In 2014, I've made an effort to make up for lost time last year. I've had a few evening and morning sits but no luck to date. Like always, I assume this can be the year if I'm patient and put in the time.
Thursday begins with an early morning sit in a new stand. I am joined by a neighbor's dog, that runs around the adjacent CRP field and runs off the first 3 bucks that arrive on the scene. The dog is not stuck to the ground right now due to the big blue eyes of the owner's daughters and how I know they like the dog. around noon, the landowner's 2 dogs make their first of 2 laps of the farm, barking and chasing off a couple of deer in the process. I'm loving dogs today. I want to rehome some strays and let them roam my own timber. I love dogs. I really, really love dogs. The remainder of the day provides 17 separate buck views, 5 close enough to spit on, 7 close enough to shoot, but I pass. The only one I wanted to shoot came in chasing a younger buck, and though he was at 15 yards, wouldn't come out from the tree that saved his life. The day ends with a sore back, but positive outlook on an exciting day in the field.
Friday, wind is howling from the south, I go to a new spot, and am perched along a river bottom at first light. Immediately I see 2 small bucks across the river on a neighbors farm, and not long after a 130ish young 10 point cruises along my drag line and presents himself for death....I provide a stay of execution until next year. At 8:07 I hear something 300 yards away, and the neighbor is driving along the field, smashing corn where he will begin making fence upwind from me....all deer blow out in 10 minutes....this spot is shot. I walk 3/4 mile with pack back to truck to move to a new spot....damn I'm out of shape this year.
I move to a new location on another property, the wind is really blowing. The tree will be shaking because it's pretty thin. I sit 4hrs before I see another deer. They begin to move, but are making no sense in their destination choices. I see 3 shooters cruising but the sonnabitches are 150 yards away...and are not able to hear my call in the wind. I'm cold....my back hurts, I feel like bitching right now, but I'm not because there is no one there to listen. I take the thermos from my pack and have a hot chocolate tea party and it warms me up and refreshes my resolve to sit. 3 more hours pass, and when I do see a deer, they're going the wrong way. Days like this are frustrating...almost as frustrating as not seeing anything.
45 minutes before dark, I see a nice buck at 300-400 yards moving down a ridge on an adjoining farm...he turns my general direction. I see him crown the hill, jump the fence into my field and then turn 45 degrees the wrong way following a draw. (bad words here). 20 minutes of shooting light, I hear a foot stomp the ground behind me...it's an odd spot in a thick ditch....and the wind is blowing my scent that way....a damn doe, I know....but as I slowly turn, i see a chocolate horn...it's fat. It's long and it has friends. I sit patiently, I pull out my bleat can call and turn it. he's interested. Our standoff ends as I see him start to walk into my field to my left.....he is going behind trees for 10 yards, and I stand and draw.....he steps into the field based on the crunches of hooves and then I see him. Walking, but quarter away.....the shot is open at 37 yards, I make a "blaah" call he hesitates and I let loose a G-5 Pink Breast cancer awareness fixed blade broadhead. I see the fur puff, blood spatter the buck hunch. He leaps around and goes 60-70 yards where he wobbles, lays down and expires in my sight. he's not huge, but it's a large 250lb 5 1/2 year old, big, heavy chocolate rack 8 point. I'm pretty happy. The end.
Iowanian is carrying 200lbs of meat back to the wagon.