I changed my plans for Saturday evening when a friend called to tell me that they were shelling corn on a farm I hunt. Knowing how deer normally respond when the pickers leave, I modified my plans and hunted there. I just acquired permission for this place this year and had only hunted there once so far, but looking at aerial photos gave me some ideas where to hang a stand.

After walking more than I intended (nothing but hedgerows), I finally found a decent tree and set up. The first deer - a doe with 2 fawns - showed up while the picker was still in an adjacent field. They walked right past where I nearly hung my stand! A little past 6pm, a fork horn walked out in the field to my right. He left and a 6 point walked out and fed there for over 1/2 hour. My friend (who doesn't hunt) texted me to say that he could see a buck from where he was working. I assumed it was the 6 point (it wasn't). A couple mins later, I saw another deer with the 6 pt and nearly dropped my binoculars when I peered thru them! A very LARGE racked 8 point was standing in the field. He was well past his ears in width with nice long tines. He eventually chased off the 6 pt AND the fork horn which he went after in the brush. After he did this and was standing in the field by himself . . . I grunted at him several times. He took his time, but made his way across the field to where I was perched. I was at full draw when he walked broadside thru a tiny V-shaped opening in the branches (20 yards), but he was just 2 steps from a wide open spot where I could stop him . . . then he turned directly towards me and came with-in 15 yards of me. BAD ANGLE!!! He stayed that way too long and jogged off (angling) about 10 yards when I let down. Now he was broadside and open at 20 yards . . . until I got to full draw and he was behind branches again.

He didn't seem to be spooked, but he wouldn't respond anymore to the grunting I tried. He eventually was feeding on some berries at 40-50 yards (wide open), but I wasn't about to chance it at that range. When I got back to my truck, I found out that my friend had seen a different buck (on another field) that apparently ALSO has a huge rack! There IS another guy who bowhunts there though, and he also is aware that at least one big wall-hanger is on the premises. It's gonna be pretty hot tonight - mid 80's and humid. I'm pondering what to do . . .