First Doe spotted.

[Wildgame]

I did some work in the morning and decided to neglect the rest of my responsibilities and go for an afternoon hunt.
Today was my second time hunting for deer ever. I got my A22 tag and I wasn't going to let the first part of the season pass me by.
I spent a lot of time researching anything related to hunting mule deer in socal. Got on x, study topo maps, read and read and bought enough gear to get me out there safely.
No matter who I talked to, who I asked, I could not find a buddy to come along..so be it, solo it is. Guess what? I am liking solo hunting, although it can be a little spooky.
I get to the spot with shorts and t-shirt, I have this paranoia that tree huggers are gonna vandalize my car or screw with my stuff and I don't need the hassle plus I can have a short fuse, so don't wear camo until.
I get geard up incognito and to the trail I go...hike, hike, hike and then I remember..hike less glass more...hike some, glass and repeat. No signs of deer, heck not even peoples prints..which I like. The wind changed direction twice but there was no way around it, and as far as I knew after washing clothes with dead down wind, showering with dead down wind soap, putting dead down wind deodorant and spraying with the same before heading in to the trail I should be undetectable lol.
Its getting dark and I want my mommy...then i say to myself, chill, be cool, You got a head lamp, on x, and a big ass knife...but the chicken in me said no way..get out while its light its along way back..brisk walk back to safety...I'm making the turn looking down so I don't trip and the corner of my eye catches movement..is a Doe! She's big (to me) she hopped twice because she hears me coming, I stop, she stops, she settles, she's at 68yards..out of reach for my skill level but I reach for my arrow may be I can close the gap to 40, she walks slowly in to the brush. She was a beauty, big black ears with a big butt...I got a big smile all the way home.
I'm going back and next time I got a plan based on where I assumed she came from.
Today's lessons: I wished I had better than 10x42 binos, boots=money well spent, and 1/2 water bladder gets noisy.

Get out there.

 

[TheGDog]

You've GOT to stay out until it gets dark man. Get used to hiking both out and back... in the dark.

In the am... hiking out in the dark before the sun...in the pm... hiking back in the dark because you stayed out all the way til the end of shooting light.

I would have never gotten my first buck if I didn't stay til the end man! Just like you... I did that wussing out thing in the beginning until I'd heard more and more people explain to me why you have to stay out until last light.

They know most people are out of there once it gets dark, that's why they wait until it's dark before they show themselves! That... and to not die from the heat from the Sun. They don't have the luxury of carrying water with them. They have to wait until the sun starts setting so they are not putting a water demand on their bodies.

Try it for yourself. Compare how much water you drink when you're hiking out in the dark compared to hiking out while there is still light and higher temps.

It's uber cool the first times you finally encounter deer out there at close distances! Especially when you've got concealment gear on!

 

[TheGDog]

PS...you're going to spot a lot more Does before you finally get to spot your first buck man. I saw 25 does over the 1yr and 13days it took me to finally get my first buck. Ya start to wonder how their damn species even exists because it can take such a long time before you finally get to see a buck.

 

[Wildgame]

PS...you're going to spot a lot more Does before you finally get to spot your first buck man. I saw 25 does over the 1yr and 13days it took me to finally get my first buck. Ya start to wonder how their damn species even exists because it can take such a long time before you finally get to see a buck.

copy that..that's why I got a either sex tag. I'd love to take either with my bow.

 

[TheGDog]

Tracking after an arrow shot can be intense, especially if not good blood trail. And the extra waiting, giving them extra time to die... is nerve-racking all the waiting!

 

[Mud Pigeon]

10x42's work great. Not many people like more magnification for handhelds. A tripod with 15x is a great tool in big open areas. A tripod helps with any glass.

 

[socalhntr]

get ALL the air out of that water bladder and it won't be noisy