Michigan Hunt Day 2- Nov. 4, 2004

[Anello]

I awoke to Grady smacking me in the head at 4:45 am saying “hey dipshit, can you hear that fucking lightning?”. I arose and walked out to the kitchen to be greeted by one of the gnarliest thunderstorms I have seen in some time. It was raining pretty damn hard as well and the fucking temperature gauge read 34’. FUCK!!!!

We decided to wait it out and hammer down some breakfast while going over the day’s plan. After about an hour of bloodthirsty discussion we felt that it was safe to head out as the rain had subsided and the thunder and lightning had disappeared. As we were walking out in the pitch black frigid air I realized that I was totally out of my element. I am a so-cal kid born and raised. This fucking freezing weather shit was a whole new experience for me. I was bundled up like the Michelin man and was still cold as the wind chill made my 3 layers feel like 1.

Upon reaching the stand at 6:00am sharp Grady gave me a little bit of instruction as to how to approach the stand itself so as to not throw a scent or make any unnecessary noise. As soon as I got up the 16 foot stand and racked my bow I saw a white flash out of the corner of my eye as Grady was walking away. I looked over just in time to see the adult doe stop and stare directly at me. She had bounded over a bush directly into my field of view no more than 10 feet from where I was just standing. Five minutes into my first whitetail hunt and I am 20 yards from a shooter doe.

Now here is where the so-called rules of whitetail hunting come into play. Generally speaking, deer that approach a baitpile or open field this time of year will be scanning the area for any unnecessary movement or noises. If they smell you they will bolt(as human odor control is paramount to successful hunts). However, if they see something that they are not familiar with they will usually wait for unfamiliar movement or sound before bolting. Conversely, if they hear something that they perceive to be foreign they will generally scan the area thoroughly for movement or unfamiliar silhouettes before bolting. This being true it is imperative that you wear good camoflauge and be very aware of controlling all unnecessary movement and sounds at all times while in the stand.

As the doe slowly worked toward the baitpile in front of the stand I carefully reached for my bow and was immediately busted. She stopped and stared directly into my eyes for what felt like an hour. For some reason she deemed the Michelin man in the tree non threatening and actually took 2 more steps directly into my shooting lane.

Now here is where one of the other rules of tree stand hunting comes into play when the weather is cold. I can remember one of the guys at the bow shop telling me to do some arm circles etc. before getting into the stand to get the muscles in your shoulder warmed up as it will be much more difficult to draw your bow slowly and steadily in those temperatures otherwise. Well, I forgot. As the doe dropped her head to feed I raised the bow and began to draw. My arms were shaking from my inability to smoothly draw the bow. Due to the shaking, the shaft of my arrow banged against the frame of the bow causing a metal on metal sound that got the deer’s immediate attention. She snapped her head at me and I froze…..mid 32 inch draw…..cold as fuck. The staredown was on.

For what seemed like another hour there we stood starring at eachother waiting for the other to flinch. My shoulder began to burn and my arm began shaking just as she decided again that the Michelin man was not a threat and dropped her head once again to feed. I hurriedly drew the bow completely and lined my 20 yard pin up just underneath her shoulder. My finger slid around the release trigger and I punched the hell out of it sending my shot whizzing an inch over her back.
MOTHER FUCKER!!!!

She took off in an instant and was gone before I knew it. Sullen and dejected I took a seat and resigned myself to waiting for another opportunity….should it arise. As luck would have it I did in fact see a few more does that morning but none gave me any opportunities to shoot. I climbed down off the stand at around 9:00am and headed back to Grady’s house to kick my own ass.

We would hunt 2 more times that day and end up seeing a few more does of in the distance. None presented shooting opportunities and no bucks were making any mistakes. I learned a few valuable lesions this day and would use them to my advantage the next…..for I vowed to not miss again.

[Fresh One]

You are a jack and coke drinking Ernest Hemingway.

I'm surprised you even bothered trying to stick that doe with an arrow. I thought you would opt for the more manly approach: The "John Rambo leap from the tree stand with the 8 inch hunting knife in hand" technique.

I feel your pain on the cold thing. I tried hunting deer a couple of times in the mornings in Oklahoma and its just too fucking cold for me. Walking around in the dark like some frozen fucking zomboid.

I hunt them in the evening and make sure to bring my deer rifle with me when I'm quail hunting during the day. Its much more pleasant that way.

Now I will get my ass up early and freeze my nuts off for ducks from some damn reason. I think its due to the fact that I am almost guaranteed to see some action on the ducks where with deer, its more hit and miss.

Hope you nail one.

[Anello]

Wait until you read about the last day. I just might have gotten a little mideviel.

Nice work on the duckies bro. Just read your post. Fucking sweet.

[el Toro]

Nice avatar dipshit. I thought you got some Predator, whats up with that camo? Also, try face paint instead of the mask. You will shoot much more accurately when you can feel your exact anchor point (corner of the mouth, tip of nose) every time. Regardless, you do need to cover your face and hands as they will give you away every time.

[GRADSTEIN]

He never took any practice shots with the jacket on. If he would have he could have worn it and been a lot warmer too. He wore all the other predator stuff under the rain shit.

That is the perfect terrorist avatar.

[how2fish]

Nice write-up. Where do you go to practice with your bow?

[Anello]

Thanks for the info on the facemask and stuff man. Ya jack ass. I missed one fucking shot....which was my first ever out of a treestand and like Grady said, I didn't have time to practice with all that shit on as I hit the stand first thing in the morning after I bought it. That cammy is over the predator shit as it was raining like a mother fucker and way too cold for just those.

Oh, also, I haven't put facepaint on since OCS. No way am I putting that shit on every day 3 times a day again. I'll risk having something see my eyes.

[Anello]

http://www.orangecountyarchery.com/

This is the place Micah. It is pretty sweet too. Good people and they all help out with instruction.

[el Toro]

PMS Danny? I just prefer the facepaint for a better feel. Now go shoot your damn rifle and get it all dialed. How'd those new binoculars work out? Wait till you see my new Leicas.

Micah, there is a good bow shop with adjacent range on Miramar Rd. called Performance Archery.

[Anello]

They are ok. I had to re-adjust them every time that I picked em up but they were good. Clear fucking picture for sure.

Going tomorrow to dial inthe 06.

[byeye]

Hey Anello, you lost a lot of weight man......

[Anello]

Down to 203 lbs today. I was up in the 225 plus range there for a while. Time to bust out the skirt and tank top again huh.