Well, I put in a total of 7 sits since opening morning and I got nothing to show for it. I forget how tiring these early season hunts are. Up at 5am, 4-5 hour sit, lunch and maybe a nap if nothing needs to be done (always seems like something at camp needs to be done), getting ready at 3pm, in the stand at 4pm for another 4 hour sit. Eat, clean up, chat and back into bed after 11pm for not a lot of sleep before you repeat. The adrenaline wears off after that first day (my lease mates were up at 4am the first morning, and progressively kept waking up later and later 
)
First sit was a bust. I sat in a cattle panel blind off a feeder that I have to hand corn to get the deer in within my range. (actually all the feeders are like that.) Something came near, out of my window's view and stormed out without snorting. I did see a fork buck come in on the other side of the feeder, but he decided not to come in. I wouldn't have shot at him anyways.
Second sit was a blast actually... but disappointing. I had asked a leasemate last weekend to put up a camera in an area I liked to still hunt for hogs and have run into axis multiple times. Well not only did he put out a camera a the intersection, he corned it for me too! There were lots of good pics at that spot and I knew about an area I had tucked into once while still hunting. So I went out, cut some brush, put down my chair (note that I had left my popup for this area at home by mistake
). Well, I had all sorts of animals moving around me. Had a doe circle me within 15 yards until she popped out into the lane and picked me out. The lane was too wide apparently. About an hour later, I hear the woods open up with the sound of hogs scurrying around. One big one head right towards me directly from the side through he thick brush, but stopped short and reversed and decided to take the trail to the corn instead. He was every bit of 200# or more. He came in and was feeding inside 10 yards of me. I waited until he turned more broadside and went to draw. Well, drawing spooked him and he bolted away and stutter-stopped once but just kept running. I really really really wanted to drop that hog. Not but a few minutes later, another group started coming in from the same direction. I knew this was a bigger group and would likely swarm me from the side again, so the first one up the trail on to the corn was going to get it. A 70ish pounder came into the same spot and as I drew, I got the same result, he spooked. But he made the mistake of stopping at about 15 yards broadside. I was already drawn so I adjusted and let the arrow fly. The lighted nock was indicating that it was going to be on target, aligned with the leg. I never saw the light "blink" as it squealed and took off. I thought I clipped its lower leg. The bunch took off and I got up, packed, and went to get my arrow only to be surprised by what I found. My arrow was completely covered in poop! I expected to see hair and a trickle of blood on the BH, but not a poop covered arrow. I said the appropriate foul word that described what was covering the arrow and texted by buddies. There was no blood at the impact. Long story short, I found one very small spot of blood about 20 yards up the hill where he stood for a moment, but that was it. Hind sight is easy, and I know what I did wrong.
Third sit I went back to the same spot of opening morning. This time a doe came in from in front of me and began eating on my hand corn. She was so high strung she practically flinched at everything. I think the sound of her chewing made her flinch. Needless too say, she stuck around for 5 minutes before her anxiety got the best of her. I would have hoped she would have calmed down... but it is best that she probably ran off.
Fourth sit I gambled on another spot I hadn't hunted due to wind conditions and limited choices. I went to a rifle blind I setup for my son that was 40 yards from a feeder. I hand corned the area that they walk through to get there, about 15 yards in front of this blind. Well, long story short, got busted by a group on their way by me to get there and nothing ever came within range, but got to watch deer at the feeder.
Fifth sit I went my other cattle panel blind. Got busted on the way into the stand in the pre morning hours. Got situated and 20 minutes later got blown out again. I was busted no less than probably 6 times on this sit as the wind seemed to be all over the map. I did have a clear shot on a deer just at legal shooting light, but I didn't take the shot since I couldn't tell what kind of rack was on it. I really wanted to put an arrow through it regardless, but I somehow mustered some restraint. I did the same thing for my first deer the previous year thinking it was "the same doe that keeps coming by" and it turned out to be a 4pt. Oops... oh well
This time I kinda wanted to know what I was sending an arrow through before hand. I did get to see deer again at 35 yards down at the feeder (this stand is at a pinch point.)
Sixth sit I returned to the scene of the crime with the hogs. I spent another hour making that brush blind better. I brought some twine and tightened up the cover and made the opening much much smaller. I remember thinking that even if I didn't see anything, that I'd be happy with the effort of building the blind. Well, I found out that I'd have to test that thought. I did see a squirrel though.
Seventh and final sit had me returning to the same feeder again as opening morning but on the other side in a pop-up due to the wind. Didn't see anything other than a rabbit and so I packed up and headed home.
My takeaway from this trip was some reaffirmation that I need to make some changes in my setups. I am hunting a place that was not setup for trad hunting. The feeders are in open areas that allow for gun hunting from far away and that makes it difficult to put in tight covered bow blinds that will be inside 15 yards for me (the only trad shooter.) Last year I winged it and got lucky a couple times to have deer within range. On the positive side, the impromptu brush blind was extremely rewarding and I was pleased that I was able to pull that off.
)First sit was a bust. I sat in a cattle panel blind off a feeder that I have to hand corn to get the deer in within my range. (actually all the feeders are like that.) Something came near, out of my window's view and stormed out without snorting. I did see a fork buck come in on the other side of the feeder, but he decided not to come in. I wouldn't have shot at him anyways.
Second sit was a blast actually... but disappointing. I had asked a leasemate last weekend to put up a camera in an area I liked to still hunt for hogs and have run into axis multiple times. Well not only did he put out a camera a the intersection, he corned it for me too! There were lots of good pics at that spot and I knew about an area I had tucked into once while still hunting. So I went out, cut some brush, put down my chair (note that I had left my popup for this area at home by mistake
). Well, I had all sorts of animals moving around me. Had a doe circle me within 15 yards until she popped out into the lane and picked me out. The lane was too wide apparently. About an hour later, I hear the woods open up with the sound of hogs scurrying around. One big one head right towards me directly from the side through he thick brush, but stopped short and reversed and decided to take the trail to the corn instead. He was every bit of 200# or more. He came in and was feeding inside 10 yards of me. I waited until he turned more broadside and went to draw. Well, drawing spooked him and he bolted away and stutter-stopped once but just kept running. I really really really wanted to drop that hog. Not but a few minutes later, another group started coming in from the same direction. I knew this was a bigger group and would likely swarm me from the side again, so the first one up the trail on to the corn was going to get it. A 70ish pounder came into the same spot and as I drew, I got the same result, he spooked. But he made the mistake of stopping at about 15 yards broadside. I was already drawn so I adjusted and let the arrow fly. The lighted nock was indicating that it was going to be on target, aligned with the leg. I never saw the light "blink" as it squealed and took off. I thought I clipped its lower leg. The bunch took off and I got up, packed, and went to get my arrow only to be surprised by what I found. My arrow was completely covered in poop! I expected to see hair and a trickle of blood on the BH, but not a poop covered arrow. I said the appropriate foul word that described what was covering the arrow and texted by buddies. There was no blood at the impact. Long story short, I found one very small spot of blood about 20 yards up the hill where he stood for a moment, but that was it. Hind sight is easy, and I know what I did wrong.Third sit I went back to the same spot of opening morning. This time a doe came in from in front of me and began eating on my hand corn. She was so high strung she practically flinched at everything. I think the sound of her chewing made her flinch. Needless too say, she stuck around for 5 minutes before her anxiety got the best of her. I would have hoped she would have calmed down... but it is best that she probably ran off.
Fourth sit I gambled on another spot I hadn't hunted due to wind conditions and limited choices. I went to a rifle blind I setup for my son that was 40 yards from a feeder. I hand corned the area that they walk through to get there, about 15 yards in front of this blind. Well, long story short, got busted by a group on their way by me to get there and nothing ever came within range, but got to watch deer at the feeder.
Fifth sit I went my other cattle panel blind. Got busted on the way into the stand in the pre morning hours. Got situated and 20 minutes later got blown out again. I was busted no less than probably 6 times on this sit as the wind seemed to be all over the map. I did have a clear shot on a deer just at legal shooting light, but I didn't take the shot since I couldn't tell what kind of rack was on it. I really wanted to put an arrow through it regardless, but I somehow mustered some restraint. I did the same thing for my first deer the previous year thinking it was "the same doe that keeps coming by" and it turned out to be a 4pt. Oops... oh well
This time I kinda wanted to know what I was sending an arrow through before hand. I did get to see deer again at 35 yards down at the feeder (this stand is at a pinch point.)Sixth sit I returned to the scene of the crime with the hogs. I spent another hour making that brush blind better. I brought some twine and tightened up the cover and made the opening much much smaller. I remember thinking that even if I didn't see anything, that I'd be happy with the effort of building the blind. Well, I found out that I'd have to test that thought. I did see a squirrel though.
Seventh and final sit had me returning to the same feeder again as opening morning but on the other side in a pop-up due to the wind. Didn't see anything other than a rabbit and so I packed up and headed home.
My takeaway from this trip was some reaffirmation that I need to make some changes in my setups. I am hunting a place that was not setup for trad hunting. The feeders are in open areas that allow for gun hunting from far away and that makes it difficult to put in tight covered bow blinds that will be inside 15 yards for me (the only trad shooter.) Last year I winged it and got lucky a couple times to have deer within range. On the positive side, the impromptu brush blind was extremely rewarding and I was pleased that I was able to pull that off.
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