Brock's deer hunts '12-'13
- Thread starter brock ratcliff
- Start date
Good job Brock not taking the "iffy" shot...couldn't have been easy.
And tomorrow is Tues the 13th, the day you predicted would be crazy....I'm almost hoping that if you go out tonite you get skunked so that you can kill a slob tomorrow and prove your prediction right!
And tomorrow is Tues the 13th, the day you predicted would be crazy....I'm almost hoping that if you go out tonite you get skunked so that you can kill a slob tomorrow and prove your prediction right!
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Tonight was sort of anti-climatic. Didn't see much of anything, just a real small 8 that came under me just before dark. The stand I was in tonight does not afford as large a view as some of my other ones, so it's entirely possible the deer were going wild just out of sight. I will say though, that stand was set over a funnel, and that lil buck was using it like an interstate. He was walking fast when I first saw him, crossed the creek, walked under me and kept right on stepping like he had somewhere to be...like he was late for work. 
If I hunt in the morning, it will only be for a couple of hours. KR has a doctor appt at 930, so I need to get the shop opened up by 1030. I may talk her into letting me hunt tomorrow night if her appt goes well. Cold front, clearing skies, moon rise/set perfect... I'd hate to miss tomorrow completely.
If I hunt in the morning, it will only be for a couple of hours. KR has a doctor appt at 930, so I need to get the shop opened up by 1030. I may talk her into letting me hunt tomorrow night if her appt goes well. Cold front, clearing skies, moon rise/set perfect... I'd hate to miss tomorrow completely.
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I ran up to the farm this morning for a very short hunt. With today being the day I've been looking forward to all season, I hated the fact that I had to get out of the tree at 8:30, but that's life. I saw one deer on the way to my stand. I put my flashlight in it's eyes and walked on by as it stared intently. Got to the stand and was surprised I didn't see deer as soon as the sun came up, but I didn't have long to wait. I looked behind me about 745 and saw the three coyotes, with the big red one leading the way. Too far to shoot, unfortunately, as I think I'd shoot that red yote over a buck most any day. A little later a young buck came along and came through the same shooting lane the big one was in yesterday. Too bad it was windy yesterday! At 830, I climbed down, and had to sneak by a feeding doe to get to my truck. Saw four more deer on the way home! UGH! Wish I could have stayed a little later!
I may try to get out this evening, but just as likely will not.
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I may try to get out this evening, but just as likely will not.
(107)
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No hunting for me tonight. My bride is not feeling well, though she offered to work regardless. I wouldn't have enjoyed the hunt knowing she was in the shop and not in top form...but dang it sure looks like a good evening to be in a tree!
You are a good man Brock. Glad I wasn't in your shoes. I am afraid I would have been in the stand if she offered to work. lmao
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I'm really not, Phil. She isn't feeling that well yet, but I plan to be in the stand at sunrise, and have yet to decide just how long I will stay. I will say this though, the Heater Body Suit just got a fresh coat of smoke after being stowed since last season. The time for comfort is here, I may stay in a tree longer than a couple hours tomorrow.
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Today was unreal!
I decided I'd dress light and tote my Heather Body Suit to the stand this morning. I got to the stand with time to spare, got situated and started putting on my HBS. I managed to get both legs in before a deer showed up. It was still dark as heck, but with the heavy frost on the corn stubble, he was clearly visible. I watched him for several minutes as I started to get COLD. He just stayed there eating corn, as the sun started lighting the scene, I could tell it was a buck, then I could tell it was a good one. By the time I could tell he was a really good one and it was light enough to shoot, he had moved to a position I could not shoot to!
About 745 I noticed a coyote jumping in the weeds on the edge of waterway. That was cool, too far to shoot. About 820, I heard a grunt and noticed that BIG buck had come back out of the woodlot and was heading my way. Lord, what a deer. I was texting my wife about her working for me again tonight and told her she wouldn't need to as I was about to run out of buck tags... I didn't shoot him. 45 yards and I let him go on his way. I am a HUGE fan of long-range shooting, but I haven't been shooting much so it just wasn't right. I shoulda shot him, but I thought he'd close the gap a little more. He didn't. There was another small buck that came out of the woods with him and went the opposite direction. Shortly after the big one was out of sight, I heard another grunt and chasing in the same little woods. I thought my gosh if that buck ran that big one off he must be HUGE. It wasn't. It was a 2 year old doing his best to catch the doe that didn't want caught. After that, I saw a doe and three yearlings and went home----to shoot my bow!
I got back in the stand about 230 or so. I had spent a couple of hours shooting at 60 yards, and decided I was gonna make that shot if I got it again. I'm as ready as I've ever been, and I've done it several times before. At 4 pm I saw two deer about a mile away crossing a huge cut bean field. Not much to be excited about but at least I knew they were getting on their feet. About 430 I heard this strange popping sound and turned to see what it was. It looked like a rotweiler chasing a lab, and it was popping its teeth! Never saw that before. They ran by me and into another woods where the ran out 4 deer, but only one small buck. I thought my evening was pretty well done, but I was wrong. Shortly after, a buck came by, small one. Then a doe popped out of the woods where the dogs had chased the others out. Then another little buck went by, then four more deer came out of the crp and drank at the pond for a bit. They headed my way to feed in the corn stubble. I got a little too busy watching them, and a little buck chasing a doe in the distance. I decided to hang my bow up and take a seat...big mistake. I heard something right under me, and looked as best I could over my left shoulder to see a huge set of antlers about 5 yards away. He got alongside me where I could see him a bit better, dead down wind, and winded something he didn't like. He jumped about 5 steps into the field and stopped. I could tell he was checking things out, but I couldn't really see him well. He eventually gave up and started moving again, slowly. I got my bow after many start and stops, but I didn't know the range, so I ranged him. By this time he was 38 yards. By the time I got my bow drawn he was walking behind some limbs so I couldn't shoot! He walked on around the end of the fencerow and grunted at the does as if to say "Im here ladies". Once he got in the clear the closest he was to me was 64 yards. I didn't shoot of course, and watched he and the does feed until complete dark. I watched them through my binoculars and once the had fed off to the other side of the field I hauled butt out of there! I don't know if I accounted for all the deer I saw tonight in this little story, but it was 14. I am certain the 10 I saw this morning would tape over 160. Tonights deer was very similar in size, though maybe more like 150. Both great deer! So in my last four sits in this stand I have seen 3 between 150 and 170...and I feel pretty confident in those numbers, and one that was maybe 125 along with a bunch of dinks. I have NEVER in my life had this kind of luck from any single stand in Ohio. I can't wait till sunrise!
I decided I'd dress light and tote my Heather Body Suit to the stand this morning. I got to the stand with time to spare, got situated and started putting on my HBS. I managed to get both legs in before a deer showed up. It was still dark as heck, but with the heavy frost on the corn stubble, he was clearly visible. I watched him for several minutes as I started to get COLD. He just stayed there eating corn, as the sun started lighting the scene, I could tell it was a buck, then I could tell it was a good one. By the time I could tell he was a really good one and it was light enough to shoot, he had moved to a position I could not shoot to!
About 745 I noticed a coyote jumping in the weeds on the edge of waterway. That was cool, too far to shoot. About 820, I heard a grunt and noticed that BIG buck had come back out of the woodlot and was heading my way. Lord, what a deer. I was texting my wife about her working for me again tonight and told her she wouldn't need to as I was about to run out of buck tags... I didn't shoot him. 45 yards and I let him go on his way. I am a HUGE fan of long-range shooting, but I haven't been shooting much so it just wasn't right. I shoulda shot him, but I thought he'd close the gap a little more. He didn't. There was another small buck that came out of the woods with him and went the opposite direction. Shortly after the big one was out of sight, I heard another grunt and chasing in the same little woods. I thought my gosh if that buck ran that big one off he must be HUGE. It wasn't. It was a 2 year old doing his best to catch the doe that didn't want caught. After that, I saw a doe and three yearlings and went home----to shoot my bow!
I got back in the stand about 230 or so. I had spent a couple of hours shooting at 60 yards, and decided I was gonna make that shot if I got it again. I'm as ready as I've ever been, and I've done it several times before. At 4 pm I saw two deer about a mile away crossing a huge cut bean field. Not much to be excited about but at least I knew they were getting on their feet. About 430 I heard this strange popping sound and turned to see what it was. It looked like a rotweiler chasing a lab, and it was popping its teeth! Never saw that before. They ran by me and into another woods where the ran out 4 deer, but only one small buck. I thought my evening was pretty well done, but I was wrong. Shortly after, a buck came by, small one. Then a doe popped out of the woods where the dogs had chased the others out. Then another little buck went by, then four more deer came out of the crp and drank at the pond for a bit. They headed my way to feed in the corn stubble. I got a little too busy watching them, and a little buck chasing a doe in the distance. I decided to hang my bow up and take a seat...big mistake. I heard something right under me, and looked as best I could over my left shoulder to see a huge set of antlers about 5 yards away. He got alongside me where I could see him a bit better, dead down wind, and winded something he didn't like. He jumped about 5 steps into the field and stopped. I could tell he was checking things out, but I couldn't really see him well. He eventually gave up and started moving again, slowly. I got my bow after many start and stops, but I didn't know the range, so I ranged him. By this time he was 38 yards. By the time I got my bow drawn he was walking behind some limbs so I couldn't shoot! He walked on around the end of the fencerow and grunted at the does as if to say "Im here ladies". Once he got in the clear the closest he was to me was 64 yards. I didn't shoot of course, and watched he and the does feed until complete dark. I watched them through my binoculars and once the had fed off to the other side of the field I hauled butt out of there! I don't know if I accounted for all the deer I saw tonight in this little story, but it was 14. I am certain the 10 I saw this morning would tape over 160. Tonights deer was very similar in size, though maybe more like 150. Both great deer! So in my last four sits in this stand I have seen 3 between 150 and 170...and I feel pretty confident in those numbers, and one that was maybe 125 along with a bunch of dinks. I have NEVER in my life had this kind of luck from any single stand in Ohio. I can't wait till sunrise!
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Here is a pic of the 160 ten from this morning. Cell phones don't do a very good job, and I didn't take any pics until he was 100 yards out and not coming back. What a beautiful deer!
Here is a pic of the 160 ten from this morning. Cell phones don't do a very good job, and I didn't take any pics until he was 100 yards out and not coming back. What a beautiful deer!
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Absolutely amazing day from the sounds of it!!! Hope you connect on one of them big boys! Good luck
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Absolutely was! This tree is one I've wanted to be in for years. I've watched deer cut through there forever, but still I'm amazed at what I've seen from it this season. We live for days like these.