Well, bow season is open here in Georgia and even though it is quite hot still, to the woods I went. Mainly intended to go as a scouting trip and just hang on the tree for a while. After stumbling around in a swampy, briar infested area for about an hour, (new piece of property I'm hunting) I selected a tree near some muscadine vines and a good bit of deer droppings.

Got about three 'pulls' up the tree in my stand and a branch I thought was from another tree, was actually on the tree I was climbing, so into my fanny pack for the saw. Sawed the limb and when it swung free of the tree, the poison oak vine attached to it, spun it around and -whack on the head! I was semi ready for this and it was a small branch so no real damage. I'm already about 30 lbs overweight, so my sweating index was off the chart!

Looked at my watch and about 45 minutes of light left. With all the noise and profuse sweating, I figured to see less than no deer.
12 minutes later and I heard the footsteps, a little sloshing in the wet areas, and three deer came into view. All three bucks, two 8's about 12-13 inches wide, nice symetry, and a 6 with one side of his rack still in velvet and bent over toward the other side of his rack, pretty small, I think 1.5 year old.

About 5 minutes later, two more bucks ease down the trail to my left, feeding along. One is a shooter for sure! He is a wide 8 with nice long eye guards and G-2's about 7-8 inches. The other is also an 8 with nice eye guards as well, but only about 14" inside and G-2's about 5 or 6 inches, and other tines much shorter than the other buck. Buck fever was back with a vengeance. I was a little surprised to see the bachelor groups still together, except the little 6 with the bent over half rack still in velvet (just that one half) all these deer were stripped out of velvet.

I noticed the wind in my face, which it almost had to be for these deer to come in, what with my perspiration off the charts. The largest buck was slowly feeding down the trail and was presenting a broadside shot at about 32 yards! I was busy missing getting my release clipped onto my 'release loop' (that might be gone for hunting and back to a rope release) and I looked back at the big boy and the other larger eight with him. They were both semi-alert and looking back toward the two smaller 8's and the wacky racked little 6.

I've only seen bucks fighting in Georgia about 8 or 9 times, but this was to be the next time as the two smaller 8's squared off and went at it!! I almost forgot that I was trying to execute a shot on the big boy, and I looked back to the spot where him and the next biggest eight were, and they were behind a couple of pin oaks. The big boy had been about 20 yards in front of the next biggest buck, so I focused on the lead buck as he cleared the trees. I judged him to be at about 35 yards, but I settled the 30 yard pin in low in the kill zone, as I was elevated (about 18 feet up the tree) and at that distance the deer seem to drop a little when you cut your arrow loose.

I fought off the fever, the tension of my bow at about 68 lbs actually helped settle my shaking, and I sent a clean shot his way... I watched him mule kick as I heard the impact, and watched hin run into some thick stuff about thirty yards ahead, and heard him crash! Heart rate goes to about 190 at this point. I had seen the other deer run at the crack of arrow impact, and I had a sneaky feeling the biggest buck had somehow switched places with the 2nd biggest one, when I saw him run away from me. Their racks always look so good when they're going away from you though.......

Well, long story short, or as short as it is, when I got to the buck I had arrowed, it was in fact the #2. I was slightly disappointed, but it is still a good bow kill by my standards, green P&Y at 116 net. I feel somewhat consoled by the fact that I stayed focused and made a good quality shot, but those two bucks fighting really made the whole thing a memorable night for sure.

2 1/2 hours later and I have managed to drag him to a road I can get to with my truck. Shot him at about 7:50 pm, got back home (a 15 minute commute)at about 1:00 am, man did I sleep good after a hot shower!

In closing I guess I have to say I shot the small one, and he is not my biggest bowkill by a good bit, but he will be one I really remember!! I'm leaving for an antelope hunt this Friday, so I hope this is a good sign of a good hunt to come. I will try and get a shot at the other one some day to come.

Good hunting to all--Don

Don,

Nice story, and if you keep your honey-hole quiet, he might be even bigger for you next year!

Good luck,

friar

great time...thanks for telling the story....I really enjoyed it.

Hey Don, An absolutely excellent story and congratulations on the kill. I sure understand the "swampy, briar infested area" and locating "near some muscadine vines". Sounds like you found a great spot. Now if that spot also has some good old White Oaks, it should produce fine Deer the entire Season.

I look forward to hearing about your next hunt, whether it has a kill or not.

Good hunting and clean 1-shot kills.

Great Hunt! Congrats!

That's the type of hunt most Bowhunters can only dream about.

Maybe you'll get another chance to Gig that Big Boy.

Good Luck!

Reloader

We have started hunting here too, but the heat and humidity are terrible.

Congratulations on your buck!

Thanks guys, I am hoping if I don't track down the big one later this year, that Friar will be right, and I can get a pop at him next year in his larger and improved size!

I'm looking forward to this heat subsiding, but that night has got me itching to go back to the woods--and not just from all the mosquitoe bites......

Excellent story and congratulations.

DON'T SET FOOT IN THAT AREA AGAIN FOR 3 WEEKS!

Let it calm down. If they are still in their bachelor groups, they'll remain so most likely another 2 weeks, maybe more. Since the big boy was there, he will make claims to the area, and will not tolerate the little guys before long.

Your story echo's mine a few years ago, here's what can happen if you leave it alone for a few weeks. You can get the BIG BOY.

Damn Doc, that's awesome.
Good advice on not going back into the area for a while. I was debating hunting there next week when I get back from NM antelope hunt. I think I will wait a few weeks--but it would be a couple of years and some protein bars before he got to look like that Bad Boy.
Thanks for sharing the photo.

Later--Don

If there is any advice I can give on whitetails, it's is definitely this: do NOT let them pattern you. If you find a honey hole, use it SPARINGLY.

GOD has blessed me with some real BIG deer ever since I started backing off where the kings live. I found a nice tight thick area to hunt here in Ohio and I bet I only get to that stand 5 times in a season. And so far, I've popped a big one each year there.

Great insight Doc. I will definitely put that into action in this area. It is a relatively small wooded area, about 40 acres or so, surrounded by pasture or very deep,10-20 feet swamp area that they don't really go into and swim, just skirt around the edge. I appreciate the thinking, --sparingly it will be!

Hey Doc, Excellent advice. Great Trophy Buck!

Nice Buck Doc.

Good Advise as well but, You don't have to totally lay off of a spot. If you are a real Scent Conscious Hunter you can "Bounce Around" a Good area. We call it "Stick and Move" around here . If you'll really do your homework on the various trails the deer frequent and hunt from climbers and such it really makes it hard for them to pattern you. I'm real anal about Scent and I believe it to be the Key in Succesful Whitetail hunting.

For instance, The best season I've had was two years ago when I took a Nice 6, Big 9, a 10 (240#!), and a 8 all w/in two weeks from the first to the last and all in the same area.

Try not to touch anything going in and always wear rubber knee boots w/ pants tucked in. I can't preach enough about scent elimination and prevention, some folks laugh at me when I tell them all the scent prep. steps I take before a hunt.

Reloader

Reloader, I totally agree about being scent conscious.

If you have success bouncing around a trophy holder, that is great. However, in my mind, there is no way possible to be "scent free." It is impossible and I cannot be convinced otherwise. To me, when I take every measure I can to be scent free, in reality, I'm still about 35% "scented." To a deer anyway. And that is 35% too much.

When you tie your boots, you leave billions of scent particles on those shoe strings and every little blade of grass, twig or brush they swipe leaves enough scent there for a deer to pick up 5 days later.

Every time we exhale we leave scent in the air, that is why I will never buy a "scentlok" suit. Sure that scent may be trapped to a degree and they aid in confining some scent, but a BIG buck knows when you've been around.

Some hunters wear rubber gloves when they touch things in their hunting area. Can you smell those gloves? Deer sure can. There is a residue on ALL rubber material. Same goes for garbage bags. I have a couple of hunting areas here that I hunt the most. Every year, I go to both areas about 5 weeks before the season starts. I take about a bucket full of dirt and brush home from both places. When I get home, I pour it in a wheel barrow. Then I shove my hunting boots into the mix up to the laces and that is where they stay when they're not on my feet.

I have a system that works for me while bowhunting, and when I see or know a BIG boy is calling an area home, I stop by as often as the water meter reader. One day, we just happen to bump in to one another. Now I know not all of these guys, (or maybe none of them) are "monsters" but hey, they were big enough to ride in my truck.

quote:

When you tie your boots, you leave billions of scent particles on those shoe strings and every little blade of grass, twig or brush they swipe leaves enough scent there for a deer to pick up 5 days later.

Doc, You've gotta get some rubber boots. I've got 4 pair of Lacrosse, 2 Non-Ins, 1 800 gram, and 1 1000 gram. I cannot say enough about wearing rubber boots on your hunts and tucking your pants in them. I've had Big Bucks walk into a set-up on the trail I came in on and never smell my tracks. Like I said, I'm very anal about scent control and I try not to touch anything. You can go into an area a couple of times a week or so w/o the deer sensing your presence, it just takes a very scent conscious attitude. I also kick the leaves back and rub the fresh dirt all over my boots (just kick around in it real well) to rub of any unnatural smells from my boots (far away from my spot of course). My methods have enabled me to bag 7-8 a year and pass on plenty more so, something must be working. Just last year I stuck 4 on the same trail throughout the season and all of them crossed or walked my path and never smelled where the good ole' rubber boots came through.

Good Luck this season. We just started finding rubs around our bow hunting areas and Oct 1st just isn't coming fast enough. We could use a break in these Hot spells.

Reloader

2 years ago I bought 2 pair of LaCross rubber boots that go to just below the knee. I had them 2 months before the season started. Did all my usual scent free stuff.

I walked to one of my spots near a creek and corn field which wasn't cut yet. I walked off the road, down 45 yards of grass to my tree where I hunt from the ground. The wind was from west to east and I was facing north towards the cornfield which was on the other side of the road. A big doe walked right at me and as soon as she hit the grass, she put her nose in it where I had walked about an hour before and she made a "B" line back to the corn.

I have no faith in LaCross Rubber boots until they are a few years old. Even then, I have still watched deer take a second smell if they cross my path. They do not do that with my Danner or Rocky laced boots.

Unexplained events huh? I wish I could "float" to my stand.

quote:

I have no faith in LaCross Rubber boots until they are a few years old. Even then, I have still watched deer take a second smell if they cross my path. They do not do that with my Danner or Rocky laced boots.

Well, Mine are broken in well but, like I said, it's very important to rub fresh soil all over them to remove any hint of odors you may pick up at the truck. W/ a good pair of Lacrosse boots on you can walk down the main deer trail to an area if you'd like. I've done it before, not because I wanted to but, because it was the only way to avoid limbs and grass and such and the deer came right up the same path and never spooked.

I don't think I could ever go back to leather or cora. boots again after my expereinces w/ the RBs. That'd just be something else I'd have to worry about.

Reloader

Guys, I've read several times that a deer can smell a single acorn under 8 FEET of snow. Based on that, I'm wiht Doc, you can't get really scent free to a deer. Having said that, I take great care in managing my scent to the degree that I can, but judging the wind is pretty big on my list in picking when and where to hang my stand. I've got a itch to go back next weekend, and I don't think it's been to soon--we'll see what the wind is like....

Good Luck! Maybe you'll see that big one again.

I'll agree w/ ya'll that if you don't think you can hunt an area w/o leaving scent, you certainly need to let the spot lay for a while. If you go above and beyond in scent control you can hit em' about every weekend w/o leaving a noticable trace but, like I said, you've certainly got to be anal about scent and try to not touch anything in the area.

Good Luck!

Reloader