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My season in a nut shell

giles

Cull buck specialist
Supporting Member
After two very trying last seasons I came into this one with the idea of “reflecting” and just enjoying the hunt.

Opening day comes along and my wife says “you better go, you always go opening day. As I was he hawing around the house and thinking I had better things to do... Well, I had a lone doe come in and try and lay down on my foot! She got a Chinese rage to the lungs from about 10’. Real bad shot angle but I had faith.

She promptly took a face first drive off a cliff as her last effort to fuck me. 3 guys and 2.5 hours later, she was in the back of the truck going for a ride. I was on cloud 99 as I reflected on my last 3 hunts produced deer in the freezer. I joked and said I was going to quit hunting as no one can beat that record. 3 hunts and 3 deer!
 

giles

Cull buck specialist
Supporting Member
Not real sure what all happened as I had taken a new job and was working a 6 day schedule. Next thing I knew it was almost youth season and I wasn’t prepared at all. We got a rain day and I went to the gun store and took a new 44 mag rifle home to get it sighted in before dark.

Opening day comes and Maddy tells me she didn’t want to wake up real early. So I wake up as the light is starting to peak and make my way to her bedroom window.

I spot a tree just getting hammered on the edge of the yard! I spot the body figure next and get a bit excited as I start yelling at her to get out of bed. By the time she gets her self gathered and I grab the gun, get the window screen pulled out...he’s in the thicket. 5 does are still milking around and we have plenty of good light now as I explain to her that we don’t want to shoot the mama with triplets. We should shoot one of her babies. (My mind went, shit, you just said baby to a little girl.) As I’m trying to explain to her that the does were bedding down and we could wait for that buck to come back one of the babies stepped into the yard. “I’m gonna shoot that baby!” Lol, ok killer put it on her and do your...BOOM! Shot fired...the rest is history and my daughter has killed her first deer. Epic story better Told around a campfire.
 

giles

Cull buck specialist
Supporting Member
Somewhere in the mix EHD showed it’s ugly face and we decided to only trophy hunt my main property. We got hit hard in this area...real hard. But I tried to be positive and keep my original plan of just reflecting.

Made the choice of going to Athens for gun season, something I hadn’t done in a few years. And boy was I glad I did. I spent opening day dragging bucks for guys that used to drag my deer. Time well spent!

I kinda got robbed on my hunting spot and the guy killed a buck I’d seen a few times. So that was a bummer, but all in all, it was a great time. My dad even got a buck that day!

I also got to texting with another member (gonna leave his name out of it for now, let him say who he is if he wants) and really got into some good talk while sitting on a hillside overlooking one of my favorite valleys. As he had a very good morning hunt! Lol

Anyways, I think those text is what made him contact me about 10 days ago. He offered me a place to hunt as I was struggling to find a place that I would feel comfortable taking a deer from. The Athens property got hammered this year and I could’ve taken multiple deer during ML season, but none of them had any size to them. Better left for next year...or a few years. No joke, I told someone “I at least want to get a dollar a pound out of my tag” lol. Between the EHD and all the deer taken from Athens, I was pretty convinced that my season was over.
 

giles

Cull buck specialist
Supporting Member
Back to the unsaid member. He text me with an offer to hunt his place and reassured me that he had plenty of targets, including a buck I’m calling “cardiac arrest” because that’s what’s gonna happen if he shows up. I’m out, call the meat wagon.

Of coarse I was sicker then Dustin’s shower habits at the time. The weather was perfect for hunting and I wasn’t going to go coughing all over the place. That put me to today...

I decided a few days ago that this afternoon it was all chips in, I’m going and I will be 110% prepared. Well that sorta went to hell this morning as my wife done left her body and some crazy demon took over. Seriously, she is NOT in control today and I think I must’ve broke her broom or something...

So my idea of getting really looked in went out the window as I just wanted as far away from her as possible! Down the road I go, way overdressed and forgot multiple things. But I was good as I had my smoker and crossbow. Good enough, I’ll deal with the rest if I get something. I’m out and can’t hear her, phone on do not disturb, even better!

I somehow find this place and get to chatting with the member, most making sure I was on the right property. He had suggested stand labeled Jim4 on a pic he’d sent me last week. So I ease my way over that direction.

About the time I spot the stand I also spot a doe right under it. Of coarse she sees me as I’m standing in a cut CRP field...she stands. Another one stands and they take a couple of leaps before stopping to look at me again. 4 more stand up and they all just kinda move deeper into the woods.

I make a dash for the stand as they get out of sight. One of them must’ve had a problem as she blew for a solid 20 minutes! I’m texting the member and about the time she stops, he thinks I’m good and reassured me that there are plenty more. I’m not screwed. Well, she gets to starting her shit again. Maybe she passed out from blowing so much and finally woke back up, idk. But now I’m getting pissed at her and I’m really wanting her to come investigate the situation! I was ready to flip out after the day I had. She put me over the edge and I was ready to let some anger out. Lol.
 

giles

Cull buck specialist
Supporting Member
Another 20 minutes of that and I was ready to explode. Then everything went silent after some turkeys came through. I mean silent. I laid my head against my hands and was just trying to calm myself down and reflect on the hunt and past hunts.

SNAP! I hear a twig snap...I slowly raise my head to not see anything. Ok, game time, let’s do this thang! Just looking for a big bodied deer to drag out. A few minutes goes by and I catch movement about 80-100 yards out. Working into a field I watch 14 doe file out and down a tree row away from me. How cool is that!

Realizing that I need to take a look around as I was locked on to them for a while. I slowly look to my left, I’ll be damned...4 more up on the hill. Continue to look left and see another group of 9. Wow, this is just amazing! Look right and a few more in the woods working my way.

Only one that came into range was a small shed buck, seen 39 deer total. (I think I text him and said 33, but I forgot about the first 6. Maybe they were repeat offenders tonight? Who cares, hell of a hunt!)

As the light starts to fade and the moon got brighter, I start thinking about how the hell im going to get back to the truck. I’ve got a field full of deer between myself and the truck...and one of the things I forgot was a light. Lol, my dumbass has gotten myself into a bit of a predicament here. About the time I’m thinking about yelping, they vacate the field in a hurry. I didn’t see it, but I’m guess a coyote showed up.

Hunt of the season for me this evening. Gonna give it another go tomorrow evening. Thinking about going to what I do best and staying on the ground. We will see, as I know I’ll change my mind a million times before then. Hell, I gotta keep my Wife from killing me before then!

Thanks again Mr. Nonameman!

You happy Gordo?
 

finelyshedded

You know what!!!
Supporting Member
31,857
260
SW Ohio
Good stuff Dave! Dang, I don’t know if I’ve ever seen 30+ deer on a hunt before! Huge kudo to the member helping you out!...:smiley_clap:

Good luck tomorrow buddy!:smiley_coolpeace:
 

Jackalope

Dignitary Member
Staff member
38,841
260
Great read buddy. Cant wait to hear the results which I'm pretty sure will be a slam dunk on that place. Lol.
 

motorbreaker

*Supporting Member I*
1,542
63
North of Toledo
Good luck Dave. Hope you can make it happen. I'm 4 out of 5 guiding hunts from Michigan. And the one guy was after bucks only.
Glad to help out a fellow TOO member. And all you have to do to repay me is kill something.
 

finelyshedded

You know what!!!
Supporting Member
31,857
260
SW Ohio
Good luck Dave. Hope you can make it happen. I'm 4 out of 5 guiding hunts from Michigan. And the one guy was after bucks only.
Glad to help out a fellow TOO member. And all you have to do to repay me is kill something.

That is AWESOME!!!:smiley_clap:

Sounds like you have plenty of deer in your neck of the woods.