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Post by Buckfever on Nov 13, 2006 0:29:07 GMT -5
I was watching a big 10 move in the prairie all day long, never did get the opportunity at one of the bigger bucks on the property. But I guess I can't complain. After getting nothing the first 5 days, to come back and pull 5 deer out in the final 4 days, I should be grateful.
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Post by Buckfever on Nov 13, 2006 23:15:41 GMT -5
I don't have much opportunity the rest of the way. I'll get a few recreational hunts in with my brother in law and the rest of the time I'll get a few hunts on a specific buck. He's an ugly 12, I can't describe him any better. But he's a substantial deer on public land and resides in a thicket that no one hunts. There's other bucks too, but he's the deer on that piece. I'll see if I can't get at least a few hunts on the ugly 12. I'll hang a stand on wed when the kids are in school but I won't be getting on him till after Thanksgiving.
Late season there is a bow only property that is a very difficult hunt. But one in which I know the property very well and know several buck thickets. Problem is they made it earn a buck this year, so I'd have to knock down a doe first.
God do I have to go through that again?
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Post by Buckfever on Nov 15, 2006 9:02:42 GMT -5
11/15
Today I begin preparations for hunting a specific buck. It's wet and the rut so I'm betting that he's not home and I can slip into his bedding area and scout it out and develop the setups. I need 2 setups to cover every wind and they must have good cover and I need access routes that will allow me to get in undetected. I already have one on the north, but will revisit it to make sure it's the best setup there and need to clean it up a little better if I stick with that one. I have a lot of work to do out there today.
I haven't had occasion to hunt a specific buck in a few years. This is my favorite hunt.
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Post by Buckfever on Nov 22, 2006 8:32:23 GMT -5
Today I get out for a recreational hunt with my bro-in-law on a new property with good deer density, but not particularly known for buck quality. It is an archery only park so if there are thickets you never know. We'll get there by 11 and I'll scout till 2 at least. I'll setup only if I like something otherwise I'll just keep scouting.
Friday and Sunday the Federal property is open. So far Fri has good wind for the Osage tree setup, Sunday the wind is shifting so either the Honey locust or the Pinwheel setup( three trails intersect) depending on where the wind is at by then.
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Post by Buckfever on Nov 22, 2006 21:04:27 GMT -5
Had a shot a doe at 17 yards but she trotted through the shooting lane after not moving for 3 minutes feeding. Thing is I wasn't sorry I didn't get her.
I guess as much as I like taking deer at some point during the course of a season, my enthusiasm for just taking deer wanes and all I want to do is hunt bucks. I'm not saying that I won't take another doe if a perfect shot presents, it's just not a priority and I certainly won't anywhere near an area that I'm hunting bucks.
The other thing that as a hunter I'm having to deal with is that the guys I hunt with are very much into numbers. I mean they won't burn their second buck tag on a scrub buck, but otherwise everything dies. I don't think they relate to my perspective that you don't take does in a buck bedding area without lessening your chances on the bucks in the area.
So I feel a bit of peer pressure in that, I clearly want to focus on buck hunting and my focus is at odds with pulling numbers.
The relationship with your hunting brothers is a very strong one and the need for commonality, uniformity of thought, is very strong. Plus these guys, are very strong individuals, they are used to imposing their will on others and I am not entirely immune from their influence. My association with them has with certainty made me a better hunter.
But I need to walk my own path here for a while.
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Post by Buckfever on Nov 23, 2006 22:14:15 GMT -5
Tomorrow I get out to hunt the buck bedding thicket that is home to the bone white 10 and the ugly 12. The wind is SSW perfect for the Osage tree setup located 75 yards from one of his bedding areas. I'll get there around 1:15 and should be on stand by 1:45. I'll know right quick if he came in from that side as I cross his trail in a ways, muddy trail I know his tracks.
Don't matter I'll hunt that tree anyway when I have that wind, he uses that trail out a lot and stages right past the Osage tree. Three trails out from that side I cover them all from that tree. There's three ways out. I have a setup on each of the three ways out. It's a one in three chance if he's there and if he moves before legal, that day.
It's a low probability game we play, hunting a specific animal. But I know there are 2 shooter bucks there. And there was a rumour of a 140 class 8 pointer on that side seen once last year by Carl who tagged out early this year leaving me the whole area to myself.
But the big animal is the Ugly 12. Dark dark rack, wide massive beams.
I don't know what kind of man just hunts one animal, on public land. I used to be that kind of man, on private land, or at least sort of private land. Easement properties that no one else hunted. But how different is this?
In five years Carl told me he'd never seen anyone cross the river, he hunted that side undisturbed. And know he tagged out and I have it to myself.
Somewhere along the way, in making the transition to hunting public land, I lowered my standards. Took a realistic approach. Any deer on public land is a trophy.
13 deer and 2 years later, since switching to public land it doesn't look that way to me anymore. The mature animal isn't easy anywhere and where you hunt him, few hunt anyway. It's hard on private land, it's a harder on public land. But it's not that much harder on public land.
Some of it simply comes down to belief.
2 years ago I believed that I could make the trasition to public land and be successful. Today, I know that I am a proficient hunter on public land. Today I believe that I can take the mature buck on public land.
Tomorrow I begin.
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Post by Buckfever on Nov 24, 2006 22:54:57 GMT -5
So I'm sitting up there in the tree 22 feet up in the air enjoying the beautiful afternoon, contemplating the the words I so recently professed and so I say to myself, "You're trophy hunting now aren't you boy? So the next deer that comes through, if it isn't a trophy buck, you're going to let it go right?"
I swear I just about bust out laughing.
You know what? Let someone else be a trophy hunter, I wanna kill everything. Don't get me wrong I'm not going to waste my second buck tag on a scrub buck, but otherwise, everything dies.
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Post by Buckfever on Nov 25, 2006 8:26:00 GMT -5
I think it comes down to the realities that we face in our station in life. My wife has developed a successful career that requires her to travel and I want to be supportive, as she does so much for me. My dual career on both fronts has expanded and requires more time. My kids are older and they need their daddy more.
This is my reality. I can not get 60-70 hunts in anymore. Usually by this time in the season, I would have had 30-35 hunts in. So far I've been out there 15 times, I'll get out Sunday and then I can't get out again till the 5th.
I love taking deer, I love developing my skills and being a proficient hunter. Facing the realities of my circumstances, I feel that I need to take full advantage of my limited time in the field.
My wife points out to me that as disciplined as I am in other aspects of my life, I am subject to influence in my hunting. I get pressured to trophy hunt. I hear this all the time: "Now you got to get a good buck", "Now you got to get a good buck".
You know what? You go get a good buck.
I don't want that pressure. It's going to ruin it for me. I'm hunting public land, I feel fortunate when I see a deer. It's such a gift. I'm not letting anyone take that away.
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Post by Buckfever on Nov 28, 2006 20:45:43 GMT -5
Partner cancelled on a recreational hunt we had scheduled for tomorrow. So I get to chase the bucks one more day before the second gun season. Got to move that stand and then pick another setup depending on the wind. It's supposed to rain on and off. I think I'll hunt the mid day as well.
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Post by Buckfever on Nov 28, 2006 21:29:34 GMT -5
I just checked the wind SSW put's me right back in the same NE corner. Since the bone white 10 schooled me, I had to move the Osage stand anyway. Guess that's what I'm have to do.
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Post by Buckfever on Nov 28, 2006 22:52:30 GMT -5
Damn just got a call from my wife, she'll be getting in later, won't be able to hunt the afternoon. I'll get that stand moved though, maybe setup another one, before the guns move them around some.
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Post by Buckfever on Dec 4, 2006 20:11:15 GMT -5
Tomorrow's the first chance to get out, since making the Honey Locust and the OsageII setup.
Haven't hunted wince the 26th and I'm itching to get out. SSW wind puts me in the Honey Locust but the wind shift from the NW on Wed and I'll be in the OsageII. Always exciting sitting in a couple new setups for the first time. I hope to get a few hunts in each of those setups and see if they can produce.
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Post by Buckfever on Dec 5, 2006 22:57:15 GMT -5
The Honey Locust brought me a doe and several sightings. The WNW wind tomorrow puts me in the Osage II setup. 4 sticks high I'm up there should be an interesting sit at least.
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