***One-N-Done - Team #1***

Update for today. Went out to the stand this morning and with the cold temps and a moon hanging overhead well after daylight I had high hopes for my morning sit. Got in the obsession stand at about 30 min. before daylight but with the nearly full moon I could see fairly well and walked in without a light. Shortly after daylight I started hearing leaves crunch and after what seemed like a very long time with me straining to see through the brush and trees a doe materializes and I relax. After the 1st doe checks the area 3 other does appear and begin breakfast. I hear what I think is some grunting but it is very low and to my east toward the direction where all the does appeared so I'm thinking there may be a buck following them so I am on alert and so are the does, they are extremely edgy. To my immediate north down in a dense thicket area I start hearing footsteps in the leaves. One doe goes to check this out and as I lose sight of her in the trail to the thicket I hear antlers raking a tree and branches so I think game on and get my bow ready. The other does are intently staring toward the thicket area and I see a couple of them turn to get into the timber so I'm getting excited. I see a big set of antlers and then the buck coming up the hill from the thicket. He has seen the does and is checking them out. I'm thinking this is not my target buck which was the "Big 8" from last year but one I would classify as a shooter so my heart starts pounding. As he puts his nose to the ground and stretches his neck and begins a charge toward the does the does bust out of there. He is within 1 step of my shooting lane and stops, the other doe that went to check him out is down where he just came from and he turns and goes her way. She evades him and moves off toward the other does. I grab my grunt call and looks but doesn't make a move my way and moves off in a ditch to my east and I'm thinking this is over. After about 5 min. I spot him about 100 yards away down a ridge just meandering about so I grab my grunt again and call as loud as I can because of the distance. He messes around there for several more minutes but low and behold he starts moving in my direction. I get ready again and after about 15 minutes of him wandering about he ultimately makes a beeline for the stand and winds up 20 yards broadside from my stand. I put a Rage Hypo in his boiler room and heard him crash about 50 yards down in the thicket. Because of some family issues with sicknesses I won't be able to hunt as much as I had planned and was pushing myself to try to get this done and praying that I could pull this off. I have to give God a big assist on this one. Enjoy the pics, even though not my target buck I am very happy to be able to harvest this fine animal. I still have to get the measurements and post for the official team score and will get that done tomorrow.

 

Gorgeous buck! Congrats and awesome story! Points on the board! I hope to get one like him soon!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

What a great lookin buck man big woooot!!! And another big congrats to you buddy great work. Looks like a good main frame 10 awesome an I'm happy for you. I will be out in the morning with high hopes!!!

Sent from my SM-G928T using Tapatalk

 

I just realized that I had forgotten to post pics of the bear that I shot a while back. Not the best pic but was getting late in the evening and running out of daylight and didn't have an opportunity after recovery for better photos.

 

Okay, just got done scoring and measured at 140 4/8 inches. I was thinking as I was looking at him with by binocs yesterday he was between 130 and 140. Main frame 10 with split G2's on both beams. Cool looking buck and I am pleased as punch. I am taking him to the taxidermist is a few minutes. I am going to input into the official scoring page now. This should help our total score. Doe patrol for me now as far as the contest goes, although I have additional buck tags, one for archery in another state and extra for bow or gun. Good luck to everyone out there today. The rut is heating up so get out there in get out an enjoy the moment. This contest is not what it is all about, it's about enjoying the woods, nature, fellowship of fellow hunters and family and the thrill of the hunt.

 

Didn't make it out this morning fellas but have plans for this evening.

Sent from my SM-G928T using Tapatalk

 

Yet another close call this morning... Ugh

Had a shooter come trotting in at 8:05 am behind the stand never had a shot and never got to see what deer it was. I think it was maybe Wack again. At any rate, another smaller basket 6 maybe came through 5 mins later same path and similar speed... They were not slowing down for much.

Back at it this evening.

 

Definitely a fine buck KB and congrats again!!!! I just wanted to remind you to submit a score breakdown on the scorecard with your pics everything else looks legit but I'm sure they will ask for it before it's entered and counted. You can write it out on paper type it in or use that fancy Boone and Crockett scoring system. Just thought I would let ya know buddy. Congrats!!!!

Sent from my SM-G928T using Tapatalk

 

OK, didn't realize that you had to break it down but I'll edit my post. Thanks for the info and kind words.

 

Congrats KB on the buck!!

 

You bet!!!

Sent from my SM-G928T using Tapatalk

 

Well guys I finally went to the Ridge to hunt the pre rut an I will say it as gingerly as I can I was pretty pissed. So I walk on the downwind side to the stand an the walk in is all I would expect quite perfect in my opinion. So I'm closing the distance to my setup and I look at my stand then out of my peripheral vision about ten feet behind my tree is another set of stands. That's right 2 stand in 1 tree like a filming setup.So I immediately pray about it and ask what I should do because the Ridge spot has been completely blown up by these guys and I know the owner personally and no one else has permission to hunt this 20 acres. I immediately notify the land owner and she then tells me that at about 4 in the a.m. she was woke up by a four Wheeler on the property but she thought it was me so she went back to sleep and that is all she heard of them. I replied that I don't own a 4 Wheeler at the moment an now she is furious as to who it is and that she can't believe how bold the perps were to trespass on her land. I then suggested a few tactics because at this point the set is still there. I didn't go all ape and take them down yet and the good thing is that my setup was left alone but there is no way in Sam that they didn't see my stand because I can look back at it from my tree and wave at them if they were in them. So she said ok we will write a note and show up in the morning an see just who it is. My suggestion was that we take the stands down and see if they come lookin for them then let them no its off limits. I really had hopes that this would be a good private area for me but this is how it ended because I think that I'm gonna way my options. What do you guys think would be a good solution? Really bummed about the Ridge.

Sent from my SM-G928T using Tapatalk

 

That's really tough Jeff. Not any good solution without a certain amount of conflict but if the landowner is willing to help you then by all means. Perhaps it is just a simple misunderstanding about property lines. If they get really out of the hand get DNR involved and they should handle it. It's amazing that someone can go in and see someone's setup and go ahead and set up right on top of them anyway. Don't think I would do that even on public land. Poor hunting ethics if you ask me. Best of luck in resolving the problem and hope the spot can settle down for you and you get to have a great hunt there.

 

Sorry to hear this Jeff - these things happen from time to time, hopefully you are able to resolve it before things really heat up. I don't think your spot is blown up forever and ever because of this. Might take a few days for it to get back to normal but it will be okay.

If they haven't come back in a few days I'd take the set down and leave a note on the tree that reads. I have your equipment as this is private ground that you do not have permission to hunt. If you would like your equipment back call you. Solved.

As for setting up tree stands close to other tree stands.



It's really hard to tell but that is a buddy stand about 10 yrds from me that has been here a long time and doesn't look like it has been hunted for a few years. Now granted we own lease rights to this land so we can about do whatever we want. But we set up this stand knowing good and well that buddy stand was there and that a few other people do too. Why don't we just hunt the buddy stand you ask?! Because it is about 10 yards east in the wrong direction. Lol I am also not sure any current lease owners actually own that stand.

- As a side note saw a buck at first light not sure which buck it was as it was still pretty dark. 3 straight hunts seeing nice bucks.

 

Definitely twitch I'm here at the Ridge now and those stands were recently put up and that's probably the best solution to the situation. Deer have definitely used the area last night or early morning well before light with fresh droppings by the mineral site. There is acorn Falling all around me white oak to be exact and I know this is a good area. Thing is they come in here with four Wheeler making racket plus the overall scent factor unless the use some type of scent control but who knows. I'm gonna sit here until about 10:00 or so an when I get down I'm gonna start disecting that setup and that will be the end of that. My main concerne is them coming in here and then bothering my setup or causing damage to my stand or worse. That sure is a nice ladder stand and hang on.

Sent from my SM-G928T using Tapatalk

 

I just shot what looks to be a great 10 point mature probably the one I had on camera here at the Ridge I'm gonna give him some time fellas it was a good shot at 17 yards the arrow stayed in he ran off with the luminok shining almost a past through an I'm still shaking a respectable buck I'd say man I'm sitting here talking about the situation with the trespassing and this dude come out of nowhere what a morning.

Sent from my SM-G928T using Tapatalk

 

Lol well would you look at that!! And I quote "the Ridge spot has been completely blown up by these guys"!

Glad you got a buck, good luck on the recovery hope it goes well!!

Everything in life works out and plays out the way it does for a reason!

 

So I followed the blood and then it got spotty so I backed out fellas going back with help to search again it's warming up pretty good so a Lil worried about that but I think we will find him!!!

Sent from my SM-G928T using Tapatalk

 

Best of luck finding the buck. Man I know that is exciting.

 

The recovery was not good fellas the shot was quartering away and made what I was certain was a good shot but turned out not so good so I picked up the blood trail again and we searched for 2 hrs combing the area where he ran an were the blood stopped never found the arrow either so it was still in him only chance I have now is to go back and look for the bright red luminok come dark

Sent from my SM-G928T using Tapatalk