I've been rifle hunting w/ my father-in-law on his 40 acres in northern, lower Michigan for 15 years or so. A few years after I got married anyways. Last year my friend convinced me to get a crossbow to get more time in the woods. The following is my first bow hunting experience...

On 10/24 I went stomping around the a local metro park in Oakland County that allows archery hunting. Walked a good 5 miles or so trying to get an idea of where to set-up the next day. I kicked up two doe early in the walk, and made my decision as I was walking out of the park.

10/25 I was sitting on the ground next to a tree in what I thought was a good spot. Sitting there for about 5-10 min letting the woods come alive around me when I look behind me at the tree that I'm closest to and there's a tree stand hanging in it. Ethical delimma for a few minutes, then I figured it was late enough that the owner wasn't coming out, and he left it on public land. I climbed the ladder. Not too comfortable w/o a butt pad on the metal frame, but beggers can't be choosers.

I had a meeting to get to, so I stand up at about 6:20, bend over to put the stand seat in the position that it was in when I got there, look out and here come three doe looking right at me. Shortly after, they spooked, and took off. I got down and drove to my meeting.

11/1 had me in the stand again. Again, I arrived late enough that I figured no one was coming and there wasn't anyone in the parking lot. Up I went. about 6:25 the same group of three doe came out and approached. Not huge deer, so I took pictures first.



When I was letting the camera down after 6 or 8 pictures I spooked the biggest one in the middle. She took off about 60 yards, but the two younger ones stayed where they were munching away, and slowly working their way closer. After about 20 minutes she started relaxing and coming back into range. Once she got to about 30 yards, I pulled the trigger on my x-bow and she stumbled and ran about 150 yards across the field into the woods. I paid close attention to where she went, then got down from the stand. The little ones didn't spook until I started coming down the ladder.

I searched and searched for the arrow or any blood and didn't find ANYTHING. I decided to go back to my truck to give her a little time to bed down and die. Walked the half mile or so to the truck, dropped off my camera and bow, and walked back to see what I can find. Searched like hell through some NASTY brambles and swampy areas and couldn't find any evidence of a hit. The park closes 30 min after sunset, so I needed to leave, and gave up.

After hiking back to my truck, I was loading my x-bow into the case adn cleaning up when the Oakland Co sherrif came by and aked how things were going and if I had any luck. Told him that I couldn't find the deer that I just took, and he said he was a rifle hunter, and had some strong flashlights. Lets go out to see if we can find her! He spend a good 35-40 imin w/ me before I found her piled up against a tree w/ the arrow still in her. He then stuck by and held the flashlight while I gutted her (assisting w/ the breast bone cartelige as my knife was too dull at that point. I left my knife in my truck and only had my leatherman!!) So, both of us bloodied handed, he helped me drag her through the brambles to a location that I could easily drive back to and we hiked back to my truck and he went on his merry way and left me to retrieve her!

Amazing officer! Now I have a Pelican 7060 flashlight on my x-mas list, as my old maglight didn't have the guts to find her! Picking up my venison from the butcher tomorrow.

K

Hunting out of someone else stand really isnt cool, even if it is on public land. Other wise cool man.

Leaving a tree stand on public land is asking to get it stolen(it's illegal to do so here). By just sitting in it the guy is getting off cheap.


I won't get into another persons tree stand simply because i don't know if they put it up right. I don't want to fall out of someone else's tree stand.



Good story OP! Glad you got your first xbow deer!!!

It is not illegal in some states, In Florida we drug ladder stands way into the swamp and strapped them to trees and left them there, the entire season. Some times I would get to hunt everyday after work and sometimes not. I would have been pissed if I hiked into the swamp and found some one sitting in my stand. I know of fist fights starting over this same thing. Hunting out of stand some one else hung with out permission is not cool, however you want to look at it.