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Public Land Canoe Buck

Nutterbuster

Nutterbuster

Well-Known Member
SH Member
Joined
Oct 12, 2017
Messages
10,064
Location
Where the skys are so blue!
Slipped up on this bad boy while he was bedded down on an old Indian shell mound with his lady friend. Was actually out squirrel hunting with my old H&R 20 gauge. I always keep a slug or two "just in case." It was real windy and the ground was wet from an early morning rain, so I was just slipping along the edge of the river swamp keeping an eye and ear out for anything "interesting."

I stopped when I got to the shell mound because deer and hogs bed on it since it's the only dry ground in the swamp. Water just drains right through it. Took a seat at the base of an old live oak and hadn't been there 15 minutes when I see tines in the palmettos! He stood up to groom himself, completely unaware of me. I slowly broke the gun open and swapped shot for a slug. Caught him a little far back, but he only made it about 75 yards.

My dad, being the good guy that he is, knocked off work to help me drag him out. Had to paddle back to the boat ramp to pick him up, then go back and get the deer. Basically made the 3 mile walk/paddle twice, but I really wanted a pic of him in front of the old Grumman!

Sometimes you have to make your own road to get to the big'uns!
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Getting the time to swap in your slug! Awesome.
Love the canoe photo...
 
MJH said:
Getting the time to swap in your slug!
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It doesn't take a lot of time or movement. I keep it tucked between the knuckles of my right hand almost constantly. It was still a pins and needles moment though. I had zero cover around me. Got away with it because HE was in thick cover and had probably never seen a hunter in that neck of the woods. I've never witnessed a bedded buck for any length of time. Strange to see one so completely relaxed.
 
I enjoyed that story. As I plan this season, I was thinking I'd pull out my old over and under for a few combo hunts, squirrels and ducks while keeping a slug handy for deer and pigs.
 
bhuntin said:
Canoe pic with a deer are the coolest. Nice job!
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Thank you! That was a hard picture to make happen, but I love it. I was actually wearing that hat and the flannel when I shot him. Not a staged shot.

I usually cut-em up, but my dad volunteered to help me drag him out for the shot. So I made the 2 mile round trip paddle twice, and had to drag him through about a half a mile of the crap you see in the background. Picture was taken where I got out to walk to his bed on an old Indian shell midden.

Worth it!!

Sent from my Moto Z (2) using Tapatalk
 
Nutterbuster said:
Thank you! That was a hard picture to make happen, but I love it. I was actually wearing that hat and the flannel when I shot him. Not a staged shot.

I usually cut-em up, but my dad volunteered to help me drag him out for the shot. So I made the 2 mile round trip paddle twice, and had to drag him through about a half a mile of the crap you see in the background. Picture was taken where I got out to walk to his bed on an old Indian shell midden.

Worth it!!

Sent from my Moto Z (2) using Tapatalk
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Its to bad pictures don't show how much work goes into the drag and effort it takes to get to that point.
 
Thats great. I've always wanted to get after some hogs. Going to have to make that happen one of these days. We just don't have anywhere close to where I live so it would be a big trip.
 
bhuntin said:
Thats great. I've always wanted to get after some hogs. Going to have to make that happen one of these days. We just don't have anywhere close to where I live so it would be a big trip.
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Fair chase swamp pigs are a tough but fun hunt. They are extremely unpredictable. Hard to hunt them out of a stand. I kill most of mine paddling the water's edge or stalking the high ground. I've had shots at 5-10 yards in the palmettos and discovered that what I though was 2-3 pigs was actually closer to 10!

If you ever find yourself around Alabama, hit me up!
 
Looks like as nice little honey hole u have there


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