It's gonna be a little long but trust me its worth the read. When I received permission to hunt a new area a week prior to the 2006 archery season I knew I would have to scout it on the fly. I didn't want to pressure the area but I decided to put a camera up for a few days while I concentrated my hunting efforts elsewhere. I was especically interested in a small thicket located in the corner of the 30 acre parcel. I found a cluster of three scrapes merely 40 yards into the woods. It was only october first so I set the camera up to see who had started scraping so early. A few days laterI checked back and couldn't believe my eyes whenI saw thepictures. A 13 point with 9 points on one side had not only freshened, but had bedded in his scrape.I hunted the thicket 3 times over the next week or two but never saw him. It wasn't until mid October that I laid eyes on the monster in daylight. I was situated oppostide side of the 30 acre woods in an inside corner of a hay field when he stepted out 80 yards away. He fed to 59 yards but never came closer and refused to investigate a grunt call. I had one more encounter with him at the same stand but again he entered the field out of range. To make matters worse my cuddeback captured an image of a doe walking within 10 yards of the indside corner stand around 2:30 on 10/24. The videotaken afterthe picture made me sick to my stomach as the 13 point followed hot on her trail. Unfortunately I got to that stand an hour after he walked by. A week later I was poised for the rut and looking forward to hunting a productive stand in a briar thicket a half mile from where I had seen the 13 point. I planned to hunt the briars on Saturday 11/3 but instead decided to hunt from a different stand. My cuddeback had been employed at the edge of a hedgerow 50 yards from my stand in the briars. WhenI checked it SundayI came upon a photo of a nice buck from the previous morning but couldnt identify him. You guessed it...the video again shows the monster walk by dogging a doe, he then proceedes to follow her right into the thicket!!! (The last picI'm posting was lifted off thevideo). I saw him one night spotting before the shotgun season and he had broken off his right side. I never caught up with him for the remainder of the season and into 07 until my Dad came upon his shed fromthe 06 season during a deer drive in December. This is one of the first and biggest bucksI really hunted hard after and he REALLY taught me alot about how to hunt a mature buck. I'm gonna post the pic of the shed either later tonight or tomorrow.
A few questions...
1)I'm wondering if you guys could help me out though....the 3 inch split G2 and a 4 inch abnormal point were both chewed a little. Should I go to a taxidermist to get it repaired to send it to a specialist. Only reason I ask is because when my taxi. refinished one of my dads bucks that had gotten chewed it was really dark brown like a canadian deer. Any advice is appreciated.
PS: Stay tuned for the conclusion of my 2006 season it was a miracle.
