St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge Archery Quota Hunt- Nov. 2016

It was way too warm, the deer were not moving until after dark. However on the third day of our four day quota hunt it was bit cooler, and overcast raising our hopes a little. Hoginator and I thought that hunting the pinch point that I found the year before was the best course of action. We pulled out of our campsite about 4:15 AM and headed to the Panacea Unit of the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge.
We hiked with our climbers and packs, taking a path around the oak ridge in the hope of not laying down our scent  where it might spook the deer. Upon reaching the 50 yard wide pinch point where two large swaps nearly touch, we decided that Hoginator would set up in the pinch point and I would go through and set up a short distance around the corner and call as well as glass the couple hundred acres in open pine and palmetto where I hoped to see and pattern deer.
About every 30 minutes or so I would bleat followed by a short sequence of non-agrresive grunts. Not long after 8 am an 8 pointer came down through the adjacent oak ridge and headed down towards the pinch point. 
He came into the draw as if he was a fish being reeled in and started to take a short cut through the edge of the swamp directly for my tree when he paused for a moment and Hoginator took the quartering away shot. The arrow hit exactly where it was needed and cutting through vitals and lodging in the bucks front shoulder making for a quick clean kill.

Gear:

• Hoyt bow
• Magnus Buzzcut Stinger fixed blade broad heads (note in the photo that one of the large blades broke off)
• Primos "Original Estrus Bleats Can"

Lessons Learned:

• Bucks can be traveling even when the weather is poor and does are not.
• Pinch points in the terrain, especially if they are adjacent to food, water or bedding can be travel corridors for deer.
• If you call, don't over do it and remember the deer know exactly where the sound is coming from. So be well concealed and as high as practical.

The last day's AM hunt didn't produce any deer but we were rewarded with a Black Bear sow and cubs coming through the funnel...see the video below.