I had a good feeling. Despite a little frustration that started to set in that I hadn’t filled a tag yet, I had a hunch things were about to change. I hunted in the morning from the Homestead Plot stand but was rudely greeted by unexpected rain about the time I was walking to my stand. Not that the rain wasn’t welcomed because it’s sorely needed, but the timing could have been better. We were experiencing a Nor’easter and even though there was a low percentage chance of rain, they’re unpredictable and I found myself hunkered down under a pine tree while I waited for the shower to pass. By the time I climbed up I was wet and my enthusiasm was cooled. Even when the rain stopped the wind was unpredictable and none of my cameras were firing. Sensing there wasn’t going to be much movement, I opted to climb down and go reset one of my camera that recently got an adjustment by a curious bear. I pinned my hopes on the evening hunt thinking the deer would be moving early to make up for time lost.
As much as I didn’t want to overstay my welcome at the Gas Well Plot, I couldn’t ignore the predicted easterly winds for the evening. While there’s not really a perfect wind for that spot, I’ve found that east is the best. I left our Sunday family supper at around 2:15 p.m. to give myself plenty of time, and the plan was for my dad to hunt as well although he wasn’t going to arrive until later in the afternoon. To help him out, I took his new blind chair and my BOG Death Grip tripod to set up in the blind he’d be hunting from later. At this stage in his hunting career I try to make it as easy for him as possible. In fact, he can see our vehicles from where he hunts beside the Front Meadow Plot.
I was able to quietly get to my stand and was fully situated by about 3:15 p.m. I had just learned that James Franklin was fired as the Penn State head football coach and was trying to get articles about it to load on my phone. I was also looking for NFL scores while patiently waiting for the deer to start moving. For what it’s worth, the Steelers beat the Browns in Pittsburgh again. It didn’t take long for my focus to shift back to hunting when I saw a button buck enter the plot from the back left corner. He fed for several minutes before heading up the hill toward Buck Meadow. I was hoping he was with his mother but he was on his own.
A bit later a doe fawn entered the plot from the same area but this time I could see that she had company. Her mother was right behind her and now both were feeding about 40 yards in front of me. I noticed this adult doe to be the very thin one I had trail camera photos of. It’s a deer I wanted to get out of the herd if I could because she just didn’t look healthy. Clutching my Mathews Phase 4 in my left hand and slowing maneuvering my camera in the right, I followed the doe as she inched closer to shooting range working from my left to right. It eventually became obvious she wasn’t going go get within my 25 yard imaginary circle, so I had to consider maybe shooting a little further. I ranged her at 35 yards, then 33, and eventually 31.2. Recognizing that she was quartered away and distracted by feeding, I dialed my sight to the 30 yard mark and drew my bow. I was solidly holding on her vitals and decided to send the arrow. I followed its beautiful flight and was pleased to see it bury into the doe’s rib cage. She whirled around, took about two steps, dropped, and expired in a matter of seconds. It was a quick, ethical kill that made me feel good inside. I gave the sign of the cross in appreciation and allowed myself a brief celebration for filling my first tag of the season.
After texting my wife and dad the news, I decided to climb down and move the expired deer from the food plot and into the goldenrod that was adjacent. I wasn’t quite sure how later arriving deer would take to seeing one of their own laying on the ground so I decided concealing it was the best choice. I then left my blood soaked arrow about 15 yards from my stand thinking a deer walking through would most definitely stop to investigate giving me a good shot opportunity. I then got back into my stand, nocked another arrow, and glanced at my watch to see how much daylight was remaining. It was just about 6:00 p.m. so I knew I had about an hour left to possibly fill a second tag.
While I wasn’t sure how much of a racket I made and how it might impact the rest of the hunt, I had a hunch there would be another opportunity. Not long into that thought I could hear deer approaching from behind me and to the left. Typically when deer approaching the Gas Well Plot from that area it means they’re going to walk directly beneath the stand. Sure enough, the first deer to show up was an adult doe and she was walking in on the same trail as the one I’ve already shot several deer off of. It seemed obvious this was going to be a much shorter shot. Just as I was about to draw I must have moved because the old doe looked right up at me. I have to give my setup combined with my First Lite Specter camo credit here because I’ve been caught moving a couple times this season but in both instances the deer couldn’t identify the threat.
I came to full draw as the doe began to back away, but she never gave me a good shot. I had to let down and wait for her to make the next move. The deer that were tailing her were also on edge now and I wasn’t too confident things were going to work out. Remarkably, the doe did a half-circle to my left and entered the plot right in front of me. It was as if she completely forgot about locking eyes with me just a minute before. She slowly walked from my left to right while stopping to feed every few steps. Eventually she put herself inside my 25 yard markers but she didn’t seem to be stopping. I had to stop her with a verbal cue and it worked like a charm as she stood motionless and quartering away. I drew my bow, settled my pin on her rib cage and let my arrow fly.
In an instant the lighted nock disappeared into the hypothetical 10 ring and the deer wheeled around and bolted out the backside of the plot. She didn’t stop until I heard her crash about 100 yards away. I knew it was going to be an easy recovery and a sense of fortune and gratitude overcame me as I contemplated what I just accomplished. Not wanting to miss out on the amount of daylight remaining, I started tracking immediately and found the nice-sized doe piled up in about the same spot I’ve recovered other deer.
Things didn’t go quite as well for my dad but he did at least see a couple deer from his blind. Maybe it was for the better that he didn’t also connect because we already had our hands full. I field dressed both deer and we got them to the top of the hill using the Ranger and then transferred them to my truck. A quick stop at Fenton’s Meats on the way home and my productive evening came to a close. What a great hunt!
Side Note: One of the deer was abnormally thin and I recognized her from photos earlier this year. I can’t imagine she was going to survive the winter, but she seemed to be feeding and behaving normally. I’m having both deer tested for CWD and will be anxiously waiting for the results.