Winter Bow is in here in New Jersey. With the weather finally cooperating and granting me my wish of hunting in the snow, I was up at 4:00am....

Weather was incredibly perfect today, tolerable temps and snow were on the menu. I was up early and excited to be able to hunt this area today. This was only the second time I hunted this property and last time I took the big ten point I got in Sept. I had recently put out cameras again at a cpl bait sites and got some pics of decent bucks left and a zillion does. The property owner pulled the trigger and said thin the herds before end of winter bow or he would let it be blacktagged this coming summer. I gladly agreed to do it and figured it was a slammdunk for at least a double. Assuming anything is for sure was mistake number one....
Its approx a 3/4 mile walk into this area. No trails, no people, just me hunting it a few times a year. I immediately saw fresh deer sign in the snow from last night on my creep in this am in the dark with my red led flashlight. I have to walk thru a woods, down a steep cliff, thru a creek, up the other side of the valley (very steep), then across two giant fields to get to my honey hole. Not complaining, actually bragging. It aint easy for this 40 year old outta shape guy with all those clothes plus gear and weapon. But I made it... In the tree by 5:45am.

My lock on is on a tree on the side of a hill about 5 yards inside a cedar tree. Its an amazing setup. As the sun was coming up I could hear the crunching feet of a critter approaching from behind me and closing the gap quick. I got slowly stood up and got the binos up to see a red fox coming. He was about 45 yards and I could tell he was just a tiny one, very young. I watched it play in the snow for the next half hour or so. Then it started to snow... No wind and just slow falling snow is hypnotizing. It was perfect conditions but hadn't seen a deer yet, only heard a few.
It was then that I heard that sound. The crunch of a deer coming. I snapped out of my coma and began the process of standing again, desnowing the bow, getting it off the hook, and ready to draw, blah blah blah. The whole time I was doing this the footsteps were getting closer and I was starting to get the ol adrenaline rush...
I had bow in left hand and was holding the binos with the right when I spotted the black silhouette walking to my right around the group of cedars I was in. I got the glasses up and figured he was instantly a shooter size buck and thought I might get a shot if he closed the 60 yard gap about 30 yards more. I put down the glasses and started the whole calm down and focus routine and closed my eyes for a minute and just listened, he was still walking up the trail my stand was on. The footsteps then stopped and I opened my eyes to see this buck climbing under a cedar tree away from the snow just 45 yards away in some seriously thick underbrush. He was untouchable with my bow and no shot in any way. This buck is a high 120`s to low 130`s I guess. He had four on each side with a split browtine. Real nice buck. This is now maybe a little after 8 am.

Fast Forward..... Its now 3:30 PM and I watched this animal all day in agony because I didn't eat or pee and I needed both but could move much or chance of blowing this deal.... Couple minutes after 5pm now and I am about to call it a day and try to sneak up on this critter and seal the deal when He stands up. I go thru my routine again for the trillionth time today after every time he stood up. This time he shakes off and starts to come around the trees like I dreamed he would all day. He pauses and a few does joined him. They hung around for a few in that spot then the lead doe starts coming toward me. They buck follows 3rd in line.
I wait for the last doe in line to pass under my tree when I tried to draw my bow. The jacket I was wearing made a Velcro scratchy type noise as I drew and guess what............

12 hours I waited for a shot and blew it due to a noisy stupid camo suit..... That buck looked me in my eye and was gone!!! BUSTED!!

It was a long tiring walk back to my truck!! Thanks for reading... Lesson Learned!

Cheap noisy camo is only good for keeping you warm, not hunting!!

ARGH!  Sorry, but what a great story!      

That is a leason learned for sure. I'll bet that camo doesn't see the woods again!  

Sounds like an exciting day though - you have amazing patience.

ohhh man thats a bummer.  while my story didnt entail an all day sit, i had a nice buck bust my trying to draw this year too, it was dead calm and the little bit of noise my rivers west coat made was too much.  i feel your pain.

QuoteOriginally posted by Whip:
That is a leason learned for sure. I'll bet that camo doesn't see the woods again!  

Sounds like an exciting day though - you have amazing patience.

That is an awesome compliment for me, thanks!! I don't feel that way tonight, I feel very frustrated and disappointed that my very warm winter suit can never be used for anything but goose hunting.
Goin back out tomorrow in different gear  

QuoteOriginally posted by huntnmuleys:
ohhh man thats a bummer.  while my story didnt entail an all day sit, i had a nice buck bust my trying to draw this year too, it was dead calm and the little bit of noise my rivers west coat made was too much.  i feel your pain.

Crumby way to learn a lesson huh? I am bummin.

Lesson learned with the best set ups sometimes a little thing like velcro can ruin it all.

Fleece and Wool!

Wear Wool and Welcome to Bowhunting ! LOL.I would love a dollar for everytime I walked back to my truck with a blown oppurtunity behind me !No one promised us a Rosegarden or said it was easy.

you did good to wait him out, sorry you got busted...next time......

QuoteOriginally posted by Steve Clandinin:
Wear Wool and Welcome to Bowhunting ! LOL.I would love a dollar for everytime I walked back to my truck with a blown oppurtunity behind me !No one promised us a Rosegarden or said it was easy.

I hear ya..If I wanted easy I woulda brought out the ol sidelock today, but easy isnt a word I understand most days. I do Love Bowhunting

Ain't that some sh_t! That's bowhunting for you. That's what makes it great, actually. Your plan worked. Get some wool. Seal the deal.

wool or fleece is the way to go.

That's why I only wear cotton or fleece on the outside, nothing else.

Bummer dude, I can feel your pain....my season wasn't much better and I had several close encounters, but just couldn't seal the deal no matter how bad I wanted it to happen.

Got a nice buck during the *** season, but that's just not the same.

Nooooooooooooooooooooo!!! I feel your pain    sounds like that round goes to the deer. Makes for a good story though.

Tooooo bad. Whats the temps in NJ right now. We were at 8 deg. with wind chill and it was palin cold. You deserve a pat on the back for that sort of discipline.

It was like 15 degrees this morning but went up to high 20`s.
Thank You !!

I admire your "sticktuitness", that takes real fortitude.

                   


Better luck next time!

God bless,Mudd

Sitting that long, you've accomplished more than MOST ever will ...... Good Luck Tomorrow !!!!

Thanks