What an opening day in Illinois....
Woke up this morning and got my truck packed for my opening day afternoon hunt. I had to work until noon and then I was going to get a few things done and head to the farm. Temps were about 65 when I got to the farm at 2. The stand I'm going to hunt is IMPOSSIBLE to get a shot off to the left due to the cover I have left up.
At 2:30 I get to the field I'm going to hunt and I see some movement in the woods. I duck down and hurry up and get ready and watch a doe cross 60 yards out in front of me. I finally get to my stand and settled in right at 3 and at 3:30 a button buck comes along the field edge and smells around on my climbing stick and where I walked in. After he moved on things slowed down. Around 6 I look behind me and I catch movement and a few minutes later a doe comes out in the field to my left and of course no shot available. She smells around and acts nervous but never spooks. Another doe follows her out to the field and they continue to get a supper of soybeans. I start preparing myself for a short 10 yard shot on one of these does as they start feeding towards my first shooting lane. For some odd reason I decide to glance up before I draw and I notice another deer on the other side of the field and this deer has horns that I can see from 150 yards off! My binocs are hanging behind me and I don't want to turn and get them with fear of spooking the doe standing right in front of me off. The doe finally smells around where I walked in and continues along the field edge and into the woods. By this point I have noticed another buck with the first one too.
I finally get my binocs focused on the two figures in front of me and am amazed at what they revealed. The lead buck is a great looking 130 class 10 pointer and following right on his tail is the definition of a STUD. Tall and massive 10 pointer going 150+ easy. These 2 bucks are 90 yards and walking straight at me but shooting light is fading FAST. At this point I'm saying every pray I can remember and just asking for 10 more minutes of shooting light.
As the last rays of shooting light disappear the 2 bucks are still feeding in front of me but at 50 yards. I have a 50 yards pin, and I shoot pretty damn good at that distance. There was no way though I was going to take that shot with fading light and on such awesome animals. I continue to sit in my stand soi dontspook the bucks and I am forced to watch with all theamazement and all the pain in the world as these 2 bucks venture DIRECTLY UNDER MY STAND.I stayed on the stand for another hour and a half in the darkto make sure the bucks had safely ventured away from me before I climbed down.
It's a wierd feeling of an awesome and heartbreaking night all at the same time. The smaller buck is a new one to me but the bigger one I had seen numerous times last year. I believe he is a 4 1/2 year old right now.
I may be able to get back to this spot tomorrow but if not I will definantly be back Saturday. Just thought I would share....