My buck season
11-20-2011, 06:44 PM
#1
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Springfield, MO
Posts: 74
My buck season
It's my 3rd year hunting, and for the 2nd and 3rd days I was lucky this year to go hunt on a friend's 1100 acre cattle farm not far from me for our buck season. The first 2 days was out in the woods and I think the deer were all at the beach - it was 75'! We didn't see anything, but some scrapes and rubs.
For the farm hunt I got setup in a field and luckily the weather changed - it even started snowing (not forcast at all). My buddy likes walking so drove towards my direction. I was sitting on a wood pile and was getting real close to sunset and a doe comes bouncing out of the woods about 30 yards to my left, but being buck season I didn't want to waste my any deer tag. Well, about 15 seconds after that, her boyfriend came bouncing along after her, and I don't think they had any idea I was there... he had something else on his mind! Not a huge deer, but had crazy kickers all over the place - cool looking rack. But, they didn't stop and the only thing I could see through my scope was a bouncing buck butt and no way to get a decent shot.... well, I know I couldn't hit a bouncing buck with a good shot. They bounced their way diagonally down field from me and, by some trees, I couldn't see any more movement. Since it was quickly getting to end of shooting light, I decided to move up my side of the field (the high end of the field) and come around to see if I could find where they were messing around.
Well, as I'm moving around behind a tree, a monster buck came out following their track, but he was waay more cautious. I think the boyfriend was rut crazy and maybe #2 was being territorial? I was hiding behind a tree and he spotted me right away. I tried easing my rifle along the left side of the tree (heart pounding through my bloody chest), and as I moved my head out to look down the scope, I got the deer finger - snot flying loud snort and bolted off straight away from me.
Man - that was exciting! Bummed I didn't get my tag, but glad I didn't take a wild stupid shot either. I'm a very new hunter so I'm not sure if I should have kept my hiney parked in that wood pile or not, but with shooting light coming to a rapid close - what should you do?
I had a chance to bring my old rangefinder out there too and it was really suprising how short a distance 150 yards is in an open field. We even saw a buck in a soy bean field that ranged at 660 yards. According to my buddy if you can see the horns at 660 yards, it has to be a monster. If I get to hunt there more often, I think it might be wise to invest in a centerfire rifle as there are many 200-300 yard fields there and not sure if there would be enough punch out that far with my ML. Anyways, it was great fun and hope to find a nice buck during ML season later in Dec.
For the farm hunt I got setup in a field and luckily the weather changed - it even started snowing (not forcast at all). My buddy likes walking so drove towards my direction. I was sitting on a wood pile and was getting real close to sunset and a doe comes bouncing out of the woods about 30 yards to my left, but being buck season I didn't want to waste my any deer tag. Well, about 15 seconds after that, her boyfriend came bouncing along after her, and I don't think they had any idea I was there... he had something else on his mind! Not a huge deer, but had crazy kickers all over the place - cool looking rack. But, they didn't stop and the only thing I could see through my scope was a bouncing buck butt and no way to get a decent shot.... well, I know I couldn't hit a bouncing buck with a good shot. They bounced their way diagonally down field from me and, by some trees, I couldn't see any more movement. Since it was quickly getting to end of shooting light, I decided to move up my side of the field (the high end of the field) and come around to see if I could find where they were messing around.
Well, as I'm moving around behind a tree, a monster buck came out following their track, but he was waay more cautious. I think the boyfriend was rut crazy and maybe #2 was being territorial? I was hiding behind a tree and he spotted me right away. I tried easing my rifle along the left side of the tree (heart pounding through my bloody chest), and as I moved my head out to look down the scope, I got the deer finger - snot flying loud snort and bolted off straight away from me.
Man - that was exciting! Bummed I didn't get my tag, but glad I didn't take a wild stupid shot either. I'm a very new hunter so I'm not sure if I should have kept my hiney parked in that wood pile or not, but with shooting light coming to a rapid close - what should you do?
I had a chance to bring my old rangefinder out there too and it was really suprising how short a distance 150 yards is in an open field. We even saw a buck in a soy bean field that ranged at 660 yards. According to my buddy if you can see the horns at 660 yards, it has to be a monster. If I get to hunt there more often, I think it might be wise to invest in a centerfire rifle as there are many 200-300 yard fields there and not sure if there would be enough punch out that far with my ML. Anyways, it was great fun and hope to find a nice buck during ML season later in Dec.
11-20-2011, 08:32 PM
#3
Dominant Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 21,193
I sit in my stand until I have to climb down in the dark almost. Many is the time, I unloaded my rifle and walked home with an empty rifle. You did the right thing no shooting. And them bucks sure get your heart racing when they start snorting and stomping their feet. Makes the whole day worth it.
