Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility

The Maryland Monster a no show

Discussion in 'Bowhunting Talk' started by HuntingBry, Nov 3, 2009.

  1. HuntingBry

    HuntingBry Die Hard Bowhunter

    Joined:
    Jul 25, 2008
    Posts:
    1,542
    Likes Received:
    0
    Dislikes Received:
    0
    Location:
    SE PA
    I headed down the Maryland Sunday for what would be the last overnight down there this year hoping to catch the Maryland Monster on his feet in the creek bottom where we'd been seeing him. Sunday was one of the Sundays that MD opens for hunting so I wanted to take advantage of it.

    I got down there around 1, checked into the Red Roof Inn and headed to the spot. I walked to where Damien had last seen the Monster. He had been hunting right over the creek where he originally saw him and there was a bench up top that the Monster and the big 8 were on last time out of range. I moved up to the bench and downstream a bit as the wind was a N/NE wind and that would put my scent out into the field above. I could still shoot down to the bottom, but not to the other side of the creek.

    I got set up in a tree that had two young maples on either side that still had leaves and at 20 feet I was nested into the branches of the maples and had great cover. I rattled around 4 to stir some things up and repeatedly smashed my thumb during the sequence. As I sat cursing my throbbing thumb a buck ran across the creek around 4:30 heading down stream and away from me. I quickly grabbed my grunt call and through a few grunts and bleats at him but lost sight. Around 4:45 I looked to my right and there was the buck standing 55 yards away. He worked his way in slowly and worked down the bench to 15 yards broadside looking down toward the creek. Picture perfect. Unfortunately, he was a 100" 8 point and not one of the big dogs that runs down there so I watched him continue on down the trail.

    A little after 5:00 I heard what sounded like antlers crashing out in the field. I looked back to see a buck come running out of a small depression in the field and away from me. I never got a great look at him, but his antlers were out past his rear end as he ran away from me and he had a big body on him. Nothing else the rest of the night.

    Monday morning found me in the same tree and I only saw a half rack spike on the opposite side of the creek around 8:50. I got down around 10 and changed because I had to pull a couple of stands that we had in there. We only share permission with 1 other guy, but with the gun season approaching who knows who will be in there and it's always better safe than sorry.

    The evening yielded no sightings from the stand, but I did see a buck in the field on the way out. I could barely make out a rack through my binoculars (light gathering binoculars are great), but it looked like it was pretty high.

    With that I started my long drive home. I may get down there one more time for an evening only hunt if I can convince the wife that 6 hours driving round trip is worth it.

    Stay tuned.
     

Share This Page