Well, it's been a good season, one that has seen me switch from hunting with muzzleloader to using a Marlin 336. From now on, the muzzleloader will see a lot less use, I really like the Marlin.
I hunt public land, and I tend to hunt the convenient, <5-10 minute walk-in locales - and so do others, and I think the deer know it. Shot some does, one buck. But I've been walking further in; this change bore fruit Tuesday, when I shot a buck. Then last couple days I've been walking about 20-30 minutes (hour plus, if trying to be quiet) in, found some great spots - near river, near low spots full of water, lots of oaks, little human traffic.
Went there Friday,nothing. Went in Sat. morning before 6am, saw nothing. Adjusted stand position for evening hunt, and LEFT MY CLIMBER IN THE WOODS - it's a pain to carry in and out on long hikes. Doable, but no fun, and I can be quieter without the stand.
Came in Saturday afternoon at 3pm - and someone was running dogs in the low pines across the creek (pretty big creek). They got after a deer - or thought they did - several times, so instead of going to my stand I stayed near river's edge, hoping to get a shot. I never did - and didn't get into tree until after 4pm. Settled into climber - and at right at dark two deer walk in. It's getting dim, but I can see he's a big one - can't see antlers, though, and I really don't want to shoot another doe. Looks like it... sort of... really big body - oh heck - BOOM! Bang/flop;deer makes no tracks, dies after acouple minutes of kicking. Turns out he's a pretty decent buck, biggest deer this year - easilybigger than the buck I shot previous Tuesday.
How many points on the antlers? -don't know. When I got to him I thought he was a button buck... just nubs - but he was waaaay too big for one of those; he's bigger than the 8-pointer I shot last year out there. Turns out BOTH ANTLERS were broken off, one right at the base and the other about two inches long; he had a little cut healing up near one. I don't know if they were broke off in a fight - most likely -or if some nimrod took a headshot & just trimmed off the antlers. Either way.... after a few minutes checking him out, I field dressed him and started the long drag in the dark, leaving stand in woods. I need to come with some kind of sled or something; LONG hard drag.
It was a good day afield. I highly recommend Marlin 336; sweet rifle,sweet cartridge. I'm going to assume that broken antlers meant that there are lots of other, BIGGER deer in the area - fair inference?
