Had to attend a funeral for a friend's mom today, a sad affair, but the lady lived a good long life, 89 years. I got home about 3:45 and couldn't get dressed for the woods quick enough. After grabbing my bow and back pack, I immediatly headed for the rubber bucket that holds my majic concoction for scent elimination on my rubber boots, water and baking soda. A couple sloshes in the majic juice and I was off to a different stand on the east side of the property because the wind was out of the east. Topping a small rise in the field I noticed a small doe trot off the field to the east. Thinking that I'd spooked the little deer I walked a bit farther over the crest of the hill and was surprised to see a 2yr old 8 pnt flemening with his nose in the air and totally annoying two does at the far edge of the field. Standing totally motionless for what seemed an eternity, the buck finally tired of the does rejection and made like a beagle sniffing a deer trail off into the woods while the does went in the opposite direction. I then made my way across the woods and into a tree stand.
Once in the stand and finally geared up to hunt, I began my vigil. Time then dragged until there was only about an hour of light left then does and yearlings started to filter into the two food plots that were visible from my stand. I could hear some commotion about 50 yards into the woods but never could see the source. Just before dark I could make out a buck of some kind, probably a year old guy, working his way into the nearest food plot. He immediatly zeroed in on one of the does and pushed her off the food plot and into the woods. The dark curtain slowly fell and my evening drew to a close with not shots again, but well worth the wait!

Spent the afternoon in my favorite tree stand in a great funnel between two swamps. Today, 11/11/09 was supposed to be the very peak of the seeking/chasing phase of the rut and I couldn't help but treat myself to a swampside seat. I am an avid bowhunter and there is nothing I love better than to see the November rut play out. Well I did get some action, a dandy two year old 8 pnt sauntered by my stand before I could get set up to shoot once I'd climbed up to my stand. I wasn't there to shoot a buck any way, I'm not sure that I was even there to shoot a doe for that matter. I'd used up both of my Michigan buck tags in October, (see "About Us" page), but still had two antlerless tags in my day pack. Knowing that I had a funeral to attend first thing in the morning I wasn't sure I wanted to use up one of the doe tags tonight. After the 8 pnt went by the action slowed to a crawl. Nothing stirred other than some neighborhood squirrels doing some grocery shopping. After a couple hours dragged by I was startled by the welcome sounds of hooves rapidly heading my way. Looking in the direction of the sound I was rewarded with the sight of a fat doe trotting toward me. Judging by the way she ran and stopping briefly only look back and run again, I was sure a buck was close on her tail, and I wqs right! The cutest little 6 pnt trotted into sight shortly. He stopped only for second before wagging his tail, giving a short grunt and trotting off after his girlfriend wanna-be. That then, was the end of the story for the evening. I can't say that I was overly impressed with the peak of the seek/chase phase of the rut, hope there were some other bow benders that were having better luck than me. My evening was still better than a day at the factory :) What do you think?