Archery deer hunting – sometimes it is just luck

I have been having a lot of luck this archery season – bad luck, that is.  I just always seem to be at the wrong place at the right time, or maybe in the right place at the wrong time.

Now you are thinking – It is all about hunting prowess and the amount of time one can be in the woods.

There is truth in that thought, but I have been deer hunting for a long time – often successful – so I think that my skill set is above average. However, I'll be the first to admit that I am no "alpha hunter."

Time in the woods? I am semi-retired, so I guess that I have more time than most.

Sometimes I think that it is just the luck of the draw. A few examples …

A good friend called. "Do you want to hunt with me Monday or Tuesday? The rut has started, I saw a bunch of does, some smaller bucks and a 10-point on Saturday," he said. Of course, my answer was, "Yes." We got to our stands on Bald Eagle Mountain before daylight – he saw fox squirrels and a single doe. I made the most out of watching gray squirrels and chickadees.

The rut IS on. My son in-law John and I hunted a few hundred yards apart last Friday. He saw two small bucks, with one buck chasing a doe. I saw only one doe.

Saturday morning, I was again hunting near John – this time I was in his spot. He saw a five-point buck from another treestand, I saw nothing with antlers or even hooves from his spot. Oh, and one more thing – my wife got a 6-point that evening. It ran into the side of her car.

This Tuesday was a little better. While I saw nothing from a ladder stand in the morning, I watched seven does for nearly an hour that evening.  One of the does appeared to be in estrus – but no buck appeared. Good news – my wife did not see any deer.

Today, I saw three does – watched them for over a half hour.  They fed within 20 yards. No bucks were in sight.

And you are thinking –What are you complaining about? At least you are seeing deer.

Complaining? Not me – the season is almost over, and luck just does not appear to be on my side thus far. Of course, luck can change in an instant – and that is why I will be out there tomorrow.