I take off time every year around the second weekend of ML and the 3 days leading up to Thanksgiving. I hunt as hard as my body allows me and often times do not know when or how to take a break. It makes me tired to say the least. I hunted hard on my personal property and only had one good buck showing up that I knew of. He didn't show up till the 19th and was only there for 3 days. He was all over the place for those three days and got several pics of him at night on different cameras. On Monday the 22nd, high winds, cold front, I choose to sit in my shooting house worrying about scent blowing up to the property behind me as deer come through from that side. At 4:23 I get a pic and he is on the other end of the property. I missed the pic and didn't realize it until about 10 minutes later and by then I had gotten 4 pics, but it was clear he left. I missed my chance at him for this round.
Tuesday I was hunting and I get down and there is a doe looking at me. Normally I leave them alone in November, but I was like I need some meat, and if she lets me move a step over, pick my rifle up, and aim at her, I am going to kill her. She did, and I did. No pics as I had to get here broke down, so I could eat and get back out there.
Wednesday before Thanksgiving went to public with my brother. Sat in a cedar thicket that has been a hot spot since bow. Was facing so I could watch an old fence line and thought about moving 5 ft to another tree to face the other way as deer come from that direction too. About 15 minutes after the thought and not following my gut instinct, I heard a twig pop behind me over my left shoulder, and looked back around the tree. Deer blows and bounds off and all I see is antlers (tall and wide). Biggest buck I have laid eyes on in this WMA and definitely one of the bigger ones I have seen while hunting...
After hunting Thursday AM, and then cooking Prime Rib and other stuff later that day, I showed up faithfully to hunt the next AM. Saw a few, but nothing I wanted to shoot. Decided go back to public land that afternoon. I knew that buck would not come back most likely as I know he saw me and most likely smelled me as the wind was swirling when he showed up.
Set up a little ways away from where I was Wednesday, where one cedar thicket hits a break of hardwood trees and then the cedar thicket starts back up (basically an open area between the two thickets. Right at dark, this buck (not the big one, but big enough) shows up just cruising. I was ready to kill a buck and this is the biggest I have ever shot on this WMA. I popped him and took him home. I had to load him on my boat and get home, but decided to take the day off (Saturday) to rest. It was much needed for my old body. Sorry about the poor pics. I don't like taking pics out there, because I feel like people may try to get the location data. I had him in the wheel barrow and wasn't unloading him and then having to put him back
. I let him wait until the morning so I could relax and rest. Temps were right below freezing. I have the skull mount almost done. Will try to remember to post pics when it is done.
Tuesday I was hunting and I get down and there is a doe looking at me. Normally I leave them alone in November, but I was like I need some meat, and if she lets me move a step over, pick my rifle up, and aim at her, I am going to kill her. She did, and I did. No pics as I had to get here broke down, so I could eat and get back out there.
Wednesday before Thanksgiving went to public with my brother. Sat in a cedar thicket that has been a hot spot since bow. Was facing so I could watch an old fence line and thought about moving 5 ft to another tree to face the other way as deer come from that direction too. About 15 minutes after the thought and not following my gut instinct, I heard a twig pop behind me over my left shoulder, and looked back around the tree. Deer blows and bounds off and all I see is antlers (tall and wide). Biggest buck I have laid eyes on in this WMA and definitely one of the bigger ones I have seen while hunting...
After hunting Thursday AM, and then cooking Prime Rib and other stuff later that day, I showed up faithfully to hunt the next AM. Saw a few, but nothing I wanted to shoot. Decided go back to public land that afternoon. I knew that buck would not come back most likely as I know he saw me and most likely smelled me as the wind was swirling when he showed up.
Set up a little ways away from where I was Wednesday, where one cedar thicket hits a break of hardwood trees and then the cedar thicket starts back up (basically an open area between the two thickets. Right at dark, this buck (not the big one, but big enough) shows up just cruising. I was ready to kill a buck and this is the biggest I have ever shot on this WMA. I popped him and took him home. I had to load him on my boat and get home, but decided to take the day off (Saturday) to rest. It was much needed for my old body. Sorry about the poor pics. I don't like taking pics out there, because I feel like people may try to get the location data. I had him in the wheel barrow and wasn't unloading him and then having to put him back
. I let him wait until the morning so I could relax and rest. Temps were right below freezing. I have the skull mount almost done. Will try to remember to post pics when it is done.
