Words of encouragement please

[teej79]

I hate to even write this......

Since the rut is starting up in PA I moved to a stand closer to a bedding area, saw a lot of deer there but they were 70 yards down the ridge. A bunch of does and small bucks, so this morning I moved further down. Had two chances at scrub 6 pts before 7:30 and saw another scrub buck at 8. Before this my biggest buck with a now is a 7 pt and with a rifle is a decent 8 pt. after getting older I became a more avid archery hunter and I drifted from rifle hunting. Getting back to the point of this article, at 8:30 I heard something behind me and what do you know, the biggest deer I've ever seen, under my old tree. He trots to 45 yds to my left, hangs out and exits 10 yds past my old tree. I love archery hunting and it is what it is, that's why it's called hunting not shooting. I'm gonna be here till dark as usual, we'll see what happens, just had to get that off my chest.

[Joel Spring]

Good luck! I've started having closer and closer encounters this year myself, but still haven't gotten one. This is NY's last weekend before gun season, so this weekend I will take a doe -- probably even a small one -- if it presents itself. I'd much prefer a buck, but we'll see what happens.

Thanks for the update from the stand...

Joel

[bmstaaf]

I hear you on that, I have been seeing deer as well but nothing to my liking...its been a pretty crappy week on my end to...we have decent buck in the area, the story goes like this, my dad insists that it was a non-typical giant...(4 good point on one side with multiple points on the other, including a drop tine... so he shoots and is convinced he missed and hit a twig, this occurred at 745.. I had to work at eleven so we continued to sit out the morning...at 950 he calls and said he hit this buck! I walk up and see the arrow was a complete pass thru and blood is everywhere...Now its been 2 hours, so we get tracking, within the first 100 yards no deer a blood trail like you wouldn't believe....he explained the shot it was a slightly quartering to...we found lung blood so figuring the shot, I told him probably 1 lung and liver...(no stomach contents).. after that 100 yards of very heavy blood I said we better pull out and try later. All of the sudden the heavy rains start, in a panic he decided we would track more...another 200 yards I insist we get out of there, he still tracks yet another 100 yards....heavy blood all the way. Finally after 400 yards we get out...we return at 3 pm heavy blood until a creek bed, we find two smaller pools of blood, but no deer...tried walking the area today no deer...I have 5 guys together for sunday Soo will see... while tracking the buck I did find last years kill from someone a 22mpg inch wide 9 point, with thick bases...id bet he goes 140, I will add him to the trophy room, but I am hoping to find this guy my dad hit... tons of blood didn't see any signs of bedding or laying down...I'm thinking he just kept walking, no leaves kicked up as if we booted him...Dang what a nightmare..