Should've killed last night. Yesterday afternoon I decided to head out and sit on an oak flat that I had some sightings on earlier this season. The wind was blowing hard gusts between 30 and 40 but I thought it would lay before dark. After getting in the stand I realized I might have a long sit ahead of me. This tree was swaying 2 feet or more in either direction and I felt a little motion sick! Well I stuck it out and with less than 10 minutes of shooting light left I see a deer to my West about 40 yards. I can tell he's a buck but I can't tell how big he is. He's on a mission and he's not stopping to give me a shot opportunity. He must have been bedded off of the flat or ridge that I was on. He skirted me at 40+ yards heading down the opposite side of the ridge behind me. The wind was still howling but I got out my Tru Talker and gave a few loud agressive grunts. I couldn't hear over the wind and I had lost sight of him by this point. Finally the wind calmed and I could hear him circling downwind of me off the ridge behind me. I then got really aggressive with the grunt and gave a couple of long deep grunts and several short tending grunts. If this was going to happen it would have to happen fast or I would run out of light. Just after I stopped I could hear him coming straigh in. He RAN straight to the base of my tree just behind me! There was one limb that I didn't trim to give me some back cover and wouldn't you know it he stops right below it. I couldn't get low enough to get the shot off under the limb so there I stand with my bow drawn waiting for him to take 2 steps. He's 3 steps from my tree and I'm running out of enough light to see my pins through my peep! After what I would guess to be 2-3 minutes he turned and started back the way he came. I let down the bow and swung around the opposite side of the tree. I drew and once he cleared I stopped him with a bleat at 18 yards. I began to try to find him in the peep but it was just too dark. I struggled but to no avail. 3 minutes earlier and I could have seen my pin. As I stood there he walked back over the ridge and out of sight. So discusted but happy to have had the experience. I love when you call at em and they nearly break the door down coming in! While he was right under me I got a good look at his headgear. He's a real good 8 probably 125". Not wide but has good tine length. Anyway, I'm going back out this evening to give it another chance. He wasn't spooked and with the way he reacted to the grunt I may take the rattling horns and give them a try. Use your grunt call cause I think it'll bring em in on a string right now.
Sounds like a really cool experience. I usually get aggressive with my calling right around Halloween. I blind call a lot and have had good success bringing in bigger bucks. I love to call.
What a great night in the stand... I love pre-rut when they start coming the the calls hard. Good luck this weekend putting a buck on the ground.
