My 2025 DIY Archery Hunting Recap: Successes, Shortfalls, and Harvest Photos
My 2025 DIY whitetail archery season recap
This season started off late for me . My 1st day out wasn't until 10/6, thanks to Work and OT . But I can't complain, atleast I have a job to go to that helps fund my hobbies … This public land location was suggested to me by my longtime friend @KCOutside who told me to check it out last season. I asked if he knew of any places he thought would be good and he said about trying this location. Always heard of nice bucks being spotted here. The only problem is the long hike in from the road. I never hunted this tree last year because of that, but ended up shooting a doe about half way in last season. So this pre season scouting brought me back to the area. I found a couple nice rubs and scrapes and a white oak dropping acorns 40 yds away that had chewed acorns all over the ground. So I figured It might be worth a shot to make the trek in this season. It was a warm 50° out that morning but no luck sighting any whitetails. I remember seeing atleast 15 different squirrels at 1 time all around me. Lots of acorn gathering and playing.
My next several sits were uneventful as far as seeing deer. I didn't see my 1st whitetail until 10/18. A couple doe too far to get a shot at. 10/22 had a med. sized doe at 25 yds but passed. Too much work for all the more meat you get. 10/30 had a doe and 2 fawns walk out at 25yds but I let them pass. I don't feel right shooting a mother from her fawns, so I always let them walk. Saw my 1st buck( little 4pt) a couple mins later.
11/1 eve. hunt. After no luck seeing deer in the location my buddy told me about , I asked if he had any other suggestions. He told me of a spot he found a couple hundred yards past the present location. So I figured It couldn't hurt to try it out. When I got close enough to see the tree I'd been hunting out of early season, I thought I could see a fresh buck rub . So I decided to walk in to check it out. I found 9 fresh scrapes within a 20yd circle of the tree… So I figured that was a no Brainer to sit this spot now. It didn't take long to see my 1st doe at 100yds running out of the thicket, stopping and looking back. I knew it was gonna be a good night. She eventually walked off with nothing behind her. 25 mins later I saw a buck coming from in front of me that went right to the white oak tree and started feeding at 40 yds. I didn't have my binocs with me and I couldn't tell the size of his rack but knew he was legal. My eyesight must have gotten alot worse without me knowing? After an hour or so , he finally started heading towards the scrapes. At 30yds I had my chance and took it. The shot was a little high and back but he only ran 40 yds and fell over. When I walked up on him I expected a 6 pt but was surprised to see 9… I didn't notice the brow tines and a little crab claw.
Several more sits brought me no luck for having a doe come close enough for a shot. I had a trail cam set up over the scrapes and doe checking them out every night. 11/21 I tried out a new spot I found while scouting in the snow a couple days earlier. It was located on a bench with a bunch of trails converging in 1 spot and branching off in different directions. Right below the trails is an old logging road. The trails were all heavily used and several nice big buck rubs and scrapes were in the area, but no dice that day. I'll definitely hit that spot next year for sure.
Final Thoughts:
With only a few more days for me to hunt this season, I'm not very optimistic on getting a doe with my bow this year. There's always next season, as long as I'm able… Good luck out there fellow DIY BOWHUNTERS. Stay tuned for more stories from me or other PA Whitetail bowhunters out there. Thanks for the support: PS. Bears do 💩 in the woods… I've stepped in it…
