Keep me posted Dave. I didn't see a deer all day. Someone turned the light switch off here. I have all day to hunt tomorrow, but the temps are rising to 70 with 30 mph winds. I'll hunt hard, but not sure what I will see. I have Tuesday off. After my job interview, I am headed straight for a stand. Friday-Sunday is our first gun season. I will be out on doe patrol. Bucks have to be wall hanger size for me usually with the gun. Thanksgiving week I should get 3 all day hunts, and possibly an afternoon. Once our 2nd gun season is over my odds of tagging a buck drop big time. I will hopefully spend a lot of time on the new farm. Speaking of that place...I'm watching Dominant Bucks that was on my DVR, and Dale Carter is on there hunting near the same town this farm is by. This county is legendary for big bucks around here...I really hope I get to spend a lot of time here in December.
Snuck down to take a look. Followed good blood trail for 60 yards or so until it went into a real thick thicket. Decided not to fight my way through it in the dark. Backed out and will go down at first light. Dave
Update asap, Dave! In SD with the boys. Combined, we saw one doe this morning (too bad I didn't have a tag). This evening, was a different story. Right before last light, a shooter buck and eight does snuck past Dave. The group split his tree. He tried to guessimate side the buck was heading and selected incorectly. He tried to change directions and was busted by two does. Justin missed a shot at a doe. We'll be back at first light. Hunt hard guys! Good luck tomorrow!
Went down at first light and started tracking. Went about 60 yards to were I got to lastnight, literally had to crawl about 30 yards through a dence thicket. As soon as I cleared the thicket and stood a deer popped up 40 yards ahead of me and slightly to my right. Deer stood there, I looked through the binos and it was him. Dried blood down his side, look like an entrance wound 3 inches down from top of back and about 3 inches back further than were I aimed. He bounded off and I continued the track which led me right to his bed. Not much blood in the bed and it was all pretty much dried up. That small buck will live, seems all I did was educate him a little and put another hole in him he did not have at birth)) Surprised of the amount of blood initially but a muscle hit will bleed like that then stop if a deer lays down quick. I was actually glad to see he was O.K versus not being able to find him. Anyways, back home and going to do some honey-do chores then hit the woods this evening. P.S So you lucked out Will, no small doinky buck this time. All bets are still off, anything which meets a legal buck for my state is going down, my body is broke and I can not keep this up. Dave
Damn, bummer Dave. From how you described it, I thought you had a dead deer. I should be back out there on Tue, Wed, Thu with the bow. I haven't been to this property since Oct.1, and it should be very interesting. I've seen (and killed) some great bucks there. Let's see if I can handle 3 all-day sits. Then I go right into the gun season at another farm on Friday. Good Luck out there everyone!
I am really tired and sore. Not sure If I will make to a stand, if I do you can bet it will be close to the truck. Do not feel like hobbling far today. The highs and lows of hunting sure have me worn out. Dave
I head home tomorrow, probably won't get out until wednesday if I feel it is safe. Sorry about the buck Dave, things happen for a reason, I think that something big it's in your future. Sent from my PG06100 using Tapatalk
Dave, tough luck, but I agree with Matt. A bigger buck is coming... heal, do what you can, make me buy you that steak dinner. I double dog dare you! Matt, I saw a small amount of chasing this weekend in S.Dakota. This morning, I had an eight pointer dogging a doe. His main beams were intact but every thine, I mean every thine, was broken off. As he ran by, I thought, "Both a lover and a fighter." I had a nice shooter walk up to my stand. Of course it wasn't light enough for a quality photo. You should have fun on Wednesday-good luck! I'm ready to have a bow back in hand. Missouri cannot come fast enough!
Alright guys, enough with the lowness! It's time to tighten the boot laces and show everyone what it means to be champions! Off our butts and let's get out there!
Had a very cool encounter yesterday. At first light I saw antlers moving along the field edge about 100 yards away. It was an absolute beast of an 8 pointer....no doubt the biggest 8 point I've ever seen. He followed a doe into a CRP field on top of the next ridge. He paid no attention to my grunts or rattling. About 30 minutes later a doe came out of the CRP and passed by me at 30 yards, but no buck followed her. I didn't see another deer the rest of the day. I have a single trail cam pic of a massive 8 pointer from last year. I can't say for sure if it is the same buck or not, but their racks were very similar...
I have an idea .... lets post pics of our kills this year again on this thread to jazz everyone up again ....
I'm back in the stand tomorrow afternoon. I also have a state employment test possibly Wednesday morning, so I may get another afternoon hunt in after that if lucky. We need some more points guys! I regret not shooting that buck Thursday night, but seeing that beast yesterday morning let's me know what they grow into if given time. Hopefully my patience pays off...
Went out Thursday and the wind was blowing 25-35mph. Had two deer move passed before light, one was a buck for sure. Had some does, a spike, a yote and an almost all white skunk go by. Skunk is dead if it comes by next week when fur harvester season opens. About 9 I move to the south side of the road. Even though the wind is blowing hard I have the perfect wind for this stand. Deer usually like to bed in the afternoon here and I thought I might see movement here. I bump two does bedded walking in. I get set up and before I know it I see antlers already past my shooting lane. I'm hunting around some cedars and deer can move in and out before you know it. I look to my right and there's a spike that decides to bed down in front of me about 30yds out. Soon the other buck comes back out and is about a 130" 11 point. He walks over to the spike and moves him out and then beds in front of me. He's facing me the whole time and I'm holding my bow. An hour goes by and he stands up so I finally get to put my bow back up. My body is cramping up and my left leg is numb. He then beds back down for another hour and a half. Finally he leaves and I can stretch out. I was going to hunt all day but this killed my body with the wind on top of it. Later in the day I go back to where I shot my doe. I didn't see anything on my side of the river but could see some deer on the food plot. Saturday the wind is blowing real hard and I sleep in. Seen lots of does driving around Thursday evening and the bigger bucks just aren't into it yet in my area. That evening I go out to hunt the mouth of a canyon by the food plot. I see 3 different 8 pts but they are all small young deer and 4 does. I also saw 3 more similar 8pts driving back to the house. Sunday I decided to try something different. I climbed a cedar tree where a finger comes out of a canyon. Had three does come by right as I got up in the tree. Seen a 4 pt and another doe and that was it. That evening I went back out to a new spot I haven't hunted and seen 1 coyote and that was it. I decided to not hunt today as the bucks don't seem interested in does at all yet. I still have 10 days coming up so I don't want to get burnt out yet. Our buck season lasts until December 31 so I still have some time.
Dave everyone is right a good one will coming walking in soon and you will put him down. Scott your patience will payoff glad your seeing some good bucks. Clint hope you start seeing some big boys soon I bet its not far off. Will have fun in Missouri PT shoot a doe already. Isaiah when do you get to hunt again? Hope you get some stand time in. Dren hows it look in Nebraska? When do you get to hunt again? Reese where ya at man? Having any luck? Hope the job thing works out well. NY seeing any bucks up there? Fred & Aaron keep on these guys! Boys we cant let down we are so close lets not blow this thing Lewinski style.
Clint, I love encounters like that! Yeah, they are tough on the body, but it is worth it in the end-even if you do not get a shot off. Stay after it. Colby, it looks like I'll be hunting with the orange army, while in Missouri. I'm using my bow but will also need to wear orange. Cannot wait! I have three bottles of the TVFS ready to roll. PT, while in my stand (bowless-camera in hand) this past weekend, I had a thought. Do you think atheists volunteer to work on Christmas? Usually, I'm thinking things like, "Which animal will break the night's silence?" Go ahead and start a Team 6 success thread. Do it in the main body. Let's light this place up!
Will good luck again in Missouri sorry you have to wear orange be safe. (I hate blaze orange with a passion) Does the TVFS work for does too? Which would you recommend and bring some to nebraska?
