Wednesday 9/30

Evening 55 degrees Ellicott City, MD

Got set up on a known path that deer take in a poplar tree about 20 feet up. The tree is in a bottom area with a creek that runs behind me down around to my right side. There is a tree directly in front of me and my only shots would be to my left as there are branches to my right. On my left side about 30 yards from the tree is a hillside that wraps around the property. The wind was not to my favor as it was blowing from behind me to my front right. This is only my second time in my climber so I am still getting used to it, I'm still unsure how much I can move around so that it does not fall. Sit there for about an hour and around 5:45 then I see some movement coming from my front right on the wood edge (directly where the wind is coming from). I see 1 small body doe leading the pack followed by another deer that is the size of Bella. Behind that one was another small doe followed by a small bodied 5 point buck after him was another doe. So the the lead deer is walking to my left definitely in my kill zone (if i had been standing up and ready to shoot) She is walking, sniffing the air, looking around I met eyes with her once or twice. It looked like she went directly to the base of my tree and was looking around she knew something was out of place. She circled behind me then back to my right while the smallest deer followed her. The other doe's and buck went around to my right that's when I saw he was a decent 5 point. By decent I mean I would have shot him had the opportunity presented itself, not a trophy by any shape of the imagination. The third doe walked all the way from my front right to back left while the others congregated to my front right. The lead doe started stomping and snorting to get its attention almost like saying "hey dummy we gotta go" I was covered by the tree branches and leaves so I started to stand up and see if I could get into position to shoot. As soon as I start to get up the doe that is behind me hears me and looks directly at me I was busted. She trots back to the herd and they move to my far left and start walking up the hillside out of range. So I sit for another hour and do not hear or see anything, climb down out of the tree and go to Double T dinner for dinner. Not what I wanted to have happen for the day but I cannot complain. Hey I actually saw deer this time. This is my first time in my climbing stand that I had deer in my area. It was a great learning experience for me. Things I would have changed or done differently. 1st thing is maybe I could have used more scent away, 2nd is changed the way I was sitting in my tree stand. I was sitting really scrunched down so it took a lot of effort to stand up. I knew this the whole time but i was thinking to myself if I move a deer is going to see me and will not even come within eyesight. Third, when there is about an hour and a half of light left Stand up and be ready. I also need to fashion some sort of Bow holder so I do not need to hold onto my bow the whole time. A lesson learned for the next time...hopefully Saturday.