Tonight I thought I'd go hunting at a new spot, that I've heard there have been a fair amount of deer at. I didn't have any stands set-up so I decided to just climb up a tree in the middle of a fence-row between 2 wheatfeilds. Iw as sitting in the fork of the tree for about 40 min when a descent 120 class 8ptr. walked out follwed by a doe. Then I watch another doe come out followed by a good 10ptr. The bigger 10pt. started starting the 8ptr down and started fighting a little, then the 10pt started chasing the doe around the feild.

About 5 min later 4 more does walked out of the timber and started heading towards me. Then on the other side of the feild 3 more does and another 8pt buck, about the same size as the first one, walked out. The feild was getting pretty full when 34 turkeys decided to also come out.

Then the action started, I have an extra doe tag, along with antlered tag. 3 does came about 20 yards of me broadside but I passed, hoping for a buck. Then the first 8ptr came by, roughly 30 yards, but on a different trail I didn't have shooting lanes on. He ended up getting passed me. I looked back out in the wheat field full of deer and turkeys and saw a couple more does and a nice 10ptr. Had a good 21" spread 12" tines, 150 class. He started walking right for me. Ended up coming in at such a straight line that I still didn't have a shot when he was only 10 yards away. I was in full draw as the buck stopped broadside behind a tree. I held for a good minute, with the only thing in my sights being his rump and head. Then as quick as he walked in he made a straight descent back the same way, leaving me no shot.

I haven't seen this many P&Y class bucks together in a feild for a couple years. And I was suprised I didn't see any little ones. I'm gonna hold off on bowhunting until next year, I should be able to shoot some monsters on first time out, figuring i'm using up all my bad luck this year....lol It's just one missed-opportunity after another. Has been more this year than all of my years put together times 2. But rifle season is in 14 days, we'll see how lucky them bucks get then.

Are the bucks still rutting around your area? Or is it slowing down pretty good?
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KS--great story and what a hunt! On a more serious note--I used your words about coming to full draw and passin as a lesson for a post on the DeerHunting forum. Take a look.

PS

I was out yesterday in NJ and the bucks were still in rut. Had a 6pt come in to some scent but them back away w/o a shot. Saw 2 other small bucks chasing and my buddy saw a big 8 cruising a ridge.

Hunting the wilds of Jersey

I'll tell you what...an evening like that, shot or no shot, is tough to beat!

JRW

sounds like an awsome hunt to me. i would like to see a pope and young let a lone 3 of them i would not give up.

Hey kshunter, just a heads up. I had a statewide archery permit last year and was going to get a transferable landowner permit from some family for rifle season and I called wildlife office and asked them if that was ok. They told me I was allowed only 1 buck permit per year, no matter what the situation. Not harping on you in any way, just wanting to let you know what they told me. I dont know how they would ever know about it, but I would hate to see you get busted for to many permits.

Okie



Edited by - okie-buck on 11/21/2002 09:43:10

kshunter, I'm with you buddy. The last 2 years I was living in Florida and only had 1 week to bowhunt with a buddy up north. Both years I bagged 3 deer in a week. This year I moved back up north and hunted hard in 2 states and only have one doe to show for it so far. I've seen a lot of deer, but things just haven't fallen into place for me. Hang in there you'll get 'em.

Okie, i see what you're saying. The office gave 4 permits out per landowner. And from the way I took it, the guy said as long as you don't possess more than one antlered game tag while you're hunting it's alright. I went to the KDWP website, and doesn't really say any specific. I know a lot of people who shoot mutliple bucks every year, and tag everyone with their name from landowner permits. If they give 4 tags out at the same time, under one name... I might call the GW see whats up. Kinda confused myself. Been much rut action in that area?
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I hadnt seen much serious rut activity till Sunday morning and it seems like they just turned on. I got to within 20 yards of a 130 class 8 point that was chasing a doe all over the place. I watched him run her for at least 45 minutes. He went into an area that I thought I could get a stalk on. I kept a big cottonwood tree between him and myself and made it up real close. He was just standing there beside the doe that had layed down. I bet I heard him grunt 30 or 40 times while I was crawling up to him. I got close enough for the shot and went to stand up and draw my bow back and as soon as I stood up I saw another doe laying in the grass not 10 yards from me. Well, thats pretty much the end of the story. She saw me about the same time I saw her so there was not much I could do. She snorted and hauled arse and that was the end of that. Oh well, I will try it again this weekend.