Greetings all,
I took some time off from the boards due to deer season and after that the holidays. I'm back to it now, although we're now into the rabbits, but that doesn't take up as much time as deer season.
The season was a bit slower this year for bucks, but was fun as usual, with a good number of antlerless deer spotted.
Some may recall that I separated my shoulder in October, and missed most of the bow season. I was able to rehab myself to the point that with a reduced draw weight, I was able to hunt the last weekend before the opeing day of shotgun.
For the last few years, I have taken to doing a backpack hunt for opening day in order to beat the crowds on Michigan State Land. This year, with the shoulder injury, I was unsure about the prospect, so I invested in one of those "game carts" to haul in my gear--Cabelas "magnum game cart", highly recommended if you're in the market. Boy, I may never use a pack again. I was able to comfortably haul all my gear, and actually able to carry a bit larger and more comfortable tent than I would normally carry in a pack. The cart hopped right over most logs and other obstacles with a minimum of effort.
I went in on Friday, November 12th, bowhunted 13th and 14th, and then shotgun Nov15th through 19th, came home on the 19th. That's 7 nights in the woods.
The rut didn't seem very good this year, with a few bucks seen during the bowhunts, none close enough for a shot untill Sunday morning. I normally try to sit on stand untill noon during the rut, and then a short lunch break, and back to it. Sunday, I made the mistake of getting down 15min early at 11:45am. It was very cold, and my butt was getting sore from the little seat on the tree. "Its ALMOST noon, what difference could 15 minutes make?" I asked myself. No sooner had I hit the ground, when I heard deer running in my direction. I looked up to see a doe just 15yds away looking right at me. I froze, but she had already spotted me, and my bow was hanging from the string that I use to lower it from my tree stand. Moments later, a nice 10pt buck came barrelling up behind her. He was oblivious to my presence as he concentrated on the doe. She turned and ran back towards where they came from, and he followed.
Lesson Number 1 for this year (and I have learned this one in the past, believe me, but every year, seem to forget it). When the ruts on, stay in your stand as long as possible, deer could be moving at any time of day.
No more confirmed bucks would be seen the rest of the week.
I woke up early on opening morning of shotgun, and ate my usual breakfast of freeze dried eggs and sausage patties with a cup of coffee. I grabbed the new Tracker II 12ga which was proudly wearing its Bushnell Elite 1.5-4.5x32. I headed to my deadfall blind (perfect box created by 2 trees that fell in opposite directions but side by side) which was in the middle of a narrow ridge. I saw many deer running the ridge and the next ridge over on opening morning, none that I could tell to be bucks, and no does that I cared to take. I try not to shoot a doe until afternoon on opening day. I chuckled to myself everytime I heard a 5 shot salvo ring out from the distance, thinking of the guy with his semi-auto or pump, emptying it out and still not getting his deer. I proudly admired the Tracker II and just knew that should the opportunity arise, that one Lightfield slug in the chamber would be all I needed.
Noon came and I gobbled up my lunch of beef jerky, and stayed put in the blind. A button buck came along about 1pm, licking branches as he "practiced" being next years mating buck. He had to jump over the trees that made up my box blind as he came within 15ft of my position. I watched him and took great enjoyment as I always do when I am that close to a deer of anysize.
About 15 minute later, a very nice sized doe came along the same route. I crouched down in my blind to see if a buck might be following her. I doubted it, as all the gunfire from the morning had probably quelled most of the rutting activity. She meandered along very nervously and appeared to be a very mature doe, with a very long muzzle and nice sized body. After it became apparent that no buck was behind her, I decided to take the doe when the moment was right. She followed the same path as the button buck, and hopped over the trees. Not wanting her to detect my movement, I remained motionless in my blind until she was on the other side of me and heading away. I pulled the Tracker II to my shoulder and looked at her through the scope which was set at 1.5 power. The cross hairs settled just behind her shoulder and BAM. She jumped about 10ft straight up in the air and kicked out her back feet. When she came down, she gave one more kick from those powerful hinds, and that sent her all the way down the ridge which is pretty steep at that point, and a good 50yds distance. I could see her laying in the dry creek bed at the bottom of the ridge, and through my binoculars, she appeared to be motionless. I reloaded and went down to examine her. She was definitely out, so I ejected the other shell and began the field dressing ritual. Less than an hour later, she was hanging in tree next to my tent camp thanks to the cart. She was later aged by DNR biologist at 4.5years old.
That night at about 1am, I awoke to the sound of a mature buck circling and grunting around my tent. I bet he was smelling my doe hanging in the tree. He hung out for a good 15 minutes, and was litterally right outside my tent. It was very exciting. He was making a very longwinded continuous grunt, that I have never heard before except for on hunting videos.
No bucks were spotted during the remaining shotgun season, nor on my subsequent trip "Up North" to the rifle zone where I hunt with my Ruger 44 Deerstalker Carbine.
During Muzzleloading season, I kicked up 1 buck while still hunting, but was unable to get a shot at him.
All in all, a poor season for buck sightings, but a successful one with venison now in the freezer, processed by my own hand. A very satisfying feeling.
