After muzzleloader I switched to "the dark side" of Ohio's deer hunting tactics and started running a corn pile at my farm. It didn't take long for a buck I call Christmas Tree to start using the pile with consistency and in daylight hours. I hunted him three times with good winds and he never showed. He then disappeared for a few days and I thought maybe I educated him.
But then...two nights ago he showed back up and hit the pile well before dark. I figured he would do it again the very next evening and I moved in for the kill. By 5:40 last night I had 14 does and a half shed 6 point in front of me. Soon after Christmas Tree circled the pile, drank from a watering hole at 25 yards and lip curled his last doe. Rage 2 blade ate him up and he only went 30 yards. First buck I've shot off my farm since buying it in 2011. After a long but eventful season, it feels great to be done.
Christmas Tree was my favorite buck I had on trail camera this year. I put clients on him all November and he was very close to getting shot a couple times but in the end it was my arrow that killed him. It's bitter sweet; I passed this buck last year when I believe he was 3 1/2 years old. That makes him 4 1/2 this year and the management side of me wonders how big he MIGHT/COULD have been. But I cant pass a deer like this. He has great mass and character. Not much for spread and thus I don't think he will score all that great...but one hell of a buck.
But then...two nights ago he showed back up and hit the pile well before dark. I figured he would do it again the very next evening and I moved in for the kill. By 5:40 last night I had 14 does and a half shed 6 point in front of me. Soon after Christmas Tree circled the pile, drank from a watering hole at 25 yards and lip curled his last doe. Rage 2 blade ate him up and he only went 30 yards. First buck I've shot off my farm since buying it in 2011. After a long but eventful season, it feels great to be done.
Christmas Tree was my favorite buck I had on trail camera this year. I put clients on him all November and he was very close to getting shot a couple times but in the end it was my arrow that killed him. It's bitter sweet; I passed this buck last year when I believe he was 3 1/2 years old. That makes him 4 1/2 this year and the management side of me wonders how big he MIGHT/COULD have been. But I cant pass a deer like this. He has great mass and character. Not much for spread and thus I don't think he will score all that great...but one hell of a buck.
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