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Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: Wary Buck on October 03, 2009, 07:21:00 PM

Title: 30+ mph Cornfield Hunt
Post by: Wary Buck on October 03, 2009, 07:21:00 PM
(Note: if the mods can enlarge these photos slightly that would be great; I have the worst luck with Photobucket.)

Last nite it was blowing 30+ mph and my intended destination was blocked by a train.  So Plan B but that property doesn't really have great options for a hard NW wind this time of year.  But...I thought I'd scout out the end rows of this cornfield and possibly get a doe without ever entering the timber.  And then if that was a bust, I'd sit in a distant spot, watch the SE portion of this circular field, and if I saw a worthy buck enter the field jog up there and try to stalk him.  This field is really grassed in and a mess, and the three does and two fawns I saw were able to see me at the same instant I saw them, all at 10 yards or under.  Exciting, but I wasn't going slow enough or something.  Plus doing all that looking up and down rows gives me a feeling very much like tight circles on a bush plane.  Seriously.

With about a half hour left I got to a spot to watch the SE portion, expecting to maybe see deer enter from downwind.  With maybe just 5 minutes left I saw what looked to be a buck that's on my 'hit list' bounding through the foxtails and junk that borders that part of the field (low spot that got too wet).  Using the wind and lt. rain, I jogged up to within about 40 yards and then stalked in from there, and tried to find the buck.  After a couple anxious minutes all of a sudden RIGHT THERE is the buck, upwind and approaching an opening I can slip an arrow through.  My longbow comes up and a shaft is on its way.  I definitely hear a hit and the buck just shoots airborne, and then bounds off unhurriedly, out of view within a few short yards.  And this worried me, another big animal bulldozed out of there in a different direction.  Did I shoot the right animal?  I didn't know there were two.  And then it's dark.  

I'm standing where the deer was, and the camera is where I was.
 (http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o94/WaryBuck/IMG_0785-1.jpg)

I tie some ribbon where I stood, and tiptoe to where the buck was and tie some there.  It turns out to be 10 yards.  Very quietly I search for sign and end up finding three drops of blood and stomach matter; the arrow is located and while it's very bloody it too smells badly.  Darn.  And it is still just lightly raining.  I don't have any other options so I sneak out and go home.  Fortunately, the rain is petering out so just maybe.

I'm back in first thing this morning, hunting a stand on this same property, planning to stay for an hour and then get out and start looking.  Well, I end up getting pinned down by two bucks that hung around forever.  Their third buddy stayed out of range, so I can only count the 1x1 and 90ish 4x4 as "could haves" in my book.  The one that stayed out of range looked to be a 110" 4x4.

Finally they left so I first walked the entire 1/2 mile length of the slough ditch in case he went to water.  No luck and that meant he was probably in this 140-acre quagmire of a cornfield.     :(     Despite the rain quitting shortly after I left (and guessing it didn't do much overnite), there was no more blood to be located and the three spots I had found were gone and the bloody arrow I'd left at the spot (on purpose to gauge sign) was washed up fairly clean.  This was gonna be real tough.

Here's what the field looks like, so you know why I checked the water first.  
 (http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o94/WaryBuck/IMG_0787.jpg)

First I walked the downwind perimeter, hoping to catch a whiff that would lead me to the deer.  No luck.   So then I just guessed which E/W corn row he might've taken, ribboned my starting point, and walked down it probably 150-200 yards.  I really could only monitor two rows on either side of my row and there was nothing.  I ribboned my stopping point, and then moved five rows to the south, ribboned it off again, and walked back and a bit later found my buck.  Relief and thanks!  

Here's the view that warmed my cold heart.
 (http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o94/WaryBuck/IMG_0792.jpg)

That's the good (miraculous) news.  Bad news is that coyotes or something had found him in in the interim and his back quarters were gone and the rest of him was pretty warm and stinky.  I wasn't able to save much meat, but with a gut shot in a cornfield I didn't have any choice last night.  At least the cape is in great shape (anybody want a beautiful, big cape because I'm probably just gonna do a skull mount?).

 (http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o94/WaryBuck/IMG_0776.jpg)

I am quite happy with this big, heavy, wide bruiser.  Especially in the manner I took him, 10 yards from the ground in a cornfield while many were sitting it out.  In retrospect I probably was pushing my luck hunting that close to the final buzzer given the light rain; consolation is that the little critters gotta eat too and that I did recover most of him.  

 (http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o94/WaryBuck/IMG_0804.jpg)

Pronghorn takedown longbow and Woodsman head.
Title: Re: 30+ mph Cornfield Hunt
Post by: varmint101 on October 03, 2009, 07:27:00 PM
Good job on staying with it.  Congrats on your buck!
Title: Re: 30+ mph Cornfield Hunt
Post by: crookedwoody on October 03, 2009, 07:29:00 PM
good job.dont ever give up looking for animals,if you dont push them they usually dont go far
Title: Re: 30+ mph Cornfield Hunt
Post by: joevan125 on October 03, 2009, 07:33:00 PM
Great job on a nice buck.
Title: Re: 30+ mph Cornfield Hunt
Post by: Bryan Burkhardt on October 03, 2009, 07:37:00 PM
Another great buck Bryce...congrats on a great start to this season!

Bryan
Title: Re: 30+ mph Cornfield Hunt
Post by: longbowben on October 03, 2009, 07:42:00 PM
Congrats great job on the find.  :thumbsup:    :clapper:
Title: Re: 30+ mph Cornfield Hunt
Post by: Wannabe1 on October 03, 2009, 07:45:00 PM
Congrats and a fine job!   :thumbsup:
Title: Re: 30+ mph Cornfield Hunt
Post by: Ybuck on October 03, 2009, 07:52:00 PM
Very nice buck, glad for you! Congratulations!
Title: Re: 30+ mph Cornfield Hunt
Post by: Bobhat on October 03, 2009, 08:00:00 PM
Good job sticking with it.
Title: Re: 30+ mph Cornfield Hunt
Post by: Gaff on October 03, 2009, 08:18:00 PM
awesome job bryce!! im sure it wont be your last of the season!!

gaff
Title: Re: 30+ mph Cornfield Hunt
Post by: A.S. on October 03, 2009, 08:23:00 PM
Awesome...I always enjoy your stories!!
Title: Re: 30+ mph Cornfield Hunt
Post by: Steve O on October 03, 2009, 08:28:00 PM
Bryce,

Is this one you've had your eye on with trail cam pics ect?

Old Woodsman or new Elite?

You are certainly the early season MAN!  Heck, you are early, mid, and late season MAN!  Another thick one.  What do you think he would have weighed?
Title: Re: 30+ mph Cornfield Hunt
Post by: frank bullitt on October 03, 2009, 08:38:00 PM
Great Hunt, Bryce! I love hunting in the corn! Only problem now is the farmers are planting double row corn here! Good shootin, Steve  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: 30+ mph Cornfield Hunt
Post by: leatherneck on October 03, 2009, 08:46:00 PM
Great job! Congrats.  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: 30+ mph Cornfield Hunt
Post by: Terry Green on October 03, 2009, 08:48:00 PM
Congrats!!!

We COULD enlarge them....but they would be pixelated and not be clear.
Title: Re: 30+ mph Cornfield Hunt
Post by: JoeM on October 03, 2009, 09:02:00 PM
Congrats on a real nice buck!!  Great job on the recovery.  Joe
Title: Re: 30+ mph Cornfield Hunt
Post by: rappstar on October 03, 2009, 09:44:00 PM
Right on!
Title: Re: 30+ mph Cornfield Hunt
Post by: 2treks on October 03, 2009, 09:57:00 PM
NICE JOB! GREAT HUNT! CONGRATS!
Title: Re: 30+ mph Cornfield Hunt
Post by: Kenneth on October 03, 2009, 10:23:00 PM
Good job Bryce!!  I always like reading your stuff, it's very informative and helpful because I hunt similar terrain here.
Title: Re: 30+ mph Cornfield Hunt
Post by: bowhunterfrompast on October 03, 2009, 11:08:00 PM
Congrats  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: 30+ mph Cornfield Hunt
Post by: Shaun on October 04, 2009, 12:00:00 AM
Well done! Great buck and fine work on the follow up.
Title: Re: 30+ mph Cornfield Hunt
Post by: Stan the bow man on October 04, 2009, 12:12:00 AM
Good job      :thumbsup:
Title: Re: 30+ mph Cornfield Hunt
Post by: jonsimoneau on October 04, 2009, 03:46:00 AM
Bryce, you are on fire during the early season the last few years.  I told my wife that it would be a matter of days and you would be posting with another big early season buck.  But skull mount?  You're kidding right?
Title: Re: 30+ mph Cornfield Hunt
Post by: Apex Predator on October 04, 2009, 05:25:00 AM
Great job on an awesome buck!
Title: Re: 30+ mph Cornfield Hunt
Post by: Yellow Dog on October 04, 2009, 06:17:00 AM
Bryce, great buck!!  :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:  

(http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/Yellowdog3822/IMG_0787-1.jpg)

(http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/Yellowdog3822/IMG_0785-1-1.jpg)

(http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/Yellowdog3822/IMG_0792-1.jpg)

(http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/Yellowdog3822/IMG_0804-1.jpg)

(http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/Yellowdog3822/IMG_0776-2.jpg)
Title: Re: 30+ mph Cornfield Hunt
Post by: Osagetree on October 04, 2009, 08:54:00 AM
Great job!
Title: Re: 30+ mph Cornfield Hunt
Post by: Randy Morin on October 04, 2009, 09:13:00 AM
Awesome Bryce!!!  Another Brute!! Congratulations Bro.
Title: Re: 30+ mph Cornfield Hunt
Post by: d. ward on October 04, 2009, 09:35:00 AM
nice buck and the way to hang in there.Great hunt great job great read well done.bd
Title: Re: 30+ mph Cornfield Hunt
Post by: Eric Krewson on October 04, 2009, 10:28:00 AM
Great buck and I admire your perseverance in finding him.

I lost one deer I shot while it was raining. Found it the next day but the meat had spoiled. Since that day 25 years ago I haven't taken a shot if it was raining.
Title: Re: 30+ mph Cornfield Hunt
Post by: Steve H. on October 04, 2009, 10:30:00 AM
Way to see things thru Bryce!
Title: Re: 30+ mph Cornfield Hunt
Post by: trad_bowhunter1965 on October 04, 2009, 10:32:00 AM
Bryce Awesome Buck.Blake
Title: Re: 30+ mph Cornfield Hunt
Post by: Steve H. on October 04, 2009, 10:33:00 AM
"But skull mount? You're kidding right?"

When you've been killing good buck at an average rate of 2 per year for 20 some years it would take a pretty substantial trophy room to hang them all!  Plus Bryce has other critters too in trophy room.
Title: Re: 30+ mph Cornfield Hunt
Post by: Steve H. on October 04, 2009, 10:34:00 AM
Without really knowing I'll bet Bryce has live pictures and even previous years sheds from this buck!  Bryce?
Title: Re: 30+ mph Cornfield Hunt
Post by: jonsimoneau on October 04, 2009, 05:12:00 PM
Steve, I know what your saying but.....reall?  A skull mount?  HA!
Title: Re: 30+ mph Cornfield Hunt
Post by: arrowflinger1 on October 04, 2009, 05:38:00 PM
Ill tell you what Ive been following you through the last couple of years be it on the web or thru TBM and you are one heck of a whitetail hunter! You and that pronghorn flat out get the job done! Gongrats
Title: Re: 30+ mph Cornfield Hunt
Post by: Chris Surtees on October 04, 2009, 06:55:00 PM
Very nice   :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:
Title: Re: 30+ mph Cornfield Hunt
Post by: bentpole on October 04, 2009, 07:00:00 PM
Congrats on your find! Great looking buck!   :thumbsup:
Title: Re: 30+ mph Cornfield Hunt
Post by: Guru on October 04, 2009, 08:03:00 PM
Bryce, You are one heck of a hunter brother   :notworthy:

Congrats on another awesome buck    :clapper:

Can't wait to see what else falls to the deadly green Pronghorn!
Title: Re: 30+ mph Cornfield Hunt
Post by: jonsimoneau on October 04, 2009, 10:26:00 PM
I think Bryce has spent too much time with uncle Barry and uncle Gene.  Something has rubbed off on him!
Title: Re: 30+ mph Cornfield Hunt
Post by: Steve H. on October 05, 2009, 12:26:00 AM
Bryce was getting it figured out before he met the Uncles.
Title: Re: 30+ mph Cornfield Hunt
Post by: Benny Nganabbarru on October 05, 2009, 04:09:00 AM
Well-done!
Title: Re: 30+ mph Cornfield Hunt
Post by: Gatekeeper on October 05, 2009, 01:33:00 PM
Another notch in the Green Machine...congratulations Bryce he is a bruiser! Now the real dilemma, which picture to frame the one with the hat or without?
Title: Re: 30+ mph Cornfield Hunt
Post by: kbetts on October 05, 2009, 01:39:00 PM
Everytime I read your stories, either here or in TBM, I become more impressed.  You always seem to adapt to the conditions at hand.  In a stand, on the ground, heat, cold, in state or out, it never matters.  Good stuff.  Congrats.
Title: Re: 30+ mph Cornfield Hunt
Post by: Two Arrows on October 05, 2009, 01:48:00 PM
Great buck Bryce! Congrats!
Title: Re: 30+ mph Cornfield Hunt
Post by: Wary Buck on October 05, 2009, 01:57:00 PM
Thanks for the kind words, it's really a little too much.  But given the fourth block sociology class I have, I'll take the compliments.   :)  

The neat thing about a lot of my recent deer is how they were taken.  Each presented some unique challenges or approaches, and while you don't hear too much about my techniques when they don't work...ha!...sometimes when a plan does come together it's deeply rewarding.  

Honestly, a skull mount of a nice whitetail looks really cool, takes up far less room, and costs less although I honestly find the process to not be much fun.  I actually haven't mounted too many recent bucks at all, even with a taxidermist brother giving me a slight discount.  If I ever get a new place in the country with more room, I may start a beetle barn of my own to make the process much easier.  I wish I'd not mounted a lot of the bucks from my younger days when I was single and had nothing else to spend the money on.  One of these days I'll have to take some pics of my new arrangment in the trophy room with a couple rows of nice skull mounts.

Thanks again for the kind words!  It's fall, and you gotta love the chase.
Title: Re: 30+ mph Cornfield Hunt
Post by: frank bullitt on October 05, 2009, 09:23:00 PM
I'm with you Bryce, Skull mounts are Cool! I Guess other people have money to throw away. Pictures are worth a Thousand Words!
Title: Re: 30+ mph Cornfield Hunt
Post by: K.S.TRAPPER on October 05, 2009, 09:57:00 PM
Congrats Bryce  :thumbsup:  He's a dandy glad you stuck with it and found him.

Tracy
Title: Re: 30+ mph Cornfield Hunt
Post by: Herdbull on October 05, 2009, 10:36:00 PM
Bryce- Very nicely done. I'm sure you would have put in as much effort had it been a doe. Good for you! And on a side note, good for us as I recently read your 20+ questions regarding the push for crossbows in your state. Very thought provoking, especially convincing folks we choose to take a harder path while appreciating a little solitude in the woods. Using a long bow at close range gives much more weight to your opinion and credibility to a stance you hope others will join. Thank so much for all you do for us! Mike
Title: Re: 30+ mph Cornfield Hunt
Post by: Margly on October 06, 2009, 06:35:00 AM
Congrats !  :)


Margly
Title: Re: 30+ mph Cornfield Hunt
Post by: buejeger on October 06, 2009, 07:15:00 AM
A job well done! Perseverance pays off!
Congrats  :thumbsup:  


Nathan