2022_2023 Archery Season Thread

My cameras have been slow all summer on buck pics. I've seen only a couple small ones, so hopefully the bean field up the road dries out and the bucks will disperse to their fall pattern in the next couple of weeks

Nice to see someone around here interested in talking about hunting. I got one camera out which I probably won't check until after my hunt on the opener in the SRA, which is just 2 weeks away. The post office lost my first two doe tag applications so I have to run to the courthouse next week to get a few tags for 2B. Gonna get my clothes washed this upcoming weekend and set up my Ozone chamber. Probably shoot the crossbow a bit to make sure everything is still good to go. 
 
My honey hole in 2A where I have killed a bunch of bucks and does over the past 18 years was sold over the summer. The property was recently closed on so I have to try to make a run down and meet with the new landowner. I am not holding my breath as access is tough to come by these days. If I am denied access and hunting I hope they allow me to go in and get all of my stands. If not, I may be doing some stealth stand retrieval. It sucks to lose good spots but I have some back up areas. 

I lost a lease I had till 3 years ago. My friends, family and I killed a ton of deer every year until I was told we were not welcome anymore. Was a blessing in disguise. There were landowner family changes the last hunting season I had access, so I could see it coming. Went researching and scouting hard that fall. Found quite a few places open to public hunting with great deer populations and minimal pressure. Wish I would have been looking earlier. Biggest bummer was losing 3 ladder stands.

As for this season prep. Need to wash clothes this weekend and hang some public land stands the weekend after. Then it is time to sit up in a tree for way too many hours.

These past weeks rain has had me scouting hard. As a roofer obviously I'm not working in the rain. So about mid August I got a fire under my****and started scouting hard. Iv put over 50 miles on my boots searching for deer. Countless hrs on maps escouting then walking the woods. All new areas to me Most being public and I firmly believe the hard work is gonna pull through. Few areas where busts but surprisingly most where gold mines. Low to zero hunter sign. And most importantly big bucks! And iv learned a ton. Back in July I deployed the cameras I had on the 2 farms I hunt. Well after a month I discovered 6 had finally broke. I ended up buying a few replacements and deployed them the past few weeks on oaks and scrapes. What iv learned.... look for producing oaks there's gonna be mid October deer activity. Be willing to work harder then the other guys. Some areas are kayak access. Waders or 3 mile hikes. To my surprise I'm not the only one paying attention. Iv found multiple cameras in very hard access areas I was shocked to see one. Iv also found what I believe is a giant living 100 yards off the rd. I found his bed, a shredded tree with blood and velvet on it. And a textbook scrape. Wich luckily I had a camera left to hang over. I got plans to acquire another 6-8 cams and deploy them into some of these areas until after rifle season to get a better idea about these new spots. To say the least I'm freaking jacked about this bow season. Iv never put in so much work in my life.

I always drop points on my cameras. Because iv lost them before well couldn't effectively relocate them lol .... best of luck to everyone may your quivers be full of bloody arrows. And long drags with big racks!

Ended up seeing 4 deer. Bumped 3 on the walk in for the evening hunt and had a doe at 22 yards that never gave me a good angle. It felt good to be back in a tree. 

Only one deer seen on stand so far, in two sits, and it was a small doe (I think).  
 
Went Saturday afternoon near where I shot my 9 point least year where I was getting fairly regular movement and nothing but squirrels and chippies.  Went home to check my trail camera there and a 1.5 hrs before I got there on Sat., a guy was walking his dog in the woods.  Went by at 2pm ish and saw him coming back through at 330ish.  Could explain the "no movement" there.  
 
Just found out my one honey hole up north near Gibsonia got sold and closed in late August.  Never even got the chance to hunt there last year or put a camera out.  Need to write a letter to see if I can secure permission from the new owners.  Not hopeful though.

Season has been pretty decent so far, sat in the rain first day saw 6 does and one deer I couldn't make out. Monday morning had 8 does and a smaller 7 pt feed through from daybreak till 930 and then this morning had 6 does come through. Had easy shooting on big does each morning but a drag of about 2 miles had me watch them go by. Back at it Saturday.

Had a couple of decent sits Friday and Saturday. Seen 6 does. Had a mama and fawn come through and bed down within range for a few hours. I thought about taking her but the older I get the less I want to shoot a doe with little ones early in the fall. As my ground deer stash gets lower, the urge gets greater though! Finally got a decent buck on camera as well. 

Been slow in my area. The only bucks I’ve seen have been little ones. The bigger ones are around I have them on camera, just not seeing them while hunting. Got a bunch of vacation to use in the next couple of weeks so hopefully my luck changes.

Worst season for me, in my memory, hunting 2B.  Finally saw my first "buck", if you can call it that, Sat. morning.  Spike that probably could have been shot as a doe.  Saw a doe as well.  Did get down around 9:45am to walk out the bench I was hunting to scout a little.  Kicked out a smaller racked buck and a doe and a couple fawns about 50 yds from my trail camera.  Not sure if they were bedded or working my way and stopped when the fellas on the hillside above me started weed whacking at 9:15am.  Oh the joy of hunting the suburbs.  
 
Did get a surprise on my trail cam and got vid of a bobcat.  First for me.  
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDzlIbWC2Dc

Deer were moving around last night with the cooler, wet weather and wind.  Kicked a buck out on the walk in (didn't see horns, just the tail, but smelled the tarsal glands when I walked the path he took off on).  Saw the saw 3 or 4 doe multiple times from the stand starting at 5:30pm and until it got dark.  The one doe was being pushed by a small 3 or 4 point and she wanted nothing to do with him  I put out one drop of doe in heat once I was up in the stand and let it hit the ground an then put some Evercalm on a branch up high.  The one doe was downwind of me multiple times, knew something was up....but I think the mixture of scents (including mine), had her confused as she kept circling and coming back.  Strong wind probably diluted my scent somewhat too and it is VERY suburban so, that came into play as well.  Almost hit a 2.5 yr old 6 or 8 point on my way back home, saw a bunch more deer along the road live and plenty of roadkills.  Kicking myself for not being in the stand this morning.

Still have not laid my eyes on a legal buck in daylight. My rutcation starts this Wednesday but the weather looks like it is going to be warm and the moon getting brighter. A recipe for great night time activity and slowwwwww during the day. 

Slowest November for me ever thus far based on the records I keep. The highlight thus far was having a bobcat walk directly under my stand this morning. I sure hope it picks up next week. The weather is not helping. My best day so far is two bucks seen. 

Wednesday night I grunted a nice 8pt in he slipped in down wind and got me. I was in an absolute mess of tangles there was no shot. Thursday I had a big 6pt cruise by and find a doe he chased here around until dark. My buddy shot a great 8pt that evening. I did not hunt Friday or Saturday. Waiting for a drop in Temps