UPDATE!:
So I went out opening day... I check the SD card and for some reason I did not have one picture of any dear the ENTIRE day before opening day. I was shocked. They had been on the camera every day like clockwork at sundown. I came out of the stand about noon on opening day.. a little put out and disappointed. I couldn't figure it out. Only thing I could think of is that these damn deer can read a calendar and knew it was opening day!
I know walking over to the feeder was not a good idea.. but I just had to check.. and sure enough.. IT WAS EMPTY. Horrible timing and management by this newbie! I went and got more corn and put it in there about 1:00pm. Headed home for a few hours and went back to the stand about 5:30.
Sure enough, about 6:50pm the feeder goes off... and about 4 mins later here comes the pack of does. I waited and decided to let them pass as I REALLY wanted my first deer ever to be the buck I saw on the camera. He wasn't any where to be seen so I just watched the does live until it got dark.
That old doe was mean! LOL She chased all the others off until she was full and then she let the other 4 come eat. About an hour after sun down they were still hanging around so I made a few grunt noises to spook them off and they ran away. I started down and something in the trees in the opposite direction the does ran started blowing and grunting. This got me excited. I hoped it was the Buck running security for them while they ate. It was too dark to see what it was.
Went out the next morning and once again didn't see any movement. From the camera times they have been coming early early in the morning and right before sundown. So I once again came back out at 5:00ish.
Now the real fun begins....
It is now the evening of Day 2 of the season.. it is 6:30 pm and I hear walking. I see a small doe to my left inching towards the feeder. I see a 2nd doe moving in from the left as well. Right below me I can see the big old Doe. She is watching carefully as the other 2 approach. She it making her way around the outside. She walked under my stand and round to the right side and made her way in. She shoo'd the other does off the corn and began to have her fill. Once she was full she allow the others to come in an eat.
I was debating whether to just kill something having never killed a deer... and then I started thinking. What is the proper play.. do I kill the old doe or one of the younger ones. This land being private and different than public land I didn't know what to do. I didn't want to "mess up" my spot for years to come with the wrong choice... So I did want any self-respecting hunter would do... I posted on OSA from my phone to ask! LOL
I posted the thread HERE and kept refreshing as I watched. The old doe either winded me or felt uneasy and they slowly walked out of the clearing. That's that I thought.. but I could still hear them walking far off ahead of me. They circled back around and came back in from the left. This time is was just the big doe alone. She was standing right next to the feeder when it spun and she took off to a clearing right behind me. I could hear blowing for the others for about 5 mins and she sounded pissed they weren't coming.
At about 7:05 I hear more walking directly behind me. I had already put the bow down and was thinking of heading home not thinking I would get a 3rd chance and I knew they would be back the next day. I looked over my shoulder and saw some shoulders through the trees. I thought to myself... "I sure hope you grew some antlers back there..." when what do I see... A N T L E R S!!!!!!!
My heart jumped outta my chest and almost hit him in the face.. I was sure he was going to hear it! He walked around the outside and threw a clearing that I had ranged at 47 yards. I told myself to wait.. I KNEW he was heading for the feeder and the nice 27 yard shot... so I waited. Took him about 1 min to make it around so I calmed myself down and took aim. As soon as he stepped out he was broadside and when enough was exposed to see the behind the leg/lung area I let it fly. There was a LOUD thud, he jumped and took off behind some trees... About 5 secs later I heard the "CRASH" I called the girlfriend, could hardly talk.. then the partner who was going to walk me through the field dressing... I heard some walking from his direction and thought crap! I missed!... Grabbed another arrow and got ready... could see more antlers through the trees near that 40 yard clearing.. I thought "Surely there isn't ANOTHER one...".... Then I saw the hole in his side... he fell right there and died. Waited about 15 mins, got outta my stand.. walked the 15 yards to where he fell..
First one is in the books!
Thanks for everyone's tips and suggestions!
So I went out opening day... I check the SD card and for some reason I did not have one picture of any dear the ENTIRE day before opening day. I was shocked. They had been on the camera every day like clockwork at sundown. I came out of the stand about noon on opening day.. a little put out and disappointed. I couldn't figure it out. Only thing I could think of is that these damn deer can read a calendar and knew it was opening day!
I know walking over to the feeder was not a good idea.. but I just had to check.. and sure enough.. IT WAS EMPTY. Horrible timing and management by this newbie! I went and got more corn and put it in there about 1:00pm. Headed home for a few hours and went back to the stand about 5:30.
Sure enough, about 6:50pm the feeder goes off... and about 4 mins later here comes the pack of does. I waited and decided to let them pass as I REALLY wanted my first deer ever to be the buck I saw on the camera. He wasn't any where to be seen so I just watched the does live until it got dark.
That old doe was mean! LOL She chased all the others off until she was full and then she let the other 4 come eat. About an hour after sun down they were still hanging around so I made a few grunt noises to spook them off and they ran away. I started down and something in the trees in the opposite direction the does ran started blowing and grunting. This got me excited. I hoped it was the Buck running security for them while they ate. It was too dark to see what it was.
Went out the next morning and once again didn't see any movement. From the camera times they have been coming early early in the morning and right before sundown. So I once again came back out at 5:00ish.
Now the real fun begins....
It is now the evening of Day 2 of the season.. it is 6:30 pm and I hear walking. I see a small doe to my left inching towards the feeder. I see a 2nd doe moving in from the left as well. Right below me I can see the big old Doe. She is watching carefully as the other 2 approach. She it making her way around the outside. She walked under my stand and round to the right side and made her way in. She shoo'd the other does off the corn and began to have her fill. Once she was full she allow the others to come in an eat.
I was debating whether to just kill something having never killed a deer... and then I started thinking. What is the proper play.. do I kill the old doe or one of the younger ones. This land being private and different than public land I didn't know what to do. I didn't want to "mess up" my spot for years to come with the wrong choice... So I did want any self-respecting hunter would do... I posted on OSA from my phone to ask! LOL
I posted the thread HERE and kept refreshing as I watched. The old doe either winded me or felt uneasy and they slowly walked out of the clearing. That's that I thought.. but I could still hear them walking far off ahead of me. They circled back around and came back in from the left. This time is was just the big doe alone. She was standing right next to the feeder when it spun and she took off to a clearing right behind me. I could hear blowing for the others for about 5 mins and she sounded pissed they weren't coming.
At about 7:05 I hear more walking directly behind me. I had already put the bow down and was thinking of heading home not thinking I would get a 3rd chance and I knew they would be back the next day. I looked over my shoulder and saw some shoulders through the trees. I thought to myself... "I sure hope you grew some antlers back there..." when what do I see... A N T L E R S!!!!!!!
My heart jumped outta my chest and almost hit him in the face.. I was sure he was going to hear it! He walked around the outside and threw a clearing that I had ranged at 47 yards. I told myself to wait.. I KNEW he was heading for the feeder and the nice 27 yard shot... so I waited. Took him about 1 min to make it around so I calmed myself down and took aim. As soon as he stepped out he was broadside and when enough was exposed to see the behind the leg/lung area I let it fly. There was a LOUD thud, he jumped and took off behind some trees... About 5 secs later I heard the "CRASH" I called the girlfriend, could hardly talk.. then the partner who was going to walk me through the field dressing... I heard some walking from his direction and thought crap! I missed!... Grabbed another arrow and got ready... could see more antlers through the trees near that 40 yard clearing.. I thought "Surely there isn't ANOTHER one...".... Then I saw the hole in his side... he fell right there and died. Waited about 15 mins, got outta my stand.. walked the 15 yards to where he fell..
First one is in the books!
Thanks for everyone's tips and suggestions!
