How I'm feeling this season... It's rained just about every day this month and at least 5 out of the last 7 Saturdays. I'm just hoping to get out sometime this week.
Been on stand since 5:30 this morning and have seen 0 deer. It went from no sign last week to have rubs and fresh scrapes all around me. So I'm sticking it out all day and hope that there using this area in the evening. It's cold and overcast, I can feel that something is going to happen tonight!
12 hour sit yesterday and zero deer. Today it rained all day but got 6 hours on stand. Had a fawn come by and bed 25 yards from and watched a buck run the edge of thicket looking for does, starting to get closer! Moving in closer, right on the edge tomorrow morning. Picked a tree on the way out, should be a good stand
Hey fellas, a little update from last week. I hunted Wednesday through Sunday with right at 50 hours in the stand. I saw a total of 10 deer and 6 were shooters, two does and two were spikes. If you recall my earlier post, you know I had two bucks come in while I was letting my bow down and was unable to get a shot off. Well, Wednesday found me back in the same tree. I hadn't seen a thing and then at 10:30 am I saw a buck walk across the trail I had been watching and he was walking my way but to my left. He was forty yards away and walking past me. I gave him a couple of grunts but he never showed any interest. I thought I'd let him walk away and try rattling. I didn't want to rattle too soon in case he came in and I had antlers in my hand instead of my bow. I clicked the antlers together lightly and rattled them for about 8 seconds when I looked up and the same two bucks I had the encounter with last week were baring down on me like a couple of inner city punks. I dropped the antlers but couldn't grab my bow because they were at 35 yards and looking right at me. When the same buck that busted me last week started behind a bush I grabbed my bow and he caught the movement. He actually backed up to look around the bush he had started to move behind and danged if he didn't bust me again. Off they go and there I sit, shaking my head. I considered diving out of the tree but had my safety harness on so it wouldn't have done much good. :D Move to Thursday. I was in a stand that I hunted last year and was happy to be in a different place. At 7:20 am a doe came off a small ridge and was in a bit of a hurry. I wanted to shoot her but she was moving too fast and by the time I got my bow in hand she was at 35 yards and going straight away. I knew a buck had to be following so I got ready. Here he came and I was ready. Drew my bow and at 30 yards I gave him a little "ma" but he didn't hear me. I did it again louder and he completely ignored me. Crud! Well, that was cool I thought; and it's only 7:25. I continued to stand in my climber and at 8:00 I looked over where the two deer had come off the little ridge and there stood a buck I believe would go 145. A nice deer in my opinion and he was just standing there looking around. I grabbed my bow expecting he was going to follow the doe and buck that had passed previously. But when he started down that path he went about five yards and turned right toward me. He kept coming and stopped at 18 yards with a little branch full of leaves covering his vitals. I was at full draw and when he stepped out I stopped him with a "ma" but he didn't stop. He literally hopped and turned 90 degrees right at me and was now facing me head on. I had no shot. He took about three steps and was now about 14 yards when he looked straight up at me and bolted back the way he came. My vocabulary is short on words to describe how that felt. I was sick; still am. I haven't had a shot opportunity on a buck over 110 inches in four years and now within a week I have three if not four opportunities to make it happen and can't get it done. Then, to add a little salt to the wound, I was in the same tree the next day and hadn't seen a thing until 3:15 pm when a doe came running through the woods. It came out of nowhere and took me by surprise. I stood up slowly but quickly and grabbed my bow. My mistake was that I did it before she got passed my stand which caused her to make a 90 degree turn away from me. The trailing buck, a shooter, stopped when she turned and rather than stay on her trail, cut straight toward her which prevented him from coming my way. No words...none, not one. I hunt public land and work my tail off to do it. This was the best year I have ever had for encounters with shooter deer. I know it is not likely to happen again for a very long time so this was tough. Those were some great encounters but I was pretty disappointed when it was all said and done. I will hunt this Friday and Saturday. The week before Thanksgiving they close the area to all hunting so basically I'll be done except for a doe hunt in Wyoming over the holiday. Wish me luck this weekend and best of luck to all of you.
That's hard to read Jerry, and I know the frustration. Stick with it bud, it ain't over till it's over. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
After many days in the stand and only 1 other shot opportunity, that actually came earlier this morning, I finally got one of the Bucks I was after. Unfortunately he broke off 2 of his tines on the left side. Both G2's fork off and I found his broke off left g2 in a pasture field earlier this week...pretty random. I need to get some rest but I'll get him posted soon. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Hey Rob, congrats on the buck. I know that has to feel good to get one of your target bucks. Good work! :D
Nice job Rob!! Congrats, way to break the ice on the bucks. My buddy killed a 160 last night on one of our spots, I didn't hunt cause the friggin wind was so bad but I will be back after it hard this weekend and next week...
Thanks guys! Rifle season starts this weekend, so I won't even bother going out. I'll get back out after this weekend to try to knock a doe down tho.
Well, Saturday morning was quite the rodeo... At first light my #1 buck (170 ish 10 pt) came cruising through right below me. He passed by in range but by the time I knew what was going on he was at 50yds + and walking away. I hit the grunt call and he only picked up the pace... A few othe deer were around then about 45 min later a doe comes runnin in with a lil 8 pt hot on her tail. He had his head so far up her azz you coulda seen his teeth in her eyes. He ran her up the draw and all hell broke loose. Next thing I know 4 good bucks are runnin this lil doe in circles and she is running for her life as the worked her like cutting horses on a wayward steer. She finally broke and was headed over the hill to the neighboring property with all 4 bucks in tow. I grabbed my rattling antlers and smashed em together as hard as I could. Two of the bucks broke off and came charging to my stand at a dead run. I was set up to take the shot at a crossing they were headed to which would have put them on the edge of the milo field at 20 yds. But they did the same thing my #2 buck did last Sat AM and made a hard right skirting the thicket and coming in behind my stand. I quickly swung my camera around to the back of the tree and framed up the shot where I knew he was headed. By the time I grabbed my bow and got drawn and him stopped the deer was ALMOST out of frame. I dropped the string and watched him run up the edge of the slough. I grabbed for my binos, as I looked up I see a buck walking just passed where I had last seen mine and entering the trail that the doe had just left on. Turns out that was buck number two, as when I took a second look through the binos to where I had last seen my buck I could see tines sticking up in the tall grass. Sadly a little ground shrinkage occurred, I figured he was at least 130 maybe mid 30"s but he ended up just shy @ 127 6/8. He went 70 yds before tipping over. Looking forward to doing some hunting with my Dad and daughter now, until I get after another doe or two later in the season. Anyway good luck guys!
Congrats TJ! Nice buck there and the 170 can grow for next year. I know how hard self filming is, so good for you. I had a 120 inch buck at 17 yards first thing Saturday morning. But he was facing me and I couldn't get a clear shot at him. He moved to my left and I drew my bow waiting for him to clear a bush. Instead of walking out from behind the bush, he turned and walked away from me. The frustration continues.
Short and sweet update: I got to the point of not having fun, saw two deer in one month. Beyond frustrating. Moved to the other property for change of scenery. Saw 20 deer, all out of range, the only buck I would have had a chance was about 10 min from having good sight picture. I could not see pins/buck at once. I could see pins or buck but not both. Decided to not take a Hail Mary shot and pass. I had tinks 69 out, I grunted, and estrus bleated, not one of those tactics made them come to me. Had three does pass 15 yards, and you guess it, it was an awkward angle to shoot, so they got by me. So overall, still no blood on the ground, but I saw their patterns and where I need to move to. I’ll be out Thursday morning, and this weekend. Just need that one break to change the season. Congratulations to the guys putting deer on the ground, looks some monster bucks hitting the ground. I’ll talk to you guys on Thursday when I put some meat in the freezer. Edit: The new places I need to be may require me to be on the ground, way to many branches to shoot through. Good news, wind is in my favor.
I've not seen a buck worth shooting, in the woods yet. Gun season opened last week and I'm in TX this week. Hoping to hit the woods hard next week. I'm wresting with whether to head out with gun, bow or both and now where to hunt. The county I had been hunting was only either sex through this week...(next county over its still either sex and only about 300yds North). So do I sit over the scrape I had found (buck only county, could be a spike but I've seen decent bucks in the area previously)? Move to one of my other sites (I've not really spent much time scoring them this year so far) in the next county over and try to put meat in the fridge first? Decisions decisions...and too much time to think 1100 miles from my hunting land... I think it will hinge most on weather and wind.
