Went out yesterday to hunt one of my favorite stands. This is a stand where buck bedding is related to pre-rut and a wheat field. Takes three elements for this to fire up. North wind, Wheat sprouting and Last week of Ocr - first week of Nov. Finally had all three yesterday.
I snuck in 2 hours before daylight. Used the kayak to go 1 mile down river, then it's a 1/4 mile hike to bedding area. I had him come in just before shooting like at 18 yards. I could easily see him through binocs but just not enough for me to pick a spot. He went on into bedding. This is a buck I have been on for 3 years, I guess him to be 6 1/2 maybe 7 1/2....
The wind was going to shift just before dark so I decided not to sit all day. That and some crossbow toting "hunters" were causually walking and talking right in the bedding area .... clueless.
I figured the buck would relicate to another bedding area that sets up better for a south wind... which was going to happen that afternoon
After a quick lunch, I scouted my in and followed a rub scrape line right into bedding. I knew the evening thermals would pull towards the river so I set up with a very iffy current wind. Milk weed was all over the place that afternoon as the change from North to South began.
overall I had three bucks come in. a little spike, a small 7 and finally, right as the thermals kicked in, right at dusk here he came. 21 yard shot, down he went.
Then it was a 1/4 mile drag, and this guy was huge in body mass, then I got him and me on small kayak (rated at 350# max which I'm sure we violated). Thought we were going to sink her. 1 mile later I was at the truck exhausted but feeling very satisfied.
This buck at one time sported a very nice 130" 8pt rack. As it was he was a 7 pt and had gone down quite a bit.
Nevertheless, taking a target buck on first sit,with a move, setting up in a tree I'd never seen before, was very satisfying.... no matter what he carried on his head.
Now I'm going to rest a couple days and then I've got a couple other buckss I'm interested in.
shoot straight
DaveT1963
I snuck in 2 hours before daylight. Used the kayak to go 1 mile down river, then it's a 1/4 mile hike to bedding area. I had him come in just before shooting like at 18 yards. I could easily see him through binocs but just not enough for me to pick a spot. He went on into bedding. This is a buck I have been on for 3 years, I guess him to be 6 1/2 maybe 7 1/2....
The wind was going to shift just before dark so I decided not to sit all day. That and some crossbow toting "hunters" were causually walking and talking right in the bedding area .... clueless.
I figured the buck would relicate to another bedding area that sets up better for a south wind... which was going to happen that afternoon
After a quick lunch, I scouted my in and followed a rub scrape line right into bedding. I knew the evening thermals would pull towards the river so I set up with a very iffy current wind. Milk weed was all over the place that afternoon as the change from North to South began.
overall I had three bucks come in. a little spike, a small 7 and finally, right as the thermals kicked in, right at dusk here he came. 21 yard shot, down he went.
Then it was a 1/4 mile drag, and this guy was huge in body mass, then I got him and me on small kayak (rated at 350# max which I'm sure we violated). Thought we were going to sink her. 1 mile later I was at the truck exhausted but feeling very satisfied.
This buck at one time sported a very nice 130" 8pt rack. As it was he was a 7 pt and had gone down quite a bit.
Nevertheless, taking a target buck on first sit,with a move, setting up in a tree I'd never seen before, was very satisfying.... no matter what he carried on his head.
Now I'm going to rest a couple days and then I've got a couple other buckss I'm interested in.
shoot straight
DaveT1963
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