This morning I went back to the same stand as last night. It was a great morning, cold (23f) and calm. At first light I gave a series of grunts. Blind calling. I have a technique that I like to use. I start out soft with two grunts, wait a few minutes, if nothing happens give it 4-5 grunts nice and loud like something is exciting the daylights out of a buck. Put the call down and get ready. Within minutes of calling, I heard a buck rubbing a tree. A few more minutes I hear a couple of grunts. I finally spot the buck and notice he is moving away from me across the creek. I try spotting him with the binos and cannot tell which 8 pt it is. As he moves even further away, I grunt at him 5 times. 15 minutes later, he shows up in front of my stand 14 yards away, broadside, looking away from me! He finally moves off, then circles back behind me at 10 yards, in another shooting lane. He hits my enterance trail and freezes for five long minutes. Finally, as a lot of mature bucks will do, he does a 180 and slowly walks away. Sometimes they will not cross your trail, they'll circle around. This led to another exciting hunt. BTW, I've rescored him at 131" gross, a respectable buck. See the photo below. It's my hunting spot. A funnel between doe bedding areas.

Stand 1- This is where I first spotted the 150 ten and the big 8. This stand is a good observation stand as well as hunting. This is the stand where the smaller 134" ten rubbed his antlers on my tree while I was in it!

Stand 2- This is the stand where I've grunted in the 8 pt, twice!

Stand 3- This is the stand I'll be hunting in tonight!

Good luck to all!

Another great hunt and sounds like your on top of them, it's only a matter of time.

Now I've read where you use no scent control. You wash in regular water etc..I forget how you worded it.

I use scent control methods and have mature deer/bucks cross my trail. I wonder if there is something to that? The buck I killed this year I was worried about it, he stopped, crossed my trail. He had to for me to get the shot, like I said somewhere, deer come from any direction so scent control is necessary.

Good luck on those bruisers, you usually connect so it's a matter of time. Is there any time in your season when you'll smack that 131 or is it Mr 10 or bust?

Sounds intense.. You must be seeing some real bruisers to pass on a 131" deer. Hope you get the one you are after!

GregH,
Good luck this evening. I can't wait to hear what happens.

Man - 23 degrees! I miss those temps. Last evening I was out and it only went down to 56. I can't stand it when it is warm. But, I'll probably retract that statment come late December!

Have fun!

I'd have shot the 131 as well! We're allowed two bucks though.

Good luck on the big one Greg!

Rob, please note the bold type. Not all, but some refuse to cross your trail. The ones that are in more of a hurry will fly right over it, where as the ones slowly cruising through are about 50/50. I believe that no matter what you do for scent control, if he's being cautious or looking for you, he's going to find your trail.

Ask me that question in about two weeks![:-]

I hear ya Greg, I haven't seen one turn from my trail in a lot of years (that I know of, there's the kicker), the briuser 3.5/4.5 I took in 04 actually turned and followed it from 50 yards out to 16 before I missed him...yeah I know, mished....lol follow up shot at 41 yards put him the contest that year tho. I'll note I had Bob Kirschners Curiosity on the bottom of my boots tho. I wonder what he would have done with no scent control....I guess I'll never know.

I'm not arguing with you by no means, hell your passing bucks I may never actually get to see....that's PA for ya.

So about 2 weeks then, will do, good luck. [:-]

Greg, for the love of all things holy, shoot that buck or let me come up and do it for you!! You're killing me man! LOL I enjoy those pics, best of luck putting one down this season.

Man dude....shoot that thing already!!!

Naw, stick to your goals....You're gonna whack one, I know.

You know he isn't the dominant buck. Keep paitent the master will be trailing a doe soon. Hope you get a chance at him.