HuntingNet.com Forums - Stupid is as stupid does, but it worked

Ok here is the story, I took the next three days off work to concentrate on deer hunting. Got to my stand about 1:30 in the afternoon with the bucks chasing hard. I sat there until about 3:30 and decided the wind had switched on me so I decided to leave and see what was out moving around. I had three days and thought if I could spot a nice one I would make a plan for the morning.

I spotted a two does down by a crick and watched them from the road for awhile but no bucks showed up so moved on. Just down the road from there I looked over and there was a buck standing in the field that makes this one look like a baby. This big buck was about 200 yards from one of our stands but no way to get there tonight. I crawled up on the edge of the timber and tried to rattle him in but he was chasing does. I did rattle in a little 8 point to about 30 yards or so but let him go. I backed out and knew where I would be in the morning.

On the drive home I spotted this buck I shot out in a field about 200 yards off the road. It was about 45 minutes of shooting light left so I decided to try to sneak up on him. Started across the field but it was too open so backed back out and got below a terrace. Followed the terrace up to about 125 yards from him and started grunting at him. He came in to about 75 yards but would come no closer. Then from over a little rise a doe came out and it all became clear why he was just standing there. She took him away from me and I thought it was all over.

But wait she is turning going to cross out about 50 yards from the end of the terrace I am on. by now about 15 minutes of light left. Enough to shoot and see ok but going away. She goes on by with him on a rope behind her and I got to figure out some way to close to within 30 yards. That is when stupidity hit me and I remembered a outdoor channel hunting show with moose that the bow hunter put the bow on his head like antlers and called to this moose as he walked right at it. He got within bow range and let it go. It worked good for him so and this is no lie I stuck the bow on my head, leaned over, and while grunting at this deer started out into the open. I took 3 steps out from the cover and he spotted me. He must have thought I was crazy or something because he decided he needed a closer look.

He came walking in all stiff legged to 20 yards turned broadside and stood there. I pulled the bow down drew and let him have it. He took about 5 or 6 quick steps and looked back over his shoulder at me. I still don't know if he knew what had happened. I just backed back into the cover and headed for the pickup. Rounded up the troops and we went back about 2 hours later with flashlights and he was laying right where I had left him.

Don't know if I would recomend the bow on the head trick in the future but it was good for a laugh when I tell the story.

I would guess the weight at around 275 to 300 on the hoof. Picture doesn't do him justice so I will post a few more angles. He had a neat eye guard on the one side. Nice tall rack with over 5 inch bases and carried over 3 inch mass all the way to the top. Not the best deer around here but too nice to pass up with the bow.

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