Staying Alive, Staying Alive

The last week of hunting has presented a few small signs of the rut starting. A few small bucks were circling around sniffing up does that were bedded down about 20 yards from my ground blind. During my trip to Michigan for work, I saw a mature buck along Rt 80 chasing a doe like a junior high boy seeing his first girl. Although all good signs, it still seems to be sporadic. I would imagine in the next week it will break loose. It been about a week past the full moon, and from what my uncle indicated from his intimate knowledge, that after the first two frosts rut should begin.

It was just yesterday where is was sunny and comfortable while sitting in my ground blind. Today, its snowing, in October. Really? I told myself this is okay though. This Nor'easter is going to be the cold spell to finally push that rut to begin. I have spent the last few weeks manging out some does from the herd and rarely seeing a buck during the daylight. I didn't envision this based on the early trail camera pictures. I thought I would have a set of antlers on the wall for the Halloween party to talk about with the guys. I even have a few new bucks that have showed up on camera they we haven't seen before.


A new 7 point with one small brow tie is quite impressive. His tines have some good length and present a high rack. Certainly worthy for the hit list. Again though no shooter bucks have broken the night time feeding pattern. The one buck that does haunt my woods is the 5 point. It took a while to capture him on camera but I had seen him before that. I am trying to determine if he is a mature buck because his nose and approach tactics hint on his abilities. Every time I have encountered him, he has ended up checking downwind of me and busting out of the area.


Yesterday, I had the 5 pointer at 12 yards to which I could have ended his stuck up lifestyle. He snuck in on me from the corner of the blind I could see out. Even at 12 yards, I could decide to pull the trigger or to let it ride. His tines are rather long and his strut made it seem like he had a mature swagger. With a hope of good Karma to come, I let him pass. He moved on to the food plot and a few minutes later he came running out. Did he catch my wind....I thought it unlikely. Maybe Brian's dad came out in the backyard and spooked him. Either way this buck has been the only deer to bust me. I hope is nose doesn't mess up an opportunity at a shooter buck for me. A 20" arrow could have secured that fate yesterday to my advantage but will let things play out on fate. Or a cross bow arrow if he shows up again.


Below is that 7 point buck I mentioned. Although two brow ties are present, I believe only one will score.
The mature bucks are doing a great job though staying alive. If only night hunting was legal.