Not on par with the last bucks but it's meat on the table which is always better than tag soup!
3 - 4 day excursions (11 nights in a tent, 8 gallons of water packed in and a 3 mile pack out)
Second buck (on public) I saw in 12 days. First was a nice 3x3 at 190yds but his was only in my shooting lane for 2-3 seconds and then dissappeared.
Well it took 9 days for me to figure out what was different this year. Deer were using the normal game trails in late Jul and early August so I was getting nice pics on game cameras. Unfortunately those trails dried up come hunting season. It wasn't pressure because I've never seen a hunter near where I hunt.
Day 9, I was doing a noon time walk about and found lots of fresh tracks clustered around an oak tree that was droping acorns. All this wind has knocked tons of acorns down, IMO much more than normal. Found a couple more producing oaks and set up cameras. Viola. Big Forkie, Nice 3x3, small forkie, spike with a crabclaw and another spike, all in 2 days.
Day 10 I set up 150 yds from an oak with action. 2 doe come in at 3PM, then another doe with two fawns. Brouse till 4:30 and then head off. around 5:30 twilight a little spike comes in. Can't tell if it's the crabclaw...I'm getting desperate since day 12 (20 Nov) is my last morning...dad passed away and have family and funeral obligations for the rest of the season.
Day 11, I set up in rocks 90 yds from another oak with fresh prints and game camera pics of bucks. 10AM -2PM I'm pinned down by 2 doe and a fawn. They actually bed 70 yds from me around noon. Around 1:30 they are joined by 3 more does and all start feeding again. at 2PM they all stop and look left...enter this years little forkie. Last afternoon, I'm desperate for anything wiht a fork, since I have to hike out at 10AM the next morning. No hesitation here. One shot at 75 yds. He walks 10 steps and drops. All 5 does just stand there looking at him for the next few minutes, till I stand up to tag this years D16.
After the funeral and some work obligations in early Dec, I'll be back up with the bow looking for that 3x3

Here is the 3x3 I'll be trying to arrow.

3 - 4 day excursions (11 nights in a tent, 8 gallons of water packed in and a 3 mile pack out)
Second buck (on public) I saw in 12 days. First was a nice 3x3 at 190yds but his was only in my shooting lane for 2-3 seconds and then dissappeared.
Well it took 9 days for me to figure out what was different this year. Deer were using the normal game trails in late Jul and early August so I was getting nice pics on game cameras. Unfortunately those trails dried up come hunting season. It wasn't pressure because I've never seen a hunter near where I hunt.
Day 9, I was doing a noon time walk about and found lots of fresh tracks clustered around an oak tree that was droping acorns. All this wind has knocked tons of acorns down, IMO much more than normal. Found a couple more producing oaks and set up cameras. Viola. Big Forkie, Nice 3x3, small forkie, spike with a crabclaw and another spike, all in 2 days.
Day 10 I set up 150 yds from an oak with action. 2 doe come in at 3PM, then another doe with two fawns. Brouse till 4:30 and then head off. around 5:30 twilight a little spike comes in. Can't tell if it's the crabclaw...I'm getting desperate since day 12 (20 Nov) is my last morning...dad passed away and have family and funeral obligations for the rest of the season.
Day 11, I set up in rocks 90 yds from another oak with fresh prints and game camera pics of bucks. 10AM -2PM I'm pinned down by 2 doe and a fawn. They actually bed 70 yds from me around noon. Around 1:30 they are joined by 3 more does and all start feeding again. at 2PM they all stop and look left...enter this years little forkie. Last afternoon, I'm desperate for anything wiht a fork, since I have to hike out at 10AM the next morning. No hesitation here. One shot at 75 yds. He walks 10 steps and drops. All 5 does just stand there looking at him for the next few minutes, till I stand up to tag this years D16.
After the funeral and some work obligations in early Dec, I'll be back up with the bow looking for that 3x3

Here is the 3x3 I'll be trying to arrow.

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