Early season beast kill

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bigredneck61088
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Early season beast kill

Unread postby bigredneck61088 » Sat Dec 29, 2018 3:51 am

The is my first post with some real content. I have lurked for several years, and became a member last year. I have done a lot of reading and not much posting. I want to change that because I have learned a ton here... This is my early season buck write up. I have wanted to post it just haven't got around to the computer to type it all out. I have always struggled to get on good bucks outside the rut. I picked up a new farm early September and traded some farm work for permission here in NE ohio. With little time to scout before the season I spent one weekend and covered the whole 200 acres pretty thoroughly. Access is only from the north and is basically a square with a small rectangle added to the SW side. I killed a doe in a low impact spot a few days into the season. I knew of two good bedding areas on the farm, and all the ag on the property this year was beans.

While doing work the first week of the season I located hot sign just inside the tree line of the beans field on the eastern side of the farm. The field goes to the eastern border, and has good thick bedding south of it, along with some oaks to the west of the thick cover. The thick cover goes to the fenced property line and there is a cut corn field there to the east. The corn and beans are both lower than the thick cover. The thick cover goes from fenceline to approximately 50-60 yards in, then it is oaks and a ravine. Access is tough due to the normal farm lanes are watched by the deer and only access from the north This farm has also been hunted by the family in permanent stands for approximately 20 plus years but no mature deer have been killed here. Adjacent properties are also hunted hard. Based on the sign and food, I thought a good buck was living in here, but wasn't moving much because of the plethora of food.

Based on the sign and way the land lays. My theory on this area was I thought the deer was bedded with thick to his back, and could scent check the normal accesses on a north wind. Not hill country style but the way this farm is setup he was basically un killable in this area because of the cover behind him is too thick to penetrate, and normal access he would smell anything coming on a N wind. I thought on a south wind he would bed near the field edge and no way to access without being busted. With a cold front coming, and a NW wind. I thought I could backdoor the deer by walking from the barn to the E property line then walk it all the way to the NE corner of the woods, then walk west along the thick approx 60 yards, and setup on the corner of the thick, where it pinches approximately 20-30 yards from the bean field ege. The hot sign is along the edge of the thick. Prior scouting showed beds in the thicket. Almost a mile walk what could normally be less than half that....

Oct 11, with a cold front hitting and NW wind, I went in around 1pm and once I hit the woods, I took my time. The wind was just off and blowing enough to cover my movement. I use a climber primarily and got to where I wanted to setup but no good tree. I have hunted so long with a climber I prefer it most situations because its more comfortable and I have used it so long I am ultra quiet. I crept further and wanted to back off cause I thought I might be too close. I remembered Dan saying "don't backtrack once you get in" so I setup where I was 10 yards roughly from the transition trail/sign. The trail worked the transition out to corn, but 20 yards inside the bean edge. All was slow until an hour before closing time i could movement 50 yards out in the thicket. I saw a wide rack and knew it was a shooter. The buck slowly worked the edge Ne towards the corner towards me. I did notice on the NW wind, he kept scent checking the field/usual access to that area. The buck continued to work towards me, and rubbed but it was so thick no shot. Then he got to a hole at 8 yards, and i let one rip. Initial feeling on the shot was great just a touch low. He took off into the thicket towards the ravine to the west and I lost him. Called my best buddies and wife and told them I hit one. Waited a half hour and climbed down. Intially no blood but once he opened up it was pretty quick track. Then i saw a white belly and found this guy....

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NYBackcountry
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Re: Early season beast kill

Unread postby NYBackcountry » Sat Dec 29, 2018 4:10 am

Congrats man, awesome buck. 8-)

Always interesting to hear about scenarios like this. 20 years of hunting permanent stands and this guy and deer like him were probably there the whole time.
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Wannabelikedan
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Re: Early season beast kill

Unread postby Wannabelikedan » Sat Dec 29, 2018 4:23 am

From the looks of it you don’t need to be a lurker..... :think:

Freaking stud of a buck! Congrats!
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stash59
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Re: Early season beast kill

Unread postby stash59 » Sat Dec 29, 2018 4:38 am

8-) :handgestures-thumbup:
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EllieTheChubb
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Re: Early season beast kill

Unread postby EllieTheChubb » Sat Dec 29, 2018 4:41 am

Congrats man!
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Re: Early season beast kill

Unread postby timberninja » Sat Dec 29, 2018 5:02 am

Sweet buck and great story!

"Don't back track when you get in" Excellent advice.
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muddy
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Re: Early season beast kill

Unread postby muddy » Sat Dec 29, 2018 5:07 am

Congrats
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Re: Early season beast kill

Unread postby oldrank » Sat Dec 29, 2018 5:23 am

Nice buck !!!!
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The Silence
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Re: Early season beast kill

Unread postby The Silence » Sat Dec 29, 2018 9:37 am

Way to go. Great example of putting the important pieces together. It's all about details. I shot my first mature buck on October 11th as well. Love that first cold front!
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seazofcheeze
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Re: Early season beast kill

Unread postby seazofcheeze » Sat Dec 29, 2018 10:06 am

Great buck and story, congrats! :clap:
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Drenalin
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Re: Early season beast kill

Unread postby Drenalin » Sun Dec 30, 2018 12:13 am

Congrats - beautiful buck!
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funderburk
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Re: Early season beast kill

Unread postby funderburk » Sun Dec 30, 2018 1:29 am

Killing big bucks is about doing what others won’t. You proved that by beating 20 years of hunting pressure/permanent stands that yielded nothing mature. That says a lot. Excellent buck - way to go!
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Re: Early season beast kill

Unread postby hambone » Sun Dec 30, 2018 3:35 am

:clap:
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greenhorndave
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Re: Early season beast kill

Unread postby greenhorndave » Mon Dec 31, 2018 4:47 pm

Holy moley! That’s a wide fella. Congrats on the deer, and especially thinking out of the box.
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vtbuck
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Re: Early season beast kill

Unread postby vtbuck » Tue Jan 01, 2019 3:49 am

Very nice! Way to go.
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