1999 Deer Hunting Season
This Deer Hunting Season started off, just like any other with opening day of archery season. This year found my friend Bill Carmody and I bow hunting an area that we had scouted just 2 weeks before. In that scouting trip we saw 5 bucks and 13 does all together in a secluded field at first light. As we video taped these deer a flock of turkeys flew down out of their roost and began to feed along side of the deer we were watching. Needless to say, our expectations for opening day were high.
Two weeks later we are at the secluded field once again, this time bows in hand. At 8:30 am Bill shoots his first buck with a bow, a fine 3 point. By 8:30 am I have seen 2 spikes, a 4 point and a group of 4 does. I would have taken the 4 point buck had it not have been the only the first week of archery season. At 9:00 am a lone mature doe came by me. We played peek a boo for ten minutes or until she relaxed and started to quarter away. At 20 yards she stopped and began to feed on some leafs. Already at full draw, I placed my 20 yard pin behind her ribcage and released, only to watch the arrow bury into the fletch. She bolted just out of sight and fell under a big old pine tree.
Not a bad first day of archery season for the both of us. When I got back to the truck with my deer, Bill was sleeping inside. We shared each other’s stories and gave a couple of high fives before we headed back to camp to skin them out.
Now that my does tag was filled, I had to try and located a buck to shoot. That brings us to the day of October 9th. This morning found me in my local spot, that over the years has been very good to me in terms of actually harvesting deer. So it was no surprise to me when I jumped a group of deer on my way in to my stand site. They did not snort and only ran a short distance before they all stopped and tried to figure out what had just scared them away. Unfortunately this group of deer was only 30 yards from where I want to put my portable up at. Never the less, with 45 minutes before light I managed to get my stand set up without spooking these deer any further, although I could hear them walking around in the dry leaves.
I no sooner got settled in my stand when I heard these deer coming toward me. Still way to dark to shoot, I could only see shadows as they moved back and forth below me. At one point, two of them were at the base of my tree trying to wind me. Fortunately I wear knee high rubber boots and a scent lock suit so they did not pick up any scent left on the ground or in the air. They fed around the area a little, all the while it is getting lighter and lighter. Now I can see that 3 of these deer are bucks and 2 of them are does, but no shot is offered. They eventually feed away from me and are gone. Needless to say I returned at 2:00 pm to the same spot, but before getting into my stand for the evening I made 3 mock scrapes and hung out a scent rag full of doe in heat lure. The evening dragged on.
Finally it is 5:45pm a mature doe and a yearling button buck are the first to feed on the white oaks that are around my stand. I was turned around watching them behind my tree stand for 15 minutes, all of the sudden they became alert to another approaching deer. When I realized what they were looking at it was to late for me to turn around and see what it was. To be honest, I thought it was a squirrel, until I heard it snap a twig. Thats when I knew I had to stay absolutely still. I had my head turned as far as it would turn and still could not see what it was, so I just waited. Finally after a few tense minutes I did see the deer making its way to one of my mock scrapes. An 8 point buck. He got into the scrape and licked the overhanging branch for a while. I knew that after smelling doe in heat scent and seeing the doe, that he would try and approach her, so all I had to do is stay pointed toward the doe. As he walked toward her I readied for the shot. The does, not being in heat wanted nothing to do with him so they ran away. Already at full draw when he stepped in my shooting lane, he paused at the spot where the doe had been standing. Just as he put his head down to scent check the ground I watched the arrow pass though his lungs and into the ground on his other side. It must be what you would call a perfect shot, because he went less than 30 yard. I saw him go down and not get up. In a matter of 10 seconds after the shot, it was done. I had my buck. But wait, my season is not over yet, because I have bought my Maryland license again this year.
Although I did not get a deer with my bow in Maryland, I had several shot opportunities. Including a missed shot at a real good buck.
Marland’s rifle season found me in the Greenridge State Forest. The first morning I missed a spike buck and saw 7 does.
The following Monday, at a different spot I took at shot at a buck through some brush and only grazed him. While checking to see if I hit him, I jumped a monster buck up from a blow down. He was running so fast and it was so thick I didn’t chance a shot. The rest of the day I only saw a few does come through.
The next day in the same stand at 7:30am I had a mature doe and 2 small does come through one of my shooting lanes. While trying to put horns on any one of these deer I caught movement to my left. It was a half rack buck, so I tried a shot again though a little bit of thin brush, only to have the bullet deflect. As the herd bolted in every direction, I saw another buck much bigger than the one I just missed.
He paused a second to long in my shooting lane. Placing the cross hairs on a clear target this time, I squeezed the trigger and he was down in under 5 seconds. Surprisingly enough, the half rack and other deer that had ran away just moment before came back and started to feed. At one point the two small deer started to run and play. The half rack came back to within 20 yards before he saw me and then they were all gone.
I learned a good lesson this year about shooting through brush.
Don’t Do IT!
I can’t wait until next year. I know where there is a big buck with my name on it.
Happy
Hunting,
Shane Potter--aka (10 Point)
