I headed out this morning after spending the previous couple of days hooked up with RJ hunting, driving, scouting, sighting in shotguns, and eating (of course). While we were out I seen the biggest buck I have ever seen (60 yards out) on one of the properties that I hunt after RJ did a little non pressure push which included seeing approx 9 deer coming from a postage stamp bush no bigger than 2 football fields. I was also able from my perch in a tree watch RJ bring beauty buck on the run to his grunting but unfortunately he never presented a decent shoot and he let em walk.
Fast forward to today when I headed out to one of the properties I hunt. I headed in early and once I was settled in I made a couple grunts to cover off the noise that I had made. Well about 50 minutes later I had a big buck come in from behind me grunting all the way - I could make his body out but it was just not legal time yet so I watched him slowly leave the area.
I was pretty sure my hunt was over but as legal shooting time came I started rattling my new set of horns for practice. It couldnt have been a minute later that I could hear something coming up behind me ... I soon seen that it was a big bodied buck and he was grunting with every step he took. He passed by me never presenting a decent shot - I grunted several times and it turned him around. As he stepped into my 20 yard lane I stopped him with a "baaa" and set BigJohn's bolt with a 150 g. bolt cutter off the rail. I recently switched to Luminoks and I will never hunt without them again~! I could see my bolt leave the rail as well as its final resting place which is a great confidence builder ...
The buck jumped ran about 15 yards into some thicker brush and I thought for sure I seen him go down and heard him crash. I wasnt 100 % sure so I reloaded my ExoMax (make sure your strapped in before attempting) and settled in for the hour wait and enjoyed some sights.
I figured I might as well practice my rattling and grunting. I conducted a set of grunts/rattling and waited for about 15 minutes and did it again ... As soon as I finished I could hear a freight train coming through the bush. I soon could see that it was a buck. He stopped out at about 50 yards and made several scrapes while continually grunting. I persuaded him to come into 30 yards with a couple more grunts and put another bolt down the rail. The Luminoc showed me that my bolt found its mark. The buck took off to the exact same place as the first buck and I thought I heard him crash as well. To be safe I waited 45 minutes and made my way down the tree .....
My 1st bolt;
Looks good -
My 2nd bolt;
Looks good too -
The scrapes I watched the 2nd buck make -
I walked the 15 yards over to the thick brush and embankment and I couldnt beleive my eyes to see that both bucks were piled up within 10 yards of each other ....
All in all it was one of the best experiences that I have ever had while afield ...
Does anyone have any thoughts on the buck on the right? He appears to be an old buck but he was very small compared to the first and his rack was really messed up?
Cheers,
I've got 4-5 racks that are messed up in all kinds of configurations. You just never know what nature decides to do.
