Outdoor Enthusiast
Well-Known Member
Well this is a first for me….
I spotted this buck locked down with a doe. They were moving through some thick cedar woods and the buck was dogging her hard. I watched them move towards a small thicket and lost sight of them. I figured they would bed down since it was early afternoon.
I decided to make a move towards them since I could get the wind in my favor, and I could get elevation above them with the lay of our farm in the area.
I made my way to a rock outcrop that is thick with briars (that we can't bushhog). I figured it would allow me to hide and glass to try to spot them. As I scanned the woods I spotted a long white tine. Well at least I thought it was. As I watched the tine for ten minutes it never moved so I thought I was imagining it to be a tine. Then all of a sudden an entire rack appeared. The buck must have been sleeping with his head down so only one tine was visible to me. Now i am in the game!
I don't use calls, but I thought about trying to grunt or snort wheeze to get the buck to stand. But with such a good consistent wind and the deer completely unaware of my presence I decided to just wait and watch. After about an hour, the buck stood from his bed to stretch his legs. I can see the top half of his body now, and he is offering me a good broadside shot. I get my gun settled and squeeze off the shot. As the smoke clears I think I see him go down in the bed but I couldn't be certain. So I give it some time.
The hot doe is now standing within my view. She is skittish but won't leave the thicket. I am waiting to see what happens. I am worried I missed or the buck isn't dead. I am thinking that the doe would bring him back to the thicket if he ran off so I wait and watch for 15 minutes. Nothing. The doe just stands right where the buck was bedded. I finally have had enough waiting.
As I walk down to the thicket the doe finally takes off running. No other deer in the area. No buck leaving with her. I walk up into the thicket but I can't find the buck. It is chest high briars. I move down through it and see that big white belly. Dead right there. He collapsed straight down into his bed.
I was pleasantly surprised by his rack. Definitely no ground shrinkage. Good long tines and good mass. The shape of the frame is also very cool.
I spotted this buck locked down with a doe. They were moving through some thick cedar woods and the buck was dogging her hard. I watched them move towards a small thicket and lost sight of them. I figured they would bed down since it was early afternoon.
I decided to make a move towards them since I could get the wind in my favor, and I could get elevation above them with the lay of our farm in the area.
I made my way to a rock outcrop that is thick with briars (that we can't bushhog). I figured it would allow me to hide and glass to try to spot them. As I scanned the woods I spotted a long white tine. Well at least I thought it was. As I watched the tine for ten minutes it never moved so I thought I was imagining it to be a tine. Then all of a sudden an entire rack appeared. The buck must have been sleeping with his head down so only one tine was visible to me. Now i am in the game!
I don't use calls, but I thought about trying to grunt or snort wheeze to get the buck to stand. But with such a good consistent wind and the deer completely unaware of my presence I decided to just wait and watch. After about an hour, the buck stood from his bed to stretch his legs. I can see the top half of his body now, and he is offering me a good broadside shot. I get my gun settled and squeeze off the shot. As the smoke clears I think I see him go down in the bed but I couldn't be certain. So I give it some time.
The hot doe is now standing within my view. She is skittish but won't leave the thicket. I am waiting to see what happens. I am worried I missed or the buck isn't dead. I am thinking that the doe would bring him back to the thicket if he ran off so I wait and watch for 15 minutes. Nothing. The doe just stands right where the buck was bedded. I finally have had enough waiting.
As I walk down to the thicket the doe finally takes off running. No other deer in the area. No buck leaving with her. I walk up into the thicket but I can't find the buck. It is chest high briars. I move down through it and see that big white belly. Dead right there. He collapsed straight down into his bed.
I was pleasantly surprised by his rack. Definitely no ground shrinkage. Good long tines and good mass. The shape of the frame is also very cool.
