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Hortontoters 2013/14 Journal..The Saga Continues

This season will start as last season ended, pursuing the buck of my dreams. I didn't have a journal last season, so a little history for those that don't know it.

I have hunted a buck that I call Splitter for the last two seasons and will be in hot pursuit again in a few weeks. Well actually I hunt him all year round with trail cameras.

The first time I saw this buck was on a trail camera photo in early June 2011. At that time I had no idea this deer would impact my hunting like he has.
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By mid July of 2011 he had started to show some real potential. At that time I noticed the split in his left ear and that his right brow was split also. From that time on he was known as Splitter.
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In mid September of 2011 he was the best deer frequenting my property and the deer I knew I wanted to take.
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I hunted this buck hard that season, but never had an opportunity to encounter him. One evening I thought I caught a glimpse of him in November, but it wasn't a positive ID of him. Ohio gun season, late ML season and the end of archery season passed and my mind wondered if he had survived.

Early spring of 2012 I had three trail cameras out hoping to catch him alive and well. Sure enough on June 3 he shows up at my Trophy Rock. To say I was happy to see him was an understatement.
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By mid July he looked almost identical to the year before. Again my target buck that fall would be Splitter.
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That fall he was more elusive than ever. I only had him on my trail cameras twice during the hunting season, both times after dark.
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The Ohio deer deason ended and again I was concerned with his fate.

During the winter of 2013 I knew I had to make some changes. I had decided to make some major moves. I had decided to built a barricade of brush from treetops from trees that had fallen the year before. I was placing this barricade just west of a rub/scrape line that ran north and south on my property. This barricade would be approx. 60 yards long. After my buddy and I completed this I then moved my Porta-Pot stand to 30 yards east of the barricade towards the south end of the barricade. I set up there knowing that most deer follow the rub/scrape line north to south most of the time. The idea was to keep the deer east of the barricade and have them cross between my stand and the barricade. Also I can see good to the north from my stand and that should give me plenty of time to identify particular bucks as they approach. Only time will tell how this works out, but I gave myself an "A" for effort.

Spring came and once again three trail cameras hit the woods searching for Splitter. My efforts were rewarded on May 24 when the familiar shape of his early rack was caught on camera. And yes, he was headed south and just to the east of my new barricade. He had came by just the way I had hoped he would.
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This summer he has proven to be pretty elusive, but at least he is still roaming my area. I haven't got a real good photo of him this year, but best I can tell he is sporting 15 points and is definately the deer I want again this season.
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In a few weeks the hunt will continue. I'll do my best to give you all the play by play action. Hopefully this is the year that my hard work and determination pays off. If not, I will still be enjoying my time spent pursuing the sport that makes me tick. Grab an easy chair and follow along on my adventures.
 
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hickslawns

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
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248
Ohio
This is a great anticipation builder of an intro to your hunting journal! I hope you get your opportunity at him this season!
 

finelyshedded

You know what!!!
Supporting Member
31,855
260
SW Ohio
Great history catch up Dick. Thanks for sharing that! I have a good feeling that barricade might just be the ticket for you this year, hope you're able to be in your port-o-let when he comes through. Good luck with him!
 
Spent the day at my cabin yesterday. Objective was to pull cards and move cameras away from my main stand. Moved one camera to my creek bottom funnel, another to monitor a well used fence crossing and the third camera is monitoring a well used trail that heads to the area in front of my main stand. Also did a little shooting with the crossbow I picked up a couple weeks ago. I took three shots from my outhouse stand at 19 yards. All three were in less than a 1 1/2 inch circle and just a tad high. I felt very good with the new crossbows performance with the four bladed Muzzys.

When I got home last night I checked the cards and was a little disappointed. But I had a hunch things would slow down around my Trophy Rock when September rolled around.

The tall nine made an appearance on August 24th, but that was his only one. I was hoping to see him hard horned.
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I had a gaggle of does and fawns most every day.
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My target buck, Splitter showed up hard horned on Sept. 13th. I'm a little disappointed with his photos and really have yet to get a good photo of him this year. I'm hoping he looks a bit better than these photos make him look.
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hickslawns

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
39,721
248
Ohio
I have had the same thoughts before as well. Pictures don't always do them justice though HT. Even if he is the same or down a bit, what a trophy! With the history you have and all, plus he truly is a beauty, you have to shoot him.
 

finelyshedded

You know what!!!
Supporting Member
31,855
260
SW Ohio
I know what you're saying Dick but regardless Splitter needs to die by your hands. He's a mature beaut of a buck and looks to be a main framed 6x6 with character points aplenty. If you're able to close the book with him hanging on your wall with the years you've invested in chasing him and all the pics you have gotten of him you'll have achieved a heck of an accomplishment! Good luck with him this season and I hope you lay him low!
 
I know that pictures can be deceiving. Hopefully I get a real good look at him on the ground this fall. I won't be stepping foot in my hunting area again until the 28th. I don't expect much to happen early, but come about Oct. 25 til youth season I'll be on stand so often my wife will think I've disappeared. Thank God, she understands my obsession.
 

dante322

*Supporting Member*
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Crawford county
My target buck, Splitter showed up hard horned on Sept. 13th. I'm a little disappointed with his photos and really have yet to get a good photo of him this year. I'm hoping he looks a bit better than these photos make him look.

I'm sure you'll find out when you are sitting behind him holding his head up for the photo.
 

00buck

Junior Member
445
0
Great recap Hortontoter!! You know I will be pulling for you to get the job done this year!! Good luck and may all of that hard work you've put in to your property and him pay off with antlers for ya!!

keep us posted
 
The anticipation is getting the best of me. I spent yesterday fishing, somthing I rarely do, just to make time go by. Spent today packing my totes, making sure I have everything in order. Put new blades in my number one and number two hunting arrows. The warm weather coming is the only bummer, but I vowed to give this season all I have in me. So I'll overdress and pretend its snowing this weekend.
 
Man your last update on Splitter shows he's more than a dandy!! He's a very mature buck IMO with a lot going on. You don't know how bad I'm pulling for you to make it happen Dick!! Take that deep breath and know it's all good with him and enjoy every moment in your quest!!