Hi
Yesterday, in the wind (25mph) and cold I, my husband and father-in-law braved the elements in an afternoon hunt. We figured that the deer would be bedded down and hanging tight due to the wind. So, a few drives might kick up some deer. The first drive, my husband walked through some brambles along a creek and into a thicket area. Jim and I were standing at the other end of the thicket. There were no deer there after all. Which we found unusual because it is a very good place for deer to be bedded, and we've seen them they earlier this season. Oh, well. On to another spot. As Jim and I were walking to the fence were we would meet up with Bruce, Bruce kicked up several deer, very near the area he had just walked through. The deer are really sitting tight. I saw the deer (Jim did not), but they were to far all and running at full tilt.
Bruce met up with us. Jim went over to his usual spot for the last 2 hours of the day. Bruce and I planned on walking in the woods, close to where Jim was. The plan was for us to kick up deer and hope that they would go by Jim. We only saw one doe, and it did run over to where Jim was. You know how deer can change direction on a dime. We never heard Jim shoot, so we assumed the doe did not make it as far as Jim's stand.
At that point there was about an hour left until sunset. I got up in the same tree stand where I shot the muzzle loader and took down an 8 pointer. I thought it felt lucky to go there again. Bruce walked up the the front field to see what was going on there - nothing - then he got up in the tree stand where I shot my doe on the opening day of muzzle loader.
About 40 minutes into my stand hunt a deer came walking down the hill to my right. It was browsing, and it was on next doors property. Because it was walking slowly I was able to set up some lines of sight where if the buck came through that path I would have a clear shot. I waited. It started to veer off behind me and to my right. Once the buck was behind several trees I had to stand up and turn around. This left me without a rest. I am a pretty good shot without a rest, so I was not concerned. The buck crossed over on to my hunting property. It jumped a fallen tree and started walking at an angle toward me, then turn to my right. At this point I had a very good opening to take a shot at it's lower right shoulder. One shot, pow, and the deer went straight down. I was so happy. I was even prouder of my shot, right where I placed it! Now the hard part, gutting and dragging.
Once Bruce was in his tree stand he only saw 1 squirrel. Over all though he saw a total of 15 deer.
Jim, again, saw nothing. We really need to work on getting Jim in front of a deer.
I'll let you know what happens.
Take care, good hunting and good shooting.
M.