Thanks, and McAlester is almost here!!! (Now with results)
10-28-2006, 09:20 PM
#1
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Norman OK USA
Posts: 3,318
Thanks, and McAlester is almost here!!! (Now with results)
Just wanted to say thanks toa bunchof you guys for help and info you've shared with me.
I've done about all I could do to make ensure that I was ready for this hunt, because in the very beginning I said that if I wasn't ready... I wouldn't hunt. I read "Become the Arrow" twice to learn the form part of the equation. I've shot an average of 500 arrows per week since July, and I'm ready!! My groups went from a giant watermelon at 12 yards to a 6" circle (frequently tighter)at 20 yards. I actually shot enough arrows torequiresome shoulder work at the end of December[&:]
I leave Thursday morning for the big hunt. The weather looks pretty promising lows should be in the mid to upper 30's and high's in the 60's. There is some definite pre-rut action kicking in and I can't wait. Hopefully I'll be back with some pictures!!
I've done about all I could do to make ensure that I was ready for this hunt, because in the very beginning I said that if I wasn't ready... I wouldn't hunt. I read "Become the Arrow" twice to learn the form part of the equation. I've shot an average of 500 arrows per week since July, and I'm ready!! My groups went from a giant watermelon at 12 yards to a 6" circle (frequently tighter)at 20 yards. I actually shot enough arrows torequiresome shoulder work at the end of December[&:]
I leave Thursday morning for the big hunt. The weather looks pretty promising lows should be in the mid to upper 30's and high's in the 60's. There is some definite pre-rut action kicking in and I can't wait. Hopefully I'll be back with some pictures!!
11-06-2006, 09:13 AM
#5
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Norman OK USA
Posts: 3,318
RE: Thanks, and McAlester is almost here!!!
Hey guys it was a pretty unbelieveable weekend. As you know Okie, the temps here last week were great, low 30's in the mornings and cool throughout the day. Anyway, we went to an area that Chief whitehat (guys that run the hunt each weekend) had told us to go to. I found a rub line on cedars that were up to 6" in diameter, scrapes, beds, persimmons... you name it. I set up a stand in a cedar tree where twoHUGE trails came together. Hanging that stand, I hadone of those feelings it was perfect and that you couldn't ask for a better situation. Thursday night I was able to meet Millertime and his better halffor a steak and a beer (which was a lot of fun).
Anyway at about sunrise on Friday morning I had a doe and a button buck come through at 5 yards (my stand was only 12-14' up because I didn't want a steep shooting angle with the recurve) they came fromalmost directly down windhad absolutely no idea that I was there, and I passed waiting for a buck. I had a coyote come on the same trail about 15 minutes later moving the opposite directionand didn't shoot him either. I sat for the rest of the day and didn't see another deer.
My buddy was 200 yards from me and rattled in 6 different bucks, 4 shooters (120's or bigger [to him]) but the second deer he saw was an absolute monter and he kept waiting on that buck to return so passed on the rest. Another friend saw 22 deer, 11 bucks and also passed on lots of deer. The fourth guy missed a pretty decent buck first thing in the morning, so the deer were definitely moving
So day two, I walk to my stand and bump deer out from under it in the dark. I couldn't give up on that stand just yet, Ihad donemy scouting and hung it there for a reason and I was going to give it another shot. There were 3 fresh scrapes within 15 yards of my stand and I could smell them before the wind started blowing. 3 does came through and that was it, I climbed down and headed to the truck for some lunchto devise a new plan. I decided I was going to build a natural ground blind on the edge of a very small wheat field out of sut cedar trees. The blind was great, the cedar provided a pretty good cover scent and I'm pretty maticulous about scent control anyway. I got settled in and in no time there were deer within 15 steps, does, fawns and little bucks. I had shots at several different bucks up to about 100-110" but I passed on them as well. About 30 minutes before dark I saw a flash to the NE and a doe came full speed into the field, stopped at 20 yards and looked back. I figured she was getting chased and got ready for the buck to follow her out. Like in a dream he appeared and trotted my direction... "perfect" I think. Idon't count points I lookat width, height and mass but assuming hewas an 8pt, he would be in the high 130's. About 5 steps before he enters my 20 yard shooting zone the doe turns and sprints directly away from me and he follows, and that was it for my Saturday night action.
Sunday morning it was pouring down rain and I decided I would try to stalk some deer because the conditions were perfect. I stalked within range of 14 deer two of which were bruisers, both of them were well over 140but I could never get a shot through the brush and tall grass. My two other buddies passed on some deer as well, one of them sent his "shooter" qualifications at 130+ and he had 2 shooters in range but they didn'tpresent an ethical shot.
Okiedude, I think the temps helped us out a lot and obviously the rut as well. I'm not sure how many deer were killed but I think there were 5 p&y's killed. A few does some smaller bucks. Also, tell me if you noticed the same thing. It's no wonder that more guys don't kill deer, they all stand around the campfire in their camo before they go out, they smoke cigarettes, pipes, cigars etc. I would say about half of these guys could be smelled from upwind.
It was funny saturday morning how many ofthe guys standing around the fire in their camo were talking about not seeing many deer at all... coincidence?
[&:]
Maybe I should have taken one of those bucks but I just feel like I can kill does and little bucks about anywhere this was the perfect trophy hunt opportunity so that's what I did and it didn't quite work out but that's deer hunting..
Anyway at about sunrise on Friday morning I had a doe and a button buck come through at 5 yards (my stand was only 12-14' up because I didn't want a steep shooting angle with the recurve) they came fromalmost directly down windhad absolutely no idea that I was there, and I passed waiting for a buck. I had a coyote come on the same trail about 15 minutes later moving the opposite directionand didn't shoot him either. I sat for the rest of the day and didn't see another deer.
My buddy was 200 yards from me and rattled in 6 different bucks, 4 shooters (120's or bigger [to him]) but the second deer he saw was an absolute monter and he kept waiting on that buck to return so passed on the rest. Another friend saw 22 deer, 11 bucks and also passed on lots of deer. The fourth guy missed a pretty decent buck first thing in the morning, so the deer were definitely moving
So day two, I walk to my stand and bump deer out from under it in the dark. I couldn't give up on that stand just yet, Ihad donemy scouting and hung it there for a reason and I was going to give it another shot. There were 3 fresh scrapes within 15 yards of my stand and I could smell them before the wind started blowing. 3 does came through and that was it, I climbed down and headed to the truck for some lunchto devise a new plan. I decided I was going to build a natural ground blind on the edge of a very small wheat field out of sut cedar trees. The blind was great, the cedar provided a pretty good cover scent and I'm pretty maticulous about scent control anyway. I got settled in and in no time there were deer within 15 steps, does, fawns and little bucks. I had shots at several different bucks up to about 100-110" but I passed on them as well. About 30 minutes before dark I saw a flash to the NE and a doe came full speed into the field, stopped at 20 yards and looked back. I figured she was getting chased and got ready for the buck to follow her out. Like in a dream he appeared and trotted my direction... "perfect" I think. Idon't count points I lookat width, height and mass but assuming hewas an 8pt, he would be in the high 130's. About 5 steps before he enters my 20 yard shooting zone the doe turns and sprints directly away from me and he follows, and that was it for my Saturday night action.
Sunday morning it was pouring down rain and I decided I would try to stalk some deer because the conditions were perfect. I stalked within range of 14 deer two of which were bruisers, both of them were well over 140but I could never get a shot through the brush and tall grass. My two other buddies passed on some deer as well, one of them sent his "shooter" qualifications at 130+ and he had 2 shooters in range but they didn'tpresent an ethical shot.
Okiedude, I think the temps helped us out a lot and obviously the rut as well. I'm not sure how many deer were killed but I think there were 5 p&y's killed. A few does some smaller bucks. Also, tell me if you noticed the same thing. It's no wonder that more guys don't kill deer, they all stand around the campfire in their camo before they go out, they smoke cigarettes, pipes, cigars etc. I would say about half of these guys could be smelled from upwind.
It was funny saturday morning how many ofthe guys standing around the fire in their camo were talking about not seeing many deer at all... coincidence?
[&:]
Maybe I should have taken one of those bucks but I just feel like I can kill does and little bucks about anywhere this was the perfect trophy hunt opportunity so that's what I did and it didn't quite work out but that's deer hunting..
11-06-2006, 10:41 AM
#6
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 163
RE: Thanks, and McAlester is almost here!!!
i was at mcalester last weekend. i wish i would have been there this weekend though. we still had a blast and all saw good deer. where did ya hunt. i hunted on hominy where road 5 & c meet. we had a wheat field to the north and south. i opted to hunt off the wheat and 2 other guys were hunting there anyway. my cousin missed a monster and so did one of the other guys w/ us. it is a awsome place though. i got some funny looks from those guys around the camp fire in my jogging pants and tee shirt in the mornings. even had a couple of idiots ask if i was going to hunt in the. i never had a deer wind me either. ha ha!!
11-06-2006, 11:35 AM
#7
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Norman OK USA
Posts: 3,318
RE: Thanks, and McAlester is almost here!!!
Rush,
Yeah it's a really cool place. I definitely got some strange looks in my total black fleece outfit, one genius goes "hey ya know we're hunting during daylight hours right?" I didn't even answer to that. I hunted off of E Road and Ashland in what I guess is actually Bear Trap but we drew in for Boggy.Rattling was really really working well this weekend.
Yeah it's a really cool place. I definitely got some strange looks in my total black fleece outfit, one genius goes "hey ya know we're hunting during daylight hours right?" I didn't even answer to that. I hunted off of E Road and Ashland in what I guess is actually Bear Trap but we drew in for Boggy.Rattling was really really working well this weekend.
11-06-2006, 04:15 PM
#8
Fork Horn
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location:
Posts: 258
RE: Thanks, and McAlester is almost here!!!
ORIGINAL: dwd2001
Also, tell me if you noticed the same thing. It's no wonder that more guys don't kill deer, they all stand around the campfire in their camo before they go out, they smoke cigarettes, pipes, cigars etc. I would say about half of these guys could be smelled from upwind.
It was funny saturday morning how many ofthe guys standing around the fire in their camo were talking about not seeing many deer at all... coincidence?
[&:]
Also, tell me if you noticed the same thing. It's no wonder that more guys don't kill deer, they all stand around the campfire in their camo before they go out, they smoke cigarettes, pipes, cigars etc. I would say about half of these guys could be smelled from upwind.
It was funny saturday morning how many ofthe guys standing around the fire in their camo were talking about not seeing many deer at all... coincidence?
[&:]
Sounds like you did have an awesome weekend. I dont think I saw a single 'big' buck in the 4 days we were there...unless you count the one that lives across from the campsite.
I know we are putting in for it again next year but changing up our weekend choices. First is definetly NOT the way to go. I thought it might be good since there hadnt been any pressure yet. WRONG ANSWER!
On passing bucks, its a hard decision that is regretted later. You said it...thats hunting.
