Personal Record for Deer Sighting 20 Doe 1 Buck
Today was possibly the last day I will be able to make it in the woods for archery season. I wasn't 100% sold on setting my alarm before 5AM and heading out in the cold as it has been getting less than 30 degrees every night. But I woke up and headed out. It was a very cold windy morning with the ground slightly covered with snow. I went up to my lazy man stand that is only 500 yards from my house on a large non-food plot field hay field.
I was in my stand about 45 minutes when I saw 3 or 4 deer crossing from about 70 yards. They started circling around and coming closer to me but ended up going by me no closer than 50 yards. My excitement was rising knowing that the rut is in full swing and something should be coming behind them. 10 minutes later at about 90 yards 5 doe came out of the woods and started crossing the field. Just behind them a few doe came running into the field with a spike chasing them. He chased all the doe out of the field grunting the entire time.
I used my grunt call to see if I could get him or any other buck to come closer to me and about 30 seconds later a doe came down sniffing and looking around. I thought she was catching my scent with the way she was acting. I soon discovered she was in heat and looking for a buck. She wandered around about 10 to 15 yards from me and even squatted and raised her tail for about a minute then went into the woods.
I saw another group of deer crossing where I walked in but they were all doe, I used my grunt call again and another doe came up to me most likely in heat looking around and then she went back into the woods.
Just before I got down I saw a large group of deer crossing the field again at about 90 yards. I didn't see any buck and waited for about 30 minutes to see if anything was pushing them.
In total I saw 21 deer including one spike that was chasing the doe around.
I'm not sure if I'll be able to get out again today but it is hard not to after seeing this many deer and doe in heat.
I learned a lot about our herd this morning. A lot of young healthy doe and yearlings but few buck. I believe our doe to buck ratio is much worse than I anticipated due to the typical PA hunters near by that mow down every legal buck with three points on one side within shooting range.
I was in my stand about 45 minutes when I saw 3 or 4 deer crossing from about 70 yards. They started circling around and coming closer to me but ended up going by me no closer than 50 yards. My excitement was rising knowing that the rut is in full swing and something should be coming behind them. 10 minutes later at about 90 yards 5 doe came out of the woods and started crossing the field. Just behind them a few doe came running into the field with a spike chasing them. He chased all the doe out of the field grunting the entire time.
I used my grunt call to see if I could get him or any other buck to come closer to me and about 30 seconds later a doe came down sniffing and looking around. I thought she was catching my scent with the way she was acting. I soon discovered she was in heat and looking for a buck. She wandered around about 10 to 15 yards from me and even squatted and raised her tail for about a minute then went into the woods.
I saw another group of deer crossing where I walked in but they were all doe, I used my grunt call again and another doe came up to me most likely in heat looking around and then she went back into the woods.
Just before I got down I saw a large group of deer crossing the field again at about 90 yards. I didn't see any buck and waited for about 30 minutes to see if anything was pushing them.
In total I saw 21 deer including one spike that was chasing the doe around.
I'm not sure if I'll be able to get out again today but it is hard not to after seeing this many deer and doe in heat.
I learned a lot about our herd this morning. A lot of young healthy doe and yearlings but few buck. I believe our doe to buck ratio is much worse than I anticipated due to the typical PA hunters near by that mow down every legal buck with three points on one side within shooting range.
