I knew it was going to be a good day while driving to hunt. About a mile from my friend’s house where I hunt, I saw one of the largest bucks I have ever seen standing next to a doe along a well travelled road. While that would not be the buck I harvested, it still gave me a good idea that the rut had finally arrived.
This hunt was not without some challenges. After climbing a steep ridge and setting up my climbing stand, I realized my arrow quiver had fallen off my crossbow at some point while during the hike in. I retraced my steps back down the ridge and found the quiver. I went back up to my stand and spent the next 3 hours without seeing a deer. I decided to call it a morning and while climbing back down the ridge I saw some movement about 150 yards across to the next ridge. It was the large 7 pt, a smaller 8 pt and a doe. The large 7 pt was positioned next to the doe and blocking the smaller 8 pt away from the doe. The rut had finally arrived in a big way. I took the climbing stand off my back, cocked my crossbow and sat down at the base of a large tree. For the next 45 minutes I watched the 2 bucks follow the doe. The smaller 8 pt would hang back about 25 to 75 yards behind the large 7 pt and the doe. Ever so slowly, the doe finally came towards me. The wind kept changing directions and I thought any minute they would catch my scent and I would get busted. Luckily that did not occur. Finally the doe weaved it’s way thru a downed tree an came with 20 yards and stopped. A few minutes later, the large 7 pt came thru and stepped broadside.
After sitting still as possible for the entire 45 minutes, my legs and arms were fatigued, but I took the shot. The 7 pt shuttered and disappeared over the steep ridge. The smaller 8 pt followed the large 7 pt over the ridge. I waited 30 minutes while the doe remained motionless 20 yards away until the smaller 8 pt reappeared at the top of the ridge with its’ head down sniffing the ground and tail up. It made large circle and came back up the hollow taking the same path thru the downed tree to the doe. Then both walked towards me within 15 yards then turned facing away from me. At that point, smaller 8 pt mounted the doe. I had never had this occur right in front of me! Since I am allowed only one buck per day and 3 bucks per season, I could not take another buck that day. I got up to search for my arrow and the two lovebirds ran off. I found the blood trail, but was retracing my steps to find my arrow and the doe and smaller 8 pt came back to within 25 yards. At this point they both spotted me and ran.
Where I hunt is the back side of a 20 acre tract that ends just over the top of a steep ridge. I tracked the large 7 pt over the ridge and down the other side, making for a difficult recovery. It field dressed at 185 lbs and was the largest bodied deer I have taken. Hunting with a crossbow has allowed me to hunt in areas that I could never get permission to hunt with a gun. URBAN DEER HUNTING AT IT’S BEST.
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Congrats on a nice Tennessee Buck and an enjoyable story.