The 4 Month Bow Hunt

[KipCarson]

As far as days on the calendar go, for me, October 1st ranks right up there with Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years Eve. If only the boss would just add it to my paid holidays it would be perfect! It is the opening day of deer season in my area of Louisiana! Starting today, through January 31st, every spare minute I can squeeze out of the clock will be spent in the woods somewhere up a tree and I figured I would journal as much as I can here. If you are so inclined I’d be happy to have you follow along, hope you enjoy. And in case you had not noted on the calendar, today is October 1st, and today is a good day! In LA we get 3 antlerless tags, 2 antlered tags, and one either sex tag, that along with unlimited hogs sometimes leads to a busy season. I’ll try to add plenty of pics and trail cam pics along the way as I can.
Disclaimer: If you have a problem with deer being named, this probably is not the thread for you! When you are keeping tabs on half a dozen different 8 points it’s just easier to name them than describe which one you’re referring to in the course of conversation with your friends. Also this thread might require some of you to use some basic math skills. Here in the south we can actually count above 10 so just know if I call a deer an 8 point many of you will need to divide by 2 to get it down to regular size lol! Around here a forky is a 4 point, a 3 point is called a 6 point, or a 4x5 is a 9 point, etc. It’s just counting the number of total points, that simple. And if that’s confusing, this may not be the thread for you! Don’t be offended, it’s all in good fun. Also, while I mention being offended, baiting is perfectly legal here and although you won’t find me perched over a giant corn feeder Texas style I do occasionally use some scattered corn and rice bran. Judge as you will, say what you want, I don’t care.

Now to get this started…

Day one: Unfortunately I had to work today and won’t get much time in the woods. I did however squeeze in the first 45 minutes of the day on the stand. I have several spots I can get to with only a walk of a few hundred yards and I take advantage of them often on weekdays before I go to work. As it got light and the grey shadows started turning to color a deer appeared in front of me. He was under 20 yards before I saw him there. I have no clue where he came from he just appeared as they so often do. Even with the dry crunchy leaves I never heard him coming. Unfortunately for a young person my hearing is terrible, it’s my Achilles heel when I’m hunting. Moral of that story is I have to always keep my eyes open and pay attention.

It was a only a 1.5 year old 6 point, so he gets a pass to walk a few more years. If it had been a doe, opening morning would have likely ended with me showing up late to work with blood on my pants. He hung out in bow range a long time eating on acorns and honey locust beans. He was still feeding within sight when I had to leave, I don’t like doing it but I had to spook him off and climb down and slip off to work.

They blend in well but believe it or not there is a small rack on the little guy. He’s lucky I’m such a nice guy! Come see me again in a couple of years please.

Tomorrow is the weekend and I can’t hunt in the morning due to a birthday party for my little girl but I plan to head to the woods in the afternoon as soon as I can. Sacrifices must be made sometimes, and a 3 year old’s Pink Pony Birthday Party is more fun than bowhunting anyway, right?! Stay tuned!

 

[KipCarson]

Day 2: The pink Pony Birthday party was a smashing success! I was running so wide open I didn’t have time to even think about the woods this morning, but as soon as everyone left and I got enough of the mess cleaned up to earn an afternoon hall pass I headed to the woods. After checking my cams in the area I was going to hunt I wasn’t that enthusiastic about my prospects. Almost nothing had been in the area for days except for a yearling 5 point and a doe. The 5 point had practically lived in that area and was there at all hours, the doe had only been passing through middle of the night. I had no sooner climbed the tree and sat down when I look up and see the little buck coming my direction. He stayed around for a while but I got careless and he caught my hand moving and After stomping the ground a few minutes he snorted a dozen times as he headed south across the property line. Knowing my odds of seeing anything else were pretty slim I got down to go to the other side of the property where I had a stand I needed to hang and another cam to check. Being only day 2 I know my time was better spent getting last minute prep work done.
Hanging the stand was the right decision. It is by a clearing I’ll be putting in a food plot in soon and there’s an old salt lick there that still has a little activity occasionally.
Upon checking that cam I found that a decent 8 point had been coming through regularly the last week. He’s definitely in the shooter category for this particular area.

This is the stand set up. 22 feet up a sweet gum that’s covered in vines. A lot of it is laurel greenbrier and other smilax varieties that will be evergreen, affording me cover even on into January when there isn’t any cover left anywhere else. I have a good feeling about this spot.

 

[duckhunt]

Looking forward to following along.

 

[KipCarson]

Day three: I squeezed in an hour and a half on stand Sunday morning before heading off to church. Saw zero, but it was a beautiful morning to watch the woods wake up

Day four: October 5th, I had a dentist appointment this morning scheduled for 10 o’clock, so instead of going to work and leaving I figured I would hunt this morning and just show up to work after the appointment. That’s always a good call. I was running late getting to where I wanted to hunt and decided to go somewhere different. I keep one corn feeder going on a property that usually has a bunch of hogs so I decided to head over there. As I snuck in through the gray morning light I saw movement through the brush and realized there was a pig already there. I quickly nocked an arrow, checked the wind, and within a few minutes was within 30 yards. As she turn broadside I drew back, settled the pin and squeezed the release. She was hit hard I could tell, but I climbed the stand and waited for an hour hoping maybe another pig would show up. When I got down I went over and found my arrow covered in blood halfway up the shaft. A short blood trail later crawling up into a thicket led me to her. She had only ran 40 yards. I think I will save one shoulder to throw on the smoker and split the rest with 2 of my coworkers. One less feral pig in the woods and a full barbecue pit makes the world a better place! That’s a good way to start any day.

 

[KipCarson]

This past weekend was hectic and I had to go out of town to Dallas, but not before squeezing in a hunt Saturday morning. I ended up seeing 2 does who passed by at the far edge of my shooting range and decided I had best let them go. The wife wouldn’t be happy if I made us late because I was trailing a marginally hit deer all day.

As of yesterday afternoon my wife was still out of town and was driving back in with a friend not getting home until later so I had a free evening that I could get on the deer stand. I left work early and was enjoying the evening when 45 minutes before dark right in prime time deer movement my phone starts buzzing like crazy in my pocket. It was the wife… I text to remind her I’m hunting and can’t talk. She had just got home and discovered she did not have a house key on her key ring and needed me to hop on down and come let her in. I was really tempted to tell her to sit on the front porch and deal with it but my better judgment talked me out of that response. Plus her friend was too kind to leave her and was waiting with her and I didn’t want her held up too. Let’s just say I wasn’t a happy fella. What kind of adult doesn’t keep a key to her own house on the key ring?!! Enough of that I’d better move on before my BP is back through the roof.

This morning I went back to the woods even though I really needed to be at work. Figured I would treat myself after having the previous evening hunt ruined! Just about the time I needed to get down I hear leaves crunch and a doe comes feeding my way. She was mature and I decided right then if she presents a shot I’ll just be even later for work! Closing the distance to 12 yards and turning at a nice quartering away angle sealed her fate. I held low in the heart area and was surprised to see her drop in her tracks as if hit by lightning. Not the reaction I planned but I’ll take it. I thought I had made a bad shot and spined her but when I got to her I realized my arrow went exactly where I put it. Upon inspection the arrow entered the very front of the chest cavity where all the plumbing comes in and breaking those short ribs there I guess tweaked a nerve somehow. Being this is a hunting site I’ll post the entry hole location and see if anyone has an opinion on what exactly caused her to drop since I didn’t directly hit her spine. It’s a bloody enough pic I hesitate to put it up even here. This girl is being turned into premade seasoned hamburger patties, hamburger meat, and some jerky. I left her hanging in my walk in cooler at work and I’ll get around to processing her next week.


So, how does this shot drop one in its tracks? Remember I’m 16 feet up, arrow angled downward. I’ve just never had one fold like that that wasn’t spinal shot.

 

[KipCarson]

Well this past weekend was a dud as far as action goes. The deer activity on my main property had dropped to nothing last week with the heat so I decided I would take my little sister on a long overdue squirrel hunt. Her attention span only lasted for 2 hours and in that time we only saw one squirrel. She had fun and that’s all that matters. Although I was disappointed I didn’t get to cook up a batch of squirrel gravy.

Saturday evening I hunted a new place where I found a white oak raining acorns. I did end up seeing a deer that stayed back in a thicket where I never could ID it. I think it was a young buck but couldn’t tell for sure.

Sunday morning before church I got in a short hunt and saw nothing.

 

[KipCarson]

Sunday it did cool off drastically and today when I got to check some cams on a small property I share hunting permission on with some other guys I had some welcome surprises.

An old buck from last year is back, named “Cinco” because last year he was a 5 point. He added a 6th point and is slightly more symmetrical this year, however, I’ll keep calling him Cinco.
I figured he was at least 6.5 last year. Don’t know and it doesn’t really matter, he’s well into advanced maturity and is #1 on the hit list by far. What a tank!


Back at the new food plot I planted several more nice deer showed up. There are 3 different 8 points coming through the property, mostly similar. All nice enough to make me draw my bow for sure! The bottom one is the most unique of the 3, at a quick glance it would be easy to mix the others 2 up. Not that their ID will matter in the heat of the moment. I’ll shoot first and ask questions later.


It’s exciting to get pics but the tough reality of hunting in this area is there’s a high chance I will never see any of them in person. There are whole seasons that pass with zero sightings of any bucks 3.5 years and older. Most years pass for me without ever notching a buck tag. It’s extremely high pressure hunting with almost total nocturnal activity by the older bucks. Once in a while one makes a mistake though, I’m hoping sooner rather than later!

 

[LCH]

Dang. That buck is giving off some Brahma bull type vibes.

 

[KipCarson]

Dang. That buck is giving off some Brahma bull type vibes.

No kidding! I hope I get the chance to see what he hits on the scales.

 

[Crossbowguy]

That big 6 is an old sucker! hope you get a crack at him!

 

[KipCarson]

This is getting frustrating, I’ve hunted less this October than I have in years. Between out of town work trips and family obligations etc. it’s kept my hands tied pretty good. Last week I was gone for three days and while I was gone he was strolling around the new food plot like he owned the place…

Yesterday was the only time I’ve gotten to be in the woods for almost a week. I squeezed in a very short hunt yesterday morning before church and I almost got a shot at one of the other 8 points. (The one in the second to last pic in post #7)
Something had him spooked and he came trotting up the length of the plot with his tail up, stopped to look back over his shoulder for only a few seconds. I had enough time to get my bow off of the hanger and slide my sight pin up to 30 yards, but before I could get my release on the string he trotted on off into the neighbors thicket. Oh well, maybe next time. I was happy to see him, but knowing how hard it is to even get a look at one I’m hoping I didn’t burn up too much luck with that one sighting!

 

[KipCarson]

Well October is over and I have hunted less than I have in years. I ended up with a total of 14 sits on stand, most of which were very short. In a month I saw 7 deer, and 1 pig. Killed a doe and the pig so I can’t complain too much.
Here’s to hoping November turns out much better with more stand time and waaaay more deer sightings!

 

[KipCarson]

Well phooey, I still haven’t been able to be in the woods much. Something has to change quick or I’m gonna go crazy. The weather has been awesome and I’ve got in a couple of very short sits since the last post and have only seen one small 5 point.

The good news is I have had a couple more mature bucks show up. One is a 9 point that up until now has been the biggest one on cam on the property I have in Benton, so I’ve taken to calling him Big Ben. Then just Saturday night a buck from last year showed up, one I called The Slob, and he’s bigger than Big Ben. The old 6 point has been AWOL since 10-18 unfortunately.

The good thing about trail cams is it goes me hope for what’s out there, but also frustrates me to no end when I realize the odds of closing the deal are so dismally low.

This is the Slob working a scrape, and at a different location eating some rice bran:



And this is Big Ben:


My low pressure property down south of town where I hunt has deer that are very relaxed and much easier to bow hunt but this year there are still ZERO mature bucks on cam there which is totally abnormal. This property where all these bucks are is extremely high pressure and the deer are spooky, jittery and act like they have PTSD. There is extremely low daytime activity but as long as that’s where the bucks are I guess that’s where I’ll be going. Last year I went 21 hunts in a row on that property without seeing a single deer, this year can’t be any worse I hope! I should get more time to hunt this coming weekend and then a good bit more time around Thanksgiving, fingers crossed!!

 

[Moeness]

14 sits in a stand in a month?

I’m lucky if I can get 3 in a month. I need to step up my game.

 

[KipCarson]

14 sits in a stand in a month?

I’m lucky if I can get 3 in a month. I need to step up my game.

It’s all relative I guess. It may sound like a lot but a majority of those I was only on stand for no more than an hour before work or after work. Most hunters I know wouldn’t bother trying to go for that little time. If I only went when I could stay 3+ hours I’d probably only get 4-5 hunts a month.

Hopefully you can find a way to get more time in the woods!

 

[Pucky Freak]

Last year I got a lot of days of bow hunting in, mostly 2 hours here or there. This year it’s 2.5-3 hours just to get in and out of my stands, which are all deep. I have 4 sits in so far and maybe 6 more for the season. It still feels like a lot since I have young kids. I like fewer/longer so far, but maybe I’ll change my mind after sitting in 40 degrees windy rainy all day tomorrow

Best of luck connecting on a big buck!

 

[Moeness]

It’s all relative I guess. It may sound like a lot but a majority of those I was only on stand for no more than an hour before work or after work. Most hunters I know wouldn’t bother trying to go for that little time. If I only went when I could stay 3+ hours I’d probably only get 4-5 hunts a month.

Hopefully you can find a way to get more time in the woods!

That’s true. I haven’t sat many times this year, but three sits I was there the whole day pretty much. 5+ hours. Only seen one small buck with no shot.

 

[KipCarson]

Last year I got a lot of days of bow hunting in, mostly 2 hours here or there. This year it’s 2.5-3 hours just to get in and out of my stands, which are all deep. I have 4 sits in so far and maybe 6 more for the season. It still feels like a lot since I have young kids. I like fewer/longer so far, but maybe I’ll change my mind after sitting in 40 degrees windy rainy all day tomorrow

Best of luck connecting on a big buck!

Oh man, the amount I would hunt before I had a kid is downright sinful LOL! I’ve got a three-year-old little girl, and one more due in February. Next year I will really feel the time crunch.

 

[KipCarson]

I lost a deer Saturday. First one I’ve shot and lost in years. I saw 7 does Saturday evening, the weather was right and deer were moving good, I shot the biggest of a group of 3 when she turned broadside at 18 yards. I thought the shot was perfect, and after I climbed down I found the arrow covered completely in blood, I immediately noticed no bubbles and blood was darker than usual it seemed. From the amount of blood on arrow I figured she would be no more than 100 yards away. This was about 20 minutes before last shooting light and my headlamp batteries were weak so I drove the 2 miles to my parents, ate a few bowls of gumbo with the family and went back with my dad and some much better flashlights. We never could pick up the blood trail and I knew then it had to be clean through the liver and not in the lungs. It was going to be in the upper 30s so we backed out. I have a friend who has a drahtthar who is great at finding deer so I set it up for him to meet me early Sunday morning. Ruger picked up the trail on which I think we found about 6 drops of blood the size of a pea. It led to the neighbors property, I t took a little bit for me to get permission to continue, and shortly after crossing the line we lost the trail completely. The dog searched his heart out but we never turned up any more sign, never found where she bedded or anything. It was quite the frustrating weekend. No excuses to be made, I just screwed up.

 

[Crossbowguy]

No worse a feeling then knowing you wounded one and your not going to find it and you just gave the coyotes a free meal