Story of my 2016 buck kill - Thanks to THB
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Story of my 2016 buck kill - Thanks to THB
First I want you to know that this report is coming from a newbie when it comes to killing big bucks – this is the story of my first big buck kill and I have sooo much to learn.
The story of this buck started with a look at the topo map of my property. It is a very flat piece of South Georgia family owned timber land. Referred to as Flatwoods. Most of the 1500 acres is covered with planted pines of various ages, with a river border to the east, lots of oak stands on the hills and a few decent size creeks running west to east. Very thick. One of those creeks on the northern portion of the property has a big inside corner with a Southwest facing slope. Prevailing winds are NE so I honed in on that area as a potential buck bedding area. I hunt from a Summit Viper climbing stand. This property is 6 hours from my home – and in Georgia bow season starts in September and ends January 8th. My first trip this year I arrived midweek before the bow season opener. First thing I wanted to do was get boots on the ground and inspect the area for sign and to put out some trail cameras . See map. This is how it all unfolded -
1. Looking for a place to put out a trail camera I jumped a really nice buck. I am pretty sure he was bedded down. I go to within 20 yards of him before he exploded from the brush and sprinted north along the edge. I never saw him prior to him running. Saw good horns and big body. I looked around to see if I could find exactly where he was laying but was unable to find what I thought was his actual bed. Here's a picture of the habitat.
2. Went back across the little woods road and saw several rubs along a good trail between the planted pines and the hardwoods that surround the creek. I placed a camera there. I returned November 5th – to hunt for a week. I arrived Saturday afternoon and went straight to the camera to see if I had a picture. I had two – both in daylight. One October 23 6:30, and the other that morning November 5th at 9:45. Did I miss my opportunity? Based on the picture he looked to be a mature 8 point with good high rack and long tines. I gave him a nickname - Dapper Dan (if you are into that) because his brow tines seemed to be slicked back a bit.
3. a. My first attempt to hunt him was November 6th in the afternoon. I was scared to get too close at first so I decided to go further west along the creeks edge. Wind was NE 0-6, Temp 68, BP 30.03 rising. I got busted by three separate deer although I never saw the deer. Wind was on my nose, I was on the south side of the creek looking north. I could see into the creek bottom and to the other side but it was too thick to see into the planted pines across the way. Three separate times from 4:30pm to just before dark (like every 45 minutes) a deer blew at me from the other side of the creek. I assume, even though the wind was in my favor (according to the weather man) my scent was pooling in the creek bottom and every deer that crossed it's path along the trail was alerted.
3 b. Stayed away until November 8th and decided to hunt as close as I could to where I thought he bedded. Temp 68, Wind NE 0-7, BP 30.28 falling. Arrived at gray light so I could pick my spot. Climbed a hardwood on the norht side of the creek about 50 yards from where I jumped the deer. I stayed until 11:30 – nothing. Left my climber there though and planned to return because the wind direction was supposed to hold.
3 c. November 9th - election night. Temp 53, Wind WNW 0-4, BP 30.13 falling. Was awakened with curiosity to see who won the election. Excited and couldn’t go back to sleep so I got dressed and headed to my stand. A raccoon was practically sitting in my climber. I shinned his eyes as I approached my tree. It’s 4:30, pitch dark, I am about 4 strokes into my climb and – sheeeew. A deer blew – probably 20 yards from my stand. I stayed there until about 9:30 - nothing.
3 d. Stayed away until November 11th – am. Temp 45, Wind West 0-4mph, BP 30:04 falling. I went back around to the west and got out on the hill at the north end of a food strip thinking I could see down into the creek. Climbed before daylight – when it got to where I could see I didn't like where I was because I could not see into the creek bottom like I wanted to. It's just not possible to be on the hill and see that far. So I moved further south and just sat over the small food strip. Getting a bit discourage by now. It seems if I get in close - I get busted and the lay of the land will not allow me to see from afar. On top of that the wind was shifting.
3 e. November 11th – pm. Temp 77, Wind WSW 5-10, BP 29.99 falling. Wind totally wrong for where I thought I needed to be so I went around to the east side of the creek near some beautyberry hedges I had found in my scouting. Found a tree to climb and faced myself looking back toward south into the wind. Saw nothing
4 Dapper Dan was seen on a trail camera pic dated Oct 10 3:30am. Walking a road and working a line of scrapes. This night time pic caused a couple of guys that hunt with me to set up a stand in, around, and over that scrape area. I – being wise to the ways of the Hunting Beast – suspected all of that sign was being put their at night. And the picture proved it.
5 The day of reckoning. January 7th. My last trip of the season. I arrived Wednesday and stayed away from the area until the wind was right. Decided to get close again and get high in my tree, Wind was NW at 16mph. It had rained the night before so the ground was wet and quiet. I slipped in a little south and west of my camera site. Got up about 3:45pm. Temp 41 – wind blowing pretty hard and steady. Milkweed was flying high. Like I said I got really high - figuring that would help my scent get up and out of there. I could only see about 50 yards straight in from of me. I was facing north toward the trail where my trail camera had captured the pictures of the buck I was hoping to encounter. I could see along the creek east and west but with the wind blowing like it was it was hard to pick up movement. As the hours and minutes ticked by I started to lose faith, the season was ending tomorrow – then all of a sudden – there he was! At 50 yards right in front of me. I raised the gun – but with scope power on 9 all I saw was fur. I quickly reached to adjust the power down, he turned and gathered speed to jump the creek. I thought for a moment he had seen me. He was now coming right to me and moving fast. He stopped just for a second to raise his head and nibble some browse, again I thought he had caught sight of me. He moved quickly again and jumped another portion of the winding creek. He is now at 25 yards and behind some brush. Another 20 yards and he will be in the thick pines behind me and I will not be able to see him. I am on my feet now and thinking – if I don’t get a shot at this thing I’m going to be ticked. He keep moving like a man on a mission and as he stepped into an opening I heard the beautiful sound of gunpowder exploding inside a 30.06 shell. He never knew what hit him. It happened so fast I didn’t have time to get nervous. My heart rate was normal. As he lay there 20 yards from my tree I looked to the heavens for someone to celebrate with and gave the fist pump thank you and said YES! It was amazing!
Thanks to all you beasts out there. I have listened to your podcasts, watched your youtube videos, read your posts and I appreciate the fact that you share your knowledge and hunting experience. It has made me a wiser and happier hunter. Can’t wait til next year!!
My stand - looking WSW. To the right is the creek and where he came from
The story of this buck started with a look at the topo map of my property. It is a very flat piece of South Georgia family owned timber land. Referred to as Flatwoods. Most of the 1500 acres is covered with planted pines of various ages, with a river border to the east, lots of oak stands on the hills and a few decent size creeks running west to east. Very thick. One of those creeks on the northern portion of the property has a big inside corner with a Southwest facing slope. Prevailing winds are NE so I honed in on that area as a potential buck bedding area. I hunt from a Summit Viper climbing stand. This property is 6 hours from my home – and in Georgia bow season starts in September and ends January 8th. My first trip this year I arrived midweek before the bow season opener. First thing I wanted to do was get boots on the ground and inspect the area for sign and to put out some trail cameras . See map. This is how it all unfolded -
1. Looking for a place to put out a trail camera I jumped a really nice buck. I am pretty sure he was bedded down. I go to within 20 yards of him before he exploded from the brush and sprinted north along the edge. I never saw him prior to him running. Saw good horns and big body. I looked around to see if I could find exactly where he was laying but was unable to find what I thought was his actual bed. Here's a picture of the habitat.
2. Went back across the little woods road and saw several rubs along a good trail between the planted pines and the hardwoods that surround the creek. I placed a camera there. I returned November 5th – to hunt for a week. I arrived Saturday afternoon and went straight to the camera to see if I had a picture. I had two – both in daylight. One October 23 6:30, and the other that morning November 5th at 9:45. Did I miss my opportunity? Based on the picture he looked to be a mature 8 point with good high rack and long tines. I gave him a nickname - Dapper Dan (if you are into that) because his brow tines seemed to be slicked back a bit.
3. a. My first attempt to hunt him was November 6th in the afternoon. I was scared to get too close at first so I decided to go further west along the creeks edge. Wind was NE 0-6, Temp 68, BP 30.03 rising. I got busted by three separate deer although I never saw the deer. Wind was on my nose, I was on the south side of the creek looking north. I could see into the creek bottom and to the other side but it was too thick to see into the planted pines across the way. Three separate times from 4:30pm to just before dark (like every 45 minutes) a deer blew at me from the other side of the creek. I assume, even though the wind was in my favor (according to the weather man) my scent was pooling in the creek bottom and every deer that crossed it's path along the trail was alerted.
3 b. Stayed away until November 8th and decided to hunt as close as I could to where I thought he bedded. Temp 68, Wind NE 0-7, BP 30.28 falling. Arrived at gray light so I could pick my spot. Climbed a hardwood on the norht side of the creek about 50 yards from where I jumped the deer. I stayed until 11:30 – nothing. Left my climber there though and planned to return because the wind direction was supposed to hold.
3 c. November 9th - election night. Temp 53, Wind WNW 0-4, BP 30.13 falling. Was awakened with curiosity to see who won the election. Excited and couldn’t go back to sleep so I got dressed and headed to my stand. A raccoon was practically sitting in my climber. I shinned his eyes as I approached my tree. It’s 4:30, pitch dark, I am about 4 strokes into my climb and – sheeeew. A deer blew – probably 20 yards from my stand. I stayed there until about 9:30 - nothing.
3 d. Stayed away until November 11th – am. Temp 45, Wind West 0-4mph, BP 30:04 falling. I went back around to the west and got out on the hill at the north end of a food strip thinking I could see down into the creek. Climbed before daylight – when it got to where I could see I didn't like where I was because I could not see into the creek bottom like I wanted to. It's just not possible to be on the hill and see that far. So I moved further south and just sat over the small food strip. Getting a bit discourage by now. It seems if I get in close - I get busted and the lay of the land will not allow me to see from afar. On top of that the wind was shifting.
3 e. November 11th – pm. Temp 77, Wind WSW 5-10, BP 29.99 falling. Wind totally wrong for where I thought I needed to be so I went around to the east side of the creek near some beautyberry hedges I had found in my scouting. Found a tree to climb and faced myself looking back toward south into the wind. Saw nothing
4 Dapper Dan was seen on a trail camera pic dated Oct 10 3:30am. Walking a road and working a line of scrapes. This night time pic caused a couple of guys that hunt with me to set up a stand in, around, and over that scrape area. I – being wise to the ways of the Hunting Beast – suspected all of that sign was being put their at night. And the picture proved it.
5 The day of reckoning. January 7th. My last trip of the season. I arrived Wednesday and stayed away from the area until the wind was right. Decided to get close again and get high in my tree, Wind was NW at 16mph. It had rained the night before so the ground was wet and quiet. I slipped in a little south and west of my camera site. Got up about 3:45pm. Temp 41 – wind blowing pretty hard and steady. Milkweed was flying high. Like I said I got really high - figuring that would help my scent get up and out of there. I could only see about 50 yards straight in from of me. I was facing north toward the trail where my trail camera had captured the pictures of the buck I was hoping to encounter. I could see along the creek east and west but with the wind blowing like it was it was hard to pick up movement. As the hours and minutes ticked by I started to lose faith, the season was ending tomorrow – then all of a sudden – there he was! At 50 yards right in front of me. I raised the gun – but with scope power on 9 all I saw was fur. I quickly reached to adjust the power down, he turned and gathered speed to jump the creek. I thought for a moment he had seen me. He was now coming right to me and moving fast. He stopped just for a second to raise his head and nibble some browse, again I thought he had caught sight of me. He moved quickly again and jumped another portion of the winding creek. He is now at 25 yards and behind some brush. Another 20 yards and he will be in the thick pines behind me and I will not be able to see him. I am on my feet now and thinking – if I don’t get a shot at this thing I’m going to be ticked. He keep moving like a man on a mission and as he stepped into an opening I heard the beautiful sound of gunpowder exploding inside a 30.06 shell. He never knew what hit him. It happened so fast I didn’t have time to get nervous. My heart rate was normal. As he lay there 20 yards from my tree I looked to the heavens for someone to celebrate with and gave the fist pump thank you and said YES! It was amazing!
Thanks to all you beasts out there. I have listened to your podcasts, watched your youtube videos, read your posts and I appreciate the fact that you share your knowledge and hunting experience. It has made me a wiser and happier hunter. Can’t wait til next year!!
My stand - looking WSW. To the right is the creek and where he came from
- Stanley
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Re: Story of my 2016 buck kill - Thanks to THB
Great story. Dandy Buck.
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.
- Edcyclopedia
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Re: Story of my 2016 buck kill - Thanks to THB
Spectacular!
Expect the Unexpected when you least Expect it...
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- Dewey
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Re: Story of my 2016 buck kill - Thanks to THB
Great buck.
- Wlog
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Re: Story of my 2016 buck kill - Thanks to THB
Congrats!
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.
- jwilkstn
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Re: Story of my 2016 buck kill - Thanks to THB
Congratulations man, awesome buck!
Not all those who wander are lost...
- <DK>
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Re: Story of my 2016 buck kill - Thanks to THB
Great Buck and awesome visualizations! Congrats bud
- Mibowfreak
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Re: Story of my 2016 buck kill - Thanks to THB
Great story and great buck. Congrats.
- justdirtyfun
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Re: Story of my 2016 buck kill - Thanks to THB
Very nice. Congrats.
You don't have to be the best, just do your best.
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Re: Story of my 2016 buck kill - Thanks to THB
Beauty buck!
- strutnrut716
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Re: Story of my 2016 buck kill - Thanks to THB
Great Buck . Congrats and thanks for all the details..
- Jackson Marsh
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Re: Story of my 2016 buck kill - Thanks to THB
Congrats! That is a dandy buck! !
- Ghost Hunter
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Re: Story of my 2016 buck kill - Thanks to THB
Awesome buck.
I'm reason they call it hunting and not shooting.
- flinginairos
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Re: Story of my 2016 buck kill - Thanks to THB
Exciting story!!! And that buck is just beautiful. Awesome cape on him!
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