I'll probably post this in bowhunting too.

Well, as I said earlier, now is the time to hunt all day if your butt can stand it. I worked a half day, hung a stand where I've been hunting but closer to where the bucks seem to travel most----about 60 yards away from my current stand.

I was flipping a coin whether or not to stay in Ohio and bowhunt or go across the river and rifle hunt in KY. It was tails, so I stayed in Ohio. I didn't hunt the new stand because I forgot my little screw in hooks to hang my bow and quiver. (I'm a bit anal about that--got to have a place to hang stuff).

I sat down as soon as I could, at 310pm. At 311pm, a HUGE 8pointer (4pt to you western "half" counters ) WALKED RIGHT UNDER MY NEWLY HUNG STAND. All I could think was DANG IT!! He pranced around looking for something, maybe a Doe since they are rutting good now. He may have been curious what all the noise was not 15 minutes earlier. So much for Big bucks spooking with a new smell in the woods. I specifically hung that stand because I knew it was going to rain hard tonight and dissipate the scent.

Anyway. I saw 5 other bucks, all ranging from maybe 115-135, total of 6. This went on from 311pm to 4pm. Well, I take that back, I did see a button buck, which I killed.

About 420pm a medium sized deer walked right to me, turned broadside and just stood there. He must have been into self sacrifice at 4 yards. I didn't shoot a button buck on purpose. He was about the size of a good Doe. His head was behind some windfall.

My mother in law has put in an order for 3 deer to take to her family in Arkansas on the 21st. That makes 2, and 1 to go. He's at the butcher but I took the tenderloins with me and ate them for dinner.

At 515pm, 4 HUGE Does came by but didn't clear any ground brush offering me a shot. They lived. I would much rather have taken a Doe than that button but when a deer stands broadside at 4 yards for a few minutes doing nothing, and ya think it's a Doe, I'm shooting.

I thought for sure I'd get to fill 2 tags tonight. Despite the heavy winds, major overcast, and threatening thunderstorms, it was a GREAT time to be hunting. I couldn't believe the constant deer movement. Especially all the bucks.

Oh well, I'll get up the stand tomorrow on my 3 hour lunch break (1230 to 230) and see what happens.

Hey, Doc, at least under Ohio rules you could take him on a doe tag, so you still have your buck hunting.

I thought it would be too windy this afternoon?

I'll be going Thurdsay as planned, but you sure make me want to call in sick tomorrow even though they are forecasting 20 mph winds!

Call in sick. The winds had no affect whatsoever on the deer movement. For years, I'd never hunt on a day like today. God only knows what I've missed out on.

Granted, I believe that the deer still move on days like today but only because they are rutting. If it was early Oct, or late Dec., I'm not so sure I would have seen the numbers of deer.

Definitely call in sick, or work the morning til about 11, then get out there and get your buck.

Doc,

What about the wind affecting your arrows?

Forgive my ignorance but I am trying to learn a thing or too about aging bucks. Were button bucks born this spring? (1/2 year olds). I ask because my buddy shot one with nubbins on the head still covered with hide, and I am assuming that is what you are talking about when you say button buck. This one was pretty small though, probably half the size of a doe.

quote:

Originally posted by Don_G:
Doc,

What about the wind affecting your arrows?

I always take a target out with me and shoot before I climb my stand. No affect so far. But I got that deer at 4-5 yards, so kind of hard to tell.

quote:

Originally posted by naja302:
Forgive my ignorance but I am trying to learn a thing or too about aging bucks. Were button bucks born this spring? (1/2 year olds). I ask because my buddy shot one with nubbins on the head still covered with hide, and I am assuming that is what you are talking about when you say button buck. This one was pretty small though, probably half the size of a doe.

Yes. 90+ % of the time, a button buck is a fawn from that year. However, once in awhile you'll see one that is a yearling (1.5 years old). If that is the case, that is a good deer to take from the herd. Poor genetics usually, and just a rare occurrence. I killed a button buck several years ago in Alabama but it weighed 125+ pounds. Down there, that is too big for a current year fawn.

quote:

Yes. 90+ % of the time, a button buck is a fawn from that year. However, once in awhile you'll see one that is a yearling (1.5 years old). If that is the case, that is a good deer to take from the herd. Poor genetics usually, and just a rare occurrence. I killed a button buck several years ago in Alabama but it weighed 125+ pounds. Down there, that is too big for a current year fawn.

We get those Big Buttun Bucks around here at times. Sounds kind of strange but has seemed to be happening in cycles, meaning when we see them, we usually see 3-5 that season. Little bucks in the 80-100# range w/ buttons about .5 -1.5" long. I believe it's poor nutrition or late borns. I did kill a mature Button Buck that weighed in around 180 and was in full rut, strangest thing he had big bumps on his head about .5" tall and 4" around(similar to a descent bucks bases). He definitely needed to be culled, after about 200 yards of dragging, I was sure second guessing my decision .

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