Well here it is...
I was sitting in my stand yesterday. Started thinking about the posts on this board. Especially the ones about still hunting in the wind. So I decided I felt like taking a stroll after not seeing anything for 4 hours. I remember you guys saying with the wind the way it is (NY) it' s as good as time as any.
So I start walking through a weak grown corn field about waist or chest high. The field is only 50 yards wide by about 300 yards long. I get about half way down it and about 75 yards away I see a rack above the tusks. I had the wind in my favor and the ground was perfectly quiet for stalking with the fresh snow. So I start creeping up on him everytime he put his head down to feed I' d move 4 or 5 yards then stop. I couldn' t believe I was getting closer to him. I was taking it as slow and thought out as I could. I get to about 50 yards and I get a good look at him. The absolute biggest deer I' ve ever seen around here. He was a 12 pointer with a spread wider than my truck. After the shock wore off, I started my stalking again. I get off my knee to take a few more steps and i see a doe gazing at me. she now has me stuck in a half fetal positon with my feet together for 5 minutes. Never took her eyes off me. I was about to fall over so decided to reposition myself when the buck wasn' t paying attention. I knew the doe would bolt as soon as I did so I grabbed my grunt call. went down to a knee and grunted and she took off. I was hoping the buck would think it was another buck. He never moved, just watched her leave.
After about 5 minutes I start getting closer again. I was walking down the edge of the hardwoods and the corn. I get to 30 yards and a limb is sticking out about 10 feet into the corn. I start to cut into the corn a little to get around it and my pants rub against a tusk. Bam his head pops up!! Oh crap I' m stuck again with him staring at me. Now I have a perfect look at the rack and it just adds to the situation. He starts waving his head trying to make me out and grunts at me. He starts walking to me like he' s going to charge. Never happened to me before. I soiled myself. Fearing being stabbed, I slowly got moved a little to stop him. He turned towards the woods and started walking like he was going to take off. I drew back (about 25 yards now) started to put the pin on him and he blew at me and bolted.
The biggest deer I' ll ever see around my property has escaped me!! The whole ordeal took about an hour. It was 4:30 or so at that time. I sat with my hands on my head until 7:30 and realized it' s been dark for 2 hours now and I should probably head home. I am completely bummed. 1 more day of bow then gun opens on moday. I' m not looking forward to gun but it' s better than nothing i guess.
Will he ever be back in my neck of the woods or did I send him 7 counties over???
sorry this was so long I had to vent. There I feel a little better. By the way thanks for the advice on still hunting I may try it a little more.