A bit of fiction.
Sitting in stand day-in, day-out during the rifle season can be tough, especially as a hunter gets “picky” about the shots he desires. Tough doesn’t begin to explain it when, as the last day of “gun” season expires, so does the hunters buck tag.
However, all hope is not lost, and it is important to realize that opportunities still exist to fill a buck tag. Late season hunting signals continued change: change in the weather, change in daylight and change in deer activity.
One of the warmest days I've ever had on a stand was also one of the coldest. Late in the day--a day full of wind, sleet and occasionally snow--a small reprieve in the weather provides opportunity. With most hope lost and on the verge of hanging it up for the season, the snap of a twig and rustle of leaves warms me so quick that I begin to sweat. Coming out of the thick bedding brush, the heavy 10-pointer casually strolls toward the food source. Although wary, he seems at ease like he knows that most of the pursuers that dogged him a month ago are at home in their recliners watching deer hunting TV. While the weather has been poor, he has been holed up in some thick brush biding his time and now he is ready to dine. Hunger trumps fear it would seem.
I notice that he is utilizing a well-established trail, one with many scrapes and rubs along it’s historical line, one that has seen many a rut. Today he does not visit the scrapes nor pause to rub his antlers on a tree, following a season of fighting his skull is sore and he is tired of inflicting new damage on his once perfect rack that is now scattered with cracks and chips. Although he never ignores his nose, it is apparent that he is not significantly concerned with scent. He pauses periodically to test the air but never bends his head to sniff the ground, apparently he just isn’t interested or none of the doe are entering into the fabled second rut.
As he meanders down the trail I realize my breathing has become less controlled and my heart is pounding so hard, I can scarcely believe he cannot hear it. In about 20 feet he will walk directly downwind of my scent and the game will be up. Raising my bow and focusing my will I place the pin on his shoulder and begin following his walk, just as I am about to give him a “bleat” he pauses and turns his head to investigate a rustling in the breeze, my arrow is released and flies true.....
It feels absolutely tropical in these woods at the moment.
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Another Nice Oklahoma Whitetail
Trey's 2011 String and a Stick Buck
And the story as told by Trey...good stuff
"It all started when I joined a new chruch. My pastor is a rancher, and in desperate need of somewhere to draw some blood, I asked him if he had anywhere he would be willing to let me hunt. He said he did and he wouldn't charge me a dime to hunt it.
As we pulled up to the property, I knew something amazing was going to happen with this piece of ground. It was a full section, the river running along the back side with soy beans on one side and wheat on the other and a wooded area on the bank. After finding a tree that looked promising with trails all around it, I hung a stand. For the next few weeks leading up to the season, I sat in my truck and scouted the area. One night, I saw exactly what I was looking for, it was a bachelor group with approx. 6 or 7 nice bucks, one of which being considerably bigger, but didn't know how much bigger seeing as how I was 600 yards away.
First day of the season was finally here. I couldn't wait to be in the stand. That day I saw quite a few does and a nice younger buck, but no big boys. October 2nd came around and I decided to hit the stand early. I had been sitting there all day and had only seen 4 does and little forked horn. It was around 6:00 or 6:15 pm when the does came back and started working my way. After debating with myself for awhile, I went ahead and decided to go ahead and stick one of them if the shot presented itself. When they were at about 50 yards, they stopped and looked off to their right. When I turned to look I couldn't believe my eyes. There he was, the big buck I had seen a few weeks before, only 18 yards away! It was getting late, but still light enough to see to make a good shot.
The only thing was, I could only see his body and the right side of his rack. I automatically knew it was him and that he had a good set on his head. So, without hesitation I grabbed my Mathews Z7 Extreme settled my pin behind his shoulder and put a Rage broad head through him. By the time I let everything settle down and got down from the stand, it was dark and I wasn't finding much blood, even though I saw my arrow hit and found pieces of lung on the ground, along with my arrow that had good blood on it. I decided to back out and find him in the morning. Needless to say I couldn't sleep that night. When I went back that next morning, I couldn't believe what I saw. I had no idea he was that big! He had only run 100 yards from where I had shot him and fell over dead.
The only sad part in this story is that the coyotes had found him before I made it back and had eaten him clean from the base of the neck down. At least they left me the head, so now i have a nice skull mount to hang on the wall, and a great story to tell."
See the Gallery with all the pictures
Trey's String and Stick Buck
And the story as told by Trey...good stuff
"It all started when I joined a new chruch. My pastor is a rancher, and in desperate need of somewhere to draw some blood, I asked him if he had anywhere he would be willing to let me hunt. He said he did and he wouldn't charge me a dime to hunt it.
As we pulled up to the property, I knew something amazing was going to happen with this piece of ground. It was a full section, the river running along the back side with soy beans on one side and wheat on the other and a wooded area on the bank. After finding a tree that looked promising with trails all around it, I hung a stand. For the next few weeks leading up to the season, I sat in my truck and scouted the area. One night, I saw exactly what I was looking for, it was a bachelor group with approx. 6 or 7 nice bucks, one of which being considerably bigger, but didn't know how much bigger seeing as how I was 600 yards away.
First day of the season was finally here. I couldn't wait to be in the stand. That day I saw quite a few does and a nice younger buck, but no big boys. October 2nd came around and I decided to hit the stand early. I had been sitting there all day and had only seen 4 does and little forked horn. It was around 6:00 or 6:15 pm when the does came back and started working my way. After debating with myself for awhile, I went ahead and decided to go ahead and stick one of them if the shot presented itself. When they were at about 50 yards, they stopped and looked off to their right. When I turned to look I couldn't believe my eyes. There he was, the big buck I had seen a few weeks before, only 18 yards away! It was getting late, but still light enough to see to make a good shot.
The only thing was, I could only see his body and the right side of his rack. I automatically knew it was him and that he had a good set on his head. So, without hesitation I grabbed my Mathews Z7 Extreme settled my pin behind his shoulder and put a Rage broad head through him. By the time I let everything settle down and got down from the stand, it was dark and I wasn't finding much blood, even though I saw my arrow hit and found pieces of lung on the ground, along with my arrow that had good blood on it. I decided to back out and find him in the morning. Needless to say I couldn't sleep that night. When I went back that next morning, I couldn't believe what I saw. I had no idea he was that big! He had only run 100 yards from where I had shot him and fell over dead.
The only sad part in this story is that the coyotes had found him before I made it back and had eaten him clean from the base of the neck down. At least they left me the head, so now i have a nice skull mount to hang on the wall, and a great story to tell."
See the Gallery with all the pictures
Trey's String and Stick Buck
Monday, November 28, 2011
Massive Oklahoma Whitetail
Nice deer Josh...Check that...Amazing Deer Josh!
And a great publicity shot in the Pryor Daily Times
Way to go Josh, truly amazing deer and congratulations.
Friday, November 25, 2011
9pt Davis, Oklahoma Whitetail
Thanksgiving Bounty
Awesome 9pt Oklahoma Whitetail with a high hat. Deer harvested out of Davis, OK.
Way to go Parker S., Edmond, OK.
Awesome 9pt Oklahoma Whitetail with a high hat. Deer harvested out of Davis, OK.
Way to go Parker S., Edmond, OK.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Cheyenne, Oklahoma Whitetail
Doe scent up...Bruiser cruises in, Kenton harvests the bruiser...
Getting some scent up, usually does the trick.
Way to go Kenton...nice Cheyenne, OK bruiser
Getting some scent up, usually does the trick.
Way to go Kenton...nice Cheyenne, OK bruiser
11 Pointer, Oklahoma Whitetail
Persistence Pays!
Way to go Heath...very nice okie 11 Pointer....
Heath hunted the same stand he hunted for years, although he had never seen a shooter buck during the daylight he had plenty of evidence they were around. He had lots of pictures of nice shooters, but they've always been in the middle of the night. Heath was in stand by 6AM opening morning and didn't expect to see much due to the windy forecast. Big boy came in pretty fast and to Heath's surprise, wasn't with any does. He stood at 20 yards and Heath closed the deal by taking the shot. It all happened so fast, Heath couldn't even tell how big he was.
Well heath...he was very big......Congratulations on a wonderful wall hanger.
Way to go Heath...very nice okie 11 Pointer....
Heath hunted the same stand he hunted for years, although he had never seen a shooter buck during the daylight he had plenty of evidence they were around. He had lots of pictures of nice shooters, but they've always been in the middle of the night. Heath was in stand by 6AM opening morning and didn't expect to see much due to the windy forecast. Big boy came in pretty fast and to Heath's surprise, wasn't with any does. He stood at 20 yards and Heath closed the deal by taking the shot. It all happened so fast, Heath couldn't even tell how big he was.
Well heath...he was very big......Congratulations on a wonderful wall hanger.
GameCam Cougar, Oklahoma Outdoors?
This picture has been making the rounds again, some say it happened in Watonga, others say out West by Elk City....Follow the link for they real story...out of South Texas.
www.buckmanager.com
www.buckmanager.com
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Monster 8pt Oklahoma Whitetail
Nice One Brad!
Always happens when u don't expect it....nice about 160ish...
Don't see clean 8's go this big very often
Always happens when u don't expect it....nice about 160ish...
Don't see clean 8's go this big very often
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