Archery is done, Rifle season just around the corner.

Archery is done and Rifle is just a couple days away here in PA.

        Archery here in Pa. was eventful and productive. As you know from my earlier post I was able to harvest my first archery buck. Wasn't quite the outcome I would have hoped for but was successful none the less. I didn't get as much time in the woods this year with other obligations, but I was able to get back in the woods the last two days of the season. It was yet again a action packed and fun time in the woods. I was only able to hunt afternoons this year for varies reasons but mostly personal preference because of my ankle. I hunted 4 afternoon's total for the season and was never disappointed. Each and every time I went into the woods I was able to have some type of encounter with Deer,Turkey, and even a young Bob cat. One thing I did not see was a doe with-in bow range. After shooting the buck I only saw buck with in bow range. In no way am I complaining. It has been a entire hunting career that I have ever had this issue.

Here is a little video of my last day in the stand!

Last day in the stand action! 

    Pa. Rifle starts November 26th. and I can't wait. This will be the first time in my life I wont be buck hunting with a rifle. I plan to hunt with my friend and his step son the first day hoping to get a mentor hunter his first deer. The only decision I have to make is do i carry my bow or a rifle.Bring on the doe!

A long season

Long archery season. I spent almost all season hunting a power line. I wanted to hunt this spot last year but had no way to get to it with out walking through the main bedding area. I finally got permission from a land owner that borders the power line from the north. 

The first night in the stand I had a nice buck come in. He came in to 60yrds and just turned and walked away. I had many more encounters with this buck that ended the same way. Him coming in at last light and them he would always go to they opposite side of the power line and feed.





The one buck I did get a shot at was a four point that I watched for three hours and finally came into range.
He came out around three and then bedded down about one hundred yards out. Finally he got on his feet and fed his way up the hill to my stand. My stand was thirty five feet up in a hemlock tree. He worked his way into twenty yards to a flat. I drew and let the arrow fly. Straight over his back. My heart sank. This is the third miss of the season. I missed two doe as well. The buck ran out to fifty yards and stopped. I grunted at him and he turned and came back in to thirty yards.  I let another arrow loose and watch it drill him right in the front shoulder. I can see right away that the arrow only got a few inches of penetration. He ran forty yards and crashed over a ledge and into a small pine. gets up and just starts running full speed again and disappears into the woods.
I call Will and fill him in on what is going on. He tells me to settle down and give him some time. I get off the phone with him and climb down. Head over to look for blood and find nothing. I go to the pine tree and look, nothing not a drop. I poke my head in the woods and go maybe fifty yards and find my arrow.
This is the only blood I find. and take a closer look and see the arrow only got about three inches of penetration. The buck was going up a old logging road. I mark the spot of the arrow and head to the house for a long sleepless night. I have a quick work thing in the morning and Amber and I head back into the woods. We search  for a little more than two hours and find no blood and no deer.