Deer Hunting & Observation Stories

[Brian1986]

I am fascinated by hearing other hunter's deer hunting stories and deer observations. I love learning about mature bucks behavior and how they interact in different types of terrain and situations. It's why I enjoy the Beast Forum so much. What is a story you recall that sticks out to you? Here is one of mine that comes to mind.

Here in Ohio I saw a wild buck fight involving an estrous doe on January 4th back in 2009. I had taken my mom out for a hike in a part of the property that is a no hunting zone adjacent to public hunting land. We saw a group of 4 does quickly trot across the hiking trail in front of us, soon to follow was a big bodied 10ptr in the 160-170" range. The does saw us and scattered. Evidently the young doe that ran to the north was in estrous because the 10ptr chased after her. A couple minutes later I heard antlers crashing coming from the direction they ran to a couple hundred yards away. It took a few seconds for it to register what was taking place, then I realized bucks were fighting over that doe. I did a fast wide circle to get downwind (wind was 10-15W in my journal) to try to sneak up on them and get a view (this was reclaimed farmland- lots of honey suckle bush, crp, cedars etc). It took me probably 3-4 minutes to get to the crp field they were fighting in. They were still going at it. As I crested the hill to get a view, all I could see was crp grasses and small cedars moving from the fight and the rear legs of one of the bucks. More surprisingly is there were at least 5 other bucks watching these two go at it 50 yds away. 3 of which were at least P&Y including an 11ptr who was probably 160. One of them busted me right as I realized they were there. They all took off running to a lower bottom field about 300 yds to the west. The bucks continued to fight on. I tried to get closer to see them but either they busted me or one of the bucks won the fight as they ran off over the hill to west as well. We snuck to the edge of the crp field to try to locate them in the lower field to the west. As we peered out, on the edge of a thicket 200yds away stood the largest bodied buck I have seen in person, well over 300lbs. He had a massive, wide 10 point rack. When I first saw it I thought it was two deer. I jokingly told my mom "there's the big buck" while actually thinking it was two bucks. Then the buck turned his head and the whole thing moved. Our jaws dropped as he was so big and wide. The doe was with him in the thicket a few yards behind him. We watched a 3yr old 8 pointer try to move in on the doe. The big buck charged a few steps in the 8 pointer's direction and the 8 pointer took off running for his life. The big buck then just stood there in the field for about a minute as if to say "who wants a shot at the title?" When no other bucks showed he slowly walked back into the thicket with the doe and that was the last we saw of them. It appears this buck and the 160-170" 10 pointer we initially saw were the two in the fight and this larger buck won. I was glad my mom was with me to experience it. Not only for her but also because I don't know if anyone would have believed me otherwise. I tried to take pictures with my flip phone, but the camera it had was worthless.
Some of the things that I took note of-
*It seemed every buck in the area was interested in this doe.
*Even though it was January, none of the bucks were lacking in body size. This property has abundant bedding cover, is surrounded by ag fields, and fairly flat. So perhaps they had less wear and tear on them than some deer in other regions.
*The deer density is lower in this part of the state compared to others. Not sure what factor that played in it.
*The huntable portion of the property is heavily pressured. The deer felt safe in the area they were chasing does and fighting.
*Though hiking trails and horse trails wind through both the hunting zone and the no hunting zone, the rut sign and bedding sign in the no hunt
zone was heavy and intense compared to the relatively sparse amount on the huntable portion of the property. The deer clearly knew where the
danger was and wasn't.
*It surprised me how much movement I could get away with on the ground when deer are distracted.

[Singing Bridge]

*The huntable portion of the property is heavily pressured. The deer felt safe in the area they were chasing does and fighting.

Human scent free safety zones will definitlely be used in the manner you described- probably the best example is rutting activity / chasing / cruising in huge swamp and marsh areas devoid of human scent.

Enjoyed your post- good stuff.