I didn't see a deer until 9:30, but after that they pretty much kept me in the tree until noon.
The first to come by was a scrub 5 point (or 2x3 for you westerners
) He was all but 8 yards at his closest point, I let him be. Next he pushed out 2 does from a thicket that was to the South. They passed within 25 yards and fed for a while around 40-50 yards. During that time I watch the mamma doe stare down further into the woods and I knew something else was coming. I could see a large grey bodied deer coming her way. It turned out to be another momma doe an fawn. When the two met, the began a boxing match for about 30 secs. Both standing on their hind legs kicking one another. It was quite comical to watch.
Those now 4 does fed right by me, closest they came was about 5 yards. I let them be. Next came a 4 point (or forkhorn for you westerners
) He's not legal since we have a 3 point rule in my unit. He passed at 12 yards. The next to come was two does hauling the mail being chased by another buck... I'm thinking he was another 5 point. They were running, so it was hard to tell if he had brow tines...Either way I let him be too.
The next deer to come was a 3rd 5 point in tote of a spike. Both of those fed within 10 yards of me. I let them be.
I left the stand around noon once movement stopped for a while.
At 3:30 I was back up in my stand to a hot 75 degrees. I did not see a deer until 6:30. During that final half hour of daylight I saw 4 bucks, no does.
Total tally for the first morning... 6 different does, 7 different bucks. Nothing that I wanted to shoot. I passed up 4 "legal" bucks, but as they say don't pass up on the first day what you would shoot on the last. I wouldn't have shoot those even on the last day. I think I'll just let them grow
I'm saving my doe tags for 2 weeks during our early muzzleloader season, plus I'm a 30 min straight walk to where I'm hunting. I didn't want to drag a deer up out of their unless he's a nice one.
All in all, it was a good day. I was pleasantly surprised to see as many deer as I did.