Team Juan is picking up some serious steam. 4 bucks in less than a week. Boom! Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
And the rut hasn't even started. What about that October lull? Sent from my XT1650 using Bowhunting.com Forums mobile app
I don't say an awful lot but I have been following along. Cold front and high pressure tomorrow should be a great day in South Dakota. Plus pheasant hunters will be kicking everything around so they will be moving. Have a great weekend!!
Hey guys congrats on all the bucks! Just a heads up to get you more points, Illinois O. Score is missing 3 mass measurements on the score thread. Sent from my SM-G900V using Bowhunting.com Forums mobile app
Remember guys. The gross score counts in the contest! Not the net score. Get all the points we deserve! Sent from my SM-G950U using Bowhunting.com Forums mobile app
Wi..I know you only slept like 1 hr in two days bc you killed that buck, but we need the story! Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
The contest looks at the gross score for the contest! We get almost 10 more points when you switch that! Sent from my SM-G950U using Bowhunting.com Forums mobile app
Im gonna try to get out with a buddy in the am for his first hunt, mostly on doe patrol but the scrapes are open so we'll be over them. Then we're dedicating my daughter at church on Saturday night (sat night service is so much more convenient with a kid) then hunting Sunday morning, and might take Monday off to go burn some leather on the public Sent from my SM-G930P using Bowhunting.com Forums mobile app
4 bucks by Oct 18th. Crazy. Let's keep it up fellas!....and ladies Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
So here's the story...I will try and keep it short. Earlier this week I decided that I wanted to check out two public properties that I had never stepped foot on. I figured I would go out Wednesday and Thursday after work. Wednesday I went to the first property and didn't really see the fresh sign I was looking for and didn't see any deer(did hear one running). So Thursday I got done with work at 5, changed clothes at work and headed down to the second property. This property is owned privately but is in a government program so it is open to the public for hunting and other outdoor activities. By the time I got down there it was 5:30 and legal hunting ended at 6:31pm. The property is two 40's deep with only half of the front part being enrolled in the program. From looking at aerial photos I knew that I wanted to hunt back by the swamp unless I came across hot sign before then. I took an old overgrown logging road to the South looking for fresh sign as I went. Nothing! Not really any deer trails crossing the logging road much less fresh buck sign. I was still hopeful that there would be fresh sign by the swamp. Again nothing except an old rub that was at least two or three years old. Even though there wasn't any sign I figured I was back there and needed to find a place to sit. There was a small wooded point that went out into the swamp so I decided to sit in that finger if a deer was following the swamp edge. I cleared a spot by a tree and attached my Hawk tree seat to the base of the tree facing East...wind was out of the South. By the time I had found this spot and set up it was 6pm. Time slowly passed with only seeing an occasional squirrel. It was getting to the point where I figured it had to be about closing so I checked my phone..it was 6:25. I was thinking to myself that I might as well start packing up when I heard footsteps coming toward me from the East. All of a sudden I could see a deer and antlers. It looked to be big bodied with a nice rack so I decided if it came in range I would shoot it. Problem was if it stayed on it's current course it would pass to the north of me and probably get my wind. Next thing I know is it is angling directly at me. When he was around 15 yards I drew back waiting for him to turn broadside. At 10 yards and still at full draw he starts eating acorns. After being at full draw for what seemed like forever I decided to slowly let down. As I was letting down he lifted his head so I stopped mid letdown. After a couple seconds he put his head back down and started eating again. I decided to go to full draw again and settled my pin on his right shoulder just waiting for him to turn broadside. He finally turned that shoulder broadside with the rest of his body still quartering to. I squeezed the trigger and and instantly head the thump of a good hit. The buck took off and I could see my lighted nock glowing brightly about mid body up and down. Suddenly I didn't see my lighted nock any more as the buck ran off. After a little bit I was pretty sure I heard him crash. Instantly the adrenaline hit and I started shaking with excitement. I tried calling my wife but didn't have good service so I texted her and then my brother. After about 20 minutes I walked over to where the buck was standing...no blood. It was understandable since I knew I didn't get a pass through so I took one of my other arrows, activated the nock and stuck it in the ground. I then headed back to the car so I could call my wife. At the car I called her and told her that I needed her and my daughter to grab some more flashlights, my sled and put clothes on to help track my buck. While waiting for them I talked to my brother and a couple of other buddies, one which volunteered to come help. Around 8pm everyone had arrived to help. In my mind I thought we would get back there and it would be a quick track job, boy was I wrong. After looking for blood for about an hour and a half I told the three of them that I was going to have to come back in the morning and hopefully find someone with a tracking dog to help find my buck. Almost as soon as those words came out of my mouth, my wife yelled "I found blood". We went over her and sure enough there was blood. Shortly after following blood she was like "there he is". As I walked up to high I was overcome with mixed emotions. Ones of excitement while also some of disappointment due to some ground shrinkage. The disappointment was short lived when my 14 yr old daughter told me how proud she was of me and that it was an awesome buck. Right then and there I was reminded that it is about the experience of the hunt. After taking pics and while gutting him I found out that the arrow had snapped and for some reason the nock had turned off. After a long drag we finally made it back to the car around 11pm. Since it was in the 50's I had to skin, quarter and get him in our spare refrigerator. It was a long night with very little sleep, but it is a hunt that I will never forget. Sorry for rambling on. Sent from my XT1650 using Bowhunting.com Forums mobile app
Here are some pics. The first is the property...buck icon is where I shot him. Some more pics of the deer and then something I found after skinning him. Also one of him hanging in the garage. Sent from my XT1650 using Bowhunting.com Forums mobile app
Fantastic story and great buck on an impromptu public land hunt. Awesome!! Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
Here are some pics including the property, more of the buck and and something found while skinning. Sent from my XT1650 using Bowhunting.com Forums mobile app
Is that a broadhead in his back that is healed over or a growth? Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
Not sure...it is all soft...all along the top of the backstraps were discolored so I didn't take a chance with them which sucks. Sent from my XT1650 using Bowhunting.com Forums mobile app
