I consider myself a decent deer hunter and a great archer. Over the course of the past six deer seasons while hunting in North Carolina, I have learned so much. I have spent most of my hours in a tree on some private permission properties that I am very grateful to have the opportunity to hunt. These Harnett County creek bottom bucks are an adventure to chase that ALWAYS leave you on the edge of your seat. I have mentally logged an insane amount of information on where the deer like to spend their time on different parts of these properties during the various parts of the season. Typically, before a hunt, I will check the wind direction and make a tentative plan based on wind, and where I think the deer are and where the deer will be headed to and why. One of the problems with knowing so many of the best spots on these properties is that I second guess myself. Deer hunting, particularly with a bow in my hand, is probably one of my biggest passions that literally keeps me up at night thinking of what the deer are doing and where they could be traveling at any moment. There have been times over the past few years where I make a plan on where to set up prior to entering the woods and end up changing my mind two or three times in the short 15-minute drive to the woods. There’s always that “what if” that burns a hole in my mind thinking, “what if the deer are over there today” or “what if this isn’t the right spot today?” I think that is something that a lot of passionate deer hunters struggle with in the woods.
Historically, there is a spot that I have saddle hunted many times within a few hundred yards of a busy road. Over the past year it has been a spot that I mainly travel through while heading to other locations deeper in the woods. While on the way out after a morning hunt on November 1st, I was walking through that area and jumped a really nice buck around noon. After the initial excitement wore off, here it came, “man I should have setup over here”.” The disappointment and frustrations of a serious deer hunter are very hard felt when it comes to those minor infractions in the woods. It causes second guessing and literally keeps me up at night. Maybe I’m the only one? Probably not. After letting the spot rest a few days, I told my buddy Francisco I was going to set up where I saw that buck for a morning hunt. Not long after that conversation I was already second guessing myself again, ha-ha! I told Francisco that maybe I would actually set up a hundred yards farther in and he stopped me right there. He told me, “Kyle, you are a good deer hunter. You second guess yourself too much. Make a plan and stick… to… the… plan!” And so, I did! The morning of November 5th came, and I was headed to that spot in the dark. I found a tree in that area I had never sat before and climbed up only about 12 feet for cover! I was set up only 20 yards from where I jumped that buck. At around 0830 I caught movement behind me not far from a creek and saw a doe headed my way. She came into 17 yards right through one of my shooting lanes and I smoked her. The Hoyt Ventum 30 put down another one. Man, what a feeling when a plan comes together. I stayed in the tree a few hours longer and ended up seeing three other bucks that I couldn’t get shots at, but I had a deer on the ground!! What a good feeling! Nothing beats the rush of drawing back on a whitetail deer that has no idea you are in their world and letting that arrow fly! After a 60-yard blood trail, there she was! She ran straight towards the truck giving me a short 80-yard drag.
It’s times like this that I will reflect on years down the road while sipping coffee on the front porch when I’m old and grey. The ups and downs of bow hunting the elusive whitetail deer is something I will just never get enough of. If you’re headed in the woods this year with a plan, stick to it. And if you’re headed into the woods with no plan, let the woods guide you to your destination! Don’t let the fear of missing an opportunity in another spot keep you from sticking to your plan. Good luck this year in whatever your fall adventure is. Stay safe. Shoot straight. And most importantly, May the Lord bless you and keep you, may he make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you. May the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace!
P.S. I wrote this article while sitting in my saddle on the same creek bottom! Hoping for an opportunity to draw back on a nice buck!
By Kyle Comp
