BuckHunter511
Well-Known Member
*Late Post * I was drawn for a local quota hunt on the 9th. I've put in a lot of time and effort this year to really scouting it well in the off season, as well as scouting out human pressure during the archery hunt and my other quota hunt there earlier. On the morning of the hunt I had a good feeling about seeing deer movement. I actually saw deer heading back to the timber near the road I turned off to hunt on. I planned on hunting a spot that gets rather overlooked by most hunters (as most drive right past it). It was a big thick creek bottom that has been dry during the drought. At the back of the creek bottom the was a size-able saddle I saw on topo. I planned on having the overlooked spot be a place hunting pressure drives deer into and they may push along the saddle I set up on. Walking into the place in the dark I saw several scrapes down in the thick stuff, including one that was very size-able and freshly worked. I had also noticed rubs along the small creek bed. All this sign and the terrain features got me fired up!
Once up the tree in my saddle, light came to be and it was dead as a door nail besides a hundred squirrels turning the leaves over. I turned around only to have a doe that snuck up behind me catch my movement. She proceeded to blow once and trot away. I was kicking myself because I had a feeling that doe might have ended up being my "buck bait" with it being November. I was pretty disappointed that I spooked a deer. 30 minutes later I began to pray about my day and pray the Lord sends me a legal buck and provides an ethical harvest opportunity. Literally the moment before I say amen, I hear a twig snap and open my eyes to see a decent buck walking right at me about 75 yards away. I get the scope on him and see 4 points on one side. I put the crosshairs on the neck and drop him! I then continued my prayer and thanked God for all that he provides, after ensuring the deer was down.
Now getting him out of the thick creek bottom was a job! The first half was all down hill, but thick! My first year using a deer cart, that thing got hung on up on everything! Then my pins fell out of the deer cart. They must have pulled out on the brush and the cart fell apart mid pull. The harvest and the drag out made it all worthwhile though. Those of you who hunt public (especially this WMA) know how much work/luck goes into being successful. The plan couldn't have went together any better. This deer isn't my biggest, but man it made me proud. The buck only ended up being a 2.5 year old deer with 9 points.
Once up the tree in my saddle, light came to be and it was dead as a door nail besides a hundred squirrels turning the leaves over. I turned around only to have a doe that snuck up behind me catch my movement. She proceeded to blow once and trot away. I was kicking myself because I had a feeling that doe might have ended up being my "buck bait" with it being November. I was pretty disappointed that I spooked a deer. 30 minutes later I began to pray about my day and pray the Lord sends me a legal buck and provides an ethical harvest opportunity. Literally the moment before I say amen, I hear a twig snap and open my eyes to see a decent buck walking right at me about 75 yards away. I get the scope on him and see 4 points on one side. I put the crosshairs on the neck and drop him! I then continued my prayer and thanked God for all that he provides, after ensuring the deer was down.
Now getting him out of the thick creek bottom was a job! The first half was all down hill, but thick! My first year using a deer cart, that thing got hung on up on everything! Then my pins fell out of the deer cart. They must have pulled out on the brush and the cart fell apart mid pull. The harvest and the drag out made it all worthwhile though. Those of you who hunt public (especially this WMA) know how much work/luck goes into being successful. The plan couldn't have went together any better. This deer isn't my biggest, but man it made me proud. The buck only ended up being a 2.5 year old deer with 9 points.
