George Washington National Forest Archery

[Flatwater]

Got one this morning, button buck. I was watching a big deer walk away (75+yds) when a snap changed my direction of looking and up the mountain comes a deer. It keep looking at me, wonder why, I only have the same cloths on for 3 days and have had many camp fires. When it went behind a tree I lifted the bow and drew back, out pops the head and neck and it looks right at me, up a tree 25 yds away, then it looks stright ahead and that is when I touch the release. I figure its a doe and I do not want to look all day for her so its a neck kill shot or clean miss. Wham! Instant, clean, now to drag it down a mountain with bow, fanny pack and tree stand. I have been at this over 38 years and my bones can feel every step now that I am home.
This is in Virginia on public land in the National Forest. I was at 3,500ft at my tree stand and camped at 3,000 feet so it was a long haul up in the dark. The deer was dead down wind, me thinks now that the camp fire smell is the best cover scent out there. The neck bones snaped my gold point series 22 arrow and I never found the broadhead. That was a first time I ever broke a series 22 arrow.

[crappiemax]

congrats on the deer, it's always nice to be in the woods this time of year. I've been at it for over 30 years myself. That drag gets tougher every year and that boat seats looking better all the time. I just don't have enough sense to stay out of the trees.

[jlaughlin72]

Congrats on the kill.. and you are probaby right about the smoke cover.. I smoke cigs while deer hunting and have killed several right after putting out the cig. 2 of them are on my wall.

[Smoke]

I used to smoke cigs while hunting and have had to put them out to shoot deer! I don't beleive in any of that cover scent stuff. Quit smoking, but still don't think the smell of smoke scares the deer for some reason.