Gundeck

For those looking on a story about closing the deal, I have to say move on to another thread. Still, I think this was one of the best days I have had in the field in many years. I went out for an afternoon hunt on Friday. Got into the blind with about three hours of daylight left and, to be honest, it was very slow at the start. As darkness closed in, things changed drastically. I was on the forest edgein high (4 ft) grass and brush and right next to a small (about 5 acre) hay field that had been cut about a month ago. Onfar side (north) of the field, I see something in the high grass. At first, I think itis my imagination, but quickly realize it is the buck we nicknamed last yearBooka Buck. He is a sweet eight pointer that I had only seen a couple times this year. We is patrolling back and forth on the field edge, but won't enter. I am totally wrapped up in watching him when I see movement on the west end of the field. A doeis wandering into the field (about 80 yards out from my blind). She is strolling and grazing and heading toward my blind. That was all the encouragement Booka needed. He starts heading into the field and making a production of it. Two moredoecoming in from the west side, but I am concentrating on the one heading toward me and the buck she now clearly has in tow. Over the course of the next half hour,these two start chasing each other around the middle of the field. It is now too dark to shoot, but I don't care. This is a show worthy ofBroadway. Now, a smaller buck enters from the east end. He makes a bit of noise and strikes a pose. One turn from Booka and a very loud snort and he takes off back into the corn on the other side of the road. As I turn to watch him scurry away, I see somethingmove out of thepeephole in the back rightcorner of my blind.About two feet from the blind, there is a doe (with twolittle ones in tow) with her nose almost stuck into thepeephole. She is trying to look in and figure out what is inside. I am like a statue now. She pokes her head around a bit and then move off toward the field with her two companions. I turn and look into the field. Itispretty dark now.In front of me, about 2 feet from my 20 yard marker in the field, is BookaBuck standing broadside and looking noble. It would have been the easiest shot in the world (discounting for the shaking, of course!). I had to waitover an hour for things to clear so I could head home, but it was a wonderful night I won't soon forget. Sorry for the long post, but I had to share.

Schultzy

Wow, awesome read there Gundeck!! A doe 2 feet away and the buck your targeting Is In range but to dark, exciting hunt to say the least!!!

Congrats on a successful hunt!!

NJ/PAbwhunter

Hey Gundeck,
That is a great encounter. That is some of the stuff that when you tell people about, even non hunters, they can surely see your admiration and apprecittion of the outdoors. Thanks for sharing a great story.
DW

pwrsrtk350

Experiences like that are sometimes better then a harvest. Sounds like a fun night for you.

Gundeck

It was awesome. The funniest thing was (when I saw the doe checking out the blind) I started worrying that she was going to trip over the tie-down line on that side! I took a tip from here and used vanilla extract as a cover scent. I think that is what got her attention.