Let me try to set the stage. I'm in a tree 50 yards off a field edge insome semi thickishwoods (facing the field).Good shooting lanes from 12:00 to my right around to about 9:00. 9:00 to 12:00 not so good (foreshadowing [:-]). I spot a buck in the field to my right about 100 yards away. He's heading right towards my stand and beds down in the fieldabout 60 yards away. I sit there and just watch him for about a half hour. He decides to get up and go mobile again. Cool! Starts headingtowards my stand again. Really cool!He doesn't dip into the woods like he's "supposed" to though. He walks along the woodline and field edge still to my right. He walks along the edge (which I'm 50 yards from) looking like he's going to duck into the woods at any minute and head right to me.Well now he's passed in front of me at 12:00 and ifstarting to look like he's going to head the other way. So I grunt at him and he stops dead in his tracks.He doesnt' move for a minute or so. Then he turns his head and looks like he's going to head the opposite way again. I grunt again. Now I got his attention.He turns and heads towards my setup. Remember the 9:00 to 12:00 spot around my stand? He works his way in to 15 yards andI have absolutely nothing but a look at him. Couldn't figure out a way to get an arrow to himif I wanted to. So after he dinks around there looking for the source of the grunt for a few minutes he heads offnever giving me a shot.
So.....what if I grunted to him while he was bedded? What if I grunted to him before he reached that 12:00 position? I probably would have had him turned and righton the good side of my stand location for a good shot. Hmmmmmmm. Just second guessing whatwould have happened. I grunted him in finally, but just too late evidently. I let him get past my stand and he came back in where I didnt' have a shot. On the other handit looked like he was going to do what he was"supposed" to do and slip into the woods without me grunting.
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Jimmy S: 1/8/09 " I can hardly wait for baseball season to start. I love my Yankees! "
I think you did great. You grunted him in and he just never presented you with a shot. No shame there. It could have easily worked out the other way and you'd have nailed him.
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Visibly shaken but never stirred...
You did all you could.... Thats what happens, He wouldnt around for you too shot if he did what all hunters wanted him too do. Stick with it try to clean up the 9 and 12 a lil incase it happens again!!!
You did perfect. If you grunt at him bedded he may have just circled downwind and it would have been over. I always take the chance that a buck will come my way unalert b4 trying any calling from the stand.
Here in Illinois today I had the same situation. Saw a buck traveling the edge of the timber 60 -70 yrds away! He wasn't coming my way so I grunted, he stopped and looked for a moment and kept going. Grunted again stopped and looked but kept going.After he was out of sight for a minute or so I hit the can. Never did see him again. I was in some thicker timber up in my summit. I know he didn't see me but this guy was a nice 8-10 point.The way he acted you would of never even new the rut was going on. Oh well, there always next time!
I think we need to catch them in the right mood. Good luck!
Crutch
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Tree Huggn's o.k...as long as you are climbing up to your deer stand!
The only thing other than grunting sooner, I would have softened my grunt when he stopped dead the first time. Most of the bucks I've grunted to an arrow I stopped with a grunt, then grunted with a softer grunt when I had their attention. I know they can pinpoint you but they usually come on a string to you.
When the are moving, they have a tendancy to keep moving, they may come but usually circle downwind.
grunted too late....
