2017 – Swamp Style – Stick Talons to Misfires

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Swampbuck
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2017 – Swamp Style – Stick Talons to Misfires

Unread postby Swampbuck » Sun Feb 18, 2018 4:22 am

Missouri Trip
I’ll keep this part brief. Made a trip to norther Missouri and struck out. Blew an opportunity at 130” 3 yr old the first evening. Put an arrow through a decent 2-3yr old and thought it was a money shot but very little blood. Tracked for 3 hours until dark and walking back to my tree saw a nice buck running a doe and turned around to a stare down with a 140+ stud. Could do nothing but watch him walk off. Continued the search for the one I shot the next day to no avail… The trip was a grind, these were the only deer I saw but 2 were far bigger than anything Ive seen in these parts. And had I had it together I would have come home with one…. Needless to say ill be heading west annually from now on


The Bedded Stick Talon Buck

Long story semi shortened here but it wasn’t that long ago I had pretty much figured out the deep South Louisiana cypress swamp I was hunting out and had gotten pretty consistent. As life always has a way of setting you back a few gears, a couple hurricanes and ridiculous weather were thrown into the mix and wiped out 90% of the deer herd. A huge setback, and though I kept at it a couple seasons and initially had some really great success and killed my biggest buck, over the next couple seasons it really became un-hunt able, as if it wasn’t already close lol. So, I finally quit fighting it and started focusing elsewhere.
I had hunted this other area some but it was different so it took some time to learn. And as luck would have it I didn’t get a break. The first season was coupled with unusually high water and poor weather which made the learning curve that much longer the first season. But after 2 seasons of running cams hard, bouncing around, and waiting until the last weekend 2 years in a row to give in and get some meat, I finally put it together last season and thought this year I could probably get back on track.

Last season I had done some heavy scouting in this area. It actually took me a couple seasons to figure it out. I have to say this area was one of the trickiest I have encountered but I finally found an area on the edge of what I had thought was buck bedding that the bucks were using in the daylight. Its odd here because the deer density is low and the does really bed in a similar fashion to the bucks so it can be very misleading. I had run cams in this area for 2 seasons with no results, but sign doesn’t lie and eventually I caught multiple mature bucks on cam. Oddly this was only 100 yds away from cams I had previously run. But It goes to show you can be in the right area but if you don’t put the cams or yourself in the right spot you are totally out the game even if you are 100 yds away….

The WMA I hunt doesn’t open until mid December. The first 5-6 days of the season were 70+ degrees, rainy and miserable, and I was sick as a dog so I skipped. Knowing what I had in a couple spots I thought it best to just wait for the right time, and being sick doesn’t make it hard to hold out lol.
On 12/22 I got a perfect wind and even though it was still hot (70F) and I felt poor I decided to grind it out and go make an evening hunt as my first hunt of the La season. On the way in I noticed it was tore up with rubs. As I got closer to my tree I noticed I was walking past well used bedding which is really unusual to see in the swamp. Honestly it was kind of a downer as I thought I was more on the edge and may be pushing in too close to hunt this more than once.

Anyway I got to my tree and soon as I stopped a young 4 pt jumped 20yds from me and walked off. Started to climb the tree and was in the process of hanging the second Lone wolf stick when I looked behind me and a young forky 6 pt was milling around 30 yds behind me. I didn’t wanna bust him out and mess the area up so I went pretty slow and kept an eye on him. As I hung the 3rd stick I noticed a nice (what appeared to be a 3 yr old 8pt buck) was standing on a mound about 80 yds away. (Side-note…. This isn’t common – The last couple seasons it wasn’t uncommon to go 5-10 hunts or more to not see a deer so 3 bucks in a day is way out the norm) Anyway, I was in no position to do anything at that point so decided I would continue to hang the stand and see how it all worked out. As I slid the stand off my back I noticed the better deer bed down. At the same time the young 6 pt is starting to mill his way downwind of me. I decided to stay still and let him hit my scent, figuring him being young he would just ease off. He followed the script perfectly, he hit my scent, stopped, and just eased off, didn’t cause any diversion at all. So I hung the stand about 2’ lower than I was planning to keep it behind some limbs so I had some cover once I got into it, which would prevent the bedded buck from seeing me once I got set. Pulled my gun up and climbed in the stand and stayed crouched on the platform, under the seat and behind the limbs.

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I had no idea if he was still there or not. Eased the gun over the limb and peeked through the scope. After scanning under the tree about 5 minutes I noticed the outline of his face through the swamp grass. It was hidden so well it was a trip…. For an hour I tried to steady on him but in the position I was in and the grass blocking everything but his upper neck I just never could get comfortable to make the shot, I was scared to really get where I needed with him seeming to stare at me the whole time. Plus it was such a cool experience my heart was pounding making it that much more difficult. It was really amazing watching him. For quite awhile he stared in my direction, so much so that I could swear he was staring at me and knew I was there. Then noises from other directions would pull his attention there and he would stare motionless for long periods, then stick his nose up and try to catch the scent. He was always on full alert just watching, listening and smelling. Really amazing to watch. Made me realize had it not been for the luck of the timing of when I climbed and the crazy thick cover of the tree I was climbing this guy would have been long gone a long time ago. (How many times has that happened??)

Finally i had decided I needed to kneel on the seat, hide behind the tree and try to make it happen, if he gets up and goes in any direction but towards me I wont get a shot so my best chance is now!! Right at that moment a nutria rat started going crazy chasing another one in the water, the buck stood up, almost no direction he would go would offer me a shot, and he seemed on alert. So I stood up and took the offhand shot. He ran forward quite fast on the shot and I waited for the follow up in the next opening… but he never cleared it and seemed to have disappeared. I was pretty sure I got him but he could have turned so I wasn’t sure.
I waited awhile to soak it in and calm down as my nerves were fried lol!! Made my way over to where it went down and I was surprised to see it was a big bodied 6pt. It was such a cool hunt I didn’t care.

Looking back -I don’t believe I would have been able to make this happen without the stick talons. I climbed the tree with a young 6 pt 20 yds away and this buck bedded 70 yds away. Being able to hang sticks and stand without having to climb down was crucial here. Had I had to climb up and down to hang sticks I am sure that little buck woulda busted me. And I’m also certain had I had to go up and down I wouldn’t have even seen this buck when he initially stood up since I was in the process of pulling a stick off my back when I saw him. So I owe cbigbear and his stick talons on this one!!
This isn’t one of my better bucks but I have to say but it was far and away one of the coolest hunts I’ve experienced! I mean shooting a buck when he stands up from his bed is something I never envisioned happening

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The Misfire Buck

Having had multiple mature deer on trail cam in the same area I had high hopes for this area and planned to make a couple hunts here. It seemed to be on the edge of where multiple bucks were bedding and cruising which is the perfect scenario. This was the 2nd hunt I had made here. Got in the tree at about 7am, gorgeous morning. You know how when you are in certain spot and u visualize how it will all play out. Well I had it in my head how I would love it to go down. There was a massive bog to the west that bucks used and travelled the edge of. At about 8am I see a deer coming my way though the marsh. Game on! Knew he was a shooter. He disappears through a thicket and I’m waiting for him on the farside, when he pops out he’s much closer than I expected. He was moving kind of fast but finally stops on the edge of a pothole about 50 yds away, He followed the script to perfection. It’s a nice 10pt, this is awesome!!! I put the crosshairs on him and fire “click” OMG…. Try again, “click” he stares me down awhile, flickers his tail and continues on his way. Not sure at all whats going on but I quietly unload a shell and reload. Get on him again “click”. Twice more this happens… UNREAL!!!!

I tinker with the chamber some, hoping I fixed the issue and wait for him to come out the thicket. I know he’s far now being its so thick here. Figuring when he comes out this thick patch this will be my chance albeit a slight one as last I saw his horns it was looking bleak as the cover was so thick. All a sudden I see him loping off jumping the drains. He got downwind of me and busted out. Even jumping 4-5’ in the air I never heard him hit the water, crazy how silent these animals can be when they need to. Never attempted a shot as I only got glimpses. Once it was over I wanted to throw the gun in the water. I thought I fixed it and was on the fence about riding it, after texting back and forth I decided to get down, cross the ditch and walk about 500 yds away and test the gun. Figured a half mile away was ok to fire a shot…. It clicked again. Come to find out this is my first auto and unbeknownst to me you have to release the mechanism and let it load itself vs soft closing it. Dernit!!!!!!

Anyway decided to back in the tree… It was so frustrating cause I know I’m usually lucky if I get 1 crack a year at a +3.5 yr old a year and I just blew it… But I did have multiple nice bucks on cam here so I figured I would wait til 1pm (most the bucks I had on cam were between 10-12) and then relocate for the evening hunt. It was such a nice day it wasn’t hard to stay put. At 11:30 I look up and here comes a nice buck making his way to me. He stops and starts hooking a bush. When I saw him I knew he was nice and was shocked I was getting a 2nd chance… This time the browning did its job!! This may actually have been the same buck I misfired on, he came from where the other one went and looked so similar. It does seem odd a 4 yr old deer would wind me and come back but I’m not complaining one way or the other… Its not often a mishap turns into a win so im very appreciative for this one.

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This year was really cool cause it was the first time both the kids were really able to enjoy the whole thing with me!

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JakeB
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Re: 2017 – Swamp Style – Stick Talons to Misfires

Unread postby JakeB » Sun Feb 18, 2018 6:17 am

yea! Not much can beat a LA swamp buck!
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Re: 2017 – Swamp Style – Stick Talons to Misfires

Unread postby john1984 » Sun Feb 18, 2018 7:00 am

Congrats! ! Gr8 bucks!!
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Re: 2017 – Swamp Style – Stick Talons to Misfires

Unread postby <DK> » Sun Feb 18, 2018 3:43 pm

:clap: Congrats! Great write up!
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Re: 2017 – Swamp Style – Stick Talons to Misfires

Unread postby Bowhunter4life » Sun Feb 18, 2018 4:38 pm

Great stuff there buddy. That’s a heck of a season and great job on the write up. I have nothing but respect for you guys down hunting down there. Seems that you have a pretty good handle on how to tackle it tho and have plenty of success to prove. Great job man. Like the pictures with the kids, they just makes it that much more sweeter!
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Re: 2017 – Swamp Style – Stick Talons to Misfires

Unread postby cbigbear » Mon Feb 19, 2018 2:19 am

The conditions you hunt in redefine suck. Congrats on a helluva season. Good thing someone talked you into shooting that gun!!!!!
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Re: 2017 – Swamp Style – Stick Talons to Misfires

Unread postby Wetfoot » Mon Feb 19, 2018 3:29 am

8-) 8-)
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Re: 2017 – Swamp Style – Stick Talons to Misfires

Unread postby Swampbuck » Tue Feb 20, 2018 6:51 am

cbigbear wrote:The conditions you hunt in redefine suck. Congrats on a helluva season. Good thing someone talked you into shooting that gun!!!!!



Good thing for sure. Had it happened a second time that rifle would definitely be in the ditch, so save me a deer and a rifle! Got deer sausage with your name on!!!
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Re: 2017 – Swamp Style – Stick Talons to Misfires

Unread postby Swampbuck » Tue Feb 20, 2018 6:52 am

Bowhunter4life wrote:Great stuff there buddy. That’s a heck of a season and great job on the write up. I have nothing but respect for you guys down hunting down there. Seems that you have a pretty good handle on how to tackle it tho and have plenty of success to prove. Great job man. Like the pictures with the kids, they just makes it that much more sweeter!



Thanks and your right, looking forward to the kids excitement is now part of the fun
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Re: 2017 – Swamp Style – Stick Talons to Misfires

Unread postby Swampbuck » Tue Jun 19, 2018 2:20 am

Thought I'd add pics of the skull mounts. I stuck these in front of a small space heater for 30 min with the whitening paste on them and they whiten up much better than in the sun


http://thehuntingbeast.com/copper/album ... 200527.jpg
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Re: 2017 – Swamp Style – Stick Talons to Misfires

Unread postby Swampbuck » Tue Jun 19, 2018 2:36 am

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Re: 2017 – Swamp Style – Stick Talons to Misfires

Unread postby Swampbuck » Tue Jun 19, 2018 3:09 am

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Re: 2017 – Swamp Style – Stick Talons to Misfires

Unread postby NYBackcountry » Tue Jun 19, 2018 7:52 am

Awesome thread, thanks for posting.

I have the same issue posting from the Hunting beast gallery, not sure why.


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