MA Bow Season

My MA bow season was certainly an interesting one. It started very slow due to the thousands of acorns in the woods. I can't remember a year where there were so many. After the first week of the season I had seen two black bear and no deer.

I checked one of my trail cameras on Sunday Oct 18 and had a picture of a 3 Pt. I decided I would hunt that stand on Monday morning Oct. 19. It was mild and no wind. The area is just north of a beaver pond/swamp that was logged off two years ago. Its a ravine that runs north from the pond and gradually becomes flat with scattered oaks still remaining.

At 9:15 I caught movement to my right and noticed the 3 pt working his way across the top of the ridge. He was browsing on these huge ass yellow leaves. He was only about 40 yards away. He started to head in my direction when he stopped and bedded down. I ranged him at 32 yards. He was on the bank just to my right but just slightly behind my stand. I was in a double pine tree and luckily I was on the left side of the tree and I used the right side section as cover to block him from seeing me.

I watched him as he licked his ass, chewed on his sides like a dog does and then fall asleep. He lowered his head and placed it on top of his crossed front legs, just like a dog and slept. Since the rut was only a couple of weeks away I know he was dreaming about his first taste of doe ass. His eyes fluttered and his ears twitched. He slept off and on until 11:25. He then stood up and stretched and slowly starting walking south down the ridge away from me. He jumped a stone wall and was about 60 yards away when I turned my bleat can over twice. He snapped his head around, remembering his recent dream of doe ass and jumped back over the wall. He didn't run or walk fast he just slowly started in my direction.

He continued to browse but he was coming. After about 5 minutes he was directly under my tree stand and he stopped to once again lick his ass. I was looking straight down on him but I hate that kind of shot. He had no idea I was around so I waited for him to walk out. He walked out quartering away. At about 5 yards I drew and settled the pin at the rear of his ribs and sent the arrow on its way. I saw the arrow sink in deep near the last ribs angling forward. I knew immediately that deer was dead on his feet. He kicked his high legs and bolted running a 100 mph. I waited about 30 minutes even though I knew he was dead. My father and son came up and we followed the blood about 150 yards and found him piled up. The thunderhead went right through the middle of his heart and came out between his front legs. The deer weighed 120 lbs.