Third time... not a charm.

Lets rewind a bit....

Two weeks ago I posted a thread called the "stand off". You might remember... nice 10 point 40 yards behind me... doe stompping the ground in front of me spooking him off.

Fast forward to last week... Same 10 point bedding down, facing away from me at 35 yards, only to stand up and start browsing away from me never offering a shot.

This past week, Due to the time change I havent been able to hunt after work. I have, however, been able to glass this cut cornfield at dusk and have been seeing this buck regularly. I have a four day weekend this week and this dude was my target.

Last night when I got home, I built a fire in my firepit. When I had a nice blaze going, I threw on some damp wood and leaves, smothering the flame and creating a billowing turret of smoke that drifted into all my hunting clothes strung on a line downwind of the fire. I smoked everything from my clothes to my boots, my pack to my hat and gloves.


This morning...

I got up around 4, took a scent free shower, and checked into TOO, and weatherbug. The wind was supposed to be southwest but was blowing steadily west. and was supposed to change to a south wind this evening.
I have been hearing "dont worry about the wind, just smoke up and sit wherever you want." But I have been programmed to hunt the wind.
When I got to my area, I circled the block once to make sure there was'nt anybody else hunting... I was alone.
I parked on the east side of the lot so I could have the wind in my face as I walked in. I dressed in my smoked up clothes, and got my gear together. This seemed to take forever because of the extra clothes I was wearing due to the temp, and the extra food and water I had to find room for as I intended to sit all day. I sprinkled some doe estrous on a drag rag and began walking in.

My stroll took me through a cut bean field, when I reached the west edge of it I turned northwest through the woods, which would bring me out on the southeast inside corner of the cut corn field I have been seeing this buck on. When I reached the corner I milled around a bit, spreading that estrous scent and dripped a few extra dropps on the ground, before turning around and setting up east of this corner. My plan was simple. I expected this buck to come from the north. He has been coming in and out of a small finger of woods northwest of this corner, working his way along the edge . or from the northeast, cutting through the woods. But always coming to this corner. If by chance this buck, or another, should pick up the scent trail from my drag rag it would lead him to a spot upwind of my stand, where he would find a stronger odor and then lose the trail, this should make him pause long enough to get a shot.

I climbed the tree facing north. So the wind was coming from my left, the scent trail started from my left and angled southeast behind and away from me, and I expected the buck to come from in front of me.

I got settled in and was just about to get my rangefinder out and mark some ranges when I heard leaves coming through the woods behind me. I turned and saw a buck, nose to the ground, following my scent trail in. He did exactly what I was expecting, He crossed behind me and paused at my "trap" at 25 yards broadside...

He was a goodlooking 6 point, probably the son of the target buck. But I reminded myself I had 4 days and there was no reason to shoot this young fella on the first morning. It was tempting, but I let him go....
The morning was off to a good start.

For the next 7 hours I saw nothing. Until a doe skirted the edge of the woods about 100 yards in front of me. something to look at anyway, Oh well, back to playing games on my phone.

By 5 oclock I was thouroughly frustrated. I was texting redcloud about plans for tomorrow, and contemplating getting down when I heard something coming from behind me.

I saw movement coming up through the woods, not following my trail but coming from directly south. It wasnt heading toward me but was heading to the cornfield about 30 yards to my left.

It was him...

I stood and picked up my bow. But he wasnt coming to the corner, instead he entered the cornfield about 60 yards west of it. I wasnt sure what to do, Then I remembered my grunt tube.. I grunted softly at him... He didnt hear it... I grunted a little louder... That got his attention... OMG... it worked, he is coming my way...

He stepped into the woods about 30 yards in front and to my left, I glanced at a couple leaves on the tree in front of me, wind was calming, but still coming from the west, I am still down wind. I traced the path he was going to take and figured he would step into my lane at just under 20 yards. When there was an obstruction between us to hide my movement I came to draw and anchored...

My heart was absolutely HAMMERING!!! But I kew I was going to be able to settle in and make this shot.
He paused behind a tree for what seemed like an eternity, All I needed him to do was take three more steps and I have an 18 yard broadside shot....


c'mon....c'mon....

All the sudden he wheeled 90 degrees to his right and bolted... I was still at draw and was tracking him and let out an "eerrp" to stop him, but he was'nt having any of it. He wanted out and he wanted out now!! He ran to about 80 yards, stopped looked back and then took off again...


WTF!!!!!!


I had been standing perfectly still, at draw, from the time he entered the woods. He didnt see me move. I take great care to make sure that every loose strap, and buckle on my stand is secured so it dosent flap in the wind, So there was no movement. I hadnt made a sound so he didnt hear me....

wtf?...

Thats when I realized, the wind wasnt hitting the side of my face anymore, it was hitting the back of my neck. I took out my powder windicater and sure enough, mother nature picked a very inopportune moment to switch the wind to the south...

He winded me. The white powdery poof, drifted to exactly where he was standing...

All I needed was three more steps. I think I wasnt meant to kill this deer.



So I would be asking you guys, "how long should I wait to hunt this deer again, to let him settle down" But the truth is, I have no idea how to hunt him. I have hunted this spot 3 times. I have had this buck come to this spot all 3 times. But from three different directions. I have no idea what direction to expect him to come from and what wind to try to hunt.


Screw it, I'm gettin drunk.

the odds of him coming through by himself is prolly pretty slim for a bit..

Click to expand...

what do you mean "for a bit"? I believe This is his core area. When that 6 point came in he just wasnt interested in going past a rub line into this section of the woods. I KNOW he will be back in there. As for this peticular stand beind remembered, I use a climber, and I have set up in different place each time I've been in there. I figure he will slip in here at night but I just wonder if a day or 2 will be long enough to let him settle back in.

Gonna hit a different spot today, maybe try this spot again on monday.

Set up in the direction he was coming from or going to..

Click to expand...

Thats the problem, he comes from different directions, and always goes to that corner.

maybe this will help...



The red line is the path I took with the drag rag yesterday.

The yellow line is the direction he came from 2 weeks ago, He got to the corner right behind my stand (the upper left blue dot) and turned around and headed toward the corner.
the green line is the path he took last week. We have seen him bed in the east corner so it didnt surprise me he came from that direction. He got to about 35 yards from my stand (the upper right blue dot this time) bedded for a few and then circled around and headed to the corner.
Last week while glassing the field I saw him in about the same area as the yellow line, again headed to that corner.
Last night he came from the south, the white line, entered the field, came east to my grunt, (the lower blue dot is my stand yesterday) and then ran back south again.
The purple dots are rubs.

Seriously, any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. This deer is either very smart or very lucky, I thought I had him pegged to be bedded in the northeast corner, or in the little finger that comes down from the north west. But having him come from the south yesterday threw me. Only thing I can figure is that the does are bedding to the south, and he was investigating them yesterday instead of laying up in his usual haunts.

BTW, this deer has been dubbed "angel" cause it would seem he has one on his shoulder.

not goin out today, not in 30 mph winds. supposed to rain tomorrow. we'll cross that bridge when we get to it I guess. dont mind the rain so much but this wind is a killer.