My crazy 2013 season so far.

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SpeedbeefDown
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My crazy 2013 season so far.

Unread postby SpeedbeefDown » Thu Nov 21, 2013 6:44 am

Well the PA archery season is over, and I am still holding my buck tag. Although this year more so than others I am okay with it. I still have gun season, and I will able to use some of the tactics Ive read on here to hunt with a gun, as well as get started looking for some buck beds!!

As I was not turned on to the Beast Style until recently, I didnt start my scouting until June/July for this season. this was mostly long distance observation from the vehicle, or a hidden spot were I could see the deer enter and exit their feeding areas in the evenings. 1 of the farms that I lease adjacent to my own farm had a great class of 2.5 to 3.5 yr ld bucks last year, and the only one that I knew for sure that was taken was by me. I jumped him out of a bed right on the edge of a large field and shot him on i guess you could call my "rabbit hunting" instinct after I saw the large white rack and thought he was much, much bigger than he was. Although he wasnt one of the deer I was targeting, I knew that he was there, and was actually a very small bodied 2.5 yr old with a symmetrical 10 pt frame. At the time I was amazed that this deer was bedded where he was..I never expected it. Now after understanding more about beds thanks to you guys, I realize it was a typical buck bed. He could see all the fields, and everything where 90% of the human activity occurred, as well as having a SW wind at his back and many escape routes. So simple to see that now!
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2012 Rifle Buck

Once again, this bachelor group started showing up in the same fields. There were some really good deer, but one immediately stood out. He was sooo much bigger body wise than the rest, and had a great high rack that seemd to be dwarfed by his huge body. I guess you could jokingly say it was love at first sight haha.
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Here he is in the middle with his buddies in the beginning of August.

As the bucks started breaking up, he kind of went off the map. I got one set of pictures of him in an odd area for him where I had an old flash wildview game cam. Wouldnt have used it if Ihad expected him there at all, even though he didnt seem to mind the flash at all.
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Working a primary scrape line. (Guess I forgot to set the year on these)

Although I didnt like him seeing a flash camera, it was nice to see these pictures and the detail they showed of his crazy rack. Split main beams, great mass on the frame, crab claw on the left side, and a few kickers here and there. I guessed him to be a 4.5yr old 13pt around 140. I knew the body size I was seeing, and believed the rack looked small on him haha. I just loved the character that he had.

After one more set of pics he just dissapeared. I never saw him from mid September until the end of October. I hunted a few observation/fringe stands hoping to catch a glimpse of him around the corn or anywhere for that matter to no avail.
My brother did end up shooting one of the other bucks from the group of 6-7. A nice 2.5 yr old 10pt on the 2nd day of the season. He was traveling what I now guess I would call a transition line(please correct me if im wrong). A trail between standing corn and a finger of woods where i had hung a stand in early September. I knew they were using the spot to travel between corn fields and it paid off quickly.
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My brothers 2013 buck

I hunted sparingly in October waiting for him to show. I never saw him until I saw eyes with the headlights one night in late October in an odd place. Pulling in the barn road there he was with a doe. He seemed almost locked up, and was on the barn bridge not leaving her side. I was ecstatic.

On November 6th I got a photo of him leaving what I knew was him primary bedding area. A steep ravine just full of blow downs and greenbriars. I had located a small scrape near a large rub right at the mouth of one of the trails that came out of there. I hung a camera knowing that I would be able to sneak in and check it without disturbing the area. 5:30am was the closest to daylight that I had got him on camera since August, so I had hoped I may catch him some morning traveling back to his bed.
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On November 8th I hunted a stand I had hung between the 2 bedding areas, and at 9:15am saw a big body coming through the woods. Grabbed the bow and watched as a huge half rack cruised by me at 25 yards. Stopping quickly to check a scrape. I passed obviously, as it wasnt the only buck that I wanted. I never really got a great look at his rack, as I grabbed the bow and not the binos when i first saw him. I hung a camera on that scrape a few hrs later and snuck out. I hoped my buck would be using the scrape as well.

That was the only mature deer I saw until the end of the season. I passed up some deer many others would have been happy with, but nothing would make me as happy as he would, and I would rather eat tag soup than shoot a buck that doesnt fire me up and not be able to hunt the rest of the year.

I had one camera remaining in the woods that I just couldnt find the right wind or time to sneak in and hunt or even get it without risking that spot. I went and retrieved Sunday the 17th, the day after the season ended. What I found was enough to get me more than worked up.
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My target deer, the one I hunted every day for a season, had been busted off about 6 inches from the base. I hunted a ghost the whole last week of the season, during the rut. Not only had he totally punked me, outsmarted me, and made me feel like not much of a hunter, but now he wasnt the same deer as I was after. He was busted off. As I sat there totally bummed out, it hit me....He didnt punk me. I did figure him out. I had him dead to rights at 20yards. I went into his bedroom, and he walked right under me unaware of my presence. I just didnt realize it. i had passed on him November 8th. Never considering the fact that it could be HIM. I had a trail cam picture of him from just 2days before that with a full rack. Looking back, I should have realized. Ive NEVER seen a deer that big body wise in the woods here.
I was a hot mess...not knowing whether to be sad that he busted his rack up, or happy that he didnt totally outsmart me. My wife was concerned for my health when I saw the pictures lol.
I right then decided, that this isnt over. I will be after him with the rifle the whole first week of the gun season. If I see another shooter, I will happily take him and hope this guy makes it another season. But if find this guy first, he is going on my wall...busted horn and all, as a symbol of the best battle Ive ever had with a whitetail to date...and you can bet that I will be searching those woods top to bottom come January to find that half a horn. Regardless of the seasons outcome!! I will somehow, someway have a piece of the dude that I called The BIG LEFTY in my possession.
Thanks for reading, shoot straight and keep your stink headed to the clouds!!


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Stanley
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Re: My crazy 2013 season so far.

Unread postby Stanley » Thu Nov 21, 2013 6:57 am

Love the chronicle.
You can fool some of the bucks, all of the time, and fool all of the bucks, some of the time, however you certainly can't fool all of the bucks, all of the time.
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Edcyclopedia
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Re: My crazy 2013 season so far.

Unread postby Edcyclopedia » Thu Nov 21, 2013 7:39 am

Good post!
Expect the Unexpected when you least Expect it...
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Re: My crazy 2013 season so far.

Unread postby dan » Thu Nov 21, 2013 11:01 am

8-)
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Black Squirrel
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Re: My crazy 2013 season so far.

Unread postby Black Squirrel » Fri Nov 22, 2013 5:01 am

Nice.
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DEERSLAYER
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Re: My crazy 2013 season so far.

Unread postby DEERSLAYER » Fri Nov 22, 2013 6:30 am

Great post. You have some great deer in the area.
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wmahunter
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Re: My crazy 2013 season so far.

Unread postby wmahunter » Fri Nov 22, 2013 8:38 am

Nice article.
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wibow
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Re: My crazy 2013 season so far.

Unread postby wibow » Fri Nov 22, 2013 9:35 am

Awesome man! Goodluck!

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Edcyclopedia
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Re: My crazy 2013 season so far.

Unread postby Edcyclopedia » Fri Nov 22, 2013 12:51 pm

Edcyclopedia wrote:Good post!


You added more pics...
Spectacular Buck!
Expect the Unexpected when you least Expect it...
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Jackson Marsh
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Re: My crazy 2013 season so far.

Unread postby Jackson Marsh » Fri Nov 22, 2013 2:59 pm

Awesome!

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VA5326
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Re: My crazy 2013 season so far.

Unread postby VA5326 » Sun Nov 24, 2013 7:06 am

Good!
If you want to kill a deer you have to be in the woods.
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yungbuck
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Re: My crazy 2013 season so far.

Unread postby yungbuck » Mon Nov 25, 2013 5:42 pm

Great story and pics

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Buckfever
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Re: My crazy 2013 season so far.

Unread postby Buckfever » Wed Nov 27, 2013 4:01 pm

Good work man.


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