***Team 24 - Boneheads***

3 steps! That's all I need and this would have been a success post rather then an almost post. I hunted a new property in NE last night. I walked into the property somewhat blind only relying on Google earth. I arrived rather late as it is 85 miles from where I live. Once I got back in there I couldn't find a suitable tree without a hole lot of work. Against my better judgment I decide to setup on the ground. I used a evergreen tree that backed up against a hill. I cut a pocket for me to sit in and then cut smaller evergreens to place in front of me. From my past experiences I setup my shooting lane so that the deer would already be past me (quartering away) when they entered the lane. That was a mistake.

At 4:50 I had a big 4X4 walk the fence line come in over my right shoulder. Everything was perfect and I was ready! I had him at 17 yards. Just when he was about to enter my lane he turned away from me and started heading back toward the fence. Before I could grab my grunt call he jumped the fence onto the private side. I hit the grunt tube and he immediately did a 180 and took several steps back towards me. He grunted back at me and stood there for several minutes. He turned his head and started heading the opposite direction again. I hit the tube harder this time. He flipped a U-turn and charged the fence like a bull! He once again stopped at the fence line only to flip a 180 again and slowly walk off into the distance!

Yellow = Deer travel path
Orange = approx. shoot lane
Red = fence



What I should have done was taken the time to climb the evergreen tree and get my stand up on the corner! Thought they may be moving early being we had a huge cold front come through.

All in all it was a awesome encounter from the ground! That's hunt'n! By far would have been my biggest buck ever shot from the ground with a bow!

I met the son of the farmers land Turns out he was hunting on the same fence line up on the ridge above me some 500 yards away. He didn't see anything... He was nice. Wanted to know if I would be hunting during gun season, etc... I got the impression that he and others are hunting that land quite a bit. Don't know at this time if I will make the trip back to that property or not.....

 

Don't feel bad Heck, this is going to be an almost post as well.

18 degrees
28mph SW wind

Not the kind of day I would pick to sit but I had the opportunity and really want to put a buck on the ground. We're in the middle of slug season but I knew no one would be hunting today so I went anyways.

About 5 minutes after I was able to see good enough to shoot I had a doe 10 yards out. Wasn't what I was looking for yet. 20 minutes later I had a tiny button buck take the same path she took. Definitely not what I was looking for. It was about 10 to 8 when I saw a deer running around the corner 90% of the deer come from. I knew immediately it was a nice buck. He followed right along the path picture perfect until he got to a spot where he had two choices; 1) keep following the path that leads to my food plot and 2) turn into the river bottom below me. Well, you all know what happened. About 50 yards short of me he decides to head into the trees. He followed the top of the ridge (where I was sitting) within 30 yards of me. It was WAY too thick for an attempt at the shot. I grunted at him and he stopped, looked at me, and then kept on his way. Luckily for me, he was upwind of me the entire time. I didn't get the camera rolling until it was too late because I was getting ready for him to walk in front of me. I'm not sure what deer this was or if I've had him on camera yet but I am guessing in the 120 range. Tomorrow I can only hunt for about an hour and a half but all this too place in that time frame so I will be back at it. Only a 5mph wind tomorrow.

Red arrow-where he came from (bedding)
Blue arrow-path he took into bottom
Green arrow-path I was expecting (plot 20 yards behind me)





Hopefully by this time tomorrow it will be a BBD post instead of an almost!

 

Got out this morning four small bucks all searching. Saw a good one standing with a doe on my drive home.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free

 

Sounds like everyone is having close encounters but just not able to seal the deal. I am taking Friday off of work for opener of gun season. I will probably take a gun out on friday just cause the deer are pretty much running all over the place. After that I will probably go back to my bow. Going to be hunting the property where a good 10 has been spotted last year and this year. Have only been out there once so far this year. Hoping he will repeate him self from last year but come out 10 min earlier.

 

Something close to this buck will do for anyone being patient. Shot south of Indianola IA. Can't imagine seeing a deer this big.

Sent from my SCH-R530U using Tapatalk 2

 

That's a giant! Anyone hunting today/tomorrow? I will not be hunting until Sunday do to family obligations this week.

 

I dont even know if I could hold myself together on a deer like that.
Will be out tomorrow doing a all day sit then Saturday I have to get down mid day to do some family pictures for a friend then back in a stand. Sunday has 70% chance of rain so not sure whats gonna happen that day.

 

Hunted this morn had a two year old running a doe around me. Never stood still not that I was trying to stop em they were 35 + yards the whole time. If he would of stood still under 20 I would of whacked em. Hour later this lady came by. Figured I'd do her a favor she would be runnin for her life come Saturday.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free

 

congrats mark

 

Good work Mark!

Sent from my SCH-R530U using Tapatalk 2

 

Mark
Good going.
Rocky

 

Made a call today to the DNR wasnt sure if it was legal to bring both a gun and bow to stand in Michigan. Turns out it is . So i guess for the next couple weeks I will be packing one more thing in. Gonna give it my all with the bow but if it comes down to it im gonna be grabbing the gun.

 

I'll be back out Saturday.
Yesterday it started raining @7 am while it was 0 when I got in my stand. 8:30 I watch 3 does for an hour grazing. All the time watching to the east. They were @ 75 yards, I decide to sit back down and as I turned theres 2 more does looking up at me.lmao. That was it for the whole day. 5 does no bucks.
Rocky

 

Just returned from checking a trail camera. Saw a buck cruising the edge of a cut corn fields at 12:30 PM! This is the same place I shot my buck in September. Just the other side of the property. So far nothing on camera bigger then what I killed. Makes me feel a little better about taking a buck early in Kansas. Also the farmer just finished cutting the corn on that property yesterday! Can't wait to see what kind of pics I get now. Based on the pics I have seen the daytime activity really picked up around November 9th. Getting pics all day!

 

Heck I still have a few days I can take off if your looking for somone to take one of those bucks for you

 

Just saw first half rack driving.

Sent from my SCH-R530U using Tapatalk 2

 

Come on down if you have a Kansas tag.

This is one of the biggest deer on this pull. Maybe be another that's bigger. Hard to say as their rack blends in with the corn stalks.

[/URL][/IMG]

 

How does a non resident tag system work out there? Gotta apply for one im assuming?

 

Correct. Draw only state for non-residents.

 

dang it is it pretty hard to draw a tag down there or fairly easy?