Monday, November 9, 2009 a.m., 54 degrees, mostly sunny, wind NW 2-5 mph, sunrise 6:49 a.m. (Hunting opens 6:19 a.m). Sunset 4:46 a.m. (Hunting closes 5:16 p.m.) Well yesterday was a long day, and it was a short night. I drove back yesterday to Minnesota for a couple of reasons. First, I needed an afternoon off from hunting. And secondly, I had to play in my hockey game last night. Fortunately, we won and I actually scored the first goal of our 4-1 victory. After the game, I drove home, grabbed a quick shower, and drove back down to my parents Romance farm in Wisconsin. I got in this morning at 12:30 a.m. After four hours of sleep, I was up, recharged, and ready to go. I decided to go Octopussy. It is the new portable stand on the back of my parents no till field. I am sure that we will end up putting in a permanent stand as it is a perfect location 15 yards off the road where we have been seeing all of the scrapes. It is also on the trail that all of the bucks have been using. I knew that I was going to be putting down a scent line, so I wanted to get out early. I parked the ATV at the end of the field and got off at 5:25 a.m. . After I did, I could here deer scattering from all directions. I quickly put some scent on a drag rag and filled up my two scent container wicks. On the way in, I was kicking up deer everywhere. They never blew any warning calls, but they just ran further up the hill. I pray that they come back and decided to check things out once it gets light.
At 8:00 a.m., I could hear a deer coming off the hill behind me to the SE. I finally was able to see him as he was working his way down the hill. It was a decent 8 pointer right at the ears. When he came off the hill, he stayed in the brush about 75-100 yards east of me. He came all the way down into the valley and down to the logging road that I was sitting on. Unfortunately, instead of turn left and coming west, he went right and went east. By so doing, he never picked up any of the scent trail I had put down on my way in this morning. The story of my season. Oh well, at least it was fun to see a deer and better yet a buck. I hope that more deer will be on the move today.
At 8:20 a.m., I used my Rattle pack. At 8:25 a.m., here came the buck. He came right down the trail, when he stepped behind the tree trunk, I drew. Of course, he stopped just short of my shooting lane. I had to hold my draw until he finally stepped out. And, you guessed it, I missed again. Actually, this time it was a "close shave". I took hair off his belly. A 15 yard shot. No excuses, I just plain missed. Unbelievable. I don't know what is wrong with me. I can't believe that I am missing these easy shots. I will have to look at the video, but I am fairly sure he was a tall 7 pointer. The "deer gods" must be trying to tell me that there are bigger ones out there to be shot. I must say, my confidence is at an all time low. Take a look at the attached picture. That is me preparing to take the shot up in the tree in the background. I will post the video later.
At 11:00 a.m., I heard some loud noises up on the hill to the north of me. I was finally able to make out the body and rack of a mature buck. He was significantly bigger then the one I missed this morning. Unfortunately, he came down to the trail and went east as well. I tried everything to bring him back. Doe bleat, buck grunt, snort wheeze, and some light rattling. Nothing.
At 11:45 a.m., I herd some chasing and something I had never herd before. It was a buck growling. Absolutely amazing. I watch a giant 150" + deer chasing and try and tend this doe. It was incredible. I am so glad that I missed that buck this morning as this was unbelievable and I would not have been in the stand to see it. I watch the two of them for an hour and a half. Again unfortunately, they were both uphill and down wind of me. The doe was on high alert and she was 100 yards away and in the heavy cover. At 1:30 p.m., I am not sure what exactly happened, but the big boy took off up hill. I think he was still trying to tend that doe. I could hear him running, grunting, roaring, and chasing up the hill from me. I just sat and prayed that he would come my way. He never did.
At 2:45 p.m., I could hear one walking behind me coming from the east and heading west. He was a big 8-9 pointer. He walked right down the old logging road about 75 yards away up on the hill side. A beautiful buck. Bigger the the one I shaved this morning. I tried everything to try and get him to come down my way. Grunting, bleating, rattling, growling, but he just kept on his way along and up the side of the hill towards the SW. I never saw him again.
At 4:45 p.m., I had 5 does come down from the NE to about 10 yards. They all came through my shoot lane at 10 yards. Several of them stopped to smell the scent wicks I had put out. They all ended up taking off to the NW towards the portable stand I had previously been hunting in (last week).
Totals: Bob - 12 deer, 5 bucks (4 were different for sure and all shooters)
At 8:00 a.m., I could hear a deer coming off the hill behind me to the SE. I finally was able to see him as he was working his way down the hill. It was a decent 8 pointer right at the ears. When he came off the hill, he stayed in the brush about 75-100 yards east of me. He came all the way down into the valley and down to the logging road that I was sitting on. Unfortunately, instead of turn left and coming west, he went right and went east. By so doing, he never picked up any of the scent trail I had put down on my way in this morning. The story of my season. Oh well, at least it was fun to see a deer and better yet a buck. I hope that more deer will be on the move today.
At 8:20 a.m., I used my Rattle pack. At 8:25 a.m., here came the buck. He came right down the trail, when he stepped behind the tree trunk, I drew. Of course, he stopped just short of my shooting lane. I had to hold my draw until he finally stepped out. And, you guessed it, I missed again. Actually, this time it was a "close shave". I took hair off his belly. A 15 yard shot. No excuses, I just plain missed. Unbelievable. I don't know what is wrong with me. I can't believe that I am missing these easy shots. I will have to look at the video, but I am fairly sure he was a tall 7 pointer. The "deer gods" must be trying to tell me that there are bigger ones out there to be shot. I must say, my confidence is at an all time low. Take a look at the attached picture. That is me preparing to take the shot up in the tree in the background. I will post the video later.
At 11:00 a.m., I heard some loud noises up on the hill to the north of me. I was finally able to make out the body and rack of a mature buck. He was significantly bigger then the one I missed this morning. Unfortunately, he came down to the trail and went east as well. I tried everything to bring him back. Doe bleat, buck grunt, snort wheeze, and some light rattling. Nothing.
At 11:45 a.m., I herd some chasing and something I had never herd before. It was a buck growling. Absolutely amazing. I watch a giant 150" + deer chasing and try and tend this doe. It was incredible. I am so glad that I missed that buck this morning as this was unbelievable and I would not have been in the stand to see it. I watch the two of them for an hour and a half. Again unfortunately, they were both uphill and down wind of me. The doe was on high alert and she was 100 yards away and in the heavy cover. At 1:30 p.m., I am not sure what exactly happened, but the big boy took off up hill. I think he was still trying to tend that doe. I could hear him running, grunting, roaring, and chasing up the hill from me. I just sat and prayed that he would come my way. He never did.
At 2:45 p.m., I could hear one walking behind me coming from the east and heading west. He was a big 8-9 pointer. He walked right down the old logging road about 75 yards away up on the hill side. A beautiful buck. Bigger the the one I shaved this morning. I tried everything to try and get him to come down my way. Grunting, bleating, rattling, growling, but he just kept on his way along and up the side of the hill towards the SW. I never saw him again.
At 4:45 p.m., I had 5 does come down from the NE to about 10 yards. They all came through my shoot lane at 10 yards. Several of them stopped to smell the scent wicks I had put out. They all ended up taking off to the NW towards the portable stand I had previously been hunting in (last week).
Totals: Bob - 12 deer, 5 bucks (4 were different for sure and all shooters)
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