 MAHA
Staff,I have attached a couple of pictures from [location deleted] opening day of the firearms season. Hunting conditions were miserable but this buck showed shortly after 7AM. Archery hunting has yielded little to get excited about, a couple of small bucks one chasing a doe. In general deer movement was low where I was hunting. I hope to continue archery hunting next week in [location deleted] with better results. Thanks, Terry Jon, I was putting my cards on the the week before and week of [location deleted] season. I planned to take a total of 7 days off. I also hunted [location deleted] season the first 4 days. I hunted a couple of days early the week before gun season with little activity, I also hunted some properties I wasn't as familiar with however I felt they looked very good. I feel with a little more time spent learning them they could be very good. I then turned my attention to a property I have hunted for the last 3 years. I didn't go early on Thursday because it was supposed to be very windy and I needed to get kids on the school bus. I then drove to my spot and got to my tree around 1:00. It was windy but not that bad. I had cleared a spot to hang a stand about 3 weeks earlier on a ditch in a cut crop field. In the past I have seen a lot of cruising bucks and general deer movement on this ditch. Before I got 2 steps in my tree a hot doe ran right under my stand, she had 3 bucks following her a minute or two apart. Before I got in my tree I saw 2 does and 4 bucks. None of these bucks were over 1-1/2 years old. After I got in my stand and before and hour was up about 300 yards to the south I saw a doe streak in the brush with another deer right on her tail. I then proceeded to see 4 more bucks one of which was 150+. I prayed a doe would run up the ditch and draw the buck to me. Eventually a hot doe did run by me. Later a nice buck (125ish) drifted up and I just knew I would get a shot, I prepared myself wondering if I had misjudged the size of the buck I saw earlier. Regardless this buck was nicer than any deer I have ever killed with a bow. I just knew this buck would follow the same trail the other deer had been on which equated to approximately a 15 yard shot. The buck stopped and was sniffing a bush when the hot doe ran back along the edged of the ditch pulling the buck back south. Deer continued to move up and down the ditch for the next hour and a half before activity slowed. When it began to get late deer began moving again, I saw multiple deer one of which was another buck chasing a doe to the north, I could not get a good look at them. I then looked south and doe had emerged from the brush and was heading my way, I noticed another deer with her about 30 yds behind. I had been seeing so many deer I didn't think much about it, the doe then stopped and became nervous or didn't like the buck chasing the doe to the north, she turned and trotted back away to the south. By this time the buck that was with her got my full attention, I assume he was the buck I saw earlier. He was well outside his ears and very tall with at least 10 pts. The doe turned and trotted straight away and the buck turned and followed. He was an awesome buck I feel would score (net) 160 maybe higher. I was fired up as this was my first day on the stand. Needles to say I didn't need any motivation to stay all day on stand the next several days. Friday was a repeat of Thursday with deer moving up and down the ditch all day, I spotted a large racked buck at 12:30 jump a fence chasing a doe. He did not show again. Opening day brought lots of activity but no big buck sightings. Sunday morning I got a shot at a buck chasing a doe at about 150 yards but did not connect. The buck chased the doe into a standing corn field less than 100 yards from my stand. I could hear them crashing back and forth in the corn. I couldn't stand it as they had to be within 50 yards of my bow stand I slipped to my stand through a cut corn field. Reaching my tree I found two small bucks in the ditch watching the action. The big buck was going up the edge of the ditch at about 40 yards but was just off association property and I only got a glimpse. They continued to crash around in the corn for several minutes. I don't think he ever realized I was shooting at him. I'm not sure if this was the large buck I saw earlier in the week or not, but probably was. I stayed in my tree until 3:00 when I decided to get down and move back so not to spook any deer traveling the ditch during prime time. As I reached the bottom of the tree and was gathering my stuff I heard a snort and saw a deer whirl and run back to the north. I got a glimpse of a wide and tall rack crossing an open corner field. I was sick but didn't lose faith. However, I did not get another good look at any shooter bucks. I was encouraged Tuesday as Monday evening the standing corn field had combines pull in and park at dark. Tuesday they fired up the combines but the 60-70 acres didn't push any deer my way. [location deleted] was relatively quiet while I again hunted property I had not hunted before. I did feel confident and saw a nice 130-140 class buck on the second day but he never got closer than about 600 yards although there wasn't a stick between us. I saw limited deer movement and passed on a decent buck very late on Thursday evening. I saw the big buck the next evening but he moved late and was several hundred yards down the ridge off of association property. I didn't get to hunt any during the any deer season as I had planned. Family requirements and weather played a role in this. Regardless I had some great hunts and am already planning next years hunts. I am also hoping to make up for deer season during spring turkey season. My son Matt did get out on one hunt on opening morning of youth season and killed a button buck, a nice buck was trailing with him we didn't see until after the shot, the buck offered a brief shot (Matt had a antlerless only tag also) but my son could not pick him out in the brush. I planned on taking him on more hunts including at least one bow hunt but didn't get the chance he is torn between other things right now, I really appreciate the opportunity to take him and am very grateful.
Some of the deer Terry has harvested previous tot he letter above. Can it get better?
Jon, I know its not the biggest buck I have killed but I was still proud of this Buck. I realized after I shot it that it was the same buck I grazed just under the chest with bow & arrow the weekend before. I also have another shot of Matt's 1st deer from the youth season. This
picture was taken where the deer fell.
Thanks for another fine fall and I am looking forward to spring and another good year. Terry |
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All
in all it was good fall and I did have my digital camera in the tree with me and
got a couple of good shots. Attached are some of the shots from my bow stand,
all passed within easy bow range of 15 yds or less (#2 is a hot doe notice her
panting). Sorry this turned out so lengthy but it was one of my better seasons
in years and I felt led to share it completely, it doesn't always matter if you
harvest one or not, as you know you have to be prepared to go home with a tag in
your hand when you go after a buck in the class of the one I was seeing. I did
feel fortunate just to see him multiple times. Thanks for the support and
opportunity to help me pursue what pass time I love the most. 
I also
attached a couple of turkey pictures of my bird from last year. I killed him in
the same spot I have killed several birds. I will have to find another new spot
this year. I probably can scrape up more turkey pictures if you and John can use
them.
