The Rut is in Full Swing Here in PA; Missed a Coyote
AM Hunt
I had off Monday for Veteran's day so I headed out to our Liberty location with my Father-in-law. I was in my stand a little later than I wanted just as it started getting light. I hadn't been to the place I wanted to set my stand up and struggled going through the woods in the dark. I gave up looking for the clearing and set up. As it got light I realized I was right where I wanted to be on a slight ridge line about 50 yards from the clearing.
About 30 minutes later I heard a doe running through the woods behind me more than likely being chased by a buck, I used my bleat can but nothing came out to me. About 45 minutes later I saw two doe walking about 80 yards at the bottom of the hill.
Around 7:30AM I had a doe and her fawn come running right up to my stand, they stopped about 10 yards from me and started trying to catch my scent. Nothing followed them through. They continued past me cautiously but never became aware of me. Around 20 minutes later a doe started coming down to me but she was down wind and quickly turned around and went around me about 100 yards.
I saw a deer in the clearing then and used my grunt call. It went running into the woods away from me but 15 minutes later a spike came sniffing through at 10 yards from my stand. It was around 9:30AM.
We walked out and hit up a local restaurant for pancakes, sausage and home fries. Brent saw a few but no buck.
In total I saw 7 deer including one spike.
PM Hunt
I was in my stand about 3:40PM it was around 50 degrees. I was at my Dad's house in the location I saw 5 buck a few weeks ago just in a different tree that I can't believe I hadn't used yet. It gave me a much better vantage point with better shooting lanes and better range about half way up a hill.
I wasn't in my stand 20 minutes and I saw a spike walking about 60 yards from me up a quarry road in the open. About 30 minutes later I saw ripples in a creek about 150 yards from me. I then counted 7 or 8 deer wading across a creek that is about 100ft wide. The younger deer were up to their neck in water.
One of the reasons I thought this location was such a good spot was the fact I thought the deer would not cross the creek. They cut the corn on this side about 3 weeks ago and I am assuming they didn't cut it on the other side but there is no cover on that side of the creek so the deer are crossing to feed at night.
About ten minutes later I herd a doe coming crashing through the woods and she stopped right under my stand. There was a small 4 point chasing her. She stopped and started trying to figure out my scent. She walked right up to my tree and was sniffing the tree I had climbed about an hour ago. She looked up at me and slowing walked away.
The spike I had seen was also chasing doe around.
Just as it was getting dark another buck was chasing a doe. She went by me and he stopped. I used my grunt call and he immediately started grunting, stomping his feet and began coming towards me. It was too dark to see any antlers. He turned away and walked the other direction.
After he walked away I decided I needed to get down and go. I took my arrow off my bow, put it in my quiver then put my headlight on. Just then I heard something running smoothly to me. I thought it was a deer as I saw its grey body approaching. I switched my light on as it was about 10 yards away to my surprise it was a coyote.
I slowly reached for an arrow and the sound of it snapping out of the quiver made him jump and run. I stared smacking my lips to get him to stop. I clicked my arrow on, pulled back and was looking for a shot with my headlight. I couldn't see his body through my peep sight so I had to look around my sights and try to line it up. I shot at about 15 yards. When I climbed down I found my arrow with no blood.
The deer were definitely moving today and the buck were pushing the doe very aggressively.
In total I saw around 18 deer today, not a bad day in Pennsylvania. Just waiting for the right buck!
I had off Monday for Veteran's day so I headed out to our Liberty location with my Father-in-law. I was in my stand a little later than I wanted just as it started getting light. I hadn't been to the place I wanted to set my stand up and struggled going through the woods in the dark. I gave up looking for the clearing and set up. As it got light I realized I was right where I wanted to be on a slight ridge line about 50 yards from the clearing.
About 30 minutes later I heard a doe running through the woods behind me more than likely being chased by a buck, I used my bleat can but nothing came out to me. About 45 minutes later I saw two doe walking about 80 yards at the bottom of the hill.
Around 7:30AM I had a doe and her fawn come running right up to my stand, they stopped about 10 yards from me and started trying to catch my scent. Nothing followed them through. They continued past me cautiously but never became aware of me. Around 20 minutes later a doe started coming down to me but she was down wind and quickly turned around and went around me about 100 yards.
I saw a deer in the clearing then and used my grunt call. It went running into the woods away from me but 15 minutes later a spike came sniffing through at 10 yards from my stand. It was around 9:30AM.
We walked out and hit up a local restaurant for pancakes, sausage and home fries. Brent saw a few but no buck.
In total I saw 7 deer including one spike.
PM Hunt
I was in my stand about 3:40PM it was around 50 degrees. I was at my Dad's house in the location I saw 5 buck a few weeks ago just in a different tree that I can't believe I hadn't used yet. It gave me a much better vantage point with better shooting lanes and better range about half way up a hill.
I wasn't in my stand 20 minutes and I saw a spike walking about 60 yards from me up a quarry road in the open. About 30 minutes later I saw ripples in a creek about 150 yards from me. I then counted 7 or 8 deer wading across a creek that is about 100ft wide. The younger deer were up to their neck in water.
One of the reasons I thought this location was such a good spot was the fact I thought the deer would not cross the creek. They cut the corn on this side about 3 weeks ago and I am assuming they didn't cut it on the other side but there is no cover on that side of the creek so the deer are crossing to feed at night.
About ten minutes later I herd a doe coming crashing through the woods and she stopped right under my stand. There was a small 4 point chasing her. She stopped and started trying to figure out my scent. She walked right up to my tree and was sniffing the tree I had climbed about an hour ago. She looked up at me and slowing walked away.
The spike I had seen was also chasing doe around.
Just as it was getting dark another buck was chasing a doe. She went by me and he stopped. I used my grunt call and he immediately started grunting, stomping his feet and began coming towards me. It was too dark to see any antlers. He turned away and walked the other direction.
After he walked away I decided I needed to get down and go. I took my arrow off my bow, put it in my quiver then put my headlight on. Just then I heard something running smoothly to me. I thought it was a deer as I saw its grey body approaching. I switched my light on as it was about 10 yards away to my surprise it was a coyote.
I slowly reached for an arrow and the sound of it snapping out of the quiver made him jump and run. I stared smacking my lips to get him to stop. I clicked my arrow on, pulled back and was looking for a shot with my headlight. I couldn't see his body through my peep sight so I had to look around my sights and try to line it up. I shot at about 15 yards. When I climbed down I found my arrow with no blood.
The deer were definitely moving today and the buck were pushing the doe very aggressively.
In total I saw around 18 deer today, not a bad day in Pennsylvania. Just waiting for the right buck!
