I thought I saw home fall, he went 40 yards from point of impact Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
All this time on the forums and I just learned from your post that F5 refreshes the thread. Sheesh I'm old.
Will do!!! Still hauling him out, taking a break to catch my breath haha Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
Congratulations! I’m strictly a public land bowhunter in North Carolina. I’ve seen some good ones this year but just not close enough. I have killed one doe. I am off this Friday and Saturday and will be back at it before I head to New York for some black bear fun Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Here has been my public land experience so far this year. The first time out I had 1 guy walk and set up right in the bedding area this was an afternoon hunt while another guy came in and was collecting wood for what I assume would be used for crafts. The next 2 trips where good I saw one young buck and one really old 6 point he almost got the shaft. The next few trips I saw deer every time I went out it was hot so I didn't want to shoot a doe so I just waited for a buck. I picked the coldest morning and went out I saw a few does and was about to call it a day when this big bodied buck steps out, he had about 120" of antlers and was about 250 pounds. I saw that deer last year too he was a fighter then I'm sure I'll rattle him in later this year. The last couple of trips I have had some seriously weird experiences, first I went to one of my favorite river crossing spots knowing that some dude set a stand up in the worst tree possible down there. I saw deer but nothing great. Then I ran into why I saw nothing great 2 guys that look like they just stepped out of Deliverance shot a doe and had no idea of what to do or where they shot it. That ended with no deer and a bad feeling about what these guys were up to out there. I went back on Sunday afternoon and the Deliverance boys weren't there but 2 other guys that looked like they came from the Hills Have Eyes, I was sitting in my truck contemplating when I should go out and they pull into the parking area, then leave. They drive by 3 other times and I'm like time to go out and claim my spot before they screw it up. As I'm setting up I can see the dirt road ( lots of deer by the road always) they drive by again and see me setting up, they drive by like 3 more times then park. I hear them leave and the dude is grunting all the way to his stand like me after taco night. He gets to his stand and starts making the worst Owl calls I have ever heard. Turkey season is open so I'm thinking he wants a turkey but as long as he stays where he is I'm good. Come sunset I hear the truck start and just sit there Then the door slamming shut and they finally pulled out with about 10 minutes of light left. As soon as that happened the deer came out in force, I saw 7 in the last 10 minutes I think I'm going to have to use these guys as blockers.
LOL 130! Keep at it man. I've hunted private land one time and saw three does. Had em in range but passed. I've hunted the public land maybe 7 to 8 times, mainly in the mornings (hate mornings most of October but only time I have to hunt). Seen deer and had them in range probably five of those hunts. I have only seen one buck, a spike. Yeah, I suck.
I’m going for broke tomorrow morning. I’m going to this hill somewhat blind in the dark and hour and a half before sunrise. I Remember it very well from last year and I already have a few good ideas of where I’m going to set up, in some mountain laurel w/ the ghille suit. supposed to be around 40°, and a perfect wind. I’m hoping to catch a buck coming back to the bedding area, If not hopefully I can catch one cruising the Ridgeline. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Alrighty!! Story time! I apologize for it being the next day. I had to get to work as soon as I was done quartering the buck. The story starts on last Sunday. Sunday was the beginning of the cold front. The high was 60 and the low was 48. It was also suppose to storm from Saturday night to Sunday morning. I decided to do a hang and hunt. I wanting to walk through all of the oak flats and find a fresh scrape. This was my first time trying this. I have only seen two scrapes in the 4 years I have been hunting here. Not far from the main trail ( probably 200 yards) I found a scape. Then I look over and see a rub. I set up a camera in the scrape and then I set up myself down wind of the scrape. That night I see 3 does walking about 70 yards away and that is it. Now Tuesday night/ Wednesday morning was going to be the coldest night/morning, it was 40. I decided to go check the camera to see if any buck had came to it in the past two days. If a buck had come and checked it, I would hunt it. If no buck had checked it, I wouldn't hunt it. I would keep walking and find another place to hunt. On Wednesday morning, I walk in. I get to the camera and check it. One buck did come in on Monday morning at 10 am. But that was it. So I was definitely really contemplating on just keep walking. But I said to myself. This scrape is worth one more sit. I started getting up in the tree with my climber. ( last time I brought my hang on and sticks). I realized that I wouldn't be able to get as high as I needed to see everything properly. So I go back down the tree and move over to a pine tree because that was my only option that was close. It was roughly 14 yards away from the first tree I got it. And the scrape was still 25 yards away. I get up in this LOUD pine tree. I'm over here really depressed because I was thinking no deer would come now because of how loud this tree was being. I stuck it out. I get roughly 28 feet in the tree. I had 3 perfect lanes to shoot a buck going to or away from the scrape. Come sun up, the squirrels are going nuts. I am looking at each new noise. Then I start to realize the wind is more south west then northwest which is a big issue because most of the deer movement I have seen is from the northeast to the south west. So my wind is blowing the same direction as the deer movement. So I'm really thinking this is a blown hunt. It only took 40 minutes of daylight and I hear something walking. I look over and see a body through the trees. Then I look to see if it is a buck, it is. Next, is it legal, which he looked legal to me ( I will get to that later). He walks by at twenty yards heading straight for that scrape. I stop him and let it fly. It didn't sound great. It didn't sound like it was a good shot. Then he ran off. But he didn't run off like he was hurt. I figured he would run then stop and look back thinking what was that. He ran 40 yards, stopped, and then flopped on the ground and spun around on the ground. I was freaking stoked. I had been hunting out here for years and hadn't shot one yet. So I was so happy. I call everyone and get the word out. Found my arrow, great blood and two inches in the ground. I start walking over to where I saw him fall, and there he was! Dead. The shot went in his left shoulder and exited half way through the offside ribcage. Later found out, it went straight through his heart. I am so so happy. I start to realize that his inside spread is going to really really close to 13 inches. I know both the local game wardens so I went ahead and texted one saying that I shot a good buck this morning but he is going to be really close to being illegal. I finally got to the tape measure and he is 12.5 inches wide. So I call up the game warden and let him know. He tells me to send him some pics which I did, I even sent him the trail cam photo I have of him. In the trail cam photo you can see that his antlers is outside his ears ( which is the rule of thumb on the 13 inch rule). he tells me it is a great buck and for me to enjoy him saying it was okay and that he was a mature buck. ( he is actually the biggest bodied and antlered deer I have pictures of so far out there this year). So I got him all cut up and in coolers ready to process later today or tomorrrow I am beyond happy with this buck. He might only score 100 inches ( if that) but I so proud of this buck. I have worked hard for him for sure. I am glad I could enjoy the experience with you guys!!! I hope I can do the same when you guys get one down! Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
