This mornings hunt was a doozy. It was one of those mornings that no matter how hard you try, you cant be quiet to save your azz. I get to my stand sight and hear one blow about 5:45 AM. My can call somehow manages to let out a bleat followed by a metal clanging sound from my treestand. I get up in the tree and notice that I should be higher but cant do anything now b/c there are limbs above me and I dont want to make any more noise.

I call throughout the morning w/ the can and my grunt tube, repectively, or one or the other. At about 8:00 I hear and see movement to my left, looks like a doe. It was walking away and I grunt and it brings the little spike in 15 yrds away. He notices my figure in the tree but doesnt care and mills around. I pratice drawing on him and he looks ahead to check out a noise he heard, I turn to look as well. When I look back at him, hes looking at me. He takes off. No biggie. I cluck throughout the morning to get some turkeys to drop by, a gobbler does at 9:30 but no clear shot.

Here's where the cursing began. I was comfy in my Summit razor reading John Grisham's "A Time to Kill" when I suddenly hear a sneeze like sound at 10:30. Its behind me and I see two deer, ones a buck. Hes a shooter for sure, very wide and very tall. He was atleast an 8, maybe a 10. Anyway he starts coming my way, snorting the whole time. He gets about 15 yrds away and is about to come into the opening, I am already drawn on him. Then my phone vibrates[:@], not once but like 8 times. I had turned it off this morning but I guess I closed the phone to quick and it didnt power off. Hes looking around trying to figure out WTF is that noise. He stays there a few minutes, still snorting b/c the he was downwind of me. He then takes off the way he came waving good bye. I could not believe that chit. The person calling was a girl that lives across from me. I havent talked to her yet but boy am I gonna let her know. I had an away message up saying I was hunting and she still calls me. What the hell?? The buck never saw me. I guess he liked the Tinks I had out too. Man I was furious. I cried a little and cursed alot. If I would have written this post an hour and half ago, you would see nothing but *'s. Im mostly over it now. I am going to move my stand and start in on him monday when I get out at class at 10 AM. I cant shoot anything less than what he was now. I dont care, first buck or not, I need to get this one before the muzzleloaders get to him.

Sorry I was so longwinded, had to vent.

Lesson learned. Hunt him hard, you'll fill your tag. Good luck to you.

He was tending that doe hard if he was doing the snort wheeze. Nobodys fault but your own for that phone buzzing.

Great story. I'm sure it wasn't funny for you, but to those of us who have "been there, done that" it does produce a chuckle. Sorry for your misfortune and I hope you get him next week.

I do realize it was my fault. Thought the phone was off but ya know. So tell me more about the snort weeze. What exactly does it mean when he does that. He was doing it alot. I thought he smelled me or the tinks. Hadnt really heard that noise before.

I talked to the girl and told her the story. I wasnt mad. I told her I was but it was my fault. She could have called like a minute earlier and I could have realized my phone was really on but thats how it goes

Not to many hunters ever get lucky enough to witness the snort wheez in the wild. It is sort of a dominance jesture. The buck inhales a large amount of air and powerfully releases it. Now you know what it sounds like so next time you will know what is going on. You hear that and you know you got one horny buck usually a big one to. Don't try and call him off of her because it will do no good. Just let the doe pass by like you did and he will follow. If you grunt or anything like that the doe will turn and go elsewhere. Atleast this has been my expierences. Just hope that fate lets her pass infront of you and the buck will follow. I hunt tight bottle necks no more than 30 yds. wide just so they will pass in front of me. Good luck with that buck.

Well I had no clue he was in the area. I grunted 3 times and a little later I saw the 2 deer. He came to the scent after that. He looked old and was a big one. I sure hope I get another chance at him. It tears me up inside what happened. Im surprised no one has posted "thats huntin." I know this.