All day in the stand!

[KentuckyTJ]

Well, I took a day off work and once my daughter left for school I headed to a buddies farm to hunt. I don't have a buck tag but I really love seeing all the action. After a shower and stopping to get my coffee and a breakfast burrito, I got to the farm at about 8:30. I sat in one of his stands once i got there but about 10:30 I texted him and said I am going to hang one of my own. He said feel free to and at that I was off and on the lookout for a new location.

He had told me he had seen a group of does that had come out in the recently picked soybean field in a low spot in the same field so I thought what a good place to start looking. I walked in there and with the trails leading to the field and the good sign under a red oak tree I knew that was a good spot. The low spot was the result of a valley that came from a large creek bottom. I was set up in the oak tree at the top of it. I could tell by the well used trails around the top of the gully that this along with the nut tree would be a good spot. By 11:30 I was set and ready.

At noon the parade began. The first visitor was a spike buck that was on the cruise. He took the path along the top of the gully and right past me. All was looking well. at around 12:30 I heard more crunching in the leave down the valley. A yearling doe coming my way. I stood and readied for the shot. She was coming head on right for me. She kept coming and ended up walking right to my ladder sticks and smelled them. I didn't want to shoot straight on or straight down on her but she never gave me another opportunity. So I let her walk on by. She got around behind me and I had no shot that way as it was to thick with a large cedar directly behind me.

At that point I lost track of the sightings but the final tally was 15 or 16 deer all within 60 yards. I saw 4 bucks two of which came by each dogging closely behind a mature doe.

The best buck came right in from down wind inspecting the James Valley estrus scent I put out on either side of me. He paid no attention to my scent in his love crazed state. I have had great success doing that in year past and it worked again today.  I dip a stick from my tree in the jar and sling it as far as I can on either side of me parallel to the wind direction.

Here is the deer that came to the scent from downwind.

   

   

My camera makes a shutter clicking sound when taking a pic and at this distance he finally heard it. After this pic he did the head bob thing for a few seconds and then hopped off about 5 yards broadside and looked back my way. If I would have had a tag and a will to take him, that would have been his last mistake.

At around 5 pm a passel of does came up the valley trying to get to the picked soybean field but ran into my James Valley scent. They didn't appreciate it as the fellas did and buggered and eased off not giving me an shot opportunities. I know does don't like the estrus smell but I sure like seeing the bucks up close so I just can't help myself. Haha.

Hope you all are getting some rut action. Our lead slinger season starts tomorrow so I'll be confined to the house for a while now.

[South MS Bowhunter]

That's some great action TJ!

[monkeyball]

Great photo!

                       Good Hunting,
                                         Craig

[Jake Scott]

Awesome TJ,

I love November!!!!

Jake

[KyStickbow]

Nice pics Tom....I dont have a buck tag either but am headin out in the a.m. I have an 8 year old that loves to hunt and rifle is his only option for now...he loves shooting his longbow but can't pull enough back just yet.  So hoping the action is boomin over on my place too!!

[kennyb]

Great story TJ. That buck picture is totally cool! Thanks for sharing.

Kenny    

[warpedarrow]

I had a very similar sit last evening. Covered up in deer and just enjoyed sitting watching.  I still have four tags and could have taken a deer but just wanted to watch. Had an opportunity to shoot what would have been the buck of a lifetime for me, but resisted the temptation.  I shot a very nice buck last weekend and wanted to save the big one for my son in law or grandson. It is so much fun to watch a horny buck run all over the place checking does.  Reminds me of my younger days.

[huntnmuleys]

sweet day in the stand!  that's a dandy buck.

[elkken]

Now that sounds like a day well spent ... I have about three weeks to wait until I get some hunting in ...

Awesome!

No way I could sit in a stand all day!

Bisch

[Jayrod]

Awesome tom glad to see you out enjoying yourself even with your freezer full Thxs for the pics!

cool, Im kinda in the same boat, all week off and no buck tag. that is a good lookin young buck!

[KentuckyTJ]

Sat same stand tonight and from 4:30-5:30 it was a constant parade. Saw a monster 10 point 160" buck following a doe. He came through twice. All these deer are in a thicket. I am sitting on the down wind edge of it. The bucks chase the does round and round in there.

Had three other bucks in also. The best of which was a big 6 point that was grunting and walking stuff legged after the girls. Awesome night.

[KyRidgeRunner]

Cool story TJ. I think I'm on the only farm in ky that's not producing right now.  I hunted all week this week and had only shots at small bucks.  I'm kinda burnt out after the last 7 days of hunting.  Going to practice up with my tall tines and take a break this week and hit it hard again next weekend.  Good luck with the slick heads buddy!

[pdk25]

Sounds like a great day.  I am pretty sure the deer in Kentucky are suicidal.  I drove from Oklahoma to Louisville today, and late afternoon/evening I had 3 separate occasions when deer ran in front of the car.  2 of times it was buck, and one it was a doe on the run.  I might be able to fill my freezer before I leave the state, even without dropping the string.

[KentuckyTJ]

Haha, yeah they are running crazy right now.

[Friend]

An excellent outing.