Because of a buck that gave me the slip in 2012, I started to employ a few trail cams this year. One of the bucks that showed up became my target, or obsession if you will. He may or may not be the same guy that gave me the slip last year but I planned on killing him in early season and I wanted to do it with my modified Beast tactic of calling him out of his bed/bedroom so I wouldn't mucky up his safety zone.
I wanted to document this on film.
On Opening Sunday, I sat just outside of his presumed bed that I scouted out this spring. This particular area was historically always doe bedding until the 2012 season when the does, for no good reason started bedding elsewhere. My trail cam pics also enforced that My buck was using the old doe beds.
Low and behold when I commenced to try to call him out of his bed on Sunday I got does and fawns instead. I like to see deer as much as anyone but they really had my tree pegged and every time they would leave one of them would have to come back and check it out again. It was actually quite comical, as even though they pretty much had me surrounded several times they never winded me or spooked in any fashion. This went on for the better part of two hours. Well that put a kibosh on any further calling for that day.
I surmised that if the does took back their prime real estate, the bucks must be back in their old haunts as well. So on Tuesday evening I went in and set up in a stand of poplars on a ridge that borders a big long marsh. This transition had been home to several bucks back in the day. The wind is strong but consistent and in a perfect "just off" direction of SSE. Well somewhat to my surprise my plan came oh so close to working. After a few calling sequences my target came out of his bed and into the timber where I was perched. I didn't get a real good look at him until my opportunity had passed.
I was Jazzed!
I was so close.
I researched the weather for the coming week and determined that Wednesdy was forecasted to have the same wind only it was going to be unseasonably warm. I contemplated that there was no way the deer would be moving early in 80 degree temps with 90% humidity. I know I didn't want to.
BUT.... I figured that that would be my best chance to rely on him to be in the same bed again.
So the plan was to move in for the Kill. No calling. 100% Beast this time. I was even going to leave the camera home. (at least the camera arm).
I set up 40 yards closer and slightly further down his desired path. At 6:15 or so I hear a deer get up. In a few minutes I can see movement and with the help of the binnies I can see a rub being made. I make out some heavy antlers and smile widely.
Suddenly he spooks and I can't tell where he went. My heart sinks. I blew it! What in the did he hear/smell /see?
I can't believe it.
As I sulk I hear someone chewing on acorns behind me. I turn aroud ever so cautiously and see a good 2 yo 8 pointer sucking up Oak nuts.
Whew!
He didn't spook far and it wasn't my deer. I am still in this thing!
I watch my new friend eat and fart. ( yea, right!? craziest thing ever! Green acorns must give them the wind).
Then I hear it!
Unmistakable sound of a clumsy old buck getting up from his nap. And he is CLOSE. Sounds like less than 50 yrds.
I wait.
I see movement in the marsh grass and magically he appears.
He isn't as impressive in height as I remember him. But his mass and character more than make up for it.
I decide that a 4 day MN season sounds good to me. He doesn't offer me the best of shots and I need to force it a little, but am very confident that it will be over quickly.
Well, the son of gun made me second guess my decision, even though I double lunged him; he ran nearly 250 yrds. It took a little tracking prowess with some help from James, it all worked out in the end.
I so totally enjoyed the challenge and rush of setting up on that same buck two nights in a row, that the killing shot was just frosting on the cake.
Awesome
