Friday Morning Bow Hunt

Well I finally got back out bow hunting this morning. This is only the third time out since my trip to Colorado. No excuses, just haven't got out. I made it a point to get up and ready this morning so I could spend it in the tree stand.

I tried to get everything ready and out the door, but I had a problem finding my range finder this morning. It wasn't in my backpack where I left it or so I thought. After about 5 minutes of frantic searching I said the heck with it. Out the door I went. When I arrived at the woods that I hunt, I quickly got my bow out and everything put together. Onto the trail I went. It was just beginning to break daylight. I was really about 15 minutes late getting into the woods, but man did it feel good to be back out in the outdoors.

I made my way down the trail and then I crossed into a field that ran next to the wood lot. This way I can sneak down to the tree stand without making too much noise. As I walked down the field's edge I could see something up ahead on the ground. As I approached it I could see that it was a scrape that a buck had made! There was a licking branch hanging over the scrape, this was what I needed to build some confidence in this morning's hunt. I walked another 10 to 15 yards and there was another scrape and licking branch! Another 10 to 15 yards and another one under a licking branch! Man this was getting me pumped up for the morning hunt for sure!

These were about 30 or 40 yards away from the treestand, so I slipped into the stand and began to get set up. I nocked an arrow and took my quiver off and strapped it to a tree branch, then I settled in.

From behind me across the field that I walked the edge of I heard what sounded like two bucks fighting. I looked behind me across the field and saw nothing. It sounded as if it was coming from inside the opposite woodlot. It went on for a couple of minutes and was rythmic in its sound. I knew then it was another hunter rattling trying to get a buck to come in. I've never had any success rattling bucks in. I think it is due to the fact that bucks here in this area don't have to fight for dominance to breed does. It wasn't long before I heard the hunter rattle again. It had way too much cadence to it. It sounded nothing like what a deer fight would be. I have seen them on video and heard the noise they make, and it was nothing like this guy was making.

After about an hour I heard a flight of geese coming towards me, as I watched the horizon I could see six of them flying straight for me. They buzzed the tree tops about 15 yards over my head! If I only had my shotgun! It wasn't long before I heard squirrels rustling around below me. I looked and spotted at least four different squirrels, two greys and two fox. The fox squirrels were pretty big, once again I thought if I only had my gun! One of the greys came towards my tree and stopped about 10 feet short of it. I thought he might try to climb up and visit me for a few minutes, but he turned and went back to his business.

Towards the end of the morning I noticed that three bluejays had flown into the tree right above my head. They began to pick what was left of the twigs and acorns off of the tree, the debris was falling right on me. The little buzzards kept this up for about five minutes, I was getting pelted with all the debris, once again if I only had my gun! That is always the story with hunting. You never have the right weapon to use for the game you happen to see. If I had been small game hunting I would have seen deer, but since I was bow hunting, no deer and a ton of small game! Oh well at least I got to get back out into the woods again, and boy did it feel good. The time passed quickly this morning, too quickly for my liking. I can't wait until this evening. If it isn't raining I will get back out again with the boys.