Khughes2345
PMA Member
Well, like usual with work and family stuff it’s hard for me to get out a whole lot in October to hunt. I got my first sit in October 29th in the evening and hunted a handful of mornings and afternoons until last Saturday. Have been seeing a lot of deer, but seemed like a lot of yearlings and really young bucks. I had 2 good bucks on cam on different farms that I was gonna go after this year. Was getting pictures of one of them more than the other, but both were in the middle of the night.
Got done working early enough Friday to take my lone wolf in and sit in a pinch point between a creek and field edge near where I was getting pics of the more frequent buck. With the south wind and the trees in the area I ended up staying more towards the field edge. (Dang long wolf stick straps weren’t long enough to get around the tree I wanted to be in). Saw a doe and 2 yearlings all afternoon. Pretty uneventful. Wanted to sit this spot again because the sign was there and fresh. Left the stand up and planned on hunting it in the morning.
Next morning comes and get settled in the stand and start seeing deer right away. Again lots of yearlings, and the same small bucks I’ve been seeing every time out there. Bout 915 see a decent 8 point come running out of the timber from the nw and into the picked bean field. 5 minutes later hear antlers crashing together hard for about 5 seconds, 2 small bucks come running out of the same area. At this point I figure there’s a hot doe over there and something bigger pushing these smaller bucks away. Goes quiet for about 20 minutes then see a large worn down doe come out of the same exact spot. I’m watching her thru the binos and nothing right behind her. She looks back and I see one of the bucks I’ve been getting pics of but never seen in person, and heart starts racing even though he’s 250 yards away. He quickly pushes her further away to the west. Couple hours go by and it’s time to make the move. I need to get over there and get in a different tree. The buck ran this doe to a corner of timber where I had a good idea they wouldn’t leave in the middle of the day, plus they were picking corn in the field right next to it, so had to take my chances and get over in that area.
Get over there and find the perfect tree right along a bunch of fresh scrapes on the field edge where all the deer came from. Didn’t wanna push it too far and bump them so quietly started getting setup. I messed with the bottom strap on my sticks for half hour trying the stretch it around this tree I had to be in (will be getting longer straps for these sticks). and finally get setup by around 1230. Pretty boring 5 hours after that with no deer sighting, just watching the combine pick corn. I just had a feeling he was in there with that doe. Around 445 I hear some leaves crunching straight downwind and the buck is at 40 yards and closing fast. Luckily I’m standing and grab my bow quick. He’s down in a ditch off the field edge, below me quite a ways. He puts his nose up in the air and starts smelling. At this point I have no shot, with too much brush in the way. He walks a few more steps behind a tree and I draw at the same time. The doe he was with earlier then pops out from the west and starts trotting at him. Still no clear shot he sticks his nose in the air 1 more time to get a good whiff and he’s looking right at me at 20 yards. With maybe 1 more clear shot he moves towards the doe and I baaaahhh him and shoot at the same time. He mule kicks and is outta there. I watch and see him start wobbling at 65 yards. I’m 99.9% sure he’s down. I hang up my bow and can’t believe what just happened. Call my dad and tell him what happened and to get his ass out there. He’s gonna be with me when I find this deer.
I’m colorblind, so blood trailing deer is a pain in the butt for me usually and my dad can blood trail with the best of em. I could follow this blood trail! Felt awesome walking up on him and celebrating with my dad. Hit was high on left side and came out top of opposite leg. Grim reaper took out both lungs.
Sorry for the long winded story, but feels good writing one of these! Especially after exactly one year from when I shot the biggest deer of my life and tracking him for 2 days and never finding him.
Got done working early enough Friday to take my lone wolf in and sit in a pinch point between a creek and field edge near where I was getting pics of the more frequent buck. With the south wind and the trees in the area I ended up staying more towards the field edge. (Dang long wolf stick straps weren’t long enough to get around the tree I wanted to be in). Saw a doe and 2 yearlings all afternoon. Pretty uneventful. Wanted to sit this spot again because the sign was there and fresh. Left the stand up and planned on hunting it in the morning.
Next morning comes and get settled in the stand and start seeing deer right away. Again lots of yearlings, and the same small bucks I’ve been seeing every time out there. Bout 915 see a decent 8 point come running out of the timber from the nw and into the picked bean field. 5 minutes later hear antlers crashing together hard for about 5 seconds, 2 small bucks come running out of the same area. At this point I figure there’s a hot doe over there and something bigger pushing these smaller bucks away. Goes quiet for about 20 minutes then see a large worn down doe come out of the same exact spot. I’m watching her thru the binos and nothing right behind her. She looks back and I see one of the bucks I’ve been getting pics of but never seen in person, and heart starts racing even though he’s 250 yards away. He quickly pushes her further away to the west. Couple hours go by and it’s time to make the move. I need to get over there and get in a different tree. The buck ran this doe to a corner of timber where I had a good idea they wouldn’t leave in the middle of the day, plus they were picking corn in the field right next to it, so had to take my chances and get over in that area.
Get over there and find the perfect tree right along a bunch of fresh scrapes on the field edge where all the deer came from. Didn’t wanna push it too far and bump them so quietly started getting setup. I messed with the bottom strap on my sticks for half hour trying the stretch it around this tree I had to be in (will be getting longer straps for these sticks). and finally get setup by around 1230. Pretty boring 5 hours after that with no deer sighting, just watching the combine pick corn. I just had a feeling he was in there with that doe. Around 445 I hear some leaves crunching straight downwind and the buck is at 40 yards and closing fast. Luckily I’m standing and grab my bow quick. He’s down in a ditch off the field edge, below me quite a ways. He puts his nose up in the air and starts smelling. At this point I have no shot, with too much brush in the way. He walks a few more steps behind a tree and I draw at the same time. The doe he was with earlier then pops out from the west and starts trotting at him. Still no clear shot he sticks his nose in the air 1 more time to get a good whiff and he’s looking right at me at 20 yards. With maybe 1 more clear shot he moves towards the doe and I baaaahhh him and shoot at the same time. He mule kicks and is outta there. I watch and see him start wobbling at 65 yards. I’m 99.9% sure he’s down. I hang up my bow and can’t believe what just happened. Call my dad and tell him what happened and to get his ass out there. He’s gonna be with me when I find this deer.
I’m colorblind, so blood trailing deer is a pain in the butt for me usually and my dad can blood trail with the best of em. I could follow this blood trail! Felt awesome walking up on him and celebrating with my dad. Hit was high on left side and came out top of opposite leg. Grim reaper took out both lungs.
Sorry for the long winded story, but feels good writing one of these! Especially after exactly one year from when I shot the biggest deer of my life and tracking him for 2 days and never finding him.
