Here in Alabama we have a three and one half month deer season.  The limit is a buck and a doe a day with a three buck season limit.  This discussion will be a running commentary on my hunting experiences this season.

Our bow season opened Wednesday, Oct. 15 and will run through January.  The gun season opens Nov. 22 and will also run through January.  Until gun season opens I will be hunting with my crossbow.  My bow hunting will be done from either my 17 foot ladder stand or a ground blind 

Here is the view from my ladder stand.

Here is a view of my ground blind.

Here is the view looking out of the ground blind.

Wednesday, October 17

I was in my ground blind at 1:30.  (The blind was in a different spot then.)  Two does came up to the fence just before dark but didn't cross over.  As last light was fading three does came out about 25 yards in front of me.  One of them I could see well enough in the scope to shoot but didn't.

Thursday, October 18

I hunted from the ladder stand.  I was in the stand at 3:00 PM.  At 6:00 I could see at least three bucks in the brush a hundred yards away.  There could have been four or five but it was hard to tell because they were moving around in and out of my sight.  So for two days of hunting that made eight deer sighted.

Friday, October 19

I didn't hunt.  Instead I cleared some brush that was obstructing my view from the ladder stand.  I also moved my ground blind to its current location, as shown in the picture.  I should see more deer at the new location.  I will hunt from the ladder stand tomorrow.  I don't hunt on Sunday.

Monday, Oct. 20

Wasn't able to hunt Saturday. I hunted this afternoon.  Was in my blind at 3:00, hunted til dark.  Didn't see any deer, only a couple of squirrels.  I did hear a coyote howl not too far away.  I didn't get any pictures of deer in my game camera today either.  I did get this picture of a coyote this morning.  That and hearing the one howl this afternoon is probably why I didn't see any deer today.

I wish I had been in my blind at 7:45 this morning.  You can see it on the left edge of the picture.  It would have been about a 20 yard shot.

Tuesday, October 21

Went hunting this morning.  Was in my blind by 6:00.  Saw three does at 8:00.  They hung around on the wrong side of the fence for about 20 minutes.  At the closest point they were about 50 yards away.  If they had been out in the open with a standing broadside shot, I would have tried for one.  So in four days of hunting, I have sighted 11 deer.

Thursday, October 23

Hunted this afternoon from my ladder stand.  Saw no deer.

Saturday, October 25

Hunted again from my ladder stand in the afternoon.  Saw no deer.  Unusual to hunt and seen nothing two consecutive times in this area.

Tuesday, October 28

Was in my ground blind at 3:00 PM.  For three hours saw nothing.  Looked like I was going to be skunked for the third time in a row.  Would be extremely unusual for where I hunt.  But suddenly right at 6:00 PM, there was a big doe standing broadside to me at about 20 yards.  I had seen or heard nothing, but there it was.  (Can deer just materialize at a spot?!  LOL)  I raised my crossbow to take the easy shot but before I could get lined up on it, it turned around and trotted off.  I might have made a small noise as I raised the bow or maybe it caught a whiff of my scent.  Anyway that makes 12 deer sighted while hunting.  Still no kill.

Tuesday, November 4

Hunted this afternoon.  Saw no deer.

Monday, November 10

Hunted this afternoon.  Saw one.  Too far away for a shot.  Have now seen 13 deer while hunting.

Tuesday, November 11

Hunted this morning.  Saw no deer but did see a white squirrel and three wild turkeys.  Also heard the coyotes howling.

Thursday, November 13

Went hunting this morning.  About 7:00 a doe came out.  She gave me a standing broadside shot at about 40 yards.  Not a bad shot for a crossbow.  Can't really say why but for some reason didn't shoot.  A few minutes later its fawn came out.  Kinda glad I didn't shoot.  Have now seen 15 deer.

Saturday, November 15

Since muzzleloader season opens Monday, I took my muzzleloader to the range to sight it in.  The first shot was dead on for windage but about three inches low.  Adjusted the scope up and fired again.  The second shot was dead on for elevation and about 1/4 inch right.  Loaded up and fired again.  Third shot enlarged the second hole slightly.  Bring on a nice buck!

Monday, November 17:

Muzzleloader season opened today.  I hunted this morning.  Saw no deer.

Went again this afternoon.  Got into shooting house a little before 3:00 PM.  About 3:40 four deer came out and almost immediately saw a coyote near them but going away from them.  The deer were edgy but didn't bolt.  In a few minutes eight does and fawns were out.  At 3:55 something did spook the deer and all of them bolted.  About 4::10 saw two more deer briefly.  Couldn't tell if they were bucks or does.  About 4:20 a four point buck came out.  I let him walk.  About 4:30 this nine point buck came out about 140 or 150 yards from me.  I could see he was at least a six point so I shot him.  He would have been an eight point but he had two brow tines on his left antler.

My muzzleloader is a .50 caliber.  I shoot a 250 grain .45 caliber saboted Shock Wave bullet over two 50 grain 777 pellets.  The bullet went in his left shoulder and made about an inch and a half exit hole on the right side.  He went about 35 yards and went down.