This year I started deer hunting during archery season, after a 15 years absence. The hot days and bugs, particularly seed ticks and chiggers that are so numerous during late September and early October had kept me on the lakes fishing during this time of year.
The first day out I watched two bucks sparing at about 30 yards for 20 minutes before the larger eight pointer came with in 15 yards. The following Saturday I also got a six pointer from the same tree that I have hunted for 15 years. Both trips I got a reminder of why I had given up archery season with a few chiggers and seed ticks on each trip.
Opening day of black powder season had always been a favorite of mine. This year I was disappointed to find someone in a tree, only feet from the one that I have hunted for years. This was the first year that I can remember that I did not see any deer on opening day of black powder season. In the past I have always hunted out of a portable climbing tree stand that I would haul to the top of a large ridge where I hunted, hoping that no one would be willing to do the same. Next year I guess I will have to put up a ladder stand to mark the spot I hunt.
The next day my mother-in-law told me of a friend of hers that had seen 11 deer in her yard and two bucks. She had ask me to hunt at there property in the past. That afternoon I went to scout their property for the up coming week. After talking with the owners I got in to my tree stand with about an hour of daylight left. By the time it was dark I had seen a total of 11 deer and one small buck.
The following weekend I went to Ohio to hunt with a crossbow. The first morning I past on a big ten point buck that was only fifteen yards away hoping to get the opportunity on even a larger buck. As soon as it was gone I asked myself what I was thinking to let such a nice deer walk. An hour later I saw a big buck chasing a doe up and over the hill I was hunting. Forty-five minutes later it came back to the top of the hill alone. I decided to try my grunt call on him. Three short grunts and it was on it way. At thirty yards I had my cross hairs on him waiting for a side shot and again at twenty. At fifteen I decided to shot at his neck and down he went. It was an eight pointer but had a twenty inch spread and field dressed at one hundred and ninety pounds. 
The following Thursday I had planned to show some men from my church’s