Hoyts 2012-13 hunting story
- Thread starter Hoytmania
- Start date
Huckleberry Finn
Senior Member
- 15,973
- 135
went out Sunday morning. My body did not want to get up at all. My alarm had went off and I turned it off. Dog woke me up at 4:30. Cell phone made some noise at 5:30 so I figured with everything waking me up it must be a sign that I need to be in the woods. So at 5:30 I drug my butt out of bed and got ready and hit the woods.
got settled into the stand just a few minutes before Legal light. Was about 6:45 and I couldn't believe how calm it was. I decided to try a rattling sequence and see if it stirred anyhting up. Nothing immediately but about ten minutes later I hear something noving through the woods. I look and it is a desent 2 1/2 year old 8 pointer. He probably was in the range of 120". His main beams where just past his ears and had 7-8" G2's, and almost perfectly cemetrical. He had turned and started toward the other side of the woods. I had told myself about a week ago if I have the opportunity at a buck that would make a nice Euro mount that I would take it beings I have no Euro mounts at the house. After really looking at himthrough the glasses I said I'll take him.
He wouldn't respond to the can call so I got the grunt tube out and gave a couple soft grunts. This got him to turn and head my direction. As he came in I was hoping he would come to my right, but he ended up coming around to my left. As he got behind some trees I drew my bow. Everytime he hit a shooting lane he would quarter to me then go back broadside when he got behind soime trees. As he got perfectly to my left and stepped in my largest shooting lane to my left he turns and faces me perfectly. Sticks his nose in the air, he didn't spook but decided to turn and take three hops back the direction he came. I figured this would be my last oportunity. This is where everything becomes a blur. Hit the trigger on the release and the arrow flies. It sounded like a hollow log when it hit. I didn't see it hit either, he bounds off about 40 -50 yards and stopped, but of course he stops behind several trees where I can't see him. He stood there for about a minute before taking back off on a jog.
I waited a good 1/2 hour before getting down to try and find my arrow. Went to where he stopped and found blood, so at that point I knew I had hit him. It wasn't the greatest of blood but there was blood. Went back to the area of impact and looked for another half hour or so and still couldn't locate the arrow. At this point I decided to pick up the trail and start tracking. for the next hour I followed the trail through the woods taking one or two steps at a time and scanning the woods to see if I could see anything. Doing this for a good 400 yds and the trail getting harder and harder to follow. I found where he had exited the woods into a cut bean field and that is where the trail was lost.
I came back out after calling Huck and him coming over to see if we could pick anything back up, but no luck. It is very hard to say where he went, but all I can hope for is that I just hit some meat and he willl be ok.
A huge thanks to Huck for giving up his evening hunt to help me out. I owe you one brother.
Sightings
Bucks - 7
Does -17
Button bucks -4
Coyote-1
Turckeys-9
Hours on stand-45
Harvest
Buck-0
Does-1
Groundhog-1
got settled into the stand just a few minutes before Legal light. Was about 6:45 and I couldn't believe how calm it was. I decided to try a rattling sequence and see if it stirred anyhting up. Nothing immediately but about ten minutes later I hear something noving through the woods. I look and it is a desent 2 1/2 year old 8 pointer. He probably was in the range of 120". His main beams where just past his ears and had 7-8" G2's, and almost perfectly cemetrical. He had turned and started toward the other side of the woods. I had told myself about a week ago if I have the opportunity at a buck that would make a nice Euro mount that I would take it beings I have no Euro mounts at the house. After really looking at himthrough the glasses I said I'll take him.
He wouldn't respond to the can call so I got the grunt tube out and gave a couple soft grunts. This got him to turn and head my direction. As he came in I was hoping he would come to my right, but he ended up coming around to my left. As he got behind some trees I drew my bow. Everytime he hit a shooting lane he would quarter to me then go back broadside when he got behind soime trees. As he got perfectly to my left and stepped in my largest shooting lane to my left he turns and faces me perfectly. Sticks his nose in the air, he didn't spook but decided to turn and take three hops back the direction he came. I figured this would be my last oportunity. This is where everything becomes a blur. Hit the trigger on the release and the arrow flies. It sounded like a hollow log when it hit. I didn't see it hit either, he bounds off about 40 -50 yards and stopped, but of course he stops behind several trees where I can't see him. He stood there for about a minute before taking back off on a jog.
I waited a good 1/2 hour before getting down to try and find my arrow. Went to where he stopped and found blood, so at that point I knew I had hit him. It wasn't the greatest of blood but there was blood. Went back to the area of impact and looked for another half hour or so and still couldn't locate the arrow. At this point I decided to pick up the trail and start tracking. for the next hour I followed the trail through the woods taking one or two steps at a time and scanning the woods to see if I could see anything. Doing this for a good 400 yds and the trail getting harder and harder to follow. I found where he had exited the woods into a cut bean field and that is where the trail was lost.
I came back out after calling Huck and him coming over to see if we could pick anything back up, but no luck. It is very hard to say where he went, but all I can hope for is that I just hit some meat and he willl be ok.
A huge thanks to Huck for giving up his evening hunt to help me out. I owe you one brother.
Sightings
Bucks - 7
Does -17
Button bucks -4
Coyote-1
Turckeys-9
Hours on stand-45
Harvest
Buck-0
Does-1
Groundhog-1
badger
*Supporting Member*
Huckleberry Finn
Senior Member
- 15,973
- 135
dante322
*Supporting Member*
I know the feeling. sorry to hear it.
Next time give me a call too. I'd have come helped look, you know that.
Next time give me a call too. I'd have come helped look, you know that.
- 25,141
- 261
Gordo
Senior Member
Well my Pearl Harbor setup worked just not the right deer. Right after legal light I see a doe across the crp field about 200 yds out, all by herself. She gets to 150 yds and angles and comes on a string to 8 yds. Unfortunately she didn't have any bucks in tow. She milled on the brush where I entered to get into my stand for a good 15 minutes smelling and licking the evercalm. Eventually she turned and went up a fence row. As she was walking away I heard a down blowing in the distance. She was 200 yds out in the crp. She had another doe with her and a small 6 point with them that was curious. Other than that didn't really have any activity.
Left about 10 to go get parts and got the tractor fixed. Now back in the stand till dark or a deer drops.
Sightings
Bucks-8
Does-20
Button bucks -4
Coyotes-1
Turkeys-15
Hours on stand-49
Harvest
Buck-0
Does-1
Groundhog-1
Left about 10 to go get parts and got the tractor fixed. Now back in the stand till dark or a deer drops.
Sightings
Bucks-8
Does-20
Button bucks -4
Coyotes-1
Turkeys-15
Hours on stand-49
Harvest
Buck-0
Does-1
Groundhog-1
Last evenings sit was a high and a low. Shortly after finishing the post above I was looking out over the crp field, and see a doe coming across the field. She isn't on a dead nuts run but a good steady jog, kind of bouncing from side to side. Looked like she was being pushed, and sure enough she was. I am almost 100% positive this was the same doe that I had seen in the morning that was all by herself. She was being pushed by the small 6 pointer that I had seen that morning also, which once I got a good look in the binos he is actually a 7 pointer. She was doing her best to loose this guy and eventually did. He got to about 60 yds from me and hung up for some reason looking to the west, while doing this the doe was able to make it to the woods undetected. He eventually turned the way the doe went but didn't take his left at Albekerky (spl?) and went on into the other field looking for the doe.
It wasn't but 3-5 minutes later I saw another deer coming across the field on the same path the other two just did. Got the binos out and it was a nice 130 class 8 pointer. Turned and got my bow in hand just in case. He stopped at 60 yds and looked to the west just like the other one did. As I am waiting to see what he is going to do, I hear something coming up the tractor path from the west. You have got to be kidding me!!!!!!!!! Here it is the land owners wife on the quad. It didn't take the buck long to get the hell out of there at this point. I later talk to the landowner over the phone. He called and asked if his wife scared my deer off. I told she did and laughed about it. I am looking at it as a blessing in deguise to the fact that I wasn't suppose to shoot that deer, because there is a bigger one running this property and I just haven't seen him yet. Ended up seeing two other does before the night was over.
Heading back out this morning hoping to see some more chasing action!
Sightings
Bucks-10
Does-22
Button bucks -4
Coyotes-1
Turkeys-15
Hours on stand-51.5
Harvest
Buck-0
Does-1
Groundhog-1
It wasn't but 3-5 minutes later I saw another deer coming across the field on the same path the other two just did. Got the binos out and it was a nice 130 class 8 pointer. Turned and got my bow in hand just in case. He stopped at 60 yds and looked to the west just like the other one did. As I am waiting to see what he is going to do, I hear something coming up the tractor path from the west. You have got to be kidding me!!!!!!!!! Here it is the land owners wife on the quad. It didn't take the buck long to get the hell out of there at this point. I later talk to the landowner over the phone. He called and asked if his wife scared my deer off. I told she did and laughed about it. I am looking at it as a blessing in deguise to the fact that I wasn't suppose to shoot that deer, because there is a bigger one running this property and I just haven't seen him yet. Ended up seeing two other does before the night was over.
Heading back out this morning hoping to see some more chasing action!
Sightings
Bucks-10
Does-22
Button bucks -4
Coyotes-1
Turkeys-15
Hours on stand-51.5
Harvest
Buck-0
Does-1
Groundhog-1
Didn't see much this morning due to a heavy fog that rolled in right before legal light. I did catch a slight silhouette. At one point t I couldn't see any further than 40 yds. Once the fog started being baked off by the sun I got to see a red fox pouncing through the crp for field mice. About 9:30 saw a 7 point cruise through other than that it has been dead.
Sightings
Bucks-11
Does-23
Button bucks -4
Coyotes-1
Turkeys-15
Red fox-1
Hours on stand - 55.5
Harvest
Buck-0
Does-1
Groundhog-1
Sightings
Bucks-11
Does-23
Button bucks -4
Coyotes-1
Turkeys-15
Red fox-1
Hours on stand - 55.5
Harvest
Buck-0
Does-1
Groundhog-1
Good stuff Steve, except the part about the LOs wife fugging up your hunt. Hope you get a crack at the bigger on though.
After getting down and checking the setup at The Ridge for Dale this weekend, I made it back and in the stand around 1. Nothing till around 3:30 then I watched a Button Buck feed on the cut edge of the crp for a good hour before bedding down right there. That was it for the evening hunt.
This morning I will head down to Jacks. This is the property that I hunted this past Saturday and had elevn sightings. I am hoping to at least get a chnace at filling my antlerless tag if not shoot a stud. After that come home and meet Dale (Badger) and then the weekend is his.
Speaking about that, while checking the stands at the ridge I found a huge scrape and stepped it off. It is 18 steps from the tree we wil be setup in. I am so stoked about this, This property has become my favorite place to hunt and I have reserved it for Dale this year.
Sightings
Bucks-11
Does-23
Button bucks -5
Coyotes-1
Turkeys-15
Red fox-1
Hours on stand - 60.5
Harvest
Buck-0
Does-1
Groundhog-1
This morning I will head down to Jacks. This is the property that I hunted this past Saturday and had elevn sightings. I am hoping to at least get a chnace at filling my antlerless tag if not shoot a stud. After that come home and meet Dale (Badger) and then the weekend is his.
Speaking about that, while checking the stands at the ridge I found a huge scrape and stepped it off. It is 18 steps from the tree we wil be setup in. I am so stoked about this, This property has become my favorite place to hunt and I have reserved it for Dale this year.
Sightings
Bucks-11
Does-23
Button bucks -5
Coyotes-1
Turkeys-15
Red fox-1
Hours on stand - 60.5
Harvest
Buck-0
Does-1
Groundhog-1