This buck garners the name Showtime due to how much the camera didn't bother him last year. I had pic after pic. Probably over 100. This year his tune changed. I only had a couple of pics of him 2 weeks before the kill.
On Oct. 30th the temps dropped 20 degrees over night so I went in for a morning hunt where I was 80% sure he was bedding most of the time and I had a perfect wind for the route I thought he was taking back to his bed.
At about 45 minutes past light I figured I was done that he didn't stay out late feeding. Just a few minutes after that I spotted a doe walking through the tall grass that dotted the field. When I glassed her he was directly behind her. For the next 15 minutes they zig zagged though the grass to the creek in front of me. He stayed back behind her 15 to 20 yards. It was obvious he was flanking her to push her to where he wanted her. He wasn't bird dogging her though. My stand is set on the edge of a large bulldozer pile of trees from years ago. So it creates a natural funnel once the creek is crossed. To my right is a thick oak stand that gradually widens along the creek. It played out perfect. She crossed,turned right and walked 18 yards under my stand and he followed 20 yards behind her. I dropped him in his tracks. The positives of missing him last year are he added some inches for sure and the learning opps. I roughly scored him at 142" gross when I dropped him off at the Taxidermist. Our county record is 159". So a definite trophy for this area. But the score on this buck is secondary for sure. All of the lessons I learned chasing him have made me a much better deer hunter.
The tactics I studied up on from this forum played a huge part in taking my hunting to the next level and my success with this buck. Thanks!
This is the first buck I have honed in on and solely pursued. I am hooked.
Time to find another!
[ Post made via iPhone ]
always nice when you can see them down from the stand
