First Beast Buck, First Public Buck
- MATexbow
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First Beast Buck, First Public Buck
This is my first season hunting beast style. It has been a great adventure and truly changed the way I hunt and will hunt for the rest of my life. I grew up hunting private land in Texas, mostly hill country with some late season south texas scrub country hunting. It was enough to get me hooked on hunting for life, but not much of a challenge with feeders, food plots and the like. As I grew older, I pushed myself as a hunter and started hunting tripods in the thick cover away from feeders and had success chasing the mature deer on different terms. I left Texas for school in MA and was unable to establish myself as a hunter while at school. After a few years post grad, finally had the stability and access to a car to hunt public land for the first time.
For 3 years, I was wholly unsuccessful. My first year, I saw 2 does on my first sit, and no deer for the rest of the year. Second year, saw a fork horn buck on my first sit, missed low, and didn't see another deer for the rest of the year. Third year, one doe on yet again first sit of the year, nothing for the rest of the year. Needless to say, it was demoralizing.
I was cruising youtube last winter after the season and came across the hunting beast channel. I was instantly hooked and dove in head first. I scouted intensely this winter/spring, got an old used canoe, bought a used LW and sticks, and upped my practice time on the bow significantly.
After a whole spring summer season scouting, I had 6 pieces of public land well scouted, and well over a dozen spots to sit. On my first day of the season, I had a mature 10pt at 55 yards coming off a bed from the marsh. Improvement! Over the course of this season, I have consistently seen deer, gotten on hot sign, and put myself in positions to succeed. I put a doe down on Halloween on the transition between a swamp island and hardwood timber, shin deep water on a one stick dead tree set.
I even had the hilarious experience of encountering one of the few other beast style hunters in MA sitting in the tree I planned to hunt. I had canoed in about a mile back, and see him sitting in the tree. I parked my canoe next to his and hunted another area. I was so sure it was him I texted asking if he had just seen a guy in canoe go by. He texted a photo of my canoe back!
However, besides the first sit mature buck sighting of the season, I had yet to see a mature buck. I had a good feeling the morning of Nov 16th. There was a steady SE wind predicted for the morning, and I had scouted the perfect tree for that wind if bucks were cruising downwind of doe bedding. The set was perfect access (canoe in .65 miles and walk 20 yards to my tree) and perfect for a rut morning.
Sure enough, at 7am, a 3.5 year old (by my estimate) 8 point comes cruising down the N-S trail I was set up on checking E-W doe trails coming to and from bedding. At 20 yards, I put a perfect shot on him and he died within view from my tree.
I am so proud and pumped to have put 2 deer down after so many years of "tag soup". Many thanks to all of the years of wisdom and insight shared on this site. It is an exceptional community to be a part of and learn a craft. A special thanks to Dan for making this site happen. Here's to many more years of swamp muck, thorn cuts, and mature bucks!
For 3 years, I was wholly unsuccessful. My first year, I saw 2 does on my first sit, and no deer for the rest of the year. Second year, saw a fork horn buck on my first sit, missed low, and didn't see another deer for the rest of the year. Third year, one doe on yet again first sit of the year, nothing for the rest of the year. Needless to say, it was demoralizing.
I was cruising youtube last winter after the season and came across the hunting beast channel. I was instantly hooked and dove in head first. I scouted intensely this winter/spring, got an old used canoe, bought a used LW and sticks, and upped my practice time on the bow significantly.
After a whole spring summer season scouting, I had 6 pieces of public land well scouted, and well over a dozen spots to sit. On my first day of the season, I had a mature 10pt at 55 yards coming off a bed from the marsh. Improvement! Over the course of this season, I have consistently seen deer, gotten on hot sign, and put myself in positions to succeed. I put a doe down on Halloween on the transition between a swamp island and hardwood timber, shin deep water on a one stick dead tree set.
I even had the hilarious experience of encountering one of the few other beast style hunters in MA sitting in the tree I planned to hunt. I had canoed in about a mile back, and see him sitting in the tree. I parked my canoe next to his and hunted another area. I was so sure it was him I texted asking if he had just seen a guy in canoe go by. He texted a photo of my canoe back!
However, besides the first sit mature buck sighting of the season, I had yet to see a mature buck. I had a good feeling the morning of Nov 16th. There was a steady SE wind predicted for the morning, and I had scouted the perfect tree for that wind if bucks were cruising downwind of doe bedding. The set was perfect access (canoe in .65 miles and walk 20 yards to my tree) and perfect for a rut morning.
Sure enough, at 7am, a 3.5 year old (by my estimate) 8 point comes cruising down the N-S trail I was set up on checking E-W doe trails coming to and from bedding. At 20 yards, I put a perfect shot on him and he died within view from my tree.
I am so proud and pumped to have put 2 deer down after so many years of "tag soup". Many thanks to all of the years of wisdom and insight shared on this site. It is an exceptional community to be a part of and learn a craft. A special thanks to Dan for making this site happen. Here's to many more years of swamp muck, thorn cuts, and mature bucks!
Public ownership of land is a vital component of a democracy worth living in. Corporate interests that destroy quality land for profit buy their way into power in our government and actively undermine the rights of public land hunters like us.
- WV Bowhunter
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Re: First Beast Buck, First Public Buck
Awesome game planning and execution!! Congrats on a nice buck
Luck is when preparation meets opportunity!!
- Jackson Marsh
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Re: First Beast Buck, First Public Buck
Outstanding!
Congrats on changing how you hunt and having success! Love the buck in canoe pic.
Be careful, this stuff is addicting
Congrats on changing how you hunt and having success! Love the buck in canoe pic.
Be careful, this stuff is addicting
- Edcyclopedia
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Re: First Beast Buck, First Public Buck
Spectacular!
Expect the Unexpected when you least Expect it...
- PK_
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Re: First Beast Buck, First Public Buck
This post is what it’s all about. Congrats man, not just for killing deer but that point when you know it is repeatable just lessens the ‘pressure’ so much.
Trust the process and results will come.
Trust the process and results will come.
No Shortcuts. No Excuses. No Regrets.
Everybody's selling dreams. I'm too cheap to buy one.
Everybody's selling dreams. I'm too cheap to buy one.
Rich M wrote:Typically, hunting FL has been like getting a root canal
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Re: First Beast Buck, First Public Buck
Nice work! And heck of a shot
- Ack
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Re: First Beast Buck, First Public Buck
Great job!
- Hodag Hunter
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Re: First Beast Buck, First Public Buck
Congrats on a nice buck. Hunting from the water is cool.....my first read I though you paddled in 65 miles! I missed the decimal point.
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Re: First Beast Buck, First Public Buck
Awesome hunt. I love hunting the river bottom cruisers. Wind in your face river to your back. I’ve killed several like that. Great job. I see more bucks in your future.
- RDubs44
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Re: First Beast Buck, First Public Buck
Congrats on your hard work!
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Re: First Beast Buck, First Public Buck
Nice kill!
- <DK>
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Re: First Beast Buck, First Public Buck
Awesome deer! Congratulations
Great job w the write up as well. I like bucks in boats, really hope to do that someday!
Great job w the write up as well. I like bucks in boats, really hope to do that someday!
- rfickes87
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Re: First Beast Buck, First Public Buck
AWESOME!!!!! i could read stories like this all day...
"Pressure and Time. That's all it takes, really. Pressure, and time..."
- E72
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- MATexbow
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Re: First Beast Buck, First Public Buck
Thanks all! appreciate the support and positive feedback
Public ownership of land is a vital component of a democracy worth living in. Corporate interests that destroy quality land for profit buy their way into power in our government and actively undermine the rights of public land hunters like us.
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