Well time for the update from my Ohio trip.


Arrived on Thursday afternoon and did some driving around with my buddy to check out the farms we would be hunting. We hung some trail cams and he showed me all the spots we would be hunting and what he thought would be going on while I was there. Then we loaded up and went to his local shop and I bought my license and some other small odds and ends that I needed.

Friday morning came early and we was out a couple hours before daylight with stands. I wandered in the dark to the area I was going to hunt and found what I figured would be a good tree since it was a area we didn't look at the day before. Turned out I did pretty good, but too bad the only thing that came through was a single doe. So at noon we climbed down and packed the stands back out. For the evening hunt I went to a area where we had hung one of the cams. Before climbing my tree I checked the cam and sure enough there was a wide 8pt on cam and a few other small bucks working the scrape on the bean field edge. So I settled in and it wasn't long before a coyote came over rise in the field and scanned the field edge. He then made a left turn and came right past me but never closer then 70yrds. So I didn't get a shot at him. Eventually he disappeared into the woods on the other end of the field. So I hung my bow back up and settled back in. No longer did I start texting some on my phone when I caught movement, a mature doe came over the same rise as the coyote and was headed right for me. It didn't take her long to close the distance and she entered the woodlot right in front of me. Since I haven't got to bowhunt or hunt much at all since the 08' season due to work I figured it was time to draw blood with the Monster XLR8. I quickly drew the bow and settled on the doe as she paused coming out of a small dried up creek to view the woods infront of her. A simple squeeze of the trigger and 40yrds later the doe was piled up in sight. With it still being early evening I quickly got down and got the doe out into the next field and before I knew it I had her in the truck and back to my buddies house.

Saturday-Wenesday was basically hunting the stand I killed the doe in and my buddies sisters farm. I passed several smaller bucks through that time. I was seeing plenty of does and squirrels as well. But the bigger deer were only showing up on cam at dark. So we basically waited on the weather front that was arriving Thursday to hunt what we thought would be the best spot on either of the farms we was hunting.

Thursday(Nov 4) finally rolls around and we are in stand way early. Of coarse we hadn't been in the area at all so we had to pack in the stands and everything without making too much noise or getting too sweaty on the walk in since it was a all day sit. But the day started slow...nothing sighted from an hour before dark to 11am so I text my buddy I was going to make a move closer to the bean field. He said he was going to do the same and figured we would close the gap between us from 400yrds to 250-300yrds. I said sounded good and made the move. I text him back that I had only moved about 80yrds from where I was at but felt like I was in a much better setup. He replied that he had only moved 50yrds or so towards me but about 100yrds from the field towards the creek.

So I got settled in after ranging a few places around me and it wasn't long before a couple does came into sight. They worked a trail infront of me and before I knew it they were at 20yrds going past me. Suddenly one of the does went to alert...she looked over the area infront of her and then turned back. She backtracked 30yrds or so then turned and was circling around my tree when she winded me. Rather then blow or stomp she just wheeled and stayed low to the ground and trotted out of sight. The other doe watched and then turned and followed her. That sequence was very distrubing to me so I quickly got my silver xp spray out and sprayed down, I actually thought of getting down and leaving the area but I crossed my fingers that spraying down would be enough. I figured if another deer came in and busted me I would go ahead and back out for the day. So I checked the time and it was just a few minutes past noon, so I sit back in my stand and start surveying the area while thinking of how good a nap might be and after awhile I figure ok might as well take a quick one since the actual front was still a couple hours out...well before ever falling asleep I feel my phone vibrate in my upper jacket pocket. So I quickly pull it out and its a text from my buddy that reads, "170 buck headed your way!!!p!!!!p". I instantly stand up and grab my binos to survey the area in his direction. After a few minutes I get another text, "***k i missed him he should be to you any sec". So now I put my phone away and start looking again when suddenly a doe pops out into the open area behind my stand. I look at her through the binos and then towards the area she came from when the biggest buck I have ever seen alive lumbers into the opening. I quickly see that he is a very wide, massive, and tall typical buck that matches the sheds my friend has. So I drop the binos and pick up my bow and try to watch from behind my tree what is going on.

I can see the doe looking over the area in my direction, and I can see the monster buck start easing up behind her. About the time he gets to her she trots in my direction and as she crosses the small ditch that leads into a huge shooting lane I draw my bow. Once she clears the ditch she stops right in the middle of my lane and starts checking the creek bottom. I wait and wait for what seems like a lifetime before peeking over my string to see the huge whitetail standing at the ditch. Wow this is a booner for sure, with huge mass and tine lenght added to the wide spread. I only peer from my stand at the deer for 10-15 seconds and long enough to count seven main points on his right side. Then I realize that I am only 18yrds from his monarch and I need him to take three steps across that ditch and he is mine. The thoughts in my head were of an overwelming accomplishment that I was about to fullfil, because with three steps this buck will be 15yrds from me broadside and in the wide open. So I look back towards the doe and she finally moves and sneaks through my window and into the thick brush...it isn't a second before the buck steps through ditch and I give him the "ma!" bleat...he doesn't slow down..."ma! Ma! MAAA!" and the buck of my dreams has just trotted through my shooting lane without even slowing down. I let down on the bow hang it up the hook and almost shake completely out of the tree. I disappointment was stinging so bad that I had finally lost my cool(which was unbelievable to keep durning this encounter).

I couldn't believe what had just happened but I tried to stay focused on the brush and I got to watch the buck for another 8-10 seconds from behind before he disappeared into the tall weeds and brush. I spend the rest of the day on stand and going over the sequence time and time again wondering if I could have done anything differnt. In between thoughts I remember the bucks antlers and how close I was to having the buck of a lifetime on the ground.

I text my buddy and he tells me how he had to watch that deer chase the same doe around for close to 35minutes before she started his way. Once she got to 10yrds she somehow busted him. Probaly picking out his silhoutte in the tree is all he could figure. This left the big buck at 45 yrds from his tree, and with the doe stomping and snorting the buck turns broadside. He takes the shot and somewhere in the mayhem ends up missing him pretty bad high. But the buck never even moved. He stood there as the doe bolted and then once she got out to about 60-70yrds the buck started grunting and following her all the way to my tree. So we both end up going home disgusted on that day.

Friday-Sunday ended up being all day sits in freezing temps and even a lot of rain on Friday morning. Neither of us got to see the huge buck again, but we did end up passing a couple decent bucks. I even passed up a 115-120 buck that normally I would have taken on a trip like this with my friend. But with the thoughts of the huge buck I did things I normally don't do. I ended up coming back home with only my doe and one that my buddy took but I still got my tag and will be back up there in muzzleloader season to hunt for sure.

But now I am back in WV and hunting my trail cam bucks...so really my season is just begining.