This morning i left the house at 5:15 and went up to my tree stand to try to see some deer. The moon was shining, but it was still pitch dark and i was glad to have two flashlights. Was also glad i put the climbing stick up yest so i could get up the tree fast.

That was too early because i had to sit in the dark forever. Also, before leaving the house, i had made small error in not reading the instructions on the fox urine cover scent. I sprayed it on my clothes, but the directions say to spray it on a nearby tree. It smells very strong and putrid, more like one would imagine fox s#/t would smell. But anyway, when i was in the stand, kept hearing something that sounded like a mix between a small housedog bark and something catty and wild. I think it was a fox giving me a come hither invitation.

At about 7:30 it had gradually gotten light for and i saw a deer coming up the trail past my feeder and salt block and deer cain spot. Another one behind it. Displaying enormous willpower, they ignored all those goodies and walked right on past on the trail and up on a little knoll where they started nibbling on dead twigs. Me being in a tree and them being on a little hill made us about the same height, but they were only about 40 feet away. They were both bucks, but i wasn't able to see how many points. They were small, though. The camera was zipped inside my coat and the zipper is loud. So i just watched them and they would eat some and then throw their head up and occasionally look my way, but i kept my head down and avoided eye contact. One drifted out of sight and then the other soon trotted off. It didn't really seem scared, maybe a little nervous, but it didn't have it's tail up.

I can see how it'd really be hard to draw your bow in a hunting situation. I couldn't even get camera out, but at least it was a good lesson to always be ready.

Plinker

Yesterday evening i went to fill the feeder and there was a nicely muscled buck that would have been in range of my tree stand. It ran to the top of the hill and stopped and looked back. Couldn't tell how many points, but would guess at least 6, because its rack had a nice broad curve. The two in the morning, must have just been either spikes or 4 points, as there was no curve to the antlers.

Plinker

Plinker,

I wouldnt spend to much time around my deer stand if I was you. You could be inadvertantly educating all the deer around you of your presence. Only visit it in the middle of the day to refill your deer feed, or only on the days you will be hunting it.
Make sure you were rubber boots and clean gloves while walking to and fro and dont touch or brush up against to much vegetation either. Deer will become wise and turn nocturnal in a hurry and only visit your feeder at night.
Just some helpful tips from someone who has learned the hard way over the years.

Good luck and post the pics when you get one.
Fordfreak

Thanks, Fordfreak. I'll only go there in the middle of the day next time. Don't have any rubber boots, except hip waders, but they'd probably be even better, won't have to worry about touching any branches.

Plinker