***Official LIVE from the Stand Thread, 2020***

Forgot to post after I got out Absolutely dead until the last 30 mins. Had some pretty good action at the end. two does feeding out in front of my blind about the last half hour just out of bow range. Last 10-15 minutes a light they brought in a pretty decent buck, but I couldn't quite see how big he was. Just stayed out of range also. had to wait a little bit before I could get out of my blind. he was chasing pretty good but they weren't having much of it. Windy as hell and 70 degrees. Wednesday is looking good here.

 

So here is a little theory/story that I have came up with. Not a crazy or wild story, but it kind of makes sence to me. A couple guys on this thread know what happen to me on Saturday, so they know where I'm going with this.

This started in one of two swamps that are about 200 yards apart. I have been hunting these the last 3 years. The place I had the big 8 pt stand from his bed last year and walk out and I missed him at 20 yard, this is same place. Around October 1 I picked up some huge buck sign left in same place as the big 8 pt left last year. The rub was so big and tall, only a mature buck can do. I keep finding and hunting his sign on and off for the next 2 weeks, but never could get eyes on him. He was bedding different then the big 8. So one night walking out I took a different route out, and I accidentally stepped right into his bed. Now game was on! So week later I sneak in and setup in new tree. I instantly had bucks around me and did for over a hour. I had them rubbing, chasing does, making scrapes. But no big buck.

So I hunt that spot another time and ended up shooting a doe within 15 minutes of setting up. Then got out right away. Then next hunt was October 26. It was the day after a 3 day buck only muzzle loader season. I setup in same tree again. About 45 minutes before dark I made comment on here about a noise I heard about 50 yards from me. It was a load crashing sound in the cattails then a loud gutteral moan. The sound when you shot a buck and let's out that last breath. It was too thick to see what it was. After dark I didn't go out that way to see what it was.

So 2 weeks later, this past Saturday, I go back in to hunt the morning and see if that buck is still in there. No new sign in the swamp and seemed to dry up, other then a small scrape on the back side. I hunt and see only a fawn and a couple hunters walked in on me. I had 4 other hunters not included me with in 200 yards of me that morning. So I get down about 10:30 to go make a plan for the evening. I walk out the way I heard that strange noise. There laying in the creek is a huge buck in direct sight of my stand that morning. It was in a log jamb with just enough bank, that I couldn't see him.

So I called the DNR right then to get a tag and I cut the head off. From the amount of decay, I was thinking max of 1 -2 weeks old. Then I thought back to that strange noise I heard that night, it all started to make sence. It's a shame to find a deer like this. I wish either the hunter had found his buck, or I would have had a chance to keep hunting him. Pics to follow.

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I got it boiled and got to bleach it and put back in the nose bones, then he will be done. I missed judge this buck by alot. I figured about 135". I got 146 1/8"! What a swamp monster! Just wish I was able to connect on this beast! Well onto the next one.

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You think he could be that decomposed already in 2 weeks?

Hard to tell by pic, but seems pretty far gone. Tried to zoom in a bit, hard to tell what is still below the water line. Staining on the skull as well.

Story makes sense and all so not a BS callout or anything, just not what I thought it would look like 2 weeks later. Hope that makes sense

 

Swamp critters cleaning its body with this heat. I'd bet it could be.

 

Everything under water was still there. All the meat and skin still on him. All his hair had slipped off so it was just bare skin. I know when I dump a deer carcass in the woods behind my house, it is bare bones in 2-3 days. The water was really cold, fresh water spring. So it's hard to tell because of him laying in the water. Like I said in beginning of story, just a theory.

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I've never found one in water before like that. Found one several years ago on the upper bank of a steep sided creek and chalked it up to EHD. Was the worst beheading I have ever done

As said, not discounting it by any means, you'd know better than I, was just my initial thoughts based on my find, which wasn't in water and didn't appear to be scavenged like I'd have thought it would have been.

Either way, guessing that situation didn't smell the best either

 

Also with the staining. I believe there is a high iron in this area. You can see in the pic how all the stuff in the water looks orange. This stuff will stain bone and antler in one day. I have found a few bucks over the years laying in water like this and it's almost impossible to get it out of the antlers. It will stain my clothes when I just step in it one time. Some nasty stuff, hate finding bucks laying in it. Pick up another big buck 2 years ago, the antlers still have staining on them, no matter how much I sand and stain them.

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It is one of the nastiest smells ever! I put it in 2 contractor bags and double taped it shut. Then put it in the cab of my truck so I could hunt the evening and not worry about some one grabbing it out of the back of my truck. You know what happened when I got back to my truck that night. Let's just say I had to ride all the way home with all my windows open! Lol

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I'm not sure what the water does to it. The one I found 2 years ago was the exact same thing. I found in February, no hunting season. Same senero, complete bones on sky side and under water the complete deer was there. It is strange.

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I'm sure water type has a lot to do with it as well. something clean and oxygenated vs something cess pool and stagnant would have very different results for the situation.

It's a cool find either way. I turned my find into rattling antlers and regretted it. Finger bashing m'effers they were I steeped mine outisde in a large pot before finishing in the house on the stove.

 

No matter what you do, the smell of decay gets everywhere. It has its own unique smell.

That is why dogs are fairly easily trained to find dead bodies.

 

I was . 5 seconds from throwing my phone when the alarm went off this morning. I was up late last night taking care of sick dog. Coffee isnt working.

Have to grind out a buck

 

Small win. They unlocked a gate here in the state forest. Saved me a half mile of walking!

 

Just pulled up to the crime scene. Gonna do a big loop to come in against the wind. It’s 63 degrees already.

 

Well, he did have big feet. Nice find.

Would've been interesting if you had seen him that morning.

 

Up dressed having coffee before going out back for the first time. Trails were cleaned days ago so quiet walk out.
Good luck guys

 

Bout to head in yesterday saw one deer at 8:20 maybe today I’ll have more action


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Good Luck, Brett!! I'll be with ya this morning!! Hope the dog is ok.

 

No kidding, Shock. I'm doing the same type of walk this morning. Probably be in a puddle of sweat by the time I get to the stand.