I hadn't been seeing any deer of late and knew I needed to move my stands. I'd been putting it off because with rifle season coming 11/16/13 I'd have to get them all in off the land I hunt to make sure I didn't get anything stolen during the ten day rifle portion.
So when I'd put it off as long as I could 11/15/13 the last day, it was time to pull them. I'd been seeing some scrapes under the big oak trees at our back fence row and new it was time to give it a go, even though it's not a likely place to see a buck in daylight. This time of year you just never know :dunno: gotta try.
I hung a Chippewa stand in a big white oak over the freshest looking scrape, then put some James Valley scrape gel in the scrape and some doe in heat gland gel on the licking branch and headed to the house for lunch at about 1:00 PM.
I headed out to hunt this stand at 3:00 PM just two hours after hanging it. It was really windy and I had 0% expectations but I though what the heck with gun season coming the next morning I needed to be out.
At 3:30 PM I glance up and see antlers trotting across the field about 150 yards out in front of me. I think to myself he ain't coming over here, but sure enough he's making a big semi circle and coming to the scrape. I get stood up and ready, hoping the wind will let up if I get a shot opportunity (it never did let up). His fatal mistake was on final approach, he came in with the wind at his back so no chance of winding me.
At 15 yards I let him have it and the Landshark tipped AD was through him and he was gone. I set for about an hour then got down for a look.
First significant blood found at 60 yards where he paused and looked back for a few seconds.
(http://www.angeloimages.com/Images/hunting/2013-11-15_buck_6_640.jpg)
It was getting dark pretty fast by this time and when the blood got really hard to find I started letting doubt creep in that maybe the shot wasn't as good as I thought.
This looks good :campfire:
I opted to go to the house for the night and look in the morning around 9:00 AM when the gunners had most likely given up the woods, most don't stay out much passed 9:00 or 10:00 AM.
It took some looking but between knowing the land really good and having some luck and a lot of prayer on my side, I found him a 1/4 mile from where I shot him and 200 yards give or take past last blood found.
(http://www.angeloimages.com/Images/hunting/2013-11-15_buck_5_640.jpg)
That Landshark 4 blade makes a nasty hole!
:thumbsup: :campfire:
(http://www.angeloimages.com/Images/hunting/2013-11-15_buck_4_640.jpg)
Awesome buck! :thumbsup:
Very nice. That shot looks really good for him to make a quarter mile. Congrats!
(http://www.angeloimages.com/Images/hunting/2013-11-15_buck_1_640.jpg)
Nice buck Ryan!!
Congratulations!!
I am glad it all worked out for you.
God bless,Mudd
Great buck!
Congrats,
Bisch
Looks like a good buck to me! Congrats
Great job and I love that bow.
beautiful deer and bow.....
Nice buck
Looks like a perfect shot, strange that he ran so far. Great job in the recovery, congrats!
Congrats on a good buck.
Very nice! Congratulations on a fine buck! :thumbsup:
Bernie Bjorklund
NC Iowa/SW Wisconsin
Congrats on a great deer, I also commend you on sticking with the trail. :thumbsup:
Good job Ryan..!! Nice deer!
Congrats on a great looking buck!
Very, very nice :bigsmyl: :clapper: :clapper:
That's a great buck. Congrats!
Nice job. Facing similar circumstances here. Ground sat near a scrape line today hoping for just such a lottery. Mine ended in disappointment though.
Congrats on a nice buck, and snatching it from the Orange Army.
Great looking buck! Congratulations
Glenn
:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Great buck and nice recovery, prayer works!
Nice buck and great persistence to recover him.
well done !!
Great Buck!
Way to go!
Beauty!! Good shooting!!
Great buck!!!
Nice Buck! Congrats!
awesome buck and way to stick with the recovery!!
Beauty, and what a relief when you walked up on him!!
Nice buck Ryan!!
Thanks guys & it's more like, what a relief when you run up to them! Or at least walk Really fast :biglaugh:
Picture with my kids
(http://www.angeloimages.com/Images/hunting/2013-11-15_buck_3_640.jpg)
Nice, congrats! :thumbsup:
Congrats, sir! Beautiful buck and great recovery!