axis quest...week three..attack of Rage

[Eric4x4]

Very nice big congrats

[tuthdoc]

Second morning found me back on the hill. I was still hoping to kill one of the three big ones that were hanging around that area. They lived across the fence, but I had seen them in the area of my blind on 3 occasions. It started out with a young Japanese sika waiting in the Chaffehay from the morning before. No corn left and very little hay. He watched me feed and almost got back to the chum before I could get in the blind.



I had the same group of small bucks that were in the spot the first morning.





Then one of them looked to the left and here he came.



It was the same buck from week 2 that had the velvet hanging off that gave me so many shot opportunities. Now, he was clean, added a little color and looked GOOD! I decided to try and kill him.

[Mertz09]

All those Bucks ! YOU GUYS ARE KILLING ME !

[tuthdoc]

Man, was he WIRED! I don't know what his problem was. He was twitchy and jumpy and wouldn't settle in. No way could I have drawn on him, much less hit him where I was aiming. He'd eat, then run off a bit, look around, then come back in. He barked several times. The others paid him no attention and just kept eating. I videoed him just long enough to get some footage. You can see the top cam of my bow in the pics. Bobby asked me why I didn't shoot him when he was broadside. I told him not only could I not shoot him, I was afraid to even try and pick up the bow or put down the camera. When he moved to one of my other holes, I put the camera down, got the bow up and ready and stayed like that, ready to kill him, for about 15 or 20 minutes. No shot opportunity. He finally wandered off. His only problem is that I KNOW where he lives.

I don't know if it's being in this border area with the other big deer that has him jumpy or the fact that one of his cronies got killed the morning before while he was having a leisurely breakfast. All I know is that on this morning, he'd make coffee nervous.

[low_tec]

All I know is that on this morning, he'd make coffee nervous.

This thread gets better by the minute, don't stop

[Jamesl]

John, I had one of those black japanese sikas (of course I didn't know what it was) out in front of where I parked the ranger after a hunt. Stayed about 10 yards from me until I left.

[tuthdoc]

That evening, I decided to go back to my blind where Bobby killed his buck. The buck I saw that morning and the long beamed one that I passed up the first two hunts were regulars there. I figured I'd shoot whichever one gave me a good shot.

I was covered up with whitetails for over an hour before the first axis came in. I could see them coming out of a cover that had a spring near a cliff. One was the long beamed buck and the other looked like the buck from the morning. They followed the dry creek bed and disappeared. I thought maybe they were going to my hill.

A little later, as the axis bucks started showing up, a wide, light horned buck came into my corn. 16 to 18 yards and he gave me every shot I could possibly want. Only thing is, he didn't lood as big. So, I started having doubts. Was this the same buck or was there one that looked like him, but a little smaller. Was it the same principle as in New Mexico? When you buy chips in Houston and carry them to the mountains in New Mexico, the bag blows up and gets bigger. Was this buck bigger on my hill due to barometric pressure gradiants? All I know is that I convinced myself it was a different buck and wasn't taking any chances on killing the wrong one. This one was way too calm to be the same buck on the hill.

[tuthdoc]

James, I got two pretty nice Japanese sika on TC in that area where you told me to look for that big buck in the draw, through the gate. They are both starting their 8th points already. I'll post pics when I get to the TC part of this long dissertation. LOL

[Brian H]

Awesome thread guys. Can't wait to see the next round.

[tuthdoc]

Before I let the buck go, I zoomed in on his spot pattern and memorized some distinct markings so that I could compare to the other buck back at camp. Looking closely on his left shoulder, you can see (or at least I can with my imagination) a 5 deuce like on a domino. So I named him the 5 deuce buck, of course. He has a similar marking on his right shoulder, but not as clear a domino, and he has a line of 6 dots. He also has a line of 5 dots behind the left shoulder. That should be an easy ID.







When I got back to camp, I pulled up pics on the computer and compared. Guess what? Same buck. Drat.

Bobby and Mitch said he looked just as big in all the pics. I told them that they just had to be there. After they called me an idiot a couple times, I went to bed. LOL So ended day 2.

[HillCountryBowHunter]

This is an awesome thread Tuth, keep it goin.... It's gettin me psyched about my feeder that has a big Axis visiting it!

[Jamesl]

Well I don't know about "big" like you and Mitch mean "big". You and Mitch should have to use a different word to describe "big axis".

[JimN]

and the saga continues.......

[TrickyOlGus]

I thought I knew the outcome of this hunt, but I am beggining to wonder. Doc, I'd have shot that buck or Mitch's cud chewer in a second. They both do it for me. Awesome recap. I can't wait for he rest of the story.

[Chance Love]

Where can you get a good Axis in velvet? Just have to wait for an escapee? I didn't think any of the ranches let you shoot velvet Axis....

Most ranches that I know of will let you shoot one in velvet. But I have heard about a couple on here that won't allow it. Kinda strange I think.


TD, You're killing me! Shoot one already!