Archery 2023_2024 Thread

Got a 2D and 2B stand set up for my 13 year old son, who makes the jump from crossbow to compound this year.  He's been working hard at shooting every day and is doing just fine and is really pumped about it.  
 
I'm having hip replacement surgery Sept. 21, so he's got 5 days to get it done in 2B before I go on the shelf till the first week of November.  That 2D stand should be hot then though, like it was last year when he shot his 5 point with the crossbow.
 
Got 2 good looking 2.5 year old bucks on the 2D trail cam last week.  Haven't checked the 2B one yet.  
 

It is early, but I had a rough time with the cortisone shot I had in December.  Made my hip feel great, but caused some cardiac problems for me for about 8 weeks, so I couldn't continue with those.  
 
I'm mentally preparing myself for the full 6 weeks so that if I'm getting out in the woods or on the water before then, it'll be a nice surprise.  But I have talked to several people who said it's amazing how much better they felt in even just a week after surgery.  

First sit in the stand last night.   Was a little later than I wanted since I had to grab food for everyone.  Was at the base of my tree a little after 5pm (3/4 mile hike in) and before I could get the bottom section of my climber on the tree, had a doe and fawn coming in.  They got within 25 yds and started staring me down so I just stood up and took a couple steps toward them.  They boogered off down the hill and didn't snort (I saw 2 tails on the walk in too but I think they were bedded).  Get situated an 20 min. later, look down the hill through some thick stuff and see a deer, binocs up, decent buck...mabe 15" wide 8 pt., probably a 2 year old.  See a few more deer there (does/fawns) and the doe/fawns all work there way up under me while the buck works his way down the hill munching on acorns.  They milled around me for a solid half hour, worked their way downwind but I think I was high enough my wind was going over them and then they melted away.  About 30 min. before it was too dark to see my pins, another doe and 2 fawns come out below me and work their way from right to left about 30 yds away.  Decent first sit.  Had a trail cam. up about 50 yds from here that I set Friday and had 3 dozen vids, mostly doe/fawns but one flash of a nice buck that looked bigger/more mass than the one I saw.  Tons of acorns in this area and they were falling like crazy in the breeze.  One tree is a chinkapin oak....deer were loving those.  On the drive home, saw 8 doe/fawns and 4 bucks (all 1/5 yr olds) along the road.

Awesome job man! Is this the earliest you ever punched your buck tag?

Yep, 2 years ago got one on the second Saturday (I think) but this is def. The earliest.  My trail cam at this spot had a spike still in velvet on it from Tuesday.  Lots of activity in this area this year.  It was dead, dead, dead last year.  No acorns to speak of last year and TONS this year, with a decent oak flat and oak knob with several chestnut oaks....def. Their preference right now.  You have your surgery yet?

eyesandgillz
 
You have your surgery yet?

This morning.  In and out and on my way back home with my brand new hip in 6 hours.  Pretty crazy.  
 
Didn't make it out in 2B last week.  Too much other stuff to take care of and decided not to do anything that could potentially mess up getting the surgery today like getting a cut on that leg or poison ivy or something.  They're very strict on having a pretty much perfect surgical field for elective joint replacement.  
 
Got a lot of time, and we got a dandy 8 on our 2D cam that really has my son's attention.  
 
 
 
 
 

Nice Buck Eyes. Hope you had a few good meals from it since.

Snagr, hope the recovery is going well. Did you have some sort of old injury or just bad luck on the hip? Hope it has you feeling 100% after. I hear the procedures have come a long way.

Dang, that is awesome. Glad you recovered quickly. Be careful overdoing it. Especially with this sudden drop in temps coming up. Muscles, tendons, nerves and bones seem to be on different schedules to adjust to sudden changes in temp for me. Good luck on those ducks.

eyesandgillz
Full knee and hip replacements are pretty miraculous these days....as long as you have a competent ortho surgeon, and push yourself during rehab.  Not really going to do any harm, pushing hard, with all that terminator gear in your joints now...just your pain tolerance!  My knee gets worse and worse but keep thinking WAY too young to get a knee replacement.  
 
Get out there and git u sum venison snagr.....but yeah, take it easy on the dragging an such.  Leave that up to the youngin's.  
Can you tolerate sitting decently in the ground blind?  Probably need to find the right swivel stool with high back to make it cozy for you in there...
 
 

 
 
Although my hip has felt great since I stood up and walked an hour and a half after surgery, I just have to keep reminding myself they cut off the head of my femur, pounded a new head in, and took a right angle grinder to my hip socket before they glued in the new socket.  lol.  But my wife is a physical therapist - she's not MY PT though cause she says I don't listen to her - and she has said a couple times she's surprised with how well I'm doing.  My home health PT said the same.  
 
I have a nice big comfy camo camp chair that I'll carry into the woods and sit in some brush behind my son when he's in one of the two stands just as an observer.  Sold my compound 15 years ago, and the crossbow my boys have used for the last 9 or 10 years is starting to get some cracks in the limbs, so no archery hunting for me this year.  Hard seats are still a little uncomfortable after about 20 minutes, but I've sat in that chair on the front porch for a couple hours with no problems.  Walking doesn't hurt at all, but still have to regain the strength in that quad and glute before I can safely do a track job in rough terrain.  Easy walks of about 100 yards to both of his stands from where we park though.
 
If it's not pouring rain Saturday evening, he'll get into his 2B stand for the first time this season when my older son is home from college for fall break and can take him out.  He's gonna take him Saturday afternoon for the youth pheasant opener, after we hunt ducks in the morning.   Had a buddy that took him last Saturday to his 2D stand.  He saw 2 does, but too far for any action.   

Action is starting to pick up here in the NW. Yesterday afternoon a little 3pt was harassing a Doe and her fawns. This morning I was watching a couple of doe’s feeding on the clover in my backyard when a buck run them out there and right pass the wife’s blind. Then this afternoon while watching the game I looked out at my hives and seen the classic head to the ground chase movement. A few minutes later a couple of doe circled back with a really big 7pt bird dogging them. We probably watched him chase them around for 15 minutes. 

hopefully someone is out there enjoying this colder weather this morning.....bucks should be on their feet seeking pretty hard right now.  I am hopefully taking some vacay the rest of the week to hopefully film and maybe luck into a turkey or coyote with by bow.  
Good luck!

Great Halloween hunt but no arrows released. Had small bucks dogging does the entire sit. I felt like a shooter was going to step out at any minute but that didn't happen. One more day at work then my rutcation starts on the 2nd. 

Epic morning for action today.   Saw 6 different bucks.....had a ten point around me a good bit.....and watched him crush a 5 PT that challenged him.  Got it on video too.  Heard grunting, snort wheezing.....lots of action...no coyotes or turkeys though....

Nice E. Post that vid if you get a chance.

Syd's boyfriend just mowed down a huge doe this evenging..... With his Hyundai 😔. No injuries to him, but I can't say the same for the back half of the passenger side. I preach to all these kids, watch for those **** eyes, especially this time a year.

Shot a nice 10 point this morning from the ground. I was in a stand but got tired of watching a buck parade about 80 yards away. I climbed down and set up on the ground and not 15 minutes later he walked past at 11:30. Crazy morning.