Had a super weekend at the lease. I headed up Friday after work to meet my nephew Dillan. He joined the lease this year and drove in from Alabama.
He already pulled cards and had everything scoped out when I got there. No trophy’s coming in but there were some management 8’s and one 10 that is about 120” that I’ve gotten approved to be a management deer. We think he’s 5-6 years old and should be better.
Anyway, we hunted together Sunday morning just seen young deer. Tons of does and 2-year-old bucks, no shooters.
Saturday evening, we moved to a double ladder stand. I started spotting deer coming in at about 5:30, at 5:45 I saw a bigger buck that I hadn’t seen before. On our lease 8pts that are 3.5 or older are all management deer. I was sure this one met the guidelines and I told Dillan there was a shooter buck staged out if he wanted to shoot him. He was about 50 yards out standing behind some oaks. He stood there for 15 minutes and never took a step. The feeder went off at 6:00 and he started to make a move. I told Dillan he’s coming in. To my surprise he avoided the feeder and walked directly behind my stand down wind of us. Luckily, he was only about 10 yards behind us, and I think we were high enough to keep him from getting out scent. He stood there for about 5 minutes not making a move. Finally, he walked in and started eating. Dillan made a super shot at 21 yards quartering away and put it right in the pocket! As soon as the arrow hit, he took off, nearly taking my feeder down with him.
We immediately saw blood pouring out of him and knew the shot was good.
We did some celebrating in the tree as we knew there was no doubt this deer wasn’t going far. Although no dog was needed, I always work Trigger on any trail I get. We went to camp and got him, and he made quick work of the blood trail, I’m guessing it’s only 50 yards or so. We would have seen him drop but he disappeared behind oak trees.
Here is a video of the hunt and recovery. Fast forward to 1:30 if you just want to see the shot.
Dillan skinned him out and concluded it was a heart shot as we suspected.
We hunted together again Sunday morning and saw the same young bucks and does as Sat morning.
Sunday evening, we split up. The 10 pt. that’s approved as a management deer came in on me. He hit my feeder and I drew on him at 21 yards, but he took a step and was quartering towards me slightly. I lost my biggest archery deer ever a few years ago on the same shot and decided not to take the shot. I held back as long as I could and had to let down. He didn’t stay at my feeder long at all and walked off. I couldn’t believe it; he was only there for about 3 minutes. Ughhh! He walked 80 yards out on top of a slight hill and bedded down. He stayed there bedded down for 45 minutes watching all the other deer feed. I prayed and prayed for him to come back him. He finally stood up and walked my way a bit but never came back close enough for a shot. I filmed him making two scrapes and disappearing into the oaks.
Bedding down, he laid here for 45 minutes
Scrape https://youtu.be/3smtp6YFkTk
No shots fired on that hunt but man it was an intense hunt. I had more adrenalin playing cat and mouse with him than I’ve had on successful hunts in the past.
He’s made it his territory, hopefully I or my daughter will get him later.
All in all, super weekend!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
He already pulled cards and had everything scoped out when I got there. No trophy’s coming in but there were some management 8’s and one 10 that is about 120” that I’ve gotten approved to be a management deer. We think he’s 5-6 years old and should be better.
Anyway, we hunted together Sunday morning just seen young deer. Tons of does and 2-year-old bucks, no shooters.
Saturday evening, we moved to a double ladder stand. I started spotting deer coming in at about 5:30, at 5:45 I saw a bigger buck that I hadn’t seen before. On our lease 8pts that are 3.5 or older are all management deer. I was sure this one met the guidelines and I told Dillan there was a shooter buck staged out if he wanted to shoot him. He was about 50 yards out standing behind some oaks. He stood there for 15 minutes and never took a step. The feeder went off at 6:00 and he started to make a move. I told Dillan he’s coming in. To my surprise he avoided the feeder and walked directly behind my stand down wind of us. Luckily, he was only about 10 yards behind us, and I think we were high enough to keep him from getting out scent. He stood there for about 5 minutes not making a move. Finally, he walked in and started eating. Dillan made a super shot at 21 yards quartering away and put it right in the pocket! As soon as the arrow hit, he took off, nearly taking my feeder down with him.
We immediately saw blood pouring out of him and knew the shot was good.
We did some celebrating in the tree as we knew there was no doubt this deer wasn’t going far. Although no dog was needed, I always work Trigger on any trail I get. We went to camp and got him, and he made quick work of the blood trail, I’m guessing it’s only 50 yards or so. We would have seen him drop but he disappeared behind oak trees.
Here is a video of the hunt and recovery. Fast forward to 1:30 if you just want to see the shot.
Dillan skinned him out and concluded it was a heart shot as we suspected.
We hunted together again Sunday morning and saw the same young bucks and does as Sat morning.
Sunday evening, we split up. The 10 pt. that’s approved as a management deer came in on me. He hit my feeder and I drew on him at 21 yards, but he took a step and was quartering towards me slightly. I lost my biggest archery deer ever a few years ago on the same shot and decided not to take the shot. I held back as long as I could and had to let down. He didn’t stay at my feeder long at all and walked off. I couldn’t believe it; he was only there for about 3 minutes. Ughhh! He walked 80 yards out on top of a slight hill and bedded down. He stayed there bedded down for 45 minutes watching all the other deer feed. I prayed and prayed for him to come back him. He finally stood up and walked my way a bit but never came back close enough for a shot. I filmed him making two scrapes and disappearing into the oaks.
Bedding down, he laid here for 45 minutes
Scrape https://youtu.be/3smtp6YFkTk
No shots fired on that hunt but man it was an intense hunt. I had more adrenalin playing cat and mouse with him than I’ve had on successful hunts in the past.
He’s made it his territory, hopefully I or my daughter will get him later.
All in all, super weekend!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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