If you have seen deer that many times and no one else is hunting it, I would wait until the first cold snap of mid to later October to hunt it. Just me. At that time you can kill a doe...and a buck.
That had been my intention, but I had hoped to scout this other spot in person and never had the time.
Instead of hunting the opener today with a forecasted high of 85, I opted take my older sons to gun range in preparation for youth seasons. Afterward, we went for a midday bow hike scouting trip along the ridge I mentioned a few posts ago. We found a good trail along the upper third and several beds. A few old rubs from past years, but nothing from this year yet. There were also several scrapes and we found what I think is a primary scrape area at the intersection of two major trails at the bottom of the south end of the ridge where it meets the lake. There was a treestand smack dab in the middle of the saddle on the ridge. The sign in that area wasn’t as good as I had hoped and the saddle wasn’t as prominent of a funnel as it looked on the topo map. The best sign was 250 yards away at the south end of the ridge. I had wanted to walk the back side of the ridge where it drops into the lake shore but it was so thick I didn’t want to take my kids through it. It looks like it will be a good spot in a few weeks. I will definitely scout the backside of the ridge later when the leaves are down. The south end of the ridge looked to have a few trails that wrapped around to the back side. We found a few tracks but not many. Taught my boys the fine art of peeing in a scrape.
Went to some public today that I have never set foot on. Found some good areas, jumped 3 unknowns but the beds were huge..... Also found a bonus shed that I stepped on. Measured 62”
It was fun, the only bad part would be the very long drag through swamp and tall grass/cattails. I know my 48 year old bones wouldn’t agree with it... but I have done some crazy stuff before and it still isn’t out of the question quite yet.
Daily public land reminder to myself.......... Nothing is given, everything is earned....not happy with your results? Work harder.
So I can't take it anymore, got to go in and hunt a bed I found last week. I know most likely no one will be home, but I got to check it. So last week I was scouting as I walked in and found a fresh rub and scrape that was opened from last year. The buck that did it last year was the big 8 pt that I missed just a couple hundred yards from there. Well I set up and didn't see any bucks, just a couple fawns 50 yards away. I have been trying to find this big 8 bed and haven't been able to lock it down, I knew I was within 75 yards of it, but could never find it. So last week when I was walking out in the dark, I walked right into it. I was setup only 25 yards from it last week. No wonder I didn't see him, he had snuck out before I even setup. So I got to take about a mile detour to even get close to him. But with a perfect windy day today and coming in from unexpected direction, I think I can setup within 60 yards without him knowing. This will give me about 30 - 35 yard shot to his scrape. If this works it's going to amazing. But got to try. He is in there! Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
Sounds like you are getting him figured out. I think you will get him this year, if not on the next sit. Learn something else about his area if you don't kill him.
Yeah if I can catch him in the other bed, the one i shot at him last year, I will kill him. But zero sign of a buck over there. The place I'm going tonight he like to spend most of his time. Just so tricky to figure out. I will get him! Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
Good luck Holt. I'm off to night 6 at work. Did I ever tell you I hate DUI checkpts? Haha. I'll be in the woods Sat morning.
