Wednesday, October 31, 2012 pm

Wednesday, October 31, 2012 pm. Sunset: 5:54 pm.  Hunting closes: 6:24 pm. Temperature 48 degrees. Mostly sunny. Wind NW10-15 mph.   I go down to Romance at about 12:30 pm.  I wanted to get a new stand up at the top of the hill at Romance above the goat prairie.  I had already marked a tree, so I just need to climb up there with a portable lock on stand.  It took a while and a lot of sweat, but I was able to get there in about 15 minutes.  On my way up, I kicked up two does.  As I was putting in the steps a , big coyote crested the hill to the north of me.  It took a minute before he saw me, but he took back off to the north.  After getting the shooting lanes trimmed out, I decided to give the area a rest and head back down.  If the wind is right, I will plan on sitting there all day.  I was back down at the house by 3:15 pm.  I grabbed a quick shower and was off to the box elder stand in the creek bottom.  On my way in a dragged a scent line from the south.  When I got to the stand, I dropped my gear and continued up to the field edge to the north with the drag.  On my way up, I kicked up a small 2 1/2 year old buck and they ran off across the field to the north.  I was able to climb into the stand and get settled in by 3:55 pm.  At 4:10 pm, I head something grunting to the east of me.  A 2 1/2 year old 7-8 pointer came through to the north of me.  He stopped in the brush to the north east of me (about 15 yards away), but never came out so I could get some video.   It was pretty quiet until 5:50 pm.  I could hear something to east east of me.  I thought that it was deer, but it sounded like they were splashing in water.  At about 6:15 pm, I heard a grunt and new immediately that is was some deer.   At 6:15 pm, I could hear them coming.  I had already stood up and was ready facing to the SW.   On cue, a mature doe came out from east about 15 yards to the south of me and ironically passed down wind of me undetected.  She passed though my shooting lanes; at 10-12 yards, fairly quickly as she had a nice 8 pointer (Cap't Hook) following her.  He stopped briefly in my shooting lane,, but I elected to pass as I could hear a much larger and louder deer coming.  When he stepped out, I knew that it was him.  It was "Raji."  He did not even pause.  Somehow he had lost sight of the doe and the other buck.  He ended up picking up the trail of my scent line that I had dragged in a he took off to the south.  I was furious.  I stood there waiting a light began to fade.  Just then, I heard him grunt and he was heading back my way to the north  I saw him coming and turned on the camera.  The first shooting lane that he came through on a steady walk, he was quartering towards me.  I had already made up my mind that I was going to draw when he walked behind the branch on the tree that I was hiding behind.  As I was coming to full draw, he spooked off to the west.  He was 10 yards away when he took off.  I am not 100% sure what happened.  Three things could have happened.  One, he could have seen me.  (not sure as he kind of just trotted off the the west and then stopped about 40-50 yards away.  Second, he could have seen the other buck and doe out in the field and he wanted to join them.  Or third, he caught a whiff of my scent wick and he took off past it.  Frustrating.  He was the largest deer that I have ever come to full draw on.  Hopefully, I will get a chance to redeem myself tomorrow.  Stay tuned.  The good news, is I have cell coverage up on the ridge, so I should be able to post my day fairly quickly after the hunt tomorrow.  So check back again tomorrow night.  Buck slayer Out.  Totals: Bob - 4 deer. 3 bucks and 1 doe. Two shooter bucks.