October 1, 2011 Indiana Opener

HighTower is a deer we know all too well.  He was seen early last October in the same spot at nearly the same time.  He was seen the next evening in the same vicinity and then never seen again.  Until this morning.  On October 1, opening day of the Indiana archery season, and most of the Midwest as well.  Hunter Brian Lewis and I found ourselves perched in a stand we call the birds nest.  A cedar tree on the end of a small point that separates a hay field and a 16 acre bean field.  Behind the point is a dried up creek bed that leads into a thick stand of cedars.  We have been getting pictures of bucks and does coming back through the hay field as they head to bed.  So we hunted it on a N wind since the field was to the N of our set.  But you can guess what happened without me even saying it.  All the deer came out and ended up down wind of us including HighTower.  As you can see from the video he was feeding naturally and unthreatened until he must have caught just even of something he didn't like to push him back into the woods.  He didn't blow or stomp, just a quick nostril flare and 180 degree path change.  I hope this will not be the last sighting of HighTower this year.  He is one of our top most wanted.  Even though he didn't get to take a ride on the buggy it was still a great morning and encounter.  It's only just begun, if we get lucky maybe the next video, we will be lucky enough to bring you an up close shot of our hands trying to hold up his big bull head.

-ASMS