I seem to get completely addicted to this website when the hunting season rolls around, which I’m sure a lot of you know all too well what I am talking about! checking it numerous times a day just waiting to hear a story about the next big buck that was taken or or an exciting encounter, etc. I’ve been so busy with work I hadn’t even had the chance to even look at my hunting stuff (although I have been shooting my bow a lot in preparation) anyway, its been killing me to hear all these great stories so i finally made up my mind that i was going to finally go out into the woods last night for some much needed me time.
Down here in dane county, I hunt pretty much in the heart of where CWD was first found, and after the first few years of that, it seems the deer population has been cut by more than half by liberal bag limits, long gun seasons and DNR sharpshooting. I had a couple pieces of primo public land that i always saw deer in and had encounters with a couple really nice bucks but bad things happened and I wasn’t able to release an arrow. The last couple of years, I’ve been focusing on these spots for no other reason than A: I’ve seen deer in them in the past and B: not many other guys hunt them. The last 2 years, I’ve had precisely 0 sightings and thats sitting in the stand at least a couple times a week throughout the season. Knowing that the deer would be on the move last night, I sat and wracked my brain for a stand site good for a NW wind. I finally remembered a spot and was going to give that area one more try. An oak flat that butts up against CRP and some sanctuary land. I got out there at 3:00pm or and saw another vehicle parked in there. CRAP now what do i do. the chunk of land is about 400 acres, but I was certain the guy was up there. and there is nothing worse than walking up on another bowhunter who is in the stand. I deceded to go the exact opposite direction of where I think he is after rememebering a little spot where there is some alfalfa and a strip of corn or beans that comes to a little corner. I get about halfway up there and come across some fresh footprints. CRAP! so i think to myself it rained all day yesterday, but let up in the afternoon, maybe someone was in here yesterday or even this morning. At that point I was pretty much commited to the area since its a trek back up in there. I just hoped I wouldnt come across him.
I got in the area where wanted to be and right away saw some sign…nothing great, but a small scrape and some tracks and thought to myself on such short notice, I was going to find a tree on the edge and see what happened. wouldn’t you know it, the only thing I could find was a Shagbark and I’ve got a climber. After wrestling the bottom portion of the stand up the tree, I finally got into a spot with some good shooting lanes out into the field and a good trail coming into my north.
I sat for about 1.5 hours and finally spotted my first sign of life. A squirrel. I normally can’t stand the things, but I enjoyed watching him dig around for nuts. I was hearing lots of noise in the woods and feeling really good about the spot although it was kind of breezy. At about 5, I could hear some turkeys walking through the woods and a few minutes later I had about 15 of them right in front of me…thinking to myself, hey. if nothing else, I saw some turkeys.. they eventually made their way back into the woods and worked around behind me before heading off deeper into the woods. I guess it would have probably been another hour and the sun finally was setting a doe and 2 fawn came across the field and worked through the beans. they were about 40-50 yards and I was pumped to see some deer. I sat there enjoying the show and almost forgot I was out hunting. they made their way through my shooting zone a few times working back and forth a few times and I didn’t even think about grabbing my bow (even though I could use the meat). With about 30 minutes left, I spotted a buck out in the beans working his way towards the does. He was probably only a year and half old sporting 6 points and a basket rack. but man was I excited to see some antlers… he worked his way through the beans and fianlly spotted the doe and 2 fawns and got after them scaring em off into different directions. he sat in some weeds on the field edge about 50 yards away going to town on some sort of broad leaf plant before wandering up the edge and around the corner out of sight. this was moments before legal shooting hours were over, but I was at that point freezing my butt off and really happy that I had the chance to get see some deer and a buck (albeit a small one)on my first evening out so I climbed down and headed back to the truck excited about the next time I can make it into the woods.
