GhostBusted
I had a PM message with several folks about my recent scouting approach in new areas I'm hunting. HunterThompson summed up my experience in one word about Deer, especially in pines. They are like ghosts.
I've been doing my map and scouting homework now that the acorns have dropped in my area pre rut. My rut is real close.
This time of year I focus in Pine wood areas. Seems the deer/bucks migrate in these places. Well, I did some topography work and a bit of luck I went to a ridge top and found so many rubs and scrapes I deemed it rub alley.
So I went an adjacent ridge 500 yards away on a similar firebreak line covered in pine straw and again rubs everywhere but with more scrapes on the top of that ridge.
I picked out my shooting position to hunt on the ground, went to town for a quick lunch was back in my position at 2pm siting and waiting. down the break line, 25 yards from the last sign or first sign that was a monster scrape. I built a homemade blind what I thought shielded me. Well 58 minutes later, I decided to look down at the ground out of boredom for less then two minutes raised my head and Mr. 8 Point was on that firebreak starring right at me. I mean out of no where when I raised my head I was a bit startled, I made eye contact I knew I was busted. He bolted. It was like a 5 second stare off. It was my biggest buck to date on public land. Prancing away he went.
Hunting brings so many experiences in a rush at times. I felt great that I found a pattern, I felt like crap I was caught off guard at the one moment I dropped my head. The animal was beautiful with a huge rack outside his ears. I just did not have time or an ethical shot.
That's okay, I'll be back in the area over the weekend but I'll be up in a tree.
Hunting pines provides a different nuance. It's so quiet. It does give the deer a major advantage because you cannot hear them move like in hardwood. Like HunterThompson. said to me, "they are like ghost".
In the end I was GhostBusted! With reflection what a great hunt experience. Now I adapt but I can't promise I won't nod my head downward again.
I've been doing my map and scouting homework now that the acorns have dropped in my area pre rut. My rut is real close.
This time of year I focus in Pine wood areas. Seems the deer/bucks migrate in these places. Well, I did some topography work and a bit of luck I went to a ridge top and found so many rubs and scrapes I deemed it rub alley.
So I went an adjacent ridge 500 yards away on a similar firebreak line covered in pine straw and again rubs everywhere but with more scrapes on the top of that ridge.I picked out my shooting position to hunt on the ground, went to town for a quick lunch was back in my position at 2pm siting and waiting. down the break line, 25 yards from the last sign or first sign that was a monster scrape. I built a homemade blind what I thought shielded me. Well 58 minutes later, I decided to look down at the ground out of boredom for less then two minutes raised my head and Mr. 8 Point was on that firebreak starring right at me. I mean out of no where when I raised my head I was a bit startled, I made eye contact I knew I was busted. He bolted. It was like a 5 second stare off. It was my biggest buck to date on public land. Prancing away he went.
Hunting brings so many experiences in a rush at times. I felt great that I found a pattern, I felt like crap I was caught off guard at the one moment I dropped my head. The animal was beautiful with a huge rack outside his ears. I just did not have time or an ethical shot.
That's okay, I'll be back in the area over the weekend but I'll be up in a tree.
Hunting pines provides a different nuance. It's so quiet. It does give the deer a major advantage because you cannot hear them move like in hardwood. Like HunterThompson. said to me, "they are like ghost".
In the end I was GhostBusted! With reflection what a great hunt experience. Now I adapt but I can't promise I won't nod my head downward again.
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For a guy like me relatively new to hunting with only three years under my belt each new experience is a blessing. Hope to have many more years doing this at 63.
There are two dimensions to this sport. Recreational shooting (relatively straightforward). then there is the hard part, hunting!!!! If it was easy I wouldn’t do it.
Ive been very fortunate about being busted by deer over the past several years. Ive learned over my 40+ years of hunting which trees to pick for stand locations and how far off the trails to stay. I think most importantly is my routes to and from the stands. Enjoy your hunts Tom. After all, the enjoyment is what it's about...not the kill. Pick your tree carefully. In pines there's usually a lot of scattered populars mixed in that can provide a bit of cover. Pay attention to north easterly winds and pick your routes to and from the stand so you aint crossing deer paths if at all possible. And above all have fun.
Sorry, but I'm LMAO right now!!!
That'll teach ya!!! Too funny, Dude! At least it wasn't the buck of a lifetime, EH?!
If it was easy it wouldnt be fun.For a guy like me relatively new to hunting with only three years under my belt each new experience is a blessing. Hope to have many more years doing this at 63.
There are two dimensions to this sport. Recreational shooting (relatively straightforward). then there is the hard part, hunting!!!! If it was easy I wouldn’t do it.
TK, I went back to rub alley this afternoon. This time I climbed a tree.
In Alabama I hunt the Cahaba WMA and it's buck only weekend. Well at 2pm I was ready and up in a tree. At 2:30pm one of his girlfriends came walking down the firebreak within 7 yards below me. If it would have been any other weekend or weekday I could have had this very nice mature doe. She didn't even know I was there so that was cool. I watched her go down into the ravine into the thickets and just enjoyed the afternoon till dark. I was hoping her boyfriend would show up. He's in the area.
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