This Morning's Hunt

[Mike Belt]

I've been watching a field for my last 3 hunts and haven't seen much activity. Yesterday I did see a couple of does and what looked like a chase going on in the timber off the NW corner of the field. This morning I sat up about 120 yards into the timber downwind of that field. I didn't know how they were getting to the corner so I really didn't know what wind would work out best but the southern influence worked out. The day started off with a button buck walking dead underneath me. It wasn't long before a 100" 8 pointer came through. I had him in the open at 35 yards and decided to play with him with my grunter. I kept his attention for a while before he headed off. My grunting just happened to call in another 8 pointer that looked just like his twin. Both had snow white antlers. Then a few does started showing up. I had made my mind up today was going to be meat day and hopefully a buck to boot. The buck didn't happen but I did come home with 3 does; it appeared all 3 had come and gone out of heat. I think the bucks are already running the early born does of the year. My tail is dragging after hauling them out and getting them all quartered and chilling. I'd like to hunt that spot again but the upcoming several days have the wrong wind direction based on where I saw the deer movement generating.

 

[megalomaniac]

Gz.... been there, done that... after so many hunts with nothing in the freezer, it just gets time to start laying the bodies down. You're thirst for blood should be satiated through till next year now

 

[duckduck84]

Glad you had a good day, Mike! I spooked one out of the field walking out last night but at least I can say I saw one now lol

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[TX300mag]

Great hunt!

Question-are you obligated under regs to kill that many does? I know you generally seem to think that they are over harvested already.


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[Snake]

Congrats on the does , seems like you found a great spot ! Hope you get a hoss Mike you've been persistent .

 

[rem270]

Congrats on the does.

Maybe your bucks will come through soon enough.

 

[Mike Belt]

As a club we're supposed to kill around 215 does. We're behind a few and I didn't have much meat so I let her rip. You are right. I'm opposed to killing does when I think we've killed too many. This was a new hunting spot for me and evidently there are a few does in this area because I saw several. That's several more than I've been seeing in my normal areas and overall, I still think we've killed too many. I'm probably through killing any unless the urge slaps me in the face before season ends. Other than that I'm still waiting on my buck.

I've taken 3 does in a day before and it amount to a lot of work. I think I'd rather do it that way and get all the processing over with in 1 sitting than to have to do it today and then again and then again. It actually takes less time.

 

[Mike Belt]

Snake... I stay persistent. It hasn't paid off in a couple of years now so I'm due.

 

[Andy S.]

Congrats Mike!

 

[TX300mag]

I prefer to take three at a time rather than one over three hunts, too.


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[Andy S.]

I prefer to take three at a time rather than one over three hunts, too.


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Same here

 

[wsm]

Congrats on a good day,

 

[rhinoblake]

Well deserved rest after working on all 3. Nice job

 

[Gonefishing2]

Congrats sounds like a great hunt. Hopefully the new spot will produce your big buck

 

[dburt]

Congrats on the successful hunt and lots of good meals in your future! Well done - rest well.

 

[Rjratliff1975]

Congrats. Sounds like a great hunt!

 

[Roost 1]

Congrats

 

[Headhunter]

Congrats. I would rather kill 2 or 3 at a time to.

So glad I basically pay no attention to the wind. If I believe a spot is a good one and I want to hunt, I hunt.

 

[Roost 1]

Congrats. I would rather kill 2 or 3 at a time to.

So glad I basically pay no attention to the wind. If I believe a spot is a good one and I want to hunt, I hunt.

You must be hunting places like Bell Meade and Brentwood, very low pressured deer. You can get away with that if gun hunting open areas.

 

[cbhunter]

Congrats Mike, your big one is gonna step out when you least expect it. As you said, you are "due"!

 

[Headhunter]

Congrats. I would rather kill 2 or 3 at a time to.

So glad I basically pay no attention to the wind. If I believe a spot is a good one and I want to hunt, I hunt.

You must be hunting places like Bell Meade and Brentwood, very low pressured deer. You can get away with that if gun hunting open areas.

First, apology to Mike, don't mean to step on your post, I enjoy reading about your hunt and keep debating on joining at Ames for a season.

I hunt public land much of the time and ALL of the private land I hunt has tons of pressure, especially around it. Trespassers are for sure an issue and not being able to be there 24/7 makes it worse.

I will try to use the wind when possible, but when I get good enough to be able to say "deer will show up right there, they will use this trail, etc." and be CORRECT every single time I will write books and make millions of dollars. Hunting the correct wind MEANS nothing when the deer come from the wrong direction, the wind changes, lay of the land swirls it around, the spot deer NEVER use is where a giant steps out and the wind is blowing right to him, etc., that I why I hunt no matter the wind.

Ironically, I do have access to a couple places in Belle Meade (well I would call it shooting deer, absolutely nothing to do with hunting, but I do not go to any of them and probably never will) I love to HUNT, I don't care to just shoot deer.

I have killed so many deer on public land after being told by experts that "the wind is wrong for that spot, you won't see a deer there, etc." only to hunt it and not only kill a deer, but sometimes kill a nice buck. To me, the wind only matters when you know for sure where the deer will come from and I can't read a deer's mind and especially when it is a mature buck, he will show up where I would never guess him to be. It is like I have said, I am far from the best deer hunter, but I can guarantee you I am one of the most persistent.

 

[Riverday]

congrats on your deers...agree working on 3 deer is a work out....

 

[Bone Collector]

Congrats! I would love to get all the work out of the way, but I don't hunt any spots with firearms that I could take 3 in a season let alone 3 in a day. It would be fun to do and I have done 2 before, but restrained from squeezing the trigger the third time.

 

[ROUGH COUNTRY HUNTER]

Congrats

 

[Winchester]

Congrats on the meat. Sounds like you found the does!

 

[Roost 1]

Congrats. I would rather kill 2 or 3 at a time to.

So glad I basically pay no attention to the wind. If I believe a spot is a good one and I want to hunt, I hunt.

You must be hunting places like Bell Meade and Brentwood, very low pressured deer. You can get away with that if gun hunting open areas.

First, apology to Mike, don't mean to step on your post, I enjoy reading about your hunt and keep debating on joining at Ames for a season.

I hunt public land much of the time and ALL of the private land I hunt has tons of pressure, especially around it. Trespassers are for sure an issue and not being able to be there 24/7 makes it worse.

I will try to use the wind when possible, but when I get good enough to be able to say "deer will show up right there, they will use this trail, etc." and be CORRECT every single time I will write books and make millions of dollars. Hunting the correct wind MEANS nothing when the deer come from the wrong direction, the wind changes, lay of the land swirls it around, the spot deer NEVER use is where a giant steps out and the wind is blowing right to him, etc., that I why I hunt no matter the wind.

Ironically, I do have access to a couple places in Belle Meade (well I would call it shooting deer, absolutely nothing to do with hunting, but I do not go to any of them and probably never will) I love to HUNT, I don't care to just shoot deer.

I have killed so many deer on public land after being told by experts that "the wind is wrong for that spot, you won't see a deer there, etc." only to hunt it and not only kill a deer, but sometimes kill a nice buck. To me, the wind only matters when you know for sure where the deer will come from and I can't read a deer's mind and especially when it is a mature buck, he will show up where I would never guess him to be. It is like I have said, I am far from the best deer hunter, but I can guarantee you I am one of the most persistent.

I agree with you completely on one thing. You can only hunt the wind IF you know the travel patterns. I will also agree deer can come from any direction at any given time. However if I'm hunting known bedding areas or feeding areas I want the odds in my favor. I'm not gonna purposefully tromp in and tip my hand if a big mature buck is my target. Sorry Mike for the hi-jack. I would also like to hunt Ames one time mainly just to see the place.

 

[mimitk]

Congrats

 

[brass magnet]

Congrats, The big one will come!

 

[7mmWSM]

If my memory serves me right just a few months ago you were saying too many doe's were being killed on Ames in your opinion. You were really pleading your case on the matter. What happened to change all of that and to justify killing 3 does? Has Ames's population grown that much and that quick! I just don't understand how someone can be so sure of one thing and do the other....I know everyone needs to do their part and shoot does. But if I was so sure of what I was feeling I'd be dang if I'd go shoot 3 and complain!

 

[Mike Belt]

I hunted a spot I haven't hunted before. I had seen deer there scouting around during archery and pre-climbed a tree in preparation for rifle. I finally hunted there last week and all the deer I saw were below me so I moved my stand into the timber. I saw several does; more than I was seeing anywhere else. The push is on by management to kill more does so I finally did. I still think we are killing too many so I guess my actions seem hypocritical. I think we have pockets of does with most places lacking; 30 people go to the woods and 1 sees a bunch and the others see nothing. I just happened to sit up on one of those spots. Back to buck hunting again...