HuntingBry

Last Thursday I took a day of vacation and headed out to the woods to try out a new stand sight that I had found. The area was very thick and shooting lanes were few and far between. I cut a few lanes, but did not want to go crazy since I would be hunting the area shortly afterwards. I had set up some mock scrapes in the area earlier in the week and was hopeful that they had drawn some attention. I got out early in the afternoon and laid a couple of scent trails using Buck Fever Synthetics Rut scent. Then I set up my homemade bucket with a Tink's Burning Rut scent sticks and got up in my stand. I was being entertained by the squirrels around 3:20 when I noticed movement to my right. I saw it was a buck and got ready. He followed my scent trail in right to the bucket and then walked past it toward me. I drew back and he came in to about 4 yards. I could have taken him, but he was a 6 point with about a 10 inch spread and a broken brow tine on one antler and a broken G2 on the other. So in reality he was a 4 point and the 2 remaining tines he had were also broken. I was hunting in a special regs areas so he was a legal buck with a big body, but he wasn't what I was looking for. I know there is a nice 8 point in the area so I held off. The buck came right under my tree and licked the package containing the unlit Tink's scent sticks sitting at the base of my tree. I think it is safe to say that bucks like them. He ran off in search of love.

About half an hour later I saw a doe approaching my stand. She came in on a well used trail and just about jumped out of her skin when she saw my bucket. It had camo tape all over it, but it's still a bucket in the middle of the woods. She moved out to about 25 yards watching the bucket and moved away which proved to be costly for me. I then noticed a nice buck that had been following her. I couldn't tell how many points he had because he was in heavy brush, but he had nice tines and a heavy rack. He moved within shooting range, but the area was so thick and I had been so conservative with my cutting of shooting lanes that I never got an opportunity to shoot. As he approached the doe ran off and then he hit the Tink's smoke trail. He stopped in his tracks and began coming in. He got to about 35 yards and I could see him tilting his head back and lip curling. He was definitely interested in the scent, but the real thing was too enticing so he ran off after the doe.

Twenty minutes later the doe's little ones came through looking for mama. Both of them spooked from the bucket as well and moved off the main trail to avoid it. I now have a less conspicuous means of using the sticks which is much less obvious.

Toward the end of the evening I saw a doe feeding about 40 yards to my left in some brushy cover. I could see bits and pieces of her as she made her way through the brush. Then, all of a sudden, she came out into the open about 50 yards away at a trot. I found out why in short order. A spike came out from the cover with his nose to the ground and chased her all around. They ran so close to my tree I though one of them was going to run into it. I enjoyed the show for a couple of minutes and then the doe lead him out of sight.

When it was past shooting time I lowered my bow and started gathering my gear. Then I heard another deer approaching. I could see that it was a big bodied deer, but couldn't tell what it was in the darkness. It came into the brush and went straight to the base of my tree. It must have seen my bow on the ground, because it jumped back into an open area in the brush. From there I could see it was a nice buck, with at least 8 points and good mass. The spread was not huge, but a very good buck in PA. He meandered around for a little bit and then wandered off into the darkness.

All in all, it was a successful evening, even if I never got to drop the string. I saw 4 new bucks in my area and the rutting activity was exciting. I cut some better shooting lanes this weekend so when I get out later this week I can hunt this spot again. Hopefully, one of those bigger bucks will offer a shot and I'll end my season with a bang, or at least a THWACK!

Edited by - huntingbry on 11/11/2002 14:32:52

OlMossyHorns

Only 1 week left and my tag is still unfilled also..good luck to you.

Shots that are True....Pass right Through!!!

Legacy357

What part of pa do u hunt? I hunt near Altoona and i have not seen any real rut activity even though i know the rut is in....i think i am going to relocate and i am thinking about using some of those sticks....thanks for the tip

jimmya

sounds like an awsome hunt there was a lot going on to keep you busy. i am sure you will get a shot this weekend

Lilhunter

very cool Bry, thats what its all about!

Tazman

Man it sounds like you had a blast, the only way you could have topped that hunt is if the big boy had come in early enough for you to take him.

The Tazman aka Martin Price
Founder and President of
Virginia Disabled Outdoorsmen Club

MATTHEWS

Hey Bry sounds like you had a very eventful evening. Wish you the best of luck my friend. Good luck this week.

HuntingBry

Legacy, sorry I didn't answer sooner, but I was out of town on business. They picked the perfect week for it, huh?<img src=icon_smile_sad.gif border=0 align=middle> The spot I was hunting is right outside of northeast Philly. Yes it was definitely an eventful evening. Thanks for all of the wishes for luck guys, I'll be out there again tomorrow, so hopefully I'll be an arrow short by the end of the night. Good luck to everyone else.