Sitting in the blind on a cold, beautiful evening I decided to hit my axis call. I needed an axis for some jerky and roasts and had walked up on a few when I got to the stand. Didn’t seem to get the response I hoped for as the big buck I saw never came back out. Instead, a small, one horned axis buck suddenly appeared under the feeder. I waited for a broadside shot and took it. He made it about 30 feet and piled up. Feeling accomplished and thanking the lord for the harvest I decided to hang tight since it was so early. I had one buck tag left and needed to fill it but as I’ve stated before, I wanted to fill it with a mature buck.
I opted to hit the rattling bag I had and out popped two small 8 points. They came right in, milled around, two doe eventually came out to join them. Then a small 6 point. The feeder went off and they all scattered as deer do. I waited, they all came back with a few more they’d picked up along the way. I sat, occasionally glancing out the left window where the axis had dropped and at one point noticed a whitetail on the far ridge to the left. I glassed, it was a big doe. Then another. Then another. I decided to lightly rattle again and as I did I noticed the doe look behind them. I opened the left window a little more and saw a buck about 300-400 yards off. I picked up the binos and immediately knew this wasn’t a young buck. This guy was at a good pace coming right to me. I rattled a little more and he picked up speed then stopped. He looked around and I saw the younger bucks under the feeder decide to leave. The larger buck began walking in again and I watched as he crossed into the view of the front window and stood at 107 yards. He looked like the buck I had posted on here except he was clearly a ten point with a broken tine. I decided he was mature enough, a little shorter than I had thought but truly mature. Put the crosshairs on him and squeezed. He ran about 40 yards and piled up. I felt exhilarated and accomplished! Now it’s time to decide which form he will be mounted on and where to put him! Thank god for hunting!!
ill try and repost pictures as they aren't coming out like they should lol
I opted to hit the rattling bag I had and out popped two small 8 points. They came right in, milled around, two doe eventually came out to join them. Then a small 6 point. The feeder went off and they all scattered as deer do. I waited, they all came back with a few more they’d picked up along the way. I sat, occasionally glancing out the left window where the axis had dropped and at one point noticed a whitetail on the far ridge to the left. I glassed, it was a big doe. Then another. Then another. I decided to lightly rattle again and as I did I noticed the doe look behind them. I opened the left window a little more and saw a buck about 300-400 yards off. I picked up the binos and immediately knew this wasn’t a young buck. This guy was at a good pace coming right to me. I rattled a little more and he picked up speed then stopped. He looked around and I saw the younger bucks under the feeder decide to leave. The larger buck began walking in again and I watched as he crossed into the view of the front window and stood at 107 yards. He looked like the buck I had posted on here except he was clearly a ten point with a broken tine. I decided he was mature enough, a little shorter than I had thought but truly mature. Put the crosshairs on him and squeezed. He ran about 40 yards and piled up. I felt exhilarated and accomplished! Now it’s time to decide which form he will be mounted on and where to put him! Thank god for hunting!!
ill try and repost pictures as they aren't coming out like they should lol
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