Yesterday (November 2nd) started out slow with a hunt on the logging road. There were a few does and a nice, young 10-point buck that came through. Because the action was slow, I shot a nice doe; double lung shot and watched her expire 40 yards away. While I was field dressing her, I watched a nice buck work up a ravine and into a large CRP patch. I got the doe out as fast as I could to get back in the stand.
I took the doe to the locker and donated her to the HUSH program, got back to the house, ate a quick lunch, and headed back to the stand around 12:45.
A little background to this story……..
On Saturday (October 29th) I sat in Tom’s Stand and watched a couple good bucks about 100 yards to the east of the stand move through. The spot the deer were moving through is where a funnel empties out into a chunk of timber and then moves to a crop field.
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| New Stand Location |
The next day, Katie and I moved the tree stand from the food plot over to this spot (yellow dot). The red dot is where Tom’s Stand is located.
Fast forward to November 2nd……….
I headed out to the stand around 12:45. I had a feeling after seeing the good buck when I was dressing the doe I shot a few hours earlier. I knew the bucks were starting to move with a cold front pushing through Iowa.
When I got in the stand it started raining hard for about 5 minutes. I had a feeling once the rain let up the deer would start moving; I was right. I watched three does walk right past Tom’s Stand. Then in the distance on the opposite edge of the funnel, I saw a big buck stand up. I glassed him and he looked like a shooter, so I threw him a soft grunt which stopped him, but he kept walking away. I then gave a snort wheeze, which generated the same reaction.
After showing no interest, I figured the bucks still weren’t responding to calls quite yet, but I decided to go for broke because I had nothing to lose. I grunted as loud and aggressive as I could. In a split second the buck wheeled around and sprinted towards me. I grabbed my bow ready to shoot, but then the buck stopped about half way from me. I threw a soft grunt at him and that’s all it took.
He ran the rest of the way, I came to full draw, and I had to baa pretty loud to stop him. Once he stopped, I settled the pin on his vitals and squeezed the trigger. I watched my lighted nock disappear right behind the shoulder and the buck gave a big kick and took off. I watched him expire 50 yards from the stand.
I am very proud of this buck. He definitely isn’t the biggest buck on the farm, but is probably one of the oldest. I am guessing this buck is at least 6.5 years old. He is one of the biggest bodied deer I have ever seen. He probably weighed around 300 lbs before I field dressed him. The buck green scored at 142”.
This is the second year in a row that I took a buck on November 2nd.
I think it’s important to remember while taking a huge 180” giant is what we all strive for and see on TV, taking a mature buck that helps manage the deer herd and improve the genetics and age structure is important as well.
With this cold front passing, the next few days should be a great time to be in the timber. Katie still has a tag and my brother Ryan is coming Friday to hunt. Hopefully there will be a few more deer stories to share.
Muddyhunter
Congrats on a great buck.
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