Well another week has passed which brings my Sika deer hunt closer to reality. The summer has really shown some hot and humid weather like last year, which hopefully it doesn't carry into the fall. A cool and crisp fall would be quite the treat to have deer up and moving during the day instead of gallivanting in the week hours of the night while hunters sleep restlessly. It would be disheartening to see another abnormally hot fall, which in turn pushes rut activity into late night hours.
With my Sika deer hunt days away and providing a great kickoff to my 2012 season, I found myself having to go solo again. Granted I have spent a majority of my hunts alone and on my own adventure schedule, but it takes away from the collaboration with a hunting buddy. An extra set of eyes, a second decision making process to keep your mind at ease, and that doubling of your chances to harvest an animal (not to mention the mitigation of the safety risk of hunting alone). That all goes away when you are hunting solo and making your adventure that much harder. The weather will play out as mother nature desires, animals will move as they feel, leaving the only thing at this point you can count on, your equipment.
So the equipment list has been drafted and reviewed like a letter to Santa at Christmas. The things you have, items still to buy, and the really nice stocking stuffers you wish to have before hitting the woods. Have you ever hit the woods though to find out your headlamp battery is dead, which makes for a long and noisy walk to your hunting spot. What if it was a more vital piece of equipment like you rangefinder making you shooting distances best guess vs being spot on. These situations can lead to a miss, a fall in the dark, or even failing to harvest that animal. So we make checklists when preparing our equipment and supplies, first to ensure have everything we need or may want to take for those in case situations. Then you strap, stuff, and hang as much equipment on your person prior to marching into the woods. STOP...take a few minutes, turn on items with batteries, check levels and replace as necessary. This is your last chance before climbing into that hunting spot having the tools available to make your hunt complete.
I spent a day or two gathering equipment for each hunt, especially when the hunt conditions are different like traveling via boat to your hunting spot vs a short walk from your truck. You can't just say, its alright I have more in the truck at this point, when you are 5 miles away deep in the marsh. Carry extra clothes, socks, drinks, and more are so very important when distance hunting. This doesn't even cover the various items you need when traveling via boat. That dry you thought you may have had on the way in turned into a morning shower. I know I wouldn't want to have to sit for a few hours in a stand if I was soaking wet. All conditions you may encounter during your hunt have to be considered early on and the preparation for potential is ready for anything.
Don't let yourself down by failing to check your equipment and have a response plan ready. So before you lay your head down for the night, turn over, pick up your alarm clock and double check that battery. Nothing is worse than showing up to hunting spot late and watching the tail of the big one wave away in the other direction.
Friday, August 31, 2012
Monday, August 20, 2012
Another Year Older and Getting In Shape
Well I was able to download the second round of trail cam pictures from my local hunting spots. It provides that wonder to help pass time and puzzle the mind. Will I be able to shoot one of these deer this year, are they following the feeding patterns of the moon, and what will be on next weeks trail camera. It's the good ending to film that keeps that wonder in your mind to look forward to more. The usual players were on the prowl and a few newbies. There was a certainly one notable newbie that grabbed my attention.
I had to look back to the buck I shot last year to figure out this riddle. There was only one picture from this round of photos that captured an upcoming buck. It presented the same characteristics of the buck I shot last year, wide forked antlers with barely noticeable brow ties. His body size was certainly that of an old mature buck, thick necked, sagging belly, and grey faced. I compared the new buck to that of photos from last year, the I had was blurry, and this new buck was far in the background. His wide forked antlers sitting high and brow ties to blurry to see. The picture below shows the new buck in the background.
It was shear luck though that first picture I opened from 10/22/11 was the buck. A small five pointer with on brow tie on his right antler. This year though, the buck had grown leaps and bounds. I was amazed at the growth spert. It was undoubtly a match and presented a trend of gene pool simularities from my buck. Could the mature buck I shot last year be the father of this buck....I would venture to say yes. I could only see the trend though from the recent picture, showing those wide forked antlers and absence of stout brow ties. You can see last years picture of this 5 pointer below.
It had occurred to me though, that the antler growth from last year was in further development than the same time this year. Was the harsh summer of extreme heat and dry conditions to blame? Again, it will be wonder left in my mind to think about these aspects of the hunt. The month of August here has felt like an eternity, it has finally showed signs of the hot weather giving up. Last year it pushed all the way into early winter, causing the bucks to only show rut activity at night.
So this little 5 pointer from last year had managed to break off on his antlers in early December and he still managed to eat well and grow a health mass this year. Another year older meant so much more to him, walking in the foot steps of his father. Its now my turn to take some time to get in shape and walking tall like this 5 pointer. I traded in my couch for a tredmill and set goals to blow the dust off these bones. Catching my breath due to an exciting shot is enjoyable, doing it after climbing my treestand is a shame. With full gambit of hunts on the schedule, I can't afford to be caught catching my breath for being out of shape. A healthy hunter is on that stays in shape.
I had to look back to the buck I shot last year to figure out this riddle. There was only one picture from this round of photos that captured an upcoming buck. It presented the same characteristics of the buck I shot last year, wide forked antlers with barely noticeable brow ties. His body size was certainly that of an old mature buck, thick necked, sagging belly, and grey faced. I compared the new buck to that of photos from last year, the I had was blurry, and this new buck was far in the background. His wide forked antlers sitting high and brow ties to blurry to see. The picture below shows the new buck in the background.
It was shear luck though that first picture I opened from 10/22/11 was the buck. A small five pointer with on brow tie on his right antler. This year though, the buck had grown leaps and bounds. I was amazed at the growth spert. It was undoubtly a match and presented a trend of gene pool simularities from my buck. Could the mature buck I shot last year be the father of this buck....I would venture to say yes. I could only see the trend though from the recent picture, showing those wide forked antlers and absence of stout brow ties. You can see last years picture of this 5 pointer below.
It had occurred to me though, that the antler growth from last year was in further development than the same time this year. Was the harsh summer of extreme heat and dry conditions to blame? Again, it will be wonder left in my mind to think about these aspects of the hunt. The month of August here has felt like an eternity, it has finally showed signs of the hot weather giving up. Last year it pushed all the way into early winter, causing the bucks to only show rut activity at night.
So this little 5 pointer from last year had managed to break off on his antlers in early December and he still managed to eat well and grow a health mass this year. Another year older meant so much more to him, walking in the foot steps of his father. Its now my turn to take some time to get in shape and walking tall like this 5 pointer. I traded in my couch for a tredmill and set goals to blow the dust off these bones. Catching my breath due to an exciting shot is enjoyable, doing it after climbing my treestand is a shame. With full gambit of hunts on the schedule, I can't afford to be caught catching my breath for being out of shape. A healthy hunter is on that stays in shape.
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Pre-season and Scheduling
As hunting season gets closer, planning and scouting are keys to keeping your mind off that big buck standing in front of your trail camera already. Without good planning and solid scouting though, that big buck could be sitting in front of your trail camera next year too. Just like taking a test that you want a good grade on, it pays to do your home work.
So as the summer months slip by, which feels like an eternity, it provides time to plan out the fall hunting trips. First on the stop on the Merky Water Adventures will be a Sika deer hunt in Maryland. This was a hunt that we did last year and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. One thing we didn't like was the high hunting pressure of the area we selected. With that being said, I have plotted a course for a new area, Ellis Bay WMU. Its a bit further south but provides just as much area as the Fishing Creek WMU near Cambridge, MD. We had gone into that hunt last as blind as a pirate with pink eye. So this year, we have studied aerial photos, called local wildlife management offices, and planned an early scouting/hunting trip in September.
The goal here to locate a good hunting area that provides the conditions for steady sika deer population and less hunting pressure. We felt like bumper boats last year trying to the prime hunting spots. If it works out, we will be able to add another hunting area to our armory. We even went low budget and booked a campsite at near by campground. The conditons will most likely be hot, as it falls into the first week of September and mosquitoes will be trying to hunt us down like a prom date. So the thermacells are packed and light camo is a must.
I feel like the hunting season is going to be a blur as almost every weekend is dog earred for a different hunt or area already. So the following week is the soft opening for the PA bow season and my 31st birthday. So it will be slick head hunting at my local spot and birthday cake for me. A little fresh backstrap wrapped in bacon would be a great present for the party.
Once more trail camera pictures come in it will dictate staying local or heading to western PA for antlers. I plan on taking a week of vacation once the rut gets on heavy and spending some time with my uncle and cousins. Then its back to Maryland for a second Sika deer hunt with my co-worker Josh. At this point I will be a 1000 miles on the odometer and climbing. In addition to driving miles, I have found an opportunity to hunt Colorado for elk and mule deer with my friend Jeff and will be putting my feet in the air. This isn't even up to halloween yet either. Pencil your calendars early on and stick to your goals for the season.
So as part of my planning process: area scouting, equipment review, and personal training are on the front burner. I will discuss these in my next post. Until then, make that big buck dream a reality and do your homework folks.
So as the summer months slip by, which feels like an eternity, it provides time to plan out the fall hunting trips. First on the stop on the Merky Water Adventures will be a Sika deer hunt in Maryland. This was a hunt that we did last year and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. One thing we didn't like was the high hunting pressure of the area we selected. With that being said, I have plotted a course for a new area, Ellis Bay WMU. Its a bit further south but provides just as much area as the Fishing Creek WMU near Cambridge, MD. We had gone into that hunt last as blind as a pirate with pink eye. So this year, we have studied aerial photos, called local wildlife management offices, and planned an early scouting/hunting trip in September.
The goal here to locate a good hunting area that provides the conditions for steady sika deer population and less hunting pressure. We felt like bumper boats last year trying to the prime hunting spots. If it works out, we will be able to add another hunting area to our armory. We even went low budget and booked a campsite at near by campground. The conditons will most likely be hot, as it falls into the first week of September and mosquitoes will be trying to hunt us down like a prom date. So the thermacells are packed and light camo is a must.
I feel like the hunting season is going to be a blur as almost every weekend is dog earred for a different hunt or area already. So the following week is the soft opening for the PA bow season and my 31st birthday. So it will be slick head hunting at my local spot and birthday cake for me. A little fresh backstrap wrapped in bacon would be a great present for the party.
Once more trail camera pictures come in it will dictate staying local or heading to western PA for antlers. I plan on taking a week of vacation once the rut gets on heavy and spending some time with my uncle and cousins. Then its back to Maryland for a second Sika deer hunt with my co-worker Josh. At this point I will be a 1000 miles on the odometer and climbing. In addition to driving miles, I have found an opportunity to hunt Colorado for elk and mule deer with my friend Jeff and will be putting my feet in the air. This isn't even up to halloween yet either. Pencil your calendars early on and stick to your goals for the season.
So as part of my planning process: area scouting, equipment review, and personal training are on the front burner. I will discuss these in my next post. Until then, make that big buck dream a reality and do your homework folks.
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Post Season Wrap Up
I sat down on my typical sunday today and watched some hunting shows. I caught a few that went through their highpoints of the year. What great idea. With that in mind, it gives me a chance to talk about mine. It felt like just yesterday that I stepped into my buddy's property to start my scouting of the area in southeastern Pennsylvania. Brian constantly said there were deer in his backyard. We strolled through the back lawn into a thick cedar stand of woods. The groundcover was dense small pathways. These small pathways weren't just animal trails though, they were deer superhighways. There was so much travel the paths were packed down hard like paved roadways.
So we hung a stand and installed a Wildgame Innovations trail camera. It wasn't long before the set of pictures came back. Deer...check, racoons...check, turkeys...check. I was truly surprised. The area is a meer 45 minutes away from Philadelphia and surrounded by tons of wildlife. Before we knew, the big boys (bucks) showed up to the camera as well. So I made final preparations which included the purchase of a Parker crossbow for my birthday. It was by far the best hunting present ever and gift to myself. Opening weekend quickly came and two deer later, my freezer was stocking up.
My co-worker Josh and I had planned mid season break from white tails to the marshlands of Maryland for some Sika deer action. This would require use of my skiff to access the hunting areas of marsh. This would be my first try at Sika deer, which is the eastern relative of the elk out west. The mornings were cool and crisp on the water, the moon laid up high to gives us a guiding light through the high marsh grass. As the sun would rise each morning and set in the evening, the marshland echoed with the bugle calls of this minature elk like deer. This experience was imprinted on me now and making want more. One thing I learned about early season in the marsh is full out mosiquto heaven, but Josh was able to stick a decent sized spike sike deer on the second morning.
After the hunting adventure to Maryland, which we fully intend to do again next year, it was back to southeastern, Pa. I was able to score another big doe with an incredible shot of 63 yards with my crossbow. This was frustrating though, all the bucks had converted to night time movement. A small glimer of hope would appear every few weeks of a big in the daylight on camera. So I would quickly change my work schedule to get some days during the week to get a sit in here and there. But with work being so demanding, I would have to travel to Detroit. One would think this to be a door closing on hunting, but on the contrary, this would put me close proximity to the family farm in western, PA.
Road tripping had always been second nature to me. So long as I found a place to lie my head down then I would make the trip. So Detroit bound I was, although it was the return side of the trip I looked forward to. With a quick call to my uncle to gain approval to hunt the farm then my trip would be cleared for take off. The one day at the farm would be a tease but well worth it. The morning was calling for a cold rain, so instead of sitting in my stand, I popped up the groundblind about 40 yards away. I was so glad to stay dry and still be able to see deer movement.
After the rain had stopped, the deer became to move. This morning would not provide an opportunity to see any bucks though. A small doe came strolling right past the blind with no idea I was there. I love that feeling, this is where all the scent control hurdles you jump finally pay off. I saw few more deer funnel out of the field but they traveled right down to the mine property. The evening hunt went about the same way, all doe and no bucks. The day was priceless though being able to sneak an early season sit on my favorite place to hunt.
Back to the grind of work, with the holiday season quickly approaching.
So we hung a stand and installed a Wildgame Innovations trail camera. It wasn't long before the set of pictures came back. Deer...check, racoons...check, turkeys...check. I was truly surprised. The area is a meer 45 minutes away from Philadelphia and surrounded by tons of wildlife. Before we knew, the big boys (bucks) showed up to the camera as well. So I made final preparations which included the purchase of a Parker crossbow for my birthday. It was by far the best hunting present ever and gift to myself. Opening weekend quickly came and two deer later, my freezer was stocking up.
My co-worker Josh and I had planned mid season break from white tails to the marshlands of Maryland for some Sika deer action. This would require use of my skiff to access the hunting areas of marsh. This would be my first try at Sika deer, which is the eastern relative of the elk out west. The mornings were cool and crisp on the water, the moon laid up high to gives us a guiding light through the high marsh grass. As the sun would rise each morning and set in the evening, the marshland echoed with the bugle calls of this minature elk like deer. This experience was imprinted on me now and making want more. One thing I learned about early season in the marsh is full out mosiquto heaven, but Josh was able to stick a decent sized spike sike deer on the second morning.
After the hunting adventure to Maryland, which we fully intend to do again next year, it was back to southeastern, Pa. I was able to score another big doe with an incredible shot of 63 yards with my crossbow. This was frustrating though, all the bucks had converted to night time movement. A small glimer of hope would appear every few weeks of a big in the daylight on camera. So I would quickly change my work schedule to get some days during the week to get a sit in here and there. But with work being so demanding, I would have to travel to Detroit. One would think this to be a door closing on hunting, but on the contrary, this would put me close proximity to the family farm in western, PA.
Road tripping had always been second nature to me. So long as I found a place to lie my head down then I would make the trip. So Detroit bound I was, although it was the return side of the trip I looked forward to. With a quick call to my uncle to gain approval to hunt the farm then my trip would be cleared for take off. The one day at the farm would be a tease but well worth it. The morning was calling for a cold rain, so instead of sitting in my stand, I popped up the groundblind about 40 yards away. I was so glad to stay dry and still be able to see deer movement.
After the rain had stopped, the deer became to move. This morning would not provide an opportunity to see any bucks though. A small doe came strolling right past the blind with no idea I was there. I love that feeling, this is where all the scent control hurdles you jump finally pay off. I saw few more deer funnel out of the field but they traveled right down to the mine property. The evening hunt went about the same way, all doe and no bucks. The day was priceless though being able to sneak an early season sit on my favorite place to hunt.
Back to the grind of work, with the holiday season quickly approaching.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Patience is a Virtue.
The amount of time spent in the woods provides you with information and opportunity. The more time in the better hunter you can become. I listened to folks at the office or family functions of look at this gadget or new gun and tales of how bad they want to hunt. That's great, but I can sit back and say, this is what I saw in the woods or check out pictures of the deer I harvested. I certainly don't do it to gloat. At the beginning of the year, my goals were set and I was going to do everything to complete them. Right off the bat I have an advantage, no kids (yet) and a great wife which lets me hunt a lot. So that leaves work as my only limiting factor to hunting time. Luckily my job role is flexible, I put extra time at night or on the weekend to make it possible.
So with the full moon shining and keeping a close eye on the trail camera, I am ready for the rut. A hunting program on TV yesterday with a deer biologist took the time to explain the status and timing of this years rut. Based on air temperatures and moon phases, this years rut is only days away. He even provided insight on big bucks showing their faces a few days before this full moon phase. He was right on, as we have two occurrences of the young 8 point buck during the morning and evening hours during daylight. This is something we haven't seen since August. I hunted hard after each day we saw him during the day, but nothing, he is like a ghost.
This buck can't take all the credit though, we have a total of five 8 point bucks that are now roaming the area. If it wasn't for the trail camera, one may have discredited this hunting spot a long time ago. Although we have been capturing their movements on camera for almost 4 months now. Its the second set of eyes you always wanted. I am sometimes more excited to download the camera rather than sitting in my stand. We knew there were bucks in the area though, based on tracks we observed throughout the season. For any area I plan to hunt though, I will always try to utilize a trail camera. Come black Friday, I will be looking for another camera on sale.
Its now crunch time, days away from the rut breaking loose. With only a few days of office work and meetings at the beginning of this week, I will find myself burning vacation to be in the woods come Thursday. Its the time to be in the woods and I don't plan on missing an opportunity on a monster buck.
So with the full moon shining and keeping a close eye on the trail camera, I am ready for the rut. A hunting program on TV yesterday with a deer biologist took the time to explain the status and timing of this years rut. Based on air temperatures and moon phases, this years rut is only days away. He even provided insight on big bucks showing their faces a few days before this full moon phase. He was right on, as we have two occurrences of the young 8 point buck during the morning and evening hours during daylight. This is something we haven't seen since August. I hunted hard after each day we saw him during the day, but nothing, he is like a ghost.
This buck can't take all the credit though, we have a total of five 8 point bucks that are now roaming the area. If it wasn't for the trail camera, one may have discredited this hunting spot a long time ago. Although we have been capturing their movements on camera for almost 4 months now. Its the second set of eyes you always wanted. I am sometimes more excited to download the camera rather than sitting in my stand. We knew there were bucks in the area though, based on tracks we observed throughout the season. For any area I plan to hunt though, I will always try to utilize a trail camera. Come black Friday, I will be looking for another camera on sale.
Its now crunch time, days away from the rut breaking loose. With only a few days of office work and meetings at the beginning of this week, I will find myself burning vacation to be in the woods come Thursday. Its the time to be in the woods and I don't plan on missing an opportunity on a monster buck.
Rut No, Six Please.
Well its been a while since I have posted on my blog, simply because I have been in the woods. I have spent the last two weeks hunting hard with 3-4 sits a week. I wish I could say that there is a bunch of deer on the ground to show for the effort. I did get a shot at a 6 point buck though. My first encounter with him, I had mistaken him for a smaller deer. This really made me wonder if it was the 5 point buck we had on camera for the past few months. His tines look so much bigger and body was massive. With only seconds to make a decision, I passed. I struck it up to better karma down the road.
One week later as I sat in my ground blind, the small spike crossed in front and then back again. He was checking out the food plot and then went back to his bedding area. I laid back in my chair to relax but then noticed movement to my right. A small flick of an ear or tail caught my eye. A buck had come up out of the bottom and was strolling around. From the first sight of him, I knew he was mature and a shooter. I quickly put my binocs on him and confirmed his 6 pt rack. I had to do a bit of shuffling in the blind to be able to shoot.
I have been using a camera tripod to steady my shot, but in this case it was on the wrong window of the blind. With a few adjustments I was then ready to make a shot. The buck seemed to be about 40 yards out and was quartering away from me. I put my 40 yard pin on him in the middle of his body, took a deep breath and squeezed the trigger. Like before, I heard the arrow make a smack sound on impact. With only limited view through the blind window and thick forest cover I was only able to see a few steps of the deer as he left.
I was confident at first that I made a solid shot, it was only a week before this I dropped a doe at 65 yards. I exited my blind and took a walk to the area where I shot. To my dismay though, I couldn't find any blood. I took to the area I thought he ran and walked further into the bottom. Before I knew it, I was at the end of the bottom which is outlined by a creek on two sides. With a miss on my mind, I turned and followed the other side of the creek back up the hill. Ah ha, antlers on the ground and the body of the deer with it. The trail that I took was not where the deer had ran, he actually turned back over the hump of the hill and had gone after 20 yards. By following the blood trail in reverse it led me right to my arrow.
Now the real work would start, the bad thing about solo hunting is draggin a brute of a deer out by yourself. With no truck access and a long uphill drag I knew this would take a while. Two hours later, the mature 6 point was loaded up and beginning his trip to my freezer. Some lady gave me a dirty look as I drove down the highway, I found it hilarious. The drive gave me time to think about this deer. He had never been on camera, and I believe it was him the week prior that I could have shot. Where did he come from. The rut is about two weeks out, so why did this deer magically show up. The answer lies with someone smarter than me in deer logic, until then his backstraps are in my freezer.
Below is a picture of the what I call the Straight Six buck. He is the widest and most mature deer I have ever harvested.
One week later as I sat in my ground blind, the small spike crossed in front and then back again. He was checking out the food plot and then went back to his bedding area. I laid back in my chair to relax but then noticed movement to my right. A small flick of an ear or tail caught my eye. A buck had come up out of the bottom and was strolling around. From the first sight of him, I knew he was mature and a shooter. I quickly put my binocs on him and confirmed his 6 pt rack. I had to do a bit of shuffling in the blind to be able to shoot.
I have been using a camera tripod to steady my shot, but in this case it was on the wrong window of the blind. With a few adjustments I was then ready to make a shot. The buck seemed to be about 40 yards out and was quartering away from me. I put my 40 yard pin on him in the middle of his body, took a deep breath and squeezed the trigger. Like before, I heard the arrow make a smack sound on impact. With only limited view through the blind window and thick forest cover I was only able to see a few steps of the deer as he left.
I was confident at first that I made a solid shot, it was only a week before this I dropped a doe at 65 yards. I exited my blind and took a walk to the area where I shot. To my dismay though, I couldn't find any blood. I took to the area I thought he ran and walked further into the bottom. Before I knew it, I was at the end of the bottom which is outlined by a creek on two sides. With a miss on my mind, I turned and followed the other side of the creek back up the hill. Ah ha, antlers on the ground and the body of the deer with it. The trail that I took was not where the deer had ran, he actually turned back over the hump of the hill and had gone after 20 yards. By following the blood trail in reverse it led me right to my arrow.
Now the real work would start, the bad thing about solo hunting is draggin a brute of a deer out by yourself. With no truck access and a long uphill drag I knew this would take a while. Two hours later, the mature 6 point was loaded up and beginning his trip to my freezer. Some lady gave me a dirty look as I drove down the highway, I found it hilarious. The drive gave me time to think about this deer. He had never been on camera, and I believe it was him the week prior that I could have shot. Where did he come from. The rut is about two weeks out, so why did this deer magically show up. The answer lies with someone smarter than me in deer logic, until then his backstraps are in my freezer.
Below is a picture of the what I call the Straight Six buck. He is the widest and most mature deer I have ever harvested.
Saturday, October 29, 2011
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.
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.
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