Congratulations!!        

Back in the field early, it's warm, and I'm right on top of 'em.....shifted tripod about 20' to the right, up in a cedar tree.

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Bedding area and ravine to my right and behind me.....I'm hearing stuff back there.

I'm watching a bat catch dinner......

Cool!  Congrats!

awesome

Congrats on your first!!

3 does came in after sunset, and as I drew on the biggest one, she busted me. They started to get the heck outta Dodge and look for whatever spooked em and I gingerly let down the bow. Amazingly they only took a few steps and stopped then turned back to the feeder. They then came back to the feeder as I froze.

I couldn't believe it. Of course it was too dark......

I've decided the new tripod stand is not in the right spot, there's not enough brush behind me despite being up against the cedar tree, and the deer could tell the silhouette I presented was evident. Wish it was still where it was last week.

Back in the tripod with more cedar boughs shoved in behind me. No activity the entire AM except a nice mature 10 pt that emerged from the thicket in front of me at about 75 yds. Stopped him cold with an estrus bleat, and then he resumes his AM walk....listening to tonights storm roll in from the West and it's overcast and low 70s.  We shall see who shows up.

RAINED OUT.

After that rain, the temps have dropped and I'm back at it. Got into the tripod at 9 for the late AM hunt.

Nice work and nice pics!

 

Couldn't stand the location of the tripod so I moved it back to the left intoning trees with plenty of bottom and back cover. Much more maneuverable in the new spot too....pretty much where I got the hog from last week. I also learned how important it is to level the tripod and have a strong buddy or two with you when you initially climb up. Dont ask me why.

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Play by play coming.....

Well. Busted again by 3 does at 10 yards. I heard something behind me and turned sideways to the feeder to use my right ear to better focus on it. After a bit I turned my head back to the feeder and there's three does staring right at me. Nailed. They quickly became concerned about the thing in the tree and uninterested in corn, and walked off. More time passes and more movement behind me, snorts, snuffling, and footfalls. Before I can adjust, there's a hog directly beneath my tripod. I can't move an inch. I only can see the hog out of the corner of my eye. He won't go to the feeder and is carrying on and sniffing loudly. He either smells me, the spot I urinated on, or my buddy who helped me move the tripod before I got in it. Piggy left. About 20 minutes later, two more do exactly the same thing.

2 days of no shots at all. In the space of an hour, hogs galore. Had I not moved the tripod, 3 broadside shots on
three hogs. Kicking myself.

Woke up at 6:20AM and hurried out the stand after a night of zero sleep. I could barely see straight. I drove through the gate into the first pasture, and there's an 8 pointer staring at me and the loud ATV....I stopped and he ran. I fired the ATV back up and hurried on my way.

After 3 hours in the tripod I finally called this trip officially over, climbed down and started my walk back the Big Red 4X4 ATV I parked a ways off. I loaded my quiver and bow and fired up the ATV, wincing on cue as I do every time I drive the thing, it's so loud. I pulled forward about 20 feet and there's a non-typical 7 pointer just standing there looking at me, totally unimpressed with the loud ATV coming right at him or the creature driving it. I pull behind a young pine tree about 25 yds from the buck, get my bow and nock and arrow. The buck notices me and we begin a little game of hide and seek with the tree between us, me trying to get an angle and stay hidden, and the buck trying to figure me out. I had a shot broadside at maybe 30 yds and should have taken it. I opted to not risk missing him or a bad shot, and never could close the gap as he casually walked into a thicket and evaporated. I'm amazed he didn't spook.

Frustrating.......

Leaving again on Fri AM. Watch out!

Back in the tripod. I've pushed it back and to the left as I sit in it. I have a cedar for cover left and front and cedars at my back. As you see me from the feeder I'm in-between two cedars front and back, perfectly in line. Just my right bow tip is exposed.....seems much more hidden. Bad news is there's an animal trail directly beneath the tripod just as last time in was left and beneath, but oh well.....

Awesome! Congrats!  

Nothing moving.