1 Day and a wake up!

[Deadman 94 xj]

Anyone going out?

[The_War_Wagon]

Anyone going out?

... west?

[Sycotik Skier]

Unfortunately with the pending divorce i wont be enjoying archery season this year

[justin'sbig7]

I'll be headed out with my oldest, her first year of hunting with her bow! They grow quick!

Sorry to hear that Brent.

[Deadman 94 xj]

Sorry to hear Brent. Married life makes me wish I was gay sometimes. No shit.


I went out and hit a nice 8 point only to lose it. I got out of my stand too soon and bumped him. I searched all day Sat only to find another guy's blood trail (he had a nice lung shot, bright red blood) but trying to track two deer trails in the rain was too much for me. I went out today again and searched from morning till dark and found nothing. Never found my arrow. The shot was dead on at 23-24 yards...he was quartered away which should've been a great shot.

Lesson learned? Stay in the damn stand for at least 30 to 45 mins. I had dreams about him all last night.

[Sycotik Skier]

I had a comparable experience last year except i found my arrow, well all but the first 6 inches and there was blood and meat on it.

[PatF10]

I lost a decent buck once after letting him go for at least 45 min. After finding multiple pools of blood, no deer. Sometimes they just keep going, its amazing how much they can endure.

[Deadman 94 xj]

It sucked. After reading a bit and talking to a couple guys it may have been a shoulder shot since it was as loud as it was and no arrow was found. Who knows, that SOB might still be alive.

[justin'sbig7]

Any pics on your trail and of him recently?

[mxg342]

I had a close call last night. Trail cams on my place have not been getting any decent buck on a regular basis but from the stand last night I saw a 17" 7pt that would have got an arrow. He was working right towards me. He made 3 scrapes in 60 yds and at one point grunt/snort/wheezed (first time I have ever watched a deer do that). The last one he made was about 30 yds from me and all I needed him to do was step in about another 10 and he was getting whacked. Unfortunately another deer behind me caught my wind and snorted. He didn't run away but after a few minutes walked directly away from me back into the woods. It was a cool hunt and from what I saw, I would say he's gonna be around.

[justin'sbig7]

Nice! I haven't been seeing much. Anyone noticing if they're starting to chase the does as in the rut heating up?

[Deadman 94 xj]

Nice! I haven't been seeing much. Anyone noticing if they're starting to chase the does as in the rut heating up?

I haven't seen any rut action yet. The immature buck I do see are still roaming their normal patern from the beddng area like clock work. No big buck though....and that 8pt I posted on FB Justin, wasn't the one I hit. That one was a lot older I think.

I disturbed the area pretty good all day last sunday trying to track that deer so I hope they come back!

[justin'sbig7]

I would say that with most places in allegheny county the deer are so used to humans being around that they won't be affected a whole lot

[Deadman 94 xj]

I got a doe at 6:15 on Sat evening from a buck chasing her, and a couple others around a little playground area. I wanted the buck but even at 20 yards perfect broadside I couldn't count how many points he had. He seemed like he had a nice spread but the points I couldn't tell. He walked off a bit while I fumbled around with my binocs and then he chased her down in front of my stand and I had to take the shot. So def early rut activity going on near me.

[Deadman 94 xj]

I lost a decent buck once after letting him go for at least 45 min. After finding multiple pools of blood, no deer. Sometimes they just keep going, its amazing how much they can endure.

Pat that Doe I got lived for 18 hours! I hit her at 6:15pm. I got down out of my stand at about 6:45 and found my arrow with nothing but clear slime and a funky smell on it so I thought for sure it was a gut shot.



I decided to wait until moring to track her. I came up on her bedding area at 7:30am Sunday moring and bumped her....thats about 14 hrs later! She ran off with what seemed like pretty good energy so I decided to stop and give it a few more hours. I did find blood and some clear stuff in her bed. The clear stuff just smelled like salty deer which I thought was weird since I've always heard gut shots stink so bad.



I gave her until 1pm and went back out again. I found her at 3pm Sunday in a lady's yard. She said she died at noon. I guess she watched her go into convultions and die. Go figure. Here's the shot:



The exit wound looked about the same except it had a golf ball sized patch of "stuff" coming out which plugged up the hole which is why I never found blood outside of the bed. I field dressed her and there wasn't a bad smell. She was still real warm. I'm thinking I hit her between the lungs and stomach...maybe about wherer the diaphram is.

This was my first deer. I can't believe she lived so long.

[wj lizard]

It's amazing how long they can survive, I've hit 2 bucks this year with rage 2" and a crossbow and have not found them,best I can figure is they are jumping the bow cause it is dead on I've checked it multiple times. But have gotten a doe so far