[nick]

I'm out this morning with my recurve around 9am to hunt my blind, AND of course I spook up a decent 6 point and a 4 point on my way in, cross over the main trail right in front of me.
So I get to my blind and bunker down for the next 3 hours. I finally get bored and too cold so I decide to stalk a little. I venture out into some part of the property and I STUMBLE across a big bodied 10 point that was on his way to bed down and actually bending at the knees underneath a pine tree. I nearly sh*t my self because he didn't see me at all. So I draw my recurve and he must of heard the slight metal draw back cause he bolts about 25 yards into some thorns. I wait a couple of minutes and move in to check out the lay of the land and he sees me and bolts.

I backed out of the woods cause I found a major bedding area and they are all aware of my presence today.

Question 1, -- Do I go back tommorow with a portable tree stand, or give that area a few days to "cool" down again.

Question 2, -- If that big boy was bedding under cover at 1pm. What time should I be in that area to catch him coming in.

Question 3, -- Should I climb right on top of the bedding area or find a tree from a distance and hope that he comes within my recurve range which is about 20 yards.[confused]

Thanks I need some help on this one. If I had my shotgun I could of dropped him but this property won't allow shotgun only bow.

 

[nick]

no I just stumbled across it following some tracks.

 

[nick]

Thats what I thought. This section that I stumbled on is a bit of pines on a small ridge between a little valley of thorns and a section of scrub trees and actually a bit of a garbage dump for landscaping. The pine beds were well worn underneath. Leaving me to believe that they like it on this spot because they can flee into the thorns if spooked. My plan is to wait a few days(if he's still alive) and go in about 6am up the tree in my climber. I'll tell you what, I am really frustrated. Its the biggest buck I have actually seen with my own eyes since I've been hunting and I can't believe it got away.

 

[nick]

The shelf has a little pad and a small piece of leather on the side. I just put some cloth tape on the bow now it really doesn't make any sound. I shoot with aluminum easton arrows and wasp 125gr razorheads. The earliest I'll be able to go out again might be saturday or monday morning... Either way I am going in my loggy bayou climbing stand and try the old suprise approach. I think that I rushed it a bit. I could of just stood there behind the tree but I grew impatient. I should of waited.

 

[nick]

Thanks, I hate to say it and it's not a nock on other hunters but I don't think that I'll be hunting much more with my shotgun.
I seem to of caught an archery bug and I prefer hunting in silence. I also like the feeling of being up close and personal with my quarry. I have talked to some fellow hunters who are friends of mine and they are way to gung ho on just going out to the woods and blasting away at anything with antlers. Thats not me, or what I'm out their to do. I like going out solo and finding my way. I'll probablly stick to my 50# 1970 Bear takedown recurve for a while and maybe after christmas I'll pick up a nice compound bow for the tree stand hunting.