NY bow opens

Headed up to my friend Tom's cabin, about a four hour drive from me last Thursday. That's two days before opening day. Tom would be up that night. I opened up, got the heat going, a fire in the stove, brought in wood and stored the supplies. Fall Turkey season was open so I hiked up to the food plots and sat in the shed on the edge of the bottom field. There are two huge food plots, the lower about an acre and the upper a 1/4. I was also looking to see what else may come in to feed near dark.

I placed a decoy out and occassionally gave out a few clucks. It's worked for me in the past so I gave it a try. No birds but as the sun started to go down I could hear something walking around behind the shed. 10 minutes later a four point walked into the field to my left and began to feed. He worked his way down the field as the light dimmed. I figured I'd head back and get diner going. I opened the shed door and two doe were standing not 10 feet from me. I don't know who was more suprised.

I got back to the cabin just as Tom drove up. The weather forecast was for some very nasty conditions for the next few days including snow as deep as 12 inches so we weren't surprised when there was an inch of snow the next morning. After a good breakfast and some coffee we headed in well before dark, crossed the fields and set up on top of the ridge on the far side. There were thick pines below and the birds tend to roost there in bad weather. Not a bird to be heard or seen. After light we decided to go exploring and see what sign was about. We jumped a doe from her bed in the brush behind the upper field. Well worn deer trails were everywhere. Tom's plots were really drawing them in. We spent about 3 hours following various trails and inspecting the stands around the property. After lunch back at the cabin we brought a new ladder stand up and placed it at the far side of the large field and cleared shooting lanes. We did some tree trimming at two other field stands and then headed down into the woods below the field where we relocated another ladder and cleared more lanes. Deer sign was everywhere. The weather actually improved, the sun came out and all the snow melted. So much for the weatherman.

Saturday morning I took a stand on the upper field and Tom went to the relocated stand in the woods. Nothing showed in the field for the morning. It's usually a better afternoon spot. Tom saw a small four point and a nice six as well as a few doe but couldn't get a clean shot at any of them. We took the same stands in the afternoon. After an hour or so I spotted movement in the bush along the lower field. Suddenly a doe stepped out from the woods to my left. Another doe came from where I first saw movement and they joined up and began feeding toward me. As they slowly worked toward me I heard a quad coming through the woods from someone elses property. It got louder and louder. The deer went on alert and two kids came barreling into the field scaring the deer away. Well you do not want to hear what I had to say to those folks. They headed out fast. As soon as they had left, much to my surprise, both deer came back to the field directly below my stand. They milled about feeding so close that I couldn't draw my bow. Finally they moved off a bit and one turned broadside. Solid hit. Again Tom saw a number of deer but was unable to get a shot.

I had decided to wait till morning to recover the doe as light had faded fast. I picked up the blood trail just after first light and followed it into the woods behind my stand. I had only gone abou 10 yards when two doe jumped from their beds. They only ran a short distance and kept staring, not at me, but to my right. I turned and looked over my shoulder and there in the field standing directly below my stand was a huge 8 pointer. Big bodied, heavy racked 8. After allowing me a good look we trotted off. So it is. I recovered the doe and went back to the cabin.

Tom had decided to sleep in that

The freshest tracks still have feet in them.

Congrats with the kill and good luck with the rest of the season. Our archery season closed Sunday. I was just really getting into the swing of things.
Oh well, Rifle season starts this Sunday.

Good luck on getting back on the big deer and better luck with the old 12pt.

Gary Scheel
NAHC LM,RMEF LM,NRA Member, Lonestar Bowhunter, TexasHogHunter Pro Staff Member