home away from home

Home Away From Home

James Ferguson

President/CEO

Bowhunting North America, LLC

Last Sunday afternoon I was sitting in my Double Bull blind with my son Michael in hopes of him getting a shot at a deer when we saw a nice buck chasing a doe. It appeared that the rut was just beginning, or at least that is what I was hoping!

I would have liked to of stayed and hunted Monday but Texas Parks and Wildlife would have frowned on that! Sunday was the last day of the Texas archery season. Deer season would be closed the following week waiting on the arrival of gun season the following weekend. Why Texas Parks and Wildlife does that I have no idea!

With season closed I began planning on taking a few vacation days so I could hunt the following week after the rifle season opened up.

Michael had a football game the Saturday that the season opened, so I would not able to head out until Saturday evening.

After Michael’s game I said my goodbyes to the family in the stadium parking lot and headed south. I would be hunting alone over the next few days. Donna had to work and the kids had school.

I arrived at the property late Saturday night and I did not waste any time getting camp set up and climbing in bed.

Sunday morning I awoke with anticipation of what was to come. I quickly had some breakfast and then got dressed in my Max-1 camo and headed to my stand. After I arrived in my parking area, I sprayed down from head to toe with my Wildlife Research Center Scent Killer spray and dowsed the bottoms of my boots with WRC Coon Urine. I wanted to make sure the deer did not know I was there. I made my way to my stand undetected. I climbed up in my ladder stand and got ready for the anticipated action.

The big bucks must not have read the script the previous night! I had one small buck come by my stand and when a few does saw him, they headed the other way. The buck did not pursue the does. He was probably tired of getting his tail kicked by the big boys.

With the buck’s girlfriends vacating the area, he decided to hang around and browse for over an hour. Eventually the buck moved on and the only other visitor I had that morning was a turkey hen. NO SHOOTERS!

I have a hard time sitting still so after several hours of torture I decided that I would head in for a lunch break and I would return with my Double Bull blind.

After lunch I set my blind up in the middle of a briar thicket at the base of the tree that my ladder is in. Last weekend I crawled off in the middle of the sticky patch and cut out a hole just big enough for my blind. I have the scars to prove it!

Now that I had my home away from home set up I was ready for a long afternoon sit. Sunday afternoon’s hunt did not go any better than the morning hunt. I had a few small bucks pay me a visit but nothing worth shooting.

Monday morning was a repeat of Sunday, small bucks! Where are all the shooters??? I knew with the full moon hunting would be tough but I figured the rut would have the bucks moving all day. I could not help but think that the rut was in full swing the week the season was closed and I had missed it! I decided while I was sitting in the blind watching the trees grow that if I got a shot at a doe I was going to take it.

Monday afternoon I was getting real tired of looking at small bucks. I was so bored with them that I was having a hard time sitting still. I could not wait for darkness to arrive so I could get out of the blind and head back to the trailer for dinner.

As my mind drifted to what my fine culinary skills were going to prepare for the nights meal (nuked hamburger patties), I saw movement out in front of me. At first I thought it was just another small buck but I quickly realized it was a doe, no make that two does! Finally something that I can shoot!

Yes I know, a doe is not a trophy buck but I have not had anything in front of me that I could shoot the entire archery season and I was ready to put some meat in the freezer. We have actually had to start buying meat!! I could not let that practice continue and it was time to fill the freezer if I was given a shot opportunity.

My blind is set up on the edge of a creek that runs parallel to a field. The deer bed in the thick vegetation during the day and they move right past my blind in the evening on their way out to feed and in the morning as they are headed back to their beds

It looked like one of the does was going to walk right into my shooting lane. I picked up my XT and readied for a shot. When the doe reached 24 yards she turned broadsided. I had already clipped on my Hurricane release and I was at full draw waiting on her to stop. The doe took a few steps and then she stopped to pick up some acorns.

That is just what I was waiting for! My Maxima arrow was on its way! There was only about 20 minutes of legal shooting light left and it was easy to see the Lumenok on the back of my arrow streak towards the target and then disappear into the deer. The doe jumped and ran for the closest briar thicket. Once inside the thick cover the damage done by my Muzzy broadhead took its toll! I heard her crash and all was silent!

I was running out of tracking light fast so I did not waste any time picking up the trail. I went to the spot where the doe was standing on the shot and there it was, the crimson clue that I was seeking. I followed the trail into the briars and there was my doe, piled up a mere 50 yards from where I had shot her!

As I drug the doe out to the road I could not help but wonder if I had missed the rut entirely or if in fact the buck I saw last weekend was just a little anxious! If I did miss the rut, I am sure my home away from home will be just the spot to take a nice buck during the post rut activities!

This hunt was made possible in part by our sponsors:

Mathews, Inc., Carbon Express, The Gean-Edwards Company, DoskoSport, Lumenok, Tru Fire Corp.,
Limbsaver, Huntin' Hoist, Beard Buster, Sure Grip Gun & Bow Racks, Advantage Max-1 Camoflauge, Nikon Sport Optics, Barnett Crossbows,

and Muzzy Products Corp.