The Massey

[KSQ2]

Dawna is hunting a stand this morning I have been very excited about since I hung it in August. It is a high risk/high reward spot. It will likely be good for 1 or 2 hunts at the most. She rattled in a 2 year old a while ago and he put on a pretty good show at the scrape tree.

 

[1100LT20]

Awesome pic! All of my spots must be high risk because the rewards rarely show, lol.

 

[KSQ2]

Dawna and I sat in the lower barn plot blind tonight. She didn’t feel like sitting in the drizzle. We set out bullwinkle jr and did some rattling. It was a really slow afternoon/evening; I guess the deer didn’t want to be out in the drizzle either. We did get one young buck to come in before dark. It’s hard to beat watching a buck come into a decoy.

 

[1100LT20]

Do you use any kind of scent on the buck decoy?

 

[KSQ2]

Do you use any kind of scent on the buck decoy?

I have in the past, but didn’t have any to use yesterday. Just sprayed it down with scent killer.

 

[buckdeer1]

I don't have much luck last few days with decoys,the does don't want to be around them and the bucks want to be around the does.Last couple days have been tough,alot better this evening

 

[KSQ2]

I don't have much luck last few days with decoys,the does don't want to be around them and the bucks want to be around the does.Last couple days have been tough,alot better this evening

Tomorrow morning is looking really good

 

[KSQ2]

Had a very memorable hunt with our oldest yesterday evening at my folks. This old woodlot behind their house is where I cut my teeth bowhunting 35 years ago. She wasn’t able to get a shot at the second buck, the one we were chasing. Perhaps after a few more years of bowhunting, she will be able to improvise a little more to get the shot off, but awkward positioning in the double ladder prevented her this time. Still, she was so very excited and held it together for plenty long enough to execute a shot, if she’d been given the opportunity. He was at 20 yards, but I rattled him in from about 450 yards and he just would not commit to entering the timber, when he got close enough to see there wasn’t a deer in there.

 

[KSQ2]

Dawna got close last night, came to full draw twice on a big nine. She had to let down though both times. It was still legal light, but heavy clouds made it dark early. She couldn’t see clearly enough through her peep to feel good about the shot.

 

[KSQ2]

Dawna got close again to a buck she's dubbed "Temptation" or something like that. I'm hoping she shoots a different buck, if she gets one on this property -- he's a slammer; and I think this fella could use one more year. He put on a BIG jump this year. I'm not going to tell her not to shoot him though; she wouldn't listen anyway...lol!

 

[catscratch]

Dawna's going to end up shooting a monster!

 

[KSQ2]

The Good Lord willing, I’m looking forward to the day this is the view off the back patio. It’s more than just the big deer that makes me so very glad to live in “flyover country”!

 

[catscratch]

The Good Lord willing, I’m looking forward to the day this is the view off the back patio. It’s more than just the big deer that makes me so very glad to live in “flyover country”!
View attachment 30701

It is soooo worth it! And yes, this land is a blessing!

 

[KSQ2]

Neighbor leaser shot the only buck I was really hoping would make it one more year. He was 4 according to our pics and took a HUGE jump this past year. Oh well, we can’t tie em to trees or put them in a pen, as much as I’d like to at times. The neighbor to the SE passed him twice and we agreed to let him walk this year.

 

[1100LT20]

Curses! That is an impressive buck, wishing you could have got him eventually. Hopefully he has spread his seed throughout your property.

 

[Mennoniteman]

Neighbor leaser shot the only buck I was really hoping would make it one more year. He was 4 according to our pics and took a HUGE jump this past year. Oh well, we can’t tie em to trees or put them in a pen, as much as I’d like to at times. The neighbor to the SE passed him twice and we agreed to let him walk this year.
View attachment 30706

Having the thickest cover and the best food in the neighborhood usually goes a long way, but isn't foolproof.
And interesting tidbit, I know quite a few instances where a big buck left the thickest cover and the best food in the neighborhood and got shot by others, and almost always, the landowner (sometimes it was me) chased the buck to the neighbor by invading his bedding area during gun season

 

[catscratch]

I don't go in the interior of my place during rifle season. I keep bow hunting during rifle season, but only the perimeter. I won't even cut wood during rifle.

 

[Mennoniteman]

I don't not go in the interior of my place during rifle season. I keep bow hunting during rifle season, but only the perimeter. I won't even cut wood during rifle.

^^^this is smart hunting^^^

 

[KSQ2]

Having the thickest cover and the best food in the neighborhood usually goes a long way, but isn't foolproof.
And interesting tidbit, I know quite a few instances where a big buck left the thickest cover and the best food in the neighborhood and got shot by others, and almost always, the landowner (sometimes it was me) chased the buck to the neighbor by invading his bedding area during gun season

Yep, when you only own an 80, you’re very dependent on the neighbors, and we have some good ones fortunately. As disappointed as I was to not see that buck make it another year, it’s so much better than having neighbors who shoot anything with horns on its head.