picked the corn earlier this week and I was able to get my blind set up finally, which sadly more for rifle season.
At one end of the field there is a large red oak, nearby (50 yds) is a buddy stand and across (40yds) a small blind. The guy that owns both of those uses a crossbow ( elderly with shoulder problem) , buys the smallest , cheapest blind that I don't think I could shoot my shortest recurve out of it, let alone my self bow. And poison oak doesn't bother him and the buddy stand is camouflaged with poison oak vines. I can't look at it without wanting a shot from the doctor.
Starting at the red oak there is a ridge going down into the woods heading towards the neighbors property that the deer sometimes use, with a lock on stand. After setting my blind I head to that stand for an afternoon hunt, sitting in at 3pm. About 5 my back and shoulder wasn't having any more of sitting still and with probably just maybe an hour of shooting light in the woods left I decided to go to the field to see if any deer come out. I took a couple of shots with my small game arrows to loosen up the shoulder.
As I approached the field and red oak I saw a squirrel at the edge of the field and I thought 'game on'. I checked the field with my binoculars and there was a doe under the oak tree, feeding on acorns.
Major game on!
Enough trees and field edge brush that I had use to the binos to tell she was there several times. She was about 5 yards into the field, I was about 30 in the woods. Wind was moving the tree tops but I couldn't hardly feel it. I needed to get to 20-25 yard shot range. At one step her head jerks up, looks my direction and a squirrel jumps from a tree to the ground and she goes right back to feeding.
A few more yards covered, then she jumps into the middle of the field and looks back. I just stand still. I'm wearing a seat leafy suit btw.
She calms down and works her way back, I start my creap again, still needed another 5 yards to be comfortable range. She's not completely relaxed anymore, making it harder.
Must have been a wind change because all of a sudden she's full alert. For the next 5-10 minutes she does what I call The Dance. Does the stiff legged walk, head bobs, looks intensely in the woods, walks around, acts like she feeding then jerks head up, whole time slowly getting farther away. Finally slowly raise the tail and trotted off, going right by the buddy stand.
I chuckled and went home.
One of my leases was planted in corn this year, which is good because the property has very few oak trees. The farmer picked the corn earlier this week and I was able to get my blind set up finally, which sadly more for rifle season.
At one end of the field there is a large red oak, nearby (50 yds) is a buddy stand and across (40yds) a small blind. The guy that owns both of those uses a crossbow ( elderly with shoulder problem) , buys the smallest , cheapest blind that I don't think I could shoot my shortest recurve out of it, let alone my self bow. And poison oak doesn't bother him and the buddy stand is camouflaged with poison oak vines. I can't look at it without wanting a shot from the doctor.
Starting at the red oak there is a ridge going down into the woods heading towards the neighbors property that the deer sometimes use, with a lock on stand. After setting my blind I head to that stand for an afternoon hunt, sitting in at 3pm. About 5 my back and shoulder wasn't having any more of sitting still and with probably just maybe an hour of shooting light in the woods left I decided to go to the field to see if any deer come out. I took a couple of shots with my small game arrows to loosen up the shoulder.
As I approached the field and red oak I saw a squirrel at the edge of the field and I thought 'game on'. I checked the field with my binoculars and there was a doe under the oak tree, feeding on acorns.
Major game on!
Enough trees and field edge brush that I had use to the binos to tell she was there several times. She was about 5 yards into the field, I was about 30 in the woods. Wind was moving the tree tops but I couldn't hardly feel it. I needed to get to 20-25 yard shot range. At one step her head jerks up, looks my direction and a squirrel jumps from a tree to the ground and she goes right back to feeding.
A few more yards covered, then she jumps into the middle of the field and looks back. I just stand still. I'm wearing a seat leafy suit btw.
She calms down and works her way back, I start my creap again, still needed another 5 yards to be comfortable range. She's not completely relaxed anymore, making it harder.
Must have been a wind change because all of a sudden she's full alert. For the next 5-10 minutes she does what I call The Dance. Does the stiff legged walk, head bobs, looks intensely in the woods, walks around, acts like she feeding then jerks head up, whole time slowly getting farther away. Finally slowly raise the tail and trotted off, going right by the buddy stand.
I chuckled and went home.
