Nicely done Don! Like Lungpopper said, you are turning in some very strong work this season. You are the SCH "Poster Boy" for big game!
Virginia white tail play by play
- Thread starter Bonejour
- Start date
Day broke threatening rain as predicted, but it didn't start till mid afternoon. Light wind SSW and steady all morning. Some movement (sounds) noted near two of three stands, but we couldn't lay eyes on anything till just after 9am. A large buck, probably the broken 8-point we've seen on the game cams and which we bumped on Thursday am on the way to check my stand, showed briefly behind me on my right. The wind was from that direction so all morning I was mentally ready to make a left-handed shot, but I wasn't in position to swing around that far. He was only 50 yards away and a doe was chasing him. (Haven't seen that before; don't know if it was courting behavior or if he'd already had his way and she was starting to annoy him.) Be that as it may, I brought my rifle around as far as I could. As he continued down the ridge, I needed about 5 more yards to get the cross hairs on him. But he turned and descended into the next draw.
We thought about pushing, but the pressure might send him into the next property. For now, he has no idea that we are patterning him. It rained this afternoon and is raining hard now. Nothing is out in this weather. We'll head up in the morning and try to catch him when he emerges from his shelter.
We thought about pushing, but the pressure might send him into the next property. For now, he has no idea that we are patterning him. It rained this afternoon and is raining hard now. Nothing is out in this weather. We'll head up in the morning and try to catch him when he emerges from his shelter.
Shifting winds but drying out. 6 does came to the fence north of me and must have winded the offal from Saturday. They stopped but aren't spooked. Letting them hang to see what else turns up. They are working their way downhill. Sorry for the pic. Cell phone.
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What a great time! Keep us posted Don - we are cheering for you!
I have never been on a whitetail hunt. I will have to bump it up a few priority levels on the big game bucket list!
I have never been on a whitetail hunt. I will have to bump it up a few priority levels on the big game bucket list!
Yesterday afternoon was our last hunt for this trip. Balmy weather, in the high sixties with predicted S wind but it continued too shifty for optimal hunting. I'm sure my scent was all over the hillside. I could hear movement in the ridge where I'd seen the does in the morning but I never saw anything. The leaves were softer after the heavy rain, but although the sounds were muted, I could still hear movement pretty well out beyond 100 yards. A big tom turkey came down the ridge in the brush and crossed under the fence into the open. I expected to see a deer and was trying to locate it in the brush, thinking it would stay on the other side because it was directly downwind. Of course this all played out as you'd expect, given turkeys' lousy sense of smell and great eyesight. He didn't get my scent, but once on this side of the fence he had no trouble spotting me in my blaze orange, especially as I moved to get my camera for a good zoom shot and video. He took off too fast for me to complete the task for you. Sorry. Just after sunset, with about 10 minutes of legal hunting left, I heard a buck rubbing his antlers on a small tree somewhere on the other side of that ridge to my north. I tried rattling, but he was happy with his own turf and didn't rise to my challenge.
That's it... We had a great hunt and visit on Bob's farm. Conditions were good, with the exception of the wind which never settled well. Not that it matters too much on a rifle hunt, but even if you aren't shooting, the deer feel pressure from human scent and are going to avoid open spaces unless bumped.
That's it... We had a great hunt and visit on Bob's farm. Conditions were good, with the exception of the wind which never settled well. Not that it matters too much on a rifle hunt, but even if you aren't shooting, the deer feel pressure from human scent and are going to avoid open spaces unless bumped.
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