Day 2: Locked Up and Loving It
5 Comments Published by David Blanton on Thursday, December 27, 2007 at 9:12 AM.
To say that John Tate and I were geeked after going back to the lodge and watching the awesome footage of the big buck breeding the doe is an understatement!
Quietly, we snuck back into our Lone Wolf stands the following morning. To be honest with you, I fully expected to see the lovebirds once it got light.
No luck. Granted, in some directions I could only see 50-60 yards. Now we did see plenty of deer in the distance. Small bucks chasing does mostly. Around 9:00, I glanced into the same thicket I’d been looking in all morning...and there he was! The buck simply materialized. And guess who was right there with him?
You got it! They were still engaged!
And better yet, she started to feed toward my stand. About that time, the parade started all over again. Here came the little “wannabe” bucks to catch a whiff, and the big 8 pointer chased them off. It was like a record player blaring out the same song.
I honestly could tell that the doe wanted to be with the big mature buck and no other. It was something. More rubbing action was in order for the camera, too!
Unfortunately, around 10:00, after getting within 60 yards of us, they drifted back off into the thicket.
We got down shortly after that and headed in for a quick bite of lunch. John and I begin to discuss the fact that the buck and doe and not been (to our knowledge) farther than 100 yards from where we’d first seen them the day before. We couldn’t wait for the afternoon showing!
As we settled in our stands, a doe came busting out of the thicket in front of our stand followed by a small buck. For a minute I thought there were now TWO hot does in our area. But my mind changed quickly.
As I watched the doe run a big circle around our stand location, I could tell she was trying to get back to the thicket. Suddenly, the big buck (who may have gotten distracted) shows up to run off the intruder and escort his lady friend back into their hangout.
This was too cool!
With about an hour of daylight left, it seems all the distractions of smaller, competing, bothersome bucks had gotten the message and headed toward the big wheat field.
Still, I could not see the buck and doe.
I was straining to catch a glimpse of deer in the opposite direction when I turned to look towards the thicket once again and...there she was, nervously walking down a trail that would put her only 20 yards from our tree! I whispered to John and he quickly started videoing her.
Then I saw him! Emerging out of the thicket he looked bigger than life! If the wind didn’t swirl, the game would be over. It didn’t and it was! The G5 Striker went in high on the buck’s left side and exited perfectly. He ran less than 80 yards and piled up.
What an unbelievable hunt! The 8 pointer scored around 135” and this was a memory that will never get lost in my mind!
PS-I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas and that you got to spend a little time in the woods.
Congratulations on an awesome hunt! I am still hunting my big buck. He is nocturnal. I have plenty of pictures of him from a trail camera, but only after dark. Any suggestions?
Jeff in Texas
Hey David,
That's an awesome buck. Congrats. I hope this hunt is on the next Monster Bucks DVD. My family and I didn't go in the woods on Christmas but we will be in the woods after New Years. Talk to ya later.
God Bless & Good Huntin'
Kristle Oberlander-GA
PS HAPPY NEW YEAR
Awesome Good job David. Did some hunting the last few days and shot 3 of Meriwether's finest does, one with TC muzzleloader. 2nd rut kicking in just in time for end of season. Happy New Year!- Dilbeck
I really just want to thank you for your exciting videos. Six years ago I suffered a spinal cord injury and thought my days of bowhunting were over. You at Realtree gave me the incentive to apply for a crossbow permit for my home state of Wisconsin. I have been granted the permit and am looking forward to returning to the woods in 2008. Thanks again.
Dave that buck is a stud!!! I had some really cool hunts this year up here in NY. Some of the stuff I see is crazy and telling my friends is great ,but its almost too good to be true. Congrats on an awesome hunt and great action in the whitetail woods....I live for this kind of action.
Paul
Westchester co ny