So far it seems like fellow hunters are doing well this season. Yesterday evening was no exception.

Where: Southeast Pennsylvania
Weapon: Excalibur Crossbow
Broadhead: G5 T3
Distance: 10 yards
Call: Primos can doe bleat
Animals hunted/taken: Whitetail deer

This season has been a struggle so far with me being laid up with a sciatic never and hip spur and a unfavorable weather pattern. Doctors are starting to believe is was all the wear and tear of military service causing my physical injuries (guessing 22 years of combat arms will do that). We also started off the hunting season with 80 degree temperatures. Last week saw temps in the mid 40s and today we are back to 70. The weather hasn't settled into a constant pattern. Most of the leaves here are still on the trees

My mother-in-law owns 12 acres with 80 percent taken up by horse pastures, arena, and farm house. That doesn't leave me much to work with since the adjoining property doesn't allow hunting (even though I've seen the property manager sneaking his son in). So I try and manage what I got. I'm fortunate enough to have water source on the property (small pond and steam), added a few small food plots and the property butts up to deer bedding area. Mid August we started to see some buck with a large 10 point and a decent 8 point. I heard someone once say that you hunt/target the largest deer on the property. That makes it really hard to do here but, decided to give it a shot.

I've become more and more of a bow hunter the last few years and converted from Compound bow to Crossbow due to a rotator cuff injury that doesn't seem like it wants to heal. My wife started hunting 4 years ago and last year she took her first deer with a bow. I now I have some competition not only for deer but also for space. She loves deer meat and I always been one to fill the freezer and not worry about trophies. This year with her hunting I've had the time to be more selective.



Last night I noticed this 9 point in the neighbors field. We haven't seen this buck before until last week on trail camera. He gave me the slip on Wednesday last week. I had to sneak away from one stand location due to two bedded doe and hunt from another. Wouldn't you know it if he did appear and follow the doe out into the field. This time he was traveling by himself and feeding towards and angling away from me at the same time. I decided I had nothing to lose by trying the doe bleat. After three turns of the can he made a beeline right for me. I had to wait a good 20 minutes for him to clear the hedgerow and close the distance. The field drops off towards my stand location so, he almost eye level while he is in the field. He did present a shot until he was right on top of me and only went 20 yards after a clean broadside shot.

I did what I wanted to accomplish and that was to take a mature Whitetail and always will always carry the "can doe bleat". It's worked three times for me in the last 5 years (to include tree different phases of the rut). I also included a photo of another buck we haven't seen in the preseason.

This 7 point nicknamed "Stumpy" occasionally makes his appearance. I almost took him a two weeks ago but, passed after I saw how mobile he was chasing a doe.





Late yesterday evening my wife took her second Whitetail buck with a bow. This 7 point was taken at 30 yards. The "Monster" I created is already gearing up to hunt next week for a doe. I guess I can't complain. I asked her if she wanted to get into the sport and now I can't hold back the reigns.

Congrats! Very nice PA deer, especially with a crossbow.

Congratulations... nice buck!