My rut hunting plan was to hunt remote islands where hunting pressure tends to be lower, in the thoughts that mature bucks will cruise without the fear on running into hunters. That plan did not work this year due to the low water levels, which allowed many hunters to access these islands. On to plan “B” (you know if what they say about plan “B”………if it was any good it would be plan “A”) The spot I planned to hunt seems like an unlikely hunting area, thin strip of trees that extends out into the marsh, with a water source alongside it. It has buck bedding on the end of it; it also is a natural funnel. The hunt started out kind of disastrous (many of my hunts start or end this way). I have to cross an overflow ditch and had no problem doing this a month ago in knee boots. When I arrived at my crossing I knew I had a problem, the water was higher than before. I tried to cross anyway (I believe we all have a “stupid alarm” which is supposed to warn us before doing anything un-wise……..mine is broke from September 15th until November 30th). A couple of steps and I went in to the mid thigh, thankfully it was a balmy 38 degrees out. I turned around and headed back to solid ground to come up with plan “C”. Plan “C” was to find a dang tree and sit in it. I followed the transition line about 100 yards and found a likely tree, about as large around as my wet thigh. Arriving at the tree I poured my boots out, wrung my socks out and climbed 8 feet up. A half hour before shooting light I heard grunting and rustling in the cattails. I could hear the deer cross the transition line and head into the woods. A few minutes later I heard “thumping” directly behind me, followed shortly by a doe blowing non-stop for what seemed like 5 minutes. While she was blowing the buck with her was grunting non-stop. I could hear them walk off and a few minutes later the doe must have crossed my trail or scent stream again, because she started blowing again. Not a good start. As shooting light arrived I could hear occasional grunting in the cattails. It was hard to tell how far away it was, sound in cattails is hard for me to pin point. After hearing this for awhile I gave a few grunts without any perceived result. Throughout the rest of the morning I would occasionally hear deer in the cattails as well as the occasional grunt. My toes were slowly turning into marshcicles and I knew I could not sit all morning without them falling off. I gave a series of tending grunts and immediately heard running in the cattails. I waited a half hour and nothing. I dusted off my bag of magic pixie dust and rattled lightly and gave a few short grunts. A minute later I heard a stick break and saw tall tines raking the brush in the transition line. The buck moved through the brush, came to a slight opening and I whacked him. He ran about 50 yards into the cattails and I heard him fall. I tracked him down, took a few pictures and headed back to the truck to grab my sled. The drag was relatively easy for the marsh, took about 90 minutes, 0.61 miles. It is not the biggest buck in the world, but after the morning I had I was very thankful to kill him, it was definitely a gift from God. As a wise old man once said “It’s a good buck for the public marsh”. Scent control routine: 1. Take dirty, sweaty hunting clothes from previous hunt, throw them on a “scent free cement floor”. 2. Don’t shower, but do take a dip in disgusting marsh water, so you smell like a marsh. 3. Don’t let deer get downwind. 4. Kill buck. Front view Side view In the cattails Stand View from stand Bucks view shortly before getting whacked (notice stand in background) Arrow
Man, awesome buck and great story! Love those long tines! Way to fight off murphy and whack a nice one!
Great read Congrats on great buck and persitance paid off, good thing the toes didn't fall off ,LOL been there. Rocky
