Victories

[djohns13]

Congrats and good job on the doe.  I wish I had a good answer for you on how to avoid buck fever, but I have been known to suffer from it so I've got nothing on that front for you.
 
Good shooting.

[joker1656]

Well, I had a little story about my hunt, but lost it when my computer crashed.  Regardless, I finally put one in the freezer.  Great day of hunting, with many sightings.  No bucks over 1.5, during this hunt.  The deer I killed was an average sized doe.  Very fat, though.  Took her at a "stepped off" (after the fact) 35 yards.  I had held a tad high with my 30 yd pin.  Undertaker broadheads killed her in 50 yds.  All in all, a good day. 

Looking forward to the next one.  Good luck to all.   

[joker1656]

I butchered my little doe today.  I must say that the Undertakers do a heck of a job...almost too good.  Some of the meat was so damaged I had to cut it out.  Almost appeared to be damage from a gun.  Kinda interesting.  Would not have been a problem if she had been shot broadside.  
 
She was shot quartering away, while lying down.  She spooked just as I shot.  Her hindquarters were rising as my arrow met her.  This shoved her left rear leg into the path of the arrow.  It sliced through the leg, and entered her chest cavity traveling through to protrude out the front and through her right front leg.  The arrow shot right through her heart, nearly quartering it. 
 
I am happy with the performance.  I think without such a good performance that I might have had bad luck with that shot.  I just wish it would have been a perfect broadside shot.  She was a nice little doe, and I hated to lose an ounce of that tender venison.  The Undertakers are definitely formidable.
     

[8uck5nort]

I got out today. Absolutely no deer until about 3pm. Saw a very nice 10 point buck at least a 2.5 yr old probably older. Only problem I was set up on the wrong trail. I tried bleat can and grunt tube to entice, but no dice. He headed straight into a known doe bedding thicket. About fifteen minutes later I start seeing does everywhere. Saw at least 7. Two came within 15 yards of stand, but I can only take a buck now. I thought for sure the 10 pointer would come a chasing, but never saw him again, Things settled down within 30 minutes or so. Around 4:15 pm a small 4 pointer comes right down the trail I had setup on. Perfect, except I know there are larger bucks and I have already passed on two other small bucks earlier in the season. At 10 yards I almost changed my mind, but I let the little guy go. I'll probably reget it. [:-]

[8uck5nort]

ORIGINAL: djohns13

Finally, my Martin Bengal claims its first victim!!!

Instead of hunting my usual haunts, a buddy invited me up to his hunting grounds in White County.  Got in the stand before 5 p.m. and saw my first deer at 5:30.  Saw 22 in all but they were all out of range.  Called an 8 pointer to within 60 yards but couldn't get it any closer.  Very near dark I saw a doe in a cut bean field and mouth called her.  She turned and headed straight toward me.  I hit the release when she was 18 yards away and somehow (I still don't understand how) I shot barely beneath her.  I bet I shaved some white hairs I was so close.  As she ran off, I was cussing myself for being such a moron and was getting ready to take off my release and start the process of climbing down when I looked to the right and saw a buck following her into my clearing.  I waited until he was in the same spot as the doe and put a very solid hit on him.  Was amazed though that I didn't get complete penetration.  Called my buddies and their flashlights in for help and after a long and tedious tracking job we found him in a nearby cut corn field.  There was a large amount of ground shrinkage as the eight pointer wasn't nearly as big as I thought from the tree stand, but I am ecstatic.  I believe every archery kill is a trophy.  It was a great day in the stand including the high winds and sleet pelting me in the face.  The post mortem showed that I hit a little back with a very solid liver hit and the thunderhead stuck in the middle of a rib on the off side.  It always feels great to get the first one of the season.  Pictures will be posted later.

Hope the rest of the hoosiers are having some success as well.

Good shooting.

 
What part of White County? I am hunting my families farm just south of Buffalo of o HWY 39.

[djohns13]

Just east of Camp Buffalo.  Sounds like your hunting area is very close to mine.  There are a lot of quality deer in that area.
 
Good shooting.

[8uck5nort]

Got out this morning and hunted til nature called and the rain set in. Saw two does and one decent size 6 ptr, but again set up on wrong trail.
 
Went home when it really started raining. Was meaning to keep an eye on the radar and get back out before the break in the rain, but fell asleep watching the weather channel.  Woke up about 1 pm and got all my stuff dried out and set back out. Got into the woods around 3 pm.
 
I was just about ready to step into my climber when I heard the stamping of a foot. I turned around to see a doe looking right at me from about 15 yards. Oh man, hear it comes. I just looked at her for about 15 seconds and gave a fawn bleat right at her. Then I just turned around and started getting back into my climber. I fully expected to hear the alarm snort/wheeze and crashing, but I didn't. I finally got up and secured myself in and then turned around pull my bow up and spotted the same doe looking at me, albiet about 30 yards out now and behind some brush. She just eventually wandered off without a peep.
 
About 30 minutes later I had yet another small buck come wandering into my killing zone. He was checking a couple of scrapes I had set up on. Again, tempting, but he was actuall a tad smaller than the one I let walk yesterday, so I let him walk.
 
About 4:30 the wind shifted and started blowing out of the NW and I was set up for a S-SW wind so I got down and moved my climber to another spot furhter back down the trail the other two nicer bucks have used in the past couple of days. We'll see what tomorrow brings.

[joker1656]

11-23-2008 1550 hrs.  Rattled in this buck.  Sure looked bigger from 25 feet up the tree.  Still an acceptable 2.5 yr old.  I wish I would have let him grow until next year, though.  He would have been beautiful.  Anyway, I am pleased/thankful to have another deer for the freezer. 
 
I totally missed the first shot.  I had my yardage off by at least 10 yds.  Thankfully he gave me a second shot.  Still way high, but did the trick.  He was between 20 and 25 yds away.  I used my 30 yd pin and held on the high side....I need a range finder. 
 
He came in from behind, as usual, and thrashed some trees.  I was stunned that he came in that quick and close.  I couldn't get my antlers into my bag.  It kept folding up on me.  I had to wedge them into my stand.  I leaned out around the tree for the shot, meanwhile hoping that my climber would hold and my antlers wouldn't slip loose. 
 
All in all it turned out okay.  Saw 5 deer, and got more meat for the freezer.  Guess I got more rattlin' antlers too.    Maybe a European mount.  ?? 
 
Anyway, Good luck to all!

[djohns13]

Congrats, yours is very close in size to mine.  I am doing a homemade european mount, yours will look great that way too if you choose.
 
Good shooting.

[RatherBeHuntin24/7]

wonderful deer joker.. djohns you should have named this forum butt whoopin's for my sake.butthankfully i tagged a doe early bow, just hasnt been a good year for bucks in my area, and ive been gettin impatient and screwin things up for my self. good luck to yall