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Cotty's Hunt Journal

xbowguy

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31,075
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Licking Co. Ohio
Stick with it Mike. Three times this year already, I was about to just go back to the house ...... Staying and keeping my head up resulted in 3 dead deer. Good Luck Buddy. It only takes a few minutes, and you never know when that is gonna happen.
 

hickslawns

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40,344
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Ohio
Sorry to hear it Mike. Stick with it bud. I am sure he isn't the only buck on the prowl from the sounds of things. You might even get another shot at him.
 

cotty16

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
Left the woods at 10 this morning. Taking a much needed midday break. Went home, got a booty call from the wife, and now just chilling with her a bit.

Kody? He was with my dad this morning and got skunked. He came straight in the house, grabbed his bow we just bought off of Hoytmania, and went out back to shoot. He's damn close to being ready. In fact, I think it might be time to let him try the compound. He's been money at 30 yards.

Me? I'm heading to relocate the stand from last nights miss to a more strategic location. Hoping I can find a spot where he came out last night. It's also where the one came out a few nights ago. Was it him? I don't know. Damn late movement.
Hoping I can hang the set and hunt it this evening.
 

epe

Senior Member
6,113
93
Lancaster
It happens man. Judging in a open field is hard as hell to do. The buck I shot this week I misjudged badly, and luckily hit a lung high..... And even when I have an encounter with a buck and don't get a shot chance, I stew on it forever.. Just get back out there...
 

cotty16

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
Thanks guys...
I'm set up in blind, uncomfortable as hell, near the trail he came out last night. Couldnt get the stand hung because it's all little scrap trees. One good one was surrounded by shit and would've been noisy as hell clearing it out. I'm ginna wait til the next bad weather to make that move. Maybe Monday?

Anyway, I ranged the shot from last night. It was 45 yards. I aimed 35. Fugg me running!
 

cotty16

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Supporting Member
Let's see... Saturday evening I was skunked from the blind. Might be because 2 dudes were parked where I park and had just finished "still hunting" in the dry leaves on a calm day right below where I set up. Add that to the idiot tally. "We don;t hunt from stands" was their line when I asked if they were heading to their stand. They informed me they just finished still hunting down to the lake. It took them 45 minutes they said. Wow...

Sunday morning I slept in.

Sunday evening I hunted a spot I hadn't hunted in a few years. As I was walking in a 4 point was heading past the tree I was going to go up in my climber. After I got settled in, I watched a spike chase 3 doe around the opposite hillside most of the evening. 2 does came in late.

Monday was no hunting due to rain and wind.

I'll be heading out this evening to the spot I missed in Friday evening.

Hours on stand: 55.5
AM Sits: 5
PM Sits: 11
All Day Sits: 3
Bucks: 19
Doe: 31
Shooters: 4 plus 1 borderline
Harvests: 1 (Klay)
Coyotes: 1
Idiots: 3
 
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cotty16

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
Skunked tonight. Tried a surprise attack on the private property with a climber. It was a noisy walk in and just ended up not worth it.

It's getting a bit frustrating, but I'll be back in the stand tomorrow evening... Somewhere.



Hours on stand: 59
AM Sits: 5
PM Sits: 13
All Day Sits: 3
Bucks: 19
Doe: 34
Shooters: 4 plus 1 borderline
Harvests: 1 (Klay)
Coyotes: 1
Idiots: 3
 

brock ratcliff

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25,142
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I used to feel the same way about bow hunting vs gun hunting. I don't anymore. Probably because after months of waiting on the deer to come along, when you get bored with a gun you just go sneak up on 'em. That'll teach 'em to leave ya waiting for two months!:)
 

cotty16

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Supporting Member
First day of youth season was a bust. I thought we had a nice 8 patterned for Kody but it didn't follow the script.

At about 9:00 I get a text from dad that a spike went past them. At about 9:20 he meandered past me. That was it for both of us.

At about 12:30 I had enough. I texted my dad that I was taking a slow walk to the point to see if I could find a nice location amongst the usual rubline. I hated to think about ditching the creek location, but it was the 4th skunk of the season there and 3rd in a row. Tis time to part.
As I walked slowly out the logging road about 300 yards above the creek stand I heard rustling to my left. Then a grunt. Then a snort wheeze. A 130" 9 point is raising a ruckus in the thicket about 40 yards away. He is parading back and forth, comes out and offers me a shot, heads back in, then a 120" 8 point comes out and stands 30 yards broadside on the road. Are you kidding me?? Why can't Kody be with me???

The 8 wanders off never knowing I was there and the 9 thrashes a tree then beds... I think. Was there a hot doe? No clue, but that 9 did not want the 8 there.

I text my dad "get kody here now".
After I detailed my location, they sneak in about 30 minutes later. I intently watched the thicket while waiting and never saw him leave.

I tell kody and dad to stop with a hand signal when they come into view. I make a few calls... Nothing. Few more calls... Nothing.

After awhile I wave them to me. I told them to stay there and I'd circle above the thicket. They got in position and I left.
As I got above the thicket the Fugger jumped up and ran out the front door and not the side door. No shot...

I went on out to the point and put on a slow mini drive as I was finding a suitable tree for my stand. I took Kody home at 2:00 as he was whipped. Then went and moved the stand. Made some noise, but oh well. Can't do any worse than the creek stand.





Hours on stand: 64
AM Sits: 6
PM Sits: 13
All Day Sits: 3
Bucks: 22
Doe: 34
Shooters: 4 plus 2 borderline
Harvests: 1 (Klay)
Coyotes: 1
Idiots: 3
 
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cotty16

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
Oh, and as I was stalking, I lost a broad head. Wtf????
There's a slick trick in the woods somewhere. How? No clue. Maybe I bumped a twig and it loosened the head? Then spun off?

Imagine if I would've drawn and shot at a buck. Lmao! No broad head... Geez.