Tuesday October 28th

Tuesday October 28th : PM

I couldn't wait to get in the stand tonight after realizing this was the date that Bob shot his big boy last year. Since Bob was not around I decided to take his Buck Decoy out also. I decided to go to "The Ridgeback" giving the other side of the woods a break. I put the decoy North and a bit East of me. I was in the stand at 4:20.

I had absolutely nothing happening so at 6:05 I decided to grunt. (I don't have a grunt, so I use my own voice) I have never tried this before but about 5 seconds after I grunted a doe came running in from the bottom of the hill about 65 yards away. She was looking around wondering what was going on! I couldn't believe how well that had worked so I grunted again and she walked up at a steady pace until she was 15 yards from me. She then noticed the decoy and didn't know what to think.

At about 6:10 all hell broke loose in the woods. Three doe came shooting through the woods to the right of me and were heading towards the bottom of the hill down by the apple tree, but something spooked them and they turned and ran exactly back where they came from. Well, this wasn't it, they decided to head all the way back down the hill and then I lost them. During this time I noticed that another doe had kicked up behind me and slowly walked towards the ladder stand. During all of this commotion, the deer in front of me slowly walked away.

at about 6:15 the same three doe walked up the hill to that same spot where the other doe was standing. Well, it was a doe and her two fawns and she had seen both me and the decoy and didn't know what to do. She started pacing back and forth, back and forth.

I decided to grunt again. This time the Big 11 popped in from the bottom of the hill. It was starting to get dark already but he was heading up the hill at a good pace but he decided to stop at about 40 yards and watch the doe pace back and forth. He was uninterested in this so he turned around and walked away. I grunted again he stopped, I grunted again and he turned back around and started back toward me. While he had turned around, and Bob, I forgot to tell you about this, I heard two other bucks rattling horns. I couldn't see them though. I didn't know what the hell to do!!! There was so much going on.

By the time Big 11 got up the hill to me I pulled up and couldn't see my pins, I could hardly see him too. I knew there was a deer behind him and I knew it was a buck and another big one at that because I could see the rack, but couldn't count it. I grabbed the binocs and took a look. Thats when I noticed it was the Big 8. They both were looking at the decoy and at each other and at me. I don't think they knew what to think either. I watched them until about 7:20 when finally they both walked away. During that entire time they made about six scrapes, all in different spots around the decoy.

Although I missed out on the opportunity to shoot one of the big boys, this was still the best experience I have ever had during hunting! It is a great feeling see those deer and I don't know how I am going to get to bed tonight! Now comes the true question, WHERE DO I HUNT TOMORROW NIGHT?!?!?!!?!

FawnSlayer, Excited and Out!
Totals: Taylor : 7 deer : 5 doe : 2 BIG Bucks