Team 6 Thread

[woodsdog2]

Just found out today the buck I was hunting this year got killed by the orange army. Prolly 155-160

Ugh my greatest fears just realized this evening!!! My target buck for the last three years was killed during the crossbow season. I've been hunting this sucker for three years and I just found out tonight that he's dead almost a month later. I'm devastated to say the least. Sad thing is none of us even know who the guy is who shot it. Oh well, gotta refocus. I know there are some more out there but man.... I really had my heart set on this buck. One guy I know said at least a deer of this caliber wasn't hit by a car or wounded and not recovered. That is so true and a very healthy outlook. But the greedy, game hoggin' SOB side of me is green with envy and jealousy. Why do I get this way? I know there are other bucks around, but I feel like I really blew it. I'll quit whining now. So, @Beeyuu I really feel your pain. I called him.... Double-Double. He had bifurcated G2's, split main beams and a bifurcated G3 as you can now see very clearly. I first had pics of him in 2019 when he was an estimated 2.5 year old. Ugh... my dreams are dashed. What do the rest of you do when this happens????? Get out and hunt!!!

 

[Jagger0502]

That is a beaut. As long as he did his due diligence breading over the last few years you should have a lot of good hunting years ahead of you

 

[hokiehunter373]

Yeah, that's absolutely brutal. Nothing else you can do but keep hunting. Maybe now that he's gone another mature deer will move in

 

[woodsdog2]

I'm trying to figure out how I could have approached this deer differently for my own edification. You know, this last year I had very limited pictures of him on the property I have permission to hunt. I also have permission on the property next to the property he was mostly on (in my best guestimation) based on trail cam photos and frequency. He started out on the property I mostly hunt when he was a 2.5 year old but gravitated to two properties more west of my location and all of the season pics I received this year are from camaras on those other properties. Last season and the season before I had plenty of photos of him on the proprety I mostly hunt so I had my hunch but these other properties are pounded. The property I'm on is just two of us who hunt and the owner is not a bowhunter. He does spend a lot of time on his property as he enjoys the woods and works the farm but he's not overly aggressive and we really thought keeping pressure off especially during gun season would naturally bring this buck over to be more consistent on our property. Never seemed to manifest that way at all and in fact the buck acted very aggressive and didn't seem to be spooked out by the number of hunters on the other properties????!!! I am still trying to figure this whole thing out and some of my information is second and third hand information. I did hear that the crossbow hunter who did shoot him had him by his stand the day before he shot him but couldn't make it happen but the next day, the same stand, he was able to shoot the buck. It was certainly in the middle of the peak of the rut so this deer was at its dumbest but I can't imagine a buck of this caliber would show up twice but the Xbow season is right in the middle of lock down so it is certainly completely plausible. And, I tend to over complicate things too.

 

[hokiehunter373]

I'm trying to figure out how I could have approached this deer differently for my own edification. You know, this last year I had very limited pictures of him on the property I have permission to hunt. I also have permission on the property next to the property he was mostly on (in my best guestimation) based on trail cam photos and frequency. He started out on the property I mostly hunt when he was a 2.5 year old but gravitated to two properties more west of my location and all of the season pics I received this year are from camaras on those other properties. Last season and the season before I had plenty of photos of him on the proprety I mostly hunt so I had my hunch but these other properties are pounded. The property I'm on is just two of us who hunt and the owner is not a bowhunter. He does spend a lot of time on his property as he enjoys the woods and works the farm but he's not overly aggressive and we really thought keeping pressure off especially during gun season would naturally bring this buck over to be more consistent on our property. Never seemed to manifest that way at all and in fact the buck acted very aggressive and didn't seem to be spooked out by the number of hunters on the other properties????!!! I am still trying to figure this whole thing out and some of my information is second and third hand information. I did hear that the crossbow hunter who did shoot him had him by his stand the day before he shot him but couldn't make it happen but the next day, the same stand, he was able to shoot the buck. It was certainly in the middle of the peak of the rut so this deer was at its dumbest but I can't imagine a buck of this caliber would show up twice but the Xbow season is right in the middle of lock down so it is certainly completely plausible. And, I tend to over complicate things too.

I think there's far too much missing info for you to try and guess at where you went wrong or if anything could have changed although I'd be trying to do the same thing. It could have been his core area. The hunter who shot him could have been hunting him perfect. The whole property could have been a $h!t show but a hot doe had the buck in the right spot at the right time for that guy. Who knows

 

[Adrena123]

That sucks, he's a nice one

Ugh my greatest fears just realized this evening!!! My target buck for the last three years was killed during the crossbow season. I've been hunting this sucker for three years and I just found out tonight that he's dead almost a month later. I'm devastated to say the least. Sad thing is none of us even know who the guy is who shot it. Oh well, gotta refocus. I know there are some more out there but man.... I really had my heart set on this buck. One guy I know said at least a deer of this caliber wasn't hit by a car or wounded and not recovered. That is so true and a very healthy outlook. But the greedy, game hoggin' SOB side of me is green with envy and jealousy. Why do I get this way? I know there are other bucks around, but I feel like I really blew it. I'll quit whining now. So, @Beeyuu I really feel your pain. I called him.... Double-Double. He had bifurcated G2's, split main beams and a bifurcated G3 as you can now see very clearly. I first had pics of him in 2019 when he was an estimated 2.5 year old. Ugh... my dreams are dashed. What do the rest of you do when this happens????? Get out and hunt!!!

 

[woodsdog2]

Added 5 more points for us tonight. Little ML Doe.

 

[hokiehunter373]

Was supposed to get out Saturday but a few kids in my sons class got Covid so I was dealing with that instead. My birthday is 1/3 and I always get out that day. Not sure if that'll be my next day out or if I can sneak a day in before then. Good luck to everyone still getting out. Happy holidays and stay safe.

 

[woodsdog2]

I'm hoping to get out again too, there's a tall racked 8 that I wouldn't mind putting a ML bullet through.

 

[hokiehunter373]

Worst thing was getting a pic of the buck I was after 2 mins before shooting light. Absolute dagger to the heart lol

 

[Aeds151]

Worst thing was getting a pic of the buck I was after 2 mins before shooting light. Absolute dagger to the heart lolView attachment 58960

Bump down where he is going and hunt him where he will be at legal light rather than where cam is hung


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[hokiehunter373]

Bump down where he is going and hunt him where he will be at legal light rather than where cam is hung


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yeah, that's the plan. I know where he beds. I've got dozens of pics of him taking this exact same route of travel in the AM. Funny thing is he usually does it around 8:30-9am

 

[woodsdog2]

Bump down where he is going and hunt him where he will be at legal light rather than where cam is hung


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I agree but if you bump down too far and he goes down that late, are you concerned that the thermals will be moving up to him as he goes into his bedding area? I'm interested does he take this route regardless of the wind and just uses the thermals to access or is he heading into the wind to the bedding area? With that, you could set up parallel to his consistent travel route and wait for horn. Good luck I hope you get him that's a Dandy!!

 

[hokiehunter373]

I agree but if you bump down too far and he goes down that late, are you concerned that the thermals will be moving up to him as he goes into his bedding area? I'm interested does he take this route regardless of the wind and just uses the thermals to access or is he heading into the wind to the bedding area? With that, you could set up parallel to his consistent travel route and wait for horn. Good luck I hope you get him that's a Dandy!!

No, he usually takes that path of travel when there's a N or NW wind. Which in that pic would be hitting him on the left side of his body. From what I've seen he beds in a bowl with the wind coming over his back/tail. He watches a people trail below him.

 

[woodsdog2]

No, he usually takes that path of travel when there's a N or NW wind. Which in that pic would be hitting him on the left side of his body. From what I've seen he beds in a bowl with the wind coming over his back/tail. He watches a people trail below him.

Cool so where is your planned setup in relation to that bowl and how far from his bedding area? So he's walking just below that ridge spine to a bowl with the wind hitting him from his left side in the picture.... he'll then bed facing to the right on that bowl watching a people trail. So where will you try to intercept him? How far from this pic and I'm assuming on the side of this bowl downwind of this travel lane just before he gets to the bowl? I love this kind of setup stuff!!!

 

[hokiehunter373]

Alright, here we go. Think of the dark blue line as a contour line. Little hill to the left (West). My camera is right to the East of that hill where his trail straightens out. Bowl is where it curves on the right. Red line is people trail. Brown line is his route of travel in the AM from the North into the bowl. Light blue lines are the wind setups he does it on. Little black lines show the way he's looking while in his bed. So he ends up with the wind at his back or tail and watching the people trail below him. If he catches scent, it's coming from the woods behind him where he knows people usually are not. He seems most killable in the morning, even still. Luckily, thermals work with the wind for the first few hours of the day in this spot. I'd set up on the downwind side of his trail close to where I have the intersection of the wind directions. I just need to be able to freakin get out and have the wind cooperate on the days that I can.

 

[woodsdog2]

Alright, here we go. Think of the dark blue line as a contour line. Little hill to the left (West). My camera is right to the East of that hill where his trail straightens out. Bowl is where it curves on the right. Red line is people trail. Brown line is his route of travel in the AM from the North into the bowl. Light blue lines are the wind setups he does it on. Little black lines show the way he's looking while in his bed. So he ends up with the wind at his back or tail and watching the people trail below him. If he catches scent, it's coming from the woods behind him where he knows people usually are not. He seems most killable in the morning, even still. Luckily, thermals work with the wind for the first few hours of the day in this spot. I'd set up on the downwind side of his trail close to where I have the intersection of the wind directions. I just need to be able to freakin get out and have the wind cooperate on the days that I can.
View attachment 59049

Perfect explanation and graphic!!! Love it!!! I hope you get him!!!

 

[hokiehunter373]

Perfect explanation and graphic!!! Love it!!! I hope you get him!!!

Hopefully Friday. Merry Christmas everyone!

 

[hokiehunter373]

Alright, I'm getting after the big boy tomorrow and Monday. Tomorrow I think... think.. still debating with myself lol but believe I'll be staying on the fringe and not pushing things. Looks like there's going to be virtually 0 wind. It's rained a ton here the last 24 hours so I'll be able to get in quiet but I believe the lack of wind means it'll be variable. Think I'm not going to push in because of it and still try to be in a spot where there's a chance of killing him but where I shouldn't ruin anything. Monday is my birthday and it's supposed to be a strong NW wind. I'll be diving in way before sunrise to where I think he'll be bedded. I doubt I'll have more points for us between the two sits but hopefully I'll have some photos to post up and stories to go with them

 

[woodsdog2]

This
Alright, I'm getting after the big boy tomorrow and Monday. Tomorrow I think... think.. still debating with myself lol but believe I'll be staying on the fringe and not pushing things. Looks like there's going to be virtually 0 wind. It's rained a ton here the last 24 hours so I'll be able to get in quiet but I believe the lack of wind means it'll be variable. Think I'm not going to push in because of it and still try to be in a spot where there's a chance of killing him but where I shouldn't ruin anything. Monday is my birthday and it's supposed to be a strong NW wind. I'll be diving in way before sunrise to where I think he'll be bedded. I doubt I'll have more points for us between the two sits but hopefully I'll have some photos to post up and stories to go with them

This is awesome Hokie go get 'em!!! I've been out every day except yesterday of our new late- late season. I've not seen one friggen' deer. Not even a doe. Sign is hot, wind is right... less pressure... I'm not cracking this code for some reason. I still have tomorrow and Saturday!! I just found three decent shooters that haven't been on my trail cams at all but I have no idea where they are bedding on this parcel!! Still mostly nocturnal can't determine where to set up on any. I need to research the wind direction when I get these pics to determine if there is any kind of consistency. I feel my chances at a mature buck are slipping..... grrr! Happy Birthday!!