DC10
Well-Known Member
This is my 2nd year bowhunting and saddlehunting. Prior to last year, I hadn't hunted in roughly 12 years.
I shot a couple does and a super-small 6 point this year on this same piece of property where I got this buck. It's within city limits. (I shot one doe the previous year and the coyotes got her before I did.)
I have some good bucks on my one game camera that is about 50 yds from the highway but the vast majority of them are nighttime pics. After seeing where the does were coming from and how they would walk through, I realized the bucks were doing the same thing since they'd come out at the same spot on camera. I realized the bucks were obviously bedding deeper back into the woods since I almost never get daytime pics of them on my camera.
I then thought about the Hunting Public and Dan Infalt and knew I needed to push in deeper to their bedding if I wanted to see them in daylight. Only problem is that I'm no expert at reading sign, maps, or finding beds. I decided part of learning how to do this is to just do it. So, I got in the woods around 2:30pm and decided I would head in the direction that I had seen the does coming from and see if I could find a rub line, follow it back as deep as possible, and then setup in a tree once I found a spot that I thought warranted me climbing a tree.
After about 30 yds into the woods, I found my first rub. I continued to scout-hunt my way through moving somewhat slowly. After a little more distance, I found another rub, then another rub. I then jumped a solo deer but didn't see if it was a buck or doe. I assumed I was heading in the right direction. Over the next 200-300 yds, i continued to come across clearly defined trails, a scrape, and at least 6 or 7 more rubs. I marked each rub on Onx as I came across them. After marking around 8-9 rubs, I noticed they were all along the same elevation line. The terrain I was hunting did not have drastic changes in elevation but nevertheless, the rubs were following the same elevation line.
I eventually came up to an overgrown field ahead (northwest), a gravel road and creek to my north, and an adjacent property that was fairly open to my southwest (with some potential bedding under isolated trees and bushes). After walking to the north and thinking about hunting by the creek and a couple ponds, I felt like I needed to head back the other direction (which was west) and setup over there.
There was a strip of woods between the initial overgrown field to the northwest and the overgrown field to the southwest that connected 2 blocks of timber. I thought the funnel was worth hunting and began walking that way. As I did, I came across yet another good rub with a trail that was worn down to the dirt. I then began looking for a tree. After selecting one, I realized there was another rub just a few yards in front of my tree and felt this was my best shot at seeing a buck.
Because I had a just-off wind that would eventually change and begin blowing towards the funnel I was expecting deer to come from, I climbed as high as my pull up rope would allow (30 ft) hoping that my scent would carry over (and I was hoping that urban deer would tolerate a little more human scent).
After ascending the tree and getting completely settled in, it was 4:20pm, almost 2 hrs since I started hunt-scouting my way in and I was only about 1/2 mile from the highway (again, I'm in an urban setting). Realizing I only had about an hour of daylight left, I started doubting my decision. I like to be in my tree 2 1/2 to 3 hrs before dark and now I barely have an hour. I'm not efficient at reading maps or sign. I probably wasted all this time and energy and will have to pack up in just a short time and walk out empty handed.
I then remembered a few podcasts I had listened to recently on calling in bucks (one of which was on The Southern Outdoorsman) and thought, "I've never successfully called in a buck (or any deer for that matter) and I'm in an urban environment. Does calling even work here?" I then came to the conclusion that it may not work but as long as I don't do anything aggressive, I don't think I'll mess anything up.
I pull out my grunt tube and give 5 or 6 short grunts turning my tube in different directions for each one and then put it away.
Literally 2 min later I catch movement from the funnel I was targeting. I saw a body moving through the funnel and quickly saw some antlers. It held up there for almost 2 min grooming itself and looking around into the oak flat I was setup in. I assume that if it stayed in the woodline it was going to walk by parallel to me at about 50 yds in the thick stuff and I wouldn't get a shot. Once he started walking, he quickly turned to my direction and I knew he would give me a shot.
After walking in directly towards me, he starts to turn broadside at 20 yds so I draw back. He quickly turns back to me and continues my direction. I hold at full draw until he comes directly to my tree (it's amazing how they can pinpoint exactly where the grunting comes from!). Seeing that he was coming in on the side of the tree where I took my pack off and put my saddle on, I didn't know if he was going to catch my ground scent and spook so I decided I was going to have to shoot him directly under my stand once he stopped to scent-check the ground.
I had practiced that type of shot only once or twice on my target and had I been in a traditional tree stand, I'm not sure if I could have comfortably pulled it off (I know other guys do it all the time). Thankfully with my saddle, I was rock solid leaning straight over aiming down and I let an arrow fly.
It all happened so quickly but I thought my arrow entered a little far back. He tore off through the woods and stopped. I couldn't see him. Within a few seconds he took off running again and I gained a visual. I saw him run up a small ridge and I thought, "man, I don't think I hit him good." He then stopped on the ridge and I heard some loud noise and could see him moving around erratically. I then thought I saw him begin to slide down the hill as he crashed but by the time I got my binoculars up (they were in my pack), he stopped moving and I couldn't see him.
I called my wife, then my dad, then my brother. I was absolutely blown away that my plan worked to a "T."
I waited until dark and climbed down. I checked my arrow all of 3 yds from my tree. It had blood but was very faint. The arrow didn't seem to stink at all so maybe I didn't hit him too far back. I couldn't find blood within the first 5 yds so I backed out to give him a few hours.
My wife and I came back at almost 10pm and rather than try to track him from the point of the shot, we entered into the overgrown field that was in front me (when hunting) and walked over to the ridge I had dropped a pin on in the general area where I had last seen him. Within 10 seconds of walking to the woodline and looking up the ridge, I spotted him.
I've never been so pumped about a hunt in my life. Again, I am no expert when it comes to deer hunting. I just decided to try to implement all of the tactics I've listened to and read about to the best of my ability and then called in my very first buck ever. Oh, and my shot ended up getting his heart on the pass-through.
I shot a couple does and a super-small 6 point this year on this same piece of property where I got this buck. It's within city limits. (I shot one doe the previous year and the coyotes got her before I did.)
I have some good bucks on my one game camera that is about 50 yds from the highway but the vast majority of them are nighttime pics. After seeing where the does were coming from and how they would walk through, I realized the bucks were doing the same thing since they'd come out at the same spot on camera. I realized the bucks were obviously bedding deeper back into the woods since I almost never get daytime pics of them on my camera.
I then thought about the Hunting Public and Dan Infalt and knew I needed to push in deeper to their bedding if I wanted to see them in daylight. Only problem is that I'm no expert at reading sign, maps, or finding beds. I decided part of learning how to do this is to just do it. So, I got in the woods around 2:30pm and decided I would head in the direction that I had seen the does coming from and see if I could find a rub line, follow it back as deep as possible, and then setup in a tree once I found a spot that I thought warranted me climbing a tree.
After about 30 yds into the woods, I found my first rub. I continued to scout-hunt my way through moving somewhat slowly. After a little more distance, I found another rub, then another rub. I then jumped a solo deer but didn't see if it was a buck or doe. I assumed I was heading in the right direction. Over the next 200-300 yds, i continued to come across clearly defined trails, a scrape, and at least 6 or 7 more rubs. I marked each rub on Onx as I came across them. After marking around 8-9 rubs, I noticed they were all along the same elevation line. The terrain I was hunting did not have drastic changes in elevation but nevertheless, the rubs were following the same elevation line.
I eventually came up to an overgrown field ahead (northwest), a gravel road and creek to my north, and an adjacent property that was fairly open to my southwest (with some potential bedding under isolated trees and bushes). After walking to the north and thinking about hunting by the creek and a couple ponds, I felt like I needed to head back the other direction (which was west) and setup over there.
There was a strip of woods between the initial overgrown field to the northwest and the overgrown field to the southwest that connected 2 blocks of timber. I thought the funnel was worth hunting and began walking that way. As I did, I came across yet another good rub with a trail that was worn down to the dirt. I then began looking for a tree. After selecting one, I realized there was another rub just a few yards in front of my tree and felt this was my best shot at seeing a buck.
Because I had a just-off wind that would eventually change and begin blowing towards the funnel I was expecting deer to come from, I climbed as high as my pull up rope would allow (30 ft) hoping that my scent would carry over (and I was hoping that urban deer would tolerate a little more human scent).
After ascending the tree and getting completely settled in, it was 4:20pm, almost 2 hrs since I started hunt-scouting my way in and I was only about 1/2 mile from the highway (again, I'm in an urban setting). Realizing I only had about an hour of daylight left, I started doubting my decision. I like to be in my tree 2 1/2 to 3 hrs before dark and now I barely have an hour. I'm not efficient at reading maps or sign. I probably wasted all this time and energy and will have to pack up in just a short time and walk out empty handed.
I then remembered a few podcasts I had listened to recently on calling in bucks (one of which was on The Southern Outdoorsman) and thought, "I've never successfully called in a buck (or any deer for that matter) and I'm in an urban environment. Does calling even work here?" I then came to the conclusion that it may not work but as long as I don't do anything aggressive, I don't think I'll mess anything up.
I pull out my grunt tube and give 5 or 6 short grunts turning my tube in different directions for each one and then put it away.
Literally 2 min later I catch movement from the funnel I was targeting. I saw a body moving through the funnel and quickly saw some antlers. It held up there for almost 2 min grooming itself and looking around into the oak flat I was setup in. I assume that if it stayed in the woodline it was going to walk by parallel to me at about 50 yds in the thick stuff and I wouldn't get a shot. Once he started walking, he quickly turned to my direction and I knew he would give me a shot.
After walking in directly towards me, he starts to turn broadside at 20 yds so I draw back. He quickly turns back to me and continues my direction. I hold at full draw until he comes directly to my tree (it's amazing how they can pinpoint exactly where the grunting comes from!). Seeing that he was coming in on the side of the tree where I took my pack off and put my saddle on, I didn't know if he was going to catch my ground scent and spook so I decided I was going to have to shoot him directly under my stand once he stopped to scent-check the ground.
I had practiced that type of shot only once or twice on my target and had I been in a traditional tree stand, I'm not sure if I could have comfortably pulled it off (I know other guys do it all the time). Thankfully with my saddle, I was rock solid leaning straight over aiming down and I let an arrow fly.
It all happened so quickly but I thought my arrow entered a little far back. He tore off through the woods and stopped. I couldn't see him. Within a few seconds he took off running again and I gained a visual. I saw him run up a small ridge and I thought, "man, I don't think I hit him good." He then stopped on the ridge and I heard some loud noise and could see him moving around erratically. I then thought I saw him begin to slide down the hill as he crashed but by the time I got my binoculars up (they were in my pack), he stopped moving and I couldn't see him.
I called my wife, then my dad, then my brother. I was absolutely blown away that my plan worked to a "T."
I waited until dark and climbed down. I checked my arrow all of 3 yds from my tree. It had blood but was very faint. The arrow didn't seem to stink at all so maybe I didn't hit him too far back. I couldn't find blood within the first 5 yds so I backed out to give him a few hours.
My wife and I came back at almost 10pm and rather than try to track him from the point of the shot, we entered into the overgrown field that was in front me (when hunting) and walked over to the ridge I had dropped a pin on in the general area where I had last seen him. Within 10 seconds of walking to the woodline and looking up the ridge, I spotted him.
I've never been so pumped about a hunt in my life. Again, I am no expert when it comes to deer hunting. I just decided to try to implement all of the tactics I've listened to and read about to the best of my ability and then called in my very first buck ever. Oh, and my shot ended up getting his heart on the pass-through.
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