Got this guy morning of Dec. 10th:
I sat in my stand that morning without seeing much, so I decided to leave and check out a few ridges where deer like to bed. With 8" of fresh snow on the ground it was a great morning for spot and stalk/still hunt.
I made my way along a ridge and spotted 10-12 does directley below me. Not seeing any bucks, but thinking there should be, I swung down out of sight and wind to get a look from a different angle. I came over the top of the ridge again and spotted him bedded behind the does 80yds from me. The does started to move along the bottom bringing the buck out of his bed to follow. I new there were two draws that came out of the same bottom further down the ridge so I slipped off the ridge top to try and intercept them.
After working my way about 200 yds along the ridge the first few does came out in front of me at 25 yds unaware I was there. I waited for the buck. When he showed up he held back and decided not to follow the does through the wide opening in the brush, but instead head back into the draw he just came out of. When he went behind a tree I drew my bow, stood up, and anchored. He stepped out quartering away hard @ 35 yds I sent the arrow behind his ribs and forward into the vitals. He ran up the other side of the draw and stopped for a moment before walking off. I gave him an hour and started tracking him. he made it 150 yds and piled up on a deer trail he was following.
131 3/8" 4x4 with 19" inside spread.
Not bad for a late season public land buck that's made it through 2 1/2 months of archery season and 3 weeks of rifle season.
I sat in my stand that morning without seeing much, so I decided to leave and check out a few ridges where deer like to bed. With 8" of fresh snow on the ground it was a great morning for spot and stalk/still hunt.
I made my way along a ridge and spotted 10-12 does directley below me. Not seeing any bucks, but thinking there should be, I swung down out of sight and wind to get a look from a different angle. I came over the top of the ridge again and spotted him bedded behind the does 80yds from me. The does started to move along the bottom bringing the buck out of his bed to follow. I new there were two draws that came out of the same bottom further down the ridge so I slipped off the ridge top to try and intercept them.
After working my way about 200 yds along the ridge the first few does came out in front of me at 25 yds unaware I was there. I waited for the buck. When he showed up he held back and decided not to follow the does through the wide opening in the brush, but instead head back into the draw he just came out of. When he went behind a tree I drew my bow, stood up, and anchored. He stepped out quartering away hard @ 35 yds I sent the arrow behind his ribs and forward into the vitals. He ran up the other side of the draw and stopped for a moment before walking off. I gave him an hour and started tracking him. he made it 150 yds and piled up on a deer trail he was following.
131 3/8" 4x4 with 19" inside spread.
Not bad for a late season public land buck that's made it through 2 1/2 months of archery season and 3 weeks of rifle season.
