Read about all of my Hunting Adventures!
You may recall in my post from last weekend that I BELIEVED I had a monster buck poached out from under me. Well, after my adventure in killing a large dog..err...small doe on Monday, I went to eat dinner with my grandparents. On the way up the driveway, I spotted the big buck. WHEW! So, he didn't get popped by some poacher after all.
I talked with my granddad and we decided to go after this monster. We were pretty sure we had him cased pretty well. He likes to eat in the bean fields until right at dark, then he likes to chase the does up the mountain. So, granddad was to hunt one food plot and I would hunt another about 100 yards away. If he came in off the field, he would walk past one of us.
My dad and uncle built this new baller shooting house and I headed to it. It would beat the mess out of my sore booty experience from the metal stand the day before. And, it would keep me warm in these monsoon level winds that we experienced. I don't have a lot of experience with judging deer movement based on conditions. I am just now to the point of getting to hunt when I want, not when I can. I have to thank my wife....SOMEONE POINT THIS OUT TO HER!....for letting me hunt and fish so often.
Sometimes I wonder if she has some ulterior motive...but I digress.
As I parked at my mom's and walked down towards the house, I couldn't help but notice how torn up the roads were. In particular were several rubs and scrapes that seemed to be very fresh. Obviously there was a rutting buck. Well, I already knew that...considering that every time I saw the monster, he was in the company of several does. I stopped to take a pic of the scrape.
Meanwhile. I used some cotton balls and bottled doe pee to make a little trap for this guy, leading to the T in the road right in front of my shooting house.
I figured that the howling wind could at least do SOME work for me by getting the scent into the air.
As I waited, I was surprised to see that the squirrels were out and active, despite the swaying trees. I managed to snap a pic of one who wasn't too sure to make of that round and moving object in the window of the house.
I admit that I can watch them play for hours. So much so that I nearly missed the doe crossing the road just yards from him. I guess I rely on hearing too much. The wind prevented me from hearing her walk up and, just by happenstance, I saw her.
I apologize for the quality, but the wind was stiff and it was cold. I kept the windows closed. Maybe that's why I didn't hear her.....
As she stepped to my right and into the woods, I caught some movement. All I could see was a leg, definitely a deer, but in the thick brush. I could see it make steps, and then it was gone. Exactly the type of behavior to expect from a wizened buck. So. I waited. And waited. I kept my eyes locked on where I thought he would be.
In the corner of my mind, I heard the steps and logged their position, but paid no attention. That was until they sheer amount of noise caused me to finally look 180 degrees the other way. Just in the nick of time I watched 5 or 6 deer including a few fauns exit the woods into the food plot. Perfect. With that many does in the field, surely it will draw out a buck.
Add fuel to the fire as 2 more does came from behind me and walked to the field. 10 deer or so. Surely he will come.
I waited. And waited. And then it was dark.
Oh well. It's always fun to actually see deer. I know a lot of people that don't get to. Heck, as a child hunting in Jackson county, we wouldn't see but a few deer a year. Possibly because it was a hunting club that killed them all. Or possibly because I was a 5 year old kid stomping around with his grandfather.
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