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Old 11-13-2017, 10:51 PM
csterner csterner is offline
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Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Gettysburg, PA
Posts: 1,904
Default Unbelievable day in the woods (MD)

As some of you know, I've been hunting a LOT and passing quite a few smaller bucks, waiting for the big one this year. The rut has been on and off here the past few weeks. Had a couple good days of activity, but today...was just unreal. I don't think I've ever been out and witnessed that kind of rut activity.

The day started early, but at 5AM it was raining, so I went back to bed. I got up at 6:30 and it wasn't raining. CRAP! So I jump in the shower and get my gear together to head out. Been hunting in different clothes and had stuff everywhere. Got on site in MD at 7:30. On my way in, I bumped not one, but two bucks out of their beds. I was discouraged, but it is November.

Not long after I get up, I notice movement at the edge of the field, about 150 yards away. A MONSTER 8 point is locked down on a doe. I grunted, snort wheezed, doe bleated. He wasn't leaving her. After 10-15 minutes watching him, he moved off. Never saw him again.

About 8:30 I catch movement in front of me. A nice 8 is pushing a doe around, headed towards me. I was up and ready to shoot. As they got closer, a big spike came by and ran the doe. The 8 followed and out across the field they went. Dangit! Ten more yards is all I needed.

Shortly thereafter, ANOTHER bigger 8 comes running the spike and a doe out in the field. They circled a half dozen times and eventually were making their way right to me. The 8 pushed the spike out and went looking for the doe, who had bedded about 60 yards from me. He was like a bird dog, nose down, circling for the scent. He inched closer, but eventually got on the doe again. I had one opportunity at 38-40 yards, but no shot angle. Then they moved down into the hollow. I watched him ravaging a tree for 10-15 minutes, and then they disappeared. A 5 point came thru sometime thereafter. That was the 7th buck I'd seen in 2 hours.

At about 10:30, I start thinking I need to pee, get down, go to the truck, grab a sandwich and get right back up. I hadn't seen anything for a while. I didn't want to leave. Then I caught movement from the hollow. Here they come!

The doe worked her way thru the briars slowly, nibbling on the rose bushes as she made her way by. The buck slowly followed. She passed in an opening and I hit her with the rangefinder. 35 yards. I can make that shot. Then she turned away. OH NO! The buck could have cut her off, but I guess the rose bushes were too thick. He followed her exact route.

As he got to the spot where I ranged the doe, I drew. He stopped perfectly. I settled the pin and don't even remember releasing the arrow. WHACK! It's a hit! As he bounds away, I vividly remember seeing blood coming out behind the shoulder. He made it a total of 130 feet, stopped and fell over. WOOHOOOO!

He's not the P&Y buck I dreamed of, but my best deer so far. I killed him exactly 10 yards away from where I killed my previous best, and not 5 yards from the tree I killed it from. This is I think the 4th good buck I've gotten from this small patch in the third week of November. I don't know what it is, but they like to run does here. He was 155 pounds dressed on the scale. I think he was 3.5-4.5 years old. He's 16" wide and his G2's were 8.5 inches. Really nice, symmetrical rack. He's going to look good on the wall. This ain't Kansas or Illinois. This is a really GREAT buck for around here. Probably scores around 120-125 inches...not that it matters to me.

Where he layed.



Better pics.



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