Yesterday was the first deer I had seen from a stand all year. Our muzzleloader started Sept 28th so it has been a very slow season to start. Due to a trip to colorado I have been limited to saturday hunting only and the weather has not been very cooperative. Did get most of the plots planted mid sept so plenty of turnips, radish, red and white clover, oats, wheat, and winter peas. But each sit no deer.
Yesterday got into the stand at 3:30 on the first real cold day of the fall. Wind was swirling from E to N, so i started in the middle stand which is better for East wind, but with the plan to move to the south stand if wind switched.
3:35 2 groups of does walk out crossing the path I walked in, feeding across and down the old clover/grass plot. Confidence booster to say the least, as they looked to follow a trail to a clover plot near the front. 1 more group of does fed into the cereal grains plot. 3 groups and none went to the corn.
Slows down til 5:08, right at sunset here. I grunt 3 or 4 times and had then begin to rattle using my rattle bag. Hear something in the woods behind so I stop. Buck with his head down pops out on the same trail as the does, walking a creek bottom trail. He is walking away from me at an angle so I hit the grunt tube as loud as i can, (wind is blowing 15 knots) and he turns his head. First time seeing his horns and decide to shoot. (lane is about 12 yards wide and he is 9 yards across it) Put crosshairs on him and let it fly. He drops with feet straight up in the air kicking. Knew he was a decent buck, but not a monster. But he was down
Call my old man to let him know real quick and quiet. Put scope back on where he was at and its about 10 mins from dark, and i cant see him. Mind starts racing, and finally i find his antlers sticking up after he had rolled down the creek bottom enough to hide his bottom from me.
Look down the road and my truck 450 yards away down the road looks like someone is there. Put binos up and there is doe walking past my truck 20 feet from a highway. Then another one walks out, then another. 4 does walked and fed out into our grass road and then into the pines. Wanted some more meat since already cleaning one, but my truck (and highway) is literally the backdrop to the shot so think better of it.
Drive the truck to 5ft of the buck and get him loaded. 60 mins and he is cleaned, including neck roasts and rib meat but heart was blown to shreds. Whole shoulder is 1/2 covered with beef broth and slow braising at 250 at we speak!
