What a fun day!

[dnovo]

So in starting this tale I should note that I took my best buck a week and a half ago. Here in Missouri we're allowed two bucks, but the 2nd one for me has to wait for rifle season with my gun tag, or after firearms season with my bow. I hadn't been out since I took that buck and was itching to get out.
My quandary was where to hunt as the wind yesterday was SW and most of my stands are set for W-NW winds which are predominate here as the season progresses. So I grabbed my Summit climber and took off in the morning for a little finger ridge I had scouted weeks earlier but I haven't hunted it in years.
I got there and got up in the tree about 20 minutes after light. I sat down and immediately heard something.

[dnovo]

Looking slightly to my right, I see a doe about 50 yards away who is acting curious. She came in to about 30 yards looking all around and then wandered off. Apparently she heard me and I think she was curious. That was cool seeing her right away. Sitting there for about an hour I heard something and glance to my left only to watch a 5 pt buck walk by at 7 yards. He never slowed down and I just watched, happy to see him. Another hour goes by and I look to my left to see a dark shape moving at 20 yards. Coyote!  I'm grabbing my bow when a 2nd one trots into view at 10 yards. The tip of my bow brushes a couple oak leaves over my head and that quick he spots me and is gone. Cool encounter. I'll come back here for the evening hunt.

[GCook]

Gearing up to head up Thursday to Missouri.   Will hunt gun season with some friends.   Of course I'll have a bow in hand.  With the herd decimated by EHD I don't stand a chance but it is a trip to see friends, hunting my own ground, and in a place that is like a second home.
Good luck on the evening hunt.

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

[dnovo]

After having to go look at a job at noon I head out for the afternoon. Climbing my tree I'm settled in when 15 minutes later I hear a deer. Looking to my left there's a very nice buck walking into a small rub. He checks it out and then continues on past me at 12 yards. Nice buck and I can't shoot!

[dnovo]

After he is gone  I wait a while. Suddenly I see a shape thru a cedar to my left. I know it's a deer. Suddenly there's a doe just 10 yards away. I know it's not what I saw thru the tree. She looks a me and gets nervous. She moves around me circling in front all the way to my opposite side but never giving me a shot. She she stop moving there's too many branches in the way. She eventually moves off nervously. I'm looking as I'm positive there's a 2nd deer. There it is!  A young doe dawn of the year. She looks at me too and backs off a bit then circles behind me to go in almost a complete circle. She knows something is there. Eventually she's starts feeding and comes in to 10 yards on my right. I actually draw on her a couple times and let down not really wanting to kill her. She's finally feeds off as light fades. It's been just such a great day in the woods to see what I did. Way more than I'm used to.

[dnovo]

Gary,
Good luck on your trip up here. I always hunt gun season with my bow as I don't have to kill something ( and usually don't)
Haven't had any EHD here. I have springs in my woods that run year round so there's no standing water. I think it's the difference in getting EHD where I'm at. Deer population is looking good here.

[Wudstix]

Thanks for bringing me along.

[arrow30]

dang nice buck you got to see up close. cant wait for rifle season to start so I can get back to buck hunting.