So I get to my stand between 2 bedding areas. Theres a creek 50-60 yards or so to my right. It's a lot deeper than usual (beavers got it backed up pretty good). Nice cool crisp morning , perfect wind and feeling good about the setup. The action picks up right away with a few does early. Then a few dinks walk by me at 15 yards. A bunch more does, and then a 2.5 year old. A lot of deer roaming. Then I hear "crunch crunch crunch" followed by SPLASH! I look over and a nice 120" 3.5 year old is swimming across the creek away from me. He gets up, shakes off and starts walking away. I grunt at him and he stops! He heads back my way, gets to the creek and like he was jumping off a diving board plunges back into the water and crossing to my side! Sweet I'm thinking this is it I'm whacking this dude. I'm already up an I put my release on. He gets to 30 yards but behind some crud with no shot. Then he looks back across the creek and heads to it and jumps in again. *%&#@(!!!! He gets to the other side and I hit a couple soft grunts again. He whips his head around and KURPLUNK back in the water he goes swimming towards me again. Doesn't quite come as far this time, just hung on the bank looking for the source of the grunt. Sure enough SPLASH in he goes again heading to the other side lol. I was laughing my butt off at this point. This went on for a total of 5 times he would get to the other side and i'd grunt him back over. Each time a loud splash with him jumping in. Had him twice inside 30, but just couldn't get a shot off where he was (until I knock a few branches off next time I sit there). I had this guy spinning around like a dog. Never seen a deer swim so much in my life lol. He finally called it quits (water must have been too cold lol) and headed deeper into the bedding area on the other side. I tried grunting him back again and hit the can a few times but never saw him again. Wish I could've got an arrow in him, but all in all a good morning hunt and one funny show from a nice buck.
If there was ever a reason to carry a video camera, that was it. Very cool encounter NYB. Very cool. Maybe he'll come swimming this afternoon.
That's exactly what I thought after it was over. Actually I have a mini surveillance camera (for other reasons) that is being sent back from repair monday . I'm going to use it for hunting. Little late for that episode.
That sounds like an awesome hunt. That would have been crazy to have a buck swimming back and forth like that.
Now that Is crazy NYB!!! Not something you see everyday that's for sure. Best of luck with him again!
