Lessons learned

Unread postby **woods89** » Wed Nov 26, 2014 1:29 pm

I hope I'm not preaching to the choir here but I killed my best buck yet with a rifle Saturday morning and being that I am an analytical type I thot I'd share a few basic lessons that this hunt reaffirmed for me. He wasn't huge, a small 9 ( or 11 if you creatively count some stickers lol) but it was big woods public ground and it was a step up the ladder for me. ( I don't have any pics of him.)
1 Don't let small mistakes take your confidence in your location away. I had a 1/2 mile hike to my tree and just flat got out there too late. It was already shooting light as I was setting up. Then I clanked a carabiner against my steel coffee mug in my pack ( I will have that mug hockey taped for next time!). 30 min later I had three does come by at about 50-60 yds. I thot they were gone when a little rain shower came through and when I tryed to put on my rain gear and spooked one of them that was actually hanging around behind me. Thankfully she didn't blow but it didn't help my confidence at all. So 30 min later I'm sitting here and catch movement down in the bottom and 30 seconds later he is on the ground. This was one of those hunts that turned around in a few seconds.
2 Sometimes you don't have to be smarter than the other guys, just a little tougher! The forecast was calling for possible showers and I really kind of wanted to sleep in but with work limiting my time out somewhat decided that I should man up and go. The weekend before was opening weekend and you could hear gunshots all day long and that morning I heard very few. I also feel like the 1/2 mile hike in put me onto deer movement that probably wasn't happening as much closer to the road. Sticking it out through off and on rain showers was the ticket that morning.
3 I don't know if any of you guys use the gutless method to get your deer out but I have hauled two boned out deer out of the woods this year in my external frame pack and it has worked very well! We can telecheck our deer here so it's a little more viable than some states. This buck died 1/2 mile and 200' of elevation below my truck and if you have ever hiked the Ozarks you will probably understand that dragging him out would not have been pleasant. I think I would take my 60 lb pack over a whole deer any day.
Most of this is probably old hat to a lot of you guys but maybe it will reaffirm something for someone. I scouted this area for the first time this spring and this was my first hunt there. It was awesome to scout it, wait for the right conditions, hunt it, and kill a decent buck. After last season I made it a point to spend the off season learning as much as I could about big woods deer movement. I started with Brad Herndon's book " Mapping Trophy Bucks " and then found this site and the Hill Country Bucks DVD. These two resources have taught me so much and my confidence has taken a huge jump when it comes to finding deer. My thanks to all who have contributed to my continuing education!

Unread postby **Jackson Marsh** » Wed Nov 26, 2014 1:33 pm

Congrats on the buck! Good advice you mentioned.

Next time take pictures :lol:

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Unread postby **whitetailassasin** » Wed Nov 26, 2014 1:35 pm

Congrats would love to see pics of this hard earned buck

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Unread postby **woods89** » Wed Nov 26, 2014 2:05 pm

Thanks for the kind words! I'm a member of a Mennonite group that doesn't use cameras so that's why no pics. A lot of guys would have probably passed him for next year but it's amazing what that deer means to me because of the work that went into hunting him.

Unread postby **oldrank** » Wed Nov 26, 2014 2:18 pm

Nice job woods !!! Good read

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Unread postby **Jackson Marsh** » Wed Nov 26, 2014 2:19 pm

No problem....we are a rabid bunch when it comes to deer hunting.

Hard work always makes the success sweet.

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Unread postby **Stanley** » Wed Nov 26, 2014 4:46 pm

Nice read.

Unread postby **checkerfred** » Wed Nov 26, 2014 5:51 pm

Nice write up! I often think if I make a mistake like excessive noise or get busted by a doe, that area is done. I'll have to make a mental note to stick it out anyway!

Unread postby **Mibowhunter91** » Wed Nov 26, 2014 10:36 pm

Congrats on the buck I'm totally with u all the hard work I sure could see why he would mean so much to you!

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Unread postby **Edcyclopedia** » Thu Nov 27, 2014 1:07 am

Congrats!

Unread postby **Southern Man** » Thu Nov 27, 2014 1:15 am

Great story and way to hang in there. Congrats! You can't kill em on the couch! Next time take pics. And I'd call it an 11!!

Unread postby **JoeRE** » Thu Nov 27, 2014 2:17 am

woods89 wrote: 3 I don't know if any of you guys use the gutless method to get your deer out but I have hauled two boned out deer out of the woods this year in my external frame pack and it has worked very well! We can telecheck our deer here so it's a little more viable than some states. This buck died 1/2 mile and 200' of elevation below my truck and if you have ever hiked the Ozarks you will probably understand that dragging him out would not have been pleasant. I think I would take my 60 lb pack over a whole deer any day.

Good to hear somebody else advocating that. I do it a lot. The wisconsin boys have sort of restrictive regs but for other folks its just the ticket!

Unread postby **woods89** » Thu Nov 27, 2014 4:19 am

Thanks guys!
Joe, I just started doing it this year. I filled my antlerless tag opening morning and it allowed my brother and dad to keep hunting while I boned the deer out. About 3 hours after the shot all my gear and a game bag full of boned out meat were back at the truck. I didn't want to walk out right away anyway and mess someone else's hunt up so it worked perfect. The only deer I will drag from now on will be the odd one that dies really close to the truck. For all those considering this, I will say that it wouldn't be fun at all with a pack that's not up to the job. IMHO you need functional load lifters and a good hip belt unless your going to split it up into multiple trips.

Unread postby **Wlog** » Thu Nov 27, 2014 7:35 am

JoeRE wrote:
woods89 wrote: 3 I don't know if any of you guys use the gutless method to get your deer out but I have hauled two boned out deer out of the woods this year in my external frame pack and it has worked very well! We can telecheck our deer here so it's a little more viable than some states. This buck died 1/2 mile and 200' of elevation below my truck and if you have ever hiked the Ozarks you will probably understand that dragging him out would not have been pleasant. I think I would take my 60 lb pack over a whole deer any day.

Good to hear somebody else advocating that. I do it a lot. The wisconsin boys have sort of restrictive regs but for other folks its just the ticket!

I would give it a try but all the public land around here states in their rules that no part of a deer can be left on the property.

Congrats on the buck! Great story!

Unread postby **yungbuck** » Thu Nov 27, 2014 7:56 am

Hard work and being tough through elements and sitting mid day set beasts apart. ... great lessons

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