Dump and Thump Buck

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Redman232
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Dump and Thump Buck

Unread postby Redman232 » Wed Nov 22, 2017 8:42 am

The name of this buck/hunt was not an original idea to me, it was suggested when I first posted in the live from the stand thread, however it will all make sense once you finish reading.

I pride myself in knowing what's going on, on the properties I hunt. This starts in late winter/early spring with a lot of boot leather. I typically glass in the summer just to see what is around and then I'll spot check some locations prior to season to see what the human activities is like in the general areas where I have hunted in the past. While squirrel hunting/scouting in August of this year on one of my go to properties, I watched a really nice buck for about an hour. After the deer moved on so did I, only to discovered mowed paths and several trees cleared out for access by the others that hunt the same property. My time on this property that I have hunted for 15+ years is probably close to being up, as others have moved in over time. Making this revelation in August, motivated me to use this season to find new properties and new spots on existing properties. I was able to get in 16-17 sits during early archery season. Of those 4 are what I would consider to be serious kill sits, the rest were observation sits, usually only 1-2 hrs in the morning or evening. As November rolled around I hunted a few "traditional rut" locations, downwind of doe bedding, with 1 encounter on a buck I drew back on but had to pass a marginal 30 yard shot. One of the observations sits eventually lead me to the buck I killed opening morning of gun season.

In a small creek bottom that I rabbit hunt, I have noticed an increase in small buck sign the past few years (small, low rubs and small scrapes). The brush in the area has gotten thicker and it just seemed like it should be becoming more attractive to mature deer.This spot is a south facing slope, which would generally mean I would need a north wind to hunt it. The corresponding south "ridge" on the other side of the creek bottom is very open, really limiting bedding.

Hunt #1
The first time I hunted this area I went in on a south wind, staying 50 yards or so off of a thicket where I suspected some bedding would occur. There really is great access from the north(a mowed path that gets lots of foot traffic) and the south (creek access). Before daylight I could here antlers tickling together, it sounded like one set of sticks and one set of "logs". I presumed this to mean one small buck and one larger buck. At first light a big bodied deer made it's way within the thicket to my east, j-hooking from east, to north and then west to bed. 15 yards behind him followed a yearling buck. I was able to pick up a visual just enough in the thicket to figure out this is what they were doing. I had seen enough and had other obligations so I got down and snuck out.

Hunt #2
A north wind was forecast and I thought surely if these bucks were bedding on this little knob on a less than ideal wind (south wind from previous hunt) they would be bedded there on a north wind. My plan was to sneak in mid morning using the creek as access, setting up below them awaiting their exit in the evening. As I made my way down the creek, just below where I first observed the bucks on my first hunt I came across where they were crossing the creek. The path was beaten down to the mud with big tracks going both directions. I popped up out of the creek and quietly made my way thru the thicket paralleling the trail these deer were using to enter and exit bedding what had to of been basically every day. I got setup nice and quiet. I needed to break/remove a few larger dead limbs from the walnut tree I was in, after the woods settled down, I did so, then dropped the limbs from my stand. When I did this I could hear some shuffling from where I new the bucks had bedded the previous hunt. I grunted softly in an attempt to make whatever was shuffling think a deer had made the noise from the limbs falling. Within a minute the yearling came out of the bedding area to investigate. To my disappointment I also saw a large bodied buck sneaking away from me down the ridge. He must have either seen me or really disliked the grunts. Now remember this is the 2nd week of november and these bucks seemed to be on a feed to bed pattern. Outside of tracks this little corridor is absent of any fresh buck sign. But this is typical for this property, the bucks for whatever reason don't lay down much sign like other areas I hunt. I hunted until dark, the bigger buck never came back.
Image
The Creek Crossing

Hunt #3
Opening day of gun season called for rain all day and wind. My plan was to step inside the woods within eye sight of the trail the bucks used the first time I saw them, this worked well for the southeast wind we had. I was in about an hour before daylight. I was going to sit on the ground until I could see and then very slowly still hunt my way south. It was flat out nasty weather, the first hour of daylight passed and I didn't see or hear anything. The gas station hot dogs that I had eaten for supper on a long drive the previous night were starting to do cart wheels in my gut. I knew 50 yards away there was big cottonwood tree top that would allow me to conceal my business. This was also along the route I planned to still hunt and right along the trail the bucks were crossing the creek. As I finished my business, I thought I heard a slight splash in the creek some 40 yards away. I got my pants up, dropped to my knees with my gun propped up beside me and began to conceal the digested hotdogs. After a couple handfuls of leaves and soil, I caught movement out of the corner of my eye (this all happened with seconds). I tucked my chin and dared not to move, from the walking cadence and large brown outline I knew this was a big bodied buck. I let him pass by me, within 10 feet, took a quick glance and confirmed he was a big deer and reached back for my gun. I pulled my gun up and just as the buck was hooking into the thicket he turned broadside and I took the shot at 10 yards. The buck bolted up to where he had bedded both times I had seen him, he started to get wobbly and and stumbled another 10-15 yards and fell over. The buck died about 20 yards from a mowed path so we were able to load him in the truck without much effort. He's not my biggest, but is the first one in a long time I have had any history with, even though it was a few short weeks. This property has a history of producing some older deer with small racks and big bodies.
Image
See my gear in the tree top and the bucks trail to the left

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Sorry for the long read, but outside of the ridiculous ending, i hope there are a few things for others to take away from this experience of mine.

Where he dropped
Image


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muddy
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Re: Dump and Thump Buck

Unread postby muddy » Wed Nov 22, 2017 8:48 am

congrts that's a fun hunt
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john1984
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Re: Dump and Thump Buck

Unread postby john1984 » Wed Nov 22, 2017 8:58 am

Congratulations :clap:
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Jackson Marsh
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Re: Dump and Thump Buck

Unread postby Jackson Marsh » Wed Nov 22, 2017 8:59 am

Congrats redman! Great looking buck, big old swelled neck on him. Awesome :clap: :clap:
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Edcyclopedia
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Re: Dump and Thump Buck

Unread postby Edcyclopedia » Wed Nov 22, 2017 9:02 am

Spectacular! :clap:
Expect the Unexpected when you least Expect it...
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Jonny
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Re: Dump and Thump Buck

Unread postby Jonny » Wed Nov 22, 2017 9:29 am

Love the name of the thread! Congrats :clap:
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headgear
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Re: Dump and Thump Buck

Unread postby headgear » Wed Nov 22, 2017 10:46 am

Great buck, congrats!
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Hawthorne
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Re: Dump and Thump Buck

Unread postby Hawthorne » Wed Nov 22, 2017 10:50 am

Great buck congrats! Entertaining read
jpsmith270
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Re: Dump and Thump Buck

Unread postby jpsmith270 » Wed Nov 22, 2017 11:05 am

Awesome stuff. I guess it always pays off to keep your weapon within reach regardless of what you are doing :D

I find it interesting that these deer were bedding there regardless of what the wind was doing. Great story.....congrats on a very nice buck.
Redman232
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Re: Dump and Thump Buck

Unread postby Redman232 » Wed Nov 22, 2017 2:26 pm

jpsmith270 wrote:Awesome stuff. I guess it always pays off to keep your weapon within reach regardless of what you are doing :D

I find it interesting that these deer were bedding there regardless of what the wind was doing. Great story.....congrats on a very nice buck.



Thanks for the kind words guys. There is another spot on this property that I know of that generally has a buck bedded there regardless of wind direction, but it's definitely not a common theme.
Joe68
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Re: Dump and Thump Buck

Unread postby Joe68 » Wed Nov 22, 2017 3:24 pm

Congrats. Nice buck. His head is awfully dark. He looks mean.
cameron
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Re: Dump and Thump Buck

Unread postby cameron » Wed Nov 22, 2017 3:26 pm

Right on man, congrats!
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Lockdown
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Re: Dump and Thump Buck

Unread postby Lockdown » Wed Nov 22, 2017 3:55 pm

Congrats!
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Dewey
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Re: Dump and Thump Buck

Unread postby Dewey » Wed Nov 22, 2017 4:01 pm

Congrats. Funny story....glad it worked out for you. :clap:
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seazofcheeze
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Re: Dump and Thump Buck

Unread postby seazofcheeze » Wed Nov 22, 2017 4:41 pm

Congrats man! Pretty funny how things can work out sometimes.


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