Went to MCAAD Wednesday for a bow hunt. Man it was hot! High to mid 90's all day, but hi 50's in the morning.
Went out on Thursday for scouting day, and the area where I saw and killed deer last year did not have a sign. What one could see, you couldn't tell how old it was as they have not had rain in a month.
Sat in two different stands on Friday, and didn't even see an armadillo. Sat morning, same thing, so I quit early and went scouting again.
My hunt was in the Hominy area, and there were 15000 acres of white oak acorns, and persimmons dropping everywhere, so its not like a guy could pick out a tree and sit under it. I had to figure a route between bedding areas and food.
Walked out a grassy area and found beds with trails leading into one of the munitions storage areas. It had been freshly mowed, and new browse was starting up. It had acorn trees to the north of it that were loaded. Fresh deer poop all over the ground.
They had 500lb bombs stored on pallets sitting on a concrete slab, so I just backed up to them on the ground, and waited. Just before dark, the big mama-jamma came out of the bedding area, and started browsing in my direction. Wind had died to almost nothing. I watched this 150 class 10 point for almost a half an hour get withing 60 yds of me. Shook so hard its unbelievable he couldn't see me.
Then I felt a little coolness on the other side of my face.....wind shifted. He raised his head, and stared right at me, went back to feeding, and jerked his head up again. This time he turned and bolted up a hillside blowing all the time.
A little later, a couple of does came out, and when they got to that spot, they took off too. As hot as it was, sitting in the direct sun, I'm sure there was quite a scent trail out to them.
Came back this morning, hoping for the biggun to come back, but he didn't show. We had to be out of the woods by noon, and there were two stands to take down, so 0900, got up, and walked out quietly. Just before getting to the road, there was the back half of a deer sticking out of some bushes. Its head was in the bush browsing, and I couldn't see what it was, but there was enough out to take a shot and its either sex, so put an arrow through the liver from 15 yds. It was a buck that took off running with blood pouring out both sides. He made 40 yds, and fell over. The biologist aged him at 2 1/2 yrs old, but it only had a 6 point rack, 14" inside. Better luck next time.
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Went out on Thursday for scouting day, and the area where I saw and killed deer last year did not have a sign. What one could see, you couldn't tell how old it was as they have not had rain in a month.
Sat in two different stands on Friday, and didn't even see an armadillo. Sat morning, same thing, so I quit early and went scouting again.
My hunt was in the Hominy area, and there were 15000 acres of white oak acorns, and persimmons dropping everywhere, so its not like a guy could pick out a tree and sit under it. I had to figure a route between bedding areas and food.
Walked out a grassy area and found beds with trails leading into one of the munitions storage areas. It had been freshly mowed, and new browse was starting up. It had acorn trees to the north of it that were loaded. Fresh deer poop all over the ground.
They had 500lb bombs stored on pallets sitting on a concrete slab, so I just backed up to them on the ground, and waited. Just before dark, the big mama-jamma came out of the bedding area, and started browsing in my direction. Wind had died to almost nothing. I watched this 150 class 10 point for almost a half an hour get withing 60 yds of me. Shook so hard its unbelievable he couldn't see me.
Then I felt a little coolness on the other side of my face.....wind shifted. He raised his head, and stared right at me, went back to feeding, and jerked his head up again. This time he turned and bolted up a hillside blowing all the time.
A little later, a couple of does came out, and when they got to that spot, they took off too. As hot as it was, sitting in the direct sun, I'm sure there was quite a scent trail out to them.Came back this morning, hoping for the biggun to come back, but he didn't show. We had to be out of the woods by noon, and there were two stands to take down, so 0900, got up, and walked out quietly. Just before getting to the road, there was the back half of a deer sticking out of some bushes. Its head was in the bush browsing, and I couldn't see what it was, but there was enough out to take a shot and its either sex, so put an arrow through the liver from 15 yds. It was a buck that took off running with blood pouring out both sides. He made 40 yds, and fell over. The biologist aged him at 2 1/2 yrs old, but it only had a 6 point rack, 14" inside. Better luck next time.
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