Wanting a more mobile way of hunting a 100 acre wheat field I bought a pop up ground blind. This field is bounded by a river on the east, a farm house and then a cow pasture on south end, another farm house and heavy woods to the north, road on west with woods and a soybean field on other side. It has two fingers of woods that extend 200 yds into the field about 180 yds apart with a field entrance beside the south on and another entrance 80 yds north of the second one. The deer have been hitting this field hard now the wheat is up and green. They like to come across the road from the woods and enter the wheat field close to these fingers.
Friday afternoon I set up the blind close to the end of the south finger. I leaned a few branches to help break it up. I am back at 3:30 to hunt. At 4:30 I spot a doe and 2 fawns had just come into the field 163 yds west of me. They are feeding and slowly working my way. When they get 80 yds the doe starts looking at me and is curious. She starts heading straght to me and turns a little at what I was guessing 45 yds and take a shot (cross bow). I thought she was limping as she ran back to 80 yds and stops. A complete miss. She stands there and is looking at me then starts prancing back toward me gets about 30 yds. stops and has her nose in the air trying to smell me. I am trying to get the bow recocked (not easy while sitting on a stool). She spooks a little and runs back. She is still curious and heads back again. I am finally ready. I miss a second time at 45 yds. I don't know what is going on I am dead on at that yardage with my target practice. They still aren't totally spooked and work their way across the field. The rest of the hunt I see five more coming form the North side of the other finger. Sat Am I get in the blind about 20 min before sunrise. I get stuff out of back pack and am getting ready to cock my bow and here comes a young 8 pt coming from the river walking straight to me. One of the roller pins on my rope cocker had worked its way out and I was using my pocket knife to tap it back in. I can't shot a second buck anyway. He spooks at 30 yds. runs back a ways and walks back by me 60 yds out. I see more deer coming from other finger and head to the northeast.
Sat. afternoon I move the blind to the other finger fairly close to the road. I am all set up by 4:15. At 5:30 I here a crunch of leaves I look out and it is a squirrel, he comes up to within five ft. I turn back around and ther are 2 does had just come into the field. One spots my blind and is curious starts heading to me. I tell myself to be patient and set up to shoot out window after she walks past. I shoot when she gets into view 28yds.broadside and she drops right there. But it was a high hit in the spine, parralized back legs and was bleeding heavily. I put a second bolt into her to finish her.
I am still puzzled as to why I am shooting high. I had gone back and did more target shooting and was on at 20,45,60, & 75 yds. with four reticles in scope. I am using a shooting stick and at 380fps I wouldn't think the deer could jump the string. I am using a rage broadhead made for crossbows, could it be opening prematurely? Have also used a schwacker broadhead all in 125 grain. Or is it me and buck fever? I feel steady when I am taking my shots. My buck I took at 77yds and had a perfect heart shot. This is my first year using a crossbow and have found that judging distances out to 75yds to be a challenge. a lot more reference pts to remember. It is getting expensive, just these last 2 days 2 lost arrows and one broken each one at $21.