Well, got an invite to hunt a 1500ac high fence place where I've hunted before--they wanted some help with meeting their axis quota. So, got there Weds PM and got in the quad-pod about 3:40. Wind was left to right out of the northwest at about 15-25 mph. About 10 minutes after I was dropped off, I spy movement to my left, headed to the feeder. It turned out to be a couple of axis does, the #1 on the hit list. I'm ready and they came on in, but seemed jumpy. Then I notice they are being followed by 3 sika bucks--2 of them spikes. The sika never came into the shooting lanes, but after about 5 minutes the two does have their heads down, and the larger of the two is quartering away. Easy game says me--draw, anchor, aim, pick a hair, pick a hair, and squeeze it off. Arrow is headed perfectly at the hair/white spot I was aimed at. Only one problem--the axis doe wasn't there when the arrow arrived. She pivoted to her left and was gone in the blink of an eye. Oh well, nock another and resume my wait. Feeder spun, and about 20 minutes later the axis start arriving. Ended up with 10 at the feeder, including 2 does, the rest all velvet bucks from knobs to 2/3rds grown out. Finally got the drop on a doe broadside at 16 yds, went through my routine, squeezed it off, and "WTH?" All I saw was flying bodies and my arrow flipping through the air about 6-8' above the ground. After they had departed, I climbed down to see if I had hit the doe, because I sure hadn't seen a hit. Picked up the arrow, and it was bent into a rainbow. Broadhead tip was bent at about a 30-deg angle and covered with dirt. No blood, hair, or any sign of a hit anywhere on the shaft. Still don't know what happened, other than maybe the doe ducked the shot and another deer trampled the shaft as it departed. No more activity that sit.
Hunted the next morning from a box blind as it was chilly. Spotted a herd of 9-10 sika about 100 yds from the blind on the way in. Got settled in the blind and set up and noticed there were deer in front of me--2 axis bucks in velvet. It was still 15 min before shooting light and they wandered off after about 5-10 minutes. Shooting light comes as the sun comes up directly to the front of the blind. Then the feeder spun and the animal house parade began--first the whitetails--5 different bucks plus one doe, then the sika herd shows up. They hang up at 25 yds and just stare at me in the blind. I realize the sun is shining in the window directly on me and the deer can see every move. The one sika buck stands and stares at me for 10 minutes or so, then all 9 of them are in front. I pick out the doe I want to try and shoot, but can never get drawn as 1 or 2 or 3 of them are staring in the window at me from 15 yds. Finally a slight wind carries my scent to them and off they go. I watch deer in the distance (100-150 yds) for the next hour but nothing else comes in.
That afternoon I go to my favorite stand, the axis quad-pod. Wind is right, blowing from 3 to 9 (feeder at 12 o'clock). After about 10 minutes I see an axis doe through a hole in the live oak foliage out at 80 yds and I get ready. She walks out of the peephole and disappears. Then about 5 minutes after that I see a small sika buck in the same place, and he walks out of the peephole but I see him again farther to the left. Then the feeder spins, and I see another sika buck where the other two animals were spotted. By this time I'm ready for either species to come in-- Finally see white legs through the live oaks to the 10 o'clock position about 50 yds out. It's an axis doe and she is really shy, but finally gets to within 20 yds of the feeder but spooks--but I hadn't moved, seen or heard any reason why. Then I spot brown legs out at 9--a whitetail, and a good one. It's a 10-pt, looks to be 3.5 y.o. and he's gonna be a good one in a couple of years. Axis doe finally comes to the feeder but can't get a shot--she has her head down chowing down, but there is a tree trunk across her vitals. Then she spooks off. Then she returns, then she spooks off, then returns. The wt buck meantime is cleaning up the corn, offering me every perfect shot angle I could wish for. Then I see some more of the red with white spots coming. It's 4 axis bucks, all velvet. Doe comes back and starts the spook and return thing again. Finally gets to the shooting lane broadside, head down, and I get to full draw and ready to squeeze it off---poof-she's gone again. Before this drama is all over, she has spooked away and returned a total of 11 times! The whitetail and axis bucks are cool--never get nervous at all. Finish the evening without drawing again.
Last morning I go to another quad-pod I've hunted before and seen some nice animals there. Again, in the stand before daylight and animals show up in the dark--wt bucks, including a good 8 and a 10 with weak G1s and G4s, but 16"+ wide. Feeder spins and the axis start coming and I end up with 19 in front of me, 17 bucks and 2 does, plus a 2-curl blackbuck. Never get the drop on either of the does due to the crowd at the feeder and none of the hard-horned bucks are shooters to me. They finally eat all the corn on the ground and move off. I get down and set off the feeder again and get back in the stand. Here come the whitetails--the big 8 the 10, another 10, and a "half-ten" which had already dropped one antler. Just enjoyed watching them for the next hour before I got down and started doing some shed hunting on the walk back to camp.
So-no blood shed, but all in all a thoroughly enjoyable 3 days. Last time I was there in October, I only had 4 whitetails come in during 4 hunts--the place was green and the acorns were falling. This time I estimate I saw 50+ animals in front of me in the 4 sits. One thing I learned--axis does are the most skittish animals I've ever tried to arrow. In comparison, the sika, axis bucks, and whitetails all acted like they were on valium. Hopefully I'll get another invite soon.
Hunted the next morning from a box blind as it was chilly. Spotted a herd of 9-10 sika about 100 yds from the blind on the way in. Got settled in the blind and set up and noticed there were deer in front of me--2 axis bucks in velvet. It was still 15 min before shooting light and they wandered off after about 5-10 minutes. Shooting light comes as the sun comes up directly to the front of the blind. Then the feeder spun and the animal house parade began--first the whitetails--5 different bucks plus one doe, then the sika herd shows up. They hang up at 25 yds and just stare at me in the blind. I realize the sun is shining in the window directly on me and the deer can see every move. The one sika buck stands and stares at me for 10 minutes or so, then all 9 of them are in front. I pick out the doe I want to try and shoot, but can never get drawn as 1 or 2 or 3 of them are staring in the window at me from 15 yds. Finally a slight wind carries my scent to them and off they go. I watch deer in the distance (100-150 yds) for the next hour but nothing else comes in.
That afternoon I go to my favorite stand, the axis quad-pod. Wind is right, blowing from 3 to 9 (feeder at 12 o'clock). After about 10 minutes I see an axis doe through a hole in the live oak foliage out at 80 yds and I get ready. She walks out of the peephole and disappears. Then about 5 minutes after that I see a small sika buck in the same place, and he walks out of the peephole but I see him again farther to the left. Then the feeder spins, and I see another sika buck where the other two animals were spotted. By this time I'm ready for either species to come in-- Finally see white legs through the live oaks to the 10 o'clock position about 50 yds out. It's an axis doe and she is really shy, but finally gets to within 20 yds of the feeder but spooks--but I hadn't moved, seen or heard any reason why. Then I spot brown legs out at 9--a whitetail, and a good one. It's a 10-pt, looks to be 3.5 y.o. and he's gonna be a good one in a couple of years. Axis doe finally comes to the feeder but can't get a shot--she has her head down chowing down, but there is a tree trunk across her vitals. Then she spooks off. Then she returns, then she spooks off, then returns. The wt buck meantime is cleaning up the corn, offering me every perfect shot angle I could wish for. Then I see some more of the red with white spots coming. It's 4 axis bucks, all velvet. Doe comes back and starts the spook and return thing again. Finally gets to the shooting lane broadside, head down, and I get to full draw and ready to squeeze it off---poof-she's gone again. Before this drama is all over, she has spooked away and returned a total of 11 times! The whitetail and axis bucks are cool--never get nervous at all. Finish the evening without drawing again.
Last morning I go to another quad-pod I've hunted before and seen some nice animals there. Again, in the stand before daylight and animals show up in the dark--wt bucks, including a good 8 and a 10 with weak G1s and G4s, but 16"+ wide. Feeder spins and the axis start coming and I end up with 19 in front of me, 17 bucks and 2 does, plus a 2-curl blackbuck. Never get the drop on either of the does due to the crowd at the feeder and none of the hard-horned bucks are shooters to me. They finally eat all the corn on the ground and move off. I get down and set off the feeder again and get back in the stand. Here come the whitetails--the big 8 the 10, another 10, and a "half-ten" which had already dropped one antler. Just enjoyed watching them for the next hour before I got down and started doing some shed hunting on the walk back to camp.
So-no blood shed, but all in all a thoroughly enjoyable 3 days. Last time I was there in October, I only had 4 whitetails come in during 4 hunts--the place was green and the acorns were falling. This time I estimate I saw 50+ animals in front of me in the 4 sits. One thing I learned--axis does are the most skittish animals I've ever tried to arrow. In comparison, the sika, axis bucks, and whitetails all acted like they were on valium. Hopefully I'll get another invite soon.
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