Today was hands down the coolest hunt I have had period. Hunted sunrise with nothing worth pulling my string back at. I got cold and too stiff to shoot well. So I went in for some breakfast and coffee.
I planned to be back out by 10 am. Filled my tummy and shot the target for half hour. Got stuck doing some work. Did not make it out the front door till 11. I wore my Gradfather's WWII wool shirt in honor of Vet's day. I felt like I had good mojo.
My timber has 2 long North/South draws. I planned to hunt the West one. To get to my stand I have to cross from the East draw through 100 yards of field. I got to the edge of the field and looked down the finger. No deer. I made it half way when a doe came out the draw's end. Then a great buck entered from the trail North of my stand(the one I was headed to). He was 75ish yards from me when the biggest deer I have ever seen live came out of the draw and took him on.
It was crazy. There I stood, all 5' of me, in the middle of a picked corn field. No cover and 2 bucks fighting it out 75 yards away.  I took a knee and watched. It was amazing! I have seen bucks go at it before, but not with me that close and on the ground.
The big boy won. The smaller buck went back to the timber edge right in front of my stand. I crawled back the way I came. I was shocked that I made it out without getting busted. I took the East timber draw up to a stand straight East the big boy and his love. We has a South West wind. Try as I might, the big droptine would not leave her.
About a half hour later another big rack came in behind me. He stopped broadside with his head behind a tree. How easy right? Well I took along my longbow today. I knew I could turn and get a shot out between the big tree limbs. Well that is with my 51" recurve not my 56" longbow. I spent what seeme like 10 minutes trying to draw without hitting my limbs. Not today.He backed out and walked away. I tried to bring him back but he had no interest. I sat down and laughed. What a day! I love this stuff.

   

Must have been a very cool experience,congrats.

that so cool to see that happen good for you and theirs always next time to shoot that buck congrats on an awesome day in the field

Great story right there, felt like I was with ya the whole way, sittin here picturing it all. To bad you didn't get the shot off, good luck next hunt  

I am more than fine with not getting a shot. I am more than blessed with my time in the field. My company slows down around October each year. That allows me plenty of hunting time. I have taken many trophies with my bow as well as my cap and ball. Yet for me, today tops even my biggest buck! Just a blast to witness that kind of raw natural power up close.

that is very cool!!

Very cool day in the woods.

Can't wait for Iowa   next year!    Go get 'em Katie    

Fantastic hunt!  

Sounds like a very awesome hunt. Always enjoyed watching the boys fighting in the fall.

Sounds like a great outing, I'm glad you got to experiance it.

WOW! Katie, your are bessed!

I can only imagine what that must have been like; great story.

I don't tell this to many folks for fear of disbelief but I had a buck run me up my ladder stand about ten years ago.

I love watching bucks duke it out. I was lucky enough to watch two of them going at it yesterday, but your experience had to be really cool.

Amazing... Hope you get the drop on one of those big boys.

Gotta, love it.

Funny thing is after all that going down yesterday, hunted all day today and saw 1 little buck running a doe. Someone flipped the switch off on me:)