JCDEERMAN
Well-Known Member
It sure gets a lot colder in the steep hollows of Jackson County. It was in the upper teens Friday morning. I had the bibs and big jacket on looking like the Michelin man. It wasn't the crazy rut action we saw last year there, where bucks were chasing does all over the place. However, this year the bucks were definitely on the move. Every one I saw was cruising with their nose to the ground. If you heard or saw a single deer, rest assured it was a buck. This was the latest I have ever killed a buck - it was at 9:25am.
Last year, I asked my FIL if anyone ever hunted at the head of this 30 acre lake on the lease because it looks like the perfect funnel. There are 6 points that come down together in this 100 yard wide hollow. Also, if the deer want to cross the hollow, they either have to cross here of go 1/2 mile further down the hollow and cross at the dam. The thermals basically go straight down the creek bed down into the lake. It's almost bullet proof if the wind is light (no wind down in the big bottom - it's all thermals). Anyways, he said no one hunts there. I claimed it as "my spot". Saw 19 deer there one day last year. Friday morning 11/26, I set up and like textbook, he came off one of the points down toward the lake to cross the bottom and head to the other side. Made a perfect shot on him at 75 yards. He came running past and I decided to try and put another one in him and did - spined him. I had shot one of the biggest deer of my life 11/13 and after 9 hours of searching, couldn't ever find him. SO, I wasn't letting this deer get away. Definitely got redemption. We put him as a "tweener" at 4 years old. He has way more characteristics than a 3.5, but not quite as many as a true 4.5. Regardless, he was the deer we were after. The weather for this Thanksgiving break was great and glad to see many others that had success as well.
Last year, I asked my FIL if anyone ever hunted at the head of this 30 acre lake on the lease because it looks like the perfect funnel. There are 6 points that come down together in this 100 yard wide hollow. Also, if the deer want to cross the hollow, they either have to cross here of go 1/2 mile further down the hollow and cross at the dam. The thermals basically go straight down the creek bed down into the lake. It's almost bullet proof if the wind is light (no wind down in the big bottom - it's all thermals). Anyways, he said no one hunts there. I claimed it as "my spot". Saw 19 deer there one day last year. Friday morning 11/26, I set up and like textbook, he came off one of the points down toward the lake to cross the bottom and head to the other side. Made a perfect shot on him at 75 yards. He came running past and I decided to try and put another one in him and did - spined him. I had shot one of the biggest deer of my life 11/13 and after 9 hours of searching, couldn't ever find him. SO, I wasn't letting this deer get away. Definitely got redemption. We put him as a "tweener" at 4 years old. He has way more characteristics than a 3.5, but not quite as many as a true 4.5. Regardless, he was the deer we were after. The weather for this Thanksgiving break was great and glad to see many others that had success as well.
For years I would climb those hills, grabbing saplings to pull myself up those steep bluffs making it 400 yards to the top. I finally started concentrating on trying to find where they cross in the bottoms instead of the tops. Took me more time I care to admit to realize I needed to hunt smarter, not harder 
