Oh wow! You did it again! Congratulations! Your scouting skills are impeccable.
Damn, that's a stud Fish!
Beautiful buck FFL! That's some serious brow tines he's sporting.
man I would be dancing and singing if I shot a buck like that congrats ffl that is a great buck can'nt wait to here story and see more pics
You kill me FFL! Another great public land buck, wow.... You sir...are a public land big buck killing machine.......I'm not worthy! I'm not worthy! Way to go!
Nice buck fishfurlife. Can't wait to hear the story.
So I took this buck on a draw hunt at Waurika WMA. It was a muzzle loader hunt that started Tuesday at noon and ended today at noon. I have a long history with Waurika. I don't hunt there much since moving away from that area 5 years ago. I learned all kinds of lessons on that WMA. Cut my teeth on public land hunting there really. I was ecstatic that I was able to draw a tag for this hunt.
I got down there on Sunday evening and scouted from then until Tuesday morning before the hunt. It was very clear that things were really starting to heat up with the rut. I saw as many mature bucks scouting for the hunt as I have seen all season. This was exciting to me. Evening one and the only full day were both very public land eventful to say the least. I will save the full day story for another post. :-)
This morning I went back in to a spot that had a hot doe in it every day since Sunday. There had also been a mature buck in there with the doe each day. However, not the same buck. Daylight hit and about 500 yards away I can see a large bodied deer slowly weaving through the grass. I could tell it was a buck but wasn't sure if it was a shooter. Yes, I even set standards on this bonus hunt. A few minutes later I was certain that this was a shooter. He was alone which was odd compared to the last few days but he was clearly cruising. There were 3 does about 400 out from me and he zeroed in on them. He weaved through, around, near, and by them for the next thirty minutes. I began a near on them during this time. at 7:35 he bedded down near the does and all I could see was the tops of his antlers.......... This is what dreams are made of. I continued to sneak as the does milled around him. by 7:50 they had all bedded within 10 yards of him. None of which were visible to me in the grass they bedded in. I knew I could get close by looking at the grass and broom weed between me and them. When the last doe bedded I was 250 yards away. So I took in on the belly crawl. I was soon at 125 and looking ahead I knew I could at least get to 100. I choose a spot and crawled to it which ended up being 85 yards. 8:15am
Now what? I wait and wait, and wait, and I am getting anxious. I grunt thinking he might stand........... Nope. I bleat thinking he might stand........ Nope. So I wait, and wait, and wait............ 9:30am
I am getting bored and my inner bow hunter with a muzzle loader in my hand. Let's get closer. So I sneak in to 80. 9:50am
Crap, this hunt is over at noon. I howl like a yote................. Nada. I get bored and the inner bow hunter inches forward. 68 yards. 10:00am
It's getting real that this deer may not get up. I whistle, non stop while looking through the scope for 3 minutes straight................... Try again. SERIOUSLY!!!! 10:15am
Screw this, I am getting closer, 48 yards. Bow range. Awwwww, I am comfortable now. 10:22am
Let's talk to this deer. "HEY DEER! LET'S GO! Get! COME ON!" .................. You guessed it. Blew me off. 10:30
Does decide to get up and leave....................... He is sleepy. So he stays. 10:40am
I think I might just charge him. Yup Great idea. I am doing it in 5 minutes. 10:45am
That's a stupid idea you moron. 10:46am
Let's yell, whistle. grunt and fart loud........................... Is this a decoy deer?! 10:55am
I give up. Let's just wait.
10:58am................... He casually stands up. Like nothing ever happened. I didn't even let him straighten his legs completely. :-)
I was numb, my feet were asleep, my body ached and I was freezing because like any genius hunter, I took a sweater off before starting the stalk 3 hours earlier. It was an awesome hunt. I was so happy to finally knock a mature deer down at the is WMA. I am pretty happy with him. Yes I did the happy dance. Yes I laid on the ground and reflected. Yes I shook with joy. However, that is every deer I am able to successfully kill.
Here are a few more pics as well and listen, go hunt, if it isn't happening where you live then it is fixing to blow wide open. For reference 17 inches of brow tines and 18 3/4' wide.
I got down there on Sunday evening and scouted from then until Tuesday morning before the hunt. It was very clear that things were really starting to heat up with the rut. I saw as many mature bucks scouting for the hunt as I have seen all season. This was exciting to me. Evening one and the only full day were both very public land eventful to say the least. I will save the full day story for another post. :-)
This morning I went back in to a spot that had a hot doe in it every day since Sunday. There had also been a mature buck in there with the doe each day. However, not the same buck. Daylight hit and about 500 yards away I can see a large bodied deer slowly weaving through the grass. I could tell it was a buck but wasn't sure if it was a shooter. Yes, I even set standards on this bonus hunt. A few minutes later I was certain that this was a shooter. He was alone which was odd compared to the last few days but he was clearly cruising. There were 3 does about 400 out from me and he zeroed in on them. He weaved through, around, near, and by them for the next thirty minutes. I began a near on them during this time. at 7:35 he bedded down near the does and all I could see was the tops of his antlers.......... This is what dreams are made of. I continued to sneak as the does milled around him. by 7:50 they had all bedded within 10 yards of him. None of which were visible to me in the grass they bedded in. I knew I could get close by looking at the grass and broom weed between me and them. When the last doe bedded I was 250 yards away. So I took in on the belly crawl. I was soon at 125 and looking ahead I knew I could at least get to 100. I choose a spot and crawled to it which ended up being 85 yards. 8:15am
Now what? I wait and wait, and wait, and I am getting anxious. I grunt thinking he might stand........... Nope. I bleat thinking he might stand........ Nope. So I wait, and wait, and wait............ 9:30am
I am getting bored and my inner bow hunter with a muzzle loader in my hand. Let's get closer. So I sneak in to 80. 9:50am
Crap, this hunt is over at noon. I howl like a yote................. Nada. I get bored and the inner bow hunter inches forward. 68 yards. 10:00am
It's getting real that this deer may not get up. I whistle, non stop while looking through the scope for 3 minutes straight................... Try again. SERIOUSLY!!!! 10:15am
Screw this, I am getting closer, 48 yards. Bow range. Awwwww, I am comfortable now. 10:22am
Let's talk to this deer. "HEY DEER! LET'S GO! Get! COME ON!" .................. You guessed it. Blew me off. 10:30
Does decide to get up and leave....................... He is sleepy. So he stays. 10:40am
I think I might just charge him. Yup Great idea. I am doing it in 5 minutes. 10:45am
That's a stupid idea you moron. 10:46am
Let's yell, whistle. grunt and fart loud........................... Is this a decoy deer?! 10:55am
I give up. Let's just wait.
10:58am................... He casually stands up. Like nothing ever happened. I didn't even let him straighten his legs completely. :-)
I was numb, my feet were asleep, my body ached and I was freezing because like any genius hunter, I took a sweater off before starting the stalk 3 hours earlier. It was an awesome hunt. I was so happy to finally knock a mature deer down at the is WMA. I am pretty happy with him. Yes I did the happy dance. Yes I laid on the ground and reflected. Yes I shook with joy. However, that is every deer I am able to successfully kill.
Here are a few more pics as well and listen, go hunt, if it isn't happening where you live then it is fixing to blow wide open. For reference 17 inches of brow tines and 18 3/4' wide.
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Again, awesome... awesome! Great story and pictures, great deer and public ground to boot...That is a hoss son...way to go...you may be my new hero!
That's an amazing story! He has a huge body on him. What a great harvest.
