It's that time again and I'd like to start a thread where everyone can add their bowhunting experiences day by day. I'd really like to hear how other people handle their bowhunting.


here goes:



Wednesday I went out and sat in my treestand, on the edge of a canola field. Abter an hour I hear a noise coming over the hill, wouldn't you have guessed it they were combining the field!! Damn, I climbed down and packed up my decoys, then went to a neighbour I knew. he gave me permission to hunt in an abandoned farmyard and mentioned that there was a big pile of grain in the field across from the yard!! I've never hunted over bait-it's illegal here, but this is a legal way to try it.

as I was walking through the yard I remembered my first time ithere last year. There were deer everywhere and as I wasn't ready I don't get a shot off. Just as I was thinking this up popped 2 does, yup you guessed it i wasn't ready. I tried a hail mary with no shooting tab and they were standing in front of a truck. I didn't want to shoot high and hit the truck so I held a little low. A nice miss was all I got , not bad no truck damaged and no wounded deer.

I'm on my way out again, it's cloudy and chilly. I hope I can find a nice place to hide in the farmyard, I haven't put up a stand or anything there.

The chef

I took my 4 year old for a walk up a field edge and found 6 grouse in the bush. Got a shot at one about 15 yards in and hit it square in the back with a big wire loop head and the bird flew away. So we chased the rest around for a while until they got wary. I had one more shot but missed. We could hear the grouse running through the tall grass and my boy was sure they were Ravens cuz it was so loud.

I figured we were done and he must be pretty spun around so I asked him which way to go to get out of the bush and back to the field? He points to the north and says 'that way dad'. He was right on the money. I wish I brought his bow too.

Other than that the mule deer does are too spooky around here. The does run off and the bucks stand at 20 yards looking at me. Next year when I have a buck tag it will be the other way round!

I bagged me a nice doe on opening day. Trouble is, by the time you take care of your parents, friends, and farmers, there's little left for the freezer. Therefore, I'm heading back out in about an hour to try my luck once more. A wise old hunter once told me "always be in the woods on October 24th." I guess I'll try my luck. Come to think of it, I should probably give him some venison too.

I went out tonight, damn it was windy! With the wind and the combines going full speed ahead I didn't see anything. The deer are just beginning to rub here and I found one little scrape. I usually don't go poking around for scrapes, i like to leave their core area alone and try to draw them out.

I'll go out tomorrow to a different location, I had great luck there last year but I can't remember if it was about this time or a little later. Then tomorrow evening I'll go to the area I was in this morning but a little farther away.

If my 8 yr old daughter wants to come I'll take her in the evening with me and we'll dig a pit blind so she stays warm. The weather is supposed to turn on Sunday and I'd sure like some fresh steaks before it gets too cold.


the chef

I sat in the rain for four hours last night. Watched a herd of big does and took a looooooong shot at one. I didn't even realize how long until I recovered my arrow (stuck in the dirt several feet from the trail the doe was standing on) and looked back at my stand-funny how the perspective changes. Anyhow, I don't have much experience hunting from a tree, maybe I ought to do a little ranging.

Been doing a lot of fowl shooting this season. Judo points work brilliantly on birds. In the lowveld we hav had a very dry winter and the impala have been very hard to shoot. Gonna go out tomorrow and try shoot some ginneafowl.

Well I didn't post all of my recent adventures becauae they have been pretty mundane.

However last Thursday I ventured out and sat in my little pit blind. I rattled and called, eventually I rattled and looked up only to realize I had scared away a group of five does. I really wanted to get a doe or two, they really are yummy and this kind of P$$$ed me off. Then a few minutes later this guy wandered in, I was still irked at losing my does and he looked like a 5x5 so I popped him through the lungs at 10 yards.

I thought he ran straight into the field of tall grass I was hunting beside and after waiting long enough to make sure he was down I started looking, by now I needed a flashlight. Unfortunately I was hunting about 200-300 yards in front of a house and I didn't really want them to see me wandering around in front of their picture window with my flashlight looking for blood so I decided to wait til morning.

Friday morning I went out at first light and began tracking on the other side of the fence,I found him about 70 yards away and had to track him most of the way due to the tall grass. Obviously he wasn't a 5x5! I seem to have a knack for getting non-typicals. All I want is a nice big typical for my wall, but it's eluded me so far. I know guys who would die for a non-typical and they have lots of big typicals, funny how things go isn't it?


After cleaning him etc. I was looking for a lost arrow I had shot earlier at a doe and I found the start of the blood trail for the buck. If I would have found that part first I would have known how well he was hit and kept looking that night, there was blood for about 3 feet on both sides of his tracks. That's why the blood was a little sparse in the field, because his blood was mostly gone by that time, poor bugger was running on empty. But he had run closer to the fence than I thought and that's why I didn't see the first part of the blood, I was looking further out in the field than I should have been. Luckily the coyotes didn't find him.

While I was gutting him a nice doe came and watched from about 25 yards, when I finally saw her I walked to the truck, opened the door, pulled out my bow, put on my shooting tab and nocked an arrow. She stood there at 25 yards for an eternity and I drew on her twice but it was only a head on shot, I don't like that presentation and waited for her to turn. Finally she wheeled and ran away....no shot. Oh well I'll have to go out again to get a tasty doe or two.

Thats a nice lookin buck. I like non typical and that one has some character. Congrats on the deer and hope you get your doe also.

I went out today and this morning although it was only -4C I froze my arse!! Went home for a bowl of soup and back in my hole in the ground by 1:00. I only saw two little bucks, no does. I bet work has gotten out that there was a bloodbath in that bush and the girls are shying away for a few days. I'll let it rest and go freeze in my treestand, probably won't be able to get out til thursday afternoon.

have fun

the chef

I went out theis afternoon, temp was about -10C with a good stiff wind. I almost didn't go but then I thought sitting at home isn't going to get me much!

So I went to the place I got the buck, hoping that I could fill one or both of my doe tags. I didn't see any deer at all, but a buck had been there just before I got to my blind. He had freshened his scrape and the sign was very fresh. Well I'm glad I wasn't there because I'm after does and it would have made me sick if he was a bruiser.

So I just sat there and froze for 3 1/2 hours then went home. While packing up my stuff I froze my fingers pretty badly and wow does that hurt when they thaw out....I had forgotten that kind of pain.

Heading out tomorrow to try and fill my mulie tag-with the 30-06


the chef

Went hunting with a buddy last week who is generous enough to share his hunting spots with me--first night-no deer, 3 longhorns (huge spikes I guess). Next morning, Paul had hardly left me at the stand and I had just gotten my gloves, tab, etc. on when a small deer walked in. Too dark to tell and too dark to shoot. Later had a 1X3, a doe and fawn, and a spike. Tried to draw on the 1X3 and he heard the arrow sliding on the rest and walked off. First time that has happened to me. Afternoon hunt--one came in but on the wrong side and too close (5 yds).

This afternoon-sat my local stand which is less than 10 minutes from the house. No deer, no squirrels, no raccoons, just birds. Weather was nice and it was an enjoyable sit. Going back in the AM.

Don't know how we missed this report. Mighty nice buck, rack is too cool! Do you have a straight on shot of the rack? That would make a nice mount !

Mary and Chris

Here ya go, sorry I'm incapable of resizing....only my wife is smart enough. I'm always amazed how hard it is to take a photo of horns and have it representative of what they really look like.


the chef

Chris wants to know if those are on the 'menu' for the trip? If not he will make room for that one in his suitcase!