Well, the season is about a month over now, and I just thought I'd share how it went, maybe get some advice and pointers.
I only got out there for 2 trips this season. Once in october, at the tail end of the gun season, and once the 3rd week of december.
On the first trip, I went with my buddy who shoots compound to his dads place in the bruce peninsula. We were there the last day of rifle season and 2 days after that. His dad set us up in 2 different spots, both on the edges of fairly large openings in the bush. Didnt see a deer in 3 days. My buddy brought some antlers out the one evening and apparently rattled in a buck, that caught him taking a pee break and was out of range anyway. So there were deer around, but I didnt have a call or anything to get them near me.
Either way, it felt very unlikely that a deer was going to walk within 15 yards of me in this open field, when i had seen no evidence of deer using the area regularly and during the gun season. I felt like I was gun hunting without a gun. A little bit discouraging
Next trip, I went to my buddy's house in Bonfield, ON. In between Mattawa and North Bay. Dec 16th. I got up there, all excited to hunt, and then realized, Northern Ontario season ends earlier than Southern Ontario season! I missed it by one day
I am an idiot. Oh well, I figured I might as well practice getting close/seeing deer while Im here. So I checked out his area of bush and found tons of tracks, and lots of funnel points and trails. So, the next morning I set up beside one of those spots and waited to see some deer. I picked up a rattle bag and a call that can do buck, doe, and fawn, so I was trying out a few doe calls, seeing if I could bring anything in. After a couple hours, I got a touch restless and decided to climb this old tree stand that looked lijke it had been there for many years. I climbed up it and it was about the most rickety/sketchy thing ive ever climbed in my life, so I climbed back down, with no shortage of noise. I resumed my place near the tree I had set up by before. After about 15 minutes, I noticed.....DEER!!!!
Two does started walking up to me! The first doe got to about 15 yards, and then noticed me struggling to get my camera out of my pocket. We did the stare off before she snorted me and ran off. Made me feel good! If i had a blind and not been trying to get my cell out of my pocket she probably would have gotten a lot closer.
Morning on day two, I picked the same spot, no deer.
Day 3, Picked a different spot, had a bit of a timeline today.My buddy wanted me back by 11 so we could take the ATVs out. Been sitting since 730, and i had my bow with me all these days just in case I saw a grouse or a rabbit. It was about 10, so I decided to take a walk around, see if i could scare up a grouse. So, i took a practice shot from my blind and hit a log with a good crack. I got up and found my arrow and started a slow walk down the hill i was on, when I noticed DEER! 3 does were walking up the trail towards me, I was about 10 yards off the trail. Then, behind those three does...Antlers!! My first buck! They walked by me and didnt even notice me. Were he in season, I would have had a great shot at him. I was happy about that. I eventually tracked the buck down and found his tree scrapes. Ill be looking for him next year.
Im wondering, both times I saw deer it was not long after I stirred up a bit of a racket, so is this just dumb luck?
So i felt a little better about that trip. So,first season down, many to go.
Unfortunately, I visited my buddy again in january, and ended up getting my hand crushed between two ATVs. I was riding on the back with my hands grabbing the back rails when we got rear ended.
broke my inbex and middle finger of my right hand. So right now, no bow making for me for a while
. I got my RPAL one handed though, so I havent been wasting my time.
Anyways, thats the story, thanks for reading! Advice and tips welcomed!
