RE: Official Team Mail Men (9) thread
Well, I went out last weekend. Man, did it storm/snow. I froze my a$$ off and am currently fighting a cold. I drove up to the cottage on Saturday morning and went out hunting at first light, determined to find fresh sign.
I walked the majority of the 600 acre parcel of land my buddy owns and there were only 3 deer that had moved between Friday night and Saturday morning. All of them had coyote and/or wolf tracks following. I figure that is the only reason that they moved in such inclement weather. I didn't figure that it was worth following any of them as they would likely still be on alert.
So, I set up in an area that I know they frequent, put out some doe in heat incense and sat in the crook af a large, triple cedar tree along the edge of an atv/deer trail about 30 yards cross/downwind.
Nothing but squirrels, and birds showed up and I walked slowly out at last light, past my other stand and dropped 6 apples.
I went out Sunday morning to the triple cedar and set up. I sat for about 3 hours, with another incense stick and hitting the doe bleat every 1/2 hour or 45 minutes. I looked over my right shoulder and something wasn't right.... ALL of the low cedar growth (about 2 feet to my right) had been chewed! As I dazed and dreamt of the deer that had munched them, something else looked funny... About 20 feet past that, there was a fresh rub! The tree was only about 2 inches across, but it had been hammered that night.
So, got up and checked for tracks and there they were. Nothing HUGE, but definitely a decent buck. It had walked along the trail, right to where I had been set up, then went into the bush where the doe scent had been blowing and rubbed the tree!
I estimate that it came in right at last light or shortly thereafter. It still walks today, but I have the week off between XMas and New Years, so I know where I am headed if I haven't filled my tag.
However, I am going hunting in another area this weekend with a buddy and his wife. This is where we have the 3 bucks REALLY well patterned and have seen a 130 + deer several times this year. So, hopefully, I will have a better report for next week.
Good luck everyone.