I just purchased a tree- lounge, Dean Durham, tree stand a couple of weeks prior to our first shotgun season here in Illinois.
I absolutely love it and it is so comfortable, that I set it up and stayed in it all day the first day of season.
Took lunch and everything.I even got to releive my bladder a couple of times from 20 feet up and managed to keep most of it off both me and the stand.
The weather was very warm here with temps in the mid to upper 70's. Unusual for here this time of year.
I sweated out the morning of the first day and decided to move the stand a couple hundred yards and finish out the day.
I didn't see even a doe all day long , and knew that I would have to find the does to find the bucks.
I was hunting between two bedding areas but the weather had the deer in their beds before sunrise and they weren't moving until late because of the warm weather.
I hunted the same area Saturday morning with the same results, no deer seen , not one!!!
It was around 11:00 a.m. that I decided to make another move, so I came down and moved the tree lounge about 400 yards or so south of where I was hunting.
I did have some concern about getting in too close to the bedding area ,but the wind stayed in the right direction and a ridge separated me from the bedding area also.
It was getting late and I was really thinking of starting out when I heard leaves rustling behind me.I didn't have to turn around to know that it was deer.
Three or four does passed behind my stand and crossed to my left about 50 yards away.
Istarted looking to my right and saw a buck drinking from the creek, lapping water like a dog. he was hot!!!
I really couldn't see all of his rack and head so I kept watching him while I turned around in the stand.
I put the scope on him just as he raised his head and knew he was a shooter. Now I only needed an opportunity for a clear shot.
I could hear the does running through the woods and as soon as he looked up he took off in hot pursuit of the does.
I was about 75 yards from where he was and really wanted a standing broadside shot.
I grunted at him and he never broke stride, so I opted for a running broadside shot.
I was having a hard time keeping the crosshairs on him as he jumped limbs and fallen trees.He crossed an opening and I squeezed off a 3 inch slug and it hit him a little too far back.
I stoked another round into the chamber and shot again, this time I killed a three inch cherry tree. hey it happens
At the second shot the buck stopped behind a couple of larger trees and I couldn't see any movement at all. I thought he was down and waited about 15 minutes before deciding to get down the tree to check him out.
I started to let my gun down with a string, un-loaded of course , but changed my mind and put it in the gun holder on the tree lounge. I left two rounds in the magazine and the chamber empty.
The first move I made to come down the tree I saw his antlers and head come out from behind one of the trees, so grabbed my gun and slid a round in and lined up on his neck.
I had a steady rest and the shot broke his neck and he was down for keeps this time.
I think he had been waiting to see where I was before he made his next move and had waited out of sight from me till I moved.
It was dark by the time I got back to the house and took the 4 wheeler in to get him.
I had to cross a real steep creek-bank going in and out and I was glad I had chains on the atv front and rear.
The tree- lounge stands are fantastic!!!!!!!!
I wish i had bought one 15 years ago.
Thanks tree lounge !
This buck has a 19 inch spread and 11 points, weighed in at 205 pounds , field dressed.
THE END !!!!
