This season started like others in the past, with high hopes. Though, this year, compared to the past 2 seasons, I was actually running cameras over the summer on multiple properties. As summer neared its end, I had several bucks on different properties for which I would gladly take if presented an opportunity.
As early season began, the deer sightings were frequent but they were often young, 1.5 year old bucks. I remained patient and selective on property/stands to be hunted. As November and some bowcation neared, I was excited. I went back to a later vacation of the 2nd week after chasing others activity/success of Halloween and early in the first week. In reality, my cameras and observations have yet to reveal and great activity early on.
Bowcation was once again, a disappointment by and large from a rut perspective. Only on one day did I have good action but it remained void of any mature bucks. That day produced a plethora of young bucks and included 2 coyote chasing deer everywhere.
I pressed into gun season. I had a wide 8 that had vanished from cameras and sightings the week before bow season finally return. He was working into me at a moderate rate and I patiently awaited him to step out of a hedgerow at 50 yards or so mid-morning one day. Problem was, he opted to bed in the brush of the hedgerow within 50 yards for 3 hours with no ability to get a shot off. It became a battle of who could hold their bladder longer…I was growing more impatient as my lunch and a cup of coffee sounded so good. Finally, at about 2PM, he took to his feet and once again started easing his way towards me. It was then that some doe about 100 yards to my east caught his attention and he trotted away to check them out offering no shots. 2 doe bolt and come right underneath me. I am looking to see what he is going to do when I realize there was a 3rd doe he was still with. He proceeds to breed her about 125 yards away before heading back towards me. He is closing quickly and I see zero reason to rush a shot. He is coming straight in – 50, 40, 30, 20…..he is now in tight behind some thick brush. I cannot see him, I have the gun up and ready with the 2 doe still within 20 yards of my tree. I am bobbing a bit trying to find him in the brush and he must have picked me off. Game over. I had this buck within 50 yards for the better part of 5 hours with a slug gun in my hands and never got a shot off. I could only think of the words from a wise man, “all the fun and none of the mess…”.
As the year ended, I was relishing the opportunities to hunt in subzero temps knowing I would see good movement. I took in the last sunset of the year and opened 2018 with the first sunrise. With the temps as low as -11 without windchill, I was only hanging in the stand for 2:00-3:00 sits. Some fresh corn, snow and cold brought a ton of pictures. I had a new buck that I had never seen in person or on camera close to 50 yards one morning. He had a great right side and crazy left side. He and the wide 8 from gun season became regulars during daylight.
As early season began, the deer sightings were frequent but they were often young, 1.5 year old bucks. I remained patient and selective on property/stands to be hunted. As November and some bowcation neared, I was excited. I went back to a later vacation of the 2nd week after chasing others activity/success of Halloween and early in the first week. In reality, my cameras and observations have yet to reveal and great activity early on.
Bowcation was once again, a disappointment by and large from a rut perspective. Only on one day did I have good action but it remained void of any mature bucks. That day produced a plethora of young bucks and included 2 coyote chasing deer everywhere.
I pressed into gun season. I had a wide 8 that had vanished from cameras and sightings the week before bow season finally return. He was working into me at a moderate rate and I patiently awaited him to step out of a hedgerow at 50 yards or so mid-morning one day. Problem was, he opted to bed in the brush of the hedgerow within 50 yards for 3 hours with no ability to get a shot off. It became a battle of who could hold their bladder longer…I was growing more impatient as my lunch and a cup of coffee sounded so good. Finally, at about 2PM, he took to his feet and once again started easing his way towards me. It was then that some doe about 100 yards to my east caught his attention and he trotted away to check them out offering no shots. 2 doe bolt and come right underneath me. I am looking to see what he is going to do when I realize there was a 3rd doe he was still with. He proceeds to breed her about 125 yards away before heading back towards me. He is closing quickly and I see zero reason to rush a shot. He is coming straight in – 50, 40, 30, 20…..he is now in tight behind some thick brush. I cannot see him, I have the gun up and ready with the 2 doe still within 20 yards of my tree. I am bobbing a bit trying to find him in the brush and he must have picked me off. Game over. I had this buck within 50 yards for the better part of 5 hours with a slug gun in my hands and never got a shot off. I could only think of the words from a wise man, “all the fun and none of the mess…”.
As the year ended, I was relishing the opportunities to hunt in subzero temps knowing I would see good movement. I took in the last sunset of the year and opened 2018 with the first sunrise. With the temps as low as -11 without windchill, I was only hanging in the stand for 2:00-3:00 sits. Some fresh corn, snow and cold brought a ton of pictures. I had a new buck that I had never seen in person or on camera close to 50 yards one morning. He had a great right side and crazy left side. He and the wide 8 from gun season became regulars during daylight.
