What's that smell?!

Bonejour

Bonejour

Rut - Me worry?
Hunted just above some good draws this morning at pretty high altitude, glassing and still-hunting, taking my time. I was crossing side-hill on rough terrain so I made more noise than I'd have liked, but I wanted to cover a larger area than I could from sitting/standing, and practice my glassing. Anyway it was raining and windy and it's so thick in those draws that I could easily have walked right past them despite going over each area about a dozen times each time my view changed. I tried some grunts, karaoke bleats and rattled a bit, but couldn't even get a head to pop out of the bushes.

As I approached the ridge above 3100 feet on an active deer trail with lots of fresh tracks and droppings, there was a urine stench that reminded me of the urinals in the boys' locker room in high school. There's gotta be a buck there. Will go back tomorrow and stand above the area at daybreak to see who shows up. If it's Bambi, he's a gonner! ;D
 
Go get em' Bonejour! I like your persistence.
 
Thanks guys. I was all set as day broke, with a great view of the entire draw below the buck's markings. All of a sudden a pack of hunters pulls up to the ridge above me and to my right.
They started shouting to guys getting out of a second truck farther to the right. They deployed a spotter in the middle and shooters on ridges to either side. I was in the next draw, so I was safe, but I got up and circled above just to make sure. I knew I'd made the right decision when they opened fire. Holy Moses! I counted over a dozen shots before I'd hiked over the mountain to the other side.
Luckily, I came upon some good areas for still hunting on my way back to the car. I used the techniques you and the others posted and wound up glassing a total of 6 does and a yearling. All were within 250 yards (ranging w my mil dot scope) and 6 of the 7 would have been easy targets because they were either bedded down or browsing.
But, no bucks :( so it's D16 tag soup for me. I'm off to VA to hunt whities with my brothers on Wednesday night.
I'll post on the out of state page if I have anything to report.
Thanks everyone for the great things you've taught me in your posts and in person. I'll keep working on my scouting skills during my backcountry trips and be ready for next season ;D



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Thanks guys. Will post pics of whatever we get. Deer season started last weekend and bear starts next Monday in VA, so we'll hunt Friday and Saturday for deer and add bear to the list for Monday. My brother got a bear last year and the population is growing in that part of the state, so who knows?
;)
 
Sorry to hear your D-16 season is over, I know you put in quite a bit of work to attempt to bring down a buck in this tough zone.

I wish you a carrier's load of success in VA and look forward to the photos. :)
 
Bonejour - your dedication to the hunt has been inspiring. And your D16 season was more successful than most might realize. Thanks for sharing the adventures.

Now go back to VA and tear up some animals!
 
NBK said:
Bonejour - your dedication to the hunt has been inspiring. And your D16 season was more successful than most might realize. Thanks for sharing the adventures.

Now go back to VA and tear up some animals!
Click to expand...

Ditto

well said NBK. you are wise.
I hit the like button
 
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