Bridge Buck- Public Land- Hunt The Rain
- Singing Bridge
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Bridge Buck- Public Land- Hunt The Rain
Yesterday was Michigan's gun opener. The forecast for the big woods swamp I planned to hunt called for a day long rain... not a light rain or sprinkle... rain. Countless hunters stayed out of the woods because they didn't want to get their clothes and gear wet, even if they had a blind in place. They would wait until today to start their hunt. I find this to always be a big mistake, especially on heavy-pressure public land. The bucks almost seem to know it is a free day.
I left home at 3 a.m. and began the long drive to my hunting area. Once there the rain had already began and standing in it for a couple of minutes would get you soaked. I donned my rain gear and began the almost 2 mile journey through a northern Michigan public swamp, climbing over windfalls and busting brush while trying not to fall into deep muck areas. Once on stand I began my vigil and hoped that the rain would let up bit as at times it was heavy. I reminded myself of all the buck activity I'd seen in years past with the rain like this.
The setup was a buck bedding area runway that exited toward two different doe bedding areas. A careful recon in a previous rain storm a week earlier showed that their were 3 bucks using the buck bedding area quite a bit. Based on tracks, rubs and droppings I surmised a 2.5 year old 8 point, a 3.5 year old 8+ and a mature buck (at least 4 years of age). I had very limited time to hunt and told some friends that the first buck that showed was getting decked. As I sat on my stand, I said to myself that the 2.5 year old will likely show first as they are care free and nomadic compared to the other heavy pressure bucks.
The first deer that showed up were 3 does at 11:30 a.m. Two of the does were mature and quite large. One of them began whipping her head around to look behind her and I readied my rifle. Here came the 2.5 year old 8 and I decked him, just like I said I would (small rack). He dropped on the shot (.260 Rem) and got up and ran for 20 yards before collapsing for good. I began the long trek out to get my sled and change into lighter clothes for the drag.
When I finally got back to where I could see my stand I continued walking toward where I knew the buck lay. Out of nowhere a doe that was 40 yards in front of my stand flagged and ran hard past me off of my right shoulder. Right behind her was the mature 10 point and with my gun in the truck all I could do was shake my head and chuckle a bit. Timing is everything. No worries, the buck I shot will eat better!
The buck magnet hadn't been turned off yet. As I began my ride home the rain continued as it had all day. I had traveled about 20 miles when out onto the highway came a big 8 in the pouring rain. I hit my brakes hard and he never even turned his head as he continued on his way. I'm sure there was at least one doe ahead of him. I thought to myself what a shame that countless thousands of hunters missed out on the day's activities. Don't get me wrong there were hunters in the woods but they were very few and far between. I had a huge swamp all to myself, I didn't see any sign of someone else hunting it. There were a couple of trucks on the high ground and you can bet they had blinds and a roof over their head. The bucks acted like it was a free day, almost as though they had blinders on.
Public Land- Hunt The Rain
Bridge
I left home at 3 a.m. and began the long drive to my hunting area. Once there the rain had already began and standing in it for a couple of minutes would get you soaked. I donned my rain gear and began the almost 2 mile journey through a northern Michigan public swamp, climbing over windfalls and busting brush while trying not to fall into deep muck areas. Once on stand I began my vigil and hoped that the rain would let up bit as at times it was heavy. I reminded myself of all the buck activity I'd seen in years past with the rain like this.
The setup was a buck bedding area runway that exited toward two different doe bedding areas. A careful recon in a previous rain storm a week earlier showed that their were 3 bucks using the buck bedding area quite a bit. Based on tracks, rubs and droppings I surmised a 2.5 year old 8 point, a 3.5 year old 8+ and a mature buck (at least 4 years of age). I had very limited time to hunt and told some friends that the first buck that showed was getting decked. As I sat on my stand, I said to myself that the 2.5 year old will likely show first as they are care free and nomadic compared to the other heavy pressure bucks.
The first deer that showed up were 3 does at 11:30 a.m. Two of the does were mature and quite large. One of them began whipping her head around to look behind her and I readied my rifle. Here came the 2.5 year old 8 and I decked him, just like I said I would (small rack). He dropped on the shot (.260 Rem) and got up and ran for 20 yards before collapsing for good. I began the long trek out to get my sled and change into lighter clothes for the drag.
When I finally got back to where I could see my stand I continued walking toward where I knew the buck lay. Out of nowhere a doe that was 40 yards in front of my stand flagged and ran hard past me off of my right shoulder. Right behind her was the mature 10 point and with my gun in the truck all I could do was shake my head and chuckle a bit. Timing is everything. No worries, the buck I shot will eat better!
The buck magnet hadn't been turned off yet. As I began my ride home the rain continued as it had all day. I had traveled about 20 miles when out onto the highway came a big 8 in the pouring rain. I hit my brakes hard and he never even turned his head as he continued on his way. I'm sure there was at least one doe ahead of him. I thought to myself what a shame that countless thousands of hunters missed out on the day's activities. Don't get me wrong there were hunters in the woods but they were very few and far between. I had a huge swamp all to myself, I didn't see any sign of someone else hunting it. There were a couple of trucks on the high ground and you can bet they had blinds and a roof over their head. The bucks acted like it was a free day, almost as though they had blinders on.
Public Land- Hunt The Rain
Bridge
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Re: Public Land- Hunt The Rain
Congrats and thanks for the encouragement. We are supposed to get heavy rain and wind all day Sat for our gun opener.
- thwack16
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Re: Public Land- Hunt The Rain
Congrats on the buck!
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- Singing Bridge
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Re: Public Land- Hunt The Rain
moog5050 wrote:Congrats and thanks for the encouragement. We are supposed to get heavy rain and wind all day Sat for our gun opener.
It's a lot of extra work when it rains, keeping gear and weapons ready for the next day... but the rain just creates excellent buck activity most of the time.
Good luck with your opener Saturday!
- oldrank
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Re: Public Land- Hunt The Rain
You know........... We need pics !!!!!!!
- Hawthorne
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Re: Public Land- Hunt The Rain
Congrats Bridge! I’m always surprised at the amount of people who won’t hunt in the rain and how many don’t have good rain gear. I’ve had good luck in and around rain storms
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Re: Public Land- Hunt The Rain
Even a light rain is enough to keep most people out, I have observed the same
- Singing Bridge
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Re: Public Land- Hunt The Rain
oldrank wrote:You know........... We need pics !!!!!!!
Against my better judgment...
- Singing Bridge
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Re: Public Land- Hunt The Rain
Hawthorne wrote:Congrats Bridge! I’m always surprised at the amount of people who won’t hunt in the rain and how many don’t have good rain gear. I’ve had good luck in and around rain storms
I've had my Rivers West gear for a long time.
Supposed to be rain Tomorrow early in the evening... might have to sneak out for that!!
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Re: Public Land- Hunt The Rain
Singing Bridge wrote:oldrank wrote:You know........... We need pics !!!!!!!
Against my better judgment...
He is a beauty. Definitely looks a little soggy...lol. Way to get it done in the rain. I know alot of guys struggled in the opener yesterday.
- john1984
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Re: Public Land- Hunt The Rain
Congratulations SB
- oldrank
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Re: Public Land- Hunt The Rain
I have also noticed the same scenario as you posted above. I think bucks feel more secure moving in bad weather on the public I hunt. I can't say I see bucks everytime it's nasty, but if I see a deer during bad weather it's usually a buck. I think they almost know people won't be out. I also believe they have become conditioned to move mid day. I couldn't tell you how many bucks I've seen over the years sneaking through like a cat between 10 and 2 o'clock.
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Re: Public Land- Hunt The Rain
Awesome job and post Bridge!
- stash59
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Re: Public Land- Hunt The Rain
Singing Bridge wrote:oldrank wrote:You know........... We need pics !!!!!!!
Against my better judgment...
Thanx for sharing. Love that it's in the truck.
Happiness is a large gutpile!!!!!!!
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