Close Encounters of the Palmated Kind - With Response

hetichunter · Post by **hetichunter** » Mon Oct 20, 2008 9:47 am

Man o Man! Like planter said this is over the top kewl!

Mike P pleaseeeeee keep us up to date as you go after your deer.

Being along for the ride on this is just toooo much.

I think I got palmated fever now!

sullyy · Post by **sullyy** » Mon Oct 20, 2008 9:48 am

Amazing story. Can't wait to read about the outcome!

mikew · Post by **mikew** » Mon Oct 20, 2008 11:24 am

Mike,

Thanks so much for sharing the next chapter in your quest for this moose, er, buck!

I completely respect your decision to not loose an arrow at him. I know I would have been shaking so much that there's no way I'd be able to get a lethal hit at 37 yards! I think I'd need a buck that size to be within 10 yards...

Anyway, please keep us posted as this story unfolds. I'm sure you'll be the victorious "crusty dodger" in the end.

The battles are only part of the war, and you only need to win ONE.

-Mike

maple · Post by **maple** » Tue Oct 21, 2008 8:45 am

Mike,

Don't ya just love a challenge?

You've got nothing to lose and everything to gain by waiting for this one. The joy is in the hunt and the time spent in the woods. I'm sure you'll bring all tricks together on the big day.

When do you expect the rut to start in your area?

Maple

Mike P · Post by **Mike P** » Tue Oct 21, 2008 10:22 am

maple wrote: When do you expect the rut to start in your area?

Maple

Maple I have kept a journal of every day I hunt for the last thirty-five years. The last twenty of those years have been spent hunting primarily here in southern Ohio.

I know for a fact that the rut will start here in earnest on November first or second and will run hot and heavy until November seventeenth. I hunt long hours during this time frame. Ohio Gun Season does not open until the first of December normally and the rut activity has really cooled by that time. Here in Ohio, the rut belongs to the Archers!

A second rut will begin around December 20th and run for about eight days for those does not bred and the fawns born early this past spring. I think this is the reason so many nice bucks are killed during Ohio's muzzleloader season as it opens right after Christmas.

FredBear · Post by **FredBear** » Tue Oct 21, 2008 1:11 pm

Mike I've read that every 8 years the ruts the exact same day. I would be interested to know if your years of recording have depicted that?

Mike P · Post by **Mike P** » Tue Oct 21, 2008 4:53 pm

FredBear wrote:Mike I've read that every 8 years the ruts the exact same day. I would be interested to know if your years of recording have depicted that?

I went back and looked at the last twenty years Aaron and it looked to me like the exact day kept coming up every six years and not eight. But we are only talking a day here or two, and my journal is not absolute so it very well may be every eight years.

Right now (October 21) I have been watching little spikes feeling their oats and harassing the does somewhat. In the next few days I expect to see some second year bucks getting in on that act as well. But I will bet dimes to dollars that ten days from now you will start to see larger bucks! I have recorded this same activity for the past twenty years.

Last year I saw the big boys come out on November 6th. On the 6th., 7th., 8th and 9th of last year I had mature bucks within range. I also had mature bucks within 30 yards of my broadhead on the 12th and the 15th. But you may recall I was going after that big ten in my neighborhood and passed on all of them. In retrospect that was a mistake. I did not kill a buck until Super Bowl Sunday last year and I was very fortunate to take him out at the farm.

No doubt the same thing will happen to me again as I pursue this palmated buck.

Got to run, its 5:04 and I am going to hit one of my stands here in the neighborhood just to see whats cooking.

flbuckmaster · Post by **flbuckmaster** » Tue Oct 21, 2008 6:17 pm

Mike. I know you posted about "the King and I" last year. Have you seen the King lately?
Jay

Hoss · Post by **Hoss** » Tue Oct 21, 2008 6:21 pm

now thats what i call a hunt buddy..go get him bud..I want pics!

FredBear · Post by **FredBear** » Tue Oct 21, 2008 7:45 pm

Thanks for the information Mike! Your buck has really got in my head. How far away where your run ins?

Mike P · Post by **Mike P** » Tue Oct 21, 2008 7:49 pm

flbuckmaster wrote:Mike. I know you posted about "the King and I" last year. Have you seen the King lately?
Jay

Jay, I hope you forgive me but I am going to keep you in suspense about the King. A lot has gone on with that particular piece since I wrote it.

By any chance do you belong to the American Crossbow Federation and receive the Horizontal Bowhunter Magazine?

You just may find what your looking for in future issues.

saxman · Post by **saxman** » Tue Oct 21, 2008 8:14 pm

I am waiting for my issue now.
I got my Crossbow Connection today,Oh Look,I'm in there

brokebow · Post by **brokebow** » Wed Oct 22, 2008 10:42 am

Mike,I myself had the same experiance about 18 years ago,I had hunted a 12pt,with a spoon on one side,for 2 years,had see this deer umteen times,infact almost hit him with the truck on ThanksGiving day,Only to have a city hunter trip on him in a ditch,shot him in the ass,side ,and blew off part of his horn. A great white hunter. I saw this deer on a car later,and my heart sunk,one that I give respect to was shot by luck alone.Mike don't look in there eyes they can feel you,I know ,because he did. Jerry

brokebow · Post by **brokebow** » Wed Oct 22, 2008 6:29 pm

I didn't mean that all guys from the city were like that. It is just one of these people that the only time that they shoot a gun,is during the deer gun season. Ok' I got one for you,the fella that owns the land would not let me hunt on his land during the gun season, for fear that these people (his relatives) would shoot me. You see where I am coming from. Anyway that is what he told me. I was told that the brought the gun into the store to make sure that they bought the right amo for it. Remember this is small town USA

Mike P · Post by **Mike P** » Thu Oct 23, 2008 10:12 am

planter wrote:Easy on us urban hunters!!
Were not all lucky enough to live in the Boonies!!

But we are lucky enough planter to hunt urban areas where a ton of the new "Boonies" aka booners are being taken.

Hunting urban mature whitetail bucks is a totally different ballgame then hunting the old boys in a more rural setting. My tactics out at the farm are completely different then the tactics I use here around the house.

When I walk out my long drive to get the Cincinnati Enquirer on mornings I do not hunt it is not unusual to see several does milling about in the front yard. They stare at me but don't ever bound off with tails flagging. I easily get within twenty yards of them. They just stand there. Should I want a doe for the freezer all I would have to do is take my crossbow with me and dispatch one.

Now the bucks do not tolerate this. They will bolt. But not in the manner the big boys out at the farm do. The mature bucks at the farm take off like dragsters. These mature bucks around the house just kind of trot off.

I have a whole host of things I do while urban hunting that I would never consider while hunting in the "boonies."

I should do a piece on that subject. Urban Tactics.

Or, better yet, Golf Shirts & Grunt Calls

Picture of deer in the front yard.

Picture of turkeys in the front yard.