I know I've been out of the loop on here for a awhile, but I still lurk and revel in all you guys and gals success. With 3 kids and sports and work, life seems to fly by. In the last 5 years I've sacrificed some good Ohio hunting in the heart of the rut to take out of state hunts with "some" success, but more importantly time spent with my dad and brothers. In 2021 myself and 2 younger brothers went to Oklahoma Public and had a blast learning a new area. Unfortunately I hit a good 10 point the 2nd to last day and couldn't recover the deer. Fast forward to 2024 and we started to plan another Oklahoma hunt to the same area. In 2021 we went the week of 5-11 Nov, but this time we pushed it a week later 9-16 Nov, hoping for better weather and results.
This time my dad and other brother came along for the trip. So on the night of Nov 8th we loaded our 2 trucks and the 5 of started the 14 hour trip to Oklahoma. We got there late on the afternoon of the 9th and I already knew the spot I wanted to sit the next morning. Within 1 hour in the stand my brother texts me, 3 bucks chasing, 2 monsters!! This text would get the ball rolling on one of the best rut weeks of my life, Ohio or Out of state. That morning I saw a nice wide 8 bumping a doe and a 6 doing the same. The next morning I moved my stand down the river bottom about 250 yards to where those deer were headed. At 815 I hear a deer splash in this river and jays squawking on my side in thick brush. I decided to do some blind grunting to pull whatever was causing the ruckus and boom 5 minutes later a nice 8 point walks to 34 yds. Oklahoma is a 2 buck state and this one wasn't gonna get a pass. Let it fly, got a pass thru, and saw him run back into the brush. Listened and heard thrashing, knowing he had expired.
I had never shot a Nov 11th buck, and having it happen on Veterans day is that much sweeter.
With one buck under my belt I decided to check out another piece of public that i had e-scouted all year. On the 12th I parked the truck and trekked the .75 miles into a spot where a bunch of ridges dumped into a creek bottom. That morning was a unmitigated disaster. Walked all the way there, got light on the way in, sweating, tried to jump a steep water filled ditch, fell in, soaked, pissed. I was not having a great time, lol. Fortunately things would get better, they had too, lol. I then got to a spot where there was a well worn creek crossing and had the wind into my face with a cut been field behind me. At 1030 I had 2 does feeding across the creek and waited till they cleared out to give a blind grunt call. Of course the old doe comes back and is looking for the sound for the next ten minutes. Finally i am able to stand up and look right and as I turn back the doe is startled by something on her side of the creek and she starts to turn up the hill. What jumped out behind the thick brush about 65 yds away was the biggest buck I've ever laid eyes on. Easily a 170 to 180 inch public land monster. He bounded away chasing her out of my life. All this happened in about 5 seconds. I couldn't believe it, like did that just happen, lol. Well needless to say I decided the spot needed more time. that evening a pulled my stand and moved 300 yds to the other side of the ridge to where they were headed, no luck that night...............
That night into the morning of Nov 13th it rained like 4 inches and finally cleared up for a perfect high pressure blue bird day the next afternoon. I knew I had to be back in there, so this time I found a better parking area that allowed me to walk 1 mile through the cut bean field with much better access, no falling into ditches lol. I got into my stand around 1 o'clock across the creek where the big buck had appeared, about 60 yds from the previous stand. This time I put my back to the creek and had shots looking down both benches leading to me at the point of the ridge. For the next 3 hours the wind blew in every direction and I thought well at least every deer will know im here and i wont have to another close encounter haha. At 4 oclock the wind shut off and got eerily calm. I stood up to stretch and turned to look behind me and wouldn't you know there was a nice buck coming out of the thick pines at 60 yds. My first thought was nope not the monster, gonna pass, well that lasted about .5 seconds. I thought this is public and I have no right to pass this deer. As this thought occurred, he was coming down the creek at a good pace as I tried to range him for a shot. He finally made the creek at 30yds right behind some brush. I waited until he stepped into the creek, pulled back, mepped him and let one fly. Once again complete pass through, and he tore off up the hill back into bed just dumping blood. I sat there in disbelief. No way did I just kill 2 bucks in 3 days, Oklahoma redemption!
I know this story has been long and drawn out, but between my sightings and the other close calls on some big bucks my family had, this was by far some of the best hunting I, and we have ever experienced. I will continue to go on out of state hunts and I promise you, we will be back to Oklahoma.
Alright you've read this far here are some pics for you visual learners, lol.
This time my dad and other brother came along for the trip. So on the night of Nov 8th we loaded our 2 trucks and the 5 of started the 14 hour trip to Oklahoma. We got there late on the afternoon of the 9th and I already knew the spot I wanted to sit the next morning. Within 1 hour in the stand my brother texts me, 3 bucks chasing, 2 monsters!! This text would get the ball rolling on one of the best rut weeks of my life, Ohio or Out of state. That morning I saw a nice wide 8 bumping a doe and a 6 doing the same. The next morning I moved my stand down the river bottom about 250 yards to where those deer were headed. At 815 I hear a deer splash in this river and jays squawking on my side in thick brush. I decided to do some blind grunting to pull whatever was causing the ruckus and boom 5 minutes later a nice 8 point walks to 34 yds. Oklahoma is a 2 buck state and this one wasn't gonna get a pass. Let it fly, got a pass thru, and saw him run back into the brush. Listened and heard thrashing, knowing he had expired.
I had never shot a Nov 11th buck, and having it happen on Veterans day is that much sweeter.
With one buck under my belt I decided to check out another piece of public that i had e-scouted all year. On the 12th I parked the truck and trekked the .75 miles into a spot where a bunch of ridges dumped into a creek bottom. That morning was a unmitigated disaster. Walked all the way there, got light on the way in, sweating, tried to jump a steep water filled ditch, fell in, soaked, pissed. I was not having a great time, lol. Fortunately things would get better, they had too, lol. I then got to a spot where there was a well worn creek crossing and had the wind into my face with a cut been field behind me. At 1030 I had 2 does feeding across the creek and waited till they cleared out to give a blind grunt call. Of course the old doe comes back and is looking for the sound for the next ten minutes. Finally i am able to stand up and look right and as I turn back the doe is startled by something on her side of the creek and she starts to turn up the hill. What jumped out behind the thick brush about 65 yds away was the biggest buck I've ever laid eyes on. Easily a 170 to 180 inch public land monster. He bounded away chasing her out of my life. All this happened in about 5 seconds. I couldn't believe it, like did that just happen, lol. Well needless to say I decided the spot needed more time. that evening a pulled my stand and moved 300 yds to the other side of the ridge to where they were headed, no luck that night...............
That night into the morning of Nov 13th it rained like 4 inches and finally cleared up for a perfect high pressure blue bird day the next afternoon. I knew I had to be back in there, so this time I found a better parking area that allowed me to walk 1 mile through the cut bean field with much better access, no falling into ditches lol. I got into my stand around 1 o'clock across the creek where the big buck had appeared, about 60 yds from the previous stand. This time I put my back to the creek and had shots looking down both benches leading to me at the point of the ridge. For the next 3 hours the wind blew in every direction and I thought well at least every deer will know im here and i wont have to another close encounter haha. At 4 oclock the wind shut off and got eerily calm. I stood up to stretch and turned to look behind me and wouldn't you know there was a nice buck coming out of the thick pines at 60 yds. My first thought was nope not the monster, gonna pass, well that lasted about .5 seconds. I thought this is public and I have no right to pass this deer. As this thought occurred, he was coming down the creek at a good pace as I tried to range him for a shot. He finally made the creek at 30yds right behind some brush. I waited until he stepped into the creek, pulled back, mepped him and let one fly. Once again complete pass through, and he tore off up the hill back into bed just dumping blood. I sat there in disbelief. No way did I just kill 2 bucks in 3 days, Oklahoma redemption!
I know this story has been long and drawn out, but between my sightings and the other close calls on some big bucks my family had, this was by far some of the best hunting I, and we have ever experienced. I will continue to go on out of state hunts and I promise you, we will be back to Oklahoma.
Alright you've read this far here are some pics for you visual learners, lol.
